After being within the trade for thus a few years, getting excited concerning the new releases is changing into tougher and tougher. Nonetheless, that does not imply there aren’t telephones that stood out. However my perspective has shifted. I picked 5 telephones that, to me, are stable all-rounders, leaving little room for complaints as a substitute of going for probably the most spectacular {hardware} or flashy, cutting-edge tech.
Xiaomi 14 Extremely
I am beginning the listing with Xiaomi’s flagship for yet one more yr. The Xiaomi 14 Extremely would not provide any groundbreaking options, neither is it an enormous leap over the Xiaomi 13 Extremely (which has been my every day driver for nearly two years), nevertheless it’s positively among the best telephones to purchase in 2024.
I grew keen on HyperOS, and other than its unimpressive battery life, this proprietary Android overlay delivers in nearly each side. It is feature-packed and stays fluid and reliable after years of use.
Moreover, the 14 Extremely provides a much-needed improve to the digital camera division in comparison with the 13 Extremely. The 2 telephoto cameras (3.2x and 5x) now each help close-distance focusing. This makes the digital camera setup way more versatile and ties the entire thing collectively. The macro pictures are nice.
The Xiaomi 14 Extremely’s design, though polarizing, is extraordinarily comfy. The 13 Extremely and the 14 Extremely are the primary telephones I exploit with out a case, and I am not even apprehensive about dropping both of them. The vegan leather-based again is grippy, comfy and withstands the take a look at of time. As I mentioned earlier, little to no complaints.
OnePlus 12
I’ve had my fair proportion of OnePlus telephones up to now, however the OnePlus 12 is maybe the primary one I genuinely like lately.
Positive, it will not impress you with its digital camera prowess, however that does not imply it may possibly’t take good stills and movies. ColorOS, ahem… OxygenOS continues to evolve, bringing glorious options, and we discovered it to be among the best methods in terms of battery life. Therefore why, the OnePlus 12 has such nice battery endurance.
The machine additionally packs top-of-the-line {hardware}, reminiscent of a flagship SoC, a superb show, and a battery that helps blazing-fast charging. And although OnePlus is now not related to affordability, it nonetheless manages to undercut the competitors, making you suppose twice earlier than defaulting to a Samsung Galaxy S telephone, for instance. That is why I typically suggest the OnePlus 12 to somebody searching for a stable all-around flagship telephone so long as they don’t have extraordinarily excessive hopes for the digital camera system. Not that it takes dangerous stills, nevertheless it’s not a standout cameraphone both.
Xiaomi 14T/14T Professional
This yr’s Xiaomi 14T sequence will get a critical improve, particularly within the digital camera division. The duo is maybe among the best in its class in terms of digital camera efficiency, particularly movies.
Along with their competent digital camera methods, the 2 handsets are outfitted with potent {hardware}, brilliant shows and speedy charging. Simply among the best upper-midrangers available on the market.
iQOO 13
I used to be pleasantly stunned by the iQOO 13. iQOO’s telephones normally fly below my radar, however the iQOO 13 is unquestionably a success. For the asking worth, the handset provides a pleasant set of options – a superb digital camera system with a devoted zoom digital camera, nice show, great-sounding audio system, quick charging and one of many highest battery life scores in our database.
The iQOO 13 can also be one of many few telephones available on the market providing the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Elite. And that is not all. Seems, the iQOO 13 can deal with the 8 Elite with out breaking a sweat. The machine maintained near-maximal CPU efficiency throughout an hour-long stress take a look at, which is extraordinarily uncommon in telephones with such highly effective chipsets. iQOO positively outdid themselves this time.
I am certain I neglected many nice smartphones in 2024, however these are those that caught with me all through this yr. What are your finest picks?
