Best of 2024: Top smartphones launched in India this year

In 2024, we saw the launch of Google Pixel 9 Pro series, Apple iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S24 series, OnePlus 12 series and more in India.

In 2024, we saw the launch of new exciting smartphones, more powerful and visually better designed than the ones launched the previous years.

I had the opportunity to review several handsets throughout the year. And, as we say goodbye to 2024, we are listing our list of the best phones reviewed this year. Here they are:

Most versatile smartphone year of 2024: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with S Pen [I know the handwriting is terrible. Forgive for my penmanship]

In 2023, Galaxy S23 Ultra was our top pick. This year, its successor continues the legacy with a even higher benchmark.

Though Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra launched in January, not many phones managed to match its high standards, particularly the anti-glare display, powerful processor, and build quality.

Even the photography hardware is excellent. Besides the Galaxy AI, the S Pen makes Samsung's latest offering, the most versatile phone in the industry.

It is a complete package and excels in all aspects.

Most powerful smartphone year of 2024: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

It comes with Apple A18 Pro chipset. It is more power efficient and faster than their predecessors.

It has 6-core CPU, which is said to be 15 per cent faster and has a bigger cache size compared to the predecessor. And, it has 20 per cent less power than the previous iteration.

The 6-core GPU is 20 per cent faster and better than A17 Pro. And, the new A18 Pro houses a 16-core neural engine, which comes with 17 per cent larger memory bandwidth. It delivers faster AI-enabled operations and can perform 35 trillion operations per second.

Also, thanks to the redesigned thermal substructure, the device is super cool while playing games.

The battery life on the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max is amazingly long thanks to the efficient power distribution by the A18 Pro chipset. Even if you are dependent on cellular data all day, it can still be able to last until you retire to bed at night.

With more Apple Intelligence features coming early next year, the user experience on the iPhone 16 Pro Max will only get better with time.

Best Camera Phone: Google Pixel 9 Pro series

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Besides taking absolutely stunning images, generative AI-powered tools such as Magic Editor, Add me, Reimagine, and Pixel Studio app bring great value addition to photography experience Pixel 9 Pro series.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a significant upgrade over the predecessor. The new design language looks evolved and unique. The build quality and the display is absolutely top-class materials. The photography capabilities are simply outstanding. And, top it off, the device is eco-friendly too.

Best Foldable Phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6.

The new Galaxy Z Fold6 is a refined version of the Fold5 version. It is more elegant and sturdy.

And, with the Galaxy AI-powered value-added features such as note assist, interpreter, and live translation) features, it delivers the best user experience on a foldable phone.

And, with seven years of software support, the Galaxy Z Fold6 will only get better with new features added every year up to 2031.

Best Compact Phones of 2024

Apple iPhone 16.

Apple iPhone 16

It sports a 6.1-inch (diagonal) display, perfect for one handed usage

The iPhone 16 series is developed from scratch to support its generative Aritificial Intelligence (gen AI) technology called 'Apple Intelligence'.

It is powered by Apple A18 silicon. It houses an upgraded 16-core Neural Engine that is optimised for large generative AI models and is capable of running Machine Language models up to 2x faster than the A16 Bionic chip seen in iPhone 15 and 15 Plus.

The 6-core CPU is 30 per cent faster than the A16 Bionic chip and is faster than all its competitors running on premium Android phones.

It is not just fast, but also power efficient too. It consumes 30 per cent less energy to perform a task compared to its predecessor.

Also, The 5-core GPU is said to be up to 40 per cent faster and 35 per cent more efficient than A16 Bionic.

For the first time, Apple has introduced hardware-accelerated ray tracing on regular iPhones.

The latest iPhone 16 performs super smoothly and can last a full day under normal usage. Thanks to the internal design changes, there is marked improvement in terms of thermal and gaming performance.

It excels in important aspects such as design, build quality, and performance.

The camera captures amazing photos in all lighting conditions. Also, the macro-mode takes pretty brilliant close-up shots.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6.

Though there is no drastic change in terms of design language over the predecessor, the new Galaxy Z Flip6 looks prettier and sturdy.

The Galaxy Z Flip6 features a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED screen on the cover. It comes with HD (720x748p) resolution has a pixel density of 306 ppi (pixels per inch) and supports a dynamic refresh rate (1-120Hz). It also supports 1,600nits peak brightness, which is more than to read messages.

Also, it is just big enough to read weather updates and calendar. Also, it supports Galaxy AI-powered smart reply option and a small keyboard for users to respond quickly without having to open the widescreen.

When opened, the Samsung phone has normal 6.7-inch screen, great for consuming multimedia content.

Also, several value-added generative AI capabilities are deeply integrated into device's photography and productivity (with note assist, interpreter, and live translation) features to deliver the best user experience on a foldable phone.

With seven years of software support, the Galaxy Z Flip6 will only get better with new features until the end of this decade.

Best Gaming Phone: Asus ROG Phone 8 series

Asus ROG Phone 8 and 8 Pro series.

The new ROG Phone 8, 8 Pro, and 8 Pro Edition feature almost the same design language. They come with an all-new refreshing design. The camera module is unique and inside too, it has received a big upgrade over its predecessor.

Also, the devices are slim but come with a big battery capacity to last long even with extreme gaming sessions. Not just thickness, the bezels around the display to significantly reduced to deliver better viewing and playing experience.

One of the perks of owning ROG Phone 8 series is that it comes with a dedicated gaming control feature--AirTrigger. The frame around the display comes with ultrasensitive touch controls that give gamers unrivalled fingertip control over their games and deliver a console-like playing experience.

The AirTrigger sensors support a wide range of gestures, including Dual Action, Press and Lift, and Gyroscope Aiming.

The ROG Phone 8 series also features 10 motion controls and an X-axis linear motor that offers powerful haptic feedback. It also supports Vibration Mapping feature, which enhances the touch experience by providing adjustable haptic feedback for virtual on-screen buttons.

One of the main differences between the standard ROG Phone 8 and the Phone 8 Pro/ 8 Pro Edition is the back display feature.

The ROG Phone 8 boasts the Aura RGB Lighting logo that shines bright when the device's display is on. The 8 Pro boasts an AniMe Vision Mini-LED display that allows owners to display custom messages on the back of the device.

The AniMe Vision is a 341-element display that can display preset or user-created animations.

ROG Phone 8 and 8 Pro will be made available in 12GB RAM + 256GB storage and 16GB RAM + 512GB storage, respectively. The top-end model ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition comes in 24GB RAM + 1TB storage.

They run on Android 14 OS and come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm's latest and most powerful silicon for Android phones in the market.

Asus ROG Phone 8 series: Key features you should know

Best All-rounder Phones of 2024

Vivo X200 5G.

Vivo X200

The user has to just point the camera to the subject and be assured of a good photo in almost all lighting conditions.

Besides photography, the device excels in all other key departments such as build quality, display, performance and battery life. It is one of the best premium phones to launch in India this year, totally worth its asking price.

OnePlus 12

It comes with amazing camera improvements, delivers lag-free performance, and offers a long-lasting battery life. Also, the superfast 50W wireless charging capability and IP65 certification are a really valuable addition to the OnePlus 12.

Xiaomi 14

Xiaomi 14 is a solid premium phone. It is made of high-quality materials; it has unique design elements. Inside, it has a powerful processor and performance amazingly good. It delivers a full day of battery life with normal usage. The most impressive aspect of the Xiaomi 14 is the Leica tech-backed camera system. It takes spectacular photos with clear details and vibrant colours in all light conditions.

Oppo Find X8 series

Oppo Find X8 is an impressive premium Android phone. It excels in premium build quality, vibrant display, amazing photography tools and long battery life. Also, the gen AI features make the device versatile and make up for a compelling reason to buy it.

iQOO 13

It comes packed with Snapdragon 8 Elite, Qualcomm's latet and most powerful chipset to date. Also, the iQOO device boasts of great photography hardware and build quality.

Best Upper Mid-range Phones of 2024

Motorola Edge 50 Pro series.

Motorola Edge 50 Pro

Motorola's Edge 50 Pro is a complete package. It ticks all the right boxes: it takes stunning pictures, its premium metallic frame feels great in your hand, has a beautiful display, keeps up with all your tasks, and lasts all day on a full charge.

OnePlus 12R

OnePlus 12R has got all the right features to deliver a smooth user experience in terms of performance, photography and also excells with long battery life.

There are a couple of advantages of owning the new OnePlus. The company is offering a 100W super fast charger and a high-quality silicone cover case free of cost with a retail box. While its top two rivals have stopped offering the accessories with their phones.

Samsung Galaxy A55

Compared to the previous iteration, there is marked improvement in terms of build quality, and enhanced photography hardware. Also, the Galaxy A55 performs smoothly with all day-to-day activities and even gaming. Under normal usage, it can easily last a full day.

It has several features we see in the premium Galaxy S series such as an object eraser photography tool, fully fortified with a durable body, military-grade security to protect sensitive personal information and also guarantees four years of Android OS updates up to 2028, to serve the customer for long.

Best Mid-range Phones of 2024

Oppo Reno12 Pro series.

Oppo Reno12 Pro

The new Reno 12 Pro is a really good mid-range phone. It excels in day-to-day performance, build quality and delivering a full-day battery life.

Oppo AI features particularly in the photography segment, are good in almost all use cases. However, there is room for improvement in terms of summarising audio recordings.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 series

Xiaomi's latest Redmi Note 14 phone ticks all the boxes. Particularly, in terms of the build quality, the display and the performance, it has exceeded my expectations.

iQOO Z9s

iQOO Z9s is a pretty phone with a slim and stylish design language. As far as performance is concerned, it works perfectly without any glaring issues to complain about. Also, it delivers great in terms of battery life. And, the camera does its job good and I am more impressed with the low-light photography capability of the device.

OnePlus Nord CE 4

The new model comes with big upgrades over Nord CE 3 in several aspects such as design language, build quality, Qulcomm's reliable Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, better camera, bigger battery capacity and more. And, yet it costs Rs 2,000 less than the launch price of the predecessor.

Considering the overall aspects, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is a really good mid-range phone worth investing your money in. It comes jam-packed with key features that matter the most to the customer.

One of the best perks of owning a OnePlus phone is the superfast 100W charging capability. It is such a value addition to the user experience.

Poco M7 Pro

The M7 Pro sports a 6.67-inch full HD+ (1080×2400p) super AMOLED display with variable refresh rate (60/90/120Hz), up to 2,100 nits peak brightness.

The Poco phone houses a 6nm class MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra octa-core processor with IMG BXM-8-256 GPU, Android 14-based Xiaomi HyperOS, 6GB / 8GB LPDDR4X RAM with 128GB / 256GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable), and a 5,110mAh battery with 45W charging.

It comes with a dual camera module-- main 50MP (with 1/1.95-inch Sony LYT-600 sensor, f/1.5 aperture) and a 2MP depth sensor (f/2.4) with LED flash. And, on the front, it features a 20MP sensor.

Best Budget Phones of 2024

CMF Phone 1 series.

CMF Phone 1

The modular design language of the device makes it stand out among the rival brands. Performance in terms of regular day-to-day activities including consuming multimedia content, messaging and calls, it does without any issues.

As far as photography is concerned, it does a decent job; on par with rival brands in its class. and, battery life is excellent. It can last more than a day with normal usage.

Xiaomi Redmi A4

The big 6.88-inch display is great for watching movies and TV series on OTT apps. The build quality is top-class. The camera hardware is decent enough get good photos in the sunlight. And, the battery is optmised to deliver long battery life.

Considering the overall aspects, the Redmi A4 5G is my number one pick in the budget phone segment under Rs 10,000.

It is best suited for senior citizens, who mostly use social media platforms and OTT apps. It also good option for college students who are tight budget.

Motorola Moto G35

Motorola's Moto G35 5G is one of the best-looking phones and also well-built to survive scratches and accidental drops.

Performance, battery life and photography wise, it is decent; the device fares well compared to others under the Rs 10,000 price range.

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