Smartphones have become such an integral aspect of our day-to-day lives. Every part of our daily activities is centered on the device. Based on valid sources, India’s smartphone market size was valued at 139 million USD in 2021, and the segment is expected to grow with a CAGR of 10.5 percent and is expected to reach 28 billion USD by the end of 2028. The major companies dominating the Indian smartphone market include Xiaomi, Vivo, Realme, Samsung, and Oppo.
When it comes to flagship smartphones, there has been a significant demand. A flagship smartphone offers the device’s best features and the highest-end hardware model in the product line. The flagship smartphones are considered o be expensive as it consists of the best features of the device. They have pushed the boundaries of technology to deliver an enhanced user experience to customers.
Based on the imaging capabilities, they have increased the resolution of cameras bringing them closer to DSLR photography, and improved displays that have conveyed smartphones into a primary computing device.
The flagship smartphones have seen an increase in recent years. While there is an endless list of flagship smartphones in India, we have curated a list of to top 10 flagship smartphones to purchase in 2023.
Top 10 flagship smartphones in India in 2023:
- IQOO 11 5G:
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform used by the IQOO 11 5G uses the TSMC 4NM process, which has 20% and 10% more GPU peak performance than the 8+ Gen1 and 10% more peak CPU performance. It has a 2K AMOLED screen with 77.8% more pixels than a 1080 p screen. The 120W flash charger for the IQOO 11 can charge the battery to 50% capacity in 8 minutes and 100% capacity in under 25 minutes. By increasing the frame rate, you can experience better gaming and photography. The user can take better nighttime films and images thanks to it. It boasts dual pixel pro technology for the GN5 sensor, which enhances the phone’s autofocus performance with the sensor’s 50 MP resolution.
IQOO 11 has an exciting supermoon feature that helps capture pictures of the moon and can support zooming up to 30X times.
Pros: The device has a stunning QHD+ AMOLED display.
It has the latest Qualcomm silicon processor
Powerful back camera consisting of 50 MP
The battery lasts all day and has a fast charging option with 120W.
Android 13 software
Cons:
Limited supply
No feature of wireless charging
The wide-angle camera is not up to the mark.
Pricing: the flagship smartphone has been launched at 59,999 Inr for the base variant. The base variant consists of 8 GB+ 256 GB. They have been launched in two color variants: the Legend and the Alpha.
2. Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G
The triple camera system on the Xiaomi 12 pro 5G is quite powerful. With outstanding cinematography, the huge 50 MP Sony IMX 707 records up to 120% more light. With Corning Gorilla Glass protection, the 6.73 WQHD,120HZ Amoled display with AdaptiveSync pro is a master of clarity, smoothness, and brightness. With its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 4nm processor, performance is unparalleled. Three graphite sheets and a 2900mm vapor chamber give it a cutting-edge cooling system.
The device is a good flagship, especially when it is offered at a discounted price on various e-commerce platforms. The device has a 2K AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a powerful capacity for charging.
But, the shortcoming is that the handset has heating issues and throttles upon continuous usage, and does not provide optimum user experience by the end of the day.
Pros:
Elegant design
Excellent main camera
Good performance
Wireless charging speeds are appreciable with fast wired charging
Cons:
The device is not provided with bloatware
No IP rating
Price: the price of the flagship smartphone starts at 17999 INR for the base variants with a 4GB RAM version.
3. Samsung Galaxy S22 5G:
The 6.1-inch AMOLED display on the Samsung Galaxy S22 boasts a 120 HZ refresh rate. The 1300 nits of brightness make the display smoother and brighter. The S22 utilises One UI 4.0 and Android 12 OS. With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC CPU, the smartphone sports thin bezels that flow into a symmetrical polished frame for a wide, balanced display.
The display comes with gorilla glass protection and is water resistant. The battery capacity is 3700 MAh and supports wireless charging.
Price: The base variant consisting of 8GB RAM accounts for 49,999 INR.
Pros:
The device is provided with a vibrant display
Charges faster than 25W
120 Hz refresh rate
Gorilla glass protection
Cons:
Features resemble closely to Samsung S21 series
No expandable memory
Battery capacity is not appreciable
4. Google Pixel 7 5G:
One can get a 5G Google Pixel 7 smartphone with an excellent user experience and cutting-edge features. The Pixel 7 gets even more useful features and is made quicker, safer, and more efficient thanks to Google Tensor G2.
The Pixel 7 camera captures amazing images and movies with excellent detail and vibrant colors to obtain fine close-ups without using a telephoto lens because it has a high Res Zoom. It sports a 6.3-inch display that is ultra-sharp and offers vibrant, rich colors. This phone offers a quick & responsive screen for smoother gaming, scrolling, and app switching.
The Google Pixel 7 sticks to the same design as the Pixel 6 with the same design, camera setup, and choice of processor. It can be a perfect choice for n user who wants Google’s vision of Android.
Pros:
The device comes with a refined design and hardware across the board.
Google has brought back the face unlock feature, and the in-display finger scanner is excellent compared to other models.
Software improvements for the camera performance
Cons:
Heavy usage results in heating issues in the device
The fingerprint and face sensors are not reliable.
Battery life is average.
Price: The price of Google pixel 7a is 59,999 INR, which can be considered expensive in the given range. Despite that, it has a robust build, and the camera quality is the best in the flagship segment making it to the index of top 10 flagship smartphones.
5. OnePlus 10T 5G:
With a 16 GB RAM model, One Plus is one of the best options in this price range. The product stands out thanks to its premium design language. The phone has the most recent Snapdragon 8 plus Gen1 CPU from Qualcomm. It is among the top models in this price range because of its outstanding display.
This smartphone also supports ultra-fast charging and boasts cameras on par with top models. It has a curved squarish design and does not contain Hasselblad branding.
The device performs well in all day-to-day activities that are backed by the Qualcomm processor. The phone performs swiftly while playing games. The flagship smartphone has a similar design to its predecessor. The new OxygenOS 13 software has brought aquamorphic design-based visual UI improvements.
It comes with eye-pleasing animations and improved clock features. The device is provided by a 150W supervooc charger that promises to deliver a complete backup of the battery within ten minutes. It consists of a 4800 mAh battery that supports wireless charging.
Pros:
Design and build are premia with a 10-bit AMOLED display
120 Hz screen refresh rate
Super fast charging
Cons:
the rear panel is smudgy
Lacks telephoto lens
Price: the device is priced at 49,999 INR for the base variant.
6. IQOO 9T 5G:
The IQOO 9T includes a premium set of setups that will provide the greatest animation experience for games and movies, as well as a display with enhanced color and a refresh rate of 120 HZ.
The battery of the device, which has a 4700mAh capacity, is created with an array of electrodes and two half-voltage charging chips, which boost the charging power when used with a 120W flash charger, 6.78 inches in size, the monitor has smooth images.
One of the top choices in this price range would be the smartphone. The device has top-tier technology, a fantastic display, and a good gaming smartphone.
The device is the first to launch in India with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform processor. It consists of TSMC’s 4nm fabrication, which results in the reduction of power to 30 percent in the CPU. The device provides 10 percent faster GPU performance,
In terms of battery life, the flagship device consists of a 4700 mAh battery which is good for a smartphone at the given price. The battery can last for a day with heavy usage and two days with low to moderate usage.
Price: IQOO 9T is priced at 49,999 INR for the base variant consisting of 8GB RAM, and the 12 GB variant costs 54,999 INR.
The device has improved in its display characteristics compared to the other models in the series.
Pros:
HDR display is smooth and is provided with a 120 Hz E5 AMOLED screen
Excellent gaming performance
Loud stereo speakers
Good picture quality
The battery life is appreciable and is provided with 120W fast charging.
Cons:
The device comes with many preloaded apps
No HDR video recording
7. OnePlus 10 Pro:
The brand’s newest premium flagship product is the Oneplus 10 Pro. The smartphone advertises fluid images and finely defined photographs. The phone sports a smooth 6.7-inch display. Amoled with a 120Hz LTPO rate of refresh and features like auto-brightness, bright HDR video mode, night mode, and ultra high-resolution video.
It has a 48 MP Sony IMX 789 Lens primary camera, a 50 MP Ultra Wide Angle camera, and a 32 MP front camera with an 8 MP Telephoto lens. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Oxygen OS-based smartphone with a 5000 mAh battery and an 80W super VOOC charger is available.
One of the interesting features of the OnePlus 10 Pro is that the optical fingerprint sensor is fast and responsive. It uses the top Qualcomm processor, Snapdragon 8 gen 1.
The device is backed with a 5000 mAh battery that lasts for one day with moderate to heavy use. On the battery front, the device supports fast charging.
It has all the features and improvements that the OnePlus 9 Pro lacks. It has given tough competition to Samsung Galaxy S22 and Iqoo 9 pro.
Pricing: The price of the device is 66,999 INR for the base variant. It consists of 8GB RAM and the top-end variant is priced at 71,999 INR.
Pros:
Cheaper than various other smartphones at the given price.
Excellent battery
Excellent design with a premium build
Cons:
Heating issues that question the usability of the device
No telephoto feature is available
The ultra-wide camera is not appalling
8. Tecno Phantom X2 Pro 5G:
The Tecno Phantom X2 Pro 5G is the first device in the world with a 4nm Dimension 9000 5G processor, an FHD Dual Curved Amoled display, and a 120HZ refresh rate for an incredibly smooth touch response. It contains a 32 MP front camera, 50 MP ISOCELL 3.0, a 7p lens for noise reduction, and a retractable portrait lens with a 50 MP super large aperture.
It boasts the best battery in the 5160 mAh sector, a 45W in-box charger, and an anti-oil ultra-fast display fingerprint. It has 12 GB of RAM, which can be expanded by an additional 5 GB for a total of 17 GB of RAM.
The exciting feature of Tecno Phantom X2 is that it comes with a retractable portrait camera and the company brands the flagship smartphone because of its extensive portrait potential because of its camera features and integrated software. The back of the device is made with recycled ocean plastic making another interesting feature.
The device is comparatively bigger than other models of the same brand. The camera consists of two 50-megapixel lenses: one wide and the other portrait. The camera is highly versatile in the low-light settings
Pro:
The dimensity 9000 chip processor provides excellent performance
Unique zoom camera
Cons:
Lack of optical image stabilization
The display does not support HDR videos
Pricing:
The prices of the device start from 49,999 INR and were released in India on January 17, 2023.
9. iPhone 12 Series:
The Apple iPhone 12 is a high-end device with a terrific list of features and a respectable battery pack. In addition to the several camera layouts that are crammed with seamless shot capture, Dolby Atmos audio also keeps everyone entertained.
It features a ceramic shield that is more robust than any smartphone glass and a 6.1-inch super Retina XDR display. The fastest chip ever used in a smartphone is the A14 Bionic chip. With 12 MP Ultra Wide cameras, Night mode, Deep Fusion, smart HDR3, and 4K Dolby Vision HDR recording, it has a powerful dual camera system.
One of the noticeable upgrades in the iPhone 12 is the screen. Apple has used the same OLED screens that were used in the premium models of the iPhone series such as the iPhone 12 Pro. Previously, the screens were usually LCD based.
Apple does not usually disclose the battery and its RAM but the iPhone 12 has 4GB RAM and one can choose the variants in 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB storage. Based on the prices, the base model should have offered more storage.
Pros:
High-resolution OLED screen
Slick body
Flexible cameras
Cons:
Fluctuating network performance
Charging speeds could be improved
Price: Originally, iPhone 12 was priced at 79,999 INR but the price has gone down to 59,999 INR because of the launch of the 13 and 14 series.
10. Realme GT 2 Pro:
With its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU, the Realme GT 2 Pro offers excellent performance. The phone has a fantastic display that makes watching videos a pleasure. Sadly, the device does not support wireless charging and does not have an IP rate. Realm GT 2 Pro is a wonderful choice if you’re seeking a high-end smartphone on a tight budget and value a unique design.
It is considered the most expensive flagship smartphone Reame sells in India but it can be considered one of the cheapest devices with a Qualcomm processor in the segment. The device is integrated with many good features such as fast charging, an improved camera, and the promise of excellent gaming performance.
It has a unique texture in its back panel which mimics the feel of paper products and the materials have been derived from renewable sources as stated by Realme. One of the selling features of the device is its display which is present in most expensive smartphones. It has an AMOLED panel with 2k resolution and a 10-bit color depth and a maximum brightness of 1400 nits.
Pro:
65W faster charging
120 Hz AMOLED display
Paper-like finish
Cons:
Wireless charging is not supported
No IP rating
Wrap up:
Choosing the best phones on the list can be difficult because all the flagship phones are affordable and packed with the newest features, but if one has to pick just one, the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G is the finest option overall. Furthermore, the Galaxy S22 used a 120 HZ refresh rate, which makes scrolling more fluid than on other phones.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
