Technological advancements mean almost every month now, we’ll get new upgraded versions of the smartphones that are currently saturating the market. It can be a headache going through each new release and deciding which is the best to get.
So we list down below the five major phone releases this year if you feel like getting only the best of the best. We won’t keep mentioning how pricey each one is, since they come from the the higher end range, they do carry heftier price tags. We’ve arranged them below according to their month of release, including the specifications as sourced from TechRadar, and stated the rough estimate of the prices in USD.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (November 2020)
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| (Photo source: MacRumours) |
Price range = From USD1099
Specifications = Weight: 228g | Dimensions: 160.8mm x 78.1mm x 7.4mm | OS: iOS 14 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1284 x 2778 | CPU: A14 Bionic | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: Unknown | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 12MP
There was a time when bigger phones were laughed out of the building but the trend nowadays seems to be ‘go big or go home’ again. The modern version of this features less chunky, visibly slimmer builds, the screen is where all the size is at now. With Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max, that’s exactly what you’re getting. Packed into this sleek-looking device is a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display. If you’re a big screen enthusiast (with a deep pocket, we might add), this one’s for you. (If you prefer a big screen that expands even further than this, keep reading below.) While it doesn’t look much different from the other Apple iPhone 12 versions, it does stand out as the largest and have more refined features. The battery life is great, along with the camera. We’ve seen movies made with iPhones, this one is the best for filmmakers who want to do so, as it has Dolby Vision recording at 4K and 60 frames per second.
Huawei Mate 40 Pro (November 2020)
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| (Photo source: GSMArena.com) |
Price range = USD1500 – USD2400
Specifications = Weight: 212g | Dimensions: 162.9 x 75.5 x 9.1 mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.76-inch | CPU: Kirin 9000 5G | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 4,400mAh | Rear camera: 50MP + 12MP + 20MP | Front camera: 13MP
No Google? No problem. Despite the Huawei Google ban that was declared by Google on 19 May 2019, following the 15 May 2019 executive order issued by POTUS Trump which “bans the use of telecommunications equipment from foreign firms deemed a national security risk”, as per Android Authority, Huawei manages to continue churning out its sleek-looking smartphones. Its latest release is Huawei Mate 40 Pro, great for shutterbugs as it has a great camera (something Huawei’s flagship range is well known for). However, it might not be so great for Android users who depend a lot on Google apps as it, of course, doesn’t come with any.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (August 2020)
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| (Photo source: Bright Technologies) |
Price range = USD1250 – USD1350
Specifications = Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.9-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP
The Note range is one of Samsung’s flagship or core lines (alongside S and Z). Though usually bearing similar design and functions to the S range, what differentiate Note phones from the others – even outside of the Samsung lineup – is their inclusion of the S-Pen, which gets upgraded with every release. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra so far has the best S-Pen experience. Those who enjoy taking notes, scribbling, or drawing on their phones using a stylus would find the input is very smooth, very realistically mimicking the feel of putting pen to paper, though this hasn’t been much of a problem anyway in recent Note versions. It also doubles as a remote shutter and remote control, definitely something that doesn’t often come attached to phones. The camera is also arguably the best among Android phones, thanks to its 108MP main sensor, 12MP periscope sensor, and 12MP ultra-wide sensor. One downside is for a recently released smartphone, the charging isn’t as fast as it should be.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 (August 2020)
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| (Photo source: TechRadar) |
Price range = USD2000
Specifications = Weight: 282g | Dimensions: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm (unfolded) | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 7.6 and 6.23-inch | Resolution: 1768 x 2208 and 816 x 2260 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256GB/512GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 10MP + 10MP
TechRadar calls Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 the most futuristic phone of 2020, and we agree. When the 7.6-inch device is folded in half, this phone fits nicely into small purses and pockets even. It still has a big enough screen in its folded state but once unfolded, the screen size doubles – basically going from smartphone to tablet in an instant. This second gen boasts features that have been refined since the release of the first gen last year. The front Cover Display is much bigger and the hinge is not only smoother, but can also prop the phone up in different positions. The downsides are the phone still feels chunky (definitely not for those looking for the slimmest of phones) and the cameras are no match for the ones on Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Oppo Find X2 Pro (June 2020)
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| (Photo source: Techzine) |
Price range = USD1200 – USD1800
Specifications = Weight: 200/217g | Dimensions: 165.2 x 74.4 x 8.8/9.5mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.7-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3168 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 4,260mAh | Rear camera: 48MP, 13MP, 48MP | Front camera: 32MP
Knowing the millennial and Gen Z well, Oppo positions itself as the “selfie phone” to stand out among camera-centric smartphone competitors. Its best offering this year is Oppo Find X2 Pro, which sports a 32MP f/2.4 camera that effortlessly takes Insta-worthy selfies. Surprisingly, the phone is missing the wireless charging feature and the battery life doesn’t quite impress. Nevertheless, it still has fast-charging which allows users to quickly charge their phones in between uses.