The year 2024 has been an incredible one for smartphones, with every category pushing boundaries and redefining innovation in mobile technology. From budget-friendly options to premium flagships, rugged devices to foldables, and even phones tailored for gaming or vlogging, this roundup highlights the absolute best smartphones of 2024 in their respective categories. So let’s have a final look at the Best of 2024.

The Best Flagship Smartphones of 2024

The vivo X100 Pro was our pick for the for the Best Flagship Smartphone of 2024. It is the brand’s latest and most premium smartphone, focus on imaging and design. It’s known for its camera-centric phones, Vivo continues its streak with ZEISS-branded optics and a premium glass and metal build that ensures a solid, ergonomic feel in the hand. The 6.78-inch AMOLED panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate, 1.5K resolution, and excellent color accuracy.

Running on MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 chipset, the Vivo X200 Pro delivers performance comparable to Snapdragon 8 Elite devices. Vivo’s efficient thermal management ensures consistent performance even during extended gaming sessions.

Where the Vivo X200 Pro truly shines is its camera system. The 50MP 23mm wide sensor captures stunning details, while the ultrawide lens and a whopping 200MP periscope telephoto lens provide versatility for all shooting scenarios. Vivo’s V3+ imaging chip further improves portraits, and low-light photography, making it a go-to choice for photography enthusiasts. On the software side, the device ships with FunTouch OS 15, Vivo’s take on Android 15. Keeping all things powered is a 6000mAh cell with 90W wired and 30W wireless charging.

The Best Book-style Foldable Smartphones of 2024

The ultra premium foldable smartphones are a popular category in the smartphone segment. The Huawei Mate X6 pushed the boundary in innovation with triple network satellite communication, an industry-first for global-mass-market smartphones. It features a basalt water drop hinge for improved durability and thermal performance.

It comes with a 7.93-inch foldable OLED display offering a peak brightness of 1,800 nits and a 6.45-inch cover screen with 2,500 nits brightness. Both displays support 1-120Hz LTPO refresh rates and 1440Hz PWM dimming.

The Mate X6 incorporates a basalt water drop hinge for improved durability and thermal performance. Its camera system is equally impressive, led by a 50MP main sensor with variable aperture, a 48MP periscope telephoto lens, and a 40MP ultra-wide camera. It also offers dual 8MP selfie cameras on its inner and outer screens. For 2024, we think that the Mate X6 has met few comparable rivals in the book-style foldable phones category.

The Best Flip-style Foldable Smartphones of 2024

Xiaomi finally entered the clamshell folding flip phones in 2024, and despite this, it managed to achieve the crown for the best flip phone. The Xiaomi MIX Flip (Review) packs a tall main display and a sizeable cover panel as well. It also offered cutting edge flagship level performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The flip phone also brings Lecia powered 50MP dual cameras on the rear. All of this is priced for less than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The Best Compact Flagship Smartphones of 2024

The Xiaomi 15 is the best compact flagship phone of 2024. It packs a flagship level specs and features in a compact form factor. It has Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a big battery, a stunning AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and a versatile triple camera system.

The Best Affordable Flagship Smartphones of 2024

OnePlus’ latest flagship is the OnePlus 13 that arrived with improvements across the board. While it is more affordable than some premium models, this model is easily the best affordable flagship phone thanks to flagship-level performance, Snapdragon 8 Elite, stunning AMOLED display, triple 50MP cameras, and much more.

The Best Flagship Killer Smartphones of 2024

We chose Xiaomi’s Redmi K80 Pro as the best flagship killer smartphone in 2024. For just around $500, the K80 Pro offers great value thanks to standout features like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, 120W wired fast charging, massive 6,000mAh battery, and a 2K AMOLED display.

The Best Camera Smartphones of 2024

Vivo debuted the X100 Ultra in the middle of 2024 as its newest flagship phone. But what made it stand out was its impressive photography experience. The Vivo X100 Ultra brings Zeiss branded triple cameras with a one inch main sensor, which makes it the best camera smartphone of 2024.

The Best Selfie Camera Smartphones of 2024

Huawei with its front facing cameras offers the best selfie camera experience with the Nova 13 Pro. It features a dual camera setup on the front with a 60MP main sensor with autofocus and AI-powered features along with an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens for selfie enthusiasts.

Especially, the 60MP main selfie camera that offers autofocus and is powered by Huawei’s XD Portrait Engine. This helps refine facial features, smoothen out skin tones, and adjust lighting as well.

And another 8MP selfie portrait shooter amazingly offers a 2X optical zoom and up to 5x digital zoom for close-up portrait and macro shots. This is unique for smartphones. During our experience, the nova 13 Pro could truly offer better functionality as well. So it is our pick for the best selfie camera phone of 2024.

The Best Rugged Smartphones of 2024

For those working in extreme and rough environments, tech companies have smartphones with tough durability. DOOGEE is known for making outdoor smart consumer electronics, and the DOOGEE V40 Pro is our pick for the best rugged smartphone of 2024. It arrives with a MIL-STD-810H miltary standard along with an IP68 and IP69K rating. This means that it has been tested in low pressure altitudes, drop shocks, humidity, high-temperature water jets, and even dust and 1 meter of water immersion.

The rugged V40 Pro is powered by Dimensity 7300, which already beats a lot of rugged options over smoothness and performance. And it adds a small windowed screen on the back. I believe it’s a real convenience for those who work or adventure outdoors. And all of this is packed in a refreshing new E-Sports inspired gaming design. This makes it look better than most rugged phones as well.

We’ve also made a comparison video between the V40 Pro and the standard one. You can also check the video on Gizmochina YouTube Channel.

The Best Gaming Smartphones of 2024

For the best gaming smartphone of 2024, we went with the Red Magic 10 Pro+. Apart from the blazing fast Snapdragon 8 Elite, the flagship gaming phone features a smooth 144Hz OLED display with a 960Hz touch sampling rate and even a should triggers to simulate a console controller experience. You also get a massive 7,050mAh battery pack and up to a whopping 24GB of RAM.

The Best AI Smartphones of 2024

The Oppo Find X8 Pro packs cutting edge technology like the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset and a sweet Hasselblad optimized camera system on the back. But what makes it extra special is the deep integration of AI. The OS brings various AI powered features from the AI Toolbox suite. This includes productivity features like AI Summary, AI Speak, and AI Writer. All of these help summarize, bring forth key information, and record the details you might need later on while also offering alternative suggestions. This also extends to the photography experience with AI letting you unblur pictures, bump the resolution, and more. Lastly, the OS also features Google’s Gemini.

The Best Affordable Vlogging Smartphones of 2024

While the more expensive options in the flagship or best camera segment are great for vlogging, Infinix released the Zero 40 5G as a dedicated vlogging phone on a budget, which is why we gave it the crown as the best affordable vlogging smartphone. The rear packs a 108MP main camera, while the front houses a 50MP selfie shooter. Users can capture 4K video recordings at 60fps that makes it perfect for content creators.

The front doesn’t disappoint either with a 50MP camera for selfies and video calls. But impressively, Infinix has brought support for 4K videos and 60fps as well. Content creators often have to invest quite a bit to get the best video quality. But Infinix has managed to bring a great package without breaking the bank. All of this is packaged in a sleek 7.9mm body. Other notable features include an AMOLED screen, Dimensity 8200 Ultimate, and a 5000mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging and 20W wireless fast charging.

At this budget, there aren’t plenty of options for vlogging isn’t, but the Zero 40 5G is a model dedicated to this and is easily our pick for the best affordable vlogging phone.

The Best Mid-range Smartphones of 2024

The mid-range segment is easily one of the toughest category considering the sheer number of options a buyer has. But Xiaomi has been a veteran in this price point, with the Redmi K80 being a clear winner. For under $400, the flagship grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 2K AMOLED display, huge 6550mAH battery with 90W fast charging, and IP68 rating helps it easily bag the best mid-range smartphone of 2024.

The Best Budget Smartphones of 2024

In the budget smartphone category, there are a few standouts that hit the right balance of price to performance or price to value ratio. And none do it better than the Nothing Phone (2a). We chose it as the best budget phone of 2024 thanks to its intuitive and unique Glyph LED interface, along with a package of solid specs like 120Hz AMOLED display and Dimensity 7200 SoC. There is also 4K recording from the 50MP dual cameras on the rear and a reliable 5000mAh battery pack.

The Best Entry-level Smartphones of 2024

Reaching the end of this list, we have the best entry level smartphone of 2024. The Tecno Pop 9 was our pick as the winner as it brings a lot to the table. You get an attractive design paired with an IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Dimensity 6300 is a capable processor, which is fueled by a large 5,000mAh cell. All of this for just over $100 makes it a great deal.

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The post The Best of the Best: Top Smartphones of 2024 from Every Category appeared first on Gizmochina.

HUAWEI nova 13 Pro

The story is about a phone we’ve been waiting for a couple of months… Well, the girls in the studio have, to be precise. It is the HUAWEI nova 13 Pro. the team trusted their instincts, so we got this phone firsthand. And the nova 13 Pro does impress us a lot.

If you’re tired of smartphones as cold, technical tools and just want a model expressing your sense with dazzling design, the Nova 13 Pro is probably the most stylish of all the special options.

Furthermore, unlike those top-notch flagships, it wasn’t born to be a tech show-off. It exists more about to fill a personalized niche in the market. So it’s great to hear that it’s released for global users.

So, we’ll share my experience and inspiration driven by the Huawei nova 13 Pro. And of course, why it’s so impressive at first glance.

When I open the box, there’s the nova 13 Pro at the top, followed by a small card removal pin, a clear case, a 100w charging head, and a T-C cable. However, there is one point I have to mention and that is the case.

The phone’s back cover is so elegantly designed that I refused to put the case on. It’s funny that the case is even much easier to collect fingerprints than the phone. Thanks to the unique plaid texture with the matt finish, the phone offers decent grip and touch in hands. So, no way to make me put the case on.

Appearance

Well, to cut to the chase, back to the phone. This time The nova 13 Pro offers four high-value colorways in terms of exterior colors – Loden Green, White, and Black. The naming of these colors seems to call to our imagination.

Well, I do look for its mapping in the natural world. Especially the Green variant in my hand does inspire me of something like the country life in my childhood: memories of low-saturated greenery with sharp edges, and lively fabric texture for family afternoon picnics….

Of course, the above is just to give you an idea of how much I like the green design. We chose the green version for no other reason than I was struck by it at first glance.

To be more detailed, these colorways feature low-saturation colors, especially the Loden Green. It is visually comfortable and not fancy at all. The back cover of the fuselage is made of all-glass material using the AG Etching Process. It feels silky smooth, and surprisingly, does not easily collect fingerprints.

It’s likely the first time we saw a plaid texture applied on a smartphone. The dynamic texture looks so living—the pattern’s light and shadow shift in various lighting angles.

Screen

The nova 13 Pro utilizes a slightly-edge-curved design on the front face. Visually the four equal corners of the display offer absolute balance.  It is a design that balances the rounded feel of a curved screen with the precise control of a flat display. It allows our palms to fit the phone better when holding it in one hand.

The screen measures 6.76 inches with a resolution of 1224 x 2776 pixels and supports a 120Hz refresh rate and 300Hz touch sampling rate, just like the other phones in 2024. Especially when we experience the latest EMUI, the display adds a bonus to the smooth software experience.

Lens and Camera

The rear camera module features a newly upgraded design of the Star Orbit Ring, made with a crafted metal piece. The metal color of the ring manages to be unified with the back cover but still stands out with the CNC metal cutting.

And it’s one of the rare sub-flagships this year where the camera module size gets controlled. So here the whole design looks pretty natural with a less dominant camera island in visual. Huawei has always been innovative when it comes to design sense.

With the metal engraving and the nova logos’ star-array arrangement, the ring’s metallic texture looks even more exquisite. The looks alone are already inspiring enough. However, the second reason I choose to recommend it is its powerful camera performance. The lenses are paired with a 50MP lens with variable apertures, a 3x telephoto portrait lens with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle macro lens, a laser focus sensor, and a ten-channel color temperature sensor.

Now let’s check out how the cameras’ samples convinced us.

The front 60MP portrait lens is excellent for capturing skin tones and details accurately. And the fast and accurate focus performs well in a variety of scenarios. And even another ultra-wide selfie lens easily has great skin detail and expressions with the AI-based boost feature.

The rear 50MP main camera and 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens combination get ideal results in different shooting scenarios and present stunning colors and contrast, even in poor lighting conditions. The main camera supports an adjustable physical aperture of F1.4 to F4.

In auto mode, it would smoothly work without manual operation to deliver an adaptive exposure. Furthermore, you can also manually set up the right aperture gear in Aperture mode.

The 3x telephoto lens is also designed for taking portraits. This lens provides an amazingly natural bokeh effect when shooting stills or portraits, easily highlighting the portraits more artistic. 

The 6x or even 10x shooting based on the 3X lens also works well, as there must be some AI optimization for the digital zooming. But even just with 3X zoom, it still delivers great composition and produces clean and pure portrait shots. And the details of the characters are pretty decent.

As for the ultra-wide lens, considering the 8MP resolution, the best scenes would be Macro shooting. But compared to the telephoto macro, it still has a gap.

Huawei nova 13 Pro’s front-facing 60MP portrait follow focus dual camera not only supports 0.7x-5x portrait full zoom shooting but also has excellent autofocus capabilities, which makes it easy to capture every moment, whether it’s a selfie or a group photo.

For photography enthusiasts, such a configuration is undoubtedly very attractive, as it allows you to take high-quality photos in any situation. We can take a look at the results of portraits taken with different focal lengths.

This multi-focal length feature can make taking photos more interesting and varied, as it allows you to find the most suitable focal length for different scenarios.

When it comes to night scenarios, the Huawei nova 13 Pro still gives us surprises. The 3X telephoto lens supports OIS stabilization and AIS electronic stabilization, which drastically reduces the impact of hand-shaking on image quality.

The OIS improves stability at slightly long exposure, and shooting experience as well. The advantages of the RYYB array and large aperture are pretty obvious.

The image detail is still excellent with decent contrast, and there is no obvious noise or blurring traces in the dark areas.

Huawei nova 13 Pro in the night shooting, the overall color reproduction is spot on, not biased. The colors were able to be correctly shown in the neon lights also without overexposure, and clearly showing the dark details as well.

AI features

Huawei nova 13 series can turn on the AI camera for besides when taking photos. It is efficient and interesting to use AI imaging features.

The AI Erase feature automatically eliminates background clutter and fills in the missing parts of the picture for a natural smooth effect.

I love this feature because it allows me to easily fix unwanted elements after taking a photo to make it look perfect.

The Best expression can do the job of selecting expressions from multiple group photos, making everyone in the group photogenic, and presenting a clear and realistic photo.

Even if someone’s eyes are closed, a quick AI motification can restore the shot to perfection.

Longevity

In addition, the Huawei nova 13 Pro has a large built-in 5000mAh battery, which is combined with 100W fast charging technology to restore power under intense use quickly.

In actual charging, it can be charged to 30% in 5 minutes, 52% in 10 minutes, and full in just 24 minutes, which is the same as the official data. This charging speed gives us a quick charge in any spare time.

Verdict

To summarize, the Huawei nova 13 Pro stands out easily with its stylish design, camera performance, practical software, and reliable battery life. Especially, its exquisite appearance design and powerful photography capacity make it a strong competitor at its price.

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Oppo Reno 13 Pro and Huawei Nova 13 Pro are two premium smartphones catering to different user priorities. Both offer advanced features like stunning displays, powerful cameras, and efficient chipsets. While Oppo emphasizes durability, battery life, and affordability, Huawei focuses on innovation with unique features like adjustable aperture and satellite calling. This comparison highlights their standout features to help you decide which device better suits your needs.

Design and Display

The Oppo Reno 13 Pro boasts a sleek design with a glass front and back framed by aluminum alloy, exuding a premium feel. Its larger 6.83-inch AMOLED display offers a higher peak brightness of 1200 nits, making it ideal for vibrant and outdoor viewing. The Huawei Nova 13 Pro, while slightly smaller at 6.76 inches, features an LTPO OLED panel. This advanced technology enhances battery efficiency while maintaining smooth 120Hz refresh rates. The Oppo’s IP68/69 rating outclasses Huawei’s IP65, offering better water resistance.

The Oppo Reno 13 Pro is a better choice for users prioritizing a larger, brighter display and durability. However, Huawei Nova 13 Pro’s LTPO technology is a win in terms of power efficiency and adaptive refresh rates.

Specifications

The Oppo Reno 13 Pro is powered by the Dimensity 8350 chipset, offering reliable performance for multitasking and gaming. It packs a massive 5800mAh battery with 80W wired and 50W wireless charging. Conversely, Huawei Nova 13 Pro offers HarmonyOS 4.2, a smooth ecosystem experience. Its 5000mAh battery supports faster 100W wired charging but lacks strong wireless options. Both devices skip expandable storage, but Oppo’s storage tiers go up to 1TB with more RAM options (up to 16GB).

Oppo offers a bigger battery and wireless charging, making it better for heavy users. Huawei’s rapid 100W charging, however, is great for those seeking quick top-ups.

Camera

Oppo Reno 13 Pro features a triple camera system, highlighted by dual 50MP sensors for wide and telephoto shots, and an 8MP ultrawide lens. It excels in optical zoom at 3.5x. Huawei Nova 13 Pro rivals this with its 50MP primary lens but includes a more versatile dual selfie setup (60MP ultrawide and 8MP telephoto). Huawei’s adjustable aperture feature (f/1.4-f/4.0) provides creative flexibility.

Oppo’s optical zoom gives it an edge for distant shots, while Huawei’s versatile selfie cameras and aperture settings cater to content creators and selfie enthusiasts.

Pricing

When it comes to pricing, the Oppo Reno 13 Pro is positioned as a more affordable option, costing approximately $465 In contrast, the Huawei Nova 13 Pro is priced at around $590, reflecting its premium build and additional features. Oppo provides excellent value for users looking for flagship performance without overspending, particularly with its larger battery and wireless charging capabilities. Huawei, on the other hand, justifies its higher price with unique features like satellite calling, adjustable aperture, and a dual selfie camera setup.

Oppo Reno 13 Pro is ideal for budget-conscious buyers who still want high-end features, while Huawei Nova 13 Pro appeals to those who value innovation and premium hardware despite the higher cost.

Conclusion

Oppo stands out with its larger battery, stronger IP rating, and wireless charging. Meanwhile, Huawei has introduced BDS satellite calling, adjustable aperture, and dual selfie camera, features that are unique in its category. Oppo’s brighter AMOLED display suits multimedia enthusiasts, while Huawei’s LTPO OLED is tailored for power savers.

Oppo is great for durability and daily use, while Huawei’s unique features appeal to niche audiences like adventurers and content creators.

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Huawei has already confirmed the Oct. 22 launch of the Nova 13 series in China. Now tipster Digital Chat Station has shared some of the specifications of the Nova 13 Pro along with its Geekbench listing.

The phone scores 997 and 2,900 in the single-core and multi-core tests, respectively, which is surprisingly much lower than its predecessor’s scores. For context, the Nova 12 Pro achieved over 1,300 and 4,100 in the same tests.

Nova 13 Pro rumored to use Kirin 8000 chip

According to the tipster, the phone is powered by the mid-range Kirin 8000 chipset. In contrast, its predecessor used the more capable Kirin 9000s, the same chip that powers the flagship Mate 60 series.

The Huawei Nova Flip, which was released in August this year, also uses the mid-range Kirin 8000 chip, which includes a single Cortex-A77 core clocked at 2.40 GHz, three additional Cortex-A77 cores at 2.19 GHz, and four energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores running at 1.84 GHz.

While the Geekbench listing for the Nova 13 Pro also confirms the same frequencies for all the different clusters, the scores are still lower than the flip phone. It suggests that the company is testing the device with different performance tuning to find a sweet spot between the performance and battery life.

Other specifications:

According to the Geekbench listing, the Kirin 8000 chip is paired with 12GB RAM. In addition to that, the phone packs a 1.5K quad-curved display, the same resolution as its predecessor. However, he didn’t reveal the display size.

The company’s new HarmonyOS Next operating system (independent of Android) is expected to debut alongside the Nova 13 series. However, the tipster claims it will be running on HarmonyOS 4.2.

As for the cameras, he reaffirms the previous rumors. There could be a dual 60MP + 8 MP setup on the front and a triple camera setup on the rear, including a 50MP main with variable aperture. According to previous rumors, the other two cameras could be a 12MP ultrawide and an 8MP telephoto.

The phone could also support satellite connectivity and 100W fast charging.

(Source)

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Huawei has confirmed that it will unveil the Nova 13 series of smartphones on Oct. 22 in China. The new edition of Harmony OS, dubbed Harmony OS Next, will also debut alongside the Nova 13 series. The company will likely confirm the release schedule of the new software for various products, including phones, tablets, smart screens, and smart home products. Ahead of the launch event, the Nova 13 and Nova 13 Pro have been listed on Huawei’s Vmall for reservations. The official listings have revealed the design of both smartphones.

Huawei Nova 13 series design revealed

The official listings show that the Nova 13 and Nova 13 Pro will be available in four shades, such as Loddon Green, Feather Sand White, Feather Sand Purple, and Star Black. The Nova 13 will be available in 256 GB and 512 GB storage options, whereas the Pro model will come in three choices, such as 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB.

Huawei is yet to confirm the specifications of the Nova 13 and Nova 13 Pro. However, the brand has confirmed both devices will support Beiduo satellite messaging.

As per a recent report, the Nova 13 and 13 Pro may come equipped with the Kirin 9010 chipset and 12 GB of RAM. The standard model may feature a 60-megapixel front camera and a 50-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (telephoto) dual-camera setup on the back.

On other hand, the Nova 13 Pro is likely to feature a 60-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual selfie camera setup. On the back, it is expected to feature a 50-megapixel RYYB primary camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and an 8-megapixel telephoto camera.

While the battery capacities of the Nova 13 and 13 Pro are not known, but devices are said to support 100W charging. For security, the Nova 13 duo will have an under-display fingerprint sensor.

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