May is about to reach its end, and when it comes to the smartphone market we have the usual set of important releases. Google took to its I/O developer conference to unleash the affordable Pixel 6a. Also, OnePlus unveiled the new OnePlus Ace Racing variant in China. Redmi took the opportunity to unleash the Redmi Note 11T Pro and the Redmi Note 11T Pro+ smartphones. iQOO Presented the new global iQOO Neo 6, while Oppo unveiled the long-awaited Oppo Reno 8 series that introduced the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 to the world. It was another hottest month of the year that is full of good surprises in the smartphone business. These certainly are among the best smartphone launches of May 2022!
BEST SMARTPHONE LAUNCHES OF May 2022 – DISCLAIMER
As aforementioned, this list below brings some of the best smartphones launched in May 2022. At least in our humble opinion. Maybe, you’ll think I’m missing a smartphone on this list. Don’t worry, you’ll be free to comment and share your opinion in the comments section. The devices below are those who stole our attention, created hype and anticipation ahead of their release and etc. There are various options in the flagship segment, as well as some devices that get the spotlight in the mid-range segment. Worth noting that this list is not only composed of the devices that perform better but also brings some good contenders that stole the attention due to their appeal, no matter the segment they’re targeting.
Redmi Note 11T Pro
We start our list with the Redmi Note 11T Pro+. It’s one of the best smartphones released in May 2022, and certainly deserves a place among the best smartphone launches of 2022. The Redmi Note 11T Pro launched alongside a Pro Plus variant, but there is no significant difference between these two apart from battery and charging. That said, let’s see what the Redmi Note 11T Pro has in tow for the smartphone business.
The Redmi Note 11T Pro flaunts a gorgeous 6.6-inch LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution of 2,460 x 1,080 pixels. The panel offers a high 144 Hz refresh rate and has a 20:5:9 aspect ratio. Worth noting, that this device is quite important, after all, it’s the first LCD screen to get a DisplayMate’s A+ rating. The screen also has Dolby Vision support and comes with Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The device has 650 nits of brightness and HDR 10 support.
Under the hood, the Redmi Note 11T Pro will pack the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC made on a 5 nm architecture. This processor has been trending recently as it’s one of MediaTek’s latest releases for the cost-effective segment. it brings 4 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores clo9cked at up to 2.8 GHz and 6 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 2 GHz. For graphical tasks, the GPU brings a Mali-G610 MC6 GPU. The phone comes in variants with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, 8 GB of RAM with 128 GB of storage, and 8 GB of RAM with 256 GB of Internal Storage. Unlike other Redmi Note phones, this one does not bring a micro SD card slot.
In terms of optics, the handset has a 64 MP main camera with PDAF, 0.8 um pixel size, and a 1/1.72 lens. The device also brings an 8 MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2 MP macro sensor. There is also a 16 MP selfie shooter at the front for selfies and video calls. The phone also brings an IR Blaster, NFC, 3.5 mm headphone jack, and stereo speakers.
The Redmi Note 11T Pro brings Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 support with A2DP, LE, GPS, and a USB Type C port. The phone brings a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and draws its powers from a 5,080 mAh battery. This battery is paired with 67 W fast-charging and supports USB Power Delivery 3.0. The phone runs Android 12-based MIUI 13. The only difference between the Note 11T Pro and the Redmi Note 11T Pro+ variant is that the latter has a smaller 4,400 mAh battery but has a 120 W fast charging.
Honor 70 Pro+
The recently released Honor 70 series also accounts for the best smartphone launches of May 2022. The Honor 70 Pro+ sits at the top of the gang with compelling specifications.
The Honor 70 Pro+ brings a gorgeous 6.78-inch OLED screen from Visionox. The phone has Full HD+ resolution with 2,652 x 1,200 pixels and a 429 pixel per inch density. The device also has a 91.1 percent screen-to-body ratio. The display also supports a 120 Hz refresh rate and 1B colors.
Under the hood, the phone packs a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC made on a 4 nm process. This chipset is the flagship processor made by MediaTek for 2022 flagships. It brings 1 x ARM Cortex-X2 core clocked at up to 3.05 GHz, 3 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.6 GHz, and 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 2.0 GHz. The device also has a Mali-G710 MC10 GPU which can easily handle demanding games on Google Play Store. The phone comes in variants with 8 GB of RAM or 12 GB of RAM. It has up to 256 GB of Internal Storage. Since this is a flagship smartphone, there is no room for a micro SD card slot and for memory expansion.
The Honor 70 Pro+ has a triple-camera setup with a primary 54 MP shooter with f/1.9 aperture and PDAF. There is also an 8 MP telephoto shooter with PDAF, OIS, and 3 x optical zoom. Finally, we have a 50 MP ultrawide shooter with an f/2.2 aperture. The selfie shooter is quite generous since it’s a 50 MP ultrawide shooter.
The Honor 70 Pro+ also has stereo speakers but lacks a micro SD card slot. The phone also brings Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and GPS. The handset draws its powers from a 4,500 mAh battery with 100 W fast charging.
Honor 70
While the Honor 70 Pro is slightly similar to the Honor 70 Pro+, the Honor 70 is a different device. It’s also cheaper than the other two, and we assume will figure as one of the best-selling variants in China and global markets as soon as it arrives.
The Honor 70 flaunts a 6.67-inch OLED screen with 2,400 x 1,080 pixels of resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, and 90.8 percent screen to body ratio. The panel also offers a 120 Hz refresh rate support and 395 ppi pixel density.
Under the hood, the Honor 70 packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+. This isn’t the same version used in a lot of smartphones from 2021, including the Honor 60 series. It’s the new overclocked version of the chipset. The Snapdragon 778G+ brings 1 x ARM Cortex-A78 core clocked at up to 2.5 GHz, 3 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.4 GHz, and 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 1.8 GHz. For graphical tasks, the phone brings an Adreno 642L GPU. It can handle most of the modern games on Play Store, however, it’s slightly below the flagship segment nowadays. The phone comes with 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM. Storage-wise, the phone has 256 GB or 512 GB of internal storage.
The Honor 70 also brings an ambitious camera setup with a 54 MP wide snapper with f/1.9 aperture, and PDAF. There is also a 50 MP ultrawide shooter with f/2.2 aperture and Auto-Focus. Finally, the third snapper is a 2 MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. For selfies and video calls, the device brings a 32 MP selfie shooter.
The Honor 70 brings Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 support with LE, and aptX HD. Other features include GPS, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NFC, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. The phone also has an under-display optical fingerprint scanner. It draws power from a 4,800 mAh battery with 66 W fast-charging support. The Honor 70 certainly deserves a place among the best smartphone launches of May 2022.
Google Pixel 6a
Google also took the opportunity to unveil the Google Pixel 6a smartphone. It’s an affordable smartphone that will provide a pure Android experience. It’s also cheaper than the overall Pixel 6 smartphones. The device certainly takes its position as one of the best smartphone launches of May 2022.
The Google Pixel 6a flaunts a 6.1-inch Full HD+ display with 2,400 x 1,080 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, the phone has just a 60 Hz refresh rate. Google is doing the Apple way of things not bringing technologies that are available even in low-end smartphones nowadays. That’s a shame, unfortunately.
Anyway, the phone has decent performance with the Google Tensor SoC. It packs 2 x ARM Cortex-X2 cores with 2.80 GHz, 3 x ARM Cortex-A76 cores clocked at up to 2.25 GHz, and 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. The device has a Mali-G78 MP20 GPU which can easily handle games on Play Store. The phone comes in a single variant with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of Internal Storage.
In terms of optics, the Google Pixel 6a has a 12.2 MP main camera and a 12 MP ultrawide shooter. As usual, smart features such as Magic Eraser, Real Tone, and Face Unblur are present here. The phone also brings a USB Type C port, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6e, and NFC. Unsurprisingly, it runs Android 12 straight out of the box and will be one of the first smartphones to get Android 13.
The device has a 4,300 mAh battery and supports fast charging. However, Google did not reveal the exact charging speed, however, we assume it’s beyond 18W charging and below 30W charging. The phone has three major Android updates and five years of security support granted.
Oppo Reno 8
The vanilla Oppo Reno 8 comes with a smaller 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display and a 90Hz screen refresh rate. It has a peak brightness of 800 nits and the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The Oppo Reno 8 comes with up to 12 GB LPDDR4x RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage. Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Dimensity 1300 SoC. This chipset basically stands as an evolution of the last year’s MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC. It brings 1 x ARM Cortex-A78 core clocked at up to 3 GHz, 3 x ARM Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.6 GHz, and 4 x ARM Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 2.0 GHz. The phone packs a Mali-G77 MC9 GPU.
The Oppo Reno 8 brings a 50 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture and OIS. However, the other two sensors are far from impressive. There is a 2 MP monochrome sensor, and a 2 MP macro shooter. The phone also has a 32 MP Sony IMX709 sensor on the front for selfies and video calls. This sensor has been a tradition among recent Oppo smartphone releases. The device has a MariSilicon X NPU that handles AI tasks and improves the pictures.
The Oppo Reno 8 also brings Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, and QZSS. The phone also brings NFC and a USB Type C port. The Oppo Reno 8 also brings a 4,500 mAh battery, under-display fingerprint scanner, and 80 W fast-charging. The device runs Android 12 straight out of the box with Color OS 12.
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Oppo Reno 8 Pro
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro flaunts a 6.62-inch AMOLED screen with 2,400 x 1,080 pixels. The phone also has HDR 10+, 1,300 nits of peak brightness, and Full HD+ resolution. The panel offers up to 2,400 x 1,080 pixels of resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The panel is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Under the hood, the phone packs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC. This is the first 4 nm processor to enter the mid-range segment and has a max clock speed of 2.4 GHz. The phone ships in variants with 8 GB of RAM with 128 GB of storage, 8 GB of RAM with 256 GB of storage, and 12 GB of RAM with 256 GB of Storage.
In terms of optics, the phone has a triple-camera setup. There is a 50 MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture and PDAF. There is also an 8 MP ultrawide shooter with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 2 MP f/2.4 macro snapper. The device has a 32 MP shooter with an f/2.4 aperture. It comes with a single loudspeaker but there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Connectivity-wise, the phone has Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 with A2DP, LE, and aptX HD. The phone also has GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, and QZSS support. There is an NFC and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. The device certainly deserves a place among the best smartphone launches of May 2022.
Oppo Reno 8 Pro+
The king of the Oppo Reno 8 series also deserves a place among the best smartphone launches of May 2022. We don’t know if the device will reach global markets, but certainly has compelling specs to compete anywhere.
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro+ sports a 120Hz 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 2412 × 1080 pixels, 93.4% screen to body ratio, 360Hz touch sampling rate, 100% DCI-P3, and up to 950nits peak brightness. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Under the hood, the device is powered by Dimensity 8100 Max SoC and it also comes with a MariSilicon X chip,w which is said to improve camera performance on the device. The phone offers up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS3.1 storage.
In the camera department, there is a triple rear camera setup with a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro snapper. There is a 32MP Sony IMX709 snapper on the front for selfies. The Reno 8 Pro+ draws power from a 4500mAh battery unit backed by an 80W Super Flash charging. The phone runs on ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12. Other features include an in-display fingerprint scanner, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, Type-C port, 7.34mm thickness, and 183-gram weight.
OnePlus Ace Racing
Back the last month, OnePlus unveiled the OnePlus Ace Racing smartphone. This month, the company is adding a new Racing edition to the math. It’s a cheaper variant, but that brings the same performance as the MediaTek Dimensity 8100-MAX SoC.
The OnePlus Ace Racing Edition features a 6.59-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate support. It has a hole-punch cutout at the top left corner for the front camera. The screen also supports a 240Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood, there is a MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC. The processor is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There is no storage expansion support. The phone packs a 5000 mAh battery with 67W Super Flash charging support. It weighs about 205 grams and is 8.7mm thick.
On the back, the phone has a triple-camera setup. There is a 64MP main camera sensor, along with an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro sensor. For selfies and video calls, the phone has a 16MP front camera.
The Racing Edition boots Android 12 out of the box and has a layer of ColorOS 12.1 on top. It also comes with features like a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, AI faces unlock, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and NFC. For now, there is no word on a global release, but reports suggest it will be called OnePlus 10R Lite.
iQOO Neo 6 (Global Variant)
iQOO unleashed a new global variant of the iQOO Neo 6, and it brings a different processor. It’s late for the party, but certainly figures among the best smartphone launches of May 2022.
The Iqoo Neo 6 offers a 6.62-inch Full HD+ E4 AMOLED display with a 120Hz screen refresh rate, 2400 × 1080 pixels resolution, and peak brightness of 1,300 nits. The device supports HDR10+ playback as well. The Neo 6 is backed by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 5G chipset with a clock speed of up to 3.2GHz and Adreno 650 GPU. The phone offers up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. It also supports up to 4GB of extended RAM.
In terms of optics, the Neo 6 sports a triple rear camera setup. There is a 64MP (f/1.89) GW1P main camera with OIS, an 8MP(f/2.2) ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP(f/2.4) macro shooter. For selfies and video calls, there is a 16MP selfie snapper. Some camera features include portrait, 64M mode, panorama, live photo, slow-mo, time-lapse, Pro mode, AR stickers, doc mode, long-exposure, and dual-view.
Further, the device comes with a 4700mAh battery unit and offers 80W fast wired charging. The phone can charge up to 50% in just 12 minutes. The phone also comes with a 36907 mm sq. liquid cooling system to keep the thermals under check. In the software, the device runs on Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12.
Other features include an in-display fingerprint scanner, 5G, 4G, Bluetooth 5.2, dual-band Wi-Fi, dual speaker setup, and 4D game vibration. Lastly, the phone measures 163 x 76.16 x 8.54 mm and weighs 190 grams.
Vivo T2x
The Vivo T2x is the latest addition to the upper mid-range market with a compelling MediaTek Dimensity 1300. It’s also one of the few smartphones to offer a strong processor paired with a huge battery of 6,000 mAh capacity. This usually is only found in the low-end segment, but the Vivo T2x pairs a strong processor with a capable battery.
The Vivo T2x flaunts a 6.58-inch IPS LCD display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 650nits peak brightness, and DC-dimming. The handset houses the front shooter inside a waterdrop notch. Under the hood, it sports an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 processor and a Mali G77 GPU. It comes paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
The Vivo T2x offers a dual-rear camera setup including a 50MP primary shooter and a 2MP macro lens. It comes equipped with a 6000mAh battery unit and 44W FlashCharge fast charging support. The device also supports reverse wired charging at 6W.
The Vivo T2x comes in two color options – Mist Blue and Mirror Black. The back panel of the device features a Matte finish with AG Glass Technology. It offers a Type-C charging port, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The handset weighs 202.8grams and measures 163.87 × 75.33 × 9.21mm.
Vivo S15
Vivo also launched a duo of interesting smartphones under the Vivo S15 series. These devices bring capable cameras, sleek profiles, and good specifications. They may become Vivo V25 series once they reach the global markets. For now, they are part of the list of best smartphone launches for May 2022.
The vanilla Vivo S15 flaunts a 6.62-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution and it is powered by Snapdragon 870 SoC with up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS3.1 internal storage. The phone is backed by a 4400mAh battery unit with support for a 66W flash charge.
Further, the Vivo S15 comes with a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP macro snapper. There is a 32MP selfie camera as well. It can also record up to 4K videos. It measures 161.09 x 74.31 x 7.99mm and weighs 197 grams. Other specifications are similar to the S15 Pro.
Vivo S15 Pro
The Vivo S15 Pro comes with a 6.56-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 92.7% screen-to-body ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, and support for HDR content. Under the hood, the phone is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC with up to 2.85GHz clock speed. The phone comes with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS3.1 internal storage. It draws power from the 4,500mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging support.
In the camera department, there is a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera, which also doubles up as a macro lens, and a 2MP portrait lens. To the front, the handset offers a 32MP selfie snapper. The rear camera can shoot up to 4K videos. Other features include an in-display fingerprint scanner, OriginOS Ocean based on Android 12, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, WiFi 6, Type-C port, and NFC. Lastly, the phone measures 158.9 x 73.52 x 8.55mm and weighs 188 grams.
Vivo Y33e
We’ll close our list with a modest low-end smartphone. It may not be impressive, but mid-range and low-end users also need to be aware of recent launches right? As far as the low-end segment is concerned, the Vivo Y33e should be considered one of the best smartphone launches of May 2022.
The Vivo Y33e offers a 6.51-inch HD+ LCD display with 1,600 × 720 pixel resolution, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a 60Hz refresh rate. The display panel makes room for the selfie shooter inside a waterdrop notch.
Under the hood, the all-new Y-series handset sports an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor with a 7 nm process and a Mali-G57 GPU. The phone also has up to 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and 128GB of onboard storage. The Y33e comes pre-loaded with Vivo’s proprietary OriginOS Ocean, based on Android 12. Once it arrives on global markets, the phone will be running FuntouchOS 12 instead.
The Vivo Y33e offers a dual-rear camera setup including a 13MP primary shooter, a 2MP auxiliary sensor, and an LED flash. For selfies and video calls, the latest Vivo handset relies on an 8MP shooter.
The Vivo Y33e is backed by a 5000mAh battery unit and supports 10W charging. It has a Type-C charging port, a dedicated micro-SD card slot, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
The all-new Y33e comes in two colour options – Magic Blue and Fluorite Black. It weighs 198grams and measures 164 × 75.84 × 8.45mm. In terms of connectivity, it offers Dual-SIM, 5G, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, Beidou, Glonass, and Galileo.
