OnePlus Nord Buds CE Review: Excellent budget TWS with good sound

Following the success of the Nord Buds, OnePlus has come out with another pair of Nord-branded earbuds. The new Nord Buds CE are OnePlus’ cheapest truly wireless earbuds yet, and they pack a powerful punch. However, they’re not simply recycled Nord Buds with the same design and a few missing features. Rather the Nord Buds CE are an entirely different beast. They ditch the ear tips for an open-back design which is both an advantage and disadvantage, depending on how you see it. At ₹2,299 (~$29), the OnePlus Nord Buds CE are one of the cheapest TWS on the market. I have been using them for over two weeks, and here’s what I feel about them.

OnePlus Nord Buds

The OnePlus Nord Buds are the company's cheapest TWS earbuds. They offer an open-back design that lets you enjoy your music while keeping you aware of your surroundings.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

Buy from Flipkart

OnePlus Nord Buds CE: Specifications

Specification	Nord Buds CE
Build and Weight	IPX4 sweat and water resistance Earbuds: 3.5g (each earbud) Charging case: 33g
Audio	Single 13.4mm dynamic driver Driver sensitivity: 128 ± 3dB Frequency response: 20Hz-20KHz
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2 Codecs: AAC, SBC Range: 10 m
Battery & Charging	27 mAh (per earbud) 300mAh charging case 4.5 hours of continuous playback 20 hours with charging case (combined) USB Type C port 10-minute quick charge for 81 minutes of playback
Features	AI noise cancellation for calls OnePlus Fast Pair Sound Master EQ Game mode (low-latency mode)
In The Box	Pair of Nord Buds CE Charging case USB charging cable User guide Safety and Warranty card Nord emoji sticker x1

About this review: OnePlus India sent us the Nord Buds for review. The company did not have any input into the contents of this review.

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Pricing & Availability

• The OnePlus Nord Buds are available in India at ₹2,299.

OnePlus’ new Nord Buds CE are only available in India. They are priced at ₹2,299 (~$29) and can be purchased from oneplus.com or Amazon India. You get two colorways to choose from: Moonlight White and Misty Grey.

The regular Nord Buds are available in the US and Canada, so we hope these make their way to the market too.

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Design and Fit

The design of the OnePlus Nord Buds CE is a departure from the regular Nord Buds. While the Nord Buds featured a unique design that set them apart, the Nord Buds CE opt for a more generic design reminiscent of the Apple AirPods. The earbuds and the charging case are made out of plastic and feel well-built. The earbuds have long stalks and an oblong opening at the end of each earcup, similar to the Apple AirPods. Earbuds are hidden inside an oval-shaped charging case that has a magnetic lid. The case has a glossy finish which picks up micro scratches and fingerprints in no time.

The OnePlus Nord Buds CE feature a one-size-fits-all design, so comfort and fit will largely depend on the shape and size of your ear. But in my experience, I found them to be exceptionally comfortable. They don’t enter deep into your ear canal nor create that suction-like sensation you sometimes get with a tight seal created by silicone tips. When I reviewed the OnePlus Nord Buds, I called them the most comfortable pair of truly wireless earphones I have ever tested. But having used the Nord Buds CE for over two weeks, I must admit that they are far more comfortable than the Nord Buds. I can practically wear these earphones all day without a hint of discomfort or pain. Weighing just 3.5g, they are lighter than the Nord Buds, which weigh 4.82g. And despite the open design, the earbuds provide a fairly secure in-ear fit and don’t easily pop out even when doing physical activities such as running or cycling.

The Nord Buds CE have standard touch controls that can be activated by tapping the top portion of the stems. A single tap on the left bud to play or pause the audio playback, double-tap to skip the track, and triple tap to summon your phone’s default voice assistant. Out of the box, the earbuds only offer the double tap gesture, but you can assign new actions to each bud using the Hey Melody app, which is available for both iOS and Android.

I can practically wear the Nord Buds CE all day without a hint of discomfort or pain.

The buds are IPX4 sweat and splash resistant, meaning they’re safe for intense workouts and outdoor activities. They’re also great for runners, bikers, and adventurers as the open design easily lets you hear the outside world and music simultaneously.

Sound Quality

• The OnePlus Nord Buds CE pack 13.4mm dynamic drivers.
• The overall sound quality is excellent for casual listening.

Listening to music on the OnePlus Nord Buds CE is a very different experience. Since the earbuds feature an open-back design, there’s no noise isolation at all. This isn’t an issue if you mostly use the earphones in a quiet office or at home. But when you’re outdoors in a crowded setting, this becomes a nuisance as all noise creeps right in, and you’ll often find yourself raising the volume level to comfortably listen to your track or podcast.

Coming to the audio quality, I must say I wasn’t expecting the Nord Buds CE to sound this good. There’s richness and airiness to the Nord Buds CE’s sound that you don’t generally expect from earbuds of this price. The earbuds feature large 13.4mm dynamic drivers and a special closed-tube design that boosts bass response up to 3dB.

There's richness and airiness to the Nord Buds CE's sound that you don't generally expect from earbuds of this price.

For open-back earbuds, the Nord Buds CE produce excellent bass though it’s admittedly not as thumpy and full-bodied as earbuds with silicone tips. If you mostly listen to EDM and Hip Hop music, these might not satiate your needs, but for what’s worth, I think the Nord Buds CE deliver much better bass than Apple’s AirPods Air 2.

Thanks to their open-back design, the Nord Buds CE sound more open and spacious than most earbuds with silicone tips. They also have excellent imaging and stereo separation. This was evident when listening to No Other Heart, where the earbuds accurately pinpointed the sound of kickdrums coming from the right dimension and ukulele, guitar, and piano from the left side, creating a very realistic audio experience.

Overall, the Nord Buds CE punch well above their weight in terms of audio quality, assuming you get the right fit and there’s not much ambient noise. I still prefer the Nord Buds’ quality as they provide more isolation and deeper bass, but the Nord Buds CE are pretty close overall.

If you don’t like the sound tuning out of the box, you can switch to a Balanced, Serenade, or Gentle audio profile using the Hey Melody app.

HeyMelody (Free, Google Play) →

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Latency, Call Quality, and Connectivity

• The OnePlus Nord Buds CE’s AI noise cancellation for calls isn’t effective
• There’s also a Game mode that reduces audio latency in games.

The OnePlus Nord Buds CE don’t offer high-quality Bluetooth codecs such as aptX or LDAC, which is expected considering their price. You only get SBC and AAC codecs, which are fine for music and video streaming. You also miss out on Dolby Atmos support which is available on the OnePlus Nord Buds.

For gamers, the earbuds offer a low-latency Game mode which drops the latency to as low as 94ms for smooth, lag-free audio while playing games. The official product page mentions that the Game mode is only available on select OnePlus phones. But it appears that this information is outdated since the feature is accessible through the My Melody app on non-OnePlus devices as well. In any case, restrict the use of low-latency mode for gaming only as it significantly compresses the audio stream.

The call quality on the OnePlus Nord Buds CE is serviceable but not outstanding. According to OnePlus, there’s AI noise cancellation at work during calls which reduces wind noises and background sounds. But in my testing, I found this feature to be ineffective as callers could hear a fair bit of background noise when I was in public places and noisy cafes.

One of my biggest complaints about the OnePlus Nord Buds CE is its confusing pairing process. The charging case lacks a pairing/multi-function key, which makes it difficult to force pair a new device. If you want to use the earbuds with a new device, you must first disconnect them from your current device — only then will the earbuds enter the pairing mode.

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Battery life and Charging

• The OnePlus Nord Buds CE provide up to 20 hours of total playback time.

The OnePlus Nord Buds CE deliver up to 4.5 hours of continuous playback time which can be extended to up to 20 hours using the charging case. Those are decent numbers for a pair of truly wireless earphones but not the best in class. The similarly priced Realme Buds Air 3 Neo provide up to 7 hours of playback on a single charge and up to 30 hours of total endurance. I found the Nord Buds CE’s battery life to be perfectly fine for my usage. I never ran out of battery in the middle of use. In my Spotify loop test, the earbuds lasted close to 4 hours before running out of juice.

When you do need to top up the earbuds, there’s fast charging available, claiming to deliver up to 81 minutes of playback in just 10 minutes. The case charges via USB-C port, but there’s no wireless charging.

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Should you buy the OnePlus Nord Buds CE?

Buy the OnePlus Nord Buds CE if:

• You don’t like earbuds with silicone tips.
• You don’t want to isolate yourself from the outside world while listening to music.
• You’re looking for an affordable alternative to Apple AirPods.
• You want earphones that you can practically wear all day.

Don’t buy the OnePlus Nord Buds CE if:

• You want earphones with effective passive noise isolation.
• You like deeper bass.
• You can spend more.

The OnePlus Nord Buds CE are one of the most affordable truly wireless earbuds in India. They might not appeal to everyone as their open design doesn’t isolate ambient noise. But if you’re someone who doesn’t like having silicone ear tips jammed into your ears, these might be perfect for you. They’re also great for runners and outdoor enthusiasts who want to be aware of their surroundings while listening to music. But if you don’t care for the open design, we recommend spending a little more and getting the OnePlus Nord Buds instead, which offers a much better design, effective noise isolation, better sound, and much longer battery life.

OnePlus Nord Buds CE

The OnePlus Nord Buds CE are fantastic entry-level TWS earbuds with an open-back design.

View at Flipkart

The affordable TWS landscape in India has never been more exciting than it is right now. So if you don’t find the OnePlus Nord Buds and Nord Buds CE appealing, you still have plenty of alternatives to consider. The Realme Buds Air 3 Neo is the closest competitor, offering 10mm dynamic drivers with Dolby Atmos support, up to 30 hours of playback time, and IPX5 water resistance for just ₹1,999 (~$25). Meanwhile, the Redmi Buds 3 Lite is another solid, affordable option, offering a bass-heavy sound, 5 hours of continuous playback, IP54 dust and splash resistance, and environmental noise cancellation (ENC) for calls.

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Netflix’s ad-supported tier could end up costing $7 to $9 a month

For the longest time, Netflix refused to offer an ad-supported tier like its competitors. But the company changed its tune when it lost customers for the first time in ten years, with CEO Reed Hastings stating the company was “quite open to offering even lower prices with advertising, as a consumer choice.” In June, Co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed that the company would introduce an ad-supported subscription plan at a more affordable price. As we inch closer to the end of the year, more details are starting to appear about the service, and now it looks like we might have a price.

According to Bloomberg, Netflix is considering a price point of $7 to $9 for its upcoming ad-supported tier. Currently, the service charges $9 for its Basic plan, $15.49 for its Standard plan, and $19.99 for its Premium tier. Customers who opt into the ad-supported plan will experience about four minutes of commercials for every hour of watched content. This is quite a bit less compared to traditional cable shows, which feature 10 to 20 minutes of ads per hour. It plans to show these ads before the show starts and during, but not after. Netflix is currently in negotiations with advertisers and wants to start small in order not to overwhelm its customers.

Rumors have long stated that the company will introduce the ad-supported service towards the end of the year. Bloomberg states that the initial rollout will be in a handful of markets, with a full rollout expected in 2023. Netflix is working hard to find to try and find a balance that will be good for the company and good for customers. It hopes that with a slow rollout, it can fine-tune the ad experience to avoid issues found on other platforms. Later this year, Disney will also introduce an ad-supported tier for its Disney Plus service. Disney Plus has been operating at a loss but has recently added 14.4 million subscribers, giving it 152.1 million total subscribers. With that said, going forward, the competition will be even tougher as streaming services get more aggressive in pricing and content.

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Source: Bloomberg

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The Summer Recap playlist rolls out to YouTube Music subscribers

Summertime is quickly coming to an end, and YouTube Music is ready to give you one last hurrah. The service has released its Summer Recap, filled with some of your most memorable music tracks from the past couple of months.

If you’re confused about the Summer Recap, it’s part of a new YouTube Music offering that started in June. The platform first introduced seasonal recaps a couple of months ago after it found that its annual recap feature was a hit. So, going forward, listeners will get customized seasonal playlists for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Subscribers will get a total of five music recaps a year, including the annual recap.

As mentioned before, as part of the Summer Recap, YouTube has prepared your favorite music, from all of the albums and singles to playlists you have listened to all summer long, and organized it into one huge listening experience. When you open YouTube Music, you’ll get a new landing page that shows the personalized music playlist. YouTube Music subscribers can share the playlist with friends and family.

If you completely forgot about YouTube Music, you’ll probably be surprised, as a lot has changed. The app has seen several improvements, like introducing Snapchat integration in March and refining its radio algorithm. Furthermore, if you’re running Android 13, the app will have many visual changes, including updated media controls. The app now also offers improved support on Wear OS devices.

If you haven’t tried it in a while, it might be worth checking out. YouTube Music is currently priced at $9.99 monthly in the United States. It offers access to millions of ad-free songs and the ability to download music for offline listening. If you’re more into YouTube, you can access YouTube Music for free with a YouTube Premium account.

YouTube Music (Free, Google Play) →

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Source: YouTube Blog 

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These New OPPO ColorOS 13 Features Will Boost Your Productivity

Android 13 is here, and it brings many new updates and improvements to Android phones. OPPO is working to bring you the latest update in the form of ColorOS 13, which is scheduled to hit phones at different times throughout the year, starting this August. Because ColorOS is a very highly reviewed platform, we are excited to see what new features are in store for OPPO users in the second half of 2022. We are also thrilled to share how these additions work together to boost your productivity, making ColorOS 13 the ultimate helper for your smart work and life. Keep reading for a quick look at everything new in ColorOS 13.

New Features in ColorOS 13 that Improve Your Work Efficiency

Multi-Screen Connect makes using multiple devices a seamless experience. Your workflow now transfers easily between your phone, your OPPO Pad Air, and your PC computer — without any disruptions. This allows you to easily keep your tasks in sync with a more unified system.

ColorOS 13 Multi-Screen Connect

With the new Multi-Screen Connect feature in ColorOS 13, you can transfer various types of files between your devices, without consuming data. This direct connection works even without an internet connection, as the devices connect directly to one another. This feature also supports clipboard sharing between devices to help you copy and paste with ease. When using Multi-Screen Connect on your PC, you can display multiple apps at once, on the larger screen of your desktop or laptop. With Multi-Screen Connect, you can forget about wasting time, and constantly switching between apps.

 

ColorOS 13 Multi-Screen Connect

The popularity of online meetings exploded over the past two years, with more people working from home than ever. OPPO improves your online meetings with their new feature called Meeting Assistant. When your meeting begins, Meeting Assistant prioritizes wireless data packets, to ensure that you have a stable connection. Your banner notifications are simplified to be less intrusive as well, reducing distractions and saving you the trouble of swiping away large notifications to see someone’s video properly. Lastly, you can also add a shortcut to OPPO Notes*, which can be viewed as an easy-to-access floating popup.

ColorOS 13 Meeting Assistant simplifies notifications during online meetings

New features for a Smart Life

New updates to the home screen let you make more customizations, for quicker access to common functions and features. ColorOS 13 comes with a feature called Shelf, which provides a quick glimpse at a collection of useful information with all kinds of widgets. With a search function at the top, finding the local and online information you need is easier than ever.

Find new Home Screen Widgets that can display useful information with a dynamic layout. Then use the Large Folder option to create a folder of apps that can be launched from the home screen. Forget about having to open the folder anymore; app icons can be seen from the default view!

ColorOS 13 Large Folder

OPPO’s Always-On Display has been one of the highlights of ColorOS for the past few versions, and it gets even better with the ColorOS 13 update. Always-On Display reduces the menu hierarchy and helps users access important information at a quick glance. This brings users quicker access to information with less effort. Smart Always-On Display brings Spotify controls to your AOD, allowing you to play, pause, and shuffle the songs; and this is displayed alongside food delivery information from Zomato and Swiggy. Bitmoji Always-On Display brings your animated character to the AOD, and it imitates what your phone thinks you might be doing in real life at the time. Insight Always-On Display shows a user’s digital behavior right on their AOD, using a color bar that tracks the number of times you’ve unlocked the phone and the time spent.

Alongside the Insight Always-On Display, Blossom Wallpaper also helps you monitor your smartphone usage and achieve a better life balance. It visualizes the growth of a plant shoot on the wallpaper to indicate how much time you spend glued to your phone screen.

ColorOS 13 Blossom Wallpaper

Updates in UI can be found throughout the system. Thanks to the new, concise, and comfortable Aquamorphic Design; ColorOS 13 comes with an improved layout and system hierarchy, as well as updated fonts and typography that improve readability. Overall, you’ll experience a significantly improved and much more cohesive UI in ColorOS 13, thanks to the new Card-Style Layout, Aquamorphic Design, and a new Adaptive Layout that formats your display for different screen sizes and aspect ratios.

OPPO’s new self-developed Dynamic Computing Engine is implemented in this latest update, which provides a system-level technical solution to deliver a more smooth and more stable system. It enhances the fundamental user experience by improving the scheduling of hardware resources. This results in extended battery life by achieving a better balance between high performance and low power consumption. It also allows users to keep more apps alive in the background while switching between multiple apps, without experiencing lagging or losing the status within an app. This is great news for people who do heavy multitasking on their phones!

Screenshots are getting a great new safety feature that lets you blur out avatars and usernames with one click. Auto Pixelate can automatically detect sensitive information, and it gives you the option to blur it out before posting it online or sending it to a friend. The Private Safe is now encrypted with the widely-used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to provide high levels of security. And the underlying privacy protection features of Android 13 are also integrated. Features like this are why ColorOS is one of the best solutions for privacy-conscious users.

ColorOS 13 Auto Pixelate

Update Schedule

OPPO has been releasing some of the best smartphones available in 2022, packed with amazing hardware and cutting-edge technology. With ColorOS 13, the potential of your OPPO device is pushed even further in the areas of productivity, customization, and entertainment. Look for an update for your OPPO phone following this beta release schedule:

• August 2022: Find X5 Pro, Find X5
• September 2022: Find X3 Pro, Reno8 Pro 5G
• October 2022: Reno8 5G, Reno7 Pro 5G, Reno7 5G, Reno7, Reno6 5G, F21 Pro, K10 5G, A77 5G, A76
• November 2022: Reno7 Z 5G, Reno6 Pro 5G, Reno6 Pro 5G Diwali Edition, Reno6 Z 5G, Reno5 Pro 5G, Reno5 Pro, F21 Pro 5G, F19+ Pro, K10, A96
• December 2022: Find X5 Lite, Find X3 Neo 5G, Find X3 Lite 5G, Find X2 Pro, Find X2 Pro Automobili Lamborghini Edition, Find X2, Reno8, Reno8 Z 5G, Reno5 5G, Reno5 Z 5G, A94 5G, A74 5G
• From H1 2023: Pad Air, Reno8Lite 5G, Reno7 Lite 5G, Reno7 A, Reno6, Reno6 Lite, Reno5, Reno5 Marvel Edition, Reno5 F, Reno5 Lite, Reno5 A, F19 Pro, F19, F19s, A95, A94, A77, A74, A57, A57s, A55, A54 5G, A53s 5G, A16s

* Note: OPPO Notes are available on certain models with ColorOS13.0 and on the rest with further OTA updates. Please refer to the actual model introduction for more information.

We thank OPPO for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.

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Samsung patent shows off transparent display technology

It’s hard to believe but the first Samsung Galaxy Z Fold was released close to three years ago. Before 2019, a device with a foldable display was something you’d only see in technology demos or science fiction movies. In 2022, foldable smartphones are produced by nearly every major manufacturer, and it’s become quite common. So we ask ourselves, what’s next? A recent Samsung patent application has popped up on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website and shows off a display that could give us a potential look at the smartphones of the future.

While the wording in the patent sounds complex, mainly because it’s through an English translation, the folks at SamMobile seem to have broken things down, giving us a better idea of the technology involved. Looking at the images, there is a mobile phone with what looks like a secondary display on its rear. While this kind of technology has been seen before, Samsung’s version in the patent application is slightly different. Samsung’s rear display panel is apparently transparent and can work like a standard display or in a more subdued role like an always-on display. The panel can be customized to display different designs, device information, and more. Furthermore, when the display is paired with a camera, it can also display a live view feed from the unit.

Samsung did file this application, but there’s no telling how far the company has gone with it. But, of course, this is Samsung and we know that they are working on exciting things when it comes to displays. The company recently showcased some of its future technologies, showing off foldable, rollable, and even expandable displays. You can see some of these in the video above. So while the patent filing may never come to fruition, the future of Samsung devices looks bright.

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Source: World Intellectual Property Organization
Via: SamMobile

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Samsung’s Labor Day sale gives you another chance to save big on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4

Samsung has shared details for its upcoming Labor Day savings event, where it will offer some amazing deals on its latest foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4. If you missed the pre-order deals on the new devices and are bummed about Samsung changing the trade-in values for its promotions, you’re in luck. During its upcoming Labor Day savings event, Samsung will offer some great trade-in deals on its latest foldables, along with instant credit with both models. In addition, Samsung is extending the trade-in offers to the older Galaxy Z Flip 3, giving you a chance to grab a flashy new foldable on a tight budget.

Labor Day deals on Samsung’s foldables

The newly-launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be available with up to $900 estimated trade-in during the Labor Day event, and Samsung will offer a $150 eCertificate with each purchase. In addition, the company is promising a guaranteed trade-in credit of $300 on all Galaxy devices, no matter their condition.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Samsung is offering an estimated trade-in of up to $900 and a $150 credit on its latest flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Order yours right away by clicking the button below.

View at Samsung

Samsung will also offer an estimated trade-in of up to $700 on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, along with a $50 eCertificate with each purchase. Those getting the compact model will get a guaranteed trade-in credit of $200 on all Galaxy devices, irrespective of their condition.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Samsung is offering an estimated trade-in of up to $700 on the all-new Galaxy Z Flip 4, along with a $50 instant credit. Order yours by clicking the button below.

View at Samsung

Samsung will also offer up to $600 estimated trade-in on the older Galaxy Z Flip 3 during the event. The device is currently available at a starting price of $575, so you can effectively get one for free if you manage to get a trade-in value of $600 for your older device.

Will you get one of the new Samsung foldables during the upcoming Labor Day savings event? Which model are you considering? Let us know in the comments section below. Also, check out our roundups of the best Galaxy Z Fold 4 cases and Galaxy Z Flip 4 cases to add an extra layer of protection to your brand-new device.

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These are the Best Samsung Galaxy phones to buy in 2022

Samsung is the number one phone brand in the world for good reason. The South Korean tech giant makes not just the most premium slab flagships and cutting-edge foldables, it also manufactures very capable mid-tier and budget handsets. So no matter your budget, Samsung has something for you.

The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra.

Of course, if you’re open to using more than just Samsung, we have a guide to the best Android phones, and even the best iPhones too.

Navigate this article:

• Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
  • Second best overall: Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus
• Best Value: Samsung Galaxy S22
  • Second best value: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE
• Best that money can buy: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
  • Also great: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
• Best compact and style: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
• Best for affordable 5G: Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
• Best for battery: Samsung Galaxy M32

Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S22 Ultra is the successor to not just last year’s excellent Galaxy S21 Ultra, but also the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. And on both fronts, the phone knocks it out of the park. The Galaxy S22 Ultra improves on the already awesome and versatile camera system of the Galaxy S21 Ultra by adding subtle refinements to hardware while giving its computational photography engine a major revamp. The result is a 10x zoom lens that can produce even sharper and better-lit zoom shots than before; a main camera with better dynamic range and low light capabilities; and smoother video stabilization all around.

Then there’s the S-Pen. Last year’s S21 Ultra supported Samsung’s stylus too, but it was a separate purchase and the phone had no slot to house the thing. This year? The S-Pen comes with the phone, and just like previous Note devices, there’s a silo into which the S-Pen rests. But that’s not all, Samsung also improved the S-Pen performance, with lower latency to 2.8ms for an even more realistic sketching and jotting experience.

Elsewhere, the Galaxy S22 Ultra runs on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a 4nm SoC that is the cream of the crop in Android right now. Some regions do get the new Exynos 2200 SoC, but now many major markets get the Snapdragon chip, and Samsung has also improved GPU performance which was a sore point on previous Exynos. And while the 5,000 mAh battery size is the same as before, the Galaxy S22 Ultra should gain better battery life due to the phone’s screen being a second-generation LTPO panel, which is smarter at finding the right refresh rate for better power efficiency.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra will also get four guaranteed years of software updates, five years of security patches, and a refined software experience that offers the best of Android 12 plus a bunch of Samsung-specific features like DeX. Other than the fact that this phone doesn’t fold, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the pinnacle of Samsung’s mobile craftsmanship right now.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is the ultimate Samsung phone -- combining the best of the S and Note series for a powerful beast of a machine that excels for work and play.

View at Samsung

Second Best Phone Overall: Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

If you don’t care much about the S-Pen and would rather save a bit of money, the Galaxy S22 Plus is an excellent alternative. You’re still getting a gorgeous AMOLED screen, a very good camera system, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, and Samsung’s polished and versatile software that can arguably do more things than just stock Android. You also get the same software promises made for the Ultra on the Plus (and even the regular), so no compromises are made on that end. The only difference in software is with the S Pen functionality, which we’ve already established is something that people considering the Galaxy S22 Plus over the Galaxy S22 Ultra can live without.

In fact, many people will probably find the 6.6-inch, 1080 x 2340 flat screen easier to handle than the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 6.8-inch curved screen, especially since this phone has a mid-frame with rounded corners too. Yes, you lose out on the awesome 10x Periscope zoom lens seen in the Ultra, but you still get a capable 3x telephoto zoom lens here that’s ideal for portraits. The 50MP main camera is a big improvement from last year’s mediocre 12MP shooter in the Galaxy S22 Plus.

You get most of the other bells and whistles that the Galaxy S22 Ultra gets, such as wireless charging, IP68 water resistance, Samsung DeX, and Galaxy S22 series exclusives like Live Sharing with Google Duo. This is every bit a flagship phone, just not the complete do-it-all overkill of its bigger brother. But most people don’t really need an overkill flagship, so this becomes an excellent option.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

Even if it sits a tier below the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Galaxy S22 Plus is still every bit a flagship phone with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and a stunning display.

View at Samsung

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Best Value: Samsung Galaxy S22

If the $1,199 Galaxy S22 Ultra is too expensive, then consider the smaller Galaxy S22, which starts at $799. Yes, the Galaxy S22 lacks the world-class zoom camera of the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the S-Pen, but if you don’t take zoom photography or use a stylus often, then these losses may not matter much. You’re still getting an excellent triple camera system consisting of a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP telephoto. The latter is basically the same 3x telephoto zoom lens used in the Galaxy S22 Ultra so you’re getting a focal length that’s ideal for portraits. Many of us are also fans of the 6.1-inch screen size which is small enough for easy one-hand use.

The Galaxy S22 also fixes a lot of what was wrong with last year’s Galaxy S21. Last year’s device had a plastic back and a weak 12MP main camera, this year’s Galaxy S22 uses Gorilla Glass Victus back with a much improved 50MP main camera. Of course, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the more capable phone, but the Galaxy S22 keeps close enough that it doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

Samsung Galaxy S22

If you find that you don't need the S-Pen or a crazy zoom camera, or if you find the S22 Ultra too big, this standard Galaxy S22 is $400 cheaper and much more easier to operate with one hand.

View at Samsung

Second Best Value: Galaxy S21 FE

First things first, do not buy this phone at its launch retail price of $699, not when the Galaxy S22 is just $100 more and has a newer chip and much better camera system. We are instead listing the Galaxy S21 FE in this spot because there are likely discounts that further shave another $100 off. Currently, Amazon, which we’ve listed below, has it available for $599. At this price, then the Galaxy S21 FE is worth considering if you want to further save some money. For the launch retail price, we’d recommend looking for offers like an included Galaxy Buds Live that will help sweeten the deal.

With this device, you’re getting a Snapdragon 888, a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED 120Hz display, and a colorful back design. You also get a relatively large battery of 4,500 mAh. While we just said the camera system here isn’t as good as the Galaxy S22 series’ it’s still capable: a triple-lens system consisting of a 12MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and an 8MP telephoto zoom. The main and ultra-wide cameras will get the job done for most people, but the 8MP telephoto lens is mediocre. Still, at $599, this is still a really good value considering you still get Samsung’s polished software and build quality.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

The Galaxy S21 FE is worth a look if you want to further shave some cost off and still get a relatively modern and powerful smartphone.

View at Amazon

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Best that money can buy: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 4 may not look too different from the Z Fold 3 at first glance, but Samsung has further improved the device by making subtle but crucial changes here and there for the most polished foldable yet. Naysayers will still say it’s too expensive, and they’re not entirely wrong, but for those who can stomach the price (or take advantage of Samsung’s awesome trade-in offers), the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the most prime-time-ready big foldable phone yet.

So, what’s new? Samsung has further shaved a bit of weight from last year’s Fold 3, so Fold 4 now tips the scale at 254g. While this isn’t light per se, it’s not unbearably heavy anymore, as this weight is not much more than, say, the Galaxy S22 Ultra with a case.

The Fold 4 also shaved a few millimeters off the hinge area so it’s less bulky when folded, and gave those precious extra space to the screens, so both the inside and outside displays are slightly wider than last year. This improvement is most noticeable when using the Fold 4 in folded form. It’s still an elongated candy bar shape, but the screen feels less cramped to type in.

Samsung also gave the Fold 4 major camera upgrades. Last year’s Fold 3 used a dated camera system that was about on par with the Galaxy S10’s cameras. This year, the Fold 4 upgrades to the same system used in the Galaxy S22, with a 50MP main camera with a large (for a foldable) 1/1.56-inch image sensor, and a 3X telephoto zoom lens that’s much better than the mediocre zoom lens in previous Folds.

The Fold 4 also brings back all the great features established in previous Folds, including a sturdy hinge that can stay in place mid-fold (Samsung calls this “Flex Mode), and IPX8 water resistance plus S-Pen support. While the battery size remains the same at 4,400 mAh, the Fold 4 can last quite a bit longer thanks to the very efficient Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. From our testing so far, the Fold 4 can easily last an entire 12-, 13-hour day of heavy use.

If you’ve been curious about foldable phones, now may be the time to jump on, because Samsung has refined its large foldable formula to almost perfection — the only thing left is to remove the crease from the display, which is sadly still here (don’t worry you only notice it if you look at the screen off-angle).

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is Samsung's latest flagship foldable, packing high-end specs and up to 512GB of internal storage. You can't expand it with a microSD card, though.

See at Samsung

Also Great: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

If you find the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s price still too high to bear, you could consider getting the Galaxy Z Fold 3. While Samsung no longer sells it officially, you can find it on Amazon and other retailers at a price that’s at least 30-40% lower than the Fold 4’s price.

The Fold 3 still holds up very well in 2022, because it was that great a 2021 device. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 is still a capable processor, and the camera system, while not as good as the Fold 4’s, is still solid. You still get an IPX8 water resistance rating, S-Pen support, and the awesome hinge that can stay in place. The display is great too. Whether it’s the 7.6-inch large display or the 6.5-inch outside cover display, you’re getting a device that can transform from a phone to a mini tablet within a second.

And with Samsung guaranteeing at least four years of Android updates, you can buy a year-old Fold 3 and know it’ll still be supported for at least another three years.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 may be a year old, but it's still very capable, and right now on Amazon, it can be had for below $1,000, making it quite a good deal.

View at Amazon

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Best Compact and Style: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was one of the most stylish-looking smartphones to come out in recent years, and the Flip 4 wisely brings back the exact same look — but with more color customization options. We adore the two-tone finish and the petite size when folded up. But don’t mistake small size for lack of power — this thing is, along with the Fold 4, the most durable foldable phone ever, with IPX8 water resistance and “Armor Aluminum” build material.

The Flip 4 is an awesome device for those who find modern Android phones too large and hard to pocket. Unfolded, the 6.7-inch, 1080 x 2640 display looks and behaves like any other top Samsung screen, with vibrant colors, top-notch sharpness, and a fast refresh rate up to 120Hz for buttery smooth animations.

New to the Flip 4 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, which has a stronger GPU and superior battery efficiency. The latter is important, as battery life has always been a slight weakness in previous Flips. While the Flip 4 isn’t going to win any battery endurance awards, it is now possible to get all-day use provided you’re not pushing it too heavily.

Samsung also improved the software for the outer “Cover Display,” allowing users to open any app on the smaller 1.9-inch display. Sure, some apps will look silly in the cramped space, but other apps will benefit from it. You can, for example, scroll through your Spotify playlist directly from the outside screen. Overall, the Flip 4 is an iterative refinement to already an excellent small foldable.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the ideal phone for those who want something more pocketable -- and more stylish.

View at Samsung

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Best Samsung for those who want 5G on a budget: Samsung Galaxy A53

The Galaxy A53 5G is a solid mid-ranger from Samsung that cuts the right corners to reach its lower price. There’s a plastic build instead of glass, and you don’t get much of a zoom camera, but these are features people on a budget would gladly sacrifice to save several hundred dollars. Instead, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G still offers a near bezel-less 120Hz AMOLED display, the capable Exynos 1280, and a good camera system (for its price range) headlined by a 64MP shooter and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. There’s also a huge 5,000 mAh battery that ensures the phone can last all day. And as if the name didn’t already give it away — the phone supports 5G connectivity too.

And unlike many mid-rangers, the Galaxy A53 5G is also water-resistant, as it’s rated IP67, meaning it can survive being dunked in water for minutes at a time.

Factor in the intuitive Samsung software that offers easy multi-tasking and superior connectivity with Samsung’s eco-system of devices, the Galaxy A53 5G is a mid-range phone that hits the three pillars of what most people need in a phone — a great screen, a solid camera that just works, and enough processing power.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

The Galaxy A53 5G is Samsung's answer to the iPhone SE, meaning it is a mid-range phone that offers just enough power and performance to make for a great everyday phone, even if it doesn't pack all the bells and whistles of a flagship.

View at Samsung

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Best for battery life: Samsung Galaxy M32

Do you suffer from battery anxiety? If so, the Galaxy M32 should put you at ease. It has a large 6,000 mAh battery that will surely go a full day and then some. You’ll want to have all that juice to power the 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display. With a resolution of 1080 x 2400, it is a sharp and vivid panel ideal for gaming or watching movies. With the MediaTek Helio G80 powering things you will be able to run all your favorite apps without issues. While the plastic body and back look a bit dull, the Galaxy M32 is more about substance than style.

Galaxy M32

A 6,000 mAh battery is the star of the show here, along with a serviceable camera and a good screen.

View at Samsung

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It’s difficult for us to give a blanket recommendation on which Samsung phone to get. Obviously, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is the best overall phone right now, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the most versatile. But if you want to save some money, the standard Galaxy S22 is still very good. Of course, Samsung’s budget offerings punch above their price range too.

What’s your favorite Samsung Galaxy phone from this list, and are there any others you think we should add? Let us know in the comments below.

The post These are the Best Samsung Galaxy phones to buy in 2022 appeared first on XDA.

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