Distance, physical and temporal, is one of the best practices to ensure the necessary exemption for those who want to discuss technological products, smartphones and the most varied gadgets that permeate the market. mobile Current. As such, we have chosen to present our highlights for 2021 in early 2022 in five main categories presented below.
It is, therefore, smartphones, technologies and highlights that, now in 2022, deserve our mention for their value, surprise and / or innovation in what was the second year of the pandemic and its vicissitudes. Thus, in a year plagued not only by COVID, but also by chip shortages, we had excellent launches and presentations of outstanding technologies.
Without daring to abuse the patience of the dear reader, I advance to the categories of questions and the winners of 2021.
Better autonomy
The best autonomy that I have had the opportunity to measure on an Android smartphone. This is the OPPO Reno 6 Pro 5G, a mid-range / high-end phone that, in addition to having a long-lasting battery, has remarkable charging power.
The second option would be Xiaomi 11T Pro with its load even faster at 120W, but heavier and thicker.
In absolute terms, there are phones with a longer battery life, but weighing all the factors: duration, charging speed (power), versatility and use of the phone, the choice was relatively simple.
That is, in addition to lasting more than a day of normal to heavy use, or up to two days of moderate use, the smartphone fully charges the battery in less than 20 minutes. This is possible thanks to the fast charging at 65 W, with charger included in the box, something that in 2021 was a rarity in the most captivating phones.
correct is that the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max It deserves an honorable mention here too, but its dimensions make it difficult to use one-handed (if that’s possible). However, the Reno 6 Pro 6G phone lacks wireless charging.
However, faced with the need to choose only one phone that surprised me in this regard, I endorse this phone, otherwise discreet, from a brand still little known in Portugal, but a giant abroad.
This same fast charging technology has been present in OPPO, OnePlus and Realme phones, taking a different nomenclature in these last two brands in 2021. Starting in 2022, however, we will see a greater concordance.
Finally, another technology that also came to improve our lives was Apple’s MagSafe, it is that simple and practical.
In short, this was the phone with which I dared to leave the house without worrying about the battery life, only missing the wireless charging, but surprising for the fast charging at 65 W that, believe me, makes the difference.
better camera
Subjectively it is in Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max We found not only the best, but also the most user-friendly camera that guarantees excellent results in the hands of the most inexperienced mobile user.
Objectively, we can find higher scores in the DxOMark such as the Huawei P50 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, smartphones that did not reach our European market in 2021. That said, I give my vote to the Apple phone for the aforementioned reasons, from versatility, simplicity to objective quality in content capture.
Imbued with new image and video capture modes like macro photography, as well as the new Kinematic Mode, using an iPhone 13 Pro Max (or iPhone 13 Pro) to capture content was one of the best experiences I had in 2021, albeit brief. . .
For the savvy, ProRes for video is unrivaled in the industry at the time of this writing. The iPhone is a mere smartphone in many ways, but in the Pro versions we find a true ode to creativity, an essential value when combined with the versatility of the format mobile.
In short, only the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max could convince me to give up my Fujifilm X100V. Although in the opinion of its author, such realities – photography mobile – and “Professional” photography, should not yet be associated under penalty of trivializing the latter.
The best value for money
The price does not necessarily have to be low for us to recognize the intrinsic value of a product and what more fascinating format in 2021 than a folding smartphone that costs up to € 1000? Now it is common practice to give more than € 1000 for an iPhone, why not invest in a unique phone that, by the way, can be bought from € 850 on Amazon.ES?
Aware of the perplexity that this choice can cause, I give my highest praise to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G It could easily win the reveal smartphone category, if it weren’t for the formula known since 2020 with the first Z Flip.
In 2021, Samsung made the right decision to (slightly) lower the price of its tops. Furthermore, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G is one of the best phones for relaxed use, with an irreverent shape and good build quality.
That said, a mention of honor should be made to Xiaomi and, more specifically, to models like the POCO X3 Pro (up to € 250), as well as the Xiaomi Redmi 10 (up to € 180), in addition to a positive note also to Realme and its Realme GT (up to € 500).
best smartphone
The best smartphone of 2021 was the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. The market leading manufacturer surprised us in January 2021 with a new design, bold in cameras, flawless in build quality and powerful in “specs”.
The result? Possibly the best user experience in years, for someone not a fan of Samsung’s One UI, but the versatility, power, and productivity this phone offers are incredible.
Thus, the presence / support of the S Pen contributed greatly to the attribution of this distinction, taking the telephone and its use to a new dimension. It should be noted that this S21 Ultra 5G is a work tool for the most demanding users.
For this author of yours, in which the market no longer surprises him mobile having been at it since 2014, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra was an exhilarating experience. The phone is excellent in every way, deserving the crown in 2021.
Second, perhaps unsurprisingly, I would place the Apple iPhone 13, the perfecting of the iPhone 12 generation that made such a good impression on me in the 2020 selection.
best smartphone reveal
the smartphone OPPO Find X3 Pro It was the best surprise of 2021. In the last year, no smartphone would present itself as “different” and unexpected as this top of the range from the Chinese manufacturer that has brands such as OnePlus and Realme under its tutelage.
That said, I found this phone with a distinctive enough design to grab my attention, without ignoring (or perhaps due to) the similarities to the iPhone 13 Pro. Also, the glass finish and build quality were sublime.
Added to this was one of the best displays available on the market then, as well as superior performance. But of course the distinguishing note went to the microscope camera that OPPO has taken to new heights with this Find X3 Pro.
In short, this Android phone had what it takes to be an excellent top of the line in 2021, plus a touch of design genius and a novelty factor in the camera that, while not necessarily the best, was one of the most fun. thanks to the “Microscope” mode.
Second, I would attribute the distinction to the smartphone Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra for the photographic prowess achieved by Xiaomi, or its MIX Fold for the audacity of the folding format and the “liquid” lens that it uses in its main camera.
Finally, grateful to be here one more year and excited in this new year full of opportunities and, without a doubt, with incredible new mobile devices to try until next December.