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Do you know what is common to Apple I-phone, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, BMW, Mercedes and Sony – They all are premium brands in their respective product segments and they figure high on the aspiration list (of owning such products).
These brands have gained high visibility due to a heavy dose of advertising no doubt, but they offer technologically superior products and are known, market innovators.
Today our world is becoming technology dependant increasingly, be it education, communication or entertainment, and a good smartphone phone has become a necessary item.
A premium product along with performing the basic functions opens up a whole new world of technologically advanced features.
Studies on customer insights indicate that a premium phone is bought not only for its superior features but also for the satisfaction of owning a brand leader.
What to look for when buying a smartphone?
Normally when you buy a smartphone, you consider the Display, Processor, Memory, Camera, and Battery and maybe security features. But for a customer wishing to buy the best phone in the world, these standard features do not matter much. All brands will have the best of these specs.
The choice then will be based on some super speciality, like a 5X- zoom camera or a scribbling- on- image feature; it could be also the latest generation super-fast processor which will allow you heavy gaming effortlessly (unlike a normal smartphone).
Specs like the Refresh Rate will come up in the background while considering a particular model. To elaborate, the Refresh Rate is a measure for the number of times a screen re-draws an image. It is measured in Hertz (Hz). A higher refresh rate means lesser motion blur and clearer image quality.
Most smartphones have a refresh rate of 60 Hz but the premium ones (all of them) will have either 90 Hz or 120 Hz. That explains why you get such splendid images on premium phones. Another illustration- Nit is the standard unit of luminance, used to describe various sources of light.
A higher rating will mean a brighter display. Usual smartphones will have a display of 400 nits but a premium phone will have a minimum of 600 nits, going up to 1000 nits. The result is visible when you look at the phone in sunlight – on a premium phone reading the screen display is easy.
We generally talk of higher mAh value for batteries or greater megapixels for Camera or even higher speed of some processors while comparing models.
But in technologically upgraded products like the premium phones, these parameters do not impact the performance in a linear way (greater is better) but the whole architecture, internal software and external hardware integrates seamlessly and improves performance and efficiency in totality.
Our research team has selected six best phones based on performance, features, technology and customer opinion. There is hardly anything to choose between them except for a few specific features and you can select any of them as per your liking of the product or the brand.
Other Related Articles: Top 10 Best Budget Smartphones in India, Top 10 Samsung Best Phone in India (2020)
We Highly recommend you to read the Phone Buying Guide at the end of this article to get in-depth knowledge about the latest smartphone technologies and tips on making an informed decision about which product to buy for your needs
Top 6 Best Phones in the World
Although my favorite among all is Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra but you must check all of them to make your buying decision.
1. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Let us begin with the display. The dynamic AMOLED display gives you vivid colours at all brightness levels.
The inbuilt technology drastically reduces the blue light as a protective measure for your eyes.
You will also feel scrolling and touch interactions unbelievably smooth and responsive –something you have rarely felt while using regular smartphone models.
How does this happen? A technical feature called the Refresh rate is responsible. (The refresh rate is a measure for the number of times a screen redraws an image.
It is measured in Hertz, Hz). A higher refresh rate means lesser motion blur and clearer image quality.
A normal smartphone has a refresh rate of 60 Hz whereas the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, 120Hz. A powerful phone is for powerful people doing powerful things.
The gaming experience in Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is on a different level altogether-the combination of Exynos 990, the Wi-Fi optimiser (you will remain connected fast and with low latency), and the 6.5-inch WQHD+ dynamic AMOLED display at 120 Hz, will create real magic. You will get superfast downloads and no buffering, shuttering, just plain content.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra's S-Pen
This pen look alike allows making pen- strokes just like the real one. You can write a screen- off memo maybe adding a point to your to-do list and can save it in Samsung notes (or pin it to the screen without unlocking the phone).
The S-pen can also offer an interesting facility of jotting down a note on an article you may be reading or can add a witty caption to a childhood photo you have just received from an old friend. You can take advantage of the technological marvel of the S-pen - on a simple tap, your notations/notes get self transformed to text that allows you to copy and paste!
Do not bother about your handwriting (Samsung knows that you are out of practice), the auto straighten function realigns the writing to appear neat and organised. If you wish, you can export your notes as a word file or PPT for easy sharing. You can also have access to all your notes (saved on the phone) in your laptop or tablet easily through sync.
Thus your phone and PC can work together seamlessly and allowing you to have every information/design that you may need on the go.
If you are into serious gaming then this phone is for you- the intelligent processor and the upgraded cooling system together with a responsive 120 Hz display offers a gaming experience of an entirely different generation. The built-in Wi-Fi optimiser helps in faster connection with low latency and makes sure you have uninterrupted gaming or video calls.
Coming to the camera, you get among the highest resolution video recording for a smartphone, allowing you to capture your imagination with incredible details. You can even add the finishing touches by editing your video on the phone itself.
The internal architecture of the phone has converted the powerhouse (battery) to an intelligent battery that uses the power efficiently resulting in a full charge is done in the morning going well into the night. The battery has a rating of 4300 mAh.
When you are looking for a real superior phone experience the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is the model for you.2. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
The simplicity of Technology –that is the philosophy of i-phones.
Apple phones are made on their technology and design and do not work on the Android platform. Let's begin with the camera.
The triple camera system allows you to capture up to 4 times more (read wide) scene and beautiful images even under extremely low light conditions.
When you finish shooting your favourite video, smart tools in your Apple i-phone will help you to edit your creation in the way you like. Now for a closer look at the cameras.
The immersive interface allows you a wider field of view to observe what is there outside the immediate image frame and you can decide to capture that by just a tap. You can make true to life videos with finer details highlighted and in smoother motion.
The superior processor powers your 4K videos with extended dynamic range and cinematic video stabilisation.
The powerful editing tools will convert you into a film editor and you will crop, rotate, auto-enhance, add filters –ultimately turning out the final version exactly matching your conception. In other words, the editing tools in the Apple11 Pro max will give you absolute creative control.
The night mode is a special advanced feature which uses intelligent software and A13 Bionic to give you dimly –lit restaurant or a moonlit beach shot which was never possible earlier; not even on the previous versions of i-phones.
For the expert photographer, manual controls offer experimentation and you can further scout for details and explore dark corners. With three cameras working in tandem, the iOS 13 adds the High key light mono effect for a studio like styling; and this results in stunning portraits matching professional studio quality.
The phone uses next-generation smart HDR (advanced algorithm) to fine-tune shadow details in your image. That means I Phone 11 Pro can automatically align the details in both subject and background, a feature which many DSLR cameras even do not have.
You are right - this is not about a new camera from apple but its phone. Apple is a premier technology company which never compromises on anything and thus, you get the phone camera matching the standards of a professional-grade digital camera.
Let’s also take a look at the chip –the custom-built A 13 Bionic is behind the experiences not to be found in other smartphones; It has 64-bit fusion architecture, handles every task efficiently and gives a huge push to the battery life (you can now correlate that Apple I-phone 11 Pro battery does not come with a very mAh rating but yet it performs for a long duration under one charge).
The apple designed CPU and GPU turns in stellar performances in terms of speed and power usage and is faster than the most processor of similar rating and uses 40 % less power. In the large smartphone industry across the world, it is still A for Apple, when it is a question of technology.
You can choose the Apple iPhone 11 Pro for its brand image but it is worth every rupee you will spend on it in terms of performance.
3. Motorola Edge Plus
Let us begin to look at the phone from the edges. The first thing to be noticed about this phone is that the perceived size is more than the actual one.
Yes, the Edge is a pretty smart design statement of this new offering from Motorola and is the single most distinct design element.
The display wraps around the sides of the phone stretching 6.7”, and wrapped on both sides by nearly 90 degrees - the endless edge display gives you unmatched and breathtaking visuals by maximising the viewing area (There are virtually no borders on the sides).
The HDR 10+ and a 90 Hz refresh rate makes the visuals a real treat to watch. Two additional touch screen buttons elevate your gaming experience with simple and easy navigation.
The 108 MP triple-camera system comes loaded with technology plus features –Dual OIS, autofocus, 6 K video and AI that elevate your photo shots to an amazing level. So much so, you may even use it in place of a DSLR camera for professional engagements!
All types of photos, from extreme close-ups to wide landscapes, the Motorola Edge+ captures to perfection.
The phone houses one the world’s most powerful processor, the snapdragon 865; it is also among the fastest in the world with an AI engine capable of processing 15 trillion operations per second. The 12 GB memory and 256 GB storage chips in with faster bandwidth and lower battery drain.
The large capacity battery can go for multiple days on a single charge even with the usage of performance-intensive apps. The Turbo Power charging delivers quick power in minutes and wireless charging eliminates the hassle of wires. Two powerful speakers produce a stereo sound which is counted among the best audio output in smartphones.
The sound envelops you with its professional-level fuller output. When you buy the Motorola Edge + you get the best of Android with clean software and no duplicate apps. It is integrated with Goggle apps which helps you lead a better digital life with Digital Wellbeing.
4. Samsung Galaxy S 20 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S20 + and the S 20 Ultra are usually considered together.
The primary reason for this is that both models share the phone architecture and features with the Ultra being positioned as a higher- premium model by increasing the spec values of some of the items (like optical zoom).
But unless you are a professional on the particular subject, say, camera, in this case, it would not be possible to understand the fine differentiation in the performance.
The Economic Times commented on the launch of the new Samsung S 20 + models, * Firepower to disrupt premium segment with top-end hardware and software *.
Indeed true. Let’s look at some of the features of this premium product by starting with the camera, a signature feature of Samsung.
The cameras in these models are designed for a massive leap forward in resolution and zoom for smartphone photography.
The primary camera is of 64 MP (S 20+) and 108 MP (S 20 Ultra) – but both guarantee you a million more pixels in your photographs. Finer details will come up before you than you could have ever imagined when you look at the pictures. The 10 X hybrid optic zoom (S 20+) and the 100 X for the S 20 Ultra, is enabled by a folded lens with a path-breaking design.
As if this is not enough, the Super Resolution Zoom function enhanced by the camera AI will allow you to capture moments you might have not even noticed.
Low light photography, particularly at night, is a bane for most smartphone models. The S20+ has sensors almost three times the normal size to offer you pro-grade night photos. The technology involves capturing multiple photos at once and getting them merged into one shot with less blur and noise.
At the simple click of a button, you activate the large image sensors and AI of the camera and they do the rest for you. (You have to aim at your chosen subject though!) The 8 K video technology ensures you get the highest resolution video on a smartphone.
This is about 4 times bigger than UHD which means you can capture all your moments in super-sharp resolution. The 8 K video technology turns every frame into a high- resolution still (photo) and you can pull out any frame right out of the video as a 33 MP still.
The anti-rolling stabiliser and large sensors control the camera movements to ensure that your footage does not have any blur and is super smooth. And all this you can do with the backing of a powerful, intelligent battery of 5000 mAh.
An intelligent battery? , That’s right, because it adjusts to your usage habits and saves power to give you more on a single charge. The Galaxy S 20 + and the S 20 Ultra comes with a processor dedicated to protecting your pieces of information (PIN, Passwords, pattern etc).
Security measures cover every part of the phone from software to hardware, so that your data stays only with you. The Galaxy S20+ and the S20 Ultra have not only changed mobile photography but a truly technologically advanced phone that keeps you ahead always. Choosing this phone can be done with eyes closed.
5. OnePlus 8 Pro
The Oneplus 8 Pro offers a smooth onscreen content flow seamlessly from one frame to another.
The 6.78" QHD+ display and a refresh rate of 120Hz make viewing a real pleasure, and this comes with stunning details and unmatched clarity.
A top of the line 10-bit colour display feature gives you several times more sharp colours than competitors.
A display high in Nits(unit of luminance) ensure a brighter screen even in sunlight so that you do not miss critical content outdoors.
Your video watching experience becomes smoother and you get to see even the minute details in all its true colours (of the object).
The advanced MEMC algorithms transform normal footage into 120 fps super smooth videos. All these are made possible by over 280 software optimisations.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 sets a new benchmark for performance with almost 25% more power than similar processors’. The state of the art LP DDR5 (Low power double data RAM) improves operating speed by about 30% while consuming less power by about 20%.
The UFS file management system allows you to write at speeds up to 100% higher than a regular smartphone.
A word on the camera - equipped with a dynamic 48 MP Quad camera and a high-resolution ultra-wide-angle lens, your horizon opens up with an expanding view; the dramatic 120 degrees field of view allows you to frame anything from groups to a setting sun cityscape.
The macro mode brings you closer to your subjects and allows clicking on with only a 3 cm gap so that you get all the intricate details. The photo chrome filter (on the colour filter mode) can turn ordinary scenes into vivid colour contrasted scenes at the touch of a button.
Fast Charging is a facility you will appreciate and enjoy in the new Oneplus 8 Pro. A quick 30 minutes charge and fill up the battery to 50 % so that you can keep going with your business. The new Wrap charge 30 wireless allows you to get back to active mode (when the battery is down) without the hassles of wires.
Oneplus has refined its Android skin (tweaks that alter many aspects of the phone’s UI from the original) and the Oxygen OS (as Oneplus calls the tweaked system) is geared up for the 120Hz experience.
The Oneplus 8 Pro is a solid phone packed with a powerful camera and all the top features those are the trademark of premium phones like wireless charging, top –of –line display with a 120Hz refresh rate, stereo speakers with the Dolby Atmos setting providing improved quality and spatial separation.
It houses a top-performing processor, has 5 G connectivity sports premium design and builds quality with a soft-touch finish. You can choose this superphone, OnePlus 8 Pro just for any feature you prefer –because the rest of them are also top class.
6. Google Pixel XL 4
To start the Google Pixel XL 4 you must show your face- this is a significant change in the new models of Google phones.
It is based on the IR dot projector and an IR camera which creates and detects a map of the user's face. The process works quickly and accurately.
With the phone open now, make the next move of meeting your new assistant.
The Google Assistant, built into the system of the phone, can control your phone (for you only of course) and can send texts, open apps, multitask on the go.
It can automatically transcribe speech, a facility which justifies its status as a premium phone.
Before we look at the camera, it is worthwhile to know that Google as a manufacturer of high-quality phones always believed in having a single camera to take great photos. The passing of time and market dynamics have changed their opinion and they have added a second camera to the XL 4.
The phone now comes with an additional camera, a 16 MP telephotos with an f 2.4 aperture lens, which allows the phone to shoot 2X zoom photos. The Superzoom function helps it to go beyond the 2 X level too. The inbuilt HDR+ algorithms add to the improved image quality.
The live HDR+ feature is an interesting one and a real boon to the photographer in you. It prompts you to see what the final image is going to look like in the viewfinder after it processes the shot; it is a change from the earlier composition view to the resultant view now.
While there are not many manual controls on the pixel, adjustments to the shadows and highlights can be done manually to make the shot artistic.(useful when composing a close-up with a silhouette background) The newly added telephoto lens performs adequately living up to the highest industry standards.
The Astrophotography mode helps you to capture long exposure shots (with a 20-second exposure) and you can do a good job of capturing starry sky capes. The 6.3 “OLED display comes at 537ppi and QHD+ resolution. It is rated for HDR playback of 1440p @60 fps.
The Ambient EQ feature tunes the display colours to the immediate surroundings and in a brightly lit place, the image will get adjusted to look natural.
The Google Pixel 4 XL has plenty to offer as a premium phone, packed with the things you always wanted in a phone. Taking photos like a pro, playing the game of your choice, getting help on the go from your dedicated Google assistant you perhaps can’t ask for more.
The soft-touch glass- feel design and the textured metal frame make this phone a real treasure to own.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which is the best phone in 2020?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra5G.
The best of Samsung technology, from build quality to camera performance, is evident in this model. A huge 6.9-inch QHD+ (Quad HD) AMOLED screen offers a display of 1440 X 3200 pixels. The powerful Exynos 990 processor has been used which is an Octa-core chip (two 2.7 GHz cores, two more 2.5 GHz cores and four more power-efficient 2GHz Cortex A55 cores. It comes with 256 storage and 12 GB RAM. This technologically advanced hybrid dual sim phone allows you to use an e-SIM card instead of a physical one and the second slot can be used for a micro SD card if need be. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a premium technologically developed product.
2. What phone is best under 50000 in India?
The Samsung Galaxy S 10 e.
This phone has one of the best in class AMOLED displays with a 5.8’ screen, a resolution of 1080 X 2280 pixels. It supports HDR10 video standards. It has impressive build quality with premium materials and great colours. Useful dual camera setup and a variable aperture which comes in handy in low light situations by keeping the aperture open wider(@ f 1.5) to capture more light; and when you move to sufficient light conditions, the software narrows down the aperture(@f 2.4) so that the captured image is sharper. Decent battery life makes your life easy with a longer time on the phone. Overall the Samsung Galaxy S 10 e stands for a wonderful, satisfying phone experience.
3. What smartphone will last the longest?
In the premium category, Google Pixel phones have the longest life (3 years +). This means that the manufacturing company will continue to support the Operating system and security patch. Generally android One supports OS for two years and security patch for 3; However, this does not stop a phone from functioning after a certain time. OS support is a technical issue but in a long term can affect the functioning of a phone, if not supported in real-time. A Smartphone works well for several years but generally after 4 to 5 years, people get bored with the old phone and plan a replacement.
4. What is India's most premium phone?
The Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max.
An exemplary product design it comes with Apple’s super Retina XDR display. This tweaked version of the OLED display uniquely offers colour contrast and combination resulting in a display of vibrant colours. The 6.5-inch screen provides you with an ideal viewing platform. The triple camera setup offers consistent high standard photos and can give you ultra-wide landscape or group photos. The camera supports 4K video along with the slow motion. The Night vision mode can be very effective in low light conditions and unlike many other brands do not disappoint you with your night shoots. A top-class premium product gives you a refined output of the highest order so that you can enjoy an unmatched user experience.
5. When will 5g be launched in India?
Originally planned for early 2021, the project is delayed and it is now expected to be launched in 2022.
6. What are several steps to availability?
- 1Auction of the spectrum: Once this is done (by the Government of India), telecom companies need to find the money (it will be a huge sum, going by indications) and arrange to pay the government.
- 2Network equipment vendors: Have to be finalised by the successful companies who have the lease for the spectrum.
- 3The selected vendors will then have to set up the infrastructure.
7. What change will it bring?
Speed -5G can provide data speed up to 10 Gbps which is almost 100 times faster than the present 4G LTE. This will enable super-fast data transmission.