My Picks on the Best Smartphones of 2018!
2018 was the year of smartphones where we saw almost every smartphone going with the trending notch-display and dual cameras set up. The Premium range of Devices also maintained its quality with almost every smartphone coming up with a new feature, and the mid-range devices segment never fails to impress us with its top specifications at an affordable price. It was definitely a good year for all the smartphone manufacturers where almost every smartphone that was launched in the Indian market created a buzz and impressed the users with its features and quality. Going back through these smartphones again, made me write this year-end blog on my Best Smartphones of 2018!
In this blog, I have selected smartphones from each segment starting from the budget segment devices to the premium range of devices. So, let's check out my list of best smartphones of 2018 what made me select them, and why they are in this list.
Premium Smartphones Segment :
1. Apple iPhone XS Max -
Back in Sep '18 when Apple introduced the first iPhone featuring the Super Retina Display along with a powerful 7nm A12 bionic chip and the best dual camera system, the iPhone XS Max impressed everyone with its next-gen features. It offers the best display in an iPhone with a bigger battery and the camera quality from Apple always makes a good remark. A12 Bionic the first 7nm chipset in a smartphone with faster face id and good finish. Also, XS Max came with the Dual Sim support to iPhone. Faster Performance, Advanced Cameras, and Gorgeous Design make the iPhone XS Max clearly the king of this premium range of devices.
Pricing:-
64GB - Rs.109,900,
256GB - Rs. 1,24,900,
512GB - Rs. 1,44,900.
Available in three colour options - Gold, Silver, and Space Grey.
2. Huawei Mate 20 Pro -
So, this smartphone clearly makes its mark in every category right from the design, display, performance to camera quality it's truly the 2018 premium smartphone of the year as it comes with an iconic design which gives a premium look to your smartphone. The powerful performance with the 7nm Kirin 980 mobile chipset generates faster speed and power efficiency. The highlight feature of this Smartphone is the wireless reverse charge which can charge some devices which run out if power, this feature shows what future smartphones are capable of and Mate 20 Pro marks the beginning. Talking about the camera, the reviews and results of the Mate 20 Pro itself speak about its great camera quality which captures each and every detail with precision. It comes with Huawei's EMUI 9.0 which provides a smooth user experience on this device. Overall, it's a great device with loads of features and a not so bad UI.
Pricing:-
6GB RAM/ 128GB - Rs.69,990
Available in Emerald Green and Twilight color options.
Mid-Range Smartphones Segment:
3. OnePlus 6T -
Premium devices feature at an affordable price with quality that's what they offer with their devices and what everybody like about OnePlus. The OnePlus 6T is clearly the Smartphone of the year as it offers detail in every section. Beautiful AMOLED display, best in class dual cameras which captures every detail even in low light thanks to the all-new NightScape mode and Studio lighting gives a rich look to your pictures. Smooth and fast performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 along with the Smooth Oxygen OS which always gives you the speed you need. OnePlus devices also have been known for its Fast Charge technology and with the new OnePlus 6T which comes with a 3700 mAh battery life offers you a day's power in 30 minutes. The OnePlus 6T McLaren Special Edition also is a brilliant device that offers you the fastest performance as its the first smartphone in India with 10GB RAM. It comes with Warp Charge 30 which charges your phone quickly and gives you a day's power in just 20 mins. It is inspired by the McLaren Craftsmanship and the phone is built with the iconic Carbon fiber design. Another great attempt from OnePlus.
Pricing:-
6GB RAM| 128GB - Rs. 37,999.
8GB RAM| 128GB - Rs. 41,999.
8GB RAM| 256GB - Rs. 45,999.
Available in 3 color options- Mirror Black, Midnight Black and Thunder Purple.
McLaren Special Edition- Rs.50,999.
4. Nokia 8.1 -
After MWC 2018, Nokia Smartphones have seen huge growth with its new range of devices but what made them achieve this growth was the build quality of smartphones and the trust from Nokia with its devices. The Nokia 8.1 is another such great device with some power-packed features at a perfect price. High-end camera quality with ZEISS optics which captures pictures with precision. Nokia's PureView Display always gives a richer look to its smartphones and with the Android One Program, you get the best experience of Android from Google. Almost every Nokia Smartphone comes with the Android One Program so that your smartphone stays updated with the latest features and Nokia too takes efforts to do the same. Nokia 8.1 comes with the all new and latest Snapdragon 710 processor which delivers the best performance along with a 2-day battery life thanks to the adaptive battery feature of the Android Pie. In this price segment, there are hardly any smartphones that offer you the latest features with good quality. Nokia 8.1 with its design, guaranteed updates along with the promise from Nokia and perfect pricing makes it to my list of Best Smartphones of 2018.
Pricing:-
4GB RAM| 64GB - Rs. 26,999.
Available in 2 color options- Blue and Iron.
Budget Segment Smartphones:
5. Xiaomi Mi A2 -
Xiaomi's Mi A1 was a big hit with the first Android One Smartphone from Xiaomi and also with the best dual camera setup at this price segment. Mi A1 impressed everyone with its camera quality and made a remark. So, it was clear that A2 will be too great with its cameras and performance. The Xiaomi Mi A2 as the brand suggest capture picture-perfect photos and stands up to their promise of good camera quality and at this price range its one of the top smartphone that clicks great pictures. It comes with Snapdragon 660 chipset which along with its AI features gives you faster performance. The Android One Program makes sure that the phone stays updated with the latest updates and security patches from Google so that you can enjoy the best of Android from Google. But, its one of the Smartphone in this range to go with the option of eliminating the 3.5mm headphone jack and implementing the USB Type-C port which paves a way for future technology. Mi A2 design is good with full metal body and its features make A2 the best device in this segment.
Pricing:-
4GB RAM| 64GB - Rs. 15,999.
6GB RAM| 128GB - Rs. 18,999.
Available in these color options- Black, Lake Blue, Gold, Rose Gold and Red.
6. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 -
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 comes with some best-in-class specifications such as the smooth and fast Stock Android experience, Big 5000mAh battery which lasts up to 2 days, Good dual cameras which offer you a superior low light performance at this price point. But why this device made it to this list is because along with some great specs as mentioned above, it is the only smartphone in this segment with the latest Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection. Looking at its price, it offers you all the top features with beautiful design and smooth performance which is quite impressive. The combination of Snapdragon 660 and Stock Android gives you powerful performance and its pricing makes it the device to go for at this price.
Pricing:-
3GB RAM| 32GB - Rs. 12,999.
4GB RAM| 64GB - Rs. 14,999.
6GB RAM| 64GB - Rs. 16,999.
Available in Blue color option.
So, this was my Best Smartphones of 2018 considering every segment and looking to their features and what they have got to offer their users I found these smartphones suited for this list. 2018 has seen many big smartphone launches but these were my picks looking from every aspect and clearly, these devices have made 2018 the year of Smartphones.
Looking ahead in 2019, to have the same magic with more variants and yes do mention your thoughts or views and what is your best smartphone of 2018 in the comments section below, till then always Stay Connected and Updated with my blogs.