The Best Display Smartphones of 2022

One of the biggest improvements to display technology in recent times had nothing to do with image quality, but instead the widespread adoption of LTPO backplane technology. This year around, the technology trickled from just the flagships to also the more modestly priced high-end smartphone category.

The actual image quality improvements came from incremental gains in OLED manufacturing and those in the display sub-system of the SOC. This time around, all our nominations deliver extremely bright images with great contrast and high frame rates-factors that significantly improve the user experience.

OnePlus 10 Pro 5G

The OnePlus 10 Pro’s display might not have the best peak brightness in its class, but it is hard to beat from purely a price-to-display performance perspective. For your money, you still get a sharp display packing in a resolution of 525 ppi and LTPO technology for keeping power consumption in check. This gorgeous display with a terrific screen-to-body ratio deserves a place among our nominees.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

In addition to smartphones, Samsung also makes some of the best televisions in the world. As a matter of fact, most flagship smartphones ship with a Samsung AMOLED display. The Samsung Galaxy S series has been the flagbearer of smartphone display innovation, which is why this awards category cannot be complete without the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The Dynamic AMOLED 2x tech delivers a palpable improvement in contrast and brightness-the display parameters that contribute the most to perceived image quality. This is the phone to beat when it comes to smartphone display technology.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra

The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra might not have the best display in this category, but it comes really close to the competition thanks to a higher refresh rate of 144Hz and sublime touch sampling combined with great in-hand feel of both the front glass and the chassis. It still delivers a respectable peak brightness of 1250 nits for a great HDR experience. What makes it all worth it, is the relatively modest price tag and an excellent software package.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is one way to save a buck, if top-drawer smartphone photography isn’t an utmost priority for you. However, this lower priced SKU has zero compromises in the display department compared to its more expensive Ultra counterpart. Needless to say, a display of this pedigree deserves a second nomination, even if it is in the guise of a different variant of the same smartphone.

Google Pixel 7 Pro

After experiencing many hardware hiccups (including some serious display woes) in its previous iterations, the Pixel 7 series showed a remarkable improvement with its display performance. The Pixel 7 Pro earns its nomination thanks to a brilliant LTPO AMOLED display that can deliver 1500 nits of peak brightness, with a high brightness mode capable of sustaining 1000 nits for a compelling HDR experience. The curved screen and a high pixel density in excess of 500 ppi makes it a strong contender.

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published: Monday, December 26, 2022, 17:43 [IST]