6 smartphone alternatives that might make you want to ditch the iPhone

The smartphone market in India is awash with options that challenge Apple on both performance and pricing

Welcome to The ESTD Recommends, our series where we cut through the clutter to bring you the best options available in the market

Apple’s pretty robust marketing machine will have you believe the Gods themselves craft every new iPhone. The truth is, Apple’s ecosystem is somewhat restrictive, and the phones aren’t as innovative as they once used to be. If you are looking to move from Apple’s walled garden, there is no better time than now. The smartphone landscape in India is peppered with new-age phones that ooze cutting-edge tech from every pore, not to mention in-box chargers and physical dual-SIM support. Here are six smartphones that can compel you to ditch the iPhone.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

If you are up for an alternative with star power, the Samsung S22 Ultra it is. It trumps the iPhone 13 Pro Max in every hardware specification. It has a larger screen at 6.8 inches with a better Quad HD+ resolution (3088x1440 pixels). There are four rear cameras starring a stunning 108MP. The 40MP front camera keeps your selfie game crisp. It even comes with a stylus that neatly tucks away into the phone. The 5000mAh battery is significantly larger than the one found on the iPhone. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra also runs the latest 8Gen 1 Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. However, it doesn’t come with a charger in the box, and we have Apple to blame for this trend.

OnePlus 10 Pro

OnePlus has moved from largely being a budget brand to a major competitor in the high-end phone space. Even in the high-end market, the OnePlus 10 Pro is more practically priced, though that doesn’t mean it is cheap in any way. It features a Hasselblad-branded triple camera set-up that is optimised for colour and clarity. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chip, the best available right now. The 5000mAh battery offers all-day power, and the 80W charger—which is included in the box—can provide a full day’s power in just 15 minutes of charge time. The most significant feature of the OnePlus is its Android customisation called Oxygen OS. The software is possibly the best you can get on the Android platform. It is clean and practical with minimum bloatware and absolutely no adware.

Sony Xperia 1 IV

Sony has been flying under the radar with their Xperia smartphone brand for a while now. The Sony Xperia 1 is in its fourth iteration right now, and it is a stunner. Not only does it look impeccable but it is also packed with features. Sony has leveraged its expertise in cameras and sound to build a phone that every creator needs. The phone has a rear camera set-up consisting of three 12MP cameras, including a wide-angle, an ultrawide angle and a telephoto. All of them are capable of shooting 120fps 4K (or an Ultra High Definition screen resolution) HDR. The telephoto lens offers true optical zoom between 3.5x to 5.2x through a periscope-style physical lens. Even the front-facing camera is 12 megapixels. The Xperia 1 IV also has a beautiful 6.5-inch OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 5000mAh battery. The Xperia is rocking the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset with 12GB RAM and 512GB of storage space.

Oppo Find X5 Pro

Oppo Find X5 Pro is a beautiful device built with a ceramic back cover that is meant to feel like a smooth pebble. The device is also a beast under the hood, running the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. Oppo has paid special attention to the camera set-up on this phone. There are three cameras present on the rear, a 50 megapixel wide-angle with 5-axis optical image stabilisation; a 50MP ultra wide-angle; and a 13MP telephoto. For selfies, the phone has a 32MP front camera. The entire configuration is branded by Hasselblad and runs on a separate special chip called MariSilicon X that processes the images for the phone. Needless to say the pictures from this phone are impeccable. The 6.7-inch AMOLED screen has a quad-HD resolution and a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. The dynamic refresh rate helps save power by reducing the refresh rate when it isn’t required. The 5000mAh can power the device for more than a day. It also comes with a 50W fast charger that can power the device from zero to 100 per cent in 47 minutes. If you think there are a lot of similarities with the aforementioned OnePlus phone here, you aren’t wrong; both share a parent company.

Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate

The ASUS ROG is the craziest no-holds-barred gaming phone in the market right now. It is based on the last-generation Snapdragon 888 processor. However, it is a year old and is due for a refresh soon. Having said that, it is still the king of gaming phones. The Republic of Gamers ultimate phone features 18GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It has two screens, a 6.78 main AMOLED screen on the front with a 144Hz refresh rate and a rear matrix display that can be customised with graphics. The phone has dual front-facing stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It features triggers which can be used while gaming, four in all, giving a gamer total control without having to touch the screen each time. All of this is powered by a 6000mAh battery. The phone comes with a 65-watt charger. The phone’s looks might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but is perfect for gamers. The new ROG Phone 6 will be released in July and should feature the latest processor and some new innovations. If you are serious about getting the ROG phone, we suggest you wait and buy the new version.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

While Apple is a long way from a folding phone, Samsung is on its third iteration. The Flip 3 is an excellent folding phone. Featuring a clamshell design when shut, the device opens up to feature a full-sized smartphone with all the bells and whistles. For starters, the design has improved a lot over the last generation. The hinge mechanism on the phone is robust and sturdy, not to mention it shuts with a satisfying snap. The phone’s size is convenient, and the tiny 1.9-inch screen on the outside is handy for checking notifications, time and selfies. The main screen is a large 6.7-inch display with a 120hz refresh rate. The rear camera is a dual set-up with a 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP wide-angle, and the front-facing camera is 10MP. It is running last year’s flagship processor, the Snapdragon 888. A refresh is expected in September, but the current processor is more than capable for this phone. The Flip 3 has 8GB of memory and is available with 256GB of storage. The battery, however, is just 3300mAh, a bit of a bummer. Perhaps there are some sacrifices to be made for something that is otherwise so cutting-edge.

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