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The world of new Android mobile phones is fast-moving, with new models and exciting features announced almost every other day

Rounding up the best Android phones thus far in 2023

The world of new Android mobile phones is fast-moving, with new models and exciting features announced almost every other day

The market for Android mobile phones moves at lightning speed, with new and exciting announcements and upgrades almost every other day. Here is our pick of the best Android phones released in 2023 so far.

Moto Razr 40 Ultra Motorola is making a comeback with the latest Razr, which has its pros and cons. The compact design allows for a big smartphone screen that can easily fit into a pocket and has rounded edges for a comfortable grip. However, this design deviates from previous Razr models' sharp, angled look. Unlike its predecessors, the 2023 version is more rounded, soft, and approachable. The external display is fully functional, making other flip phones' cover displays seem useless. It also allows users to easily access every app. Additionally, the phone remains pocket-friendly, no matter how skinny your jeans are.Price: ₹89,999 

Moto Razr 40 Ultra 

Motorola is making a comeback with the latest Razr, which has its pros and cons. The compact design allows for a big smartphone screen that can easily fit into a pocket and has rounded edges for a comfortable grip. However, this design deviates from previous Razr models' sharp, angled look. Unlike its predecessors, the 2023 version is more rounded, soft, and approachable. The external display is fully functional, making other flip phones' cover displays seem useless. It also allows users to easily access every app. Additionally, the phone remains pocket-friendly, no matter how skinny your jeans are.
Price: ₹89,999 

Xiaomi 13 Pro The Xiaomi 13 Pro is a pretty Leica-ble phone. Although it possesses high-quality hardware, it's the small details that elevate the user experience—for instance, the shutter sound, numerous useful camera filters, and various software features in the Gallery app. The camera system truly shines, providing a range of focal lengths to capture moments from distinctive perspectives, perfect for any photography enthusiast.The Xiaomi 13 Pro is an exceptional flagship phone that is finely tuned. With enhancements to MIUI and a powerful performance unit, it offers an excellent balance of hardware and software. Its impressive battery life and the 120W fast charging feature add to its appeal. Although there is no official IP68 rating in India, the phone is said to have the same level of water and dust protection as its global counterpart.Price: ₹79,999Image: mi.com

Xiaomi 13 Pro
The Xiaomi 13 Pro is a pretty Leica-ble phone. Although it possesses high-quality hardware, it's the small details that elevate the user experience—for instance, the shutter sound, numerous useful camera filters, and various software features in the Gallery app. The camera system truly shines, providing a range of focal lengths to capture moments from distinctive perspectives, perfect for any photography enthusiast.

The Xiaomi 13 Pro is an exceptional flagship phone that is finely tuned. With enhancements to MIUI and a powerful performance unit, it offers an excellent balance of hardware and software. Its impressive battery life and the 120W fast charging feature add to its appeal. Although there is no official IP68 rating in India, the phone is said to have the same level of water and dust protection as its global counterpart.

Price: ₹79,999

Image: mi.com

Nothing Phone 2 Nothing has made the Phone 2 stand out. Its eye-catching design captures some of the best qualities of transparent gadgets from the '90s, like Gameboys and Nintendo 64s, but in a more sophisticated way. The Monochrome UI encourages users to be more mindful of their device usage and includes unique features like the Glyph interface for notifications. It's got a newer chip and a comparatively sophisticated software package that includes features for robust language detection. The phone’s cameras are in a class of their own. The Phone 2 is an offbeat choice for those who want to be excited by their phone again, and it's definitely an interesting mainstream alternative.Price:  ₹44,999 onwardsImage: in.nothing.tech

Nothing Phone 2 

Nothing has made the Phone 2 stand out. Its eye-catching design captures some of the best qualities of transparent gadgets from the '90s, like Gameboys and Nintendo 64s, but in a more sophisticated way. The Monochrome UI encourages users to be more mindful of their device usage and includes unique features like the Glyph interface for notifications. It's got a newer chip and a comparatively sophisticated software package that includes features for robust language detection. The phone’s cameras are in a class of their own. The Phone 2 is an offbeat choice for those who want to be excited by their phone again, and it's definitely an interesting mainstream alternative.

Price:  ₹44,999 onwards

Image: in.nothing.tech

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate What sets the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate apart is that it goes above and beyond when it comes to every number and spec. For example, the 6.78-inch OLED display has a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, higher than the 120Hz found in most modern flagship phones. This means the screen can display more frames per second, resulting in smoother and faster animations. The phone also has noticeable bezels around the screen, designed to give gamers something to hold onto while playing. Additionally, the bezels house symmetrical, sizeable, front-facing stereo speakers. The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate also has 16GB of RAM, the latest LPDDR5X standard. This is double the amount found in most phones, which means the phone can run more applications at once without slowing down. It's like having a wider road with more lanes to fit more cars. The battery is also larger than most modern phone batteries, with a capacity of 6,000 mAh.The phone is powered by the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is placed dead centre in the phone and is wrapped by an advanced cooling system. It includes graphite cooling sheets and a panel with liquid gels to keep the chip cool, allowing it to run faster. The phone also has a vent on the rear side, which works with the

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate 

What sets the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate apart is that it goes above and beyond when it comes to every number and spec. For example, the 6.78-inch OLED display has a refresh rate of up to 165Hz, higher than the 120Hz found in most modern flagship phones. This means the screen can display more frames per second, resulting in smoother and faster animations. The phone also has noticeable bezels around the screen, designed to give gamers something to hold onto while playing. Additionally, the bezels house symmetrical, sizeable, front-facing stereo speakers. 

The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate also has 16GB of RAM, the latest LPDDR5X standard. This is double the amount found in most phones, which means the phone can run more applications at once without slowing down. It's like having a wider road with more lanes to fit more cars. The battery is also larger than most modern phone batteries, with a capacity of 6,000 mAh.

The phone is powered by the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which is placed dead centre in the phone and is wrapped by an advanced cooling system. It includes graphite cooling sheets and a panel with liquid gels to keep the chip cool, allowing it to run faster. The phone also has a vent on the rear side, which works with the "AeroActive Cooler 7" accessory bundled with the Ultimate phone. The accessory includes a fan, four physical clicky buttons, RGB lighting and a sub-woofer. When the fan blows air into the vent, it further cools the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, allowing it to perform at high levels without throttling. The phone is designed specifically for gamers looking for the best-possible performance from their device. 

Price: ₹99,999

Image: rog.asus.com

Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra If you're looking for a top-of-the-line smartphone with no compromises, Samsung's Galaxy S23 range is perfect. The S23 Ultra phones have high-end features, including the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that ensures even the most demanding games run smoothly and the fluid and bright 120-Hz AMOLED displays. Additionally, battery life has improved significantly, with the S23 lasting more than a day and the S23 Ultra lasting almost two full days with average use.The triple camera systems are the standout feature of the S23 range, delivering remarkable results in both day and night settings, and offering a wide range of modes and controls to achieve the desired look. These phones also provide some of the most stable video footage that can be captured on Android phones, especially the Ultra. Speaking of the Ultra, it has four cameras, retaining the extra 10X optical zoom camera from its predecessor. It provides versatility, whether you want to photograph something up close or far away. Additionally, if you like to doodle, the S23 Ultra is the only phone in the line-up with an embedded S Pen stylus, which can be used as a Bluetooth remote for the camera.Best of all, the entire S23 lineup will receive four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates, making it the best Android phone in terms of software support.Price: ₹ 1,24,999 onwardsImage: samsung.com

Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra 

If you're looking for a top-of-the-line smartphone with no compromises, Samsung's Galaxy S23 range is perfect. The S23 Ultra phones have high-end features, including the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that ensures even the most demanding games run smoothly and the fluid and bright 120-Hz AMOLED displays. Additionally, battery life has improved significantly, with the S23 lasting more than a day and the S23 Ultra lasting almost two full days with average use.

The triple camera systems are the standout feature of the S23 range, delivering remarkable results in both day and night settings, and offering a wide range of modes and controls to achieve the desired look. These phones also provide some of the most stable video footage that can be captured on Android phones, especially the Ultra. Speaking of the Ultra, it has four cameras, retaining the extra 10X optical zoom camera from its predecessor. It provides versatility, whether you want to photograph something up close or far away. Additionally, if you like to doodle, the S23 Ultra is the only phone in the line-up with an embedded S Pen stylus, which can be used as a Bluetooth remote for the camera.

Best of all, the entire S23 lineup will receive four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates, making it the best Android phone in terms of software support.

Price: ₹ 1,24,999 onwards

Image: samsung.com

Fairphone 4 The Fairphone 4 represents a new breed of phones in the Android space. Being eco-friendly isn't just a buzzword, as it boasts a modular repairable design that now comes with a five-year warranty. But what's even more noteworthy is its modern feel. Gone are the large top and bottom bezels of the earlier renditions of this breed of phones. The Fairphone 4 is replaced by modern conveniences like an IP54 dus-t and water-resistance rating. If you invest in a Fairphone 4, you're not paying for performance but rather for the peace of mind that comes with years of software updates and the knowledge that you can replace the battery without learning about pentalobe screws. You're also paying for the assurance that all components are responsibly sourced. Price:  ₹52,000 onwards (approx)Image: shop.fairphone.com

Fairphone 4 

The Fairphone 4 represents a new breed of phones in the Android space. Being eco-friendly isn't just a buzzword, as it boasts a modular repairable design that now comes with a five-year warranty. But what's even more noteworthy is its modern feel. Gone are the large top and bottom bezels of the earlier renditions of this breed of phones.

The Fairphone 4 is replaced by modern conveniences like an IP54 dus-t and water-resistance rating. If you invest in a Fairphone 4, you're not paying for performance but rather for the peace of mind that comes with years of software updates and the knowledge that you can replace the battery without learning about pentalobe screws. You're also paying for the assurance that all components are responsibly sourced. 

Price:  ₹52,000 onwards (approx)

Image: shop.fairphone.com

Google Pixel Fold The Pixel Fold is Google's first folding smartphone. On the outside, the Pixel Fold boasts a spacious 5.8-inch screen that functions like a regular phone screen with no compromises. When both hands are free, the device can be opened up to reveal a 7.6-inch screen, which is ideal for certain apps like Gmail that feature a two-pane view and split-screen mode that enables multitasking. This feature is handy in various situations.Top that off with an excellent camera system, good battery life, super-bright displays and savvy software, and you have a winning recipe. It's a great showcase of where Android foldable phones are heading next.Price: US$1,799 (₹ 1,48,000 approx)Image: blog.google.com

Google Pixel Fold 

The Pixel Fold is Google's first folding smartphone. On the outside, the Pixel Fold boasts a spacious 5.8-inch screen that functions like a regular phone screen with no compromises. When both hands are free, the device can be opened up to reveal a 7.6-inch screen, which is ideal for certain apps like Gmail that feature a two-pane view and split-screen mode that enables multitasking. This feature is handy in various situations.

Top that off with an excellent camera system, good battery life, super-bright displays and savvy software, and you have a winning recipe. It's a great showcase of where Android foldable phones are heading next.

Price: US$1,799 (₹ 1,48,000 approx)

Image: blog.google.com

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