Flagship Android phones have been good for many years, but in 2023, they did something truly special.
When I review phones, I consider the design, display, performance, cameras, software, and battery life from my experience with the device. A flagship phone needs to be great in at least one parameter and above average in others. But if it’s below average in at least one department (which many 2022 flagships were), it’s a bad phone.
But you know what? That didn’t really happen in 2023.2023 Android phones had one thing in common
2023 was the year when bad Android flagship phones finally died. That’s because they had powerful and efficient processors. Even Google made improvements with its Tensor G3 chip in the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
Last year, I had one major issue with almost all flagship phones: poor battery life, which I can’t compromise on. I need my primary phone to get me through the day. From the Galaxy S22 Ultra to the Xiaomi 12 Pro or the OnePlus 10 Pro, none of them lasted me an entire day of use. But that changed this year.
This year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 was efficient enough to make Android flagship phones great again. For reference, my work day includes a lot of communication over WhatsApp, Slack, and Teams. I also juggle between X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, clicking a few photos and browsing on Chrome. I’m on the go for most of the week, so this is over 5G with Google Maps and Uber running for at least 20 minutes a day.
I didn’t have to worry about keeping a power bank in my bag when using the likes of Galaxy S23 Ultra, Oppo Find X6 Pro, OnePlus 11, and other 2023 flagships because I was confident enough to have at least 20% battery life left by the time I’m home. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 brought a sense of confidence that I didn’t have when using 2022 flagship phones. It was the one spec that kept things together with the right mix of power and efficiency for these phones.Cameras got even better
2023 also saw more phones with better camera capabilities, including sharper zoom and better focus. For instance, the OnePlus Open now has the best camera setup on a foldable.
