The Best Android Phones for 2022 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia – PCMag Middle East


The list of phones recommended in this article is by PC Magazine global team. For the best Android phones selected by the UAE team, please click here.

Whether you’re looking for a big or small phone, entry-level or top-of-the-line, Android offers options for everyone. And unlike Apple’s rigid release cycle, Google’s hardware partners unleash a seemingly endless stream of new devices year-round. But therein lies the problem: With so many options out there, how do you settle on the right one? Lucky for you, we are here to help.

Samsung Galaxy S22+

Pros Cons
+ Top-of-the-line performance – Photos can look a little washed out
+ Excellent cellular reception – 45W charging doesn’t make a big difference in speed
+ True 3x zoom camera

Samsung Galaxy S22+

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ blends top-notch connectivity and performance with the best mix of features and size for the price, making it the flagship Android phone to beat.

د.إ 2,869.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ currently strikes the best balance of power, connectivity, and price for Android phones. With an excellent camera, a bright screen, a fast processor, and stellar 5G reception, it’s the mainstream leader.

Who It’s For

This is the no-brainer choice for anyone looking for a mainstream, high-quality Android phone right now. Just be careful to shop around for the best price with promotions and trade-ins; a lot of discounts are usually available for this phone.

Google Pixel 7

Pros Cons
+ Fantastic value – No telephoto camera
+ Incredible cameras
+ Excellent performance
+ Great-looking display
+ Smooth Android 13 experience

Google Pixel 7

The Google Pixel 7 is the best $600 Android phone you can buy, particularly if you want flagship features and performance on a budget.

د.إ 2,370.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

The Pixel 7 is fast, durable, and has great battery life, but the real draw here is the pure Google software. Pixel phones get new Android features first, and their applications tend to work harmoniously together in a way more similar to iPhones than other Android phones. However, you still get Android’s open ecosystem that lets you sideload apps and make the phone your own.

Who It’s For

This phone is perfect for photographers and anyone who wants stock Google software. The Pixel 7 is also perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to spend tons of money on their phone, as it packs many flagship features at a reasonable price.

Google Pixel 7 Pro

Pros Cons
+ Excellent photography features – Shorter battery life than the Pixel 7
+ Powerful software tools – Connectivity could be better
+ Fast, pixel-rich display

Google Pixel 7 Pro

Google’s Pixel 7 Pro offers comparative flagship performance to other high-end Android phones at a slightly lower price.

د.إ 3,498.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

The Pixel 7 Pro takes everything we like about the base Pixel 7 and makes it better. It adds a high-end telephoto camera, more RAM, and a bigger, faster screen. It maintains the stock Pixel software experience we love, which makes it worth considering for die-hard Android fans.

Who It’s For

If you want a larger phone, the best-possible mobile camera, and demand the pure Android experience offered by Google Pixel phones, this is the one to buy. While the base Pixel 7 provides a better value, the Pixel 7 Pro takes everything to the nth degree.

Google Pixel 6a

Pros Cons
+ Excellent overall value – Lacks microSD card slot and 3.5mm headphone jack
+ Fantastic battery – Doesn’t support wireless charging
+ Vibrant OLED display – Weal cellular performance in some areas
+ Solid camera

Google Pixel 6a

The sub-$500 Google Pixel 6a leads the midrange phone pack with solid performance, incredible battery life, and a standout design.

د.إ 1,429.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

Google’s software is the choice of the techno-elite for its speed, elegance, and simplicity. The Pixel 6a brings you that software—along with years of Android updates before anyone else gets them—at an affordable price. Although the Pixel 6a is available from carriers, we encourage you to look at pairing an unlocked model with an alternative (but still reliable) carrier like Google Fi or US Mobile to save money.

Who It’s For

Folks whose taste outpaces their budgets. Google’s Pixel phones aren’t the best-selling Android models (Samsung models are more popular), but many people still prefer these phones because of the speed and elegance of their software.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Pros Cons
+ Fast and powerful – Very expensive
+ Useful multi-window mode – Heavy
+ Excellent signal strength + Some apps are buggy
+ Fully usable with one hand

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4’s flexible screen and strong multitasking support make it the best productivity phone available today by far.

د.إ 6,799.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

Samsung leads the way in the foldable phone space and its excellent Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers the best experience yet. It has fantastic specs, a massive screen, and the latest 5G connectivity, all of which propel it to the top of the market.

Who It’s For

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is ideal for people who like the idea of a large-screen device that folds downs into something more manageable. It’s expensive and a bit bulky, but you won’t find anything else quite like it.

Moto G Pure

Pros Cons
+ Good performance for the price – Low amount of storage
+ Long battery life – No fast charging
+ Solid LTE connectivity

Moto G Pure

The Moto G Pure offers Android phone buyers a bright display, good battery life, and solid performance for less than $200.

د.إ 547.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

Many people want a basic smartphone for under $200. Although many more powerful phones are often available at a discount below this price, the Moto G Pure lists at $159.99. You can get it for even less money through a carrier or buy an unlocked unit to use with your favorite low-cost cell phone plan. It has a bright screen, good battery life, and decent connectivity. It’s reliable enough to make calls and get you online.

Who It’s For

People on a tight budget, occasional phone users, or kids getting their first smartphone. Yes, the kids will probably ask for iPhones, but it’s your wallet and they’ll get used to Android quickly.

OnePlus 10T

Pros Cons
+ Powerful processor – Camera quality isn’t on par with flagships
+ Excellent cellular reception – No wireless charging support
+ Fastest wired charging of any phone – Current Android skin is overbearing and clunky

OnePlus 10T

With a top-of-the-line processor and the fastest-charging battery you can get in a phone, the OnePlus 10T delivers terrific performance for its price.

د.إ 2,353.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

The OnePlus 10T offers extremely speedy performance and stellar cellular reception, all for a price that’s lower than Samsung’s flagships. It doesn’t dethrone them, however. That’s partially because the handset’s camera performance isn’t quite as good as the Galaxy S22’s. But the device still keeps you connected in challenging network conditions and offers great gaming performance.

Who It’s For

Performance buffs. The phone’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor is the fastest available. Ditto the super-fast-charging battery, the 120Hz screen, and the Qualcomm X65 5G modem. The OnePlus 10T takes you a little out of the mainstream, but its speed more than makes up for that.

OnePlus Nord N20

Pros Cons
+ Smooth and elegant software – Limited camera capabilities
+ Sharp design – No upgrade path to OxygenOS 13
+ Excellent battery life
+ Supports fast charging
+ Features headphone jack and microSD card slot

OnePlus Nord N20

The OnePlus Nord N20 is a smooth, striking, and affordable phone; just don’t expect a flagship camera experience.

د.إ 1,848.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

OnePlus has become the major Android alternative to Samsung on T-Mobile because it delivers decently fast phones for a pretty low price. Especially if you’re upgrading from an old 4G phone, this device gets you onto T-Mobile’s speedy, better-coverage 5G network, sometimes for zero dollars upfront.

Who It’s For

T-Mobile or Metro users getting a discount. The OnePlus N20 is a good phone, not a great one, but the carrier promotions (T-Mobile wants you to use 5G) mean you can get a pretty great deal.

Samsung Galaxy S22

Pros Cons
+ Excellent signal strength – Short battery life
+ Premium power
+ True 3x zoom camera
+ High-quality build and design

Samsung Galaxy S22

The Samsung Galaxy S22 fits comfortably in one hand and is as powerful as its larger siblings, but its small size makes for less battery life.

د.إ 2,395.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

The Samsung Galaxy S22 series includes the nation’s best-selling flagship Android phones; these models have fast processors, good cameras, and excellent cellular reception. The standard Galaxy S22 gets you similar performance to the Editor’s Choice-winning S22+, but for less money and in a smaller body.

Who It’s For

If you have trouble operating a big phone or fitting one in your pocket, this is the smallest flagship Android phone currently available. It isn’t actually a small phone like the iPhone 13 mini or the old Samsung Galaxy S10e, but it’s still your best bet.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Pros Cons
+ S Pen integration – Very large
+ Long battery life – Expensive
+ Bright screen – Back scratches easily
+ Excellent reception – Few camera improvements over predecessor

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The S22 Ultra is the true successor to the Galaxy Note line, delivering all the excellent Samsung phone features while making no concessions for size, weight, or price.

د.إ 3,555.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

The Galaxy S22 Ultra scratches two specific itches: It has a built-in S Pen stylus (like the now-defunct Galaxy Note lineup) and a 10x optical zoom camera, with digital zoom to 100x. Although there are some other stylus-compatible phones, they aren’t flagships, and nothing else on the US market has that super-zoom camera. The S22 Ultra also has a terrific screen and class-leading cellular reception.

Who It’s For

If you think you’ll use one of its two special features, the stylus or the super-zoom camera, the Galaxy S22 Ultra should be your new phone. Artists and people who think visually tend to love the stylus; when I had one, I used it to take notes during meetings. The super-zoom camera can bring faraway things closer to you like no other phone does.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Pros Cons
+ Standout design – Less-capable cameras than other premium phones
+ Better battery life than previous model – Gaming performance throttles quickly
+ Excellent cellular reception
+ Useful front screen

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 feels as premium as ever, and its all-important-yet-diminutive front screen keeps you focused on the world around you.

د.إ 3,099.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

We love that the Galaxy Z Flip 4 lets you access quick bits of information and key notifications from the front screen without even opening the phone. And when you do open it, you get access to a large screen with the full Samsung Galaxy experience.

Who It’s For

This handset is perfect for minimizing distractions and helping you spend more time in the real world. It’s also great if you want to take creative selfies because the folding screen works as a tripod of sorts. Finally, if you like to wear tight pants with small pockets, the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s verical folding design keeps it a lot more compact than horizontal the Galaxy Fold.

Moto G Power (2022)

Pros Cons
+ Long battery life – Ships with Android 11
+ Solid performance – Noticeable pixelation on 720p display
+ 90Hz refresh rate – Underwhelming audio

Moto G Power

The 2022 edition of the Moto G Power offers smooth performance and impressive battery life for $200.

د.إ 585.00

See it ↗

Why We Picked It

Battery anxiety is real. Battery life is always one of the top concerns in every poll of smartphone users. The Moto G Power line packs a gigantic battery that last two or three days of regular use. Otherwise, it’s a decent budget phone, but it’s on this list because of the battery life.

Who It’s For

People who forget to charge their phones. The Moto G Power actually charges pretty slowly—you should charge it overnight—but you won’t have to charge it nearly as often as most other phones. That’s a big plus.


When to Buy a New Android Phone

The Android release cycle has become perpetual, with a new set of flagships seeming to arrive every month. However, now’s a good time to buy. The next big releases will be the Google Pixel 6a in July, the next version of Samsung’s flip and foldable models in August, and then the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro probably in October.

The Pixel 6 Pro has a spectacular camera


What Size Phone Is Right for You?

There’s been a dramatic shift in Android phone shapes and sizes over the last few years. Many manufacturers have started to make their phones taller and narrower, resulting in one-hand-friendly models with improbably large screen sizes. We go into more detail on the new form factors in our piece on how we need to measure phone screens now.

You can find Android phones with stated screen sizes from 3 inches (the Unihertz Jelly 2) to over 7 inches (the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3). With the new form factors, though, it’s very important to look at the width of the phone as well as the width of the screen. A tall, narrow phone can be much easier to handle than something wider.

The Samsung Galaxy A32 offers plenty of power at an affordable price


Which Is the Best Android Version?

Not all versions of Android are the same. Device manufacturers such as Asus and Samsung have shipped phones with custom versions of Android for some time now. If you want a pure Google experience, opt for a Pixel device; they’re the developer models where Google makes sure to deploy upgrades first. Motorola also has a very clean interface.

Android 12 is the most recent version and is becoming more common. Don’t buy a phone that comes with Android 10 or below; the older the Android software version, the more likely it is to have serious security flaws. Also, check how many rounds of OS upgrades the manufacturer promises; Google and Samsung tend to lead the pack for multi-year upgrades.

With that in mind, choosing Android as your mobile operating system is only half the battle. If you’re still on the fence, check out our list of the best phones, regardless of OS.

,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *