Top 10 Best phones to buy in Africa 2022

Best phones to buy for 2022 in Africa. Whether you want Apple’s iPhone, a Google Pixel, a Samsung Galaxy, a OnePlus, or other top phones, these are the top options you can buy.

For most of us, mobile phones are at the center of our universe. The typical feature set of these palm-size marvels is astounding. It’s your phone, your messaging device, your web browser, your camera, your music player, your GPS, and more. The phone you choose will affect your life in a multitude of ways. That’s why we’re here to help you pick exactly the right one.

A great smartphone should last you for several years (at least), have a great camera, a nice screen, long battery life, and be fast enough to do all the work, social networking, and gaming you want to pack into a day.

After all, upgrade cycles are slowing down: people are holding onto their phones for longer, so they’re looking for features that will last a few years.

 

Top 10 Best phones to buy in Africa 2022

1. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max is the best phone Apple produces and it received a stellar score in our review. The new smartphone adds a third rear camera with 3x optical zoom (up from 2x on the iPhone 12), a stainless-steel body, and a ProMotion screen with refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max specs:

• Body: 160.8×78.1×7.7mm, 240g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), stainless steel frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
• Display: 6.70″ Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000 nits (typ), 1200 nits (peak), 1284x2778px resolution, 19.47:9 aspect ratio, 458ppi; Wide color gamut, True-tone.
• Chipset: Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm): Hexa-core (2×3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4xX.X GHz Blizzard); Apple GPU (5-core graphics).
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 512GB 6GB RAM, 1TB; NVMe.
• OS/Software: iOS 15.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.5, 26mm, 1.9µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.8, 77mm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/1.8, 13mm, 120˚, PDAF; Depth: TOF 3D LiDAR scanner.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm, 1/3.6″; Depth: SL 3D.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 10‑bit HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), ProRes, Cinematic mode, stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 4352mAh; Fast charging 27W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), USB Power Delivery 2.0, MagSafe wireless charging 15W, Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W.
• Misc: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; Siri natural language commands and dictation, Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

Not just the best iPhone ever, but also the one with the ‘biggest camera update ever’ – that would be this year’s iPhone 13 Pro, which we have here in Max size. Joining those larger and better cameras, we have a high refresh rate display, more battery, the mandatory chipset upgrade – the 13 Pro Max ticks all the boxes for improving everything that’s important. We’re here to see by just how much.

Finally giving in to market trends, Apple’s fitted the 13 Pro and Pro Max with 120Hz displays – or, rather, ProMotion. They’re the adaptive kind, theoretically capable of variable refresh rates to reach all the way down to 10Hz to preserve battery. That’s in addition to an already great screen feature set that includes DolbyVision support, plenty of brightness, and excellent color rendition.

For all the new hardware, the iPhone 13 Pro Max takes very iPhone-y photos – no dramatic changes here. We’re talking accurate if somewhat unexciting colors, and wide dynamic range, but not in-your-face HDR – iPhones prefer a more contrasty look. The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is one of the best phones to buy for 2022 in Africa.

The detail is good – as good as any other 12MP main camera, really. You may not agree with its rendition of intricate textures like grass or leaves when detail out resolves the sensor, but that’s what 12MP can do. Noise, meanwhile, is nearly non-existent.

2. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

As Samsung’s elite flagship phone for 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra features a brilliant 6.8-inch AMOLED display with an ultrasmooth 120Hz refresh rate that also supports Samsung’s S-Pen stylus, an awesome rear camera with incredible zoom skills and 5G connectivity for super-speedy data.

It’s powered by the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon chip for amazing performance. This is the best mobile technology that Samsung has to offer, and it’s the Android phone to go for if you’re keen to put cutting-edge mobile phone tech in your pocket.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G specs:

• Body: 165.1×75.6×8.9mm, 227g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Stylus support.
• Display: 6.80″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1500 nits (peak), 1440x3200px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 515ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset (International): Exynos 2100: Octa-core (1×2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3×2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G78 MP14
• Chipset (USA/China): Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 (5 nm): Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680; Adreno 660.
• Memory: 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm, 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Telephoto: 10 MP, f/4.9, 240mm, 1/3.24″, 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom.
• Front camera: 40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.7µm, PDAF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 25W, USB Power Delivery 3.0, Fast Qi/PMA wireless charging 15W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); Stereo speakers; NFC; FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent); Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support), ANT+, Bixby natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified), Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the company’s most premium smartphone yet, with a strong focus on cameras. This new model boasts 100X “space zoom” and 8K video recording, but with an improved shooting experience and even better image quality.

The original S20 Ultra was supposed to be the greatest Galaxy to date, but it fell short of that. You could enjoy a 120Hz refresh rate, but only at a lower 1080p resolution. The telephoto camera was advertised as 5x, but it was, in fact, 4x, and let’s not even start with the Space Zoom. The ultrawide camera had a great sensor, but it couldn’t do macro shots due to the lack of autofocus. The battery was large, but battery life was poor. You get the point.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the only S21 model to come with a 1440p OLED screen, unlike the previous generation. And even better, it now supports 120Hz at that high resolution, so you don’t need to choose between high res and high refresh rate. This new Ultra screen also supports Adaptive Refresh Rate that can vary between 10Hz and 120Hz, just like the Note20 Ultra.

The camera has seen a welcome upgrade. The wide snappers remain relatively the same – a 108MP shooter with f/1.8 26mm lens and a 12MP cam with f/2.2 13mm optics, but now it features autofocus. The zoom system has been completely revamped, though – it now features two 10MP images, one for 3x optical zoom and another for 10x optical zoom via a 240mm periscopic lens.

3. Google Pixel 6 Pro

The Google Pixel 6 Pro is leagues ahead of its predecessors in hardware, software, and design with a brand-new set of camera sensors, a new and unique design, and plenty of new software features that leverage Google’s custom-made Tensor chip. All packaged in stylish new hardware, the Pixel 6 Pro is what Google believes is the “best expression of Android”.

Google Pixel 6 Pro specs:

• Body: 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm, 210g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), stainless steel frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).
• Display: 6.71″ LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1440×3120 px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 512ppi;
• Chipset: Google Tensor (5 nm): Octa-core (2×2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2×2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali G78 MP20 GPU.
• Memory: 12GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB/512GB of UFS 3.1 storage (non-expandable).
• OS/Software: Android 12 with 3 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm, 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, laser AF, OIS; telephoto: 48 MP, f/3.5, 106mm, 1/2″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom; Ultrawide: 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚, 1.25µm
• Front camera: Wide (main):11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm, 1.22µm
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, EIS.
• Battery: 5003mAh; Fast charging 30W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), USB Power Delivery 3.0, fast wireless charging up to 23W, reverse wireless charging
• Misc: Titan M2 security coprocessor, In-display fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; Google Pay; Google Assistant

The Google Pixel 6 Pro’s unique design, great software additions, superb camera quality, and solid all-around performance have already earned the phone an excellent rating in our full review. With performance that’s every bit as good as its design, it’s the best phone Google has ever made. The main camera is on par with the best iPhones. And at $899 for the base 128GB model, it trounces its premium phone rivals in price.

The Google 6 Pro has new camera sensors all around, all of which are larger than previous Pixel phones. The main camera is a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 that Google says can capture 2.5X more light than the Pixel 5’s 12.2MP main sensor. There’s a 48MP periscope telephoto camera capable of 4X optical zoom, and an updated ultrawide camera with a new 12MP sensor.

The front camera is now 11.MP and capable of recording 4K video. Google also improved the camera’s facial recognition and introduced Real Tone: a series of tweaks and improvements to the camera to accurately capture people of all skin tones. The Google Pixel 6 Pro is one of the best phones to buy for 2022 in Africa.

You can expect 80% faster CPU performance and 370% faster GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 765G that ran in the Pixel 5. The tensor will enable new language processing features that Google touted during its presentation. It also integrated the ISP and Context Core within Tensor to make image processing and background tasks more power-efficient.

4. OnePlus 9 

OnePlus’ new lineup consists of its two flagship models: the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro. With these devices, OnePlus establishes a new position with competing OEMs as it snags the Hasselblad camera brand in a new partnership to help it further develop OnePlus’ camera prowess. OnePlus is using the tagline “Your best shot”, so let’s see what all the fuss is about.

OnePlus 9 specs:

• Body: 160.0×73.9×8.1mm, 183g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), plastic frame.
• Display: 6.55″ Fluid AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 402ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 (5 nm): Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680; Adreno 660.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 11, OxygenOS 11.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm, 1/1.43″, 1.12µm, omnidirectional PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06″, 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 65W, 1-100% in 29 min (advertised), Fast wireless charging 15W (EU/NA only), USB Power Delivery.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC.

While OnePlus isn’t as well-known as Apple or Samsung, the OnePlus 9 offers great performance at a relatively more affordable price than its rivals. It’s 5G-enabled, runs a powerful Qualcomm processor, and has a decent camera for the money. It’s a solid budget phone option if the lofty prices of the Galaxy S21 Ultra are out of your reach.

Coming from the OnePlus 8, the 9 gets updated wired charging, updated camera modules, support for 120Hz refresh rate, and now supports bi-directional wireless charging, though only in select markets. The more obvious updates include the Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform, and a bump in battery capacity.

The OnePlus 9 now shares the same dual-cell battery setup that debuted on the OnePlus 8T. This means that the 9 supports OnePlus’ Warp Charge 65T. This tech quickly charges two smaller batteries that work in tandem and a full charge of the batteries’ combined 4,500 mAh capacity is promised in about half an hour.

The camera module has been updated to the Sony IMX689 – the same sensor from the OnePlus 8 Pro. The difference here is that this one is tuned with Hasselblad’s likeness. The ultrawide module is a significant upgrade. This is a large 50MP sensor that beefs up the performance of the ultrawide camera in low-light photography and when shooting video. It also has a fancy new lens that drastically minimizes distortion normally observed on ultrawide cameras

5. Google Pixel 5A

The Google Pixel 5a is the third iteration of Google’s Pixel “a” Series: smartphones based on the Google Pixel experience made with lower-cost entry points in mind. There’s also now more emphasis on battery life and water resistance. The latter is a welcome feature to the “a” Pixel family. The phone Is very similar to the Pixel 4a 5G in size, appearance, and specs. They aren’t identical, but pretty darn close.

Google Pixel 5a 5G Specs:

• Body: 154.9×73.7×7.6mm, 183g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum/plastic unibody; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins).
• Display: 6.34″ OLED, 60Hz, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 415ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SDM765 Snapdragon 765G (7 nm): Octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver); Adreno 620.
• Memory: 128GB (non-expandable), 6GB RAM.
• OS/Software: Android 11.
• Rear camera: Wide (main):12.2MP, f/1.7, 27mm, 77˚ (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultrawide angle: 16 MP, f/2.2, 119˚, 1.0µm.
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm, 83˚ (wide), 1.12µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 4680mAh; Fast charging 18W.
• Misc: Rear-mounted fingerprint reader; 3.5mm jack.

The Google Pixel’s cameras are of the biggest selling points for the Pixel phones, but you’ll soon learn that its hardware is exactly the same as the 4a 5G and the Pixel 5’s, verbatim. We don’t anticipate there to be any significant difference in camera quality. Performance is also predictably decent on the Snapdragon 765G paired with 6GB of RAM.

These changes do come with a price hike. The Pixel 5a is the most expensive “a” series ever at $449, but will the improvements to the hardware retain their value in the long term? Is the Pixel 5a a solid entry into the Pixel family? The Google Pixel 5a 5G is one of the best phones to buy for 2022 in Africa.

6. Apple iPhone 13 Mini

The iPhone 13 Mini is the successor to Apple’s first super mini flagship in recent years, the iPhone 12 Mini. It retains the same 5.4″ screen size and the one-handed use friendly form factor, while at the same time bringing a faster Apple A15 Bionic processor. On the camera front, the 13 Mini keeps a wide and an ultra-wide setup, and it does not have a dedicated telephoto zoom camera.

Apple iPhone 13 mini specs:

• Body: 131.5×64.2×7.7mm, 141g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 mins), Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified).
• Display: 5.40″ Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 476ppi; Wide color gamut, True-tone.
• Chipset: Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm): Hexa-core (2×3.22 GHz Avalanche + 4xX.X GHz Blizzard); Apple GPU (4-core graphics).
• Memory: 128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM; NVMe.
• OS/Software: iOS 15.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm, 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS; Ultrawide: 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm, 1/3.6″; Wide (main): 12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm, 1/3.6″.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 2438mAh; Fast charging 20W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), USB Power Delivery 2.0, MagSafe wireless charging 15W, Qi magnetic fast wireless charging 7.5W.
• Misc: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; Siri natural language commands and dictation, Ultra Wideband (UWB) support.

The iPhone 13 mini brings few updates over the iPhone 12 mini – an improved chipset, a better main camera with new sensor and stabilization, about 10% battery capacity increase, and a couple of software features. And a smaller screen notch, of course! But we imagine few if any iPhone 12 mini users will be upgrading to the iPhone 13 mini.

But as a standalone smartphone, the iPhone 13 mini seems like a great offer for a number of reasons – it is the cheapest current flagship iPhone with unmatched compact and lightweight design. It employs the most durable design on the market so far, runs on the most powerful Apple A15 chip with 5G, has excellent cameras, there are loud stereo speakers and a great 5.4″ OLED screen with Dolby Vision support.

7. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

Samsung launched its second foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, alongside the Galaxy S20 series in 2020. Unlike the original Galaxy Fold, the Galaxy Z Flip featured a clamshell design, with a tiny screen on the outside and a regular-sized foldable display within. The Galaxy Z Flip didn’t offer great hardware for its price, so it wasn’t as well-received as the Galaxy Fold. Therefore, Samsung updated it a few months down the line with a Snapdragon 865 Plus chip and 5G support.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G specs:

• Body: 166.0×72.2×6.9mm, 183g; Plastic front, glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame; IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).
• Display: 6.70″ Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak), 1080x2640px resolution, 22:9 aspect ratio, 426ppi; Cover display:, Super AMOLED, 1.9 inches, 260 x 512 pixels.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm): Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680); Adreno 660.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 11, One UI 3.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/1.8, 27mm, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 1.12µm.
• Front camera: 10 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1.22µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+; Front camera: 4K@30fps.
• Battery: 3300mAh; Fast charging 15W, Fast wireless charging 10W, Reverse wireless charging 4.5W.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC; Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified).

Anyway, in no particular order, the upgrades include an IPX8 rating for water resistance (the ‘X’ means it’s not rated to be dust-tight), a high-refresh rate on that glorious main Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (the Flip and Flip 5G were 60Hz), and a larger, more useful cover display. There’s also the mandatory chipset upgrade that sees the Snapdragon 888 inside the new Flip.

The Galaxy Z Flip3 5G is no camera-centric phone – its key selling points are clearly elsewhere. It comes equipped with the same camera system (in principle, the exact bits may be different) as the Flip and Flip 5G, and it’s one of the least impressive sensor/lens rosters on a smartphone this expensive.

8. Sony Xperia Pro-I

The Sony Xperia Pro-I is a welcome addition to Sony’s smartphone line, and is the most meaningful marriage of Sony’s imaging and mobile divisions to date. It’s also a very capable camera phone that will likely woo enthusiast photographers and videographers. With the Xperia Pro-I, the “I” stands for imaging, Sony went all-in on providing a phone for its Sony Alpha camera professionals with smartphone apps that replicate the digital camera experience.

Sony Xperia Pro-I specs:

• Body: 166.0×72.0×8.9mm, 211g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame; IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).
• Display: 6.50″ OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020, 1644x3840px resolution, 21:9 aspect ratio, 643ppi; Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm): Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680 & 4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680); Adreno 660.
• Memory: 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.X; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 11.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm, 1.0″-type, 2.4µm, PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage); Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm, 1/2.9″, PDAF, 2.1x optical zoom, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm, 1/2.55″, Dual Pixel PDAF; Depth: 0.3 MP, TOF 3D.
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4″, 1.12µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS.
• Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 30W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), USB Power Delivery.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC; 3.5mm jack; Native Sony Alpha camera support.

The rest of the internals are almost entirely straight from the Xperia 1 III. The Pro-I reuses that one’s 120Hz 4K display, the Snapdragon 888 is doing the calcs (not the plus, not that it matters), the battery is the same too.

The Xperia Pro-I only uses a 12MP crop of its 1.0-type Exmor RS sensor, which in reality means it’s closer to a 1/1.33in sensor. The Sony Xperia Pro-I is one of the best phones to buy for 2022 in Africa for people who love taking pictures and videos.

Still, it delivers a pixel size of 2.4μm, which is still huge for smartphones, with the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s 12MP sensor featuring 1.9μm pixels. This means that, while it falls behind the binned pixels created by the Nokia Pureview 808 and Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s oversampled sensors, it still sports larger individual pixels than any other mainstream smartphone sensor on the market.