2020 has been the most unexpected year for all of us. The world seemed to have come to a standstill for the first time ever. Healthcare has been extremely burdened, the economy worldwide has crashed, and people have faced job losses and salary cuts. The tech sector has faced its own set of hardships, but that has not stopped the tech giants to give us their best this year as well. As the year comes to an end, we look at some smartphones which made their mark in 2020.
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 20 ULTRA 5G
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G was one of the best picks this year. The device is expensive but is built with the best from Samsung. If you have been able to save up some extra money this year and can use the offers which Samsung has on this device, it could be a great choice for you. The phone comes with a 108 MP camera and 5x optical zoom which means that photographs turn out to be phenomenal. You also get great day and nighttime images with this device. It runs on an Exynos 990 processor with a large 6.9 inch QHD + AMOLED screen. You get a capable processor and a very neat and large screen to view content and play games. The battery life of the device is also good, and the built quality is excellent. The only drawback is the camera module which bulges out and might seem uncomfortable to a few, besides the fact that this device comes with a hefty price tag.
IPHONE 12 PRO MAX
Apple’s most expensive offering from the 12 series is the iPhone 12 Pro Max. The series has a device for everyone and I feel the mini is a great addition to the set. The eldest sibling, the Pro Max,is a great choice for 2020. It is another expensive pick, but a worthy one for sure. It gets the most capable Bionic chipset, and the fastest processor and response rate. The camera department has no comparison when we talk about low light or night photography. The device also gets proprietary fast charging and has a much better life than you would have expected from an Apple device. With great built quality, the device oozes out class. The real drawback is its large size which some might find too heavy for single-hand usage. The device also carries a rather large price tag but, in case you can arrange for the extra cash, this device is definitely a great pick this year.
ONEPLUS 8 PRO
OnePlus has been extremely generous with their offerings this year. They had some phenomenal entries this year, with one being the Nord, but the one which is my pick is the OnePlus 8 Pro. 8 Pro is similar to its younger sibling, but design-wise, 8 Pro looks very good due to its nice rounded corners which make the device look more premium. It gets a large screen too as well as a 120Hz refresh rate, making the display bright and vibrant. The Oxygen OS runs well on the device too. The camera department is the real upgrade here though, with the device getting a 48 MP main lens. Pictures are bright, clear and natural. Another great add-on is that the 8 Pro supports wireless charging.
VIVO X50 PRO
The Vivo X50 Pro is the first smartphone in India to sport a gimbal camera system. This system helps stabilise video and click better photos by stabilising the primary camera. The Vivo X50 Pro sports a quad-camera system with a primary camera with a 48 MP sensor with a gimbal to stabilise it, a 12 MP portrait camera, an 8 MP wide-angle camera and a 13 MP telephoto camera. The camera is the real highlight for this device. The pictures derived are of great quality and even video shooting is a delight. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC that is 5G-enabled. It gets a 6.56-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display. The phone also gets a capable battery which runs for a whole day easily. This is one of Vivo’s high-end devices and lives up to all the tests it has been put to.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 ULTRA
Another device from Samsung which has been a real hit this year is the Galaxy S20 Ultra. This is yet another high-end device where the real highlight is the camera module. The phone has a quad-camera setup with a 108 MP primary camera, a 48 MP telephoto camera, 12 MP ultra wide-angle camera and a depth vision camera. Samsung also offers 100x zoom on the device which is the highlight of the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The device gives you great shots in all lighting conditions. The phone is powered by an Exynos 990 SoC. It packs in a 5,000mAh battery and has support for 45W fast charging. Samsung ships a 25W charger in the box which is quick to charge the device. The device also gets good battery life. The device is surely expensive, but it has cheaper and equally capable siblings. The device which comes to India is only 4G-compatible.
These five picks are just a glimpse of what 2020 has been for brands and their high-end devices. There have been a number of great smartphones which made their mark this year. The abovementioned S20 series and the iPhone 12 series have several other devices which are as good as their eldest siblings. Even for the OnePlus 8, you have a pack to choose from. Vivo this year has introduced multiple devices in various ranges which have something for everyone to look forward to. But if you have been home this year and saved up some money and feel like splurging once before the year ends, these five high-end smartphones can make for a good list to choose from.