Stiftung Warentest tests 24 current smartphones, including the new iPhone SE. This completes the list of the best devices for various requirements, from the camera stars to the long-distance runners and good price hits. ntv.de introduces them.
It took a while, but now Stiftung Warentest has also tested the latest Samsung flagships and 22 other current smartphones. The new leaderboards with the overall winners and the top devices in various categories have now been established.
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max remains the overall leader with a quality rating of 1.6. The testers found the display and stability very good, cameras, handling and battery good. They also gave good ratings to the basic functions, which include voice quality, network sensitivity, computing power and location. With 128 gigabytes (GB) of memory, the Apple flagship costs around 1250 euros.
The freshly tested and just as expensive Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra placed just behind with a quality rating of 1.7. It got a 1 for its display, and the device did well in all other categories. The subtle difference to the Apple champion is mainly a slightly weaker endurance.
The overall grade of 1.7 was achieved by three other top smartphones, including the iPhone 13 Pro (1150 euros), which just doesn’t last as long as its big brother. The Sony Xperia 5 II (875 euros) owes its grade to its strong endurance, a very good display and high stability, among other things. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (930 euros) is practically as good as its successor, only it lacks the integrated S Pen and it will no longer receive updates a year early.
Powerful chips, great displays et cetera are now also found in many mid-range smartphones, the only difference between the flagships being their better cameras. It is therefore not surprising that the overall winners from Stiftung Warentest also select the devices that deliver the best photos and videos. Both the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the iPhone 13 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra received a grade of 1.7 in this category.
Smartphones with good cameras are also available at much lower prices, and the middle class is also catching up more and more in this area. Proof is the leader in the best smartphones up to 500 euros. The Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G only costs around 375 euros, but with an overall rating of 1.9 it was hardly weaker than the expensive flagships last year. The product test gave its display a very good rating, and all other categories were good.
The Samsung Galaxy A52 performed almost as well with a quality rating of 2.0. Except for a slightly less powerful processor, it is practically identically equipped, but is already available for 270 euros. The Xiaomi Poco F3 (355 euros) and the Honor 50 (375 euros) also achieved the same overall rating. However, both have only satisfactory cameras.
Even if you want to spend less than 300 euros, you don’t have to do without a good smartphone. Of course, the Galaxy A52 is at the forefront here, and it can even keep up with more expensive devices. For a price starting at 240 euros, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro, which received an overall rating of 2.1, is also interesting. The display and battery performance were rated with a 1, but you have to make compromises in terms of stability and handling, which the product test found only satisfactory.
The Redmi Note 10s only costs around 200 euros, but is almost identical to the Redmi Note 10 Pro and also achieved the quality rating of 2.1. It’s more stable, but doesn’t take quite as good photos and videos. It is also worth taking a look at the Oppo A94 (overall rating 2.2), which also offers a very good display for 240 euros and is very stable. The battery and basic functions are good, the camera and handling are satisfactory.
If you are primarily looking for a smartphone that can last as long as possible without a power outlet, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 is best for around 340 euros. Overall, the device received a quality rating of 2.1, and its battery got a smooth 1. The display and stability are good, and the camera and handling are satisfactory.
The price-performance star among the good endurance runners is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 with an overall rating of 2.2. You can get it for as little as 190 euros. In fact, its screen is very good, in the other categories it scored just a bit weaker than the OnePlus Nord CE 2.
A hot endurance tip in the upper middle class is the Samsung Galaxy A72, which with a quality rating of 1.8 is almost one of the very best smartphones in the product test list. Battery and display are very good, camera, handling, basic functions and stability are good. Average price: 650 euros. Among the top smartphones, the Sony Xperia 5 II lasts the longest.
Sometimes at work or in your free time it is important that a device can withstand a lot. For the stability grade, the smartphones have to pass fall tests at Stiftung Warentest and prove that they are waterproof and scratch-resistant.
Unsurprisingly, the outdoor mobile phone Cat S62 Pro (overall rating 2.7), which can be bought for around 540 euros, proved to be the most robust. Its stability is very good, the display and handling are good. The battery, camera and basic functions performed satisfactorily. The high-end smartphone Sony Xperia 5 II also achieved a solid 1 for its stability.
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