CIOInsider India Magazine

Another year, we have one more batch of dazzling luxury smartphones to swoon over. High-end mobile devices with extravagant mobile technology are expected to own the market. Big brands like Samsung, Apple, and Google have all dropped their best smartphones of 2024, while smaller players like OnePlus and Vivo have also stepped up their game. Here are the top 6 ostentatious smartphones with advanced features.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung's released Galaxy S24 lineup is the first to embrace artificial intelligence, and the S24 Ultra is the priciest of the bunch. The brand-new Galaxy AI tech tucked into the phone adds some cool new tricks, like real-time translation during calls, using the camera to find what's on-screen with Google, AI photo editing, and Chat Assist to figure out how to phrase messages.

The huge 6.8-inch AMOLED screen and massive 5,000mAh battery are still great features from last year's S23 Ultra. Upgrades like the titanium frame, Gorilla Armor glass, and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip make it even more compelling. The 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom for clearer zoomed-in shots was boosted by the quad-camera setup. The S24 Ultra is the winner of the Android crown.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple's newest iPhone 15 Pro Max delivers the premium experience you're used to. The 6.7-inch AMOLED display is great for watching videos and doing work, and the updated titanium construction makes it lighter than ever but still feels solid and sturdy.

The USB-C port is another major upgrade, offering faster transfer speeds, external monitor support, and the ability to charge gadgets like the Apple Watch from your phone. The pros who create content on the go will love this. You can get even closer to the action with the new 5x zoom camera, and the A17 Pro chip keeps the graphics on point.

Google Pixel 8 Pro
The Pixel 7 Pro was already exceptional, but the Pixel 8 Pro is even more impressive. The upgraded Tensor G3 chip improves performance and opens the door to genuinely useful software tricks, especially for photos where Google's processing outperforms.

The experience on the Pixel is unmatched, and the support lifespan is an incredible seven years. The iconic camera bar design on the rear and a premium build make this a handset that nails the fundamentals in a beautifully minimalist package. There's still room for improvement in terms of battery life and charging.

Overall, the Google Pixel 7 Pro was a solid smartphone. The phone had everything a casual smartphone user would expect from an Android phone, including the now-standard, regular software updates. It lacked in a few areas, like battery life and charging, and it also encountered some heating issues and camera-related glitches. Pixel 8 Pro has a brand-new design, lots of AI-enabled features, and even a new processor. Given this, one would expect Google to have addressed some, if not all, of the shortcomings of its predecessor. But that's not the case with the latest Pixel flagship from the search giant.

OnePlus 12
It's no surprise that the OnePlus 12 delivers top-tier power for tens of thousands less than the competition. This phone's capabilities include gaming, watching videos, and performing multiple tasks simultaneously. The brand-new Sony LYT-808 camera sensor is said to capture 50 percent more light than the Sony IMX890 sensor on the OnePlus 11 for improved image quality.

The 100-watt charging speed is what makes the OnePlus 12 stand out. In 25 minutes, you can charge from zero to 100 percent. The OnePlus 12 is a great choice for people who want powerful performance without the premium price tag.

The OnePlus 12 packs in lessons learned from its predecessors and a few tweaks to its specs, but it's still cheaper than the big boys. The simplicity of generative artificial intelligence is what makes it stand out, but the basic camera performance still needs improvement. Is this a factor that could be distinguishing? The opposite of what happened a few days ago, when Samsung and Google argued strongly for AI in mobile devices. The OnePlus 12 is the latest in the series to avoid the arduous path—at least for now. As you would expect, it is still a flagship phone. It is perfectly acceptable not to be seen chasing an unknown frontier. It's a distinct experiential refinement that the OnePlus 12 must take advantage of. A lot of it came from their ancestors. There is no generative AI hype to bank on; a polished experience more than makes up for the stark contrast.

OnePlus Open
OnePlus Open gets our vote for the best-executed model, even though foldable phones exploded in 2024. There is a huge, thin slate that feels featherlight folded up but nails the size-to-weight ratio.

The software was optimized for the big 7.8 display with intuitive multitasking. Users can have up to three apps open at once, and if you tap on one, the rest of them get tucked away for a bit.

The camera bump is a bit large, but the image quality is impressive, especially in cinematic hues. The unfolded position makes it easy to snap selfies or group shots. Top-tier specs like 16GB RAM, 65W fast charging, and a virtually crease-free inner display make the Open our foldable pick for 2024.

Vivo X100 Pro
The new X100 Pro takes things to another level, and Vivos cameras have always been a strong suit. It puts out some of the best low-light photography we have seen, thanks to the huge 1-inch 50MP main sensor and 64MP 3x optical zoom. Night mode on this thing is crazy.

Beyond the cameras, the X100 Pro performs as expected - the screen is brighter than before, performance is faster, and battery life is improved. Vivo is also moving towards cleaner, more modern software with more customization options with the all-new FuntouchOS 14 skin.

MediaTek's Dimensity 9300 is an alternative to the Snapdragon crowd, and it benchmarks better than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The X100 Pro is a great choice for photographers or anyone who wants to break from the mainstream picks.