Getting the best phablet these days can be hard because there are now a lot of them in the market. There are also a lot of things to consider in buying the best phablet. This includes the size, screen display, processor, battery life, and other useful features.
A phablet is a device that is a mix of both a phone and a tablet. They are as compact as a phone yet multifunctional like a tablet. Because of this, there is a growing demand for phablets. This is especially true for those who want to get a phone and a tablet for a lesser cost.
Here is a buying guide that will help you decide which is the best phablet to get this 2022. Premium phablets from the most popular phone brands like Samsung, Apple, and Google have dominated our list. But, there are also budget phones and mid-range phablets like the Xiaomi 11 Lite and Redmi Note 10 Pro that were able to get our hearty recommendation.
Also read: Best Small Phones
Best Phablets in 2022
As the brand that started the craze for phablets, we put Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in its rightful place as the best pick. We did not see a Galaxy Note in 2021, which means that the Note 20 Ultra from 2020 remains the standard-bearer of its line. Nonetheless, it remains a solid choice for a mobile phone with a huge screen even with the latest phablets from other brands.
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has a big 6.9-inch screen that runs on Dynamic AMOLED technology. This has a powerful battery able to run the phone for hours. It also comes with a pen stylus that enhances the experience.
Check out the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and enjoy a premium phablet for work and play.
Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max features a display screen of 6.7 inches. It makes use of Super Retina XDR OLED with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. All this makes this phablet’s display bright that can balance lighting and detail. This also comes with an amazing four-lens camera system. With a 6x optical zoom range, anyone can now experience macro photography even without a professional camera. In addition, its ProRes video and Smart HDR 4 will allow you to enjoy the clearest and most stunning shots on one of the best displays screens around.
Check out the iPhone 13 Pro Max on Amazon and enjoy a big display to enjoy your games’ graphics.
The Pixel 6 Pro is the largest phone and the best phablet entry from Google. With a 6.71 inches AMOLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate, it is giving every user the best phablet experience possible. It is also the first Google phone to have Google’s custom-built Tensor chip that offers well-rounded performance and excellent graphics. It’s specifically designed for AI and machine learning, so you can expect a smarter and more personalized experience with this smartphone.
The Pixel 6 Pro misses the battery expectations, which can only last up to 8 hours of mixed-use. Nonetheless, it is a true flagship phone that undercuts its competitors in price. You can get Pixel 6 Pro from Amazon.
Also read: Google Pixel 6 Pro Review
The iPhone 13 series is out, which means it’s the best time to get the previous model. Since the iPhone 12 Pro Max is now cheaper, you are practically getting the latest flagship model from iPhone when you get this phablet. First and foremost, it has the same 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display from iPhone 13 Pro Max. Its camera performance is also practically the same.
iPhone 12 Pro Max has the older A14 Bionic chip, but it is no slouch at running apps and can get you miles ahead of other flagship processors out there. Since there’s a new version of this iPhone, Apple has already discontinued manufacturing it. You can still score a brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max Amazon, but you may also get a secondhand phone instead.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is high on this list of best phablet phones because of the many firsts on the series that it carries. But, two of the most notable features it has are the 120Hz Quad HD OLED and the S-Pen support. It’s an optional accessory but you can pair Galaxy S21 Ultra with the S-Pen to turn it into a Galaxy Note device, which we didn’t see in 2021.
Its camera system is also exactly what you will expect from a flagship device. It can produce excellent daylight photos and shoot videos with up to 8K resolution. Its rugged and industrial design also adds excitement to how the phone looks. You may want to use a phone case, however, because of the prominent camera module that can easily scratch.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also fitted with ample battery capacity that allows you to enjoy a good phablet for a long time. Check out the Galaxy S21 Ultra and enjoy all its features.
The iPhone 13 is not exactly the biggest phone on this list. It barely even pass as a phablet with its 6.1-inch display. However, it still deserves a spot here because of the numerous upgrades it carries.
Although we won’t encourage you to line up and get an iPhone 13 if you already own an iPhone 12, older iPhone users may benefit from an upgrade. First, it has the smoother, more powerful Apple A15 Bionic chip. Second, it features a larger sensor in the main camera with sensor-shift stabilization. And third, the Super Retina XDR OLED screen with Dolby Vision is just pleasing to the eyes.
However, Apple seems to be not yet ready to give up its notch. While everyone has moved on to use punch holes and even pop-up selfies, iPhone 13 only managed to shrink the notch size we first saw from the X series.
You can check out iPhone 13 on Amazon.
When Pixel 5 was released, many thought that it was more expensive than it should be. But now that the Pixel 6 is out, the older Google phablet is expected to get cheaper. Its performance, of course, stays impressive.
Pixel 5 is not the biggest phone we know, but its 6.0 inches OLED display delivers great performance both for gaming and viewing. It’s stocked with the Snapdragon 765G chipset, so performance is also smooth and fast.
Google’s Pixel 5 is a phablet with a good mix of cameras as well. It has two rear lenses: a 12.2 MP dual pixel lens and a 16 MP ultrawide lens. It has a good light reception and is useful for nighttime photography, no flash required. Its front-facing camera features an 8 MP lens located in a small pinhole.
Check out the Pixel 5 on Amazon and enjoy a phone with a big screen to play your games with.
The ASUS ROG Phone 2 is known as one of the best gaming phones in the market. But, its features are also enough to be called one of the best phablets. It has a 6.59-inch AMOLED screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The phablet runs on a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor with up to 12 GB of RAM. It also features a lot of memory space, as well as a long-lasting battery.
Although newer generations of ROG Phones have already been out, the ROG Phone from 2019 remains a solid choice. Check out the ASUS ROG Phone 2 and play your favorite games without having to worry about your phone’s performance.
With a 6.7 inches HDR10+ display, the Motorola Edge 20 Pro is one of the largest phones in the market right now. Its impressive display technology is paired with a Snapdragon 870 chipset to give users an optimum gaming and viewing experience.
Its camera module has also a lot of standout features you won’t find from other phones or phablets of its price range. Its triple set camera comes with an 8 MP periscope telephoto lens and an ultrawide lens that can also serve as a macro shooter.
Check out the Motorola Edge 20 Pro Phablet and enjoy a flagship smartphone with a big screen.
The Zenfone 8 Flip is Asus’ take on a much mainstream phablet. This phablet has a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display. It also has a high-end processor and a good amount of storage that doubles its predecessor.
Just to be clear, Zenfone 8 Flip is called “flip” because of its flipping camera and not because it’s a flip phone like a Galaxy Flip. Its camera doesn’t exhibit a major update this time and essentially has an identical performance with Zenfone 7. The good thing about having the motorized camera, though, is you can get the same picture quality from the rear and selfie.
Check out the Zenfone 8 Flip and enjoy a phablet with a motorized flip camera.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro is a budget phone, but its affordability is only one of the many reasons why you should get this phablet. It has a 6.67-inch display, an all-rounder screen for gaming and viewing. This is covered with Gorilla Glass 5, so durability is guaranteed.
Redmi Note 10 Pro’s performance doesn’t slouch either. This large phone is stocked with Snapdragon 732, a fast mid-range chipset that has reliable performance and supports higher resolutions. Its camera setup is also impressive for a mid-range phone. Although it lacks Night Mode for the ultrawide camera, it’s an imperfection we can forgive.
Check out the Redmi Note 10 Pro and get a flagship killer phablet at an affordable price.
The Huawei P50 Pro is a phablet you would want to try if you are into photos. It has a unique camera setup that uses two circular camera modules. The top module holds the 50 MP primary wide-angle camera, the 40 MP monochrome wide-angle lens, as well as the 13 MP ultrawide camera. On the other hand, the bottom camera module has the periscopic telephoto 3.5x optical zoom.
You can view the photos taken with this phablet with its somewhat amazing screen display. It has a 6.6-inch screen display that makes use of OLED technology. The display can also support a 120 Hz refresh rate.
The biggest disadvantage of the Huawei P50 Pro is the lack of Google services.
Check out the Huawei P50 Pro and enjoy a phablet with a great camera.
OnePlus 9 Pro is the most expensive smartphone from the Chinese consumer electronics company. Although many are complaining about the OnePlus flagship’s steady increase in price, we believe that the OnePlus 9 Pro phablet still deserves a spot on this list.
OnePlus 9 Pro has a 6.7 inches screen that qualifies as a phablet. However, what made it end up on this list besides the ratio is the great display performance. It uses the flagship Snapdragon 888 chipset, which not only gives a smooth performance but makes room for optimized graphics as well.
There’s also some tweaking on the OnePlus 9 Pro camera, although progress was stale. Its optical zoom and ultrawide capability on the rear camera were improved, but the front camera is still behind the competition.
Check out the OnePlus 9 Pro and enjoy a dependable phablet that runs smoothly.
Samsung’s Galaxy A52 is a cheap alternative for a good phablet. It has a 6.5-inch bright AMOLED screen that is almost without any bezel. Although it settles in 90Hz refresh rate, scrolling on social media and even gaming still run smoothly. In its defense, not every phone that claims to have a higher refresh rate can’t always maximize it anyway.
For the processor, you can’t expect a flagship chipset in a mid-range phablet. True enough, Snapdragon 720G is not the quickest mobile processor, but it won’t provide a second-rate performance than what it promises. It’s combined with a good amount of RAM after all (minimum of four, maximum of eight), so its vigor won’t hold back.
Check out the Samsung Galaxy A52 and enjoy an affordable phablet that has many features.
Even the smallest device among the Mi 11 series can pass as the best phablet in the market today. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is shaped after the flagship Mi 11, only with a slightly smaller screen. That said, the 6.55-inch display will still give you a wide viewing experience for streaming, gaming, and productivity. The Mi Lite 11 focuses on providing a smooth UI experience. It can be seen not just on UI design but also on 10-bit color support, HDR10 certification, and a 90Hz refresh rate.
Its camera also follows the design of the more expensive Mi 11 but with a few downgrades of course. In the rear section, it has a 64 MP primary snapper, paired with 8 MP ultrawide and a 5 MP macro cam. For a selfie, it adopts a 16 MP pinhole-type camera located on the top left corner.
Aside from the camera, Xiaomi has also done some cost-cutting on the processor to offer Mi 11 Lite at a reasonable price. It relies on the mid-range Snapdragon 732G chip. While we wish for a faster chipset, the SD 732G is nonetheless a dependable processor for a day-to-day phablet. Mi 11 Lite has a 5G version that uses SD 780G, but it’s more expensive.
Get Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite if you want a cheap phablet alternative to a flagship.
What Is a Phablet?
A phablet is a mobile device that is bigger than a smartphone but smaller than a tablet. You call a device a phablet based on the size of the screen. Usually, a phablet has a screen size larger than 6 inches and smaller than 7 inches. A phablet has a screen display aspect ratio of 16:9 which is capable of HD and 4K.
Phablets became mainstream in 2011 with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note. This phone featured a high-resolution display, a powerful processor, and a stylus. By 2013, the market for phablets has increased to the point that the year became known as the “Year of the Phablet.” Now, most smartphones on the market have a display larger than 5 inches, which makes it hard to pick the best phablet.
Why Do You Need a Phablet?
The word phablet originated from a mix of the words phone and tablet. This does not only refer to the device’s size but also to its uses.
Phablets mix the functionality of both smartphones and tablets. Like smartphones, you can make calls and text messages with phablets. You can also do other functions such as internet browsing and social media with them.
But, the phablets’ use of a large screen size makes them as useful as a tablet. Their large screens were at first meant for viewing and editing comments. Now, their screens are good enough to do stuff like making graphics or playing mobile games.
What Are the Main Features of a Phablet?
Phablet Screen Display
As mentioned earlier, phablets have large screen displays. These are usually more than 6 inches and less than 7 inches. These screens usually have a 16:9 aspect ratio that is capable of supporting HD and 4K.
The large screen displays are for allowing a tablet’s functionality on a phone. While smartphones can do a lot of functions, its small screen can only do so much. Larger screens allow a phone to do much more like that of tablets. You can view and edit documents, watch movies, make graphics, and even play mobile games.
Phablet Input Devices
It is a bit hard to use a phone with a large display like those of a phablet. This is why phablets usually come with a stylus, or at least, stylus support. A stylus allows you to maximize what you can do with a phablet.
A stylus is helpful for a lot of purposes. You can use it to scroll and scan through the text and to mark parts of it. You can also use it to write notes and even to make graphics.
What to Consider When Buying the Best Phablet?
Buying the best phablet for you can be tricky. There are a lot of things to consider to get the best experience. Here are some of the important ones.
Screen Display Size
The display is everything for a phablet as it is its main feature. But, things could get tricky on exactly what screen display size would fit you. It can be difficult to hold a phone with a large display screen size. Before buying a phablet, make sure to hold one in your hands. Do not rely on photos to know if a phablet’s screen size would fit your hands.
Screen Design
Check if a phablet’s screen design also fits your preferences. For this one, it’s about the phablet having bezels or not. Bezels are the frame of a phone that surrounds the screen. Bezels add structure to the phone and make it easy to hold. But, phones without bezels mean that you can maximize the use of a phablet’s screen. You would need to choose between structure or screen size. You could also choose a compromise between the two by finding phablets with slim bezels.
Screen Technology
Phablet display screens use either of these screen technologies: OLED and LCD.
OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. OLEDs only emit light when a current passes through. This means that OLEDs are always off. It leads to less power consumption and better image quality.
LCD stands for liquid crystal display. LCDs have their entire display lighted from the back. This is low-cost and allows for a much brighter image. But, this means that colors are not shown to be accurate on-screen.
Screen Refresh Rate
Screen refresh rate refers to how fast your screen updates a new image every second. The usual refresh rate for phones is at 60 Hz which means 60 updates per second.
Higher screen refresh rates mean a smoother look on your display. Aside from 60 Hz, there are also phones that provide up to 90 and even 120 Hz refresh rate. But, do remember that higher screen refresh rates would need more battery power.
Other Phablet Features
One phablet feature to consider is its processor. To make full use of a phablet, it should have high RAM and a powerful processor. Also, check for phablets with powerful batteries. Make sure that the battery is capable of handling the heavy processes in phablet use.
You can also look at input devices when buying a phablet. You should check if the phablet has a stylus. If it has no stylus, at the very least, check if it supports the use of stylus pens.
There you go with our list of the best phablets today. Now that you finally understand what a phablet is and know the best models that we consider, we hope that you have picked the right device for your budget. If you want a flagship performance from a phablet and have the budget for it, you’ll not go wrong with Samsung Galaxy Note Ultra or a Samsung Galaxy s21 Ultra. On the other hand, the iPhone 13 Pro Max is a phablet you’ll be proud to have, while the Pixel 6 Pro is a balance between premium and affordability.
Asus ROG Phone 2 is standing strong as the best gaming phablet even with more recent devices. If you are on a budget but what a phone with a big screen, Samsung Galaxy A52, Mi 11 Lite, and Redmi Note 10 Pro are equally solid picks.
