Half of 2026 has passed, and it's time for our semi-annual retrospective. We handpick standout smartphones to gauge market performance over the first two quarters.
Next-gen flagship chips usually arrive in the second half, so the opening months tend to be quiet for most brands.
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But that doesn't mean there's nothing worth talking about.
Best Camera: OPPO Find X9 Ultra
The OPPO Find X9 Ultra is our most highly recommended camera-centric smartphone. Its imaging prowess is widely acknowledged.
It is one of only two flagship smartphones to incorporate a four-focal-length imaging system.
In our assessment, it features the most sophisticated telephoto camera configuration ever integrated into a mobile device, both in sensor selection and focal-length coverage.
Coupled with Hasselblad's color calibration, it has become one of our preferred handsets this year.
That said, it is not without imperfections. The 10x telephoto module exhibits noticeable chromatic aberration, and video stabilization needs refinement.
Compared to a more conservative yet reliable contender like the vivo X300 Ultra, the review team leans toward the device with greater distinctiveness.
The X300 Ultra is objectively a commendable smartphone, but its 2026 iteration felt overly restrained.
The absence of refreshing novelty is the sole factor, in our view, that places it behind the Find X9 Ultra.
Naturally, this reflects our subjective perspective; if one regards the vivo X300 Ultra as the premier camera phone of the year, we fully respect that position.
The Find X9 Ultra is undeniably excellent, yet its pricing is steep. So, is there a more cost-effective camera-centric alternative?
Indeed, there is—the HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max.
Leading Smart Imaging Experience: HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max
The HUAWEI Pura 90s Pro Max deserves special mention, not just for hardware integration but more importantly for what it can do on final imaging.
The Asia-Pacific variant we received comes packed with AI De-Glare, AI Move, and AI Composition 3.0, which automatically frames your shots as you capture them.
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Celia and the Advanced Translation Toolkit are also onboard.
