Smartphone providers have diversified a lot over the years, and now we almost have too many options. There are high-end phones with great cameras, and more affordable options with seemingly endless battery life. And, unfortunately, we also have to watch out for PTA taxes that come with some of the best mobiles in Pakistan.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the best mobiles that are easily available in Pakistan. We’ve covered everything from the iPhone 14 to Google’s Pixels (including why the five might be a better pick than the newer models), and less-known players like Infinix.
In a hurry? Here are our picks for the 11 best phones in Pakistan:
The best overall: Google Pixel 5
The Google Pixel 5 offers excellent performance and features, at a more affordable price than competing premium phones. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 765G processor, sports a HD plus screen, and is topped off with a high-quality 12.2MP camera.
Our budget pick: Infinix Hot 10 Play
The Infinix Hot 10 Play sports a MediaTek Helio G35, 90 Hz refresh rate, and a full HD plus screen. The camera works well for basic use, but it’s far from exceptional. The battery lasts for around 14 hours.
Runner up: Samsung S22 Ultra
Samsung’s most impressive venture yet, the S22 Ultra is powered by Samsung’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and the model comes with a faster, built-in S Pen. Its cameras are excellent and the design is sleek.
Best high-end: Google Pixel 6
If you’re looking to splurge on an exceptional phone, the Pixel 6 is ideal. The phone’s Tensor processor enhances its performance, and the 50MP camera takes great pictures and sports a smart editing mode. The Pixel 6’s battery lasts for around 11 hours.
Best for PUBG: Asus Rog 5
The Asus Rog 5 is purpose-built for gaming, with a Snapdragon 888 processor complimented by 8-16GB RAM. Naturally, the phone also functions exceptionally for day-to-day use. The 64MP camera is decent, but not on par with that of premium smartphones.
Best camera phone: iPhone 14 Pro Max
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the best camera phone in Pakistan. The front camera takes high-quality photos with award-winning detail, the video feature has an impressive action phone, and the battery life is exceptional.
Best under 50000: Samsung A32
Looking for the best phone under 50000 in Pakistan? The Samsung A32 has you covered. Powered by the Dimensity 720 processor, the A32 is great for day-to-day use and light gaming. It comes with a modest 108MP camera and a battery life of around 11 hours.
Best under 40000: Xiaomi Redmi 10C
With a Snapdragon 680 processor, 5000 mAh battery, and simple but elegant design, the Redmi 10c is one of the best phones under 40000 in Pakistan for everyday use and light gaming.
Best under 30000: Tecno Camon 17
The Tecno Camon 17 is one of our favourite budget picks – its MediaTek Helio G85 processor equips the phone for fairly intense use, and the 90Hz display is nothing to write off either. The phone supports 18W fast charging and takes less than an hour to fully charge. Its battery lasts for up to day and a half.
Best Redmi: Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
If you’re looking for one of the best Redmi phones, the Note 10 Pro is a strong contender. It sports a 120 HZ OLED display, Snapdragon 732G processor, and a decent 1080p camera (It won’t win you photo competitions, but it’s nothing to write off, either)
Best Infinix: Infinix Zero X Pro
The Zero X Pro is one of Infinix’s best phones, powered by a Mediatek Helio G35 processor and average 4GB RAM. The smartphone functions well for everyday use, and its battery gets you a good 12 hours.
The 11 best smartphones in Pakistan
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1. Google Pixel 5
Specifications
Display: OLED, 90Hz, HDR10+
CPU: Octa-core
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB/No
Rear camera: 12.2 MP, 16 MP
Front camera: 8MP
Weight: 151g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11 hours, 51 minutes
The Google Pixel 5 is still one of the best smartphones ever made – it offers exceptional value for money, with consistent, reliable performance, a sleek design, and an exceptional camera. It’s powered by an octa-core CPU (i.e. with eight processor cores) and 8 GB RAM, making it perfect for heavy use. It can effortlessly handle resource-intensive games like PUBG, Shadowgun Legends, and Call of Duty (COD).
The Google Pixel 5 has a dual-lens camera system with a 12.2-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. It captures photos with a wide, dynamic range and balanced exposure. The ultrawide camera shows crisp details, and you can adjust the highlights and shadows to your liking in the editing section.
The Pixel 5’s battery life is around 11 hours, which is much better than the previous models. It also supports 18W fast charging. Our only real complaints about the Pixel 5 concern its speakers – which are quite lackluster – and its storage, which is fixed at 128 GB. You can’t choose from different storage options.
The Google Pixel 5 costs around 122,000 rupees, which is reasonable compared to most flagship phones that cost almost double for similar performance.
2. Tecno Camon 17
Specifications
Display: 6.6 inch LCD (720 x 1600)CPU: Octa-core
RAM: 4/6GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB / 256GB
Rear camera: 48 MP, (wide), PDAF 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth), AI
Front camera: 16 MP
Weight: 201 g (7.09 oz)
Battery life: 36 hours
The Tecno Camon 17 is a reliable budget phone priced at just 23000-24000 rupees. Its MediaTek Helio G85 processor is nothing to overlook, and you can choose from 4 or 6GB RAM – we recommend the latter in any case, whether you’re a heavy smartphone user or not. The phone can’t handle graphics-intensive games well, like PUBG, but the extra RAM means a smoother day-to-day performance.
The phone has a triple camera and an AI camera (i.e., the settings are automatically optimized when you’re capturing a photo). The camera has additional features like short videos, super night mode, AI CAM, beauty mode, and portrait mode. But, despite these features, the quality of the pictures it takes is average.
The phone has a 6.6 LCD display with rounded edges, and a screen resolution of 720 x 1600, which is supported by most social media platforms – i.e. Instagram photos aren’t distorted when compressed.
Even with intensive use, this phone’s battery easily lasts for more than a day and a half. It also supports 18-W fast charging that can charge the phone in less than an hour.
3. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Specifications
Display: 6.8 inches, dynamic AMOLED, (1440 x 3200)RAM: 12/16 GB
Storage / Expandable: 512 GB / No
Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 10MP + 10MP
Front camera: 40MP
Weight: 227 g
Battery life: 12 hours
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s design is both sleek and durable., protected with an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus. With a promise of 5 years of support, this one is a keeper.
The S22 comes packed with a great camera, boasting features such as its x10 optical zoom and x100 space zoom. It also has a Super Clear lens for nighttime videos. With better color saturation and higher-resolution photos, it’s a clear upgrade from the S21. Another thing to note is the super steady mode for capturing videos with a lot of movement.
Complementing the camera is the new AMOLED display. Featuring the Vision Booster, it adjusts the brightness according to your surroundings making it perfect for the outdoors. To round this up, it has a nice dynamic 120Hz refresh rate and average brightness of 1250 nits.
Powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and with its 8-12GB RAM, the S22 is well-equipped for all your gaming needs. This improved performance can be seen with all its features such as the new S Pen with 70% less latency. Designed to simulate writing on paper, your notes will appear with almost no delay. It also has a nifty holster within the phone.
One of the best android phones on the market, it comes with a price of Rs330,000 – significantly cheaper than the iPhone 14.
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4. Asus ROG 5
Specifications
Display: 6.78 inches Amoled, (1080 x 2448)
RAM: 8/16GB
Storage / Expandable: 256GB / No
Rear camera: 64MP + 13MP + 5MP
Front camera: 24MP
Weight: 238 g
Battery life: 15 hours, 45 minutes
Asus continues to put the best gaming phones out, and the ROG 5 exceeded most expectations. It stayed true to the ROG 3’s design, with some enhancements and internal improvements. It’s also the first Asus phone to have 3 models: the standard version, Pro, and Ultimate.
The Pro and Ultimate have improved specs, and the Ultimate in particular flexes 18 GB RAM – which is arguably unnecessary, but impressive nonetheless. As you’d expect, the ROG 5 outclasses fellow high-end phones – like the iPhone 13 and Samsung S21 – for gaming needs. However, its camera suite still falls short, despite significant improvements from prior Asus models.
Our verdict? Asus 5 holds the mantle for the best gaming phone in Pakistan, but it’s not winning any awards for the best camera phone. The combination of its Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus processor, superior display (60-144Hz refresh rate with a 6.98-inch OLED display, 300Hz touch sampling rate, and 1ms claimed response time), excellent speakers and generous battery life make it the perfect choice for serious gamers.
The ROG 5’s battery gets you around 12 hours, but if you’re gaming continuously, it’s closer to 10 hours. Thanks to some internal improvements, the ROG 5 charges to full in under an hour. It retails at around 110,000, which is great for a gaming phone.
5. iPhone 14 Pro Max
Specifications
Display: 6.7-inch OLED (2796 x 1290)
CPU: A16 Bionic
RAM: 6GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No
Rear camera: 48MP, 12MP, 12MP
Front camera: 12MP
Weight: 240g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 14 hours and 42 minutes
While the iPhone 14 won’t win any awards for design improvements, it comes with very noticeable hardware upgrades and some innovative new features. The Dynamic Island, in particular, has revolutionized multitasking – it lets users look through multiple apps without opening them individually. For example, you can change songs on the Music app while browsing Google Maps.
Compared to the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 boasts a longer battery life, and a much brighter display, reaching 1,600 nits with HDR content. The display is buttery smooth when going from 1-20Hz, surpassing both its predecessor and its competition.
If you like watching videos, or enjoy gaming, on your phone, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option. To top it off, the model is also highly customizable, always on display for all your widget needs.
Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor powers the iPhone 14, putting its performance ahead of the pack. Apple has paired the 14’s A16 processor with 6GB RAM, making the phone a great choice for heavy video editing or playing graphics-intensive games.
As you’d expect from an iPhone, the 14’s camera does not disappoint; the 48MP camera offers ultra-detailed photos with even better low-light performance than the 13. It is no slouch with videos either – the action mode offers a level of smoothness and stability that’s especially good for videos with lots of movement, and the cinematic mode boasts 4K resolution.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max nabs the spot for the best camera phone in Pakistan, quite effortlessly. The only real drawback is the almost alarming price tag, retailing at around Rs400,000.
6. Infinix Hot 10 Play
Specifications
Display: 6.82 inches LCD, (720 x 1640)
Storage / Expandable: 64GB / Yes
Rear camera: Dual 13 MP, AI sensor, Quad-LED flash
Front camera: 8 MP
Weight: 207 g
Battery life: 11 hours 36 minutes
If you need an affordable, reliable phone for everyday needs, The Infinix Hot 10 Play is a good option. Powered by the Mediatek Helio G35 processor and 4GB of RAM, the phone is suited for basic needs like watching videos, scanning documents, sending emails, and whatever else makes up your day to day. It also holds its own for basic gaming needs, but its not equipped to handle graphic-intensive games.
One significant downside of the Hot 10 Play is its display, with a 720 by 1640 pixel resolution that doesn’t support 1080p – so you can only watch 720p videos. The camera phone is average at best; it’s sufficient for scanning documents or taking pictures for casual use, but it’s nothing exceptional and you definitely don’t want to take any wedding photos with it.
The Hot 10 Play’s battery lasts a good 11 hours, making it great for every day use. It retails at around 20,000 RS.
7. Samsung Galaxy A32
Specifications
Display: TFT, 60Hz, 6.5 inches
CPU: Octa core
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 512GB/No
Rear camera: 48MP, 8MP, 5MP, 2MP
Front camera: 13MP
Weight: 205g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11 hours, 57 minutes
As far as Samsung phones are concerned, the A32 is a budget phone, so its features are nothing impressive – in fact, they’re downright average. But if you’re looking for the best phone under 50000 in Pakistan, this phone is a strong contender because: 1) it’s backed by Samsung, 2) Samsung has promised four years of security patches (starting from 2021), 3) it’s reliable 4) it has a great battery life.
The phone has a Dimensity 720 processor, which keeps its performance consistence but the A32 can’t compete with higher end Galaxy models. The A32’s display – a 720p LCD screen – is a significant let down, the colors look a bit dull and it doesn’t give you a great video watching experience.
The A32’s camera fares well for most needs, with the exception of portraits – it falls short here with color accuracy. However, the camera is quite good for capturing pictures otherwise. But the camera tends to oversaturate a few elements of the picture, which might make it look unnatural. Samsung Galaxy A32 retails for around Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000 depending on the retailer
8. Xiaomi Redmi 10C
Specifications
Display: 6.7 inches Dot Drop
CPU: Octa-core, Snapdragon 680
RAM: 4GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB/Yes
Rear camera: 50MP Main , 2MP Depth
Front camera: 5MP
Weight: 209g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): Over 11 hours.
Xiaomi’s Redmi 10C offers a lot of value for its modest price. The best selling point for the 10C is that it shares the same impressive processor, the Snapdragon 680, as the Redmi Note 11. The processor equips it to handle resource-intensive tasks, including playing graphics-intensive games like Call of Duty or PUBG.
The model’s 5000mAh battery gives you a lot of usage time; it can last up to 11 hours if you’re using it heavily (e.g., having some gaming sessions), and much longer with light use. It has a large display of 6.7 inches with the standard 60Hz refresh rate.
The Redmi 10C’s back camera is best described as “functional” – it takes clear photos with good color detail, but don’t expect lots of detail or impressive quality. The 5MP front camera, however, is quite underwhelming – unless you have amazing background lighting, you won’t get any decent selfies out of it.
Despite its shortcomings, the Xiaomi Redmi 10C is still one of the best phones under 40000 in Pakistan. It retails at around 35,000 and offers a fair balance of performance and price.
9. Infinix Zero X pro
Specifications
Display; AMOLED, 120Hz, 6.7 inches
CPU: OCta core
RAM: 6/8GB
Storage / Expandable: 245GB/Yes
Rear camera: 108MB, 8MB, 8MB
Front camera:16MB
Weight:193g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins):12 hours and 31 minutes
The Infinix Zero X Pro is one of the best Infinix phones in Pakistan, but despite this, it isn’t comparable with high-end performers like the Pixel 6, Samsung S21, or iPhone 13. Instead, it’s just a very good Infinix phone with a good camera, reasonable price, 12-hour battery life, and decent performance.
The Zero X Pro’s camera system is great – especially considering the model’s price (under 50k). It has a 108Mp main sensor with an 8Mp ultrawide and 8Mp periscope telephoto – the main camera is easily the best, comparable to the likes of the Redmi 10 Pro.
However, the x5 periscope is an impressive addition – this feature is usually reserved for high-end phones. The camera takes surprisingly good photos thanks to it, but don’t zoom in too much or the quality suffers. The phone also supports different modes like night mode, AR shot, super macro, super moon, and more.
The screen is an AMOLED display with curved edges and a 120Hz refresh rate, so overall, the phone’s display is great. But for whatever reason, Infinix chose to use the XOS 7.6 UI for Android 11, which is weirdly cluttered. We aren’t quite sure why they didn’t stick to the traditional Android 11 software.
Overall, the Infinix Zero X Pro is one of Infinix’s best phones and the camera is certainly impressive for a model at this price point. It retails for around Rs 47,000.
10. Google Pixel 6
Specifications
Display: AMOLED, 90Hz, 6.3 inches
CPU: Octa-core
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable:256GB/No
Rear camera:50MP, 13MP
Front camera:8MP
Weight:207g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins):11 hours 48 minutes
It’s hard to compete in a high-end smartphone market dominated by Samsung and Apple, but the Pixel 6 comes in strong with an impressive feature set, good battery life (unless you’re using 5G, which hasn’t come to Pakistan yet, anyway), and a Tensor processor that enhances the phone’s ‘smart’ features.
The Pixel 6’s 6.4-inch display is larger than that of the iPhone 13 and Samsung S21, The combination of the Tensor chip (which boasts machine learning technology) and the Google Assistant gives Pixel 6 users advanced smart features, like calling assistants and voice-powered detection.
Tensor is supposed to compete with the Snapdragon 888, and while it holds up nicely, the Snapdragon 888 is still superior overall. However, the Tensor chip paired with 8GB RAM means the Pixel 6 can handle heavy use with ease.
For whatever reason, Google chose to limit the Pixel 6’s refresh rate to 90Hz rather than the 120 that high-end phones typically offer. We know you’re probably wondering how the Pixel 6’s camera fares, and simply put, its second only to the iPhone’s. The camera captures high quality pictures with great color accuracy, and it comes with many additional editing features like the option to erase a person in the background and more.
The Google Pixel’s battery lasts around 11 hours and takes approximately 2 hours to reach full charge. The Google Pixel 6 retails for around Rs 180,000.
11. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
Specifications
Display: AMOLED, 120Hz
CPU: Octa-core
RAM: 8Gb
Storage / Expandable: 256GB/Yes
Rear camera: 108MB, 8MB, 2MB
Front camera:16MB
Weight:193g
Battery life (Hrs:Mins):11 hours and 17 minutes
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is a good bargain with great features at an affordable price point. It has the Snapdragon 732G processor, specifically designed for gaming, and the GPU supports high resolutions. The processor has enough horsepower to record 720p videos with 960 fps, and the phone’s performance is fast and reliable in general.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro’s 120Hz OLED screen is massive – you’ll struggle to find a phone with a display like this in the Note 10 Pro’s price range. The display, combined with the impressive processor and generous battery life, make the Note 10 Pro a great option. The phone’s 1080p camera is decent at taking photos, but not as good as the Samsung A32.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro doesn’t support wireless charging, which can be a drawback for some people. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro retails for around Rs 50,000 and is one of the best smartphones under 60000 in Pakistan available today.
How to pick the best mobile phone in Pakistan
Processor and RAM:
The processor is the main part of a device, and its entire performance is determined by it. Software updates are often limited by the processor’s capabilities. It’s safe to bet on Qualcomm and Mediatek because they’re reliable and they’ve been making processors for decades.
Meanwhile, Apple’s processors have always boasted top-tier performance, and Google’s Tenor chip comes in strong, too. When considering a phone’s processor, you should also look at the RAM, as the two collectively determine your phone’s performance.
Battery life:
It would be great if a larger battery – i.e. greater mAh – equaled a longer battery life cycle. However, battery life is influenced by additional aspects, like higher-resolution screens use more battery, and the newest processors help to extend battery life. Then there’s the issue of display refresh rates and fast charging technology to consider. Rather than relying solely on technical specifications, it’s a good idea to read reviews and benchmark results to see how all of these elements work when combined in a single device.
Camera:
Mobile manufacturers are investing more in cameras, so we’re seeing more affordable smartphones offer decent camera systems. The Infinix Zero Pro X is a good example. Smartphones are increasingly resembling digital cameras in terms of megapixels, hybrid autofocus, optical stabilization, manual modes, unique effects, and particular selfie functions.
But try to get too caught up with the figures on the technical sheet. The megapixel count alone does not give the whole picture; it’s essential to understand the kind of integrated lens, and pixel density.
Price:
If you have a limited budget, the value for money really matters here. What are your plans for your future smartphone? If you’re going to be using it for basic use, you could go for a low to mid range phone. Infinix have produced some great, reliable phones at very affordable rates.
But if you’re a hardcore gamer or into smartphone photography, you’ll need to splash out on more expensive models.
You’re good to go!
We’ve done our best to cover a wide variety of phones, from different vendors and at different price points. We hope you find a great phone for your needs, and if you think we should consider a different phone for our list, please let us know. Happy shopping!