Over the years, smartphones have evolved only to make our lives easier than ever. With ever-improving technology, we now have a plethora of smartphone options quenching our thirst for several needs and wants.
Among many, we have seen advancements in the camera department too, and the latest trend is 48MP smartphone cameras, trying to bring a DSLR-like capability to our dear smartphones and make the images detailed.
Now that the trend is a raging one, I have prepared a small list of all the smartphones with a 48MP camera, and as a heads-up, the list will grow.
Before we get to the list of smartphones offering us the new 48MP trend, let’s first take a moment to understand what it is.
What Really Is 48MP?
The whole idea of a 48MP camera sensor is not in literal terms — we don’t get a 48MP rear camera in reality (it’s a hot and debatable issue at the moment), but the processors (Snapdragon 855, 675, Kirin 980, and MediaTek P90 and P70) and sensors (Sony IMX586 and Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1) accompanied with it provide us with a resultant image, which has details, equivalent to that of a 48MP camera.
In these cameras, the default 12MP output is attained with the help of pixel binning that allows more light, resulting in better low-light photography.
For the unacquainted, pixel binning is the process in which the four pixels combine to form one superpixel, arranged in a 2×2 grid with a size of 1.6 microns.
To enable the 48MP camera, the superpixels split into multiple pixels (now 0.8 microns) which will result in crispier and more detailed images, with the ability to zoom in better without a telephoto lens.
However, the downside to this is the huge image size which makes it difficult for us social media fanatics to post with ease.
You can further check out the Redmi Note 7 Pro camera review for more clarity.
14 Top Smartphones With 48MP Camera
1. OPPO F11 Pro
The latest entrant in the 48MP league is the OPPO F11 Pro, which has dual cameras at the back — a 48MP camera and a 5MP one.
The one at the front is a 16MP pop-up snapper which rises to take selfies when the front camera is launched. Additionally, the cameras support AI features and night mode for improved low-light shooting.
According to the specifics, the F11 Pro has a Full HD+ Panoramic display rated at 6.5-inch, a MediaTek P70 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of ROM. There is a 4,000mAh battery with support for OPPO’s proprietary VOOC Flash Charge 3.0 tech, and Android 9.0 Pie OS.
Coming in Thunder Black and Aurora Green colors, the OPPO F11 Pro retails at Rs 24,990.
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro
Making its entry as an India-first device, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has its primary highlight as the 48MP rear shooter, along with a 5MP secondary rear camera; the front snapper stands at 13MP.
The cameras (as a mandate) are accompanied by AI-enabled camera capabilities (scene recognition, Beautify, and Studio lighting), Portrait mode, and support for low-light photography which is a given.
In terms of the tech specs, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ Dot Notch display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675, a 4,000mAh battery, Android 9.0 Pie with MIUI 10 on top, and two RAM/ROM options: 4GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB.
In addition to this, there is a fingerprint sensor at the back and Face Unlock option.
Available in the Nebula Red and Neptune Blue color options (in the first-ever Aura design), the Redmi Note 7 Pro is priced at Rs 13,999 (4GB/64GB) and Rs 16,999 (6GB/128GB).
3. Vivo V15 Pro
In direct competition with the OPPO F11 Pro, the Vivo V15 Pro also has a pop-up camera configured at 32MP. But apart from the pop-up selfie camera, the smartphone has a 48MP rear shooter along with two snappers (8MP AI Super wide-angle lens, and 5MP Bokeh and Shot Refocus).
The device also has a night mode called Super Night mode and AI-based camera features.
Now, this 48MP camera smartphone stands out on the list as it also has an in-display fingerprint scanner, which is touted to unlock the device in less than 0.39 seconds. Additionally, the smartphone has a Face Unlock feature as well.
In terms of the spec sheet, there is a 6.39-inch Full HD+ Ultra FullView display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chipset, 6GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,700mAh battery with Dual Engine fast charging and runs Android 9.0 Pie.
The Vivo V15 Pro (for Rs 28,990) comes in Topaz Blue and Ruby Red colors.
4. Honor View 20
Priced higher than the rest of its competitors, the Honor View 20 has many USPs, with the camera department being one of them. The two cameras at the back are a 48MP one (Sony IMX586) and a 3D one based on the Time-Of-Flight (TOF) feature. The selfie snapper stands at 25MP.
The cameras have support for CMOS, Portrait mode, improved AI capabilities, and AI Ultra Clarity mode, Super Night Shot mode, AR filters, and 960fps Slo-mo feature.
The second and third highlights are the Full HD+ All-View punch-hole display spanning 6.4-inch, and the 7nm AI Kirin 980 processor with Turbo GPU 2.0 tech, respectively.
There are two RAM/ROM variants: 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB, a 4,000mAh battery, and Android 9.0 Pie.
Furthermore, the Honor View 20 has a fingerprint sensor on the back, 3D facial recognition, Nine Liquid Cooling System, and AI dual-frequency GPS.
The Honor View 20 is priced at Rs 37,999 and comes in Sapphire Blue, Midnight Black, and Phantom Blue with a nanotexture design.
5. Nokia X71
The latest Nokia flagship is the Nokia X71 and it too has grasped the 48MP rear camera, along with a 12MP wide-angle one and a 5MP Bokeh sensor. The front snapper stands at 16MP.
Another highlight is the 6.39-inch Full HD+ punch-hole display and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB ROM.
There is a 3,500mAh battery and the device comes under Android One, running Android 9.0 Pie.
The Nokia X71 is priced at NT$11,990 and is available in Taiwan at the time of writing.
6. Samsung Galaxy A80
The Galaxy A80 is another member of the Galaxy A 2019 series, which has its camera department as its highlight; it supports three cameras (48MP, 8MP, and a 3D sensor) which doubles as front cameras as well due to the rotational nature.
There is a 6.7-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED New Infinity display, an octa-core processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a 3,700mAH battery with 25W fast charging, and Android 9.0 Pie.
Additionally, it sports an in-display fingerprint scanner.
7. OPPO Reno
The first smartphone under OPPO’s new Reno series is the OPPO Reno which has 48MP, 8MP, and 13MP rear snappers, along with a 16MP pop-up front camera.
Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, it supports 10x lossless zoom, 6.6-inch edge-to-edge display, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Furthermore, the smartphone has a 4,065mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 tech, Android 9.0 Pie, and three RAM/ROM options: 6GB/128GB, 6GB/256GB and 8GB/256GB.
The OPPO Reno starts at CNY 3,299 and is presently up for grabs in China.
8. Nubia Red Magic 3
The recent gaming smartphone by Nubia — the Red Magic 3 has a single 48MP rear camera and a 16MP front camera.
Apart from the cameras, it has 8K video recording, an in-built fan, cooling system, LED rear lights, and Red Magic Game Space 2.0 dashboard.
As for the specifics, there is a Snapdragon 855 SoC, 6.65-inch Full HD+ screen with 90Hz refresh rate, a 5,000mAh battery with 27W fast charging, and various RAM/ROM configurations: 6GB/64GB, 6GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB, 12GB/256GB.
The Red Magic 3 starts at CNY 2,899 and is up for grabs in China.
9. OnePlus 7/7Pro
OnePlus recently launched the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro, which marked its entry in the premium segment.
Starting with the OnePlus 7 Pro, the device has three cameras (48MP, 8MP, 16MP), a 16MP pop-up front camera, Warp Charge 3.0 fast charging, in-display fingerprint sensor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, and a 6.67-inch Fluid AMOLED 90Hz display as its main highlight.
The OnePlus 7, on the other hand, is a toned-down variant with dual cameras and no pop-up front camera.
The OnePlus 7 Pro starts at Rs 48,999 while the OnePlus 7 starts at Rs 32,999.
10. Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
Xiaomi’s answer to the OnePlus 7 Pro is the Redmi K20 Pro, which comes with a couple of highlights: a Snapdragon 855 processor, a 20MP front pop-up shooter, three rear cameras (48MP, 8MP, 13MP), eight-layer liquid cooling tech, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The smartphone comes with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage, a 4,000mAh battery with 27W fast charging tech, and Android 9.0 Pie.
The Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro starts at CNY 2,499 in China and will arrive in India on July 17.
11. Black Shark 2
Black Shark 2 is the latest gaming phone by Xiaomi that has a Snapdragon 855 processor, up to 12GB of RAM, and a liquid cooling system, to make the device a premium one. It has a 6.39-inch AMOLED display, 48MP rear and 12MP front cameras, a 4,000mAh battery with 27W fast charging, and various other features.
The Black Shark 2 starts at Rs 39,900 and is available to buy in India.
12. Honor 20/20 Pro
Honor recently unveiled its Honor 20 series (Honor 20, 20 Pro, 20i) in India, from which the Honor 20 and 20 Pro have the 48MP rear camera sensor as their highlight.
While the Honor 20 Pro has four rear cameras (48MP, 16MP, 8MP, 2MP) and a 32MP front snapper, the Honor 20 has a slightly different configuration: rear (48MP, 16MP, 2MP, 2MP) and front (32MP).
Both smartphones are powered by Kirin 980 processor, come with AI-based camera features, and sport a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
The Honor 20 is priced at Rs 32,999 while the Honor 20 Pro starts at Rs 39,999.
13. ASUS 6Z
ASUS’s recent entry in the premium segment is with the ASUS 6Z and the smartphone is indeed one. It has a camera setup (48MP, 13MP) that doubles as both the rear and front cameras, as it is a flip camera in nature.
The smartphone has a Snapdragon 855 processor, a 6.4-inch Full HD+ LCD display, a 5,000mAh battery, and Android 9.0 Pie OS.
The ASUS 6Z starts at Rs 31,999 and is available to buy in India.
14. Motorola One Vision
The Motorola One Vision has two main highlights: a 6.3-inch punch-hole display with a 21:9 aspect ratio and the camera department with two rear snappers (48MP, 5MP) and a 25MP front camera. It is powered by Exynos 9609 processor, a 5,000mAh battery with 15W fast charging, Android One, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
The Motorola One Vision is priced at Rs 19,999 and is available in India.
15. Realme X
While the Realme X was officially unveiled in China back in May, it recently arrived in India. The device has its cameras as one of its highlights, which are three in number; two at the back (48MP, 5MP) and a 16MP pop-up front camera.
Another highlight is the 6.53-inch full-screen Full HD+ display, along with a Snapdragon 710 processor and an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The smartphone comes in multiple two RAM/ROM options, has a 3,765mAh battery with VOOC fast charging, and Android 9.0 Pie OS.
The Realme X starts at Rs 16,999 and is available via Flipkart in India.
To sum it up, the multi-camera system and higher pixel count is the latest trend in the smartphone. It’s interesting to see how the audience reacts to the same. What are your own thoughts on this? Share your views in the comments section below.
