Best Flagship Smartphones To Buy In Nepal [Updated]

In this article, we’ve listed the absolute best smartphones you could buy in Nepal right now. There are official distributors of basically every major smartphone brand in Nepal, and a few of them bring their flagship devices as well. From Samsung’s Galaxy S series to the latest iPhones, there are a lot of premium phones you could buy in the country. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the best smartphones available in Nepal.

How to find the best flagship smartphones in Nepal?

When searching for the best smartphones to buy in Nepal, you’ll need a decent bit of research to help filter out the options. Considering the number of options available, it can be a bit overwhelming, but that’s exactly where we come in. We’ve tried our best to summarize the pros and cons of each device in this list of best smartphones in Nepal but make sure to check our full review for more details.

Anyway, if you’re team Apple all the way, then your buying decision gets a bit easier. Say you want the biggest, boldest, most expensive iPhone, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is where it’s at. Or the regular iPhone 14 Pro if you want a similar experience on a slightly smaller form factor. Whereas if you won’t want to spend a whole lot, then the regular iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and even last year’s iPhone 13 are great options.

On the other hand, you are absolutely spoiled with choices in the Android arena. Samsung definitely has the largest selection of flagship phones in Nepal, with all of them ranking among the best in the business. You can even go with Samsung’s foldable phones if you want! Similarly, brands like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and lately Realme have also been offering their latest flagship phones in the country. So when it comes to selecting the right device for you, it’s simply a matter of finding the one that ticks all your boxes.

Best smartphones to buy in Nepal:

12. Realme GT 2 Pro

Kicking off our list of best smartphones to buy in Nepal is the Realme GT 2 Pro. This is Realme’s first proper flagship phone, and also the company’s most expensive phone in Nepal. That means the GT 2 Pro packs all the features you’d expect from a premium phone. Well, most of it anyway. For starters, it is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage.

On the software front, it runs on Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0. There are also 3 generations of OS and 4 years of software upgrades on the cards. And while Realme’s custom Android skin is pretty optimized and all, it does ship with a bunch of bloatware apps which doesn’t feel all that “premium-like”. You might even be greeted with an ad or two every now and then.

Build quality like no other

Anyway, the GT 2 Pro’s design is pretty unique though. Realme says it has used biopolymer material with a paper-like finish for the rear panel. And yes, it does feel rather different than your typical glass slabs for other expensive phones. The ergonomics side of things is also superb here. It’s just that for a flagship phone, Realme should’ve included an official IP rating as well.

Up front, the phone has a tall 6.7″ QHD AMOLED display that’s sharp, vibrant, bright, and so on and so forth. It also has a 120Hz screen, so everything feels quite smooth here. And since Realme has used an LTPO 2.0 panel, this display can automatically switch between 1 and 120Hz to save power as well. Complementing it is a set of stereo speakers that delivers incredible sound quality.

On the camera front, the GT 2 Pro has a 50MP triple camera array at the back. But this doesn’t include a telephoto lens, mind you. Instead, Realme’s choice of cameras consists of a 50MP main, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 2MP microscopic lens. Although its camera performance is pretty decent, we found that it is still slightly behind the competition in multiple regards. As for the battery, the phone is fueled by a large 5000mAh cell with support for 65W fast charging and no wireless charging.

Realme GT 2 Pro Specifications:

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, QHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: Realme UI 3.0 on top of Android 12 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 50MP ultrawide, 2MP microscopic)
• Front Camera: 32MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (in-display optical)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass / QZSS / BDS, NFC, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Color spectrum, Compass, Gyro, Proximity
• Battery: 5000mAh with 65W charging (65W adapter inside the box)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 109,999 (12/256GB)
• Read our Realme GT 2 Pro review
• Watch our Realme GT 2 Pro review
• Buy Realme GT 2 Pro here

11. OnePlus 10T

At number 11 on our list of best smartphones in Nepal is the OnePlus 10T. To be honest, this is a rather controversial OnePlus phone, which mostly revolves around how it lacks the iconic alert slider, wireless charging, and more. But there are a few redeeming qualities here. For instance, this phone is geared towards power users as it brings Qualcomm’s updated Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip for reliable performance.

And this has been paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. The phone boots on OxygenOS 13 based on Android 12, while OnePlus has also promised 3 OS updates and 4 years of security updates for the 10T. But yeah, after the company’s official merger with Oppo, OxygenOS has transformed more like ColorOS these days.

No alert-slider

OnePlus 10T comes with a similar design as that of the OnePlus 10 Pro but without an alert slider as mentioned above. And like the Realme GT 2 Pro, it lacks any official IP certification as well. Up front, OnePlus 10T flaunts a flagship-grade 10-bit 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Complementing it is dual stereo speakers which makes it the best option for content consumption.

Coming to the cameras, it has a triple camera setup on the back led by a 50MP IMX766 sensor with OIS. But although the main camera takes fairly decent photos, the remaining 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro units are pretty disappointing considering the phone’s price. Not to mention, OnePlus 10T misses out on the Hasselblad color optimization too, for some reason. At least the battery backup from its 4800mAh cell is decent, while the phone also supports a ridiculous 150W fast charging!

OnePlus 10T Specifications:

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, FHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 5
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12/16GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: OxygenOS 13 on top of Android 12 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
• Front Camera: 16MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (in-display optical)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass / QZSS / BDS, NFC, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Battery: 4800mAh with 150W charging (150W adapter inside the box)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 94,999 (8/128GB) | NPR 114,999 (16/256GB)
• Watch our OnePlus 10T review
• Buy OnePlus 10T here

10. OnePlus 10 Pro

Heading up the top 10 entries in our list of best flagship smartphones in Nepal is the OnePlus 10 Pro. Even though its successor is already available in Nepal, this is still a viable option for those who want a high-end OnePlus phone with wireless charging and a few extra stuff. However, its pricing still leaves a lot to be desired.

Although the OnePlus 10 Pro launched at a cheaper asking price than the OnePlus 9 Pro in a lot of markets, it’s quite expensive in Nepal. And even after almost a year of its debut, the phone still retails at the same launch price. So yeah, this is definitely not the “better deal” that you might have thought it was.

What to expect from its cameras?

Moving on, the OnePlus 10 Pro has pretty much the same camera hardware as its predecessor—except for the ultrawide sensor. The company has gone with Samsung’s JN1 sensor for the 50MP ultrawide lens which has a wider 150° FoV but a smaller sensor size. On, and it ditches the 2MP monochrome lens as well. But despite a capable camera setup with second-gen Hasselblad optimization, we found the OnePlus 10 Pro to underperform compared to most of its competition.

As for the processor, you’re looking at a typical gen-on-gen upgrade on this guy. It is backed by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with up to 12GB of high-speed LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. OnePlus has also introduced a new feature called “Hyperboost” to overclock the CPU for more power. To handle all this, the company had to deliver a stronger cooler solution too. But that’s not effective enough apparently as the phone got quite hot in our gaming tests.

In terms of display, the OnePlus 10 Pro features a 6.7″ 2K AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and LTPO 2.0 controller. OnePlus has also managed to fit in a slightly larger 5000mAh battery here that supports both 80W wired and 50W wireless charging. Unfortunately, only the T-Mobile variant of the OnePlus 10 Pro in the US brags an official IP68 rating against dust and water damage.

OnePlus 10 Pro Specifications:

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, QHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: OxygenOS 12 on top of Android 12 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (48MP primary, 50MP ultrawide, 8MP telephoto)
• Front Camera: 32MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (optical in-display)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, NFC, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, E-compass, Flicker-detect, Front RGB, Gyro, Proximity, Sensor core
• Battery: 5000mAh with 80W charging (80W adapter inside the box)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 134,999 (12/256GB)
• Read our OnePlus 10 Pro review
• Watch our OnePlus 10 Pro review
• Buy OnePlus 10 Pro here

9. iPhone 13

Next up is 2021’s iPhone 13. We would’ve loved to include other phones in this lineup on our list of best flagship smartphones in Nepal, but iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max are all unavailable right now. Anyway, granted that the base iPhone 13 is not as impressive as its “Pro” brothers—if you want a flagship iPhone experience without spending too much—the iPhone 13 is still a safe bet.

No ProMotion display

You’re looking at a 6.1″ OLED display here, but Apple was greedy enough to reserve the 120Hz refresh rate on its Pro siblings only. This might not matter to those coming from a standard 60Hz display, but if you’re already used to smoother displays, this might feel underwhelming. Apart from the refresh rate, this is quite a nice screen though. From colors and brightness levels to Apple’s “Ceramic Shield” glass protection, it’s got it all.

In terms of cameras, iPhone 13 brings a trio of 12MP sensors. One for selfies, one for wide, and one for ultrawide shots. This is the same setup as iPhone 13 Pro series, save for the lack of a telephoto camera. Despite this, the color science and image processing levels between the Pro and non-Pro iPhones are exactly the same.

On the performance front, iPhone 13 is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. However, the A15 Bionic on this phone has one less GPU core compared to the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. As for memory, it starts with 128GB of base storage and goes up to 512GB. Other than this, the iPhone 13 has an excellent build quality and hands-on feel. It’s compact, lightweight, and also IP68 dust/water resistant.

iPhone 13 Specifications:

• Display: 6.1-inch OLED screen, FHD+, 60Hz refresh rate, Ceramic Shield
• Chipset: Apple A15 Bionic 5G (5nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 4GB RAM, 128/256/512GB storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: Apple iOS 15 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Dual (12MP primary, 12MP ultrawide)
• Front Camera: 12MP sensor (notch)
• Security: Face ID (from TrueDepth camera)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano / eSIM), WiFi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / QZSS / iBeacon, UWB, Lightning connector, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, Barometer, Proximity, Three-axis gyro
• Battery: 3240mAh with 20W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 119,990 (4/128GB)
• Read our iPhone 13 review
• Watch our iPhone 13 review
• Buy iPhone 13 here

8. OnePlus 11

We’re just at the eighth position and OnePlus has already hit a hat-trick on our list of best flagship smartphones in Nepal. And the new OnePlus 11 deservedly takes a spot here. The company had faced numerous backlashes for its older flagship phones including its predecessor, but this has been a turning point of sorts. Unfortunately, that same sentiment isn’t resonated in Nepal as the OnePlus 11 carries the same “overpriced” tag despite its impressive pricing in the global market.

Either way, this phone is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. On the software counterpart, OnePlus has shipped this phone with OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13. And the company has also committed to its longest software support ever with this smartphone here, with 4 years of OS and 5 years of security updates. The phone gets its juice from a modest 5000mAh battery that supports 100W fast wired charging, although OnePlus has skipped wireless charging this time.

Excellent display for content consumption

Up front, it hosts a tall 6.7-inches 2K QHD E4 AMOLED panel. This is a curved display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection. Furthermore, the display has a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1000Hz instant touch sampling rate. The only thing we wished was better here is brightness as the OnePlus 11 has a global peak brightness of just 800 nits.

Complementing this display is a set of stereo speakers. Whereas OnePlus has provided a solid vibrating motor for top-notch haptics. In terms of design, this phone comes in an all-chrome and gloss finish curved back panel for a comfortable grip. The alert slider is thankfully back this time, but you still don’t get an IP68 rating here. Just IP64 certification which should be good enough for minor water spills and whatnot.

As for cameras, OnePlus 11 brings three of them at the back. Including 50MP IMX890 primary, 48MP IMX581 ultrawide, and 32MP IMX709 telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. And you know what? It actually shoots pretty decent photos and videos if you can look past a few things. It doesn’t have high-resolution or a 1″ image sensor like most of its rivals but the OnePlus 11’s cameras are still pretty great.

OnePlus 11 Specifications:

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, QHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/16GB LPDDR5X RAM, 128/256GB UFS 4.0 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: OxygenOS 13 on top of Android 13 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 48MP ultrawide, 32MP telephoto)
• Front Camera: 16MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint scanner (optical in-display)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 7 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou / QZSS, NFC, USB-C, NFC, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, Flick-detect, Gyroscope, M-sensor electronic compass, Proximity, Sensor core
• Battery: 5000mAh with 100W charging (100W adapter inside the box)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 129,999 (8/128GB) | NPR 134,999 (16/256GB)
• Read our OnePlus 11 review
• Watch our OnePlus 11 review
• Buy OnePlus 11 here

7. Xiaomi 13 Pro

Xiaomi has been launching its flagship phones for the past couple of generations in Nepal. And we’re so glad that the new Xiaomi 13 Pro is also available here as this is easily the most improved, most complete premium phone from the company. Therefore, it proudly takes seventh place on our list of best flagship smartphones in Nepal. And the most impressive thing about this guy is definitely its cameras.

For starters, this is the only phone in Nepal with a 1″ type sensor. Yep. Even though Sony’s 50MP IMX989 1″ sensor has found its way into a handful of smartphones by now, this is the only phone in Nepal with the said image sensor. Pair that with Leica optical lens and optimizations, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is also among the best camera phones available in Nepal. Its photos retain excellent color science, natural sharpness—and thanks to the large sensor size—you get a nice, natural bokeh effect too.

Great camera phone in general

This Sony sensor captures excellent shots in lowlight conditions as well. Besides the main shooter, Xiaomi 13 Pro’s 50MP telephoto sensor clicks equally impressive portrait and 3x zoomed-in shots. But we found that Xiaomi has some work to do in terms of getting the most out of the phone’s 50MP ultrawide and the 32MP selfie camera. The Xiaomi 13 Pro maxes out at just 1080p / 30 fps selfie videos, which is quite embarrassing for an otherwise fantastic camera experience.

Moving on, Xiaomi has left no stone unturned in other aspects of this phone. You can choose between ceramic or silicone polymer back finish, both of which feel fantastic to hold. It is also IP68 dust/water resistant, making it the only second flagship Xiaomi phone in the international market to carry such strong ingress protection. Yet, its weight distribution is quite uneven for some reason.

Up front, Xiaomi 13 Pro’s display is drop-dead gorgeous. You’re looking at a big 6.7″ 2K AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1900 nits of peak brightness. There’s also Dolby Vision HDR support for high-quality streaming on Netflix and other OTT platforms. Xiaomi could’ve gone with more subtle side curves though. Anyway, the performance and battery side of things are also pretty impressive on the Xiaomi 13 Pro.

Xiaomi 13 Pro Specifications:

• Display: 6.73-inch AMOLED screen, QHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5X RAM, 128/256/512GB UFS 4.0 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: MIUI 14 on top of Android 13 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto)
• Front Camera: 32MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint scanner (optical in-display)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 7 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou / NavIC, NFC, USB-C, NFC, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, Barometer, E-compass, Flicker, Gyroscope, Hall, IR blaster, Proximity
• Battery: 4800mAh with 120W charging (120W adapter inside the box)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 129,999 (12/256GB)
• Read our Xiaomi 13 Pro review
• Watch our Xiaomi 13 Pro review
• Buy Xiaomi 13 Pro here

6. iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

Grabbing the sixth spot on our list of best smartphones in Nepal are the new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. These are the more affordable alternatives to the top-of-the-line iPhone 14 Pro series. If you’re not a fan of “Dynamic Island” and you like that old iPhone notch more, then these iPhones are for you. And further sweetening the pot is the fact that both these phones finally received a much-need price drop recently.

Anyway, Apple has discontinued “mini” iPhones this time. So the most compact option in the iPhone 14 series is the base iPhone 14 itself. And after 2017’s iPhone 8 Plus, the company has resurrected a “Plus” iPhone for the first time as well. To note, the iPhone 14 Plus is pretty much the same as its non-Plus sibling, except for a bigger display and a larger battery.

No major upgrade

Moving on, unlike the iPhone 14 Pro duo, these phones don’t get many upgrades compared to last year’s iPhone 13 series. You get a 6.1″ and a 6.7″ Super Retina XDR OLED display between these two, and both of them are still standard 60Hz panels. The camera setup remains pretty much the same with a 12MP primary, a 12MP ultrawide,  and a 12MP front-facing camera.

Even on the performance front, these iPhones don’t taste Apple’s latest A16 Bionic chip. Instead, powering the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus is that same old A15 Bionic chip. But seeing how A16 isn’t much of an upgrade and the A15 Bionic is still a very powerful processor, there’s not much room for complaint here. As for memory, both of them have 128GB of base storage and 6GB of RAM. Despite all the compromises over the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple’s new “Crash Detection” and “Emergency SOS” features are both available here.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus Specifications:

• Display: 6.1 / 6.7-inch OLED screen, FHD+, 60Hz refresh rate, Ceramic Shield
• Chipset: Apple A15 Bionic (5nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 6GB RAM, 128/256/512GB storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: Apple iOS 16 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Dual (12MP primary, 12MP ultrawide)
• Front Camera: 12MP sensor (notch)
• Security: Face ID (from TrueDepth camera)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano / eSIM), WiFi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / QZSS / iBeacon, UWB, Lightning connector, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Barometer, Dual ambient light, High-g accelerometer, High dynamic range gyro, Proximity
• Battery: 3279 / 4323mAh with 20W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Price in Nepal:
  • iPhone 14: NPR 138,990 (6/128GB) | NPR 157,990 (6/256GB)
  • iPhone 14 Plus: NPR 157,990 (6/128GB) | NPR 176,990 (6/256GB)
• Buy iPhone 14 here
• Buy iPhone 14 Plus here

5. Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+

Next up in our list of best smartphones to buy in Nepal are Samsung’s new Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+. These phones bring a healthy set of upgrades over their predecessors and therefore are a safe bet for most people who’re looking to buy a flagship Samsung phone this year. You know, without having to spend a whole lot on the S23 Ultra.

As expected, both Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ share a familiar design with premium hardware and everything else. Samsung has gotten rid of the camera housing this time to maintain a uniform design language across all three phones in the lineup, and we love it! Besides, both of them also come with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on both sides and Samsung’s next-gen armor aluminum frame for greater durability. And of course, these phones are IP68 dust and water-sealed too.

And since these are flagship Samsung phones, after all, the display experience is also fantastic here. These 6.1 / 6.6″ AMOLED screens boast excellent color reproduction with a punchy contrast and 1200 nits of global peak brightness for excellent outdoor visibility. Samsung phones continue to miss out on Dolby Vision playback but we can’t say that’s a big deal, really. Unlike most other brands, Galaxy S23 and S23+ bring an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader too, which is more reliable than the regular optical ones.

Bespoke Qualcomm chip

In terms of performance, the South Asian market (including Nepal) finally got to play with a Qualcomm chip in Samsung’s flagship phones from last year’s Galaxy S22 series. And this time, Samsung has doubled down on its Qualcomm collaboration by shipping the entire S23 lineup with a custom “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy” chip. These are slightly higher binned versions of the usual 8 Gen 2 processor and thus have overclocked prime CPU and GPU cores with better performance and efficiency.

Samsung’s custom Android skin has gotten ridiculously impressive with the Android 13-based One UI 5 update too. And this experience will only get better over time as the company has promised 4 years of Android and 5 years of security updates for these phones. And although the Galaxy S23 duo might not have a high-res sensor or 100x zoom capability as the S23 Ultra, they are more than reliable camera phones. Both for photos and videos. Battery life is also notably better this time around.

Samsung Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ Specifications:

• Display: 6.1 / 6.6-inch AMOLED screen, FHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8GB LPDDR5X RAM, 128/256/512GB UFS 4.0 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: One UI 5.1 on top of Android 13 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (50MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto)
• Front Camera: 12MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (ultrasonic in-display)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6E (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, NFC, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, Barometer, Geomagnetic, Gyro, Hall, Proximity
• Battery: 3900 / 4700mAh with 25W / 45W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Price in Nepal:
  • Galaxy S23: NPR 127,999 (8/256GB)
  • Galaxy S23+: NPR 151,999 (8/256GB)
• Read our Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+ review
• Watch our Samsung Galaxy S23, S23+ review
• Buy Samsung Galaxy S23 here
• Buy Samsung Galaxy S23+ here

4. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

It’s yet another Samsung phone on our list of best flagship smartphones in Nepal. We already know that the Galaxy S22 Ultra was undoubtedly one of the most impressive Android phones from last year. And since it’s still available in Nepal at a cheaper price than the new S23 Ultra, this is still a good flagship option you can consider. From its excellent design, build quality, display, and performance, to cameras, the Galaxy S22 Ultra still holds its ground quite firmly.

This phone is pretty much a continuation of the beloved “Galaxy Note” lineup of boxy Samsung phones. With its sharp, brutalist design and a built-in silo for the S Pen, this is quite a departure from what the Galaxy S21 Ultra looked like. Regardless, the S22 Ultra’s bold look is complemented by durable build materials too. This includes Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection on either side and armor aluminum frames with greater drop and scratch resistance.

Fantastic display

On the display front, the phone has a massive 6.8″ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. And it impresses through and through every time you’re interacting with it. It has 1750 nits of peak brightness, and Samsung has also complemented this with something called “Vision Booster” to maintain easy visibility even when you’re outdoors.

And unlike the regular Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+, this one also has LTPO 2.0 controller that dynamically adjusts the refresh rate between 1 to 120Hz to save battery. Samsung also chose to reserve its best camera system for the S22 Ultra last year. Besides some obvious advantages in low-light conditions and zoom levels, we found its cameras to be pretty similar to the Galaxy S22+.

Galaxy S22 Ultra’s performance leaves no room for complaint either. With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip (instead of Exynos 2200 like on the European models) and Samsung’s One UI, you’ll absolutely love interacting with this phone. And since this guy has 4 years of major OS updates planned as well, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is going to age a lot better over time versus other flagship phones with relatively fewer promised update cycles. So yeah, despite being a year-old device, the S22 Ultra confidently secures a spot on our list of best smartphones in Nepal.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Specifications:

• Display: 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, WQHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus+
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, Up to 1TB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: One UI 4.1 on top of Android 12 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Quad (108MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto, 10MP periscope)
• Front Camera: 40MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (ultrasonic in-display)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6E (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, NFC, UWB, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Geomagnetic, Gyro, Hall, Light, Proximity
• Battery: 5000mAh with 45W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 179,999 (12/256GB)
• Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review
• Watch our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review
• Buy Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra here

3. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4

Almost the entire smartphone industry agrees that foldable is the future. And as of now, Samsung has a dominant presence in this sector. Although things are finally heating up in 2023 as brands like Oppo (Find N2 Flip), Honor (Magic Vs), and Tecno (Phantom V Fold) have launched their latest foldable phones in the global market too. And Nepali smartphone enthusiasts can also get in on the foldable revolution since Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 are both officially available in the country.

Here, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is basically a modern-day flip phone that reveals a tall 6.7″ AMOLED display when unfolded. And such a clamshell design means you’ll have no trouble storing it in your pant pocket, shirt pocket, or wherever. To make sure you can get some work done even when the phone is folded, there is a tiny 1.9″ display on the front. Using this, you can answer calls, check messages, control media playback, and all those things.

Performance, camera, display quality, etc. are a non-issue for Samsung’s latest foldable phones. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip on board, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 absolutely flies through all your everyday tasks. And even though the phone carries a tiny 3700mAh battery, its actual battery backup is actually not that bad. What’s even more impressive is that Samsung has also secured IPX8 water resistance for this foldable phone.

What about the Z Fold 4?

Moving on, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is in fact what you’d expect from a proper folding phone; with a regular-sized display up front, that can transform into a mini tablet of sorts with a simple motion. And with its fourth (or technically fifth) iteration, Samsung has nearly perfectly what an inward folding phone should be like. Yeah, it still leaves a gap when folded, and no it’s not as slim as some of the competition like the Huawei Mate X3 or the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2. But none of those things are dealbreakers, really.

And the actual foldable experience on the Z Fold 4 is fantastic. Durability is always a concern with such smartphones and Samsung has tackled this issue head-on here. The cover display is 80% tougher now, whereas the main display also gets an improved damping structure to reduce damage from external shock. The crease situation has gotten better from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 days, but it’s still nowhere near what the competition like the Oppo Find N2 offer though.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 brings armor aluminum frames and Gorilla Glass Victus+ for better durability as well. It is also IPX8 water resistant, and Samsung promises that this phone can handle 200,000 folds—just like its predecessor. Other than this, the Fold 4 brings all the premium specs you could think of. Including the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, 120Hz AMOLED displays, flagship cameras, and more. Samsung’s One UI is really well-optimized to make the most out of this foldable’s big display too.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 Specifications:

• Display:
  • Z Flip 4:
    • 1.9-inch AMOLED screen (outer), Gorilla Glass Victus+
    • 6.7-inch AMOLED screen (inner), FHD+, 120Hz refresh rate
  • Z Fold 4:
    • 6.2-inch AMOLED screen (outer), HD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus+
    • 7.6-inch AMOLED screen (inner), QHD+, 120Hz refresh rate
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12GB RAM, Up to 1TB storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: One UI 5 on top of Android 12 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera:
  • Z Flip 4: Dual (12MP primary, 12MP ultrawide)
  • Z Fold 4: Triple (50MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto)
• Front Camera:
  • Z Flip 4: 10MP sensor (hole-punch)
  • Z Fold 4: 10MP sensor (hole-punch), 4MP sensor (in-display)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6/6E (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou /, NFC, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Geomagnetic, Gyro, Hall, Light, Proximity
• Battery:
  • Z Flip 4: 3700mAh with 25W charging (power adapter not provided)
  • Z Fold 4: 4400mAh with 25W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Price in Nepal:
  • Z Flip 4: NPR 144,999 (8/256GB)
  • Z Fold 4: NPR 244,999 (12/256GB)
• Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 here
• Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 here

2. iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

And taking the silver medal on our list of best smartphones in Nepal is Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Compared to the iPhone 13 series, these phones bring some major upgrades—especially in terms of the display. While Apple has been steadily shrinking the notch ever since it first appeared in 2017’s iPhone X, the iPhone 14 Pro duo introduce a complete, interactive redesign, called “Dynamic Island”.

And you won’t find this feature non-Pro iPhone 14 either, which is why these two phones are such a big deal. With this, you can check the current activity of any background app. Like music playback, timer, map directions, etc. with a quick glance. You can also summon the playback control widget when long-pressing the Dynamic Island. And all these interactions are complemented by incredibly smooth animations that really make all the difference.

Other than this, the iPhone 14 Pro lineup retains the same 120Hz Super Retina XDR OLED display as their respective predecessors. But Apple has finally caved in and brought always-on display (AoD) support for the first time on an iPhone. The earlier implementation of Apple’s AoD—while definitely unique—was quite a battery hog though. But Apple now lets you customize your AoD profile that looks a lot like the ones offered by Android smartphone makers.

Upgraded cameras

Likewise, the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max bring an updated 48MP primary camera too. While the rest of the camera setup remains pretty much the same as last year. And in our tests, the iPhone 14 Pro often delivered better-looking images with nicer dynamic range and pleasing contrast versus the iPhone 13 Pro Max. It’s actually not that big of a difference, but the 14 Pro’s main camera takes better shots most of the time. There is also a couple of fun new camera features this time. Including something called “Action Mode” that lets you shoot incredibly stable videos even when you’re running.

Making it all possible is the new A16 Bionic chip. Unlike the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus above, Apple has actually used a new processor for its latest Pro iPhones. But once again, A16 is a very small upgrade over last year’s A15 Bionic so you’re not missing out on much on the standard iPhone 14 and 14 Plus as far as pure performance is concerned. Anyway, battery life is another triumphant feature of these phones—especially the latter. But seeing Apple put no effort into introducing faster charging speeds is a bummer.

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max Specifications:

• Display: 6.1 / 6.7-inch OLED screen, FHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Ceramic Shield
• Chipset: Apple A16 Bionic (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 6GB RAM, Up to 1TB storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: Apple iOS 16 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Triple (48MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto)
• Front Camera: 12MP sensor (notch)
• Security: Face ID (from TrueDepth camera)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano / eSIM), WiFi 6 (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / QZSS / Beidou / iBeacon, UWB, Lightning connector, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Barometer, Dual ambient light, High-g accelerometer, High dynamic range gyro, LiDAR, Proximity
• Battery: 3200 / 4323mAh with 27W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Read our iPhone 14 Pro Max review
• Watch our iPhone 14 Pro Max review
• Price in Nepal:
  • iPhone 14 Pro: NPR 180,190 (6/128GB) | NPR 198,890 (6/256GB)
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max: NPR 198,890 (6/128GB) | NPR 217,790 (6/256GB)
• Buy iPhone 14 Pro Max here
• Buy iPhone 14 Pro here

1. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Finally, our top pick in this list of best smartphones in Nepal is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung’s flagship phones have always managed to rank among the best in the business. And it feels like with the S23 Ultra, the company has effectively perfected the flagship formula. Visually, it doesn’t look much different from its predecessor. And even its specs sheet points towards some minor incremental upgrades, and that’s it. But all those really add up to make Galaxy S23 Ultra one of the best smartphones in Nepal.

Let’s start with the performance side of things because this has always been somewhat of a headache with Samsung’s flagships. Although we finally got the Qualcomm variant of the Galaxy S22 series last year, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip itself had some innate thermal issues. One that the S22 Ultra handled quite commendably, we must say. But as aforementioned, the Galaxy S23 lineup is powered by a bespoke “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy” processor with incredible performance and efficiency.

As a result, the S23 Ultra absolutely flies through all your workloads. Whether that’s usual, everyday chores—or even gaming. Thanks to the upgraded vapor cooling system, the phone stays nice and cool as well. And in practically all the games we tested, it outperformed the iPhone 14 Pro Max; both in terms of fps throughput and temperature.

Terrific battery life

The Galaxy S23 Ultra also has as impressive a battery backup as Apple’s best, if not better. Even though it uses the same 5000mAh cell as the S22 Ultra, we were easily getting around 7 – 8 hours of screen time here. This is mostly thanks to the efficiency gains of the 8 Gen 2 chip and the more energy-efficient display that Samsung has used here. And guess we don’t need to talk much about its display, right? From colors, viewing angles, brightness levels, and everything else, this is one of the best smartphone displays you could get right now.

Similarly, S23 Ultra also brings an upgraded 200MP main camera. And compared to the images from S22 Ultra’s 108MP primary shooter, it manages notably better details, sharpness, and lesser noise. It even shoots nicer photos versus the iPhone 14 Pro Max in most cases. And of course, its periscope camera capable of taking 100x zoom shots remains practically unmatched. There’s still room for improvement with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s cameras but you can rest assured that this is one of the most reliable camera phones available in Nepal right now.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Specifications:

• Display: 6.8-inch AMOLED screen, WQHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy (4nm mobile platform)
• Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, Up to 1TB UFS 4.0 storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: One UI 5.1 on top of Android 13 (upgradeable)
• Rear Camera: Quad (200MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto, 10MP periscope)
• Front Camera: 12MP sensor (hole-punch)
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (ultrasonic in-display)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 6E (tri-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou / QZSS, NFC, UWB, USB-C, 4G LTE, 5G
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Geomagnetic, Gyro, Hall, Light, Proximity
• Battery: 5000mAh with 45W charging (power adapter not provided)
• Price in Nepal: NPR 191,999 (12/256GB) | NPR 209,999 (12/512GB)
• Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review
• Watch our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review
• Buy Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra here

Summary list of best smartphones in Nepal (2023)

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Do you agree with our choice of the best smartphones in Nepal, or do you want to add something to the list? Have your say in the comments section.