In 2022, all top-tier flagship phones relied on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 but the Snapdragon 845 continues to be a very attractive proposition, especially for a mid-range phone buyer.
If performance is the trait you value most on your phones, and you are looking for a durable phone that can hold for the next couple of years, your investment in an SD 845-powered phone should be worth it. Let’s take a look at the best Snapdragon 845 options you can choose from.
Snapdragon 845 vs Snapdragon 835: What has changed?
The Snapdragon 845 is still one of the Android industry’s most advanced processors, which has a proven record. Some major highlights include:
- According to Qualcomm, Snapdragon 845 is 25% faster than its predecessor Snapdragon 835.
- This is the first Qualcomm Chip to be based on DynamIQ architecture and the first one with a system-wide Cache.
- The chipset will improve battery life by up to 30%.
- Snapdragon 845 is said to have a separate ‘Secure Processing Unit’ that will store biometrics scans in order to make devices more secure.
- The new Snapdragon 845 packs Kryo 385 Gold cores clocked at 2.8 GHz and four Kyro 385 Silver cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. The processor is integrated with Adreno 640 GPU.
- The SD 845 supports up to 4K Ultra HD video capture @60fps.
Also Read: Best Phones with Snapdragon 865 to buy in India
Best Snapdragon 845 phones in 2023
1. Poco F1 Armoured Edition
Poco F1 Armoured Edition is powered by Snapdragon 845 chipset paired with 8GB RAM. It has a dual camera setup at the back including a 12MP main and a 5MP additional sensor while the front has a 20MP selfie lens. It sports a 6.18-inch IPS LCD display panel and packs a 4000mAh battery under the hood with quick charging technology. It is available for Rs. 16,999 via Amazon.
2. Samsung Galaxy S9, S9 Plus, and Galaxy Note 9
Samsung flagships – the Galaxy S9, S9+ (review), and Galaxy Note 9 (review) all rock one of Qualcomm’s most popular chipsets to date – the Snapdragon 845. However, the Snapdragon variant of the Galaxy flagships of 2019 is reserved for the US market. In countries like India, Samsung offers these phones with comparable Exynos 9810 chipsets.
Apart from the latest chipset, the Galaxy S9, and Note9 all offer one of the best displays and cameras available in the market today. All three of them are IP68 rated and also feature stereo speakers.
Galaxy S9+ Specs: Display: 5.8-inch (18:9) Quad HD+ S-AMOLED | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: 4GB LPDDR4X | Storage: 64GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 12MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 163g | Dimensions: 147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm | Battery: 3000mAh.
Galaxy S9 Plus Specs: Display: 6.2-inch (18:9) Quad HD+ S-AMOLED | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: 6GB LPDDR4X | Storage: 64GB/256GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 12MP+12MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 189g | Dimensions: 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm | Battery: 3500mAh.
- View Samsung Galaxy S9 Specification and Lowest Price
- View Samsung Galaxy S9+ Specification and Lowest Price
- View Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Specifications Lowest Price
3. LG Velvet
LG Velvet is the latest phone with Snapdragon 845 octa-core chipset to launch in India. You can buy the standalone version or the one with a foldable dual-screen cover display and both seem a tad overpriced. At the same time, prices of LG phones are known to drop with time and the LG Velvet could perhaps be a sweet deal as we hit 2021.
Velvet comes with a 6.8-inch P-OLED display, runs Android 10 out of the box, and has a 4300mAh battery. Other highlights include a 48MP rear camera, in-display fingerprint reader, and IP68-certified water and dust resistance.
4. OnePlus 6T
The OnePlus 6T (review) is one of the most affordable Snapdragon 845 options you can buy in India. The handset has a premium glass body and is available in up to 8GB RAM with a minimum of 128GB storage.
The OnePlus 6T recent has been updated to Android 10-based Oxygen OS. As for optics, the phone has dual rear cameras, a decent selfie camera, and a remarkable battery backup. OnePlus has included an in-display fingerprint sensor at the expense of the 3.5mm audio jack.
OnePlus 6T Specs
Display: 6.42-inch (19.5:9) Full HD+ AMOLED | Processor: Snapdragon 845 SoC | RAM: up to 8GB | Storage: up to 256GB | Software: Android 10| Rear camera: 16MP + 20MP| Front camera: 20MP | Weight: 185g |Battery: 3700mAh
5. Xiaomi Poco F1 (Pocophone F1)
As we wait for the Poco F2 phone, Poco F1 (review) continues to do well for Xiaomi even in 2020. Currently. the Poco F1 was available for less than Rs 14,000 on Amazon. As for the features, the Poco F1 is backed by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and packs an impressive 4000mAh battery that as Xiaomi claims would drive the phone all through the day on medium usage.
Other specifications of Poco F1 include QuickCharge 3.0 support, faster mobile data download speeds, 12MP rear camera with real-time AI photography, and a fresh MIUI customization skin, called MIUI for Poco, with many inbuilt features.
Display: 6.18-inch notched display, 1080x2246p resolution, 500nits brightness | Processor: 2.8GHz octa-core Snapdragon 845 SoC | RAM: 6GB/8GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB | Software: Android 8.1 (Oreo) | Rear Camera: 12MP+5MP | Front Camera: 20MP | Weight: 180g | Dimensions: 155.5×75.3×8.8mm | Battery: 4000mAh.
6. Google Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 3
Google Pixel 3 XL is the most expensive phone on this list, and the reason why you’d be buying it is for its unmatched camera performance. The phone is backed by Google itself which entails its own set of advantages.
On the downside, Google doesn’t have a proper after-sales support network in India, and this often results in expensive and frustrating repairs. Besides, you can also consider Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL for a much lower price.
Google Pixel 3XL Specs
Display: 6.3-inch QHD+ AMOLED | Processor: Snapdragon 845 SoC | RAM: 4GB | Storage: up to 128GB | Software: Android 9.0 Pie| Rear camera: 12.2MP| Front camera: 8MP+8MP | Weight: 184g |Battery: 3430mAh
Google Pixel 3 Specs
Display: 5.5-inch FHD+ AMOLED | Processor: Snapdragon 845 SoC | RAM: 4GB | Storage: up to 128GB | Software: Android 9.0 Pie| Rear camera: 12.2MP| Front camera: 8MP+8MP | Weight: 148g |Battery: 2915mAh
7. Vivo Nex
The Vivo Nex entered the Indian market with Snapdragon 845 SoC and 8GB RAM. But that’s not all there is to it. The handset comes with a bezel-less and notch-less display, a motorized pop-up selfie camera, a piezoelectric earpiece, an under-display fingerprint sensor, and more.
The Vivo Nex not only packs powerful hardware but the elevating camera it pioneered has now been adopted industry-wide.
Vivo Nex: Display: 6.59-inch (19:9) Full HD+ IPS | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x | Storage: 128GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 12MP+5MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 199g | Battery: 4000mAh
8. Nokia 9 PureView
Nokia 9 Pureview is the only Snapdragon 845 phone launched in 2019. The new Nokia flagship is part of Google’s Android One program (which implies the latest Android software, and fast updates), has a notch-free screen, and an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The big-ticket feature, however, is its Penta camera arrangement. Yes, there are 5 cameras on the back, each with a different purpose. Unfortunately, the phone feels overpriced in India and isn’t one that we’d recommend.
Display: 5.99-inch display, 1440 x 2880| Processor: 2.8GHz octa-core Snapdragon 845 SoC | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Software: Android 9.0 (Pie) | Rear Camera: 5 x 12MP | Front Camera: 20MP | Weight: 172g | Battery: 4000mAh
9. Asus 5Z
At MWC 2018, Asus also unveiled its Zenfone 5Z (review), which is powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC. Irrespective of the 845 SoC, the biggest talking point of the 5Z is its fascia. The Asus 5Z has an iPhone-X-like display with a 19:9 screen aspect ratio and a notch on top.
Other features of the phone include a dual-rear camera setup, dual speakers with dual smart amplifiers, Android Oreo, facial as well as fingerprint unlock, and AI-powered fast charging for a 3300mAh battery. The Asus Zenfone 5Z currently retails for Rs 14,999 after the fresh price cuts.
Display: 6.2-inch (19:9) Full HD+ IPS | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: 4GB/6GB LPDDR4x | Storage: 64GB /128GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 12MP+8MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 155g | Dimensions: 153×75.65×7.85mm | Battery: 3300mAh.
Another Asus phone with Snapdragon 845 phone you may consider is Asus ROG Phone (Specs and Lowest Price)
10. LG G7 ThinQ and LG V40 ThinQ
LG G7 ThinQ and the LG V40 ThinQ have almost similar hardware on the inside. The two phones differ in terms of design though.
The G7 ThinQ has an IPS display with a notch at the top and a dedicated hardware key for Google Assistant, whereas the LG V40 ThinQ follows the same design as the last years V35s and V30s.
As far as specifications and features are concerned, the LG V40 phone comes a 19.5:9 P-OLED display, a Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB RAM, and a dual-camera setup on the back. The phone is reported to come with an advanced iris scanner for facial recognition.
LG G7 ThinQ: Display: 6.1-inch (19:9) QHD+ IPS | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: up to 6GB LPDDR4x | Storage: up to 128GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 16MP+16MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 162g | Battery: 3000mAh.
LG V40 ThinQ: Display: 6.4-inch (19.5:9) QHD+ P-OLED | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: up to 6GB LPDDR4x | Storage: up to 128GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 16MP+16MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 169g | Battery: 3300mAh.
11. Oppo Find X
Oppo Find X is another heartthrob which has literally become the talking point for tech enthusiasts with pop-up optics and a curved 6.4-inch screen that offers more than 93 percent screen-to-body ratio front. But if look beyond that, it also top of lines innards including a Snapdragon 845 chipset and 8GB of RAM.
The Find X also offers a 25MP selfie camera, 20MP +16MP dual rear cameras, 256GB of inbuilt storage space, and 3D face recognition technology.
Oppo Find X: Display: 6.42-inch (19.5:9) Full HD+ AMOLED| Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x | Storage: 256GB | Software: Android 8.1 | Rear Camera: 16MP+20MP | Front Camera: 25MP | Weight: 186g | Battery: 3730mAh
12. HTC U12 Plus
HTC U12 Plus is a very interesting flagship. One variant even has a partially see-through back cover. The U12 Plus includes an HDR 10 compatible SLCD 6 screen and has Snapdragon 845, 6GB RAM and up to 128GB internal storage.
The handset has a 21MP rear camera with OIS and dual front-facing selfie cameras. It’s water-resistant, has Boomsound Audio, IP68 water resistance, and a 3500mAh battery.
Display: 6.0-inch (19:9) QHD+ IPS | Processor: Snapdragon 845 octa-core SoC | RAM: 6GB LPDDR4x | Storage: up to 128GB | Software: Android 8.0 | Rear Camera: 12MP+16MP | Front Camera: 8MP | Weight: 188g | Battery: 3500mAh
ALSO READ: 8 Best Snapdragon 855 Plus Phones To Buy In 2019
12 Best Snapdragon 845 Phones to buy in 2023
As expected, the Snapdragon 845 is no longer the first choice for flagship phones this year. It’s still a powerful chipset, especially if you are looking to buy the best of 2018-19 at a bargain price. We have included the phones that are currently available in India. So, some of the phones that didn’t make the cut are Razer Phone 2, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, Black Shark Helo, Sony Xperia XZ3, and Mi 8 Explorer Edition
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Phones | Score |
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | 8.3 |
LG Velvet | 8.0 |
Xiaomi Pocophone F1 | 7.4 |
Google Pixel 3 XL | 7.8 |
LG V40 ThinQ | 8.0 |
Nokia 9 PureView | 8.0 |
Asus Zenfone 5Z | 7.4 |
LG G7 ThinQ | 8.0 |
Oppo Find X Poco F1 Armoured Edition | 7.5 |
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