The realme X2 Pro surprised me.

Stacked with flagship-level specs for around £350, with sensible compromises, making it some of the best value of the year.

Used as a benchmark: the X2 Pro charges twice as fast and takes more detailed photos.

Mentioned as a point of comparison for charging speed, as a friend's phone.

Its display is slightly better with narrower bezels, but it cost around $1,200 at launch.