(Results) Close-up challenge phones revealed! Find out if you got it right

Last week, we challenged you to identify smartphones using only small parts of their designs. We showed you close-ups of a mix of very popular and more obscure devices. In some cases, the brand was obvious, but the specific model wasn’t.

We’re now ready to reveal the phones we challenged you with, so you can see how well you did. Once you’re done, you can let us know how many you identified correctly, either by voting in our poll or by leaving a comment.

iPhone 12 Pro

This challenge might serve as proof that Apple’s design really is all the same. On top of the shared visual language, iPhones from the past few years have all had blue versions, which made this particular challenge more difficult. However, most of you guessed correctly that that was an iPhone 12 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy A55

Variety isn’t a strong suit of Samsung’s design language either. That’s why guessing the Samsung Galaxy A55 proved especially challenging and most of you got it wrong. What could’ve helped distinguish the Galaxy A55 from the Galaxy S23 is the positioning of the LED flash. And while the Galaxy S24 FE might look identical, it isn’t available in the Navy Blue color. The devil’s in the details.

Samsung Galaxy S22

Recognizing the Samsung Galaxy S22 should’ve been fairly easy, considering almost 90% of you got it right. The distinct look of this particular Galaxy is one reason some people consider it Samsung’s best design in recent years. Personally, I’m also fully on board with the green color, which often comes across more like a bluish teal.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

The hinge is the most complicated part of any foldable smartphone, and the hinge of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is not an exception. Once again, most of you have recognized the correct model, and almost everyone recognized Samsung’s design language.

Honor Magic 7 Pro

The circular camera bump on the back is a design element seen almost exclusively on Chinese smartphones, though different companies treat the idea differently. On the Honor Magic 7 Pro, which is the device in this photo, the perfectly circular glass module sits atop an asymmetrical bump, adding a bit of character to an otherwise clean design.

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Seeing most of the back of a modern phone should make it easy to recognize the model, but not when it comes to Apple. The iPhone 14 Pro Max in this photo proved nearly indistinguishable for most of you, earning the fewest votes. No judgment here. We know the differences between iPhones aren’t on the back.

Nothing Phone (2a)

No other brand can quite compare to Nothing’s design language, but within its own lineup, the company is mostly recycling the same concept. Still, most of you recognized the Nothing Phone (2a) in the photo, likely thanks to its distinctive LED light pattern.

Red Hydrogen One

Probably the most obscure device on the list, the RED Hydrogen One is also the most distinguishable one. However, when looked at closely, it looks a lot like a rugged phone, which made about a quarter of you guess wrongly that was a CAT S42. If you didn’t get this one correctly, you shouldn’t worry, almost nobody have seen a RED phone in the real world.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+

Once again, you’ve proven that you know your phones, and over half of you correctly guessed at least the brand. However, this one is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+, and once you’re done pronouncing its name, you can appreciate its simple design and soft edges, which now carry a slightly retro feel.

How many did you guess?

Surely, the answers were obvious to some of you, while others might have struggled here and there. Whatever your results, don’t sweat it as some of the riddles were very challenging. If you guessed all the phones correctly, you deserve a tap on the shoulder, so tell us in the comments and we’re going to admire you.