There was once a time that mobile phones were simple and functional objects that people would use for urgent business calls or in case of an emergency. Now they are so much more than that. With the advent of smartphones and high-speed Internet access, they are a window into the rest of the world, the way we communicate with our friends, family and colleagues. Mobiles are now also a fashion accessory.
Your choice of smartphone says as much about you as your choice of clothes or shoes. That means when it’s time to get your new smartphone, you need to pick the one that is right for you and portrays the image you want people to engage with. Here’s our countdown to the top 10 smartphones…. which one is your favourite?
10. Samsung Galaxy Note 4
The Samsung Galaxy Note really is a super smartphone with all the specs. A 2K screen, a massive 3220mAh battery and the awesome Snapdragon 805 processor make the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 an amazing experience for the user. It’s as big as a phone can be without losing its practical portability, so if you need as much screen real estate as possible, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a fantastic choice of smartphone.
Although phablets aren’t for everyone and it is on the expensive side for a smartphone, its sheer usability, fantastic camera and amazing battery life make it a real good choice for those who need to work or play on the go.
09. Vodafone Smart Prime 6
One of the few phones that are now tied to a particular provider, but we had to include it just because of the awesome value for money that the Vodafone Smart Prime 6 represents. At sub £100, you get amazing battery life, 4G and a brilliant Moto G grade screen.
The Android is as close to Vanilla without actually being Vanilla and it’s got a good processor that can handle multiple apps well. However, the one problem is that you do have to go to Vodafone to use it. Fine if you are already with them, but you may have a good deal with your current provider, which may prevent you from going with this amazing little phone.
08. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact aims to give the full Z3 experience in the smaller and more management form of the compact phone. It’s a really well built phone that has a solid feel and also has a great battery life, something that not all compact sized phones are able to provide. The camera is OK and all in all it’s a great little phone if the size of the full size Sony Xperia Z3 puts you off.
07. Motorola Moto X
Motorola were one of the pioneers of the mobile phone market but in recent years they have fallen behind Sony, Samsung and others when it comes to producing good quality smartphones. This all changed, however, with the Moto G (and its budget cousin the Moto E), which saw Motorola come out fighting again.
The Motorola Moto X sees Motorola taking the battle to Sony and Samsung even more with an understated subtle but awesome smartphone. Almost pure Android, it has a 13MP camera, voice controls and an amazing 5.2-inch display that has to be seen to be believed. One of the fastest ever phones to be made; it’s priced very competitively and is only let down by a maximum storage capacity of 32GB. If you can get over that, then there aren’t many better phones out there.
06. HTC One M9+
As we write, this phone is only available on import, but it is still definitely worth a good look if you are looking to upgrade your current phone. Basically a souped-up HTC One M9, it features a stunning 2K screen and keeps all of the importantly fashionable parts of the original M9’s unique design.
With a fingerprint sensor that looks fool proof and works amazingly well, the only thing that lets the HTC One M9+ down is the fact that it can get a bit sluggish when multitasking. If that wouldn’t be an issue and you like your smartphone to attract admiring glances, then the HTC One M9+ is definitely worth a look at.
05. Apple iPhone 6
Once the king of the entire smartphone world, the Apple iPhone has seen increasing competition as the years have gone on. Now, it really has been surpassed by a number of its Android competitors that are better in almost every way. Better cameras, bigger processors and longer lasting batteries. But one thing remains in Apple’s favour. All of these phones aren’t Apple.
As you’d expect, it is built immaculately and is very, very easy to use and if you love Apple products, you’ll love this too. It’s just that there are some better products now out on the market. Maybe we’ll have to wait for the iPhone 7 to see Apple come out fighting against the increasing popularity of Android.
04. OnePlus 2
Probably the best value handset by far on our countdown of the top 10 smartphones, the Oneplus 2 is unlike any other phone available. You can’t buy it from shops and you can’t get it from the major networks. Unlike Apple, Samsung, Sony and others go to a huge amount of effort to get you to buy their phones, OnePlus actually make it difficult!
They are only available from OnePlus themselves and you actually need an invite from them to buy one! It’s a clever ploy, however, and one that has seen hundreds of thousands of people rush to buy one of these phones. The OnePlus 2 is a real smart piece of kit and it’s absolutely amazing value for the price you pay.
03. LG G4
The flagship phone from LG, it is a phone that has really brought LG into the premier league of smartphone manufactures. There was a time when LG were quite innovative in the mobile phone market but in recent years they have languished as mid market phones that are functional but nothing special.
That’s all changed with the advent of the LG G4. With a luxurious leatherback and piercing sharp screen, it’s packed full of some of the smartest tech around. The only thing letting it down is the battery life. This aside, it remains perhaps the strongest Sansing S6 challenger around.
02. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
At number two in our countdown is the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+. Very expensive, but worth every single penny, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is an amazing phone. As a larger version of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, it has everything that the S6 has but with an extra splash of screen, which makes it an amazing ‘phablet’.
Quite simply it has an amazing screen, a superb camera and an unsurpassed build quality. The only thing that prevents it from being number one on our rundown of the very best smartphones on the market is the fact that it is prohibitively expensive and some people may not like the sheer size of the Edge+.
01. Samsung Galaxy S6
It is no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy S6 is the number one on our countdown of the top 10 smartphones. Answering every criticism that was thrown at the Samsung S5, the S6 is an amazing phone that has once again left Samsung as the best manufacturer of smartphones in the world.
Basically exactly the same as the Edge+, it comes in a more compact size, which will be more manageable for most people. Superb sound, camera and screen, there really is nothing more to say about the Samsung Galaxy S6. It is quite simply the best phone on the market right now.