Top 10 Smartphones You Can Buy In 2015
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The
smartphone market is very healthy at the moment. Whilst there’s no one,
single, perfect smartphone, some recent releases have come close. But
which one is best for you?
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Fortunately, I have some answers. Having fumbled around with almost every major smartphone over the last 12 months, I’ve picked my top 10 which is based on performance, quality, features and all-round awesomeness. I’ve also added a few special mentions at the bottom which reflect some of best value for money handsets that don’t quite cut it against the best.
If you want more information, be sure to click through to the Forbes linked review for each device. Hopefully the summary – which is in no particular order – will help you finally decide which company you should hand a giant wad of cash over to.
HTC One M9
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: $649
- Display: 5-inch 1080p
- Battery size: 2840 mAh with quick charging
- Camera: 20.7MP (rear) 4MP (front)
- Platform: Android with Sense 7
- Features: dual-tone finish and all metal chassis, improved camera, quick charging, improved Sense overlay.
HTC’s new One M9 caused a bit of a stir when it was released last month. Why? Because of how strikingly similar it is to the M8. On first glance, that’s a fair criticism, they do look almost identical. But on closer inspection, there are some clear distinctions between the two, not to mention some handy upgrades.
For example, the improved dual-tone finish design with gold coloured front plating makes the M9 one of the best looking smartphones I’ve ever used. A clear improvement on the already attractive M8: the M9 is a truly remarkable looking smartphone that stands in-between technology and jewelery.
There are also some other notable adjustments and upgrades worth mentioning. HTC focussed on the providing HTC users with well-honed experiences rather than gimmicky features. Aside from the new Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB of RAM that makes the M9 lightning quick, there’s also improved audio playback that plays high-quality tracks, and impressive external Boom Sound speakers that are louder than any other smartphone.
HTC will also bundle in a pair of high-end headphones so you can properly experience the improved audio playback.
The battery size has been increased to 2840mAh over the M8’s 2600mAh. But, bafflingly, the M9’s doesn’t seem to last as long as the M8. In fact the concerningly poor battery life is the handset’s biggest drawback and prevents it from being the complete smartphone.
Check out my HTC One M9 video review below.
Sony Xperia Z3
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: From $529
- Display: 5.2-inch, 1080p IPS
- Battery size: 3100mAh
- Camera: 20.7MP (rear) 2.2MP (front)
- Platform: Android with Sony overlay
- Features: waterproof, microSD, PS4 remote play, long battery life and very bright display.
Sony’s Xperia Z3 is like the Swiss Army knife of smartphones. It practically does everything – and little bit more.
Design-wise, the Z3’s waterproof housing, microSD slot (an increasingly rare feature) and premium glass display combine functionality and flare. If you look at a comparable device that offers both water-resistance and expandable storage – the Samsung Galaxy S5 for example – the Z3 blows it away on looks. Keeping the device that good-looking and incorporating that much functionality is to Sony’s credit.
On top of that it has a large 3100mAh battery that will comfortably last for two days with medium use, a decent 20.7MP camera (although results are inconsistent) and Sony’s Android overlay, which happens to be my favourite non-stock Android UI. The handset also features Sony’ IPS display technology which is colourful and extremely bright, even when the brightness is down.
The best bit? PS4 remote play. You can play your PS4 on the Xperia Z3 with the exclusive remote play app.
There are a few snags, however. The plugs that cover the connections and keep the Xperia Z3 waterproof can wear easily and replacing them will be awkward. The large top and bottom bezels also make the phone larger than it needs to be.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: From $729
- Display: 5.7-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED
- Battery size: 3220mAh
- Camera: 16MP (rear) 3.7MP (front)
- Platform: Android with TouchWiz
- Features: microSD, removable rear cover and replaceable battery, stylus pen included, Samsung productivity apps, long battery life and one of the best Android cameras on the market.
The Note 4 represents the best that Samsung can offer. The radical redesign of the S6 and S6 Edge will divide some, particularly because of the omission of popular stalwarts like a removable battery and microSD slot.
The Note 4 has both, not to mention a Super AMOLED QHD display and the same 16MP camera as the S6 and S6 Edge (albeit without the f1.9 lens). Before the S6 and S6 Edge were released, the Note 4 was the best Android camera hands-down. It’s now second best, but still very capable.
The phablet also includes a stylus pen that can recognise hand-written text and provide more dexterity when editing pictures, or anything else that requires intricacy.
It’s a powerful all-rounder that will give you hours of battery life and offer plenty of functionality. It does, however, also mean you have to deal with Samsung’s old, garish, TouchWiz. As well as Samsung’s policy of pre-loading smartphones with a shocking amount of bloatware that makes your app drawer look crowded before you’ve downloaded your first app.
iPhone 6 And iPhone 6 Plus
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: From $649 for the iPhone 6 and $749 for the iPhone 6 Plus
- Display: 720p 4.7-inch iPhone 6. 1080p 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus
- Battery size: 1810 mAh (iPhone 6) 2915 (iPhone 6 Plus) with quick charging
- Camera: 8MP (rear) 1.2MP (front)
- Platform: iOS
The improved size, faster charging, Apple Pay, slick design and new iOS features combined is what makes the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus excellent. But, for me, the camera is the standout feature. The amount of quality Apple has managed to eek out of the 8MP sensor is impressive, and, until the Samsung Galaxy S6 was released, completely unrivalled.
Despite being largely
similar phones, there are some differences that set them apart. The
larger iPhone has a bigger battery, optical image stabilization (OIS)
and a 1080p display. The smaller iPhone has a smaller battery, no OIS
and a 720p display, although the pixel density isn’t too dissimilar
between both because of the smaller display size on the iPhone 6.
Apple set the standard
(and broke some records) in terms of making a smartphone that’s popular
for the majority. Users are willing to overlook the average battery life
on the iPhone 6 and consistent software issues in favour of a better overall experience – plus a few extras like Apple Pay.
Motorola Nexus 6
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: from $499
- Display: 5.96-inch AMOLED quad-HD display
- Battery size: 3220mAh with quick charging
- Camera: 13MP (rear) 2MP(front)
- Platform: Android
- Features: stock Android, active display, wireless charging, large battery
Motorola and Google’s Nexus 6 shifted philosophy from previous devices. Where the Nexus 4 and 5 proudly carried the ‘affordable flagship’ name-badge, the Nexus 6 is a much pricier smartphone.
And there’s reason for that. The Nexus 6 comes with some serious specifications, including; a AMOLED quad-HD display, quick charging, a giant 3200 mAh battery that’ll last two days, and a decent 13MP camera. The Nexus 6 also carries on the simplicity of previous Nexus handsets by being a powerful smartphone – with no gimmicks – and clean stock Android running it.
The large 5.96-inch display puts this in the phablet range, which might not be for everyone. There’s no escaping the fact that the Nexus 6 pushes the limits of how large a smartphone can reasonably be. If you’re thinking about buying it, you’ll need to try it first to get an idea of just how large it is.
Motorola Droid Turbo
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: From $600 (Verizon only)
- Display: 5.2-inch Super AMOLED quad-HD
- Battery size: 3900mAh with quick charging
- Camera: 21MP (rear) 2MP (front)
- Platform: Android
- Features: stock Android, active display, large battery, wireless charging
Motorola’s Droid Turbo was quietly one of the best android handsets of 2014. It sports a list of specifications that reads like an all-star cast of a blockbuster movie.
Here goes: a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED quad-HD display, 21MP camera, whopping 3900mAh battery, quick charge (60% in 30 minutes), 3GB of RAM and Motorola’s active display. It also supports wireless charging and runs on stock Android. It’s a true all-rounder.
The slick design and thin frame is deceptive given how large the battery is – not to mention everything else that’s packed into the Droid Turbo. Its 5.2-inch display feels just right, and the plastic casing means it’s not as slippery as all-metal handsets.
The only downside – and it’s a big one – is that it’s exclusively available on Verizon, which means it comes pre-loaded with a LOT of Verizon-related bloatware.
Samsung Galaxy S6 And Galaxy S6 Edge
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: From £749 for the S6 and $949 for the Edge
- Display: 5.1-inch Super Amoled quad-HD
- Battery size: 2600mAh (Edge) 2550 mAh (S6) with quick charging
- Camera: 16MP (rear) front (5MP)
- Platform: Android with TouchWiz
- Features: Samsung Pay, wireless charging, heart rate monitor, powerful camera and curved screen for the edge variant.
Read Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review here, and the Galaxy S6 hands-on here
The updated 64-bit architecture makes both devices incredibly fast, beating the competition hands-down in tests. The improved Super AMOLED quad-HD display betters Samsung’s already excellent Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 counterparts, which is quite an achievement. Colours are vibrant and the devices can reach an extraordinary level of brightness.
But, perhaps, the 16MP rear camera with a new f1.9 lens is the standout feature. The Note 4 had the best Android camera at the time, but it looks as if the S6 and S6 Edge may have overtaken it. It even competes comfortably with Apple’s iPhone 6 (a comparison Samsung was keen to make at the official launch event) in detail and low-light photography.
The main differences between the two devices come in the form of design and battery size. The S6 Edge, as you’d guess, has a dual-curved screen that provides little extra functionality, it also has a larger 2600mAh battery. The less curvy Galaxy S6 has a smaller 2550mAh battery.
Alas, it’s not all good news. Samsung’s strive for physical perfection meant that popular features like the replaceable battery and microSD slot were sacrificed in favour of a slimmer – premium- design. The battery size has also slimmed down, which means the S6 and S6 edge – despite improvements in power efficiency – won’t come close to the two days of battery life on offer from the likes of Sony’s Xperia Z3.
LG G3
Image credit: Jay McGregor
- Price: From $500
- Display: 5.5-inch quad-HD IPS
- Battery size: 3000mAh
- Camera: 13MP (rear) 2.1MP (front)
- Platform: Android with LG overlay
- Features: laser auto-focus, slick user-interface, removable rear cover and replaceable battery
Read the LG G3 review here
The QHD display is one of the G3’s main draws (it was one of the first smartphones to boast this display technology), which looks sharp and crisp. There’s also a hugely improved user interface that dovetails nicely with the quality of the display.
The premium design and top-end display technology is complemented by the fact that it’s one of the cheapest smartphones on the list, so you’ll definitely get value for money. Throw in a laser-based auto-focus – and striking design – and the LG G3 resolutely stands toe-to-toe with the best.
Unfortunately that much power in the display also means that battery life if severely affected, with the G3 struggling to last an entire day with medium use. There’s also the strangely placed buttons on the back of the device, which are awkward to reach with such a large device.
Special mentions
It’d be impossible to compile a list of the best smartphones on the planet without mentioning the OnePlus One. It’s the definition of value for money with its $349 price-point and impressive list of specifications, which include a full HD display, Snapdragon 801 processor with 3GB of RAM and a large 3100mAh battery. Despite its cheap price tag, the design and attention to detail – at the very least – mimic something from the high-end.
There’s also a notable mention for Motorola’s Moto E (2015) and Moto G (second
generation), both of which are very affordable and impressive in what
they bring to the table in terms of performance. Forbes’ Gordon Kelly
labeled the former as “Android’s best cheap smartphone”.
source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaymcgregor/2015/04/02/the-10-best-smartphones-in-the-world/
