It’s May, and the big smartphones of the year are finally in, well three of them at least. HTC and Samsung have both now launched their flagship smartphones in the HTC One and the Galaxy S 4. Both are without doubt stunning smartphones, whichever you choose you’re certain to get a very good Android experience regardless. LG have finally launched the Optimus G Pro outside of Asia, albeit solely on AT&T. Other than that, things seem to have pretty much stayed the same and it will probably stay like this for a little while, until we (hopefully) see something out of Motorola later on in the year. A lot of our readers have been picking up a Galaxy S 4 or a HTC One, so let us know what your poison is in the comments below!
10. Motorola Droid RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD
Wow, the Droid RAZR refuses to go away, huh? Well, its with good reason that these two are still around, after all they’re well-built, made for the US’ largest network and while updates aren’t exactly speedy, they will come. It’s not like Verizon to keep one of their flagship devices without the latest version of Android (or as close as they can be) and in the case of the RAZR MAXX HD, you’re getting a smartphone with some brilliant battery life numbers, easily enough to last you all day and then some. If you’re on Verizon and all you want is a solid offering, then why not give these a look, it is worth noting however that come this fall there should be new Droid RAZRs hitting Big Red.
- Dual-core 1.4Ghz Snapdragon S4 Plus
- 4.7″ Super AMOLED Display 1280 x 720 – 312 ppi
- WiFi b/g/n
- 4G LTE on Verizon
- Bluetooth 4.0 with LE+EDR
- 16GB of Storage with room for microSD
- 1GB RAM
- 8MP rear-facing camera with 1.3MP front-facing
- 2530 mAh Battery – 3300 mAh on the MAXX HD
- Launched with Android 4.0 but, updated to Android 4.1
09. LG Optimus G
It pains me to put the Optimus G so high up on the list, especially when you take a look at the spec sheet and you see more than a solid offering from LG here. Having said that, the Optimus G is more than likely going to be a device that gets left behind when it comes to updates. Of course, this is probably more down to the likes of AT&T than it is LG. Regardless, the Optimus G Pro can now be had for $199 on Ma Bell and if you don’t mind larger screens than that’s perhaps a better offering to go offer. This is a good device from LG but, it quickly became one of the rest.
- 4.7″1280 x 768 pixel resolution (320 ppi)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
- 8 MP rear-facing camera with 1.3 MP front-facing
- 4G LTE on AT&T’s Network
- 16 GB storage
- 2 GB RAM
- 802.11 b/g/n
- NFC
- 2,100 mAh
- Android 4.1
08. Sony Xperia Z
Ah, the Xperia Z, the darling of this year’s CES when it came to smartphones and a sign that Sony were on their way to great things, right? Right? Nope. The Xperia Z is a great device but, there are so many things holding them back, most of which are down to Sony and their business practices. Not only has the Z still not launched in the US (word is, it’s hitting T-Mo shortly) but, it’s crazily priced. When you take a look at similar smartphones to the Z, and then take a look at the price tag – the Xperia comes out looking far too expensive. Once again, Sony have proven that they can make good quality smartphones but, they still don’t know how to play the game when it comes to distribution and pricing.
- 5″ 1920—1080 resolution (441 PPI)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
- 13.1MP rear facing camera with 2.2MP front-facing
- 16GB of storage with room for microSD card slot
- 2GB of RAM
- 802.11 a//g/n
- NFC
- 2,330mAh
- Android 4.1
07. Samsung Galaxy S III
The Galaxy S III has been a faithful friend to the Android community and we’re pretty sure that most of you aren’t going to upgrade from this to the Galaxy S 4? I thought so. The Galaxy S III was a sort of watershed moment for Samsung, the same device launched on all the four major carriers and they ended up going on to sell over 40 Million of the things! There’s no denying that the phone is getting a little bit long in the tooth now but, Samsung have a good record supporting their flagship devices and we have no doubt the Galaxy S III is going to stay up to date for a long time yet. Regardless, the Galaxy S III is past its prime and Samsung have moved on to better things. If you can still pick up one of these on your carrier cheap, do it. The Galaxy S III is a solid device and will probably be supported long after most other smartphones on this list.
- 1.5 Ghz Dual-core 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S4, Quad-core 1.4Ghz Exynos in some markets
- 4.8″ Super AMOLED HD Display at 1280—720 – with 306ppi
- 4G on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon – HSPA+ on T-Mobile
- 16, 32 or 64GB storage with room for microSD
- 2GB RAM
- 8MP rear-facing camera with 1.9MP front-facing camera
- 2,100 mAh battery
- Launched with Android 4.0 but, Updated to Android 4.1.2
06. HTC Droid DNA
When HTC and Verizon announced the DNA it signaled the beginning of another big change when it comes to screen resolution. The time of the Full HD 1080p smartphone display was here, and the DNA was certainly not a bad device to star things off. The DNA is a quick and powerful device with a brilliant display, it’s just a shame that it’s only available on Verizon and that the HTC One seems to have quickly overshadowed this device and with HTC’s shaky track record of supporting devices, the DNA might find itself on the support chopping block sooner than it really should be. While the Snapdragon 600 is a quick CPU, if you’re on Verizon and want a new device, the DNA is not a bad way to go.
- SLCD3 1080p with a mind-blowing 440ppi density
- Qualcomm S4 Pro 1.5GHz quad-core CPU
- 2GB of RAM
- 8MP camera rear-facing camera capable of 1080p at 30fps
- f/2.0 2.1 MP Front-facing camera capable of 720p
- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+ on top
- 4G LTE
- 2.5v headset and speaker amplifier with Beats Audio
- 2,020 mAh Battery
- 9.1mm thin
05. LG Optimus G Pro
Finally, LG have brought the Optimus G Pro stateside, albeit to just AT&T. For some time now, the Optimus G Pro has been available in South Korea and Japan but, LG have now launched the 5.5-inch monster over here in the West. With a 1080p display and a Snapdragon 600 CPU, this looks like a great device from LG. The only problem is that it’s not going to appeal to a whole lot of people, regardless of how you feel about these large-screen devices, it’s clear that they aren’t yet a device for everyone. With little other than the size enticing people, what the Optimus G Pro have to offer? If you’re someone who has room for a bigger smartphone, then the Optimus G Pro is a great device but, for those looking to keep their smartphones around, or below, the 5-inch mark we’re waiting on LG for a true successor to the Optimus G.
- 5.5-inch Full HD Display (1920×1080 resolution)
- 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
- 2GB or DDR RAM
- 32GB internal storage; Expandable via microSD card slot
- 13MP rear-facing camera; 2.1MP front-facing camera
- 3,140mAh battery
- Android 4.1.2 – Jelly Bean
- 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4mm dimensions
04. Samsung Galaxy Note II
The Galaxy Note II is certainly a polarizing device, much like the Optimus G Pro, it’s far too large for others and just right for some. Nevertheless, Samsung has done their best with the Note II to make sure that there’s added value here and that comes in the form of the S Pen, firstly, it’s great for games like Fruit Ninja but, it’s also great for taking quick notes and lists. Not only that but, the Note II has some pretty awesome battery life and it can be had on all four major carriers, which is a lot more than can be said for the Optimus G Pro. Whether or not you like big devices is irrelevant, the Note II is a successful device and it still continues to be one of the better large-screen devices on the market.
- Quad core 1.6 GHz Exynos 4412
- 5.5″ Super AMOLED Display at 1280 x 720 – 265 ppi
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB storage with room for microSD card
- 8MP rear-facing camera with 1.9MP front-facing
- 4G LTE on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon
- WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC
- 3,100 mAh
- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
03. Google Nexus 4
I know what a lot of you are thinking – this is number 3 still because of stock Android?! Well, that makes up a big part of it but, now that Google have had their stock issues under control for a while, the Nexus 4 is still one of the best value devices on the market. Not only is it going to be supported for far longer than any other phone on this list, Google I/O is coming up and having a Nexus 4 is the best way to get a hold of those new goodies! Sure, there are a few niggles with it but, overall the Nexus 4 is a solid device and it will last you for a long time to come.
- 4.7″1280 x 768 pixel resolution (320 ppi)
- Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
- 8 MP rear-facing camera with 1.3 MP front-facing
- 4G HSPA+ up to 42mbps
- 16 GB storage
- 2 GB RAM
- 802.11 b/g/n
- NFC
- 2,100 mAh
- Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
02. Samsung Galaxy S 4
Honestly, it’s a very close call between the Galaxy S 4 and the HTC One – really close. The Galaxy S 4 takes the number two spot mostly because it seems that Samsung is content with taking the easy way out with the Galaxy S 4. Sure, there’s a hell of a lot on the inside and a slew of new features but, if you were to put this and the S III next to each other, a lot of people would only see the size as the difference. Where HTC has paid attention to both the hardware and software, it looks Samsung has focused on packing in as many features into the S 4 as they can, with reckless abandon. Where the HTC One seems refined, the S 4 looks like Samsung has tried to do too many things, with too little focus.
- 5-inch 1080p displayHD Super AMOLED Display 440PPI
- 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon Processor S4 Pro/Exynos 5 Octa for the International Version
- 2GB of RAM
- 16GB/32GB/64GB internal storage; Expandable via MicroSD card up to 64GB
- 13MP rear-facing camera 2MP front-facing camera
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth 4.0
- IR Blaster
- 2,600 mAh battery
- Android 4.2.2 – Jelly Bean
01. HTC One
Again, it’s very close between this and the Galaxy S 4 but, the One is a stunning device, not only does it look good but, it feels great in the hand and there is some real attention to detail when it comes to the build of this device. You can check out our review here (Galaxy S 4 Review coming soon) and if you’re on AT&T you can enter our giveaway for a chance to win one. The One is a great device that brings some awesome new features to the smartphone game, like full-bodied stereo speakers and a stunning display. While the UltraPixel camera is not as revolutionary as HTC want us to believe, it takes shots incredibly quickly and takes in a lot of light. Everything put together makes a smartphone that looks good, sounds good and takes good photos. Overall it’s a great package, and the best smartphone we’ve seen from HTC in far too long.
- 4.7-inch 1080p display giving it a 468ppi
- 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
- 2GB of RAM
- 32/64GB internal storage; No microSD card slot
- “UltraPixel” rear-facing camera, 2MP front-facing camera
- Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS and GLONASS
- 2,300mAh battery
- Android 4.1.2 with Sense 5.0
- IR Reciever allowing you to use the HTC One as a TV remote