10. Meizu M3 Note
The Meizu M3 Note is one of the best mid-range smartphones in India. This device is really affordable, despite the fact it comes with a great metal build, and really compelling specifications. The Meizu M3 Note features a 5.5-inch fullHD display, 3GB of RAM and the phone is fueled by the Helio P10 64-bit octa-core SoC. The 2GB RAM variant of this device is also available in China, but not in India.
9. Xiaomi Mi Max
Xiaomi did not exactly introduce many phablets thus far, and the Mi Max is the only such device this China-based company had released this year. The Mi Max is a mid-range phablet which comes with a 6.44-inch fullHD display, 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB / 128GB of internal storage. The phone also packs in a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, and comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box, while the company’s MIUI 7 OS is available on top of Google’s OS.
Xiaomi Mi Max (16GB of storage) - $189
Xiaomi Mi Max (32GB of storage) - $246
Xiaomi Mi Max (64GB of storage) - $257
Xiaomi Mi Max (128GB of storage) - $351
8. LeEco Le Max 2
The LeEco Le Max 2 is LeEco’s current flagship. This is also a phablet device, though a considerably smaller one compared to the Mi Max. This handset sports a 5.7-inch QHD display, 4GB / 6GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB / 128GB of native storage. This device is made out of metal, and comes with a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. The base model (3GB RAM + 32GB storage) costs Rs. 14,999 ($226) in India.
LeEco Le Max 2 - $402 (6GB RAM variant)
7. LG G5
The LG V20 has been announced quite recently, but it is not yet available in India. LG’s first flagship of the year, the LG G5, stands side-by-side with the LG V20, and it is currently available in India. This smartphone comes with a 5.3-inch QHD display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable native storage. The phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 820, and its 2,800mAh battery is removable.
6. Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The Galaxy Note 7 has been announced by Samsung, but as you all know, the company had to cancel Note 7 shipments due to battery issues, even though only a tiny portion of the devices were having issues with it. The Galaxy Note 7 is not yet available in India either way, so that leaves us with the Galaxy Note 5, which was introduced last year. This is still quite a powerful device, and if you’re looking for a really capable phablet equipped with a stylus, the Note 7 sure is both of those things, and certainly an option to consider.
5. Google Nexus 6P
Google’s new Nexus / Pixel devices are expected to arrive next month, and as we’re waiting for them to get announced, the Nexus 6P is still the flagship Nexus smartphone. The Nexus 6P is still quite powerful, and can be upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat. This phablet comes with a 5.7-inch QHD display, 3GB of RAM, and it is fueled by the Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core processor. It is also worth mentioning that the Nexus 6P comes with a really capable camera, and that it is made out of metal.
4. Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi had introduced a number of smartphones this year, and the Mi 5 is still their flagship smartphone. Unfortunately, the ‘Pro’ variant of this smartphone (the one with 4GB of RAM) is not available in the country, but you can purchase the regular 3GB RAM variant though. The device is priced at Rs. 22,999 ($346), which makes it one of the more affordable flagships out there. The device sports a 5.15-inch 1080p display, and it is fueled by the Snapdragon 820 64-bit quad-core SoC.
Xiaomi Mi 5 – $290 (3GB RAM + 32GB storage variant)
Xiaomi Mi 5 – $368 (3GB RAM + 64GB storage variant)
Xiaomi Mi 5 Pro – $441 (4GB RAM + 128GB storage variant
3. HTC 10
The HTC 10 is one of the best devices of the year according to many reviews that have been published to date, including our own. This smartphone is made out of metal, and it comes with a 5.2-inch QHD display. The phone also packs in 4GB of RAM, and it is fueled by the Snapdragon 820, like many other 2016 flagships are. The 12-megapixel OIS camera is placed on the back of the HTC 10, and even though this is not one of the most affordable devices out there, it certainly is one of the best ones.
2. OnePlus 3
The OnePlus 3 is one of the most affordable flagships currently available, especially when you consider its internals. Aside from a whopping 6GB of RAM, this smartphone also comes with a 5.5-inch fullHD Optic AMOLED display, and the Snapdragon 820 64-bit quad-core processor. The OnePlus 3 is made out of metal, and its 16-megapixel OIS camera is also quite capable. Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed on this smartphone, and you’ll find the company’s OxygenOS on top of it.
1. Samsung Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge
The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are Samsung’s flagship smartphones for 2016. These two devices were introduced back in February, and they’re still amongst the most powerful smartphones out in the market. The two devices are made out of metal and glass, while they come with premium specs as well. Both devices are equipped with 4GB of RAM, and are fueled by the Exynos 8890 64-bit octa-core processor in India, which is considered to be the most powerful SoC out there next to the Snapdragon 820.