 |
With so many different (yet similar) smartphones from so many brands from across the globe, one may start feeling a bit lost. Which one of those many is the best phone you can buy right now, in summer 2017?
This is a trick question, of course. There is no definite one-size-fits-all device: some people prefer larger phones, some smaller, others look for the best camera in a phone, yet others value battery life above all, and then there are the gamers, the 24/7 music crowd, and on and on the list goes.
That is why we look at different options rather than the one best phone. We look at both their pros and their cons because we have not yet encountered the perfect phone. We also look for your thoughts! That's why you will see an open poll for you to support your favorite device and if it's not on the list, let us know in the comments section at the bottom of this page. So with no further ado, let's get started.
Best Phones in July 2017
We first take a look at phones around the 5" form factor. Call them regular-sized, smaller phones, but these phones strike a good balance between screen size and handling.
| # | Phone | Added | Change | Why Should You Buy It? Top 3 Reasons |
| 1 | Apple iPhone 7 | Oct 2016 | - | 1/ Best-in-class performance 2/ Excellent apps, 3/ Proper updates |
| 2 | Google Pixel | Oct 2016 | ↑ | 1/ Second best-in-class performance 2/ Excellent camera, 3/ Proper updates |
| 3 | Samsung Galaxy S8 | April 2017 | ↓ | 1/ Stunning design 2/ Very good camera, 3/ Solid battery life |
| 4 | HTC U11 | June 2017 | New | 1/ Stunning camera 2/ Stunning design, 3/ Clean interface |
| 5 | LG G6 | April 2017 | ↓ | 1/ Unique dual cam w/ wide angle 2/ Great price, 3/ Sturdy build |
| 6 | Huawei P10 | Mar 2017 | ↓ | 1/ Great price 2/ Good dual cam, 3/ Thin, elegant design |
Phonearena polls
sort by
- What is YOUR favorite phone in July 2017?
- Apple iPhone 7 11.16% (451 votes) (451 votes)
- Google Pixel 7.55% (305 votes) (305 votes)
- Samsung Galaxy S8 41.91% (1694 votes) (1694 votes)
- HTC U11 17.02% (688 votes) (688 votes)
- LG G6 9.55% (386 votes) (386 votes)
- Huawei P10 3.88% (157 votes) (157 votes)
- Another one (tell us which one in the comments!) 8.93% (361 votes) (361 votes)
4042 votes
Best Phones in July 2017
image
Apple iPhone 7
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0I5nrvCTN8s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Cleaner design
+ Impressive colors on display
+ Smooth and fast iOS 10 user experience, regular updates
+ Very good camera
+ Great optical stabilization in video
+ Longer lasting battery (but still not great)
+ Water-proof, dual speaker
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Closed ecosystem
- Less customization options than on Android
- Pricey
+ Cleaner design
+ Impressive colors on display
+ Smooth and fast iOS 10 user experience, regular updates
+ Very good camera
+ Great optical stabilization in video
+ Longer lasting battery (but still not great)
+ Water-proof, dual speaker
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Closed ecosystem
- Less customization options than on Android
- Pricey
Apple iPhone 7 Video Review
image
Google is now a hardware company. Its first foray into the creation of a Google phone has resulted in the Google Pixel family. The 5" Pixel features a stylish, metal design and a clean build of the latest Android 7.0 Nougat with a promise for quick updates. The best about the Pixel is that it is one of the best (if not the best) performing phone out there and also one of the very best camera phones. Add to that a brand new focus on AI as the future and a fast and responsive Google Assistant, this phone shows a lot of what Google thinks a future phone would be able to do.
Google Pixel
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IYZSvejvxCI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the smoothest performers
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the smoothest performers
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
Google Pixel Video Review
image
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is in many ways a revolutionary new phone: it features a larger, bezel-less display that takes up nearly all of its front and is gorgeous to look at, it sports an even more refined design, and it has become more powerful and smarter with the addition of the new Bixby assistant.
Yet despite its 5.8-inch display (keep in mind that you should not compare inch size directly with other screens, since this one has a different, taller aspect ratio of 18.5:9), it is not too big: it's taller, that's true, but its width is about the same as on the Galaxy S7 predecessor, so it is easy to handle in a single hand. The camera has received some improvements too: it shoots a little brighter images and seems to be able to get more definition in the details. The one thing where we don't have so much change is the battery: it is good, but not great or revolutionary as other parts of this phone.
Yet despite its 5.8-inch display (keep in mind that you should not compare inch size directly with other screens, since this one has a different, taller aspect ratio of 18.5:9), it is not too big: it's taller, that's true, but its width is about the same as on the Galaxy S7 predecessor, so it is easy to handle in a single hand. The camera has received some improvements too: it shoots a little brighter images and seems to be able to get more definition in the details. The one thing where we don't have so much change is the battery: it is good, but not great or revolutionary as other parts of this phone.
Samsung Galaxy S8
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CmgKldWTR-A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
Samsung Galaxy S8 Video Review
image
The HTC U11 might not have the fancy bezel-less screen, but it is a meticulously well-crafted phone with a beautiful glass back.
The interface is clean and almost completely lacks animations, so the phone is indeed plenty fast, but without feeling particularly fluid. It's also packed with the latest Snapdragon 835 system chip, if that matters to you. Its best feature, however, might be the camera. The rear snapper is able to take some incredibly good looking images, with tons of details and beautiful colors.
The interface is clean and almost completely lacks animations, so the phone is indeed plenty fast, but without feeling particularly fluid. It's also packed with the latest Snapdragon 835 system chip, if that matters to you. Its best feature, however, might be the camera. The rear snapper is able to take some incredibly good looking images, with tons of details and beautiful colors.
HTC U11
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dm2IKdikWj8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Beautiful design
+ Incredible camera, best around
+ Fast performance
+ Plentiful storage
+ Quality in-box earbuds
- Has big bezels
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- Barebones interface that feels quaint
- No dual camera
+ Beautiful design
+ Incredible camera, best around
+ Fast performance
+ Plentiful storage
+ Quality in-box earbuds
- Has big bezels
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- Barebones interface that feels quaint
- No dual camera
HTC U11 Video Review
image
The LG G6 marks a new era for LG: less experiments with crazy designs and a focus back on the essentials of great design and performance. The new G6 is not a revolutionary phone, but it still has the extremely cool bezel-less screen with a new, taller 2:1 format. It has also improved its already very good cameras: now you have two 13-megapixel shooter for the dual camera system on the back, so there is no abrupt switch in the camera when you zoom in and out. LG has also improved battery with the G6 to good (but it's still not great), and coupled with nice software experience, the LG G6 is one of the best options for a new phone out there.
LG G6
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sATSehmu25Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Solid design, pocketable size
+ Excellent camera, useful wide-angle option
+ Very fast recharging capability
- Battery life is good, but not great
- A bit on the pricey side
+ Solid design, pocketable size
+ Excellent camera, useful wide-angle option
+ Very fast recharging capability
- Battery life is good, but not great
- A bit on the pricey side
LG G6 Video Review
image
The Huawei P10 is a beautifully designed, stylish phone for a price lower than that of 2017's flagships, yet with a similar level of performance and a very good camera. The bad news is that it will not be sold in the United States (at least initially), but it will be in all other parts of the world.
Under the hood roars Huawei's own Kirin 960 system chip, which is indeed a powerful creation, and Huawei has improved the dual camera system. The idea is to be able to blur the background to images, a nice effect, but not quite as accurate as the Portrait mode on the iPhone 7 Plus. Still, it's nice to have and you get a secondary, black-and-white camera that gives you a different perspective to images.
Under the hood roars Huawei's own Kirin 960 system chip, which is indeed a powerful creation, and Huawei has improved the dual camera system. The idea is to be able to blur the background to images, a nice effect, but not quite as accurate as the Portrait mode on the iPhone 7 Plus. Still, it's nice to have and you get a secondary, black-and-white camera that gives you a different perspective to images.
Huawei P10
Best Phones in July 2017
The Apple iPhone 7 kills the headphone jack, but that's not the only reason why there's so much buzz around it.
Despite featuring practically the same design as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6, it adds some significant improvements in everything else: the new A10 system chip is much more powerful, the new rear camera takes better pictures in low light, the front camera takes much sharper selfies, the battery life is better, the screen now has more eye-popping color, the phone is water-proof, and there is now optical stabilization that allows shooting smoother-looking video. Did we mention that the pitiful 16GB base model finally goes the way of the dodo and is being replaced by a 32GB version? For $100 on top of the price of that base model you can get a 128GB version. Add another $100, and you get 256GB of storage, as much as on many laptops, and the most we've seen on a mainstream phone.
Add to this the rich iOS ecosystem that continues to secure the best apps and games first, and one starts to understand why it's so hard to argue against the iPhone 7.
Despite featuring practically the same design as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6, it adds some significant improvements in everything else: the new A10 system chip is much more powerful, the new rear camera takes better pictures in low light, the front camera takes much sharper selfies, the battery life is better, the screen now has more eye-popping color, the phone is water-proof, and there is now optical stabilization that allows shooting smoother-looking video. Did we mention that the pitiful 16GB base model finally goes the way of the dodo and is being replaced by a 32GB version? For $100 on top of the price of that base model you can get a 128GB version. Add another $100, and you get 256GB of storage, as much as on many laptops, and the most we've seen on a mainstream phone.
Add to this the rich iOS ecosystem that continues to secure the best apps and games first, and one starts to understand why it's so hard to argue against the iPhone 7.
Best Phones in July 2017
1. Apple iPhone 7
The Apple iPhone 7 kills the headphone jack, but that's not the only reason why there's so much buzz around it.
Despite featuring practically the same design as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6, it adds some significant improvements in everything else: the new A10 system chip is much more powerful, the new rear camera takes better pictures in low light, the front camera takes much sharper selfies, the battery life is better, the screen now has more eye-popping color, the phone is water-proof, and there is now optical stabilization that allows shooting smoother-looking video. Did we mention that the pitiful 16GB base model finally goes the way of the dodo and is being replaced by a 32GB version? For $100 on top of the price of that base model you can get a 128GB version. Add another $100, and you get 256GB of storage, as much as on many laptops, and the most we've seen on a mainstream phone.
Add to this the rich iOS ecosystem that continues to secure the best apps and games first, and one starts to understand why it's so hard to argue against the iPhone 7.
Despite featuring practically the same design as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6, it adds some significant improvements in everything else: the new A10 system chip is much more powerful, the new rear camera takes better pictures in low light, the front camera takes much sharper selfies, the battery life is better, the screen now has more eye-popping color, the phone is water-proof, and there is now optical stabilization that allows shooting smoother-looking video. Did we mention that the pitiful 16GB base model finally goes the way of the dodo and is being replaced by a 32GB version? For $100 on top of the price of that base model you can get a 128GB version. Add another $100, and you get 256GB of storage, as much as on many laptops, and the most we've seen on a mainstream phone.
Add to this the rich iOS ecosystem that continues to secure the best apps and games first, and one starts to understand why it's so hard to argue against the iPhone 7.
2. Apple iPhone 7 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Cleaner design
+ Impressive colors on display
+ Smooth and fast iOS 10 user experience, regular updates
+ Very good camera
+ Great optical stabilization in video
+ Longer lasting battery (but still not great)
+ Water-proof, dual speaker
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Closed ecosystem
- Less customization options than on Android
- Pricey
+ Cleaner design
+ Impressive colors on display
+ Smooth and fast iOS 10 user experience, regular updates
+ Very good camera
+ Great optical stabilization in video
+ Longer lasting battery (but still not great)
+ Water-proof, dual speaker
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Closed ecosystem
- Less customization options than on Android
- Pricey
3. Google Pixel
Google is now a hardware company. Its first foray into the creation of a Google phone has resulted in the Google Pixel family. The 5" Pixel features a stylish, metal design and a clean build of the latest Android 7.0 Nougat with a promise for quick updates. The best about the Pixel is that it is one of the best (if not the best) performing phone out there and also one of the very best camera phones. Add to that a brand new focus on AI as the future and a fast and responsive Google Assistant, this phone shows a lot of what Google thinks a future phone would be able to do.
4. Google Pixel Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the smoothest performers
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the smoothest performers
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
5. Samsung Galaxy S8
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is in many ways a revolutionary new phone: it features a larger, bezel-less display that takes up nearly all of its front and is gorgeous to look at, it sports an even more refined design, and it has become more powerful and smarter with the addition of the new Bixby assistant.
Yet despite its 5.8-inch display (keep in mind that you should not compare inch size directly with other screens, since this one has a different, taller aspect ratio of 18.5:9), it is not too big: it's taller, that's true, but its width is about the same as on the Galaxy S7 predecessor, so it is easy to handle in a single hand. The camera has received some improvements too: it shoots a little brighter images and seems to be able to get more definition in the details. The one thing where we don't have so much change is the battery: it is good, but not great or revolutionary as other parts of this phone.
Yet despite its 5.8-inch display (keep in mind that you should not compare inch size directly with other screens, since this one has a different, taller aspect ratio of 18.5:9), it is not too big: it's taller, that's true, but its width is about the same as on the Galaxy S7 predecessor, so it is easy to handle in a single hand. The camera has received some improvements too: it shoots a little brighter images and seems to be able to get more definition in the details. The one thing where we don't have so much change is the battery: it is good, but not great or revolutionary as other parts of this phone.
6. Samsung Galaxy S8 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
7. HTC U11
The HTC U11 might not have the fancy bezel-less screen, but it is a meticulously well-crafted phone with a beautiful glass back.
The interface is clean and almost completely lacks animations, so the phone is indeed plenty fast, but without feeling particularly fluid. It's also packed with the latest Snapdragon 835 system chip, if that matters to you. Its best feature, however, might be the camera. The rear snapper is able to take some incredibly good looking images, with tons of details and beautiful colors.
The interface is clean and almost completely lacks animations, so the phone is indeed plenty fast, but without feeling particularly fluid. It's also packed with the latest Snapdragon 835 system chip, if that matters to you. Its best feature, however, might be the camera. The rear snapper is able to take some incredibly good looking images, with tons of details and beautiful colors.
8. HTC U11 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Beautiful design
+ Incredible camera, best around
+ Fast performance
+ Plentiful storage
+ Quality in-box earbuds
- Has big bezels
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- Barebones interface that feels quaint
- No dual camera
+ Beautiful design
+ Incredible camera, best around
+ Fast performance
+ Plentiful storage
+ Quality in-box earbuds
- Has big bezels
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- Barebones interface that feels quaint
- No dual camera
9. LG G6
The LG G6 marks a new era for LG: less experiments with crazy designs and a focus back on the essentials of great design and performance. The new G6 is not a revolutionary phone, but it still has the extremely cool bezel-less screen with a new, taller 2:1 format. It has also improved its already very good cameras: now you have two 13-megapixel shooter for the dual camera system on the back, so there is no abrupt switch in the camera when you zoom in and out. LG has also improved battery with the G6 to good (but it's still not great), and coupled with nice software experience, the LG G6 is one of the best options for a new phone out there.
10. LG G6 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Solid design, pocketable size
+ Excellent camera, useful wide-angle option
+ Very fast recharging capability
- Battery life is good, but not great
- A bit on the pricey side
+ Solid design, pocketable size
+ Excellent camera, useful wide-angle option
+ Very fast recharging capability
- Battery life is good, but not great
- A bit on the pricey side
11. Huawei P10
The Huawei P10 is a beautifully designed, stylish phone for a price lower than that of 2017's flagships, yet with a similar level of performance and a very good camera. The bad news is that it will not be sold in the United States (at least initially), but it will be in all other parts of the world.
Under the hood roars Huawei's own Kirin 960 system chip, which is indeed a powerful creation, and Huawei has improved the dual camera system. The idea is to be able to blur the background to images, a nice effect, but not quite as accurate as the Portrait mode on the iPhone 7 Plus. Still, it's nice to have and you get a secondary, black-and-white camera that gives you a different perspective to images.
Under the hood roars Huawei's own Kirin 960 system chip, which is indeed a powerful creation, and Huawei has improved the dual camera system. The idea is to be able to blur the background to images, a nice effect, but not quite as accurate as the Portrait mode on the iPhone 7 Plus. Still, it's nice to have and you get a secondary, black-and-white camera that gives you a different perspective to images.
Best Big Phones in July 2017
Our second category rounds up the best big phones: phones that are around 5.5-inch in size, giving you that larger screen, but in exchange for a more clumsy in-hand feel and larger overall footprint that makes them less comfortable to carry around in your pocket.
| # | Phone | Added | Change | Why Should You Buy It? Top 3 Reasons |
| 1 | Apple iPhone 7 Plus | Oct 2016 | - | 1/ Best-in-class performance 2/ Excellent apps, 3/ Proper updates |
| 2 | Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus | April 2017 | - | 1/ Stunning design 2/ Very good camera, 3/ Solid battery life |
| 3 | Google Pixel XL | Oct 2016 | - | 1/ Second best-in-class performance 2/ Excellent camera, 3/ Proper updates |
| 4 | OnePlus 5 | June 2017 | New | 1/ Great price 2/ Fast performance, 3/ Solid battery life |
| 5 | Moto Z2 Play | June 2017 | New | 1/ Top battery life 2/ Clean interface, 3/ Good price |
| 6 | Huawei Mate 9 Pro | Jan 2017 | ↓ #5 | 1/ Excellent design 2/ Dual camera, 3/ Good performance |
| 7 | LG V20 | Oct 2016 | ↓ #6 | 1/ Excellent camera 2/ Great audio quality, 3/ Replaceable battery |
Phonearena polls
sort by
- What is YOUR favorite BIG phone in July 2017?
- Apple iPhone 7 Plus 11.71% (246 votes) (246 votes)
- Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus 52.48% (1102 votes) (1102 votes)
- Google Pixel XL 6.81% (143 votes) (143 votes)
- OnePlus 5 10.57% (222 votes) (222 votes)
- Moto Z2 Play 1.24% (26 votes) (26 votes)
- Huawei Mate 9 Pro 5% (105 votes) (105 votes)
- LG V20 7.19% (151 votes) (151 votes)
- Another one (tell us which one in the comments!) 5% (105 votes) (105 votes)
2100 votes
Best Big Phones
image
The larger iPhone was never a better iPhone than the smaller one. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, changes that for the first time, Apple includes an impressive secondary camera only in the Plus model, and it has more RAM. And this is important: the secondary camera is a small revolution in smartphone photography, enabling much better looking portrait shots and giving users the option to zoom much closer in pictures while losing little in terms of image quality.
Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus has no headphone jack (Apple says it's because it needed the space for more essential components), but in exchange it has gained water-resistance and a louder, dual-speaker system. The Apple A10 inside the 7 Plus is also a big improvement: yes, common users won't notice much of it, but go into image and video processing, as well as gaming and the gains are easily felt. Apple has also killed the pitiful 16GB storage option in favor of a much more sensible 32GB one, and there is a 128GB model and a 256GB version for heavier users. The only thing that still remains a sore short-coming of this otherwise excellent phone is its pure physical size: it's a gargantuan phone with huge screen bezels.
Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus has no headphone jack (Apple says it's because it needed the space for more essential components), but in exchange it has gained water-resistance and a louder, dual-speaker system. The Apple A10 inside the 7 Plus is also a big improvement: yes, common users won't notice much of it, but go into image and video processing, as well as gaming and the gains are easily felt. Apple has also killed the pitiful 16GB storage option in favor of a much more sensible 32GB one, and there is a 128GB model and a 256GB version for heavier users. The only thing that still remains a sore short-coming of this otherwise excellent phone is its pure physical size: it's a gargantuan phone with huge screen bezels.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8GAvVuRrNVA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Secondary telephoto camera is a god-send for photo enthusiasts
+ Main cam has wider aperture, takes much better pictures in low light
+ Well-adapted interface for the larger screen estate
+ Great battery life
+ Improved display with impressive colors
+ Dual speakers! Water-proof!
+ Great for gamers, games arrive first on iOS
- Physically larger than most its 5.5" rivals, huge screen bezel
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Pricey
- Closed ecosystem
+ Secondary telephoto camera is a god-send for photo enthusiasts
+ Main cam has wider aperture, takes much better pictures in low light
+ Well-adapted interface for the larger screen estate
+ Great battery life
+ Improved display with impressive colors
+ Dual speakers! Water-proof!
+ Great for gamers, games arrive first on iOS
- Physically larger than most its 5.5" rivals, huge screen bezel
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Pricey
- Closed ecosystem
Apple iPhone 7 Plus Video Review
image
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is the bigger of the two S8 siblings. Unlike Apple's devices, though, we have no huge differences here except for the larger screen and the bigger battery. The S8+ is the same beautiful, full-screen phone that display an outstanding level of craftsmanship. It also features a bezel-less, 6.2" display with a 18.5:9 aspect ratio (it's taller than a regular display) that looks gorgeous. The fingerprint is now on the back alongside the camera. The S8+ comes with a new interface and the brand new context-aware Bixby assistant.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gzxc5R2oIqQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Video Review
image
Google's larger phone, the Pixel XL, is a beautifully crafted device with a metal body, a slight chamfer that makes it a more comfortable in-hand fit, and it's also powerful on the inside. The big highlight of the Pixel XL, however, is without a doubt the stock Android 7.1 Nougat experience with the promise for timely updates in the future. It also showcases Google's idea of a future, where AI will be more useful and the Google Assistant that helps you with your searches is a peek at that.
Google Pixel XL
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CjEIwa9msZY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Lacks exciting new features
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Lacks exciting new features
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
Google Pixel XL Video Review
image
In many ways, this latest OnePlus 5 is an evolution over the OnePlus 3T and the 3: it does not make any tectonic shifts to the software experience, or anything else, but slowly builds up upon a successful formula.
In real-life, it's not so much of a copy of the iPhone 7 Plus as it might look on pictures, but the influence is clearly there. The Dual Camera system allows you to take good looking portraits with blurred backgrounds, but nailing the shot right is hard and fiddly, and worse-off, the main camera might actually be worse than the one on the OnePlus 3T. It's good, just not quite there with the best.
Apart from this, the OnePlus 5 delivers a solid daily experience: fast and clean interface, and battery that will last you a full day, even a longer one.
In real-life, it's not so much of a copy of the iPhone 7 Plus as it might look on pictures, but the influence is clearly there. The Dual Camera system allows you to take good looking portraits with blurred backgrounds, but nailing the shot right is hard and fiddly, and worse-off, the main camera might actually be worse than the one on the OnePlus 3T. It's good, just not quite there with the best.
Apart from this, the OnePlus 5 delivers a solid daily experience: fast and clean interface, and battery that will last you a full day, even a longer one.
OnePlus 5
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8uR1vxjXR6Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Very good price
+ Very fast performance
+ Display looks great, pleasing colors
+ Dash charging is extremely fast and works even when you use your phone
+ Plentiful 64GB of internal storage
+ Mute switch is nice to have
+ Very fast camera (both to open and to focus)
+ Solid battery life
+ Very loud loudspeaker
- Some major apps like Facebook are a bit stuttery and buggy
- Camera is not great
- 4K videos are not stabilized at all, look terribly shaky if you move
- Still no water proofing
- Unoriginal hardware design
+ Very good price
+ Very fast performance
+ Display looks great, pleasing colors
+ Dash charging is extremely fast and works even when you use your phone
+ Plentiful 64GB of internal storage
+ Mute switch is nice to have
+ Very fast camera (both to open and to focus)
+ Solid battery life
+ Very loud loudspeaker
- Some major apps like Facebook are a bit stuttery and buggy
- Camera is not great
- 4K videos are not stabilized at all, look terribly shaky if you move
- Still no water proofing
- Unoriginal hardware design
OnePlus 5 Video Review
image
The Moto Z2 Play looks a lot like its predecessor: it has a nearly identical design, (but one that is much thinner and lighter!) the square fingerprint button on the front and the large, round and protruding camera on the back. In fact, the Moto Z2 Play is the thinnest mainstream phone we can think of in recent history.
But where it shines is battery life: you cannot get the full 2-day battery life that the Z Play got, but you will get close and this experience is liberating. The interface is also clean and pleasing to use and the price is not sky high. Did we mention it also supports Moto's cool Mods?
But where it shines is battery life: you cannot get the full 2-day battery life that the Z Play got, but you will get close and this experience is liberating. The interface is also clean and pleasing to use and the price is not sky high. Did we mention it also supports Moto's cool Mods?
Moto Z2 Play
image
The Huawei Mate 9 Pro is as beautiful as it is powerful. This state-of-the-art Huawei phone is even sold in the United States via Amazon. While not as advertized as Huawei's P series, the Mate 9 Pro is no less impressive.
It provides the smooth performance of Huawei's EMUI, it runs on the company's own chip, the Kirin 960, that performs impressively well, and it's got a massive, 4,000 mAh battery. On the back, you'd find a Leica dual camera system that provides with some bokeh superpowers and as a bonus the phone supports dual SIM cards.
It provides the smooth performance of Huawei's EMUI, it runs on the company's own chip, the Kirin 960, that performs impressively well, and it's got a massive, 4,000 mAh battery. On the back, you'd find a Leica dual camera system that provides with some bokeh superpowers and as a bonus the phone supports dual SIM cards.
Huawei Mate 9 Pro
image
The LG V20 is not really a mainstream device. It is built for power users, camera fanatics, audio enthusiasts, and content creators – for the mobile gamer, for the adventurous photographer, for the guy and his band in his garage, or for the hyped young YouTuber who just got his first 1000 subscribers. They’re the ones who would appreciate the full package of features that the V20 has to offer.
At the end of the day, if all you need is a good phone that just works, the LG V20 probably isn’t the best option for you. But if you see yourself as a geek, as a technology fan who knows how to make the most of a phone like this, I’d recommend giving it a try.
At the end of the day, if all you need is a good phone that just works, the LG V20 probably isn’t the best option for you. But if you see yourself as a geek, as a technology fan who knows how to make the most of a phone like this, I’d recommend giving it a try.
LG V20
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-6k1h4fx__Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Fast and fluid system performance
+ Secondary screen has great potential
+ 64GB storage as standard
+ Fast charging
+ Great image quality
+ Highly customizable UI
+ High-fidelity audio recording capabilities
+ Excellent sound quality during phone calls
- Not the prettiest phone out there
- Battery life is average at best
- Fingerprint lock experience could be improved
+ Fast and fluid system performance
+ Secondary screen has great potential
+ 64GB storage as standard
+ Fast charging
+ Great image quality
+ Highly customizable UI
+ High-fidelity audio recording capabilities
+ Excellent sound quality during phone calls
- Not the prettiest phone out there
- Battery life is average at best
- Fingerprint lock experience could be improved
LG V20 Video Review
Best Big Phones
The larger iPhone was never a better iPhone than the smaller one. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, changes that for the first time, Apple includes an impressive secondary camera only in the Plus model, and it has more RAM. And this is important: the secondary camera is a small revolution in smartphone photography, enabling much better looking portrait shots and giving users the option to zoom much closer in pictures while losing little in terms of image quality.
Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus has no headphone jack (Apple says it's because it needed the space for more essential components), but in exchange it has gained water-resistance and a louder, dual-speaker system. The Apple A10 inside the 7 Plus is also a big improvement: yes, common users won't notice much of it, but go into image and video processing, as well as gaming and the gains are easily felt. Apple has also killed the pitiful 16GB storage option in favor of a much more sensible 32GB one, and there is a 128GB model and a 256GB version for heavier users. The only thing that still remains a sore short-coming of this otherwise excellent phone is its pure physical size: it's a gargantuan phone with huge screen bezels.
Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus has no headphone jack (Apple says it's because it needed the space for more essential components), but in exchange it has gained water-resistance and a louder, dual-speaker system. The Apple A10 inside the 7 Plus is also a big improvement: yes, common users won't notice much of it, but go into image and video processing, as well as gaming and the gains are easily felt. Apple has also killed the pitiful 16GB storage option in favor of a much more sensible 32GB one, and there is a 128GB model and a 256GB version for heavier users. The only thing that still remains a sore short-coming of this otherwise excellent phone is its pure physical size: it's a gargantuan phone with huge screen bezels.
Best Big Phones
1. Apple iPhone 7 Plus
The larger iPhone was never a better iPhone than the smaller one. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, changes that for the first time, Apple includes an impressive secondary camera only in the Plus model, and it has more RAM. And this is important: the secondary camera is a small revolution in smartphone photography, enabling much better looking portrait shots and giving users the option to zoom much closer in pictures while losing little in terms of image quality.
Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus has no headphone jack (Apple says it's because it needed the space for more essential components), but in exchange it has gained water-resistance and a louder, dual-speaker system. The Apple A10 inside the 7 Plus is also a big improvement: yes, common users won't notice much of it, but go into image and video processing, as well as gaming and the gains are easily felt. Apple has also killed the pitiful 16GB storage option in favor of a much more sensible 32GB one, and there is a 128GB model and a 256GB version for heavier users. The only thing that still remains a sore short-coming of this otherwise excellent phone is its pure physical size: it's a gargantuan phone with huge screen bezels.
Yes, the iPhone 7 Plus has no headphone jack (Apple says it's because it needed the space for more essential components), but in exchange it has gained water-resistance and a louder, dual-speaker system. The Apple A10 inside the 7 Plus is also a big improvement: yes, common users won't notice much of it, but go into image and video processing, as well as gaming and the gains are easily felt. Apple has also killed the pitiful 16GB storage option in favor of a much more sensible 32GB one, and there is a 128GB model and a 256GB version for heavier users. The only thing that still remains a sore short-coming of this otherwise excellent phone is its pure physical size: it's a gargantuan phone with huge screen bezels.
2. Apple iPhone 7 Plus Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Secondary telephoto camera is a god-send for photo enthusiasts
+ Main cam has wider aperture, takes much better pictures in low light
+ Well-adapted interface for the larger screen estate
+ Great battery life
+ Improved display with impressive colors
+ Dual speakers! Water-proof!
+ Great for gamers, games arrive first on iOS
- Physically larger than most its 5.5" rivals, huge screen bezel
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Pricey
- Closed ecosystem
+ Secondary telephoto camera is a god-send for photo enthusiasts
+ Main cam has wider aperture, takes much better pictures in low light
+ Well-adapted interface for the larger screen estate
+ Great battery life
+ Improved display with impressive colors
+ Dual speakers! Water-proof!
+ Great for gamers, games arrive first on iOS
- Physically larger than most its 5.5" rivals, huge screen bezel
- No 3.5mm headset jack
- Jet Black model scratches easily
- Pricey
- Closed ecosystem
3. Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy S8+ is the bigger of the two S8 siblings. Unlike Apple's devices, though, we have no huge differences here except for the larger screen and the bigger battery. The S8+ is the same beautiful, full-screen phone that display an outstanding level of craftsmanship. It also features a bezel-less, 6.2" display with a 18.5:9 aspect ratio (it's taller than a regular display) that looks gorgeous. The fingerprint is now on the back alongside the camera. The S8+ comes with a new interface and the brand new context-aware Bixby assistant.
4. Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
+ Beautiful, stylish design
+ Immersive, bezel-less display with gorgeous colors
+ Base model has plentiful 64 GB of storage + microSD support
+ Water proof! Fast charge and wireless charge support
+ Fastest on Android, Snapdragon 835 system chip
+ USB-C, finally
+ Bixby assistant
- TouchWiz icons look a bit ugly
- Good (but not great) battery life
- No dual camera system
- Body is a fingerprint magnet
5. Google Pixel XL
Google's larger phone, the Pixel XL, is a beautifully crafted device with a metal body, a slight chamfer that makes it a more comfortable in-hand fit, and it's also powerful on the inside. The big highlight of the Pixel XL, however, is without a doubt the stock Android 7.1 Nougat experience with the promise for timely updates in the future. It also showcases Google's idea of a future, where AI will be more useful and the Google Assistant that helps you with your searches is a peek at that.
6. Google Pixel XL Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Lacks exciting new features
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
+ Premium design, solid build quality
+ Latest stock Android Nougat
+ One of the best cameras with great dynamic range
+ Promising new Google Assistant
+ Properly implemented Doze should bring improvements to battery life
- Lacks exciting new features
- Comparatively expensive
- No microSD expansion memory slot
7. OnePlus 5
In many ways, this latest OnePlus 5 is an evolution over the OnePlus 3T and the 3: it does not make any tectonic shifts to the software experience, or anything else, but slowly builds up upon a successful formula.
In real-life, it's not so much of a copy of the iPhone 7 Plus as it might look on pictures, but the influence is clearly there. The Dual Camera system allows you to take good looking portraits with blurred backgrounds, but nailing the shot right is hard and fiddly, and worse-off, the main camera might actually be worse than the one on the OnePlus 3T. It's good, just not quite there with the best.
Apart from this, the OnePlus 5 delivers a solid daily experience: fast and clean interface, and battery that will last you a full day, even a longer one.
In real-life, it's not so much of a copy of the iPhone 7 Plus as it might look on pictures, but the influence is clearly there. The Dual Camera system allows you to take good looking portraits with blurred backgrounds, but nailing the shot right is hard and fiddly, and worse-off, the main camera might actually be worse than the one on the OnePlus 3T. It's good, just not quite there with the best.
Apart from this, the OnePlus 5 delivers a solid daily experience: fast and clean interface, and battery that will last you a full day, even a longer one.
8. OnePlus 5 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Very good price
+ Very fast performance
+ Display looks great, pleasing colors
+ Dash charging is extremely fast and works even when you use your phone
+ Plentiful 64GB of internal storage
+ Mute switch is nice to have
+ Very fast camera (both to open and to focus)
+ Solid battery life
+ Very loud loudspeaker
- Some major apps like Facebook are a bit stuttery and buggy
- Camera is not great
- 4K videos are not stabilized at all, look terribly shaky if you move
- Still no water proofing
- Unoriginal hardware design
+ Very good price
+ Very fast performance
+ Display looks great, pleasing colors
+ Dash charging is extremely fast and works even when you use your phone
+ Plentiful 64GB of internal storage
+ Mute switch is nice to have
+ Very fast camera (both to open and to focus)
+ Solid battery life
+ Very loud loudspeaker
- Some major apps like Facebook are a bit stuttery and buggy
- Camera is not great
- 4K videos are not stabilized at all, look terribly shaky if you move
- Still no water proofing
- Unoriginal hardware design
9. Moto Z2 Play
The Moto Z2 Play looks a lot like its predecessor: it has a nearly identical design, (but one that is much thinner and lighter!) the square fingerprint button on the front and the large, round and protruding camera on the back. In fact, the Moto Z2 Play is the thinnest mainstream phone we can think of in recent history.
But where it shines is battery life: you cannot get the full 2-day battery life that the Z Play got, but you will get close and this experience is liberating. The interface is also clean and pleasing to use and the price is not sky high. Did we mention it also supports Moto's cool Mods?
But where it shines is battery life: you cannot get the full 2-day battery life that the Z Play got, but you will get close and this experience is liberating. The interface is also clean and pleasing to use and the price is not sky high. Did we mention it also supports Moto's cool Mods?
10. Huawei Mate 9 Pro
The Huawei Mate 9 Pro is as beautiful as it is powerful. This state-of-the-art Huawei phone is even sold in the United States via Amazon. While not as advertized as Huawei's P series, the Mate 9 Pro is no less impressive.
It provides the smooth performance of Huawei's EMUI, it runs on the company's own chip, the Kirin 960, that performs impressively well, and it's got a massive, 4,000 mAh battery. On the back, you'd find a Leica dual camera system that provides with some bokeh superpowers and as a bonus the phone supports dual SIM cards.
It provides the smooth performance of Huawei's EMUI, it runs on the company's own chip, the Kirin 960, that performs impressively well, and it's got a massive, 4,000 mAh battery. On the back, you'd find a Leica dual camera system that provides with some bokeh superpowers and as a bonus the phone supports dual SIM cards.
11. LG V20
The LG V20 is not really a mainstream device. It is built for power users, camera fanatics, audio enthusiasts, and content creators – for the mobile gamer, for the adventurous photographer, for the guy and his band in his garage, or for the hyped young YouTuber who just got his first 1000 subscribers. They’re the ones who would appreciate the full package of features that the V20 has to offer.
At the end of the day, if all you need is a good phone that just works, the LG V20 probably isn’t the best option for you. But if you see yourself as a geek, as a technology fan who knows how to make the most of a phone like this, I’d recommend giving it a try.
At the end of the day, if all you need is a good phone that just works, the LG V20 probably isn’t the best option for you. But if you see yourself as a geek, as a technology fan who knows how to make the most of a phone like this, I’d recommend giving it a try.
12. LG V20 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Fast and fluid system performance
+ Secondary screen has great potential
+ 64GB storage as standard
+ Fast charging
+ Great image quality
+ Highly customizable UI
+ High-fidelity audio recording capabilities
+ Excellent sound quality during phone calls
- Not the prettiest phone out there
- Battery life is average at best
- Fingerprint lock experience could be improved
+ Fast and fluid system performance
+ Secondary screen has great potential
+ 64GB storage as standard
+ Fast charging
+ Great image quality
+ Highly customizable UI
+ High-fidelity audio recording capabilities
+ Excellent sound quality during phone calls
- Not the prettiest phone out there
- Battery life is average at best
- Fingerprint lock experience could be improved
Best Affordable Phones in July 2017
Our third category is the best affordable phones. We have not set a price tag, but we look at phones that are easier on your wallet, without being easy in terms of features and actual performance. These are the overachievers of the phone industry.
| # | Phone | Added | Change | Why Should You Buy It? Top 3 Reasons |
| 1 | Honor 9 | June 2017 | New | 1/ Great design 2/ Very good camera, 3/ Solid battery life |
| 2 | Moto G5 Plus | April 2017 | ↓ | 1/ Very good performance 2/ Great battery life, 3/ Clean interface |
| 3 | Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) | Jan 2017 | - | 1/ Excellent design 2/ Great battery life, 3/ Water-proof |
| 4 | Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime | Nov 2016 | ↓ | 1/ Top battery life 2/ Smooth performance, 3/ Super customizable |
| 5 | Honor 8 | July 2016 | ↓ | 1/ Excellent design 2/ Smooth performance |
| 6 | Lenovo P2 | Nov 2016 | ↓ | 1/ Industry-leading battery life |
Phonearena polls
sort by
- What is YOUR favorite AFFORDABLE phone in July 2017?
- Honor 9 30.64% (376 votes) (376 votes)
- Moto G5 Plus 20.13% (247 votes) (247 votes)
- Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) 21.84% (268 votes) (268 votes)
- Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro 11.57% (142 votes) (142 votes)
- Honor 8 5.46% (67 votes) (67 votes)
- Lenovo P2 3.59% (44 votes) (44 votes)
- Another one (tell us which one in the comments!) 6.76% (83 votes) (83 votes)
1227 votes
image
The Moto G5 Plus is our go-to affordable phone for a number of reasons: its clean interface, its smooth performance and its surprisingly good camera. Did we also mention it gets great battery life as well? It does, and all of that can be had for just $230.
Of course, it has its downsides. First and foremost, it's not the prettiest phone around by any means, so if you are looking for a flashy phone, this does not quite feel like it.
Of course, it has its downsides. First and foremost, it's not the prettiest phone around by any means, so if you are looking for a flashy phone, this does not quite feel like it.
Moto G5 Plus
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QTy6jGFxGl4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Much more premium design than past Moto G phones
+ Great battery life, fast recharging
+ Fingerprint-scanner gestures work great
+ Expansive carrier support
- Camera feels like it doesn't reach its potential
- Discounted ad-supported version only for Amazon Prime users
- Micro-USB: why?
- Could use more robust water-resistance
+ Much more premium design than past Moto G phones
+ Great battery life, fast recharging
+ Fingerprint-scanner gestures work great
+ Expansive carrier support
- Camera feels like it doesn't reach its potential
- Discounted ad-supported version only for Amazon Prime users
- Micro-USB: why?
- Could use more robust water-resistance
Moto G5 Plus Video Review
image
The Honor 9 follows in the footsteps of Huawei's high-end devices, namely the latest P10 line, but cuts some corners to position it in a lower price range. Similarly to the Honor 8, the Honor 9 sports a glass and metal design that makes it a definite eye-catcher, though some people may find it a bit too garish for their taste.
It features a dual camera configuration similar to the one found in the Huawei P10: a combination of a 20 MP black-and-white sensor and a 12 MP one that shoots in color. The Honor 9 is equipped with the very same Kirin 960 SoC found in the Huawei P10, as well as the Honor 8 Pro, which means you should expect more than good enough performance for pretty much all of your needs.
Running inside the Honor 9 is the latest version of Huawei's home-grown Android fork, EMUI 5.1. This means what you're getting is as far away from stock Android as possible, with a huge number of features ranging from the essential to the entirely superficial. What most people would appreciate, though, is the ROM's focus on good performance.
It features a dual camera configuration similar to the one found in the Huawei P10: a combination of a 20 MP black-and-white sensor and a 12 MP one that shoots in color. The Honor 9 is equipped with the very same Kirin 960 SoC found in the Huawei P10, as well as the Honor 8 Pro, which means you should expect more than good enough performance for pretty much all of your needs.
Running inside the Honor 9 is the latest version of Huawei's home-grown Android fork, EMUI 5.1. This means what you're getting is as far away from stock Android as possible, with a huge number of features ranging from the essential to the entirely superficial. What most people would appreciate, though, is the ROM's focus on good performance.
Honor 9
image
The Galaxy A5 (2017) is such an interesting device: it’s designed to near perfection with a stylish curved glass back and metal frame, and has the water-protection that only more expensive phones have. Apart from visual style, the A5 (2017) also has one of the better Android interfaces out there with the new Grace UI: it’s clean, it’s well-organized, it’s tidy. But the phone also has a few downsides: performance is not enough for more intense users, and it lacks 4K video and proper 1080p video stabilization.
It's strong points are the impressive battery life, the feature-rich interface and excellent keyboard typing experience. Get it for the looks. Get it for the water-protection. It's not the best phone for camera enthusiasts, but for pretty much everyone else, it's a great choice.
It's strong points are the impressive battery life, the feature-rich interface and excellent keyboard typing experience. Get it for the looks. Get it for the water-protection. It's not the best phone for camera enthusiasts, but for pretty much everyone else, it's a great choice.
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XlwwL5Pmc_c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Great design: solid build, comfortable size, nice heft
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life and quick charging
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit overpriced
- Sub-par video recording quality, lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Performance is a bit stuttery, especially with more intense apps
- No LED notification light
+ Great design: solid build, comfortable size, nice heft
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life and quick charging
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit overpriced
- Sub-par video recording quality, lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Performance is a bit stuttery, especially with more intense apps
- No LED notification light
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Video Review
image
The Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro is an excellent, super affordable phone that is extra hard to get. Xiaomi, a company based in China, officially sells its devices in Asia only, so in the United States and Europe you can find its phones solely via third-party resellers that charge extra and rarely provide any proper repair and other customer service.
If you are willing to deal with that, the Redmi 4 Pro delivers in so many aspects: it's got a smooth performance, outstanding battery life, good enough camera experience (but no video stabilization results in very shaky footage), and a metal body.
The phone is still a bit on the chubby side and its MIUI interface is rich in features and customization options and themes, but not particularly well adapted to Western realities. It's an adventure, that's for sure, but one we do recommend enthusiasts take.
If you are willing to deal with that, the Redmi 4 Pro delivers in so many aspects: it's got a smooth performance, outstanding battery life, good enough camera experience (but no video stabilization results in very shaky footage), and a metal body.
The phone is still a bit on the chubby side and its MIUI interface is rich in features and customization options and themes, but not particularly well adapted to Western realities. It's an adventure, that's for sure, but one we do recommend enthusiasts take.
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro
image
The Honor 8 is stylish, feels nice, and doesn't over-sell on features: the only thing that even threatens to verge into gimmick territory is the phone's dual cameras, and they just work so well that we can't find fault there.
The EMUI custom interface is a huge step away from stock Android looks and functionality, and it does take a lot of getting used to, but it performs smoothly and is optimized to help get great battery life.
The EMUI custom interface is a huge step away from stock Android looks and functionality, and it does take a lot of getting used to, but it performs smoothly and is optimized to help get great battery life.
Honor 8
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Reyoh9WtYWM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Dual cameras capture some nice-looking pics
+ Incredibly fast, accurate fingerprint scanner
+ Attractive hardware design, especially at this price
+ Battery life that should get you through the day
- Performance just can't quite compete with flagships
- EMUI may be a bit too iOS-y for serious Android fans
- Brand still largely unknown to US shoppers
- Price point presents some stiff competition
+ Dual cameras capture some nice-looking pics
+ Incredibly fast, accurate fingerprint scanner
+ Attractive hardware design, especially at this price
+ Battery life that should get you through the day
- Performance just can't quite compete with flagships
- EMUI may be a bit too iOS-y for serious Android fans
- Brand still largely unknown to US shoppers
- Price point presents some stiff competition
Honor 8 Video Review
image
The Lenovo P2 is the longest lasting mainstream phone ever made. The combination of its massive, unmatched 5,100mAh battery in a reasonably sized device will bring you back to the old times when you forgot to change your phone for two or three days, and it sill had battery juice left. It's a liberating feeling.
The P2 also performs well: it features the Snapdragon 625 system chip, manufactured on modern technology, and it packs enough punch for smooth daily performance.
It's not all roses, though. The Lenovo custom interface is plain ugly and feels quaint, nowhere near modern Android interfaces from Google, Samsung and the rest. The phone itself is also a bit bulky and relies on the old, microUSB standard for charging.
The P2 also performs well: it features the Snapdragon 625 system chip, manufactured on modern technology, and it packs enough punch for smooth daily performance.
It's not all roses, though. The Lenovo custom interface is plain ugly and feels quaint, nowhere near modern Android interfaces from Google, Samsung and the rest. The phone itself is also a bit bulky and relies on the old, microUSB standard for charging.
Lenovo P2
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rkYEJ9KL1xQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Stupendous battery life (up to 3 days)
+ Very affordable price
+ Impressively loud speaker
+ Decent performance
+ Tons of customization options
- Horrifying, outdated Lenovo interface
- Old software (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Useless, non-customizable special key on the side
- microUSB instead of USB-C
+ Stupendous battery life (up to 3 days)
+ Very affordable price
+ Impressively loud speaker
+ Decent performance
+ Tons of customization options
- Horrifying, outdated Lenovo interface
- Old software (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Useless, non-customizable special key on the side
- microUSB instead of USB-C
Lenovo P2 Video Review
Best Affordable Phones
The Moto G5 Plus is our go-to affordable phone for a number of reasons: its clean interface, its smooth performance and its surprisingly good camera. Did we also mention it gets great battery life as well? It does, and all of that can be had for just $230.
Of course, it has its downsides. First and foremost, it's not the prettiest phone around by any means, so if you are looking for a flashy phone, this does not quite feel like it.
Of course, it has its downsides. First and foremost, it's not the prettiest phone around by any means, so if you are looking for a flashy phone, this does not quite feel like it.
Best Affordable Phones
1. Moto G5 Plus
The Moto G5 Plus is our go-to affordable phone for a number of reasons: its clean interface, its smooth performance and its surprisingly good camera. Did we also mention it gets great battery life as well? It does, and all of that can be had for just $230.
Of course, it has its downsides. First and foremost, it's not the prettiest phone around by any means, so if you are looking for a flashy phone, this does not quite feel like it.
Of course, it has its downsides. First and foremost, it's not the prettiest phone around by any means, so if you are looking for a flashy phone, this does not quite feel like it.
2. Moto G5 Plus Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Much more premium design than past Moto G phones
+ Great battery life, fast recharging
+ Fingerprint-scanner gestures work great
+ Expansive carrier support
- Camera feels like it doesn't reach its potential
- Discounted ad-supported version only for Amazon Prime users
- Micro-USB: why?
- Could use more robust water-resistance
+ Much more premium design than past Moto G phones
+ Great battery life, fast recharging
+ Fingerprint-scanner gestures work great
+ Expansive carrier support
- Camera feels like it doesn't reach its potential
- Discounted ad-supported version only for Amazon Prime users
- Micro-USB: why?
- Could use more robust water-resistance
3. Honor 9
The Honor 9 follows in the footsteps of Huawei's high-end devices, namely the latest P10 line, but cuts some corners to position it in a lower price range. Similarly to the Honor 8, the Honor 9 sports a glass and metal design that makes it a definite eye-catcher, though some people may find it a bit too garish for their taste.
It features a dual camera configuration similar to the one found in the Huawei P10: a combination of a 20 MP black-and-white sensor and a 12 MP one that shoots in color. The Honor 9 is equipped with the very same Kirin 960 SoC found in the Huawei P10, as well as the Honor 8 Pro, which means you should expect more than good enough performance for pretty much all of your needs.
Running inside the Honor 9 is the latest version of Huawei's home-grown Android fork, EMUI 5.1. This means what you're getting is as far away from stock Android as possible, with a huge number of features ranging from the essential to the entirely superficial. What most people would appreciate, though, is the ROM's focus on good performance.
It features a dual camera configuration similar to the one found in the Huawei P10: a combination of a 20 MP black-and-white sensor and a 12 MP one that shoots in color. The Honor 9 is equipped with the very same Kirin 960 SoC found in the Huawei P10, as well as the Honor 8 Pro, which means you should expect more than good enough performance for pretty much all of your needs.
Running inside the Honor 9 is the latest version of Huawei's home-grown Android fork, EMUI 5.1. This means what you're getting is as far away from stock Android as possible, with a huge number of features ranging from the essential to the entirely superficial. What most people would appreciate, though, is the ROM's focus on good performance.
4. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
The Galaxy A5 (2017) is such an interesting device: it’s designed to near perfection with a stylish curved glass back and metal frame, and has the water-protection that only more expensive phones have. Apart from visual style, the A5 (2017) also has one of the better Android interfaces out there with the new Grace UI: it’s clean, it’s well-organized, it’s tidy. But the phone also has a few downsides: performance is not enough for more intense users, and it lacks 4K video and proper 1080p video stabilization.
It's strong points are the impressive battery life, the feature-rich interface and excellent keyboard typing experience. Get it for the looks. Get it for the water-protection. It's not the best phone for camera enthusiasts, but for pretty much everyone else, it's a great choice.
It's strong points are the impressive battery life, the feature-rich interface and excellent keyboard typing experience. Get it for the looks. Get it for the water-protection. It's not the best phone for camera enthusiasts, but for pretty much everyone else, it's a great choice.
5. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Great design: solid build, comfortable size, nice heft
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life and quick charging
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit overpriced
- Sub-par video recording quality, lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Performance is a bit stuttery, especially with more intense apps
- No LED notification light
+ Great design: solid build, comfortable size, nice heft
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life and quick charging
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit overpriced
- Sub-par video recording quality, lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Performance is a bit stuttery, especially with more intense apps
- No LED notification light
6. Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro is an excellent, super affordable phone that is extra hard to get. Xiaomi, a company based in China, officially sells its devices in Asia only, so in the United States and Europe you can find its phones solely via third-party resellers that charge extra and rarely provide any proper repair and other customer service.
If you are willing to deal with that, the Redmi 4 Pro delivers in so many aspects: it's got a smooth performance, outstanding battery life, good enough camera experience (but no video stabilization results in very shaky footage), and a metal body.
The phone is still a bit on the chubby side and its MIUI interface is rich in features and customization options and themes, but not particularly well adapted to Western realities. It's an adventure, that's for sure, but one we do recommend enthusiasts take.
If you are willing to deal with that, the Redmi 4 Pro delivers in so many aspects: it's got a smooth performance, outstanding battery life, good enough camera experience (but no video stabilization results in very shaky footage), and a metal body.
The phone is still a bit on the chubby side and its MIUI interface is rich in features and customization options and themes, but not particularly well adapted to Western realities. It's an adventure, that's for sure, but one we do recommend enthusiasts take.
7. Honor 8
The Honor 8 is stylish, feels nice, and doesn't over-sell on features: the only thing that even threatens to verge into gimmick territory is the phone's dual cameras, and they just work so well that we can't find fault there.
The EMUI custom interface is a huge step away from stock Android looks and functionality, and it does take a lot of getting used to, but it performs smoothly and is optimized to help get great battery life.
The EMUI custom interface is a huge step away from stock Android looks and functionality, and it does take a lot of getting used to, but it performs smoothly and is optimized to help get great battery life.
8. Honor 8 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Dual cameras capture some nice-looking pics
+ Incredibly fast, accurate fingerprint scanner
+ Attractive hardware design, especially at this price
+ Battery life that should get you through the day
- Performance just can't quite compete with flagships
- EMUI may be a bit too iOS-y for serious Android fans
- Brand still largely unknown to US shoppers
- Price point presents some stiff competition
+ Dual cameras capture some nice-looking pics
+ Incredibly fast, accurate fingerprint scanner
+ Attractive hardware design, especially at this price
+ Battery life that should get you through the day
- Performance just can't quite compete with flagships
- EMUI may be a bit too iOS-y for serious Android fans
- Brand still largely unknown to US shoppers
- Price point presents some stiff competition
9. Lenovo P2
The Lenovo P2 is the longest lasting mainstream phone ever made. The combination of its massive, unmatched 5,100mAh battery in a reasonably sized device will bring you back to the old times when you forgot to change your phone for two or three days, and it sill had battery juice left. It's a liberating feeling.
The P2 also performs well: it features the Snapdragon 625 system chip, manufactured on modern technology, and it packs enough punch for smooth daily performance.
It's not all roses, though. The Lenovo custom interface is plain ugly and feels quaint, nowhere near modern Android interfaces from Google, Samsung and the rest. The phone itself is also a bit bulky and relies on the old, microUSB standard for charging.
The P2 also performs well: it features the Snapdragon 625 system chip, manufactured on modern technology, and it packs enough punch for smooth daily performance.
It's not all roses, though. The Lenovo custom interface is plain ugly and feels quaint, nowhere near modern Android interfaces from Google, Samsung and the rest. The phone itself is also a bit bulky and relies on the old, microUSB standard for charging.
10. Lenovo P2 Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Stupendous battery life (up to 3 days)
+ Very affordable price
+ Impressively loud speaker
+ Decent performance
+ Tons of customization options
- Horrifying, outdated Lenovo interface
- Old software (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Useless, non-customizable special key on the side
- microUSB instead of USB-C
+ Stupendous battery life (up to 3 days)
+ Very affordable price
+ Impressively loud speaker
+ Decent performance
+ Tons of customization options
- Horrifying, outdated Lenovo interface
- Old software (6.0 Marshmallow)
- Useless, non-customizable special key on the side
- microUSB instead of USB-C
Best Compact Phones in July 2017
Looking for something truly small? Our fourth category is for you, those who look for a phone they can use with one hand.
| # | Phone | Added | Change | Why Should You Buy It? Top 3 Reasons |
| 1 | Apple iPhone SE | Mar 2016 | - | 1/ Best-in-class performance 2/ Excellent apps, 3/ Proper updates |
| 2 | Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) | Feb 2017 | - | 1/ Excellent design 2/ Great battery life, 3/ Water-proof |
| 3 | Sony Xperia X Compact | Sept 2016 | - | 1/ All-around performance for decent price |
Best Compact Phones
image
One of the most unique things about the Apple iPhone SE is that it's in a class of its own: there is no other phone of such size that's even remotely as powerful. It's the only high-end, truly mini phone you can find on the market.
There's something valuable in how easy it is to work with a smartphone of such caliber, without sacrificing much of the handheld power we've gotten used to over the last few years.
But the iPhone SE is excellent in other aspects as well: its got one of the best cameras at its price, it gets all little things right, from the excellent call quality, to the smooth performance, and it comes with iOS with all the benefits of its stellar app ecosystem. At $400, the iPhone SE is also good value for the moeny.
There's something valuable in how easy it is to work with a smartphone of such caliber, without sacrificing much of the handheld power we've gotten used to over the last few years.
But the iPhone SE is excellent in other aspects as well: its got one of the best cameras at its price, it gets all little things right, from the excellent call quality, to the smooth performance, and it comes with iOS with all the benefits of its stellar app ecosystem. At $400, the iPhone SE is also good value for the moeny.
Apple iPhone SE
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lLTfQvVSDvc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Super compact and light
+ Glamorous screen
+ Top-shelf performance
+ Intuitive, efficient and reliable software experience
+ Comes with best-in-class earphones
- Old design is old and not ergonomic
- Loudspeaker is not deep enough
- Base model has only 16 GB memory
+ Super compact and light
+ Glamorous screen
+ Top-shelf performance
+ Intuitive, efficient and reliable software experience
+ Comes with best-in-class earphones
- Old design is old and not ergonomic
- Loudspeaker is not deep enough
- Base model has only 16 GB memory
Apple iPhone SE Video Review
image
The Galaxy A3 (2017) is such an exciting phone: it brings a level of sophistication in design and interface that we have not yet seen on affordable phones. Neither have we seen a phone with water resistance.
It’s not a phone without its flaws, though, so let’s list them all here: it’s a bit slow when compared to a flagship phone. There is a moment between hitting an app icon and the actual app starting, and while this is not a big deal, it is there and it is noticeable. It also does not have video stabilization, so videos do turn out very shaky and jittery. And yes, 16GB of on-board storage is too little these days and a 720p display is not perfectly sharp (but we could hardly tell any difference in real use).
But these flaws pale in comparison with all the great things going for the new A3: its brilliant design is something that you will enjoy every single day of using it, its vibrant display makes images come to life, the new Samsung Grace interface is rich in options in a way that still feels organized and not overwhelming, its battery life is excellent and we get two days on average even with heavier use (but we do turn off the Always-on display option). And this phone captures very good looking images.
It’s not a phone without its flaws, though, so let’s list them all here: it’s a bit slow when compared to a flagship phone. There is a moment between hitting an app icon and the actual app starting, and while this is not a big deal, it is there and it is noticeable. It also does not have video stabilization, so videos do turn out very shaky and jittery. And yes, 16GB of on-board storage is too little these days and a 720p display is not perfectly sharp (but we could hardly tell any difference in real use).
But these flaws pale in comparison with all the great things going for the new A3: its brilliant design is something that you will enjoy every single day of using it, its vibrant display makes images come to life, the new Samsung Grace interface is rich in options in a way that still feels organized and not overwhelming, its battery life is excellent and we get two days on average even with heavier use (but we do turn off the Always-on display option). And this phone captures very good looking images.
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-g9nVnBFkls" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Amazing design: beatiful glass-metal look, thin and comfortable, ergonomic
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit more expensive than other phones its class
- Only 16GB of on-board storage
- Lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
+ Amazing design: beatiful glass-metal look, thin and comfortable, ergonomic
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit more expensive than other phones its class
- Only 16GB of on-board storage
- Lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) Video Review
image
The Sony Xperia X Compact delivers very well on most important fronts. It has a good camera with excellent focus-hunting abilities while video recording. The screen is also very bright and with low reflections, making it great for outdoor viewing. The battery life is top-notch, and call quality is loud and clear. These are all things most people are looking for in a handset, and when delivered in a small and handy package at a decent price, they make the phone stand out.
Sony Xperia X Compact
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rTwX-XQOGBM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Compact, comfortable to hold and carry design
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good outdoor visibility
+ Functionally-rich multimedia apps suite
- Smallish keys with shallow feedback
- Comes with a third of the internal storage occupied
- Finger scanner not available on the US version
+ Compact, comfortable to hold and carry design
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good outdoor visibility
+ Functionally-rich multimedia apps suite
- Smallish keys with shallow feedback
- Comes with a third of the internal storage occupied
- Finger scanner not available on the US version
Sony Xperia X Compact Video Review
Best Compact Phones
One of the most unique things about the Apple iPhone SE is that it's in a class of its own: there is no other phone of such size that's even remotely as powerful. It's the only high-end, truly mini phone you can find on the market.
There's something valuable in how easy it is to work with a smartphone of such caliber, without sacrificing much of the handheld power we've gotten used to over the last few years.
But the iPhone SE is excellent in other aspects as well: its got one of the best cameras at its price, it gets all little things right, from the excellent call quality, to the smooth performance, and it comes with iOS with all the benefits of its stellar app ecosystem. At $400, the iPhone SE is also good value for the moeny.
There's something valuable in how easy it is to work with a smartphone of such caliber, without sacrificing much of the handheld power we've gotten used to over the last few years.
But the iPhone SE is excellent in other aspects as well: its got one of the best cameras at its price, it gets all little things right, from the excellent call quality, to the smooth performance, and it comes with iOS with all the benefits of its stellar app ecosystem. At $400, the iPhone SE is also good value for the moeny.
Best Compact Phones
1. Apple iPhone SE
One of the most unique things about the Apple iPhone SE is that it's in a class of its own: there is no other phone of such size that's even remotely as powerful. It's the only high-end, truly mini phone you can find on the market.
There's something valuable in how easy it is to work with a smartphone of such caliber, without sacrificing much of the handheld power we've gotten used to over the last few years.
But the iPhone SE is excellent in other aspects as well: its got one of the best cameras at its price, it gets all little things right, from the excellent call quality, to the smooth performance, and it comes with iOS with all the benefits of its stellar app ecosystem. At $400, the iPhone SE is also good value for the moeny.
There's something valuable in how easy it is to work with a smartphone of such caliber, without sacrificing much of the handheld power we've gotten used to over the last few years.
But the iPhone SE is excellent in other aspects as well: its got one of the best cameras at its price, it gets all little things right, from the excellent call quality, to the smooth performance, and it comes with iOS with all the benefits of its stellar app ecosystem. At $400, the iPhone SE is also good value for the moeny.
2. Apple iPhone SE Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Super compact and light
+ Glamorous screen
+ Top-shelf performance
+ Intuitive, efficient and reliable software experience
+ Comes with best-in-class earphones
- Old design is old and not ergonomic
- Loudspeaker is not deep enough
- Base model has only 16 GB memory
+ Super compact and light
+ Glamorous screen
+ Top-shelf performance
+ Intuitive, efficient and reliable software experience
+ Comes with best-in-class earphones
- Old design is old and not ergonomic
- Loudspeaker is not deep enough
- Base model has only 16 GB memory
3. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
The Galaxy A3 (2017) is such an exciting phone: it brings a level of sophistication in design and interface that we have not yet seen on affordable phones. Neither have we seen a phone with water resistance.
It’s not a phone without its flaws, though, so let’s list them all here: it’s a bit slow when compared to a flagship phone. There is a moment between hitting an app icon and the actual app starting, and while this is not a big deal, it is there and it is noticeable. It also does not have video stabilization, so videos do turn out very shaky and jittery. And yes, 16GB of on-board storage is too little these days and a 720p display is not perfectly sharp (but we could hardly tell any difference in real use).
But these flaws pale in comparison with all the great things going for the new A3: its brilliant design is something that you will enjoy every single day of using it, its vibrant display makes images come to life, the new Samsung Grace interface is rich in options in a way that still feels organized and not overwhelming, its battery life is excellent and we get two days on average even with heavier use (but we do turn off the Always-on display option). And this phone captures very good looking images.
It’s not a phone without its flaws, though, so let’s list them all here: it’s a bit slow when compared to a flagship phone. There is a moment between hitting an app icon and the actual app starting, and while this is not a big deal, it is there and it is noticeable. It also does not have video stabilization, so videos do turn out very shaky and jittery. And yes, 16GB of on-board storage is too little these days and a 720p display is not perfectly sharp (but we could hardly tell any difference in real use).
But these flaws pale in comparison with all the great things going for the new A3: its brilliant design is something that you will enjoy every single day of using it, its vibrant display makes images come to life, the new Samsung Grace interface is rich in options in a way that still feels organized and not overwhelming, its battery life is excellent and we get two days on average even with heavier use (but we do turn off the Always-on display option). And this phone captures very good looking images.
4. Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Amazing design: beatiful glass-metal look, thin and comfortable, ergonomic
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit more expensive than other phones its class
- Only 16GB of on-board storage
- Lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
+ Amazing design: beatiful glass-metal look, thin and comfortable, ergonomic
+ Water resistance is a great extra
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good image quality in daylight
+ Excellent on-screen keyboard, great typing experience
+ Support expandable storage via microSD cards
+ Modern USB-C port
- A bit more expensive than other phones its class
- Only 16GB of on-board storage
- Lack of video stabilization results in very shaky videos
- Runs on a 1-year-old Android version (6.0 Marshmallow)
5. Sony Xperia X Compact
The Sony Xperia X Compact delivers very well on most important fronts. It has a good camera with excellent focus-hunting abilities while video recording. The screen is also very bright and with low reflections, making it great for outdoor viewing. The battery life is top-notch, and call quality is loud and clear. These are all things most people are looking for in a handset, and when delivered in a small and handy package at a decent price, they make the phone stand out.
6. Sony Xperia X Compact Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Compact, comfortable to hold and carry design
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good outdoor visibility
+ Functionally-rich multimedia apps suite
- Smallish keys with shallow feedback
- Comes with a third of the internal storage occupied
- Finger scanner not available on the US version
+ Compact, comfortable to hold and carry design
+ Excellent battery life
+ Very good outdoor visibility
+ Functionally-rich multimedia apps suite
- Smallish keys with shallow feedback
- Comes with a third of the internal storage occupied
- Finger scanner not available on the US version
Best Exotic Phones in July 2017
Finally, our fifth category is for exotic phones. These are devices that are either hard to find or that go crazy with their features.
| # | Phone | Added | Change | Why Should You Buy It? Top 3 Reasons |
| 1 | Xiaomi Mi 6 | April 2017 | - | 1/ Beautiful, refined design 2/ Dual camera, 3/ MIUI is rich in features |
| 2 | Xiaomi Mi Mix | Nov 2016 | - | 1/ First bezel-less phone 2/ Innovative tech, 3/ MIUI is rich in features |
| 3 | BlackBerry KeyOne | Jun 2017 | New | 1/ QWERTY keyboard doubles as trackpad 2/ Solid battery life, 3/ Good build quality |
| 4 | Xiaomi Mi Note 2 | Nov 2016 | ↓ | 1/ Refined, premium design 2/ MIUI is rich in features |
| 5 | Oppo R11 | June 2017 | New | 1/ Good-looking metal design 2/ Dual camera |
| 6 | Honor Magic | Jan 2017 | ↓ | 1/ Alien design |
image
The Mi 6 is the 2017 flagship for Chinese Xiaomi. It builds up on the successful formula: top-notch hardware for an affordable price. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is also an improvement over the previously released Mi 5: it features a much more solid design, it's got a brand new dual-camera system with a secondary telephoto lens, and it's got a longer battery life. All of that comes at a price of less than $500, which is certainly impressive.
Xiaomi Mi 6
image
Xiaomi is a company that has been growing quickly in China, but that does not sell its phones in the United States or Europe officially. And that's a pity.
It's Xiaomi Mi Mix is a limited-edition all-out crazy phone with a 93% screen-to-body ratio and a giant 6.4-inch display that fits in a body roughly the size of the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 7 Plus. With a ceramic back that is very hard to scratch it also looks good. While currently the world is awaiting the 2017 Samsungs and Apples that will most certainly get this new bezel-less look, in China such a phone has already been available for months now. Sure, it's pricey at $800, and yes, it's only made for China, but your street cred would go way up if you can import this baby that will only work with AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. You'll definitely feel like you've come back from the future.
It's Xiaomi Mi Mix is a limited-edition all-out crazy phone with a 93% screen-to-body ratio and a giant 6.4-inch display that fits in a body roughly the size of the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 7 Plus. With a ceramic back that is very hard to scratch it also looks good. While currently the world is awaiting the 2017 Samsungs and Apples that will most certainly get this new bezel-less look, in China such a phone has already been available for months now. Sure, it's pricey at $800, and yes, it's only made for China, but your street cred would go way up if you can import this baby that will only work with AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. You'll definitely feel like you've come back from the future.
Xiaomi Mi Mix
image
The KEYone still isn't a phone for everyone. And at just about $550, it's still a little more expensive than we'd like it to be. But for the right user, it's just such an extremely satisfying phone to operate that all its missteps and eccentricities don't seem to really matter. This is a phone that knows exactly what it wants to be, and has no qualms in doing things its own way. That's an increasingly rare thing in today's homogenized smartphone market, and that TCL is able to do it so successfully with the KEYone is all the more impressive.
BlackBerry KeyOne
embed
<iframe width="679" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z49ShosHeuY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Pros & Cons
+ Incredibly satisfying hardware keyboard
+ Beautiful, solid-feeling construction
+ Phenomenal battery life
+ Decent, reliable camera
- Pricing steep compared to similarly-specced phones
- No extras like wireless charging/waterproofing
- BlackBerry apps can be hit-and-miss
- Unusual screen size/shape and device layout isn't for everyone
+ Incredibly satisfying hardware keyboard
+ Beautiful, solid-feeling construction
+ Phenomenal battery life
+ Decent, reliable camera
- Pricing steep compared to similarly-specced phones
- No extras like wireless charging/waterproofing
- BlackBerry apps can be hit-and-miss
- Unusual screen size/shape and device layout isn't for everyone
BlackBerry KeyOne Video Review
image
The less extravagant, but equally cutting-edge in terms of style and looks Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is really something that you should know about. Like a close cousin of the discontinued Galaxy Note 7, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 features similar curves and elegance, but does not explode in your hands. It's an extremely well-crafted phone, but unfortunately also one made only for Asia with its MIUI interface and other quirks. Still, if you want a phone that you can proudly show as a design masterpiece, this baby will work on AT&T and T-Mobile if you want to import it. Keep in mind that this comes with no warranties or proper service, though.
Xiaomi Mi Note 2
image
Big in China, the Oppo R11 is in many ways the originator of the OnePlus 5. What do we mean? Well, it uses the exact same dual camera setup for starters and the same fast charge system. Oh yes, and OnePlus' office is one floor below the Oppo offices, located in the very same building. Still, the Oppo R11 is not an exact copy of the OnePlus 5: it features a different chipset and a slightly different look, but if you are looking for an exotic phone that is also good to use, it will definitely fit the bill.
Oppo R11
image
The alien design of the Honor Magic definitely qualifies it right in the exotic phones group. There is truly no other phones with a similar shape and curvature, so if you want a phone that will have everyone looking and wondering, the Magic fits the bill. It also runs smoothly in the daily grind, but can be hard to find outside of China.
Honor Magic
Best Exotic Phones
The Mi 6 is the 2017 flagship for Chinese Xiaomi. It builds up on the successful formula: top-notch hardware for an affordable price. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is also an improvement over the previously released Mi 5: it features a much more solid design, it's got a brand new dual-camera system with a secondary telephoto lens, and it's got a longer battery life. All of that comes at a price of less than $500, which is certainly impressive.
Best Exotic Phones
1. Xiaomi Mi 6
The Mi 6 is the 2017 flagship for Chinese Xiaomi. It builds up on the successful formula: top-notch hardware for an affordable price. The Xiaomi Mi 6 is also an improvement over the previously released Mi 5: it features a much more solid design, it's got a brand new dual-camera system with a secondary telephoto lens, and it's got a longer battery life. All of that comes at a price of less than $500, which is certainly impressive.
2. Xiaomi Mi Mix
Xiaomi is a company that has been growing quickly in China, but that does not sell its phones in the United States or Europe officially. And that's a pity.
It's Xiaomi Mi Mix is a limited-edition all-out crazy phone with a 93% screen-to-body ratio and a giant 6.4-inch display that fits in a body roughly the size of the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 7 Plus. With a ceramic back that is very hard to scratch it also looks good. While currently the world is awaiting the 2017 Samsungs and Apples that will most certainly get this new bezel-less look, in China such a phone has already been available for months now. Sure, it's pricey at $800, and yes, it's only made for China, but your street cred would go way up if you can import this baby that will only work with AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. You'll definitely feel like you've come back from the future.
It's Xiaomi Mi Mix is a limited-edition all-out crazy phone with a 93% screen-to-body ratio and a giant 6.4-inch display that fits in a body roughly the size of the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 7 Plus. With a ceramic back that is very hard to scratch it also looks good. While currently the world is awaiting the 2017 Samsungs and Apples that will most certainly get this new bezel-less look, in China such a phone has already been available for months now. Sure, it's pricey at $800, and yes, it's only made for China, but your street cred would go way up if you can import this baby that will only work with AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. You'll definitely feel like you've come back from the future.
3. BlackBerry KeyOne
The KEYone still isn't a phone for everyone. And at just about $550, it's still a little more expensive than we'd like it to be. But for the right user, it's just such an extremely satisfying phone to operate that all its missteps and eccentricities don't seem to really matter. This is a phone that knows exactly what it wants to be, and has no qualms in doing things its own way. That's an increasingly rare thing in today's homogenized smartphone market, and that TCL is able to do it so successfully with the KEYone is all the more impressive.
4. BlackBerry KeyOne Video Review
Pros & Cons
+ Incredibly satisfying hardware keyboard
+ Beautiful, solid-feeling construction
+ Phenomenal battery life
+ Decent, reliable camera
- Pricing steep compared to similarly-specced phones
- No extras like wireless charging/waterproofing
- BlackBerry apps can be hit-and-miss
- Unusual screen size/shape and device layout isn't for everyone
+ Incredibly satisfying hardware keyboard
+ Beautiful, solid-feeling construction
+ Phenomenal battery life
+ Decent, reliable camera
- Pricing steep compared to similarly-specced phones
- No extras like wireless charging/waterproofing
- BlackBerry apps can be hit-and-miss
- Unusual screen size/shape and device layout isn't for everyone
5. Xiaomi Mi Note 2
The less extravagant, but equally cutting-edge in terms of style and looks Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is really something that you should know about. Like a close cousin of the discontinued Galaxy Note 7, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 features similar curves and elegance, but does not explode in your hands. It's an extremely well-crafted phone, but unfortunately also one made only for Asia with its MIUI interface and other quirks. Still, if you want a phone that you can proudly show as a design masterpiece, this baby will work on AT&T and T-Mobile if you want to import it. Keep in mind that this comes with no warranties or proper service, though.
6. Oppo R11
Big in China, the Oppo R11 is in many ways the originator of the OnePlus 5. What do we mean? Well, it uses the exact same dual camera setup for starters and the same fast charge system. Oh yes, and OnePlus' office is one floor below the Oppo offices, located in the very same building. Still, the Oppo R11 is not an exact copy of the OnePlus 5: it features a different chipset and a slightly different look, but if you are looking for an exotic phone that is also good to use, it will definitely fit the bill.
7. Honor Magic
The alien design of the Honor Magic definitely qualifies it right in the exotic phones group. There is truly no other phones with a similar shape and curvature, so if you want a phone that will have everyone looking and wondering, the Magic fits the bill. It also runs smoothly in the daily grind, but can be hard to find outside of China.
Partnership rekindled: Future Nokia smartphones will feature Zeiss optics 
App shortcuts not enough? Make your wallpaper shine through with Super 
Despite featuring practically the same design as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6, it adds some significant improvements in everything else: the new A10 system chip is much more powerful, the new rear camera takes better pictures in low light, the front camera takes much sharper selfies, the battery life is better, the screen now has more eye-popping color, the phone is water-proof, and there is now optical stabilization that allows shooting smoother-looking video. Did we mention that the pitiful 16GB base model finally goes the way of the dodo and is being replaced by a 32GB version? For $100 on top of the price of that base model you can get a 128GB version. Add another $100, and you get 256GB of storage, as much as on many laptops, and the most we've seen on a mainstream phone.
Add to this the rich iOS ecosystem that continues to secure the best apps and games first, and one starts to understand why it's so hard to argue against the iPhone 7.