Best phones: July 2017

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.

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.

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.

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.