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Throwback Monday: Which manufacturer had the best-looking flagship in 2011?

posted by Chris P. / Dec 14, 2015, 3:56 AM

Throwback Monday: Which manufacturer had the best-looking flagship in 2011?

With 2015 nearing its end, you've probably noticed that we've already started looking back on the year and thinking on what it meant for the industry as a whole. Retrospection is a funny thing, however — drop your guard for a moment, and you might just find yourself recounting years long past. For whatever reason, we found ourselves digging through the 2011 archives and reminiscing on the greats of the day — say the iPhone 4S, the GALAXY Nexus, or even the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S.

Beyond the obvious upgrades in hardware, it's hard not to notice that design has changed quite a bit since. Sure, fundamentally, the form factor is mostly the same, but there's still a world of difference from the long-expired designs of 2011 to the ones today. Don't get us wrong, we still appreciate the fine work phone makers delivered that year, and in fact can't settle on which one got it down cold best. That's where you come in.

Take a glance through the slideshow below with our nine contestants today — all 2011 flagships from major brands — and vote for the one you think looks best in the poll immediately below. Come back tomorrow for the results!

2011 flagship line-up

View more + 4 images

Throwback Monday: Which manufacturer had the best-looking flagship in 2011?

HTC with the Sensation

8.96%

Samsung with the Galaxy S II

12.16%

Motorola with the RAZR/DROID RAZR

8.77%

Apple with the iPhone 4S

14.08%

LG with the Optimus 2X

0.9%

BlackBerry with the Bold 9790

3.39%

Sony Ericsson with the Xperia arc S

26.23%

Nokia with the Lumia 800

18.87%

Google with the (Samsung) GALAXY Nexus

6.65%

Options

49 Comments

1. tiara6918

Posts: 2263; Member since: Apr 26, 2012

Samsung with their galaxy s2. I wish they'd go back to that design language

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:05 AM 8

16. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2280; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

@PA it's Sony Ericsson, not Sony

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:42 AM 0

27. Chris.P

Posts: 567; Member since: Jun 27, 2013

you speak da threws

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 5:41 AM 0

2. rick_mobile

Posts: 359; Member since: Dec 13, 2010

My personal ones are the xperia, iphone and the nexus. I used to really like the little logo on the sony ericsson phones. Kinda wish sony had kept it.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:07 AM 5

3. AlikMalix unregistered

rick, I will agree with you, I had couple of sony ericsson phones - that logo was inspiring...

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:10 AM 0

7. rick_mobile

I know right, there was something appealing about it. Too bad really.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:18 AM 0

9. Finalflash

Posts: 4063; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

lol yea, between the Sony and iPhone for me with the sony one edging it out slightly.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:25 AM 0

17. AkoSiKuting

Posts: 88; Member since: Dec 09, 2015

C'mon, it's obviously iPhone 4s no competition, the one and only phone with retina display in 2011

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:47 AM 4

20. sip1995

Posts: 1771; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

I have to agree with that.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 5:06 AM 1

28. XperiaFanZone

The Xperia X1, X2, Samsung Jet and LG GD880 mini all had "retina" displays"..all released before the iPhone 4 let alone the 4s. And I didn't know the number of pixels determine the design of the smartphone.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 5:45 AM 14

30. Commentator

Posts: 3723; Member since: Aug 16, 2011

None of those phones are in the poll. However, the Galaxy Nexus did have a Retina display in 2011, and it is in the poll.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 6:26 AM 0

4. iampun33t

Posts: 137; Member since: Apr 17, 2013

Samsung Galaxy S2 was probably the best Galaxy phone Samsung ever made. It was compact, stylish and had a more professional design than any ever made. I wish they go back to it, adding a few design elements from this year.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:11 AM 1

5. AlikMalix unregistered

To me, some of the others look good too for what they are, but the iphone was clean, designed out of aluminum and glass that looked so good then, that Samsung (and some others) are making the same glass-sandwich designs Today.... It's like a 70's muscle car that inspires designs of cars today...

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:12 AM 0

6. iM2.0

Posts: 52; Member since: Dec 14, 2015

iPhone 4s by FAR

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:14 AM 3

8. kent-gaga

Posts: 609; Member since: Apr 10, 2012

Xperia Arc S, Lumia 800 and the iPhone 4S surely take the highest places

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:25 AM 11

10. AlikMalix unregistered

4S wont, because not as many iPhone fans vs Android fans on PA, and unfortunately people here vote with their emotions not logic... (or eyes in this case)

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:27 AM 2

26. rick_mobile

logic?? what does logic have to do here?? people have different taste in LOOKS, the iphone is nice but people can like something different. Example: I think the best one is the xperia, followed by the nexus and followed by the iphone. Thats just personal taste of what I think the best looking ones are. The iphoe has a nice premium design which makes it nice, but a boring designed compared to the xperia and the nexus.(in my opinion). This has nothing to do with being a fan. I like android but I still think the iphone is good looking, not as good as my favorite ones but I still like it. You are starting to make this about fanboyism, just when I thought you actually had some brains. Please don't make me go get more aluminum foil.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 5:36 AM 7

43. AlikMalix unregistered

I was speaking generally on PA but I put in perentesies "in this case" - because that doesn't apply here. But emotional vote is strong here. Lots of people don't vote for something, but instead against apple products - not logical, but emotional. Re-read my post.

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 9:21 AM 1

11. Kumar123 unregistered

First, Apple iPhone 4S Second, Xperia Arc S Third, Lumia 800

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 4:32 AM 1

41. lalalaman

Posts: 638; Member since: Aug 19, 2013

i wish sony use that design again....had better grip....

posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:35 AM 0

12. Diezparda

Posts: 941; Member since: Oct 23, 2013

It's kinda personal i don't mind glass and aluminum body of the iPhone 4, i don't even mind plastic since i believe majority of people will use a plastic case to cover such beauty so personally i'll pick larger screen device over anything else.