If you’re on the market looking to upgrade your smartphone, you might get lost looking at all the offerings currently available. Since all current smartphones are more than capable of handling whatever you throw at them, i will refrain from going through detailed spec sheets. Instead, I’ll try to focus on specific features that are offered by the various manufacturers that would make you choose their handset over others.
LG: The current flagship smartphone from LG is the G3. Having a 5.5″ QHD screen, the G3 holds the highest pixel density among all phones to be highlighted in this article. What’s more impressive however, is it’s compactness a.k.a. screen to phone size ratio which stands at spectacular 76.4%. To get a better idea of what I’m talking about here, check the picture below comparing it to the 5.5″ screened iPhone 6 plus (note that when bent, the iPhone 6 plus is actually the shorter phone). Another highlight feature of the G3 is laser focus, which LG says improves the camera’s auto-focus time.
HTC: The HTC one (M8) is undoubtedly the most premium android phone on the market offering an impeccable build quality surpassing that of any other phone maker (we’re looking at you apple). The aluminum-clad 5″ screened M8 offers dual speakers but a so-so camera. Also, having been on the market for a while now, its price is easily accessible. Note that the same applies to the G3.
SONY: The Z3 is the latest entry in Sony’s Xperia line of smartphones. Building on the features of the Xperia Z2, the Z3 offers a 5.2″ screen, dual speakers, a 20.7 Mp camera with a larger than standard camera sensor, noise cancellation and high-resolution audio, all tucked inside a water-proof glass body with aluminum edges. An impressive feature that will grab gamers attention is ‘PS4 remote play’ that allows you to stream PS4 games using your wifi network to the phone. In regards to build quality, The Z3 just falls short of beating that of the M8 but comes very close. Note that Sony offers a compact version of the Z3 called Z3 compact (duh!) providing the same experience in a smaller (4.6″) more ‘pocketable’ device. Both phones are promised to provide a 2-day battery life.
SAMSUNG: The Korean manufacturer is infamous for flooding the market with endless iterations of its Galaxy lineup. The Galaxy S5 is its current flagship offering a 5.1″ super saturated screen, a solid camera, a heart-rate sensor and a fingerprint sensor (a la iPhone 5s/6/6 plus) tucked in a water-resistant plastic body. The S5 is the least premium-feeling device among all android flagships. Samsung also recently released the Galaxy Alpha (aimed at competing with the iPhone 6) offering a 4.7″ screen in a plastic, metal-framed body.
APPLE: The iPhone 6 and 6 plus are Apple’s latest gadgets. Having a respective 4.7″ and 5.5″ screen, both phones provide the usual simplicity and ease use of iOS while offering a fingerprint scanner and an enhanced yet protruding 8 Mp camera with improved auto-focus in premium looking devices. On a subjective side note, I hate how the back of both phones look and much prefer the 5/5s in that perspective.
When looking to purchase a new smartphone, my advice is to look for the one that provides you with the features you need or might need in the future, and of course all while considering its price.
For example, photography oriented users might lean more towards the Z3 or even the S5. Others looking for the most premium looking device would go for the M8 and iPhone siblings. If you consume lots of multimedia the choice would definitely be the M8 and Z3 for their dual speakers (and the Z3’s audio capabilities). Looking for a smartphone that’s not afraid to get wet you got the water-resistant S5 and the water-proof Z3.
photos via phonearena using their phone size comparison tool.
