Best 10 mobiles in the world

 

10. Samsung Galaxy S2

The king is dead - and the former number one phone in the world continues to slide down the rankings. That's not to take anything away from a cracking phone that is getting to a really low price these days, but it's nothing compared to its successor.
Make no mistake - this is still a great phone, thanks to the Ice Cream Sandwich update, and the design has moved from cool to iconic pretty quickly. However, we're still not sure when or even if the S2 will get an update to Jelly Bean, while those below it have all been confirmed (well, apart from the iPhone 5, obviously).
What we love about the Samsung Galaxy S II is the sheer amount of stuff that's packed in under the chassis - but more important is the way Samsung has used all that tech to create a phone that just works near-flawlessly.
The dual-core 1.2GHz processor, the Super AMOLED plus screen and the excellent sonic performance of the media player all combine to make a real doozy of a mobile phone.
Recording in 1080p is a nice touch (given that it actually works most of the time) and the camera is more than enough to take great shots in a short space of time - although we suggest you check out the phones lower in this list for more powerful snappers.
In short, be it internet browsing, navigation, media, or social networking- the Samsung Galaxy S2 is still more than good enough for all those functions in one phone.

Quick verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S2 has sold over many millions of units worldwide - and it's showing no sign of slowing down in the popularity stakes, so it stays in the top ten for now.
It's a cracking media mobile, still next generation in web browsing thanks to slick Flash integration, a very good replacement for a pocket camcorder and, goshdarnit, it makes calls pretty well too.
The Samsung Galaxy S II not only set a new bar for smartphones in 2011; it smashed the bar, recreated it in its own image and even managed to see off the competition of an Apple smartphone that doesn't drop signal all over the place - but now it's been usurped by a more powerful device.

9. Sony Xperia T

 

The Sony Xperia T takes over from the Sony Xperia S as the Japanese company's new flagship device, but borrows the design found on the popular, but now aging Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc and Arc S.
It runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, with a 4.6-inch display boasting Sony's Bravia TV technology and on the back of the handset you'll find the 13MP camera – one of this phone's best features.
Sony has produced another impressive smartphone that offers the functionality and performance we're looking for in a top-level handset.
That being said, when compared with the earlier Sony Xperia S, or some of the other flagship Android handsets, the difference is negligible.

Quick verdict

The Sony Xperia T is a very, very good phone. Everything about it is slick and well-executed and the performance is certainly what we expect from a £400 device.
However, the Xperia S was a very, very good phone. When a new model comes out, we look for it to improve upon the previous one and unfortunately, hand on heart; this doesn't improve on the last generation of smartphones as much as it should - so that's why it just pips the S, but doesn't challenge the leading pack in our top 10.
 

8. Nokia Lumia 920

 

What's better than a top Windows Phone 7 handset? A Windows Phone 8 one, and we've got no qualms about telling you this is the best Windows Phone out there.
Simplicity is the key here, the Lumia 920 does the basics well, from contact integration and calling, to web browsing and messaging.
The 8MP camera on the back of the Lumia 920 is one of the best we've used and for anyone looking to get a top end cameraphone you need to seriously consider this Nokia.
The 4.5-inch display is also a good'un, crisp and clear it makes watching movies, surfing the web or Facebook stalking an enjoyable experience, thanks to the PureMotion HD technology on offer.
And you can even use it with gloves on... what more could you want? You're right: holograms. But they don't exist yet.

Quick verdict

The Nokia Lumia 920 is a worthy ambassador for Windows Phone 8 and if the Finnish firm continue to build and improve on this handset, it could well make a glorious return to the mobile market.
It's not got the clout to take on the likes of the Galaxy S3 just yet, but there's not doubt in our minds that the once-great brand is slowly getting closer to the summit.

7. LG Optimus 4X HD

If we didn't live in a world where we have the Galaxy S3 and the HTC One X, there is no doubt about it – the LG Optimus 4X HD would be one of the best phones out there. Its specs are fantastic.
The trouble is, LG has released this handset six months too late, which means it doesn't offer anything mind-blowing or really that alternative.
However, it's a media powerhouse, has sleek lines and has power in spades - plus a better battery than the One X, with the same chipset.
In summary, we do recommend it – it's a cracking piece of kit. And if you can get it on a good deal, we say 'go for it', but there's no real reason to pick this over a Samsung Galaxy SIII, an HTC One X or even a One S, with the last option impressing hugely on the design front.

Quick verdict

A fantastic phone that really joins the benchmark level set a few months ago, rather than breaking new ground. It's been usurped by the much-cheaper Google Nexus 4, so unless you're a massive fan of the user interface (which is still pretty good) you'll probably enjoy the stock Android experience more.

6. HTC One S

There are few phones we play with where we think that we have the complete package and would happily give five stars. The HTC One S would have had five stars had it not been for the 16GB memory cap and non-HD screen.
The phone actually climbs a place in today's rankings, thanks to a promised upgrade to Jelly Bean and a continuing drop in price... plus the more we fondle it, the more we realise this is the best-designed phone on the planet.
We'd have even settled for 32GB in the absence of an expansion card slot. If you're a music lover, you're much better off with the Samsung Galaxy S3.
Or check out the HTC One X if you're after a little bit more bang for your buck... although you'll need to spend more bucks to actually get the HD screen and quad-core processor in your pocket.
But let's not get caught up with negativity here: if you're not bothered about a massive memory (which most people aren't), you probably can't do much better now. The HTC One S is a beautiful handset blessed with beautiful capabilities and is already available at very palatable price points.

Quick verdict

HTC could have launched the One S and not bothered with the One X in many ways - it's a beautiful handset blessed with a nice skin and the latest version of Android in the shape of Ice Cream Sandwich.
It's more of an evolution of the HTC Sensation range: slimmed down, nicer finish and far more feature-rich - and you will struggle to put it down once you've popped it in your hand.

5. Samsung Galaxy Note 2

It hasn't even been a year since the original Samsung Galaxy Note launched. Many (including us, we admit) were not convinced. Who on earth would want something so big to make their calls and surf the internet, even with a glorified stylus? Cue awkward silence.
Millions of you, it would appear. The Galaxy Note sold by the bucketload, so how do you follow that up? With something better, of course - the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Faster, stronger, better looking, and more functional, the Galaxy Note 2 is better connected than ever, and thanks to that increased screen size (up to an eye-bulging 5.5-inches), now takes the crown in our eyes as the perfect media player.
Samsung has achieved something special here, because it has made the Galaxy Note 2 bigger than the original, but pulls it off so that you don't notice it too much and the fact that it launches running Android Jelly Bean and has such grunt with that quad-core processor makes this a class-leading phone.

Quick verdict

As a phone, it's big, but once you get over that, if you can, it's great. As a PMP, it really does excel, and as a web communicator, it is almost second to none (though we can't fully get the taste of Flash absence out of our mouth).
Ultimately, there's no getting away from the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a niche device. But it does almost everything it sets out to do perfectly, with grace, class and maximum functionality. And if you're in the market for a larger smartphone or a small tablet, there really is no better device.

4. Google Nexus 4

Google and LG have worked together to bring to market a fantastic offering. We showed it to two friends who are both Apple fans. The kind of people who shower in holy water if they're exposed to Android. Both of them were smitten.
The fact of the matter is that this is a handset with world class specs – yet it's at a price you'd expect to get a budget phone for. Sure, there are a few things that could have been done better, but the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.
The Nexus 4 is beautifully designed with a stunning display and rocking the latest version of Android. It has more connectivity than a BT Telephone Exchange and even excels in the simple matter of making telephone calls.
We're not fans of the lower memory allowance, and it's not got the best screen on the market, and there will be a few that see Android 4.2 as too stripped-down to consider it a valid phone OS choice, more a platform for the big hitters to build on.
But that doesn't mean it's not a fantastic handset - it would have competed even without the stupidly low price tag.

Quick verdict

Make no mistake – this is the best Nexus handset so far by a long shot. We love it and can't recommend it highly enough. It is seriously a contender for our best smartphone of 2012, although it's fallen just short ahead of intense competition. If you're due a new phone, you should check the Google Nexus 4 out without delay.

3. iPhone 5

Did you see this one coming? The iPhone 5 in at third place in our rankings? Some thought higher, some thought lower - it depends on your level of Apple bias.
Never has a company polarised opinion in the smartphone world like Apple - and with the iPhone 5, so many are quick to decry it while others know it to be the smartphone they've been waiting for.
And let's make no bones about it: this is a stunning phone, with a gorgeous two-tone finish, a superbly high-res screen that's been extended to four inches and an efficient yet powerful core.
The iOS 6 update is a good one, and while some feel it to be ageing slightly, many see it as doing exactly what they want... and given Apple has built it smartphone reputation on simplicity, this makes sense.
However, it's not all cookies and cream for Apple, as it's ditched the Google Maps app for something that's not as slick or well-stocked in its own Maps app.
Sure, you've got turn by turn directions, but given some places are listed incorrectly or missing, combined with some of the laughable 3D modelling in the flyover mode, it's not Apple's finest hour.
Plus the iPhone 5 is very expensive... we're not sure how such sky high prices can be charged when equivalent smartphones are available on the market.

Quick verdict

Let's not beat around the bush here: the iPhone 5 is one of the best smartphones in the world thanks to a great package of technology, design and UI intuition.
iOS definitely needs an update, and we'll always hope for a price decrease soon... and if it wasn't for that and the Maps issue, the iPhone 5 might have been higher in our rankings.

2. HTC One X+

The HTC One X was an odd handset - not in the design (lovely) or the features (top-end) - but that it's seen as a 'renaissance' phone for the firm, despite its success in such a short time.
And now it's taken that design, thrown out the bits that don't work and had another go... while adding a '+' on the end to show it's all new and shiny.
It's addressed storage concerns and improved web browser efficiency and the always reliable HTC keyboard – although the battery is still a bit of a sore point.
The design may not be any different, but we like that as the One X+ was already a handsome looking handset, with the unibody design exuding a premium air of superiority which can only really be toppled by the iPhone 5.
The beefed up processor along with the Android 4.1 and Sense 4+ UI updates makes the One X+ an even slicker, smoother and more powerful customer than its older brother.
The already excellent HTC keyboard has once again been given further improvements making it even better and for the first time we didn't feel the need to download an alternative from Google Play – kudos HTC - and LOOK! It's now red and black with 64GB of storage.

Quick verdict

There are so many things to love about the One X+ and it really is a great smartphone. We urge you to give it a whirl in store, and while it may not have the fancy tricks of the Galaxy S3, or the cult following of the iPhone 5, it's happily rubbing shoulders with the big boys.
It still didn't have enough to impress us enough to push it ahead of the S3, namely the fact battery life is still not improved to an acceptable level in our eyes, but the gap between them is so close that you won't be sad with either handset.

1. Samsung Galaxy S3

Make no mistake: the Samsung Galaxy S3 is the best smartphone on the market. It's got every kind of feature we could ask for and more, and raises the bar once again in terms of what consumers should be expecting in terms of battery life, processor speed and media management.
Would we recommend you buy one? Yes, without hesitation. If you're torn between this and an HTC One X+, it's a very difficult one to call – the design of the the One X+ is better and the overall feel of the Sense 4+ user interface will appeal. But in terms of pure usability and power, we really like what Samsung has put on the table.
And we're sure some of you are wondering how the Samsung Galaxy S3 bests the iPhone 5 - well, for starters, Google Maps works properly. And it's nearly £130 cheaper. And it has a bigger screen, which we think is winning.
That's not the only reason the Samsung Galaxy S3 is at the top of our best phone rankings. Smart Stay, Super AMOLED HD screen, up to 128GB storage, Music Hub, removable battery, blisteringly quick camera... we're getting tired listing all the great things it does.
The design isn't as impressive as when we first laid eyes on the S2, but to us that's the only big issue we can find - and that's enough to recommend the Galaxy S3 without question.

Quick verdict

If you waited feverishly for the Samsung Galaxy S3, you won't be disappointed. It's fast, it's sleek and it packs the latest technology that will get your pulse racing.
Samsung faced an almost impossible task in trying to create a worthy sequel to the Galaxy S2, but the Galaxy S3 should definitely be one of, if not the phone you should consider on your next trip to your local handset emporium.