Phones

Best Android Phones

We've compiled the best Android phones into one list.

we’ve gathered our favorite phones. All of these devices could be considered high end. At the rate smartphone technology is evolving, we recommend that you don’t buy a phone that doesn’t run Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), have a dual-core processor, and a high-resolution screen this holiday season. Believe it or not, a number of these high-end devices carry prices as low as $100. Others cost a bit more, but may be worth the investment.

HTC

HTC might be launching the first quad-core smartphone in the market among the smartphone manufacturers. Dubbed HTC One X, it will run on NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 having four cores (and a fifth, companion core for less demanding tasks) clocked at 1.5GHz allowing the processor to simultaneously run multiple sets of program instructions. Along with this, the battery life will increase two fold. With 1GB of RAM will be at your disposal, along with 32GB of built-in memory, this mammoth device will offer a 4.7″ screen with 720p HD resolution; big-screen junkies should be happy.

HTC One X Specs

• 8MP camera unit with 28mm, f/2.2 lens
• 4.7″ screen with 1280×720 HD LCD Display
• NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 quad core clocked @ 1.5 Ghz
• 32GB of built-in memory
• 1GB of RAM
• Android 4.0 ICS

Other specs include an 8MP camera unit with 28mm, dual shutter f/2.2 lens, capable of capturing 1080p videos will be present as well. Bluetooth 4.0 is expected on board, along with the rest of the usual connectivity. The HTC One X will, reportedly, be only capable of 21Mbps HSDPA network speeds. In the software department, we can be all but certain to see Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. The Edge will also most likely come with Beats by Dr. Dre as well, for bass-fanatics, too. A number of new HTC content services are also expected like HTC Listen Music, HTC Read, HTC Watch and HTC Play. The HTC One X is expected to hit the market between March and April this year, and is likely to be one of the first quad core smartphones on the market.

MOTOROLA

Now, for Moto, if we are to believe the rumors, is gearing up with its Tegra 3 based devices lined up for the launch in the Q2 2012 and might be unveiled during MWC 2012. After the Motorola DROID RAZR and the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX, the phones have been codenamed as Motorola Bullet and Motorola Jet. Supposedly the Bullet will be a straight-up slate, while the Jet will be a QWERTY slider. Aside from the absolutely unstoppable and drool-worthy 3300mAh Quad core powered Motorola Atrix 3, very little in the way of rumors have surfaced over the past few months, Motorola seems like they are quite content with their current line-up, but this is likely to change quickly. You know how it goes, things change rather quickly in these here parts.

Motorola Bullet

The Bullet is a candy bar style 4.3″ qHD (960×540) phone, packing a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, and most likely 1.5GB of DDR2 RAM. It will also feature 16GB of on-board storage, an NFC chip, and a redesigned image sensor to capture amazing photos and HD video on its 12MP camera. It’s also alleged to be launching before its keyboard brethren, the Motorola Jet.

Motorola Jet

The Motorola Jet 4 will be adored by the Android QWERTY lovers and sports a smaller 4″ display, brandishing a qHD (960×540) display with an amazing QWERTY keyboard from its cousin Motorola Droid 3.  Thankfully, it will be sporting the same Herculean hardware as its keyboard-less cousin, the Bullet, and will feature a 4″ qHD 24-bit screen, Tegra 3, up to 1.5GB of DDR2 RAM, 16GB on-board storage, same newly designed 12MP camera as the Bullet, NFC chip, and a fully redesigned 5 row (perhaps) style sliding keyboard.

Some also reported that Motorola is getting quite serious about putting world class image sensors in their upcoming phones, giving consumers the power to capture fast, awesome HD photos and video in low light. So, with Motorola making this a major focus, it’s looking like the chance of us being able to put our dedicated digital camera away sooner than we thought. Plus, with the promised processing power of the quad core Tegra SoC, it’s theoretically possible that these devices will be able to capture 60fps + at 1080p. Judging by the image above it looks like both devices will be running on Verizon’s 4G LTE – since they aren’t releasing any more 3G only devices – and both phones have the “Verizon” logo, and on the back there is the “4G LTE” logo. Here’s to hoping they find a way to get great battery life on 4G LTE.

SONY

The Arc was one of Sony Ericsson’s (soon to be just Sony) best smartphones last year. While it lacked dual core goodness, it was slim, as it was supposed to be, since most of their competition had phones like that already, and it was stylish. Design is still one of Sony’s strong suit, but it doesn’t go well with thick phones, which is how most of their phones still are. But they will be pushing other slim phones in 2012.

Sony Xperia S Specs

• dual core 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon chip
• 4.3″ 1280×720 HD display
•  1 GB of RAM
• 32 GB of storage
• 1750 mAh battery
• 12 MP rear camera

Sony will be debuting the Xperia Ion this year, which is packing a dual core 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon chip, a 4.3″ 1280×720 HD display, 1 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, and a 1750 mAh battery. Also, it packs a 12 MP camera with full HD recording and HDMI port.

The Ion is not only proof of that, but it’s also a bit of proof that Sony 
Ericsson
 finally understands that they need to be on the edge with hardware specs, too. From what we’ve seen, it appears that Sony is taking the smartphone market very seriously, and is positioning themselves in 2012 to become a lot more competitive.

SAMSUNG

The giant Korean company, maker of the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S2, is poised to be a leader in this particular superphone death-match. Samsung’s phones and tablets have used ARM, Snapdragon and Tegra chipsets, but the manufacturer’s semiconductor division is working hard on the next generation of its own Exynos line of systems-on-a-chip. They are testing possible processors like the Exynos 5250, which isn’t quad-core, but rather a dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor. Samsung seems to be confident that the Exynos 5250 can produce benchmarks and performance competitive with a quad-core processor. Or it may even go with the 32 nm quad core Exynos 4412 (based on Cortex A9) having the same clock speed of 1.5 GHz.

One of the latest renderings of the Galaxy S3

Samsung Galaxy S3 Specs

• 1GB/2GB of RAM
• 4.6 inch 1280×720 AMOLED display
• under 9mm thin
• 12MP rear camera, with W750 BSI CMOS sensor
• 1.5Ghz quad core (potentially dual core, but unlikely)
• Multiple variants to be released to support different carriers

Samsung has some tough choices to make. According to our very own Lucian Armasu:

“The “safest” rumor about the Galaxy S3 has been that it has a quad core 1.5 Ghz processor, most likely based on Cortex A9. While that will certainly be competitive this spring, I don’t think the competitive edge will be that big for the Galaxy S3 to maintain the lead in performance for too long.”

If we take into consideration the specs of the device, the talks which are in the air reveal that the Galaxy S III’s design will be different from the current design of the Galaxy S series, and will thinner in size than its ancestor, the Galaxy S2. Samsung might be including 3D (glassless) functionality into the Galaxy S3 line of Android phones. Predictions indicate that it will feature a 4.6” Super AMOLED Plus HD screen, 2GB of RAM, LTE connectivity, running on Android’s latest ICS firmware with Touchwiz – Samsung’s own overlay. Also like its competitors, it might incorporate a 12 MP primary camera (with W750 BSI CMOS sensor) and NFC support.

If Samsung does unveil the Galaxy S3 at Mobile World Congress in 2012, we will see Galaxy S III earlier this May or even in April. If not, then look for it closer to the summer.

MEIZU

Meizu MX with Quad Core Launching in May 2012

Meizu MX Specs

• Tegra 3 Quad Core @ 1.5 Ghz
• 1/2GB of RAM
• 16 GB ROM
• 8MP Camera
• 1600 mAh
• 4 inch LED backlit display

Recently, Meizu CEO J Wong has confirmed that after first gen Meizu MX launched recently, its quad core version will be hitting the market soon installed with the Android Ice Cream Sandwich while it arrives in May 2012. He also confirmed in the official company forum that the second version of the Meizu MX will come with the Exynos processor. There is not so detailed information about the features it will showcase, but it will perhaps have a processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, 1/2 GB RAM, 16 Gb inbuilt memory, 8 MP or higher camera, full HD recording, HDMI port, 4+” LED display and a 1600 mAh battery.

Meizu have gained reputation in China, and their quality and powerful devices are starting to be acknowledged by the West, too, which means that it might not be long until they start selling them to Europe and US, as well struggling against the iPhone.

LG

LG's new quad core speed demon - the Optimus 4X HD

LG 4X HD Specs: 

• NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad-core CPU
• A whopping 4.7 inches HD Screen (1280×720)
• 8MP Rear Camera and 1.3MP Front
• 16GB on a microSD card.
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box
• 21Mbps HSPA or LTE depending on region and carrier
• 2000mAh battery
• NFC

LG has received a lot of flack for slow updates, and for software that doesn’t perform at its best, all the time. That being said, they still are considered one of the top five, in terms of market share, at least. So it should come as no surprise that LG does not want to stand idly by. Rumors have it that they will be debuting a very powerful quad core device at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. In terms of specs, it seems to match a lot of these other top tier phones that we are looking at, and includes the extremely powerful chipset, Tegra 3, and will feature a high resolution, 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1280 × 720. We’ve also had its dimensions confirmed by reliable sources that have told us it will be very thin – most likely under 9 mm.

Said to come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, it will feature a 1.3 megapixel, and an 8 megapixel rear. Other specs include the usual suspects, including Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G/4G/LTE connectivity, depending on the region, and a fairly substantial 2000mAh battery.

These companies are not alone in the game.  Panasonic, ZTE, Huawei and even Fujitsu are also planning to roll out their quad core phones soon, too. So, what are there plans? Let’s check them out!