Updated: 20 best mobile phones in the world today
Our verdict on the best smartphone / best phones – constantly updated
We’ve all got at least one mobile phone each, right? The trouble is, how do you decide which is the best one for you?
If you’ve read our list of the hottest pre-release new mobile phones and are still stumped, well, this is where we make it easy. Because here we have our constantly-updated comparison of the top 20 best smartphones you can get in the UK.
And now, after a glut of top-end mobile phones steaming out from Mobile World Congress 2011, we’ve just brought you our biggest update ever to this definitive chart.
The big surprise in the last update was the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc nabbing the top spot – the combo of Android 2.3 and a beautiful screen in a tightly packaged body saw it head straight to the top of the pile.
But now the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy S2 has landed in the UK, we spent a frantic weekend trying out the myriad functions it’s got packed into its teeny frame. So now we can finally give it a place in our top 20 ranking of our mobile phone recommendations.
If that still doesn’t help, well, there’s always our extensive mobile phone reviews pages as well.
And when you’ve decided what new phone to buy, why not cash in your old one with our phone recycling price comparison service?
Here are our rankings for the best mobile phones around, currently available in the UK.
20. Blackberry Bold 9780
The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is a worthy upgrade to RIM’s flagship range from the Bold 9700. The new operating system is a significant improvement, making the phone more relevant to the wider market than anything that’s come before.
An improved screen and BlackBerry OS 6 make it feel more premium, and the chassis construction will please many too, along with an upgraded 5MP camera with flash that actually takes passable snaps.
The keyboard design has again been tinkered with, and we don’t think it’s to the benefit of BlackBerry stalwarts the world over, but it’s still a great way to quickly chuck in some text.
Quick verdict
The Bold 9780 is the only member of the BlackBerry family on our list. Some might question the lack of the Torch on here, given its status as RIM’s flagship model, but we felt the chunkier design, higher price and poor on-screen keyboard mean it’s been overshadowed by its slimmer, slicker and more conventional brother.
19. LG Optimus 7
Windows Phone 7 made a big impact on our top 20 list back in November 2010, but now it’s reduced to a single offering – and we’re plumping for the LG Optimus 7.
While it lacks the vivid screen of the Samsung Omnia 7 or the large display/kickstand combo of the HTC HD7, the Optimus 7 wins simply because it has a few more features on offer out of the box, including an awesome augmented reality browser that shows the weather when you point it at the sky. (Yes, we know you could look at it with your eyes. We mean it shows forecast weather).
The PlayTo DLNA service is ace too, making it a breeze to send content to your big screen TV, and the build quality isn’t too shabby either.
The sleek packaging and slick operating system still bring a smile to our faces when using it – but Windows Phone 7 badly needs the big Mango update we’re hoping to see in the next few months.
Quick verdict
If you follow the word of Stephen Fry and simply must check out Microsoft’s new smartphone OS, this is the phone we’d recommend to do it on. The sweet swishing action will impress you, and the Live Tiles and Xbox integration are nice additions too. It’s still far too simplistic to be a cutting-edge phone, but that will all change when the multi-tasking Mango update drops.
18. Samsung Galaxy Ace
The Samsung Galaxy Ace is an odd little phone when you first pick it up – plastic mesh back, lower-res touchscreen and a slight lag on the interface aren’t what everyone is looking for in a smartphone.
However, combined with Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay and a sublime £15-£20 a month price, the Ace suddenly seems like a much more attractive package – with a tip-top 5MP camera on the back to boot.
It might not be the snappiest phone you’ll ever use (we found it sometimes stumbled wandering from one home screen to the next) and it’s only average for media, but for that price point it deserves to be one of the budget newbies on our list.
Quick verdict
Compared to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2, the Ace looks lightweight – but then consider that you’re getting access to a large amount of the Android Market, a microSD slot and an above-average camera, and the head to head comparison is suddenly looking a lot more even.
17. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini / Pro
Sony Ericsson’s time in the doldrums might be coming to an end, and that turnaround was marked by the success of the Xperia Mini and its keyboarded sidekick, the Mini Pro.
We loved its miniature dimensions – although we still don’t understand how adding a keyboard only increased the depth by 1mm – and the reskinning of Sony Ericsson’s overlay to fit a teeny screen was genius at times.
It’s great for music playback while sitting secretly in a pocket – although it’s never going to be a video-watching marvel – and the internet browser is unbelievably snappy for a 600MHz processor. Plus, it has a lower price tag than many handsets around it, at less than £200 on PAYG and running Android 2.1.
Quick verdict
The clever implementation of Android with customisable corner icons and a simple yet effective keyboard means it’s very easy to use this phone, and even the internet is still a good experience for one of the world’s smallest smartphones.
We can see a refresh for this line coming soon – hopefully with a little bit of a Gingerbread flavour about it – but for now, it’s a cool choice if you’re after a tidy package.
- Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini review
- Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro review
- Compare Xperia X10 Mini offers
- Compare Xperia X10 Mini Pro offers
16. Nokia N8
If you’ve been a Nokia fan for years, then you’ll have noticed that the Finnish firm hasn’t been competing at the sharp end of the game for a while now.
It hoped to change all that with the N8, and on the hardware side it triumphed, at least: 12MP camera with Xenon flash, HD video recording, reams of internal storage and a high end media player, as well as the new Symbian^3 OS.
It’s not an expensive device either. With it available on an 18-month deal at only £25 a month, we’re getting back to the days when you could have a high-end smartphone and not be locked into a contract until you start drawing a pension. (Unless you’re reading this and are 64 years old – those days are gone for you).
However, the user interface still needs a lot of work in our opinion – the new Symbian Anna update goes a long way to fixing the laggy issues and poor internet browser, but it still needs a few more updates to even think about rivalling the slickness of the Android brigade.
Quick verdict
This is hardware at the sharp end of many categories, which is sure to bring a smile to tech-lovers’ hearts. It’s a phone that polarises opinion though – some people prefer a snazzier user interface, which the Nokia N8 fails to deliver, even with the Anna update. Others love the power of Symbian^3, and can see past the slight lag in the ageing UI – and for them this phone is without compare.
15. HTC Wildfire
HTC might not have got budget phones right the first time round – remember the HTC Tattoo, forlornly stuck on Android 1.6? But the HTC Wildfire is a much bigger hit, essentially taking the HTC Desire and squishing it down and reducing the cost.
We were impressed with the HVGA screen and dinky dimensions – while the camera was only passable, the presence of the flash helped things greatly.
Essentially, it’s a decent Android smartphone for not much cash – although it’s going to be usurped by the new HTC Wildfire S which is smaller, faster and, more importantly, cheaper.
Quick verdict
Friendly on the pocket and even nicer on the wallet, the HTC Wildfire is set for a big price drop now the Wildfire S has emerged, so if you’re thinking of upgrading to this, you could be rewarded for your patience.
14. HTC Desire HD
The HTC Desire HD was a phone we were so excited about when it launched – the huge 4.3-inch screen, DLNA support in the new version of Sense – this was going to be the new favourite Android phone on the block.
However, battery issues got in the way – many people reported that it lasted less than a day on a single charge when used under normal conditions, and the larger screen meant it was dubbed a ‘male-oriented’ phone.
Don’t get us wrong, it’s a cracking piece of kit: 8MP camera with flash, large screen with surround sound and connection to HD TVs is a decent lineup, even before we mention the excellent Sense UI on top, but after the launch of the Incredible S, it’s inevitable that the Desire HD would drop significantly on the list.
Quick verdict
The Desire HD is a behemoth of a phone – powerful, hefty yet slim. However, with the 4-inch screen of the HTC Incredible S, the cooler design and same price point (plus updated Sense UI) we have to plump for that one instead if we’re recommending a larger HTC phone.
13. Motorola Atrix
When Motorola announced the Atrix at CES 2011, we were blown away by the tech crammed into the tiny package. Dual core Tegra 2 1GHz processors, 1930mAh battery and qHD screen meant the Atrix was far and away the most powerful phone around.
It garnered rave reviews from us thanks to the snappy processor speeds, the range of accessories that use the inbuilt WebOS (including an awesome LapDock that turns the phone into a fully-fledged netbook) and above average battery life, even in heavy usage scenarios.
The only reason the Motorola Atrix isn’t higher up in the list is we’re still yet to review the UK edition, and we want to make sure the experience is worthy of a place in our top 10 list – plus we need to know the final price to you, dear reader.
Quick verdict
Dual core phones are the talk of Mobonia at the moment (the land where handsets are conceived and developed) and the Motorola Atrix is leading the charge. It’s not the sleekest handset out there at the moment, and in the dual core wars it’s likely to be trumped by the likes of the LG Optimus 2X and Samsung Galaxy S2 in terms of looks.
But for the power business user, this is highly likely to be the only phone they need look at for a long while.
12. Samsung Galaxy S
The Samsung Galaxy S is one lucky phone indeed – it was in danger of sliding right down our top 20 list until a last minute Android 2.3 update booted it back up to the front of the pack (so last minute that we’re still working on updating the review).
We can confirm that some of the niggles that were appearing with the older version of the software are gone – the lagging on certain applications seems to have gone now, and while battery life is still not stellar, it’s certainly improved – especially when it comes to offering a correct reading.
The Super AMOLED screen is still one of the best around for media, rivalling the likes of the iPhone 4 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, and while we can’t fix the fact it doesn’t have a flash, Flash VIDEO now works a lot better.
But its time as Samsung’s top smartphone is now over – the Galaxy S2 has landed and, despite this model being a tenner a month cheaper, its new sequel is so much better you’d have to be really in need of a budget handset to make this your choice, hence its dramatic fall down the rankings.
Quick verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S is everything that’s good about the Wave, but with Android power to back it up. The Super AMOLED screen is awe-inspiring, and the 1GHz Hummingbird processor means the phone never misses a beat, even though it’s not dual core.
This was Samsung’s breakout smartphone, and while you feel its time at the top is drawing to a close, a price drop or two over the next few months will keep this phone alive and kicking for a while yet.
11. INQ Cloud Touch
When deciding on the top 20 best mobile phones in the world, it’s sometimes tempting to only look at the super-skinny, action-packed expensive phones that promise you unlimited power and status just by owning them.
But equally, those that serve a purpose and aren’t hideously ugly deserve a mention too – and we’re big fans of INQ’s budget-friendly social networking range.
The INQ Cloud Touch is all about social networking, thanks to a deeper than ever integration with the Facebook application allowing users to simply see their favourite people’s updates, check in places quickly and see new statuses without entering a new app.
It’s also got a dedicated Spotify key, which is ace if you’re a premium user and want direct access – plus the info key, which has details on alarms, expected battery life and connection control.
It’s quirky in place of being attractive – and at £18 per month, or less than £200 for the handset, it warrants a solid place in our list.
Quick verdict
The INQ Cloud Touch is a phone that mixes it with the big boys admirably and costs a lot less – the lower powered processor might irk some, but we reckon the Facebook integration will win over more fans.
10. Orange San Francisco
Android is one of the big winners in our top 20 list, and the Orange San Francisco has emerged as the winner of the ‘budget league’, with a great build, slick operation and clear screen – all for under £80.
It’s ‘only’ got Android 2.1, but an upgrade is in the works, and despite that you still get a fast response from the capacitive screen and all the widgets and home screens you’ve come to expect from Android.
There are some trade-offs: don’t buy this if you want to take quality pics or are an avid radio listener, for instance, but overall it’s a super phone for the price.
Quick verdict
There was a time when the Orange San Francisco was the only decent budget phone on the market – but now that title is being challenged hard. Despite all that, it’s testament to the clever price drops and ahead of the curve tech on board that it still remains our top budget smartphone buy.
8. LG Optimus 2X
The dual-core race is set to hot up, and LG has stolen a march on its Atrix-shaped rival in the UK by releasing the Optimus 2X.
The new phone is certainly a slick player – we found the screen to be bright, the operation lightning fast at times and the HDMI mirroring a really neat feature.
If it wasn’t for some odd 1080p recording issues and slightly juddery internet experience there’s no doubt that the Optimus 2X would have been troubling the top of this chart – but you can forgive even those issues when you realise that it costs just £25 a month.
That’s right. A mid-range price for a top end handset – we’re really hoping this is a trend that continues.
Quick verdict
The idea of dual-core handsets is still better than the reality at the moment, as there still aren’t many apps that can take advantage. That said, 1080p video recording and improved graphics performance are still winning features, and the LG Optimus 2X is all over these like a rabbit in a radish field.
7. HTC Desire
The HTC used to be the top dog, but with the new dual-core brigade marching in, despite a really cheap price tag attached to it these days, plus an Android 2.3 update in the offing, its time in the top five is now over.
The hardware is still as solid as ever – the only niggles we have are a lack of internal storage (meaning apps that can’t live on an SD card are at a premium) and suspect HD video recording.
Users have had some battery life problems with the phone, but that doesn’t detract from a phone that simply WORKS – very few crashes, swift internet browsing, a quality on-screen keyboard and a decent design ethic to boot.
If you’re after a budget phone and don’t mind slightly older kit, then this could even be in second place for you.
Quick verdict
We will always have a soft spot for the HTC Desire – it’s still a class apart from many other phones out there. Its combination of intuitive overlay and flawless operation showed the world that there was life beyond the iPhone – and it’s still a decent piece of hardware to boot.
7. Google Nexus S
The first Android 2.3 phone to land on the market is also one of the first with NFC capabilities and a curved Super AMOLED screen from Samsung.
It’s a ‘Pure Google’ experience, which means no messing about waiting for networks to bring you the update; if Google likes it, you’ll have it.
The price dropped just before launch to a palatable £430, and competes very well indeed with the iPhone 4 and others in the top phone game. However, with more Android 2.3 handsets landing seemingly every week, unless you’re after a Google-only experience, its appeal becomes more limited.
The build quality might feel a little suspect at first, but it’s robust enough and sits in the hand well, and that screen is just superb for the internet and media.
Quick verdict
A ‘no frills’ handset that delivers on the specs – affordable and practical for the developer and early adopter alike, plus offering a more unique design than others on the market. If and when NFC becomes more widespread in the UK, this will probably see a real surge in interest again too.
6. HTC Incredible S
HTC’s ability to make large-screened phones on Android is seemingly never ending, with more emerging from the woodwork every week.
With the HTC Sensation landing soon, and the HTC Desire S already available, there was some worry about this Android 2.2-toting handset becoming lost in the ether. But with a vacuum-packed design and large and bright 4-inch screen, it’s quickly become a hot alternative to the Desire HD.
The 8MP camera with dual LED flash is a decent option, the interface snaps along nicely and the price is palatable – another top example of HTC Sense that will only improve when the Android 2.3 update lands.
Quick verdict
If you want a phone that stands out slightly from the rest, the Incredible S at its mid-range price point could be a goer for you. If you’re someone that wants the latest and greatest HTC, though, we suggest holding fire until we bring you our full HTC Sensation review.
5. Apple iPhone 4
The iPhone 4 is certainly the most impressive iPhone ever, and a big step up from the iPhone 3GS. The flat body is only 9.3mm thick – 24 per cent thinner than the iPhone 3GS at its thickest. It feels great in the hand, and at the keynote Steve Jobs remarked, “Its closest kin is a beautiful old Leica camera.”
By far the most in-your-face feature of the iPhone 4 is 960×640 Retina Display. It’s got 326 pixels per inch, and we’re talking tiny pixels, only 78 micrometers wide.
The Retina Display, especially, is hands-down one of the clearest, most enjoyable screens we’ve seen on a handheld, and the sheer amount of technology packed into the device is surprising.
The 3G reception disappearing problem is gone now with newer builds (although Apple would never admit to it being a problem) and while we know that many will never condone the phone not being at the top of the list, we still have a problem with the price.
How can a phone that’s approaching a year old not have a slide in cost? The HTC Desire, which was cheaper than the iPhone 4 already, is now only £15 per month – yet Apple’s device still costs a premium on networks.
Quick verdict
If it wasn’t for the reception issue, the iPhone 4 would have probably topped our charts long ago – well, perhaps if it had become a bit cheaper by now.
It’s still a class-leading bit of kit, and with the iPhone 5 supposedly delayed until September, it’s still worth taking a look at – but Apple die-hards will want to wait to see if the new model is a better proposition or not.
4. HTC Desire S
The Desire S has surprised us all with its popularity – decent price drops already have seen it become a valuable proposition and place it as a good HTC alternative to the dual-core power of the HTC Sensation.
Excellent call quality, a decent camera, strong build and clever-as-ever social networking integration make this a class-leader once more, despite it no longer being the HTC top dog since the Sensation has landed.
Quick verdict
The HTC Desire S is a slick, compact and attractive handset that is a decent improvement on its predecessor with more compact lines and an improved Sense experience.
It may only have a 5MP camera, but it’s got a budget-busting £20 price tag, so that means it’s still going to have a decent customer uptake even though the HTC Sensation has arrived.
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3. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
When we talk about a Phoenix Phone, it will forever be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. A company that was making phones like the Xperia X10 on outdated software less than a year ago has brought out one of the world’s thinnest and most attractive handsets, and it deserves its place in the top three.
And it’s earned that rank through sheer quality – the things we’re impressed with on the Xperia Arc are almost too many to list.
From the beautiful Reality Display with Bravia Engine to the powerful-yet-simple 8.1MP camera with Exmor technology, this is one of the phones that people actually want to hold and play with when you show it off.
The new Sony Ericsson overlay has cool features like an ‘exploded widgets’ view, and the integration of YouTube searching for videos of songs currently playing is super cool too.
OK, it’s not dual-core powered, but until we start seeing some applications that really start to challenge these smartphones, we’re happy to recommend a phone that is slick under the finger, slim in the pocket, satisfying in the hand and kinder than many on the wallet to boot.
Quick verdict
The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core 1GHz processor can do it all.
As it is, we’re prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc’s minor flaws thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can’t help but love it once you’ve held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display.
2. HTC Sensation
We know it’s terribly geeky, but the battle between the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S2 was one we were salivating over the thought of.
Both are dual core powerhouses, both have cutting-edge software and both the brands behind them have been enjoying success with Android in recent times.
The HTC Sensation is a cracking piece of kit despite being behind the S2, with Sense 3.0 being a real joy to use.
The camera is decent enough, browsing and UI speeds are lightning fast and the overall build quality is sure to entice a number of users to pick up the Sensation and play with it in their local phone outlet.
Quick verdict
The HTC Desire was the phone that showed the world what HTC could do, and the Sensation is a big step change once more. The dual-core power really shows, and the HTC Watch service is one to, well, watch as bringing movie downloads to a phone on the go could be the next big thing.
It’s not cheap at £35 a month, but if we woke up and found this on our bedside table we certainly wouldn’t be disappointed.
1. Samsung Galaxy S2
Come on, it’s hardly surprising that the first phone to get five stars in over a year from TechRadar is now at the top of our best mobile phone chart.
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.
In short, be it internet browsing, navigation, photography, media, social networking or gaming – the Samsung Galaxy S2 is our pick of the bunch for all those functions in one phone.
Quick verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S2 is a phone we’re excited to whip out in a pub and show off to our friends – it’s the ultimate media mobile, the 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 has not only set a new bar for smartphones in 2011; it’s smashed the bar, recreated it in its own image and put it out of reach of the competition – although perhaps that will change when our HTC Sensation review comes around…
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