Every month we are trying to compile a list containing the most noteworthy Android smartphones available for purchase. Some of you are just looking to inform themselves, while other are in a search for a new smartphone. Either side you're in, we hope you'll enjoy our Best Android Phones of February 2016 post.
Android is the dominant mobile operating system with dozens of OEMs building smartphones running on Google's software platform. It's very hard if not impossible to keep track of all the apparitions, especially that the smartphone offering is different from market to market.
The list below aims to give you a glimpse at the best Android smartphones available for purchase on most markets. The phones are listed by manufacturer in alphabetical order, so their performance is not affecting the order. Besides a brief description of each terminal we have also inserted links to their Amazon page in case you want to place an order now.
You believe that a certain smartphone should be on the list? The comments section bellow is all yours.
HTC One A9
HTC One A9 is the latest mainstream smartphone from the Taiwanese company. Coming with mid-range specifications, One A9 made a name out of being an iPhone clone.
iPhone clone or not, the One A9 is one beautiful smartphone, with metallic built and nice feel. HTC One A9 features a 5.0-inch AMOLED display with Full HD resolution and a 64-bit hexa-core Snapdragon 617 processor.
The technical specifications also include an Adreno 405 GPU, 2 GB RAM for the 16 GB model, 3 GB RAM for the 32 GB model, microSD up to 200 GB, a rather small 2,150 mAh battery, and a fingerprint reader embedded in the home button. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense on top and in on the camera front it arrives with 16 MP primary cam with OIS and a 4 MP UltraPixel secondary cam.
On Amazon, the 16 GB HTC One A9 sells at $385 without contract. If you want the 32 GB model you would have to pay $459.99. You can place your order here and here respectively.
HTC One M9
HTC One M9 was the company's flagship smartphone for 2015. The Taiwanese manufacturer has put a lot of hopes in this device, but it was received with mixed reviews because it was only a minor upgrade over its predecessor.
HTC One M9 features a 20 MP rear-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and 4K video recording, 4 MP UltraPixel selfie shooter, and a 2,840 mAh The device integrates a 5.0-inch Super LCD3 screen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
On the technical specifications list you will also find 32 GB of microSD-expandable storage, 3 GB RAM, and a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 SoC. One M9 is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
In case you want to get your hands on HTC One M9, you can buy it unlocked from Amazon at $448.99. You can order directly using this link.
LG G4
The LG G4 was released in the spring of 2015 and it was one of the most powerful phones of its time. Even though the G5 will be announced later this month, the LG G4 is still a great purchase
LG's flagship smartphone boasts about a super bright 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution, 528 ppi pixel density, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. G4 is the first smartphone in the world outside the Nexus line-up to get upgraded with Marshmallow.
The main camera of the device has 16 MP resolution, laser autofocus, OIS, and 4K UHD video recording support, while the secondary cam is an 8 MP unit with f/2.0 aperture. It has a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 808 processor, 32 GB native storage, 3 GB RAM, microSD slot for further storage expansion, and a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging support (60% in 30 minutes).
The LG G4 can be bought at a discounted price from Amazon. The Brown Leather model is available without contract for $369.05 here.
LG V10
The LG V10 is a high-end phablet released by the South Korean company in October 2015. It's a shock resistant smartphone with MIL-STD-810G certification.
Above the 5.7-inch IPS LCD screen with Quad HD resolution and Gorilla Glass 4, lays a 160 x 1040 2.1-inch secondary always-on screen that shows your notifications. V10 is underpinned by a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 SoC mated with Adreno 418 GPU and has a fingerprint reader on the rear-facing power button.
The phablet comes with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB internal storage and microSD support up to 200 GB. It has a 16 MP main cam with f/1.8 aperture, laser autofocus, and OIS and a 5 MP Duo cam for selfies. It's kept alive by a 3,000 mAh battery and it should get upgraded to Marshmallow over the next few weeks.
LG V10 is available on Amazon starting at $639. You can order yours in Black, White, Brown Beige, or Ocean Blue using this link.
Motorola Droid Turbo 2
Droid Turbo 2 is another rugged smartphone. It was also released in October 2015 and it sells exclusively in the US through Verizon. Outside US, Turbo 2 is marketed as Moto X Force.
Droid Turbo 2 is no doubt one of the most powerful smartphones around. It has a 5.4-inch AMOLED screen with Quad HD resolution, octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 32/64 GB storage, microSD up to 200 GB, and 3 GB of RAM.
The smartphone comes with a 21 MP rear-facing camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash, and 4K video recording and a 5 MP front-facing camera. It features a massive 3,760 mAh battery with fast charging support and which promises to get the smartphone through 48 hours of mixed usage.
Droid Turbo 2 can be ordered online from Verizon's store here. You can get it for $0 down and $26/month for 24 months or for $624 without a contract.
Motorola Moto G 3rd gen
The 2015 edition of the Moto G brings amazing specs to price ratio so I must include it on the list. It might not be a very powerful phone but the almost-stock Android skin runs flawlessly on it. It's upgradable to Marshmallow, too.
Moto G 3rd gen packs a 720p 5.0-inch IPS LCD display with a Gorilla Glass 3 protective layer and it's powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 410 CPU. The 8 GB model comes with 1 GB of RAM, the 16 GB has 2 GB of RAM, and both can accommodate microSD cards up to 32 GB. The phone is water resistant with IPX7 certification.
On the camera front, Moto G 2015 arrives with a 13 MP main cam with f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash, and Full HD video recording, and a 5 MP secondary camera. It has 2,470 mAh battery that should be enough for over a day of mixed usage.
Moto G 2015 is an affordable smartphone, the 8 GB model selling at $179.99 on Amazon. The 16 GB variant (which we recommend because it brings 2 GB of RAM) is available for $219.99. You can order them here or here.
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition
Motorola's latest flagship sells as Moto X Pure Edition in the US and as Moto X Style on other markets. Call it whatever you like, you will get the same technical specifications.
Moto X Pure Edition is what you would call a phablet, bringing a 5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED screen. It has hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, 16/32/64 GB storage, microSD support, and 3 GB of RAM.
On the back of the phone there's a 21 MP main camera with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, and 4K video recording, while the front panel accommodates a 5 MP selfie shooter. Moto X Pure Edition is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow and it's kept alive by a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging support.
If you want to buy the Moto X Pure Edition you can get it unlocked from Amazon here. The base 16 GB model is $399.99, then you ad $50 for the 32 GB model and $100 for the 64 GB one.
Nexus 5X
Nexus 5X is one of the two Nexus phones released by Google last year and the third Nexus smartphone released by LG. Since it's a member of the Nexus family, it's always among the first devices that receive new Android updates.
Nexus 5X has an ultra-fast rear-mounted fingerprint reader, USB Type C, and a 2,700 mAh battery. The main cam is a 12.3 MP unit with f/2.0 aperture, laser autofocus, and dual LED flash, while the secondary cam has a 5 MP sensor.
The smartphone co-developed by LG and Google features a 1080p 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen and a Snapdragon 808 CPU. It also comes with 16/32 GB storage and 2 GB RAM.
Nexus 5X is a relatively cheap smartphone, being sold by Amazon for $329.99 after a discount of $50. You can buy one using this link.
Nexus 6
Nexus 6 is the only phone on our list that was launched in 2014. Despite its age, the Motorola-made phablet is a great purchase, being upgradable to Marshmallow.
Nexus 6 sports a gigantic 6-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and a Snapdragon 805 SoC which was the most powerful processing solution of 2014. It also comes with 32/64 GB storage and 3 GB RAM.
The device features a 13 MP main camera with optical image stabilization and dual-LED flash and a 2 MP selfie shooter. The battery is a non-removable 3,220 mAh cell.
Because of its age, Nexus 6 is subject to a heavy discount from Amazon here. Sold initially at $649.99, the 32 GB model is now only $349.99, while the 64 GB variant is $399.99 from $699.99.
Nexus 6P
Nexus 6P is the first Nexus smartphone developed by a Chinese company. The Huawei smartphone was released synchronized with Nexus 5X.
Just like the lower-end Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, Marshmallow out of the box, USB Type C, and a 12.3 MP primary camera with f/2.0 aperture, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash, and 4K video recording. The selfie shooter has 8 MP resolution.
The Huawei Nexus is equipped with a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and Gorilla Glass 4 protection, while being kept alive by a 3,450 mAh battery. The phone also integrates 32/64/128 GB of non-expandable storage and 3 GB RAM.
If you want to buy the latest and greatest Nexus smartphone, you can do it on Amazon starting at $499. The smartphone is available in Graphite, Silver, and Gold with 32, 64, or 128 GB storage. Place your order here.
OnePlus 2
OnePlus is a Chinese company that made a name out of creating high-end phones at affordable prices. OnePlus 2 is their latest high-end phone and it's market as "2016 flagship killer."
OnePlus 2 might not be exactly a "2016 flagship killer" but it has quite interesting specs. It integrates a 5.5-inch LTPS IPS LCD screen with 1080 x 1920 resolution, Snapdragon 810 processor, Adreno 430 GPU, 64 GB of non-expandable storage and 4 GB RAM. There was also a 16 GB model with 3 GB of RAM, but it's no longer available for purchase.
The smartphone runs Oxygen OS 2.2.0 which is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop, has a fingerprint sensor on the home button, USB Type C, and a 3,300 mAh battery. On the back there's a 13 MP cam with OIS and laser autofocus, while the front panel accommodates a 5 MP selfie shooter.
The best place to buy the OnePlus 2 from is the company's online store. The orders over $100 are shipped free of charge and the phone itself costs $349. StyleSwap Covers cost $26.99 each.
OnePlus X
For the first time in 2015, OnePlus released two smartphones in a year. Besides the aforementioned OnePlus 2, the Chinese company also launched the OnePlus X mid-ranger.
OnePlus X comes with a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED panel, 16 GB storage, microSD support to 128 GB, and 3 GB of RAM. The processing tasks are handled by a quad-core 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 810 processor.
The main camera has 13 MP resolution, f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus and LED flash, and the secondary cam is an 8 MP unit. It runs Oxygen OS 2.2.0 and is kept alive by a 2,525 mAh battery.
OnePlus X can be ordered from OnePlus' online store here. Bot the Onyx and Champagne models are $249 and the protective cases cost $24.99 each.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the latest and greatest members of the Note tribe. Just like its predecessors it features an S Pen stylus and S Pen-specific software features.
Galaxy Note 5 is a true high-end phablet, sporting a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and Gorilla Glass 4, octa-core Exynos 7420 processor, 32/64/128 GB of non-expandable storage, and 4 GB of RAM. A 3,000 mAh battery is keeping the lights up and the device should soon get upgraded to Marshmallow.
On the camera front, Galaxy Note 5 comes with a 16 MP main camera with f/1.0 aperture, OIS, autofocus, LED flash, and 4K UHD video recording and a 5 MP secondary cam. It has a fingerprint reader embedded in the home button and wireless charging support.
You can get an unlocked 32 GB Galaxy Note 5 from Amazon starting at $605.99. You can buy yours using this link.
Samsung Galaxy S6 / Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge debuted in March 2015, but are still two of the most powerful on the market. Their successors will see the light of day later this month on February 21.
The two smartphones come with almost identical technical specifications. The main differences are the shape of the screen (standard flat screen for S6 and curved around the edges for S6 Edge), some extra software features for S6 Edge, and the battery (2,550 mAh battery for S6 and 2,600 mAh for S6 Edge).
The rest of technical specifications include an Exynos 7420 Octa processor, 32/64/128 GB of non-expandable storage, 3 GB RAM, and 5.1-inch displays with Super AMOLED technology and Quad HD resolution. Both arrive with a 16 MP / 5 MP camera combo, fingerprint sensors, and both are upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Samsung Galaxy S6 can be bought from Amazon starting at $469.99 here. The Galaxy S6 Edge can be ordered from here and is a bit more expensive starting at $564.49.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is the second high-end phablet released by the South Korean giant last year. It's basically the lovechild of Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy Note 5.
Galaxy S6 Edge Plus has a 1440p 5.7-inch Curved Super AMOLED display and the show is run by an Exynos 7420 processor. The phone also comes with 32/64 GB storage, 4 GB of RAM, and a 3,00 mAh battery.
Out on the back there's the same 16 MP camera with f/1.9 aperture, OIS, autofocus, LED flash, and 4K video recording, while on the front there's a 5 MP selfie cam. It has a fingerprint reader and it will be upgraded to Marshmallow soon.
On Amazon, the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus phablet costs as low as $642.99 without contract. You can choose between different color options and place your order here.
Sony Xperia Z5
Xperia Z5 continues the design language introduced a few years ago by the original Xperia Z, with glass front and rear panels, metal frames, and sharp corners. It's dust proof and water resistant with IP68 certification.
Sony Xperia Z5 is equipped with a 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen with Full HD (1080 x 1920) resolution and X-Reality Engine technology, while the processing tasks are handled by a Snapdragon 810 processor mated with an Adreno 430 GPU. The phone is kept alive by a 2,900 mAh battery and is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
On the back there's a 23 MP main camera which is considered the best smartphone camera around, while the front panel accommodates a 5.1 MP selfie snapper. It comes with 3 GB of RAM, fingerprint reader, 32 GB of internal storage, and microSD support up to 200 GB.
Sony's Xperia Z5 is $539.99 on Amazon. While the Black variant is expected to be back in stock on February 24th, the Gold and White models usually ship within 3 to 5 weeks.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
As its name suggests, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is a compact version of the Z5. In fact is one of the few, if not the only compact smartphone on the market that comes with high-end specifications.
Xperia Z5 Compact has a glass and metal design and it's dust proof and water resistant with IP68 rating. It's upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, it has a 2,700 mAh battery, fingerprint reader, 32 GB on-board storage, 2 GB RAM, and microSD support up to 200 GB.
The handset is equipped with a 720p 4.6-inch IPS LCD screen and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 SoC based on four Cortex A53 cores at 1.5 GHz, foure Cortex A57 cores at 2.0 GHz, and Adreno 430 GPU. It has the same 23 MP / 5.1 MP camera combo like its bigger brother.
Because of its premium specs, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact comes at a premium price. It costs $449.99 on Amazon and it can be ordered here.
Source: Best Android Phones of February 2016
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