If you’re planning to purchase a new smartphone this year, one that will surely deliver a great performance for the next few years, your best bet is to invest in one of the latest models released by the big players out there. When it comes to the smartphone market, we have a ton of manufacturers releasing products and it might prove, in some cases, more difficult to choose one single model than you might think it is.
But we are here to help! Based on the reviews published by experts at Tech Radar, we have for you below the 10 best smartphones of 2016 – with links to purchase them both in the US & World, as well as UK & Europe. This way, you have all the devices that are worth purchasing in a single place and you can easily make your choice based on your needs.
So let’s not waste a single second and let’s check out below the 10 best smartphones of 2016!
Please note: Our blog gets commissions for purchases made through links in this article.
10. ZTE Axon 7
I think that “Go get a ZTE Axon 7 phone!” is not the regular answer to the question “What great Android smartphone should I buy?” but the truth is that we’re dealing with a really good product here and you will be surprised to see how performant it is. It has a large, 5.5-inch display, runs on a powerful Snapdragon 820 processor, has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, plus an impressive 20MP camera. It’s really not a brand or a phone to hear much about, but if you give it a try, you will surely be pleasantly surprised with its quality. Plus, it is really cheap, so that should weight in a lot too!
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
9. Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
If you’re all up for smaller phones, this one is a great fit. It’s a real beast under the hood too, which makes it even more impressive. Sony managed to pack a Snapdragon 810 processor inside, as well as 2 GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It has a beast of a camera as well, delivering photos at an impressive 23 MP (while the selfie camera has an equally impressive 5.1 MP lens). At 4.6-inch, it’s perfect for those looking for a smaller, but still powerful phone.
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
8. Nexus 6P
We’re moving to the other extreme: the Nexus 6P is a huge phone at 5.7-inch, with similar characteristics with the Sony model above. It also is powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor, comes with 3 GB of RAM and storage options between 32GB – 128GB. The phone has a simple interface and really delivers in terms of performance and battery life, but it has a pretty poor choice in terms of design for the rear camera. But it also has a great price, making it a good option out there.
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
7. iPhone 6S Plus
Apple fans will be really happy to find a device from the company in an Android-filled list. The truth is that the 6S Plus is one of the best phones out there and its large screen, standing at 5.5-inch make it a great choice for the day by day activities that seem to have moved on the smartphones. Really, I sometimes believe that laptops will become obsolete!
But back to today’s topic, the iPhone 6S Plus has some very good specifications, a powerful processor and a vibrant display, but only comes with 2GB of RAM and various internal storage options (my tip: go for as much as possible!) On the downside, it’s pretty expensive, but fans of Apple already know that. All in all, a good phone!
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
6. Sony Xperia Z5
The Z5, or the Compact’s bigger brother, is a good option similar to its younger brother listed above, but with a larger display (5.2 inch), better resolution and slightly more RAM (3 GB). It also has one of the best cameras on smartphones out there, so that’s surely a bonus for those who like to take a lot of photos. A great choice definitely worth checking out, even though its design might not be everybody’s favorite!
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
5. LG G5
Although I am still rocking on my G4 and I am extremely satisfied with it, the G5 is clearly a big upgrade and an overall excellent phone. Although slightly smaller than the G4 at 5.2-inch, it has the perfect size in my opinion if you tend to keep your phone in your pockets and you are not a big fan of broken pockets. Specs-wise, it does really well with an amazing Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, plus a microSD slot. It also delivers amazing pictures: you have to try it to see for yourself! All in all, I believe that LG is slowly but surely establishing themselves as one amazing Android smartphone manufacturer, while managing to keep the prices low. It’s true that their phones are not the most beautiful around, but in the end it’s their performance that matters the most, right?
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
4. OnePlus 3
The already classic flagship killer has done it again: you might have heard about OnePlus One a while ago and now the company managed to release their third product in the line and you can only see improvements, while they still manage to somehow keep the price extremely low. If you buy this model, you get an impressive 5.5-inch phone running on a Snapdragon 820 processor, packing an unbelievable 6GB of RAM and offering 64GB of storage. It also has a good camera and battery, but unfortunately it lacks a micro SD slot. However, 64GB should be enough for most users! A big bonus is that is manages to remain pretty cheap based on the performance it delivers, so consider it a must buy in most cases, especially if an amazing camera is not a selling point for you.
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
3. HTC 10
If most phones try to focus on delivering a great camera, HTC has a different strategy: they deliver the best music experience. And, in all honesty, the 12MP camera is not a deal breaker either! The phone also looks absolutely beautiful, has a perfect size in my opinion (5.2 inch) and great specs: a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. A great buy!
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
2. Samsung Galaxy S7
It’s impossible, at least this year, to have a “best phones” list without featuring Samsung-made products. The S7 continues the trend launched by Samsung a while ago, delivering an amazing products with everything you need and then something extra: it’s waterproof, it’s extremely powerful and has a vibrant, beautiful display. It runs on the very powerful Exynos 8890 processor, has 4GB of RAM and 32/64GB storage options. Although the camera looks less impressive at just 12MP, the quality of the photos is amazing so you can’t go wrong with the S7!
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
1. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Although I am really not a big fan of the edged display the Samsung throws at us because they seem easier to break than those of all other phones – of course, if you tend to drop them a lot or you have kids – there’s no doubt that Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is probably the best smartphone in the world right now together with its sibling, the Samsung Galaxy S7. The Edge model delivers about the same things as the S7, but it has the curved screen that everybody seems to love nowadays and a larger display (5.5-inch). It’s a matter of personal preference in the end and if you value the looks a lot, then you have your winner, but for a price.
US & World: Click here to purchase or see prices
I am sure that no matter which of these amazing smartphones of 2016 you choose as your next phone, you will be extremely satisfied with the purchase.