Gallery: Buying Guide: Choosing a Smartphone
01buying-advice-2
Dozens of phones come out every season, and most of them are very closely matched on features. There are a few stand-outs, so if you're in the market, we've got some recommendations. The Basics __iOS vs. Android vs. Windows Phone__ We recommend Apple's iOS if you'd prefer a clean, polished UI and access to the most popular games and apps. We recommend Android as the best alternative, especially if you crave the faster data speeds of 4G networks, if you want more hardware choices, or if you require more customization and control over the inner workings of your handset. Windows Phone is still young and currently only installed on about 5 percent of smartphones, but it's a beautifully designed operating system. We expect big things from it — an OS refresh, better hardware and improved apps — in the coming year. __4G__ 4G is a loose term for the fourth generation of cellular communications, offering speeds that are about 10 times faster than they are on third-generation, or 3G, networks. These higher data speeds are making smartphones much more comparable to PCs, giving them better multimedia capabilities and faster web browsing. They are also causing strains on phone batteries, since 4G requires more power. The iPhone doesn't connect to 4G networks yet, but all the top Android phones can take advantage of 4G. Buying Advice __Should I Wait for the New iPhone?__ If this is your first iPhone or if you're at the end of a contract, then no, don't wait. If you want an iPhone, just buy one now and start using it and enjoying it today. Most iPhone users skip every other generation — anyone who bought the 3G most likely skipped the 3GS and bought a 4, and is now skipping the 4S and waiting for whatever's next. There's a pretty big jump in performance every two years (the length of your carrier contract) but it's not astronomical, so the phone you buy today will still be awesome in a year when the next one comes out. After two years, you'll be ready for a new iPhone, but you won't be truly hurting. __Choosing Hardware__ Though they were rare just 12 months ago, dual-core processors have quickly become commonplace, and will soon be replaced by quad-core processors. But that shift won't happen on a large scale for a while. Don't buy a phone without at least a dual-core chip. Likewise, don't settle for less than 1GB of RAM if you can help it. Corning's [Gorilla Glass](http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/) is the preferable touchscreen material for most smartphones — it's durable, scratchproof and shatterproof. Android phones typically come with less on-board storage than iPhones, but most non-Apple devices use removable microSD cards for boosting capacity. You can buy the cards separately depending on your needs. Not so with Apple's sealed handset. Don't be afraid to spend extra on storage. Yes, cloud services like iCloud and Google Music that store your data off the phone are all the rage, but you're better off having the extra space and never running out than constantly banging your head against the ceiling. If you take a lot of photos or shoot video, don't dip below 8MP for your camera. There are plenty of phones with 8MP cameras to choose from (some even come with two cameras, so you can shoot in 3-D). __Carriers__ The physical location of your home and your workplace are probably the biggest deciding factors in choosing a carrier. After that, look at cost — study up on data plans and what your typical monthly bill will look like. There are ways to reduce usage by offloading tasks like voice calls and text messages to third-party apps, but you'll still end up using a lot of data. Start by asking your friends which plans they have, and what they typically use their phones for — do they mostly talk and text, or are they streaming music and browsing the web? Also, most carriers let you switch to higher or lower pricing tiers mid-contract. Pick what makes sense, then monitor your usage closely to see if there's a different tier that saves you money. *Photo by Ariel Zambelich/Wired*
02apple-iphone-4s
Apple iPhone 4S ---------------  The [Apple iPhone 4S](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/10/iphone4s/) ($200) is an all-around excellent product, exhibiting a well-designed case, a marvelous display, a great camera and a refined operating system with an abundance of apps. It earns our top recommendation, and now that it's available on most of the major carrier networks, there's even more of a reason to consider it. The Best Phone Apple iPhone 4S AT&T, Verizon, Sprint $200-$400 [Apple.com](http://www.apple.com/iphone/) Apple's new handset is powered by the company's latest chip, the dual-core A5 processor. The upgrade corrects one of the previous version's biggest faults: the sluggishness of key apps like the camera and the software keyboard. The other shortcoming -- the fact that it floundered during voice calls -- has been largely mitigated by a refined antenna design. The newly updated iOS 5 operating system is available for all the current Apple mobiles, but the latest iPhone gets a unique feature as a pre-installed app: Siri, a sort of digital information valet that responds to questions and commands spoken in plain English. It's available for AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, but it's not a 4G phone. It only runs on the slower (but good enough) 3G networks. [Read Our Full Review](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/10/iphone4s/). *Photo by Jim Merithew/Wired*
Image: Baylor College of Medicine03samsung-galaxy-nexus
Samsung Galaxy Nexus --------------------  If you want the best, most up-to-date Android phone out there, this is it: the [Galaxy Nexus](http://www.google.com/nexus/). It's a joint venture between Samsung and Google's Android team, so the phone has been built to show off the strongest points of Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich. The unified OS isn't an incremental update, but rather a complete OS makeover. Changes include the elimination of physical navigation buttons, the addition of incognito browsing and Chrome bookmark syncing in the browser, an improved Gmail app, and Near Field Communications technology that lets users securely share information with other hardware by touching the devices together. Best Android Phone Samsung Galaxy Nexus Verizon Around $300 [Google.com](http://www.google.com/nexus/) The phone itself is elegant and powerful, with all the important boxes checked off: a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage expandable via microSD to 32GB. For the display, Samsung erred on the side of massive: The Galaxy Nexus comes equipped with the company's own 4.65-inch, 1280×720 super AMOLED screen. The rear camera is only 5 megapixels, but it's incredibly fast, and it performs well enough in low light. Most importantly, the latest Android OS has a tightly refined user interface, one that is easier to use and closer to a tablet experience. All phones bearing the "Nexus" name are developed closely with Google engineers, so this is as pure of an Android experience as you will find, since it matches the software designers' original intent. You won't find any carrier-imposed interface skins or shovelware apps here. Pricing is expected to be around $300 when it's released on Verizon's 4G network this fall. [Read Our Full Hands-on Report](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/10/ice-cream-sandwich-hands-on/).
04samsung-galaxy-nexus
Samsung Galaxy Nexus --------------------  If you want the best, most up-to-date Android phone out there, this is it: the [Galaxy Nexus](http://www.google.com/nexus/). It's a joint venture between Samsung and Google's Android team, so the phone has been built to show off the strongest points of Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich. The unified OS isn't an incremental update, but rather a complete OS makeover. Changes include the elimination of physical navigation buttons, the addition of incognito browsing and Chrome bookmark syncing in the browser, an improved Gmail app, and Near Field Communications technology that lets users securely share information with other hardware by touching the devices together. Best Android Phone Samsung Galaxy Nexus Verizon Around $300 [Google.com](http://www.google.com/nexus/) The phone itself is elegant and powerful, with all the important boxes checked off: a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage expandable via microSD to 32GB. For the display, Samsung erred on the side of massive: The Galaxy Nexus comes equipped with the company's own 4.65-inch, 1280×720 super AMOLED screen. The rear camera is only 5 megapixels, but it's incredibly fast, and it performs well enough in low light. Most importantly, the latest Android OS has a tightly refined user interface, one that is easier to use and closer to a tablet experience. All phones bearing the "Nexus" name are developed closely with Google engineers, so this is as pure of an Android experience as you will find, since it matches the software designers' original intent. You won't find any carrier-imposed interface skins or shovelware apps here. Pricing is expected to be around $300 when it's released on Verizon's 4G network this fall. [Read Our Full Hands-on Report](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/10/ice-cream-sandwich-hands-on/).
05motorola-droid-razr
Motorola Droid Razr ------------------- Motorola's new [Droid Razr](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/11/droidrazr/) isn't some flip phone redux. It's a super-slim (only 7.1 mm) smartphone packed with high-end hardware: a 1.2GHz dual-core TI processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (16GB care of a microSD card). Motorola Droid Razr Verizon $300 [Motorola.com](http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/DROID-RAZR-BY-MOTOROLA-US-EN)With pleasingly grippy Kevlar on one side and a sculpted Gorilla Glass display on the other, the Razr is built for durability. The phone's innards are also sealed within a stainless steel interior chassis for extra shock absorbency and all-around toughness, making it an excellent choice for those who drop their phones a lot. The 4.30-inch screen is impressive — it uses Samsung's Super AMOLED display, which is famous for its modest power requirements. Considering the phone comes with a battery-sucking 4G LTE radio, you'll want every bit of power conservation. Hence the brilliance of Moto's [Smart Actions](http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/SMART-ACTIONS/SMART-ACTIONS) app. It's a user-friendly scripting tool that helps control all the phone features that suck down battery life. Using Smart Actions, you can set up automatic tripwires that will adjust screen brightness, Wi-Fi, 4G and GPS settings when power conservation becomes critical. For example, you can set the Razr to automatically lower its display brightness as soon as battery life drops below 30 percent. There are a host of accessories available for the Droid Razr, including the lapdock, a sort of "dumb" laptop that springs to life once you slot the phone into the back, where it serves as the device's brain. Unless you really, really miss a big screen and a full-size physical keyboard whenever you're forced to do anything on your phone, it's an unnecessary expense. The phone is already pricey enough — $300 with a two-year Verizon contract. [Read Our Full Review](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/11/droidrazr/). *Photo by Michael Calore/Wired*
Screenshots: © Subafilms Ltd.06motorola-droid-razr
Motorola Droid Razr ------------------- Motorola's new [Droid Razr](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/11/droidrazr/) isn't some flip phone redux. It's a super-slim (only 7.1 mm) smartphone packed with high-end hardware: a 1.2GHz dual-core TI processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (16GB care of a microSD card). Motorola Droid Razr Verizon $300 [Motorola.com](http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/DROID-RAZR-BY-MOTOROLA-US-EN)With pleasingly grippy Kevlar on one side and a sculpted Gorilla Glass display on the other, the Razr is built for durability. The phone's innards are also sealed within a stainless steel interior chassis for extra shock absorbency and all-around toughness, making it an excellent choice for those who drop their phones a lot. The 4.30-inch screen is impressive — it uses Samsung's Super AMOLED display, which is famous for its modest power requirements. Considering the phone comes with a battery-sucking 4G LTE radio, you'll want every bit of power conservation. Hence the brilliance of Moto's [Smart Actions](http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/SMART-ACTIONS/SMART-ACTIONS) app. It's a user-friendly scripting tool that helps control all the phone features that suck down battery life. Using Smart Actions, you can set up automatic tripwires that will adjust screen brightness, Wi-Fi, 4G and GPS settings when power conservation becomes critical. For example, you can set the Razr to automatically lower its display brightness as soon as battery life drops below 30 percent. There are a host of accessories available for the Droid Razr, including the lapdock, a sort of "dumb" laptop that springs to life once you slot the phone into the back, where it serves as the device's brain. Unless you really, really miss a big screen and a full-size physical keyboard whenever you're forced to do anything on your phone, it's an unnecessary expense. The phone is already pricey enough — $300 with a two-year Verizon contract. [Read Our Full Review](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/11/droidrazr/). *Photo by Michael Calore/Wired*
07samsung-galaxy-s-ii
Samsung Galaxy S II ------------------- "Nice tablet." That's the snarky comment you'll hear most often when you start carrying around the new [Galaxy S II](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/09/samsung-galaxy/), a big, sleek mothership of a handset. Samsung Galaxy S II AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile $200 [Samsung.com](http://www.samsung.com/us/microsite/galaxysII/)Samsung's next-gen Galaxy phone has proven to be an astoundingly popular hit — it's sold [over 10 million units worldwide](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/09/galaxy-s-ii-10-million-sales/) since debuting internationally in April 2011. Here in the United States, the phone appeared fitted for the Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile networks in September and October. Each of the carriers made their own modifications to the hardware, but it's essentially the same phone across the board. And it's a very good phone across the board. The Galaxy S II has a vivid, 4.52-inch Super AMOLED screen, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. There have been mixed reviews of the device's battery life, which varies depending on which version you have and how often you surf around on the more demanding 4G network. But most users are reporting that the Galaxy S II stands up for an entire day of general use before needing a recharge at bed time. That's good enough for us to recommend it. After all, 10 million Galaxy fans can't be wrong. [We reviewed the Sprint version](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/09/samsung-galaxy/) this fall. *Photo by Jon Snyder/Wired*
08samsung-galaxy-s-ii
Samsung Galaxy S II ------------------- "Nice tablet." That's the snarky comment you'll hear most often when you start carrying around the new [Galaxy S II](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/09/samsung-galaxy/), a big, sleek mothership of a handset. Samsung Galaxy S II AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile $200 [Samsung.com](http://www.samsung.com/us/microsite/galaxysII/)Samsung's next-gen Galaxy phone has proven to be an astoundingly popular hit — it's sold [over 10 million units worldwide](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/09/galaxy-s-ii-10-million-sales/) since debuting internationally in April 2011. Here in the United States, the phone appeared fitted for the Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile networks in September and October. Each of the carriers made their own modifications to the hardware, but it's essentially the same phone across the board. And it's a very good phone across the board. The Galaxy S II has a vivid, 4.52-inch Super AMOLED screen, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. There have been mixed reviews of the device's battery life, which varies depending on which version you have and how often you surf around on the more demanding 4G network. But most users are reporting that the Galaxy S II stands up for an entire day of general use before needing a recharge at bed time. That's good enough for us to recommend it. After all, 10 million Galaxy fans can't be wrong. [We reviewed the Sprint version](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/09/samsung-galaxy/) this fall. *Photo by Jon Snyder/Wired*
09htc-rezound
HTC Rezound ----------- We were enamored by the [HTC Thunderbolt](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/03/htc-thunderbolt/) when it launched back in March on Verizon's 4G network, and now we're equally excited to see the arrival of its successor, the [HTC Rezound](http://shop.verizonwireless.com/?id=HTC%20Rezound%20%5C), which is landing in November. We haven't had a chance to do a full test, but seeing how it's a sensible and current upgrade to the classy Thunderbolt, we'd recommend checking it out in person. HTC Rezound Verizon $300 [Verizon Wireless](http://shop.verizonwireless.com/?id=HTC%20Rezound%20%5C)The Rezound is the same size as the Thunderbolt, and it has a 4.3-inch screen, but here the resolution has been upgraded to 720p HD. The phone has an LTE 4G radio, a 1.5 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage. It also comes with [Beats Audio](http://www.beatsbydre.com/) earbuds. Technically, Beats Audio isn't much more than a gimmicky frequency boost, but some people love the sound, and they especially love the look of the flashy hardware. If you know that person, this is the phone for them. It has the telltale Beats Audio red cord, logos and red glowing accents, kind of making it look like something Sark would carry. There are a couple of bummers. First, the price. It's $300 with a two-year contract, which is more than most other phones. There's no telling how much that price bump is due to the inclusion of the Beats stuff, but it exists no matter how you feel about your cool red and black earbuds. Second, it ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread rather than Ice Cream Sandwich, but you can expect an OS update early next year.
10htc-radar-4g
HTC Radar 4G ------------ Hardware manufacturers have yet to roll out their latest big-deal phones loaded with the Windows Phone OS. We are drooling with anticipation over the HTC Titan for AT&T, which is almost here, and the [Nokia Lumia 800](http://www.nokia.co.uk/gb-en/products/phone/lumia800/), which is out in Europe but won't arrive here until 2012. But [Windows Phone Mango](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/features/default.aspx) is a beautiful, well-designed mobile operating system that's easy to use, and here's a simpler way in. Best Windows Phone HTC Radar 4G T-Mobile $100 [t-mobile.com](http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?cell-phone=HTC-Radar-4G-White) Right now, the Windows Phone we'd recommend is the [HTC Radar](http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?cell-phone=HTC-Radar-4G-White). The specs won't blow you away on paper (a 3.8-inch display, only 512MB of RAM and a non-removable battery) but it's a snappy performer nonetheless, and the all-white aluminum case is pleasant to both hold and to look at. The Radar does have three key things going for it: it runs the latest Windows Phone Mango OS, it takes advantage of T-Mobile's fast 4G HSPA+ network, and it's only $100 with a two-year contract. The HTC Titan for AT&T, which also runs Mango, arrives at the end of November for $200 on-contract. So if you want the newest hardware, or if you're an AT&T customer, the Titan might be your best bet (we haven't tested the Titan yet, but all signs point to awesome). Meanwhile, if you want a more affordable option that's still a great phone, check out the Radar.
11lg-g2x
LG G2x ------ The Galaxy S II is currently the best phone available for T-Mobile customers, but the [LG G2x](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/05/lg-g2x/) is an excellent, less-expensive alternative. It's $150 and it comes with a $50 rebate coupon, bringing the final cost down to $100 with a two-year contract. Best Cheap Android Phone LG G2x T-Mobile $100 [t-mobile.com](http://g2.t-mobile.com/g2x) It only has a 1GHz dual-core processor and 512MB of RAM (it's the oldest phone on our list), but it performs well enough. And, it has an HDMI-out port, a great 8-megapixel camera and (Good Lord, Yes!) a stock installation of Android 2.3 with no skins, shovelware, or freemium junk apps. No word yet on an Ice Cream Sandwich update. We found the stainless steel "backbone" on the rear to be an odd design choice, but LG's made an otherwise nice phone here. Recommended for bargain hunters, or those who want vanilla Android. [Read Our Full Review](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/reviews/2011/05/lg-g2x/). *Photo by Jon Snyder/Wired*
