Top 10 Smart Phones of 2013
With just a month and a half left in the year 2013 before it gets over, The Tech Wrench has decided to line up the top 10 Smart phones of the year. This analysis is based on the user reviews, the OS performance, and the sales figures*. There might be some eyebrows raised due to some unexpected entries in the list of the top 10 smart phones but rest assured, we are not biased in any ways. We will try to justify the fact and the position we are allocating the phone. So, time to get started.
10. HTC One
At number 10, we have an Android phone, the HTC One, it comes out of the box with Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) and will be upgraded to 4.2.2 in the future. The HTC One is a very good-looking phone but it comes under the impression that it borrowed its design entirely from BlackBerry Z10. It has strips of metal about a quarter inch thick. It has been priced aggressively over 42K in India. It has got positive reviews from users and analysts and some might argue that HTC One looks better than Z10 or an iPhone 5, but the act of copying, and a very high price keeps it at number 10 on our list.
9. Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Sony Xperia Z Ultra is a deserving candidate at number 9. Running Android (Jelly Bean [4.2]) and a screen size measuring 6.4-inch with Full HD Display. Though you can prefer the HTC One over it, but for those who needs pure performance, the Xperia Z1 is the best proposition. With a big screen, there will always be issues with the single hand operations and the form factor footprint. Reasons for keeping it at number 9 are the missing LED Flash and we kept it ahead of HTC One because of it price and performance which is enhanced by the better display and a camera that is fairly competent. It is priced around 40K in India.
8. BlackBerry Z10
A lot of eyebrows would be raised seeing a BlackBerry phone even in the list of top 10, but we are giving it number 8 spot. BlackBerry's endeavor to enter into a full touch based smartphone doesn't seem to have gone well with the people, the amount of inventory they are stuck with, the ever growing Android and iOS user base, and a tough competition from Lumia series has kept BlackBerry at bay. But this does not take away the fact that BlackBerry Z10 is built like a rock, without feeling rough. Its classy minimalistic design makes it look brilliant. Though the specs aren't the one to die for but BB10 has proved that you don't always require an open source Mobile OS with millions of apps to make a decent phone. Its gestures actually help with swift navigation along with excellent browser and display. BB10 has quite a few bugs that need ironing out and with 10.2 update, BlackBerry has already fixed and improved upon many of the issues and features. It was priced well above 44K in India at its launch, but poor sales has brought it down to below 30K.
7. Huawei Ascend P6
At number 7, it is the Huawei Ascend P6, yes, a Chinese smart phone is actually making it to our top 10. Running Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS on a 4.7-inch HD Touchscreen and a 5 MP Secondary Camera and 8 MP Primary Camera running on 1.5 GHz Quad Core Processor with Full HD Recording and Expandable Storage Capacity of 32 GB at just under 25K is a great buy. Claimed to be the thinnest smart phone, Acsend P6 is the one to watch out for.
6. Nokia Lumia 925
Yes, it is a windows phone from Nokia but unlike 920, it doesn't have polycarbonate body. With 4.5-inch AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen, 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Dual Core Processor, running on Windows Phone 8 OS, 1.2 MP Secondary Camera, 8.7 MP Primary Camera with best low light images and Wireless Charging makes Nokia Lumia 925 a great phone in its category. Priced at around 30K in India, Lumia is a great buy if you don't like the polycarbonate look and feel.
5. LG G2
In an attempt to make a giant phone usable with only one hand, LG has come up with it G2 smart phone. Housed with a 2.26 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad Core Processor, a 13 MP Primary Camera, a giant 5.2-inch Capacitive Touchscreen and Full HD Recording. It runs Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. The most talked about feature in this phone is the button placement. Flip it over, and there is a rather strange bunch of buttons. LG claims the new design theme has placed the volume rocker and the power key on the back panel, just below the camera to make it user friendly. This does take some getting used to as well. Price in India is around 35-36K.
4. iPhone 5C
Apples attempt to get into the cheaper category didn't go well with its price tag. Though the phone is great and we need not to specify its specs to prove that, but we can easily say that iPhone 5C is just a Lumia version of iPhone 5. Its price tag of well above 40K pushes it on number 4.
3. Samsung Galaxy S4
Finally, the brand which have stirred the smart phone league with the ubiquitous range of its smart phones, the Samsung Galaxy S4 takes the number 3 spot on our list. Samsung is always known for introducing unique features in the Galaxy series every year and it is no different with S4. What keeps it at number 3 is the fact that Samsung is the one which has brought the amazing success to Googles Android platform, and by no means any list of top 10 smart phones ever will be completed without their handset in it, but this doesn't mean that Galaxy S4 has been dragged into the list, it deserves it. Galaxy S4 is currently being sold at around 35K.
2. iPhone 5S
It is Apples latest, smartest and fastest iPhone ever. With the much hyped finger scanner and its A7 processor combined with M6 motion chip gives it clear edge from others. The volume of sales doesn't seems to be affected by the price tag of iPhone 5S. The new gold colour is almost sold out at every vendor or website. The price for 16GB is around 50K. What kept it away from number 1 slot is the fact that it is by no means a different looking phone from iPhone 5, and in the arena where every smart phone is now well above 4 inch, Apple is still into that zone.
1. LG Nexus 5
And, the number 1 spot on our list goes to the Google LG Nexus 5, yes, you read it right, LG Nexus 5, which is running the latest Android (KitKat [4.4])on a 4.95 inches screen housed with a 2.3 GHz Snapdragon quad core processor and comes with a Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Though the phone is yet to make its debut in India but its price tag at 29K is making it a sure shot killer.
10. HTC One
At number 10, we have an Android phone, the HTC One, it comes out of the box with Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) and will be upgraded to 4.2.2 in the future. The HTC One is a very good-looking phone but it comes under the impression that it borrowed its design entirely from BlackBerry Z10. It has strips of metal about a quarter inch thick. It has been priced aggressively over 42K in India. It has got positive reviews from users and analysts and some might argue that HTC One looks better than Z10 or an iPhone 5, but the act of copying, and a very high price keeps it at number 10 on our list.
9. Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Sony Xperia Z Ultra is a deserving candidate at number 9. Running Android (Jelly Bean [4.2]) and a screen size measuring 6.4-inch with Full HD Display. Though you can prefer the HTC One over it, but for those who needs pure performance, the Xperia Z1 is the best proposition. With a big screen, there will always be issues with the single hand operations and the form factor footprint. Reasons for keeping it at number 9 are the missing LED Flash and we kept it ahead of HTC One because of it price and performance which is enhanced by the better display and a camera that is fairly competent. It is priced around 40K in India.
8. BlackBerry Z10
A lot of eyebrows would be raised seeing a BlackBerry phone even in the list of top 10, but we are giving it number 8 spot. BlackBerry's endeavor to enter into a full touch based smartphone doesn't seem to have gone well with the people, the amount of inventory they are stuck with, the ever growing Android and iOS user base, and a tough competition from Lumia series has kept BlackBerry at bay. But this does not take away the fact that BlackBerry Z10 is built like a rock, without feeling rough. Its classy minimalistic design makes it look brilliant. Though the specs aren't the one to die for but BB10 has proved that you don't always require an open source Mobile OS with millions of apps to make a decent phone. Its gestures actually help with swift navigation along with excellent browser and display. BB10 has quite a few bugs that need ironing out and with 10.2 update, BlackBerry has already fixed and improved upon many of the issues and features. It was priced well above 44K in India at its launch, but poor sales has brought it down to below 30K.
7. Huawei Ascend P6
At number 7, it is the Huawei Ascend P6, yes, a Chinese smart phone is actually making it to our top 10. Running Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS on a 4.7-inch HD Touchscreen and a 5 MP Secondary Camera and 8 MP Primary Camera running on 1.5 GHz Quad Core Processor with Full HD Recording and Expandable Storage Capacity of 32 GB at just under 25K is a great buy. Claimed to be the thinnest smart phone, Acsend P6 is the one to watch out for.
6. Nokia Lumia 925
Yes, it is a windows phone from Nokia but unlike 920, it doesn't have polycarbonate body. With 4.5-inch AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen, 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Dual Core Processor, running on Windows Phone 8 OS, 1.2 MP Secondary Camera, 8.7 MP Primary Camera with best low light images and Wireless Charging makes Nokia Lumia 925 a great phone in its category. Priced at around 30K in India, Lumia is a great buy if you don't like the polycarbonate look and feel.
5. LG G2
In an attempt to make a giant phone usable with only one hand, LG has come up with it G2 smart phone. Housed with a 2.26 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad Core Processor, a 13 MP Primary Camera, a giant 5.2-inch Capacitive Touchscreen and Full HD Recording. It runs Android v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. The most talked about feature in this phone is the button placement. Flip it over, and there is a rather strange bunch of buttons. LG claims the new design theme has placed the volume rocker and the power key on the back panel, just below the camera to make it user friendly. This does take some getting used to as well. Price in India is around 35-36K.
4. iPhone 5C
3. Samsung Galaxy S4
2. iPhone 5S
It is Apples latest, smartest and fastest iPhone ever. With the much hyped finger scanner and its A7 processor combined with M6 motion chip gives it clear edge from others. The volume of sales doesn't seems to be affected by the price tag of iPhone 5S. The new gold colour is almost sold out at every vendor or website. The price for 16GB is around 50K. What kept it away from number 1 slot is the fact that it is by no means a different looking phone from iPhone 5, and in the arena where every smart phone is now well above 4 inch, Apple is still into that zone.
1. LG Nexus 5
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