The most popular phone models. Smartphones. Focus on the image

2016 is coming to an end, it's time to take stock. Among mobile devices I'm primarily interested in smartphones. Let's talk about them now. I’ll say right away that each device from this selection is not just a piece of hardware from the past year. All smartphones are decent and have a decent margin of safety. That's why they are the best.

This selection does not claim to be the most objective and complete. Of course, I couldn’t cover the entire mobile device market. Something, for one reason or another, passed me by, and some device is worthy, but is not sold here and is not interesting to my compatriots. We will also ignore such devices.

I have communicated with all the devices presented here in one way or another. Therefore, I advise you to pay attention to them when choosing your mobile assistant.

Let's line up all our heroes in a certain gradation. Let's break the selection down into nominations. There are expensive devices, there are mid-range ones, and there are also budget models. In each segment, our leader is in first place, the device behind him is in second place, and then it’s clear. Go!

Tops. From 40,000 rubles

The most expensive and high-quality devices of this year. When you buy them, you get complete mince, the maximum possible. Manufacturers of such devices usually provide best service for their customers, and this also costs some money. That’s why, when spending 45 thousand rubles or more on a smartphone, you shouldn’t spend another 5-10 thousand and it’s better to buy a gadget from an official supply, with full service and a guarantee. Do not agree? Well, God is your judge.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

A truly chic smartphone with a large, curved display at the edges. I did not share the well-deserved first place with its younger brother (regular), because it looks somewhat cartoonish against the backdrop of a large and serious “edge”.

Samsung, as always (the last 2-3 years), has managed to create the most technologically advanced device. If you want to be at the peak of progress, get the best display, a camera that puts digital point-and-shoot cameras costing up to 20 kilo rubles in your belt, and the most sophisticated software - take the S7 Edge. An uncompromising solution from all sides, with a corresponding cost - 59,990 rubles.

iPhone 7

This device began the next two-year cycle of the company’s smartphones, which means it offers an interesting design and characteristics of a qualitatively new level than its predecessor.

You can treat Apple in any way you like, endlessly scold it, call it a “cake” or vice versa, worship it and thoughtlessly buy all the new products. But it’s worth recognizing the objective reality - everyone wants an iPhone. Young people only talk about him. In an advertisement for washing powder, there is an iPhone on the housewife’s desk, and in an advertising brochure, in the passage of a bank specialist at work, there is also an iPhone. In the next newfangled series, what does your favorite hero have? Of course, iPhone! It is everywhere and whether we want it or not, it is a symbol of our time.

For those who don't understand. Samsung smartphones and Apple are useless and pointless to compare with each other. The first is bought because it is a technologically advanced device, the second - because society insists on the “right” choice. And these are two different worlds: logic reigns in one, emotions, psychology and product placement reign in the other. However, smartphones are iconic and clearly set the rules for the entire market.

Former A-brands

There were no more top-end, and most importantly, iconic devices for the entire year. Sony produces nice, but very strange smartphones. Everything seems to be good and cool, but when you start comparing, you realize that they are asking for the same amount of money as for a Galaxy S7 / iPhone 7. In general, well, don’t give a damn.

LG is generally one big experiment that only causes bewilderment. Last year there was a very interesting G4, this year.

HTC – what kind of company is this?

At the end of the year, we were presented with a terrible device that is not yet really sold anywhere and no one can boast of experience in close communication with it. Hence, the 9th “mate” is not included in our selection and, most likely, will be able to claim the title of one of the best market players in the first half of 2017.

Flagships are cheaper. 30,000 – 40,000 rubles

Frankly, this is the most pointless category. Smartphones at this level are all strange. They are not up to par with flagship and expensive devices (read iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge) for various reasons. And in comparison with the rest of the market, they all lose in price. Take at least HTC One 10 is a boring, seemingly productive, but unforgivably expensive smartphone. Moreover, it is never a competitor to OnePlus 3.

Nevertheless, I still managed to find three devices that are worth paying attention to. Anyway…

OnePlus 3

The smartphone was released in the summer of this year and, unlike the previous, second generation, it has regained its status as a flagship killer. In my opinion. It has a chic build, a thin, elegant design, monstrous hardware (6 GB of RAM, just a minute), an excellent camera, but most importantly, software. Perhaps there is no device in the world that has been so extensively excavated that you can install not one, not two, but several dozen quite high-quality and interesting firmware.

Disclaimer. Why do I mention the Letyshops service? But because, firstly, I myself have not tried anything else, and secondly, I want you to save money. This collection is not only entertaining, it should also be useful. This is my extended answer to the topic: “What can you buy for ... rubles?” Enjoy it for your health!

And thirdly, yes, I get a small percentage from Letyshops. So these three reasons coincided successfully at once.

Nubia Z11

Official delivery

Smartphones from the “I went and bought them on the way home from work” series. Gadgets perfectly fit several criteria that are important for many: you have a certain amount of money, you want it here and now, with a guarantee, and so that it’s not some kind of bullshit without the Russian language and normal firmware.

Asus Zenfone 3

The Zenfone series surprises me extremely positively. Or rather, only one model - . I haven’t gotten around to the others yet, but by analogy with the previous generation, I figure that they won’t suit me very well.

ZE520KL is perhaps the most balanced, powerful, beautiful and officially sold device in our country. If you take something within 25,000 rubles, then only this.

Last year I was sincerely pleased with Zenfone 2 ZE551ML. It was sold for 18,000 rubles and for that money it was impossible to buy something even close in quality and performance. I have recommended it to so many people. Almost everyone obeyed, bought and were satisfied. All I mean is that this year the situation is repeating itself. So I have high hopes for the next Zenfon.

Current price: 23,990 rubles

Huawei Nova

If not the third Zenfone, then definitely Nova. Almost the same thing, with very minor differences, with the same excellent camera and a very promising Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. A thing for those who for some reason did not like Asus.

Price: 22,990 rubles

Top budget employees. 10,000 – 18,000 rubles

When buying a device from this category, we spend little money and get a lot of goodies. Unfortunately, we won’t find anything interesting in official retail here. All smartphones will have to be ordered from China. The better - the savings are greater.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro

Success of the year. If people order any smartphone from China, it is the XRN3 Pro, because in terms of characteristics and cost we have a top-end gadget. And he remains so now. It’s not for nothing that many online stores continue to offer various promotions on it. By the way, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor is a good foundation for the future. Its performance will be enough for a year, and then the Note 5 will arrive in time to replace it.

Current price: 10,000 rubles

Nice appearance, good screen and processor, excellent software optimization - all this creates the feeling that the device costs more than it actually does. And the feelings are true, I must admit.

Price: 5,000 rubles

Conclusion and forecasts

In 2016, a lot of smartphones were released. New names appeared on the market, and Huawei became the world's third-largest supplier of smart mobile devices. Meanwhile, Apple and Samsung made several strategic mistakes. And if the mistakes of the Cupertino team will be noticeable only tomorrow, then the South Korean giant felt the negative and very serious consequences almost instantly.

All this means that we live in very interesting times and are witnessing events on a truly planetary scale, albeit within one sphere of human life. In just one year, so much has happened, so many phenomena have influenced the development of the market, which means that everything is accelerating and will continue to accelerate in 2017.

In any case, the purpose of this article is to help you do right choice. I hope this collection and our site as a whole is useful to you. Well, in the meantime, I congratulate all readers on the upcoming New Year! Health, happiness and prosperity!

The end of the year is time to take stock. In 2016 we saw a lot interesting new products in the smartphone market, so we decided to collect all the most interesting things in one material in order to evaluate this year from the point of view of photo smartphones. The best smartphones of the year, the main flagships, the most interesting gadgets - all this in one article!

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Without a doubt, the most anticipated smartphone of the year, which seems to have met all the expectations of users. New colors, more powerful processor, updated Home key, as well as a block with dual camera, which we especially noted in a special material, pitting the device against a Sony Alpha ILCE-6300 camera. iPhone 7 Plus is the best iOS smartphone of this year and also the best smartphone Apple released in 2016.

What else to look at: Apple iPhone 7, Apple iPhone SE

Google Pixel XL

curved lines, big screen, one of the best mobile cameras- all this about Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. The smartphone display adds a special dimension to the image - and it is truly impressive. One of the most interesting and powerful smartphones of the year.

What else to look at: Samsung Galaxy S7

Huawei Mate 9

The year for Huawei turned out to be incredibly interesting and bright and was marked primarily by the conclusion of an agreement with the Leica photo brand. Under their supervision, the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus smartphones were released with a Leica camera unit and two lenses: one color lens, the second monochrome. At the end of the year, Huawei released the Mate 9 and Mate 9 Porsche Design, marking the second, more serious stage of work on the camera. And guess what? Above the slogan "New era" mobile photography"Laughing less and less!

What else to look at: Huawei P9 Plus, Huawei P9

LG G5

The Korean company's smartphone turned out to be the first real solution using modular technology. Among the LG Friends modules, the additional camera controls and sound unit from Bang&Olufsen stand out. The LG G5 has two cameras. One of them is wide-angle, which allows you to take pictures unusual for smartphones. The fly in the ointment is that only the LG G5 SE is officially sold in Russia. This is a junior model with slightly different technical characteristics, primarily a weaker processor. But the cameras are identical.

What else to look at: LG G5 SE

Moto Z

Another modular smartphone that came out a little later than the solution from LG. Moto Mods are mounted on back smartphone using special magnets. Among the additional units there is a battery, a projector, a speaker from JBL, but most importantly, a photo module from Hasselblad with an optical tenfold zoom.

What else to look at: Moto Z Play

Sony Xperia XZ

Sony Mobile took a desperate step in 2016 by completely relaunching its line of smartphones. By the end of the year, they had completed the entire X-X line: the frameless XA and XA Ultra, X and its smaller copy XCompact, X Performance and the most flagship flagship- XZ. We held it in our hands and tested it. A very worthy and interesting smartphone that has its own personality: you won’t confuse it with anyone else.

What else to look at: Sony Xperia X Performance, Sony Xperia XCompact

Honor 8

Smartphones under the Honor brand are produced by Huawei. And this, in general, was no secret to anyone. This year, Honor 8 was released - beautiful, bright and with two lenses, like its half-brothers P9, P9 Plus and Mate 9. The device takes pictures very well, we were convinced of its qualities in practice.

Meizu Pro 6 Plus

Another late announcement is Meizu Pro 6 Plus. This year we tested both Meizu Pro 6 and Meizu MX6, and were satisfied. Actually, there is no doubt about the quality of the camera in the Pro 6 Plus. Also, as is standard for Meizu, the device sounds good because it has a digital-to-analog converter. The main advantage compared to competitors is a more pleasant price tag with the same flagship capabilities.

What else to look at: Meizu Pro 6, Meizu MX6

Asus Zenfone 3 (ZE552KL and ZE520KL)

Pleasant smartphones in all respects, which differ from each other in different screen diagonals. In general, this is the same device, which we were able to test with two cool Instagram photographers - @vi66nya and @19tones. Despite the affordable price tag in modern times, Zenfone 3 can surprise you in terms of photography.

What else to look at: Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe

LeEco Le Pro3

LeEco company is the most powerful start of the year not only in Russia, but also in the American market. We can say that a brand from China is dumping the market by making flagship specifications and offering them 1.5–2 times cheaper than other companies. Le Pro3 is new smartphone, which can and should be called an affordable flagship, and it also has a very decent camera. We managed to test Le Max 2 and overall we were very pleased.

Xiaomi Mi 5s

For several years in a row, Xiaomi has been constantly releasing interesting smartphones. And every year the brand gains more and more fans and users. This year the main device is Xiaomi Mi 5s, and the announcement of the frameless Xiaomi Mi Mix was also noticeable. Unfortunately, in Russia Xiaomi devices It’s difficult to buy officially - you won’t find this company’s flagships on store shelves.

What else to look at: Xiaomi Mi 5, Xiaomi Mi Mix

OnePlus 3T

OnePlus are newsmakers who are able to surprise the smartphone market year after year because they play by their own rules. The OnePlus 3 model appeared first, and at the end of the year it was updated to 3T. An extremely interesting and pleasant-looking smartphone takes pictures very well. But the problem here is the same as with Xiaomi - the devices are difficult to get due to their lack of availability in stores.

Potentially best Android smartphone year, which absorbed all the ideas and Samsung technology, Galaxy Note 7, unfortunately, was never released in Russia, and was withdrawn worldwide. This device, if turned on, is still prohibited from flying on an airplane. The problems with the flammable gadget were resolved radically: all Galaxy Note 7 were recalled, and the Note line of smartphones was completely closed.

In December, it is customary to compile various ratings and remember the most significant events of the last twelve months. We have not forgotten about this tradition and decided to collect in one large material the 28 best smartphones that appeared on the market this year.

Apple iPhone 7: the new market leader

Each new development from Apple causes a huge stir and collects millions of orders. This happened with the iPhone 7.

The device received a new body color option - “black onyx”, as well as protection from moisture and dust according to the IP67 standard, but lost the usual audio jack. The 4.7-inch Retina HD display perfectly conveys the smallest image details and colors, the quad-core Apple A10 Fusion chipset breaks all possible performance records, and iOS versions 10.1 leaves only a pleasant impression of the smoothness and speed of operation.

The smartphone is sold in five color variations and has modifications with 32, 128 and 256 GB of internal memory. Don't forget about the 12-megapixel main and 7-megapixel front cameras, new stereo speakers and good battery life - about 14 hours of talk time and 40 hours of music playback.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus: increased dimensions, display and dual camera

The advanced version of Apple's latest flagship is 20 mm taller, 11 mm wider and 50 grams heavier than the regular Seven. The smartphone is equipped with a screen with a larger diagonal (5.5 versus 4.7 inches) and has a higher resolution (1080x1920 versus 750x1334 pixels).

The Apple A10 chipset is also responsible for the performance of the iPhone 7 Plus, but the device works a little faster than the base model due to the difference in the amount of RAM (3 versus 2 GB).

In the version with the Plus prefix, in addition to the main rear camera, a second one is installed, which makes it possible to double the focal length of the frame due to optical zoom rather than digital zoom. As a result, you can photograph distant objects without loss of quality. Another difference between the devices is the battery capacity. Under the body of the larger version of the flagship there is a battery with a capacity of 2,900 mAh, which is almost 1,000 mAh more than regular iPhone 7.

ASUS ZenFone 3: big changes for the better

ASUS ZenFone 3 - the third generation device of the ZenFone line turned out to be balanced in terms of capabilities and characteristics, attractive in appearance and quite competitive in terms of cost.

For the manufacture of the case, ASUS specialists chose metal and glass. The device has a curious, but at the same time carefully thought out arrangement of all functional elements; the thickness of the case is 7.69 mm. One cannot help but praise the solid build, the 5.5-inch S-IPS screen, the time battery life and good performance. The pride of the device is a 16-megapixel camera based on the Sony IMX298 sensor with a powerful focusing system.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Max: budget version in metallic garb

ZenFone 3 Max is positioned by the Taiwanese manufacturer as an inexpensive, but versatile and, importantly, durable device: it has a 4,100 mAh battery. The model boasts a nice design, a metal body, smooth and uninterrupted operation of the proprietary ZenUI 3.0 firmware, which is based on the sixth version of the Android OS.

The smartphone, depending on the modification (there are two of them), has the power of a quad-core (MediaTek MT6737T) or eight-core (Snapdragon 430) processor, comes with 2 or 3 GB of RAM and 16 or 32 GB of permanent memory.

LG K10 LTE: a good budget phone for selfie lovers

When working on the K10 LTE, LG focused on camera capabilities. First of all, this applies to the 5-megapixel front camera: you can start a three-second countdown before taking a photo with one hand gesture and use the display as an artificial flash. And to focus and take a picture on the 13-megapixel main camera, just one touch on the display is enough.

The device is equipped with a 2,300 mAh battery, an eight-core MT6735 processor, 16 GB of internal memory and 1.5 GB of RAM. The front panel is occupied by a 5.3-inch screen. The OS is Android 6.0.

LG X power: durable and compact

The key feature of this smartphone is clear from the name: thanks to a 4,100 mAh battery, the device can withstand two days of work away from a power outlet. Even when the battery icon lights up red and the battery asks to eat, the device can last another 2-3 hours. In addition, LG X power supports fast charging: the battery spends about half as long to restore its 100% capacity as the battery of a modern average smartphone.

LG specialists must be given credit for a great feat: they managed to place such a battery in a case with a thickness of only 7.9 mm. And in general the design turned out to be very interesting. A nice bonus is selfie: the front camera is able to recognize a face in the frame and immediately take a photo.

LG X cam: two rear cameras for 18 thousand rubles

2016 turned out to be a productive year for the South Korean brand: the company’s third smartphone, LG X cam, entered our chart not by chance and not in company with the two mentioned above. It stands out from its competitors with a dual camera: one with a wide-angle lens (viewing angle is 120 degrees), and the second, 13-megapixel, provides especially high quality pictures. In this case, the mode will be really useful panoramic photography and the “Framed Photo” effect (both lenses are used).

The smartphone is sold in two color options (“titanium” and “gold”), has a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, and offers the owner the power of an eight-core MediaTek processor and 2 GB of RAM. 16 GB is available for data storage, there is a slot for a memory card. And the LG X cam weighs only 120 grams.

Xiaomi Redmi 3 S: durable, metal, inexpensive

Xiaomi Redmi 3 S is available in two versions: with 2/16 GB (cheaper) and with 3/32 GB (more expensive). The device belongs to the budget price category, and therefore it is especially pleasant to see in it a fingerprint scanner and an infrared port for control household appliances and support for OTG technology.

The body of the smartphone is made of aluminum, with the only exception being two plastic inserts on the back. The front panel of the Redmi 3 S is occupied by an IPS display with a diagonal of 5 inches, and the Snapdragon 430 chipset, the architecture of which includes two clusters of four Cortex-A53 cores, is responsible for the phone’s performance. Perhaps the strongest point of this model is its autonomy, which is provided by a 4,100 mAh battery.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: a sleek phablet with impressive features

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is one of the most sensational smartphones on the market Russian market this year. Primarily due to the ratio of price, capabilities and characteristics.

The front panel of the device, the body of which is made of aircraft aluminum, is almost entirely occupied by a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. At the back there is a 16-megapixel camera equipped with phase detection autofocus (activated in 0.1 seconds) and dual LED flash. Below is a fingerprint sensor that is easy to find on the first try and allows you to reliably protect any information that is important to you.

The device does not experience any performance problems: it is equipped with a six-core Snapdragon 650 chipset and 3 GB of RAM. 32 GB is available for data storage and there is a slot for microSD cards. What about the OS? Uses proprietary MIUI shell 7 on Android based 5.1 Lollipop.

Xiaomi Mi5: a competitive representative of the middle class

An equally interesting exhibit from the same brand – Xiaomi Mi5 – is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset with a clock frequency of 1.8 GHz, has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of permanent memory.

The device looks very impressive: a harmonious combination of metal and tempered glass, neatly rounded edges, the thinnest bezels around the edges of the display, a body thickness of 7.25 mm and only 129 grams of weight. The latter is especially valuable when you consider the 5.15-in. Full HD screen and a 3,000 mAh battery. In addition, Mi5 supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology.

Meizu Pro 6: a serious competitor to market leaders

New flagship Meizu Pro 6 from a growing Chinese manufacturer is capable of competing with advanced models from market leaders. And its main advantage is its modest price (28 thousand rubles for the 32 GB version and 36 thousand rubles for the 64 GB version).

Pay for what? For the undoubtedly flagship, very solid design with barely noticeable frames on the sides of the display. For an all-metal body. For a 5.2-inch screen based on a Super AMOLED matrix from Samsung. For a carefully crafted sound. For a 21-megapixel camera with a 10-LED ring flash. For the powerful and energy-efficient 10-core Helio X25 processor, the structure of which includes three clusters. And this is not the whole list of points for.

The only thing I can at least somehow find fault with is the lack of a slot for a memory card.

Meizu U20: an interesting device in glass

Announced in August this year, the Meizu U20 phablet is clad in 2.5D glass on both sides. The glass panels are connected by a metal frame. A 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels is installed, based on S-IPS matrices. There is a fingerprint scanner on the front panel that responds to touch in 0.2 seconds. It is built right into the central touch-mechanical key - this is a proprietary Meizu feature.

We note an eight-core processor with a clock frequency of 1.8 GHz, up to 3 GB of RAM (depending on version) and 16 or 32 GB of permanent memory. Meizu U20 runs Flyme 5.0 launcher, under which Android 5.1 Lollipop is hidden. A 3,260 mAh battery will provide a long operating time without recharging.

Meizu M3 Note: durable and properly balanced

Each new product of 2016 from Meizu shows a competent balance between all components. Key Feature The Meizu M3 Note model has a 4,100 mAh battery, which can provide the smartphone with about two days of life without recharging. But other components did not disappoint.

The M3 Note's Helio P10 chipset automatically adjusts clock frequency cores and graphics accelerator, trying to either reduce power consumption to the maximum, or, conversely, use all the power to complete a complex task. The processor is supported by 3 GB of RAM, for data storage there is 32 GB and a slot for a microSD card.

We also note a 13-megapixel camera with phase detection autofocus and a two-color flash, a 5.5-inch Full HD display and an mTouch 2.1 fingerprint sensor.

Sony Xperia XZ Dual: an impressive camera phone

The fact that Sony, when developing this model, tried its best to distance itself from its competitors is noticeable even before turning on the device. The metal body of the phone is protected from moisture and can be painted in one of three stunning shades, and thanks to the design thought out to the smallest detail, the device looks strict, elegant and laconic.

Compared to other sophisticated flagships, the Sony Xperia XZ stands out with its 23-megapixel camera: it is supported by three sensors at once, has laser autofocus, and it is impossible not to note the impeccable color rendition and stabilization system. There are also a lot of modes, filters for post-processing frames, and a 13-megapixel front camera for self-portraits and video calling in addition.

Sony Xperia XA Dual: frameless, stylish and ergonomic

The Sony Xperia XA Dual model belongs to the middle price category, and the main thing about it is the absence of frames on the sides of the display and a more than fair price for the existing hardware. The 5-inch display pleases with the depth of black color, viewing angles and contrast. The youngest representative of the Xperia X line weighs only 138.8 grams, it lies securely in the hand, and you will have to try hard to drop it.

One full charge A 2,300 mAh battery will provide about two days of intense work. We also pay attention to the hardware: Helio P10 processor with a frequency of up to 2 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, Mali-T860 MP2 graphics. Such equipment is more often found in more expensive devices.

Moto Z: a ​​modular smartphone with flagship equipment

A distinctive feature of Moto Z is its unique modular design, which allows you to connect a stereo speaker, decorative cover, external battery, microphone, camera and even a projector to the rear panel of the device through a special contact area.

The smartphone has a very thin body (5.19 mm), 13-megapixel main and 5-megapixel front cameras, a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels and good hardware led by the Snapdragon 820 processor.

Moto Z Play: younger, but also interesting

The appearance of this model was announced in September. Just like with the basic version, various modules can be docked with the Moto Z Play. But how do the devices differ?

The younger version received a more capacious battery (3,510 versus 2,600 mAh), a side effect - the thickness of the case increased to 7 mm and the weight increased from 136 to 165 grams. The main camera here is cooler than in the simple Moto Z (16 megapixels), but the screen and hardware are slightly weaker: the 5.5-inch display has a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, and the Snapdragon 625 chipset is responsible for computing processes. The device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory for data storage, as well as a slot for a memory card. Both devices use Android 6.0 as the OS.

Huawei Honor 8: spectacular design and dual camera

I tried to keep up with competitors and Huawei. Although Honor 8 was placed in the middle price category, many of its features were transferred from the flagship Huawei P9. Durable and reliable metal frame, 3,000 mAh battery, high-performance eight-core Kirin 950 processor and 4 GB of RAM. But the main thing is the dual camera (both have a 12-megapixel Sony sensor) with laser and contrast autofocus and dual LED flash.

Huawei Honor 5C: inexpensive and versatile

The device received high-quality equipment, which allowed it to successfully compete in the market with no less interesting models. The model is equipped with a powerful, yet energy-efficient Kirin 650 chipset, which includes two clusters of four cores. A solid operating time is ensured by a 3,000 mAh battery, and as a bonus, proprietary energy-saving technology.

One cannot help but mention the metal case that houses the Honor 5C, the 5.2-inch S-IPS display, and the relatively small dimensions and weight (156 grams) of the device. We also note an 8-megapixel front camera and a stereo speaker that provides surround sound.

Huawei nova: great shooting possibilities

Huawei nova is pleasant to hold in the palm of your hand. This is a compact, elegant device with smooth shapes and curves in a magnesium-aluminum alloy body.

The main emphasis is on the cameras. The main one, 12-megapixel, is able to quickly and correctly focus on the selected object (two systems work at once: phase and contrast), record video in 4K format, and the front camera will be appreciated by all selfie lovers for the useful technologies of “beautification” of the resulting self-portraits and a convenient function Touch shooting.

Alcatel Idol 4S: youth smartphone with a unique key

The release of this unusual device – Alcatel IDOL 4S – was announced at the beginning of the year. Alcatel decided to conquer the youth segment with a cool design, clear and high-quality sound, as well as a surprise in the form special key Boom, which is located strictly in the center of the right side.

The button can be assigned one of several functions: snapshot even when the display is off, continuous shooting(10 photos), displaying an animation notifying about the current weather situation, a significant and instant increase in volume, starting an online broadcast, and even speeding up a racing simulator. This is what true versatility means.

Alcatel PIXI 4 (5): for undemanding users

The budget Alcatel PIXI 4 (5) 5010D is suitable for solving simple tasks: web surfing, watching videos, reading, communication, working with undemanding software. Such devices, in our opinion, always have a place.

Most best phone very difficult to determine. To do this, you should compare a variety of characteristics, compare one and another model, see what it costs and take into account a considerable amount of data. But we have time, so let's do it!

It is important to take into account that we will not choose the most expensive or the most powerful phone, we will focus on the one that combines all the qualities of an ideal phone in all respects. It is especially worth noting that the best mobile phone is far from the most expensive today. The most expensive, as we already wrote in a previous article, is the iPhone 5 Black Diamond, the price of which is determined by the presence of a huge amount of diamonds and gold. But from the point of view of practicality, this model will be located, perhaps, in second or third place from the end.

Performance

The easiest way to judge the real level of performance of a mobile phone is by the assessment given by the world-famous AnTuTu Benckmark program. The fact is that this or that brand of phone manufacturers can write that they “insert” the best processors in the world into their models and add some other features that supposedly help the device work faster and more productively. But when the user picks up their vaunted device and starts using it, he realizes that everything works very slowly and no technology helps. AnTuTu Benckmark is an ideal criterion, one might say, a measure of quality modern devices. So, the last rating from the official website of this program is dated the end of March 2016. It can be seen in Figure No. 2.

Today, very little, if anything, has changed. Since the end of March, there simply hasn’t been a phone released that could explode the market and push the leaders out of their positions. As you can see, the leading positions are occupied by Xiaomi Mi5, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and iPhone 6S. But it’s worth saying that the power of 130,000 “parrots” from AnTuTu is not just enough, but a lot to perform all modern tasks. One of the most demanding games on Android, GTA 5, runs absolutely smoothly with 70,000 “parrots”. This means that any of the phones listed in the rating fits the criterion of being the most productive. Therefore, from among them we will choose the model that can be considered the best in the world today.

What about the iPhone 6Plus? See the characteristics of this Apple model

This state of affairs is due to the fact that today Samsung is truly the most advanced brand in the world. In Russia and in the vast expanses of the former USSR, by the way, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, released at the beginning of 2016, gained enormous popularity. It costs, of course, cheaper than equally productive Samsung phones, but loses to its competitors in other characteristics. One of them is the quality of shooting. This is worth dwelling on in more detail.

Camera

These days, a really good phone must have a good camera. The main parameter in this case is the clarity of the image. This in turn depends on a combination of the number of megapixels and the sensor size. Although, no matter how much you evaluate a phone based on all the characteristics of its camera, it’s better to take one look at the pictures it takes. Therefore, below we will present comparative photographs of the same landscapes on different models smartphones. For comparison, we will take those models that are listed in the best performance rating from AnTuTu Benckmark.

Here, for example, is a comparison of the cameras of the leaders in the above ranking, Xiaomi Mi5 (left) and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (right).

As you can see, the Samsung camera takes pictures much brighter and clearer than Xiaomi’s (although there are a lot of opinions about the pronunciation of Xiaomi).

High quality camera with laser focusing from LG G Flex 2 - find out what pictures come out

And here is a comparison of the same Samsung Galaxy S7 edge with the iPhone 6s. You can also see that the photo from Samsung turned out brighter and clearer. In the photo from the famous iPhone, the picture turned out to be much dimmer and blurry in some parts.

Thus, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is so far the clear leader in shooting quality. By the way, here is another photo that clearly confirms the leadership of the Samsung flagship in this race. Here, phones such as Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, Google Nexus 6P, Sony Xperia Z5 Dual generally look like clear outsiders. It is quite obvious that when poor lighting They can't take pictures in principle. As for the photo taken on the iPhone 6s Plus, there is a lot of noise in it and the flash is so bright that it literally blinds the people in the photo. If you look closely, it becomes clear that samsung camera Galaxy S7 edge was able to most clearly convey all facial features and make the photo as smooth as possible. It’s also useful to try to enlarge all the photographs from Figure 6. At 3x magnification, all pictures except the one taken on the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge simply blur.

Here Samsung comparison Galaxy S7 edge (bottom) with Huawei Mate 8 (top). Another confirmation that the Samsung representative’s camera is many times better.

So, we see that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has a camera many times better than the rest of the AnTuTu performance rating. But there is no surprise in this. If you take at least 10 ratings of the best cameras on smartphones from different sites, in 8 of them the one in this Samsung model will be recognized as the best. And in general, Samsung specialists know how to create truly good cameras. So Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is still our clear leader! Let's move on to the next characteristic.

41 MP camera from Nokia Lumia 1020 - can it compete for a place in the ranking?

Ease of use

This is a very broad characteristic that is influenced by several parameters at once. We will analyze each of them separately.

Battery

In general, battery capacity is measured in milliamps per hour - the more, the better. Therefore, we will not reinvent the wheel and present how many mAh each of the models indicated in the rating in Figure No. 2 has.

1. Xiaomi Mi5 - 3000.
2. Samsung Galaxy S7 edge - 3600.
3. iPhone 6s - 1715.
4. Huawei Mate 8 - 4000.
5. Meizu Pro 5 - 30
6. Samsung Galaxy Note 5 - 4000.
7. LETV Max - 3400.
8. iPhone 6 - 1810.
9. Vivo Xplay 5 - 3600.
10. Samsung Galaxy S6 - 2600.

Thus, the best in terms of battery capacity are Vivo Xplay 5, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, which each have 3600 mAh, and Huawei Mate 8 with Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (4000 mAh). In third place is LETV Max with a 3400 mAh battery. The leader in the performance rating, Xiaomi Mi5, was not among the top three. In practice, all these phones are really enough for one working day - social media, some games, surfing the Internet. None of them simply can stand more time, especially considering the computing power that needs to be provided.

Strength

Strength characteristics are determined by the type of glass installed on a particular phone, as well as the strength of the case itself. Installed on Samsung Galaxy S7 edge protective glass Gorilla Glass, also available on Xiaomi Mi5. In addition, the same Samsung has IP68 level protection. This means that the device is not afraid of falling from a height of human height to the ground or falling into water. Today, very few phones can boast a combination of such characteristics. So, in this parameter, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is again in the lead.

A waterproof phone from Samsung - see all the interesting ones Galaxy features S5

In general, any phone will have good protection if you put it in a reinforced case and stick additional protective glass on the screen. On the other hand, I want the phone to have everything at once, already at the purchase stage. Nobody wants to buy something extra. Therefore, if the device initially has Gorilla Glass protection and IP68 level body protection, this is very good. Our leader today meets this criterion.

Screen

Any user wants the screen of his phone to convey the image as clearly and brightly as possible, and from any viewing angle. All this is primarily affected by the screen resolution, that is, how many pixels fit at each point. The detail depends on this. Our leader today, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, has a resolution of 1440x2560 with 576 ppi (pixels per inch). You can compare it with Meizu Pro 5 ( 1080x1920- 386 ppi), Apple iPhone 6 (750x1334 - 326 ppi) and Xiaomi Mi 5 (1080x1920 - 428 ppi). The vaunted iPhone generally looks like an absolute outsider in this regard.

A smartphone with excellent screen characteristics - read the description of the One E8 model from HTC

As for the other phones in the performance rankings, we couldn't find another phone with 576 ppi. Therefore, in this parameter too, Samsung is ahead of its competitors. In addition to the above, it is worth noting that almost all models of this brand have branded Super AMOLED screens, which significantly increases the degree of detail, clarity and saturation of the picture on the screen. This also affects how well the image will be visible from different viewing angles. In general, today this is the best technology for producing phone screens. Most other phones have screens with IPS matrix. In the figure below you can see a small comparison of these two types of screens.

There is nothing to say about viewing from different angles - the picture on phones with Super AMOLED screens will be visible from a distance, and what is written on the neighbor’s IPS will be very problematic to see. Below you can see a small comparison of viewing angles - on the right is a phone with Super AMOLED, and on the left with IPS.

Considering that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is the best Samsung to date, it can safely be called the phone with the best screen.

Memory

Good phone must also have sufficient physical and random access memory. This is true both for Android devices and for phones that run on other operating systems. So, as for the built-in memory, almost all of the phones listed in the performance rating have 32 GB. There are, of course, unique devices with 16 GB, which looks somewhat ridiculous, given the full power of the models described. The sixth iPhone especially distinguished itself here, in which it 16 GB built-in memory.

But in terms of RAM, the above devices have some differences. Let's list how many OP each phone has in the rating.

1. Xiaomi Mi5 - 3 GB.
2. Samsung Galaxy S7 edge - 4 GB.
3. iPhone 6s - 1 GB.
4. Huawei Mate 8 - 4 GB.
5. Meizu Pro 5 - 3 GB.
6. Samsung Galaxy Note 5 - 4 GB.
7. LETV Max - 4 GB.
8. iPhone 6 - 1 GB.
9. Vivo Xplay 5 - 4 GB.
10. Samsung Galaxy S6- 4 GB.

As for the Vivo Xplay 5, there is a 6GB RAM variant. And this is the absolute leader in the phone rating in terms of RAM capacity. Before the release of LETV Max, they wrote that this model would also have 6 GB, but in the end this information was not confirmed. Thus, it is Vivo Xplay 5 that turns out to be the best in this parameter. Besides, he has whole 128 GB built-in memory. Although most other models have the ability to use memory cards, which are not so expensive these days. Therefore, although Vivo Xplay 5 came out on top in the memory comparison, it still cannot claim to top our overall rating today.

In general, it’s not really clear why Vivo Xplay 5 scores so low in AnTuTu. The fact is that it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, which according to the same AnTuTu indicators is best processor to date. More RAM than others. The leader, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, has an Exynos 8890, which, as experts say, is slightly worse than the Snapdragon 820. And, nevertheless, Samsung is still better in performance.

Extra options

Various manufacturers They try to “cram” (there’s no other way to say it) into their creations as many additional programs and functions as possible. But for us, ordinary users, this only makes it better. For example, it could be various sensors. Below you can see a comparison table of sensors on phones that hold leading positions in performance today.

As you can see, most of them are on the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. Who would doubt that! If you compare this model with other phones, the opinion that it has the most sensors installed will be confirmed. Therefore, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is again the leader in this parameter.

From everything said in this section, one simple conclusion can be drawn - using the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is much more convenient than any other modern phone. Of course, the differences are small, but they still exist and they are very significant.

The reasons for this statement are that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge:

• The screen is best seen from different viewing angles;
• The battery lasts well (although not better than that of the same Huawei Mate 8);
• High degree of strength and glass has good protective characteristics;
• There are many additional programs.

To be fair, it is worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is not the best, judging by the amount of memory. The absolute leader there is Vivo Xplay 5.

Bottom line

In addition to the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is the most convenient to use, the camera this phone conveys the picture most richly and vividly. From the photographs shown in Figures 4-7, this can be seen very clearly. In terms of performance, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is inferior to the Xiaomi Mi5, although the lag is insignificant - only 2000 “parrots”. But in all other characteristics, Samsung looks much better, so we can conclude that as of the summer of 2016, the best in the world mobile phone is Samsung Galaxy S7 edge!

An overview of our today's winner can be seen in the video below.

It is impossible to compile an objective list of the best smartphones of our time, taking into account the personal preferences of everyone, even the most authoritative and independent reviewer. Nevertheless, some publications still undertake this task, dooming themselves in advance to a barrage of criticism from readers outraged by this or that decision.

The reported rating was presented by the authoritative publication Business Insider. Its TOP 20 includes almost all famous vendors and brands (with the possible exception of Sony), it is also noteworthy that all 5 latest models from Apple, including the iPhone SE, made it into the top ten.

TOP 20 best smartphones of 2016

The gadget, very controversial from the point of view of design and ergonomics, nevertheless appealed to fans of the “blackberry” brand. One of the main criteria for getting into the rating is a fairly low cost. Familiar for all smartphones BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard, good performance indicators and reliability of the device will not break a serious hole in the budget - you will have to pay about $300 for a “passport”.

Since middle and senior managers of Western companies switched en masse from BlackBerry to iPhone, the Canadian vendor's only hope has been ardent fans of its products and physical keyboards. It was for them that the BlackBerry Classic model was released, made in the company’s traditional style, but with wider functionality. Price: $280.

However, Canadians still tried to move away from the template and enter a more mass market. The black sheep in model range BlackBerry became the original Priv smartphone with a slide-out keyboard. Its main difference from its brothers is operating system Android instead of the usual proprietary firmware. The cost is about 370 dollars.

One of the most affordable smartphones on the market in its category. Available in three variations (G4, G4 Plus and G4 Play), it has good technical characteristics and an unpretentious design, the price ranges from 200 to 250 dollars.

Last year's South Korean phablet is still quite popular, despite the release of the new Note 7. The device is powered by an 8-core Exynos chip, has 4 GB of RAM, a 16-megapixel main and 5-megapixel front cameras and, of course, a proprietary S-Pen stylus . IN this moment You can purchase the gadget for about $550.

This rating is not complete without B-brands. Yesterday's "noname" ZTE made it clear in May of this year that it is quite capable of competing with premium segment sharks such as LG, HTC and even Samsung. The new flagship received full ammunition for this - a top-end Snapdragon 820 chip, Adreno 530 graphics, 4/6 GB of RAM, a fingerprint scanner, a sensitive Force Touch touch panel (analogous to Apple's 3D Touch), and an excellent 5.5-inch display. For such a set today you will have to pay about 400 dollars.

14. LG G5

The date for the presentation of the new flagship, which replaced the G5 described above, was chosen extremely strangely by LG marketers - September 7 (the iPhone 7/Plus were shown on this day). Naturally, Apple's new products overshadowed the Koreans' event, and the latter's smartphone turned out to be quite good. Externally, it differs little from its predecessor, but is equipped with more powerful hardware; the cost is just over $600.

12. HTC 10

Having received a lot of criticism from reviewers and users, Taiwanese designers finally decided to radically redesign the appearance of the new flagship. The cut edges of the case look just great, as does the refusal to place the logo on the front panel. As for the technical characteristics, there is full compliance with the trends of spring 2016 - Snapdragon 820, 4 GB of RAM, USB Type-C etc. Price: $550.

11. Moto Z

Another modular smartphone in the ranking, this time made in China. Unlike its Korean counterpart, extra battery, a Lenovo proprietary projector or speaker is connected not to the bottom, but to the back of the smartphone. Otherwise, the Moto Z is a fairly thin, compact and lightweight device with top-end specs for 2016. Price: 600-700 dollars.

It is difficult to understand what the author of the rating was guided by when placing OnePlus 3 in 10th position. A design assembled from around the world (especially a lot of threads were borrowed from HTC), this year’s most popular processor Snapdragon 820 + Adreno 530 video accelerator, 5.5-inch display with a pixel density of just over 400 per inch, etc. The only thing that catches your eye is 6 GB of RAM, but there is no slot for a memory card, which for Chinese smartphones not typical. The cost is about 400 dollars.

9. iPhone SE

Opens the “apple” rating page released this spring iPhone of the year SE. The device is a kind of hybrid of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s. Inherited the smartphone from the first one specifications, from the second - design. You can purchase the gadget for $400.

Last year's Apple flagship didn't become a sensation, but as expected, it lived up to the "s" in its name. The main features, in addition to traditional processor and peripheral upgrades, are 3D Touch technology and the Live Photos function. The iPhone 6s costs $539.

The 5.5-inch brother iPhone 6s is also not too different from its predecessor iPhone 6 Plus - similar design, several new features, more high performance and battery life, improved camera. Cost: $650.

6. Google Pixel XL

After rebranding and abandoning the Nexus line, Google decided to increase control over the production of its own smartphones, and at the same time significantly raise prices. The 5.5-inch Google Pixel XL is straight iPhone competitor 7 Plus, while the “good corporation” claims the world’s best camera (which, naturally, is compared to the dual camera of the Apple phablet), a more effective virtual assistant Google Assistant (hello, Siri) and incredible performance provided by the tandem of the Snapdragon 821 processor and the latest Android Nougat OS. You will have to pay no less than $769 for a new Google Phone.