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What is the most popular phone of the year? The best smartphones in terms of price-quality ratio

It is very difficult to determine the best phone. 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 most powerful phone, we will focus on the one that combines all the qualities of an ideal phone in all characteristics. 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 the quality of 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 displace the leaders from 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.

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 smartphone models. 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 it takes

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 in principle they cannot shoot in poor lighting. 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 the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge camera 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's a comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (bottom) with the 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 really good cameras. So Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is still our clear leader! Let's move on to the next characteristic.

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 their 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, but 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

A good phone should also have sufficient physical and RAM 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 AnTuTu, is the best processor today. 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 are trying to “cram” (there is no other way to say) into their creations as many additional programs and functions as possible. But for us, ordinary users, this only makes it better. For example, these 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.

In fairness, 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 of this phone conveys the image 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 mobile phone in the world is the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge!

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

Dedicated to his work, namely GSM technologies, new products and industry news, the author.

The past year has been rich in new products in the world of telephony. Long-awaited version updates, unexpected premieres, the appearance of newcomers - the producers amazed as best they could. It’s easy to get confused among the abundance of released gadgets; each brand is trying to beat its competitors by creating powerful advertising campaigns.
- the task is not easy. We have created a rating of the best smartphones of 2016, which includes the most productive and popular models.

Top 10 best smartphones of 2016

10th place – HTC 10

Opens a list of the best smartphones based on all characteristics of the HTC 10.
The Taiwanese company has taken a huge step forward with the release of the latest HTC. Its main feature is its gorgeous camera. 12 million pixels create realistic photos. Thanks to laser focus, images retain natural color depth.
Another feature of the Taiwanese is the latest version of Sense and platform - Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. Powerful hardware allows you to play on improved settings.
The 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 2560×1440 perfectly reproduces color from any angle.
The 3-amp battery holds a charge for 10 hours when the device is actively used, and up to 4 days in sleep mode.
The price in Russian stores starts at 26,000 rubles.

Main characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. camera 12 MP;
  3. RAM 4GB;
  4. 3000 mAh;
  5. weight 161g;
  6. 4 cores.

Pros:

  • build quality;
  • battery life;
  • good camera;
  • high-quality screen;
  • appearance.

Minuses:

  • no water protection;
  • protruding chamber.

9th place – LG G5 SE

One step lower is a device from a South Korean company.
LG is famous for its passion for radical changes. G line phones come out with new configurations every time. LG G5 SE is no exception. The gadget has been updated with a fingerprint scanner, appearance and functionality.

The IPS display is protected with an oleophobic coating. 16 MP cameras take bright, clear pictures with a resolution of 2560×1440.
The 2800 mAh battery lasts 6-8 hours, in offline mode - two days.
The LG G5 SE is equipped with a powerful processor, and the AnTuTu performance test gives a score of 78250.
The cost of a device in Yandex Market ranges from 20 to 27 thousand.

Characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. 5.3″, resolution 2560×1440
  3. camera 16 MP;
  4. RAM 3GB;
  5. 2800 mAh;
  6. weight 156g;
  7. 73.90×149.40×7.30 mm.

Pros:

  • modern design;
  • convenient menu;
  • good camera;
  • build quality.

Minuses:

  • non-standard charging connector.

8th place – Honor 8

The device manufacturers used the proprietary HiSilicon Kirin 950 platform as the engine. AnTuTu data shows 95030. The fast device handles 3D games at high fps.

A FullHD screen with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels conveys photo quality at the highest level.
The 12+12 MP dual camera perfectly corrects the white balance, without noise or blur. The front lens has wide viewing angles.
The battery, despite the average 3000 mAh, lasts up to 18 hours of use. You can play continuously for 4 hours, the sleeping state lasts about 3 days.
The cost varies between 28-30 thousand.

Main characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. 5.2″, resolution 1920×1080;
  3. camera 12 MP;
  4. RAM 4GB;
  5. 3000 mAh;
  6. weight 153g;

Pros:

  • Beautiful design;
  • bright and clear screen;
  • excellent camera;
  • two active SIM cards;
  • battery.

Minuses:

  • very slippery;

7th place – Lumia 950 DS

The top seven highest-quality smartphones of 2016 go to a Windows-based smartphone.
A high-quality device with a 5.2-inch display transmits images measuring 2560x1440 pixels. The system automatically adjusts the brightness. The coating has weak protection, which requires the mandatory use of film.

The camera stands out among other devices - 20 megapixels. The image quality is excellent, color reproduction is accurate and natural.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor provides good speed and performance.
The operating time of the smartphone during active use is 9 hours, during conversations 20, in sleep mode - up to 9 days.
The cost of Lumia 950 DS starts from 30,000 rubles.

Main characteristics:

  1. MS Windows 10 Mobile;
  2. screen 5.2″, resolution 2560×1440;
  3. camera 20 MP;
  4. RAM 3GB;
  5. 3000 mAh;
  6. weight 150g;

Pros:

  • excellent screen;
  • fast;
  • good camera;
  • battery;
  • retinal unlocking.

Minuses:

  • price.

6th place – ZTE Nubia Z11

Next in the top 10 best smartphones of 2016 is the unique ZTE Nubia Z11.
The gadget is equipped with proprietary Nubia UI firmware on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 platform. The original shell provides additional features:

  • dividing the screen into two parts, each of which works separately;
  • reduced menu for easy one-handed use;
  • control using movements on the display.

The frameless inch screen with a wide range of brightness reproduces clear images without visible pixels.
The capacious battery holds a charge for almost a day with average use.
The price of a smartphone in Russia varies between 25,000.

Main characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. screen 5.5″, resolution 1920×1080;
  3. camera 16 MP;
  4. RAM 4GB;
  5. 3000 mAh;
  6. weight 162g;
  7. support for two SIM cards.

Pros:

  • connection quality;
  • sound;
  • performance;
  • Beautiful design;
  • screen.

Minuses:

  • The battery capacity is a little lacking;
  • unfinished NFC.

5th place – Asus ZenFone 3

The middle of the rating belongs to another Taiwanese phone.
The device is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The phone has a unique quality - an ultra-bright fullHD screen that perfectly displays data even in the sun.

The AnTuTu performance test gives 62430, which is an average level. Powerful games run at high settings.
Asus takes high-quality pictures and has a noise reduction system. The only negative is that night shooting does not provide full color reproduction. At the same time, clarity is maintained.
The average price of a gadget is 24 thousand.

Main characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. 5.2″, resolution 1920×1080;
  3. camera 16 MP;
  4. RAM 3GB;
  5. 2650 mAh;
  6. weight 144g;
  7. support for two SIM cards.

Pros:

  • excellent screen;
  • chic design;
  • fast processor;
  • loud speakers;
  • appearance.

Minuses:

  • no nfc;
  • slippery.

4th place – LeEco Le Max 2

The Chinese LeEco Le Max almost made it into the top three.
The flagship of the Chinese brand is equipped with a unique eUI 5.8 shell, which has a functional Russified menu and integrated applications with the desktop.

A high-quality 21 megapixel camera creates almost perfect pictures. Night photography impresses with the clarity of the frame. Video recording in 4K format is possible.
The large 5.7-inch display is equipped with a QHD system and an oleophobic protective coating.
The 3100 mAh battery can work up to 8 hours of heavy load and up to 20 hours of average load.
The price for the flagship is 25,000-30,000 rubles.

Main characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. screen 5.7″, resolution 2560×1440;
  3. camera 21 MP;
  4. RAM 4GB;
  5. 3100 mAh;
  6. weight 185g;
  7. two SIM cards.

Pros:

  • excellent camera;
  • fast processor;
  • good sound;
  • high-quality screen;
  • fast charging.

Minuses:

  • no memory card slot;
  • lack of NFC;
  • There is no 3.5 jack for headphones.

3rd place – One Plus 3T

The bronze of our top list went to the productive model One Plus 3T. It takes an honorable third place among the best smartphones of 2016 according to experts.
The powerful, functional flagship scored 148,801 points in the AnTuTu test. However, other tests also give the highest scores - 3D graphics, speed, games.

The Sony 16 megapixel camera has a range of 2.0. Photos are clear, crisp, and contrasty.
The 1080×1960 AMOLED display displays high-quality images without blur.
The battery holds a charge during active use for up to 9 hours and passive use for up to 14 hours.
You can buy a gadget from 30 thousand.

Characteristics:

  1. Android 6.0;
  2. 5.5″, resolution 1920×1080;
  3. camera 16 MP;
  4. RAM 6GB;
  5. 3000 mAh;
  6. weight 158g;
  7. two SIM cards.

Pros:

  • design;
  • build quality;
  • body material;
  • speed of work;
  • fits perfectly in the hand;
  • fast charging;
  • excellent sound;
  • responsive fingerprint scanner.

Minuses:

  • protruding chamber;

2nd place – Google Pixel

A newcomer to the Russian market receives a silver medal in the rating.
Google has long been producing high-quality devices under its own brand, but from factories of other famous companies, such as LG, HTC, Samsung. This time a new model was released - Pixel - without attaching someone else's name.

The optimized Nougat 7.1 platform allows the device to be highly productive. A capacious battery keeps the battery in working condition for almost a day, in sleep mode - up to three weeks.
The five-inch 2.5D screen, covered with oleophobic protection, has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.

The camera attracts special attention. A well-known software and hardware developer created the international DxOMark rating, which tests photo and video cameras. In 2016, DxOMark awarded first place to the Google Pixel. The photos are truly fantastic, without a single noise, clear and bright.
The cost of Google Pixel in Russia is from 40 thousand rubles.

The rating was compiled based on reviews in Yandex Market (only those smartphone models that scored at least 40% of the fives were included in the top 10). The technical characteristics of the smartphone (the amount of built-in and RAM memory, the quality of the main and front cameras, the quality of the display) and the price-quality ratio were also taken into account.

This list includes only flagships - i.e. models that are positioned by each manufacturer as the newest and best smartphones in the lineup. But the price is not affordable for everyone and can reach up to 60 thousand rubles. However, this does not apply to Chinese manufacturers. The quality of their products is often not inferior to smartphones from American, South Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese brands, but the price is much cheaper. For example, the cheapest smartphone in this top belongs to a well-known Chinese brand and costs just under 14 thousand rubles.
The rating includes the flagships of the 6 leading smartphone manufacturers in the world (Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Lenovo, LG), as well as models from the leading Japanese manufacturer Sony, the leading Taiwanese manufacturer ASUS, the famous American brand Microsoft and the not yet very well-known but the rapidly growing Chinese manufacturer LeEco, which made a splash by being the first in the world to release a smartphone without an analog audio output.

10th place. Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM

The average price is 34,260 rubles. The flagship from an American company and the only representative of this rating running on Windows received 46% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. Main camera 20 megapixels with optical stabilization, F/1.9 aperture and triple natural LED flash, photo resolution 4992x3744, video recording in 4K format, front camera 5 megapixels. Other characteristics: 5.7-inch display with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, the latest generation of Windows operating system for smartphones - Windows 10 Mobile, 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for 2 SIM cards.

9th place. Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

The average price is 47,500 rubles. The flagship from the leading Japanese smartphone manufacturer scored 62% of the top five reviews in Yandex Market. 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, Android 5.1 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for only one SIM card (there is a slightly more expensive Premium Dual model that supports 2 SIM cards). This model is recommended for those who need not just a smartphone, but also an excellent camera. Sony has stated that this model is the world's first 4K smartphone (4K means four times the resolution of Full HD). Every inch of the display is divided into 806 pixels, which makes the image extremely clear. The pixel density is 10 times higher than Full HD TVs and twice as high as most smartphones. The characteristics of the main camera matrix are amazing - 23 megapixels (the front one has 5 megapixels). You can capture frames from video: from videos shot in 4K format, you can select valuable frames and take high-quality 8-megapixel photos. Other advantages of the smartphone include a fingerprint scanner and water resistance. This smartphone has a cheaper (37 thousand rubles) version of the Sony Xperia Z5 with a traditional Full HD display; the Sony Xperia Z5 also has single-SIM and dual-SIM versions.

8th place. LeEco (LeTV) Le Max 2 32Gb

The average price is 19,800 rubles. The flagship smartphone from the Chinese company LeEco (formerly known as LeTV) was introduced in China back in April 2016, but in Russia the company officially introduced LeEco Le Max 2 only 5 months later, in September 2016. As of today, the model has scored 57% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. This model is notable for the fact that it became the first smartphone to lose an analog audio output, because... LeEco decided to switch to the all-digital standard CDLA or Continual Digital Lossless Audio (a new standard for broadcasting digital audio content that avoids unnecessary compression and provides the consumer with music in the form in which the authors created it). 5 months later, Apple used this innovation in the 7th iPhone.

Of course, this is not the only advantage of the smartphone; just look at its technical characteristics and it becomes clear that this model can compete with the flagships of the leading smartphone manufacturers in the world: 5.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, the latest Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of storage space and 4 GB of RAM (no memory card support), support for two SIM cards. The main camera, using a Sony matrix, has a fantastic resolution of 21 megapixels, and the front one is also impressive with its 8 megapixels. As befits a flagship, the model has a fingerprint scanner. Battery capacity 3100 mAh. Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 processor.

7th place. Lenovo Vibe X3

The average price is 15,400 rubles. Vibe X3 is Lenovo's flagship (this company is one of the top three smartphone manufacturers in China and one of the top five in the world). This model went on sale at the end of February 2016 and today has received 71% of five reviews in Yandex Market. Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system, 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards. Main camera 21 MP, front camera 8 MP. The main camera has a Sony IMX230 Exmor RS sensor with phase detection autofocus. This model also features stereo speakers, thanks to which the smartphone can be a home theater.

6th place. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro 32Gb

The average price is 12,700 rubles. This smartphone from the Chinese brand Xiaomi, which is one of the top 5 smartphone manufacturers in the world, received 77% of the five reviews in Yandex Market (see reviews of Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro). Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro is the flagship version of the Redmi family, beloved by customers, whose sales in the world have already exceeded 110 million devices. This model went on sale in January 2016. Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system, 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards. Main camera 16 MP, front camera 5 MP. This model is the most popular Android smartphone in Russia, China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam and Malaysia in the first half of 2016 (data from antutu.com).

5th place. Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32Gb

The average price is 70,800 rubles. The flagship from the iconic American company went on sale at the end of September 2016 and has so far received few reviews, so when determining its place in the rating, let’s take a look at its technical characteristics and price-quality ratio. Characteristics: the latest operating system iOS 10 (the sixth iPhone had iOS 9), 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM. Like all iPhones, there is no support for an external memory card and no support for a second SIM card. Talk time is 21 hours, standby time is 384 hours, music listening time is 60 hours. There is protection against water.

IPhone 7 Plus has a dual main camera (2 modules of 12 megapixels each). It sounds impressive, but this was applied last year on the Huawei Honor 6 Plus smartphone and in reality it turned out to be not so impressive, because When analyzing an object with two sensors at once, blur occurs in those areas of the frame where this does not happen with standard focusing. Compared to the sixth iPhone, the aperture has been improved to f/1.8 (previously f/2.2), which allows 50% more light to pass through; lens of six lenses; optical image stabilization (OIS) for photo and video shooting; Slo-Mo shooting in resolution up to 1080p; a special processor for processing information from the camera (Image signal processor), which does this 60% faster than before. Can the iPhone 7 camera be considered the best in the world today? Unfortunately for iPhone fans, this is not the case. The resource keddr.com conducted a blind comparison of cameras among its readers (when people compare only the quality of photos and videos, without knowing which model they were made of) of three flagships: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (which went on sale in March 2016), last year's Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 7 Plus. As a result, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera won with a huge advantage; it won all 6 photo tests and one of two video tests, slightly inferior to the iPhone 7 in the quality of 4k video shooting. The seventh iPhone took second place, losing to the sixth iPhone in one photo test and one video test. The blind voting on the portal phonearena.com had the same results, where the 7th iPhone also lost to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Therefore, we have to admit that today the iPhone 7 has only the second best quality camera in the world. As for the front camera of the 7th iPhone, it has a 7 megapixel matrix (the 6th iPhone has 5 megapixels, the Galaxy S7 Edge also has 5 megapixels, the LG G5 has 8 megapixels).

The creators of the 7th iPhone decided to abandon the analog audio output in their smartphones in order to switch to the fully digital standard CDLA or Continual Digital Lossless Audio. However, this is not a revolution at all, because... Back in the spring, the Chinese used this in the flagship LeEco Le Max 2. In practice, this means that standard headphones for the iPhone 7 will not work: either you need an adapter or wireless headphones from Apple, which are not cheap, namely $159, which is currently exchange rate is about 10 thousand rubles.

Why was the Apple iPhone 7 Plus model chosen for the rating, and not the standard version of the Apple iPhone 7, which has a resolution of 4.7 inches? In my opinion, a 4.7-inch iPhone with a very modest resolution of 1334x750 looks anachronistic in 2016, when tablet phones (that is, smartphones with a screen of at least 5.5 inches and a resolution of at least 1920x1080) finally captured the world market. But the point is not even that, but the fact that in terms of technical characteristics, the 7th iPhone is a completely ordinary model with only 2 GB of RAM, while even Chinese flagships within 15 thousand rubles have 3 GB of RAM. The standard iPhone 7 doesn’t even have an interesting solution with 3 cameras (like the iPhone 7 Plus version). In general, owners of the 7th iPhone note that it has not made much progress compared to the iPhone 6s model, so only owners of iPhones produced in 2014 and earlier should switch to the 7th.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus has two more varieties: with 128 GB of internal memory and with 256 GB. But for the rating, the model with 32 GB was chosen because... This amount of memory is quite enough for the average user, and besides, this type is the most affordable, although 70 thousand is still a lot compared to the flagships of other manufacturers, so in terms of price-quality ratio, the iPhone 7 Plus is clearly not a leader, which prevents him from claiming first place in this ranking.

4th place. Huawei Nexus 6P 64Gb

The average price is 32,560 rubles. Nexus 6P is a joint development of the largest Chinese smartphone manufacturer (and third in the world) and Google, which owns the Android operating system. The collaboration between the two technology giants has produced excellent results. This model scored 70% of fives according to reviews in Yandex Market. Technical characteristics: 5.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system, 64 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards. The cameras deserve special praise. Specialists from the Phone Arena resource compared the cameras of the Nexus 6P and iPhone 6S Plus and gave them the same scores. The Nexus 6P's 12.3 megapixel main camera is equipped with laser autofocus and dual LED flash. The 8-megapixel front camera also has autofocus. Taking photos and videos is done using the Google Camera application, which is very easy to learn and use. At the top of the screen you can select scene modes, turn on the flash and HDR function, and set up timer shooting. At the bottom is the shutter release, switching between cameras and entering the image gallery.

3rd place. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb

The average price is 52,950 rubles. The flagship from the leading smartphone manufacturer in South Korea and the world went on sale in March 2016 and today received 43% of the five reviews in Yandex Market. Technical characteristics: 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. There is a slot for memory cards up to 200 GB. Battery capacity - 3600 mAh. If the previous flagship Samsung Galaxy S6 (like all iPhones, by the way) supported only one SIM card, then the Samsung Galaxy S7 got rid of this drawback and supports 2 SIM cards. 12 megapixel main camera and 5 megapixel front camera. Samsung cites the following advantages of the camera in this smartphone: a larger aperture lens (F1.7) and enlarged matrix pixels (1.4 microns) capture much more light, which allows you to consistently obtain clear and detailed photographs even in low light conditions; smartphones support Dual Pixel technology: all matrix pixels have two photodiodes, not one, which allows the sensor to focus as quickly and clearly as the human eye, and Dual Pixel technology ensures such fast and flawless autofocus that you can capture even the sharpest movement in low light conditions; For the first time, you can capture movement in animated panorama mode. Comparative tests show that the Samsung Galaxy S7 camera is the best smartphone camera in the world today, even after the release of the 7th iPhone.

You can also note the possibility of very fast wireless charging and complete waterproofness (you can shoot video for 30-40 minutes at a depth of 1 meter under water). The always-on screen will display useful information on a locked device. This feature is advanced enough to automatically turn off when the smartphone is in a pocket or bag, face down, or when the smartphone is almost empty.

2nd place. ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL 64Gb

The average price is 25,690 rubles. The flagship from the leading Taiwanese manufacturer, released in June 2016, was so popular with users that today it has received 100% “A” reviews in Yandex Market. Technical characteristics: Android 6.0 OS, 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, 64 GB of internal and 4 GB of RAM, there is a slot for a memory card up to 128 GB. Battery capacity 3000 mAh. The ASUS Zenfone 3 case is made of high-strength Corning Gorilla Glass with rounded edges (2.5D technology).

Main camera 16 MP, front camera 8 MP. The slogan of this model is “Created for photography,” thereby positioning it as a camera phone. The main camera sensor is the same as in last year's flagship Samsung Galaxy S6, which became the best camera phone in 2015, beating even the 6th iPhone. ZenFone 3 is equipped with a fast f/2.0 lens and a TriTech triple-servo autofocus system with speeds starting from 0.03 sec. If you add to this a highly effective optical and electronic image stabilization system, as well as a color correction sensor, you can rest assured that you can get clear pictures and videos with natural, rich colors with just one touch. When shooting photos, 4-axis optical stabilization detects camera shake and compensates for blur, while 3-axis electronic stabilization helps you record smooth videos even when shooting handheld or on the move.

Using 5-magnet drivers, a metal frame voice coil and a specially designed resonance chamber, it produces rich and clear sound. Plus, by connecting headphones to ZenFone 3, you can enjoy audiophile sound in 24-bit/192 kHz format - 4 times better than the quality of conventional audio discs.

Of course, this model implements Asus' proprietary ZenUI user interface, this time the latest version 3.0.

1 place. LG G5 SE H845

The average price is 36,900 rubles. The flagship of the South Korean manufacturer, released in April 2016, received 83% of the five reviews in Yandex Market. Characteristics: 5.3-inch screen with a resolution of 2560x1440, 32 GB of internal memory and 3 GB of RAM, there is a slot for memory cards up to 200 GB. Operating system Android 6.0. Battery capacity - 2800 mAh. And as many as three cameras: a 16-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera (viewing angle - 135 degrees) and an 8-megapixel front camera. The wide-angle camera is located in the same place as the main one - on the rear panel. Unlike the dual camera of the iPhone 7, where the image is analyzed by two sensors at once, which can have a detrimental effect on the quality of the frame, because While blurring of the image may occur in some areas, the LG G5 takes a different route: it takes two pictures at once with two different cameras: wide-angle and main, from which you can choose the best one.

The resource hi-tech.mail.ru conducted a comparative test of the LG G5 SE and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge cameras, the results were as follows: “The flagship Samsung still shoot better, which is especially noticeable at night. However, when shooting self-portraits, LG is in the lead, which has another important advantage: the ability to take wide-angle shots with a viewing angle of 135 degrees." The portal phonearena.com conducted several comparisons of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G5 cameras, where the quality of the images was assessed by both visitors by blind voting and experts. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge won the blind vote, but experts attributed this victory to the brighter unnatural colors in the Samsung camera and gave preference to the LG G5. So it's fair to say that the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G5 have similar main cameras, with the LG G5 having the advantage of a front-facing camera and the added benefit of a wide-angle camera.

This model is the world's first smartphone with a modular equipment principle. The user can replace the battery in a few seconds or install one of the LG Friends modules: a special LG Cam Plus unit with additional camera control buttons or LG Hi-Fi Plus with an audio chip. With the first module, the smartphone becomes a full-fledged compact camera with a comfortable grip, and with the second it turns into a real audio player. The LG Cam Plus module has its own 1200 mAh battery. But you shouldn’t just add up the capacities, everything is a little different: as soon as the smartphone’s battery runs out, it is immediately recharged from the battery in the LG Cam Plus unit. So, in essence, we have an additional external battery.

The LG G5 SE H845 can easily be called the best smartphone on the Russian market today (there is a slightly more advanced model LG G5 H860N, but it is not supplied to Russia) in terms of price-quality ratio. If we compare this model with another Korean flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, then with similar technical characteristics, the price of the flagship from LG is 40 percent lower, while the percentage of rave reviews is twice as high.

These best smartphones of 2016 deserve your attention.

When planning to buy a smartphone these days, it is almost impossible to make a mistake - their development has reached such heights that all manufacturers have learned to produce excellent devices for everyday use. To make sure of this, below we will describe the best smartphones of 2016 on the Android, iOS and Windows 10 operating systems. There has never been a better time to buy a new device!

17 best smartphones of 2016

1. Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge

A powerful combination from Samsung - Galaxy S7 (price about $611) and (about $735) - many are considered the best smartphones at the moment. Each model has a waterproof case with excellent design, cameras and screens, support for a range of accessories and services, such as the Samsung Pay payment system and the Gear VR virtual reality device.

2. LG G5 smartphone

The LG G5 (around $650) pushes the boundaries of what smartphones can do with modular components and a dual-camera setup on the back. Experienced users will appreciate the removable battery. The LG G5 has a top-quality display, a fast processor and a convenient fingerprint sensor.

3. Apple iPhone SE

It’s hard to imagine modern life without a device like a smartphone. The international market is teeming with thousands of brands and millions of models of such units. But how to choose a high-quality and truly “smart” device among all the variety of smartphones?

Through thorough market research, we have selected the top 10 best smartphones of 2016. Customer opinions, technical specifications and sales numbers over the past year were checked. Let's move on to the list of our leaders!

10 Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016) SM-A9000

It has one of the largest screens among the models in this series - 6 inches. Thin but durable body, fits very comfortably in the hand. The smartphone is light in weight, but high for such devices.

In addition to its size, the display of the Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016) SM-A9000 boasts excellent color reproduction and brightness. It’s nice to watch photos and videos on such a juicy screen, and thanks to a good 13 MP camera with autofocus, it’s just as nice to take them.

The fast eight-core processor ensures immediate response from the smartphone. In addition, the device does not heat up during use. The unit has two slots for SIM cards and one for SD cards up to 128 GB. Cellular cards work constantly, there is no need for additional switching.

Pros:

  • Big screen.
  • Good camera.
  • Fast charging.
  • Juicy and bright display.
  • Comfortable shape and beautiful design.

Minuses:

  • The case is easily soiled and the screen is prone to fingerprints.
  • Non-removable battery.
  • There are no indicators for missed calls or messages.

9 Meizu Pro 6 32Gb


With this model, the Chinese manufacturer once again proved that its presence in all the top sales is no coincidence. This is a powerful, multifunctional device with excellent parameters. It’s not for nothing that it’s called the “Chinese iPhone.” In addition to external similarities (similar design, shape and button placement), it has similar characteristics.

Meizu Pro 6, which has a 21.16 MP camera, can compete with SLR cameras. It has laser focus (also has autofocus), high photo resolution and more than eight shooting modes. With such a smartphone you will forget about the fear of a broken phone. Here the screen is protected by impact-resistant glass, and the body is made of metal and plastic.

Pros:

  • 10-core processor.
  • Doesn't freeze, responds quickly.
  • Fast charging function.
  • Good camera.
  • Convenient to use.
  • Durable housing.

Minuses:

  • The battery lasts no more than 4-6 hours in continuous operation.
  • Low vibration in silent mode.

8 ASUS ZenFone Zoom ZX551ML 32Gb


The sensational model appeared on Russian markets in the second half of 2016. The winner of the Good Design Award goes through 201 stages of preparation to reach store shelves.

The front side of the device is protected by durable glass; the manufacturer placed genuine leather on the back plastic cover. The camera is 13 MP, the quality of shooting in night mode is much better than that of other models in this series. There is autofocus, a powerful flash, a stabilizer and a built-in photo editor.

The main advantage of ASUS ZenFone Zoom ZX551ML is the huge amount of built-in memory. 128 GB of space for your favorite songs, videos and photos.

Pros:

  • Clear interface.
  • There is a brightness setting.
  • High-quality photos in night mode.
  • Powerful battery.
  • Fast reaction.
  • Screen 5.5 inches.
  • Protected case and screen.

Minuses:

  • Built-in battery.
  • During use, the leather on the back wall wears off.

7 LG G5 SE H845


The next model became an example of a truly high-quality unit. The metal base, covered with a plastic case, will ensure the operation of the device even after a fall.

The LG G5 SE H845 has three cameras. One is 8 MP front and two more are on the back of the smartphone. Excellent shooting quality is provided by various modes, autofocus and LED flash. Shoots video at speeds up to 30 fps.

The model is equipped with many sensors: from light to fingerprint reading. The ergonomic shape and practical design make it easy to use. The volume of built-in memory is 32 GB.

Pros:

  • Fast battery charging.
  • Good screen viewing angle.
  • Take great photos with a variety of customizable features and multiple cameras.
  • The powerful battery lasts up to 8 hours.
  • Contrast display.
  • Supports SD cards up to 2000 GB.

Minuses:

  • Expensive accessories.
  • Choose between a second SIM card or a memory card.
  • It's difficult to find a suitable charger.

6 HTC 10 32Gb


The next unit made it to our top thanks to positive customer reviews. Users of the HTC 10 note its strong metal body and protective glass, fast charging and powerful battery (up to two days of battery life). What else distinguishes this smartphone?

The bright screen conveys images perfectly. You can adjust the picture to suit you. The smartphone has two cameras, more than 10 shooting modes, including slow motion and macro. A clear interface, the absence of unnecessary system programs and backlighting of the main control buttons are some of the few advantages of this device.

Pros:

  • Protected screen and durable body.
  • High build quality.
  • Clear and loud sound thanks to two speakers.
  • Design.
  • SD support up to 2048 GB.
  • One of the best front cameras on smartphones from this manufacturer.
  • Fast reaction.

Minuses:

  • Due to the protruding camera, the phone should not be carried without a case.
  • It gets hot during prolonged use.

5 Huawei P9 Plus 64Gb Dual sim


Another Chinese smartphone is in our top. Its appearance in first place in the sales rankings is due to its high build quality and large and bright display. Its 8 MP front camera, 12 MP rear camera and many photo modes are the main guarantees of excellent photos and videos. In addition to 64 GB of internal memory, the unit supports flash cards up to 128 GB. Battery life is about 30 hours.

The device saves energy during a call - thanks to the proximity sensor, it turns off the display for this period. Also on the front side of Huawei P9 Plus 64Gb Dual sim there is an indicator of calls, messages and battery charge.

Pros:

  • 64 GB of internal memory.
  • Protective 2D glass.
  • Dual LED flash.
  • High quality photos and videos.
  • Metal shock-resistant case.
  • There is a proximity and light sensor.

Minuses:

  • High price compared to other models in the series.
  • There are only two slots for memory cards and SIM cards.

4 Sony Xperia Z5 Premium


A smartphone with excellent sound and unique design. The contrast screen is clearly visible under any conditions. A special feature is shooting in low light or at night. Thanks to the bright flash, all photos are clear, and the built-in photo editor allows you to remove any imperfections from your photos.

Stereo speakers deliver excellent sound, but songs also sound great on headphones. Also, a powerful battery allows you to use the phone during the day in offline mode.

Pros:

  • Bright screen.
  • Very beautiful and stylish design.
  • Programs “fly”.
  • Fast response.
  • Powerful battery.
  • Crisp and clear sound.

Minuses:

  • The edges of the photos are a little blurry.
  • One cellular card.
  • Gets hot while charging.

3 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32Gb

One of the best smartphones from this manufacturer. First of all, I would like to note the 12 MP camera with autofocus and optical stabilization system. With 32 GB of internal memory, you can shoot more than 20 hours of video and over 100,000 photos.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has an ergonomic shape - it fits easily in your hand and does not fall out. The powerful battery charges in less than 3 hours and lasts for about a day in autonomous mode.

The eight-core processor ensures fast response of the device and smooth operation of all applications.

Pros:

  • Fast processor.
  • Good build quality.
  • Water resistance.
  • Stylish design and comfortable shape.
  • Supports flash card up to 200 GB.
  • On one battery charge it lasts from 10 to 20 hours.
  • Two cellular cards work continuously.
  • Great camera.

Minuses:

  • Fragile screen.
  • The back panel is made of glass, so you need to buy an additional case.

2 Apple iPhone 7 32Gb


If the description of other models talked about a durable metal case, then this iPhone was also distinguished by its water resistance. Now it is protected not only from mechanical damage, but also from dust or moisture.

Apple iPhone 7 surpassed all other models in the line in terms of camera parameters. An optical stabilizer, an improved night mode and a powerful flash are why photos taken with this device are difficult to distinguish from professional photos from SLR cameras. By the way, the camera shoots HD video.

Pros:

  • Branded quality unit.
  • Great camera, lots of effects and shooting modes.
  • Special applications available.
  • Waterproof housing.
  • Bright display with good color reproduction.
  • Fast reaction.
  • 128 GB of internal memory.
  • Equipped with the most powerful processor for smartphones.
  • Fast response.

Minuses:

  • High price of both the smartphone and accessories.

1 Apple iPhone 7 Plus 32Gb


This smartphone is the youngest among our top models, and perhaps the most functional. Needless to say, it broke all sales records?

Apple iPhone 7 Plus has the brightest and most vibrant screen among other products in this series. Like the previous smartphone in the series, it has a waterproof body, making it one of the most resistant phones.

The camera of this unit has become even better than was possible six months before its release. Excellent zoom, stabilizer, autofocus, improved shooting in the dark, various effects and modes - all its advantages cannot be listed. The quality of the material shot on the iPhone 7 plus is amazing.

Pros:

  • Fast processor.
  • Powerful battery.
  • Unique stylish design.
  • Rugged shockproof and waterproof housing.
  • Great camera.

Minuses:

  • Refusal of wired headphones.
  • High price.