Those shopping for an Android smartphone this summer might be feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities. That's why Brighthand's editorial staff has put together a list of the best devices available.
#1: Samsung Galaxy S III
The Samsung Galaxy S III was surrounded by tons of hype prior to its release, and with good reason. Providing possibly the stiffest competition to the Apple iPhone to date, the Galaxy S III sports a sleek and sexy design, even in spite of its generous 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display. Throw in a powerful 1.5 GHz, dual-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, and S Voice commands (Samsung's answer to Siri), and you've got one powerhouse of an Android phone. But a quick word to our overseas users: while the international versions of the phone come with a quad-core, Tegra 3 processor under the hood, they subsequently sacrifice 4G LTE connectivity.
The Galaxy S III is offered by every major wireless carrier in the United States, making it the most broadly available smartphone in this country.
Rating Average: 9.0
#2: HTC One X (U.S. Version)
HTC released the One X, its new flagship Android smartphone, earlier this year to rave reviews thanks to its excellent camera, beautiful 4.7-inch display, and a powerful 1.5 GHz, dual-core processor running the show. Other features include Beats Audio, HTC's Sense 4 overlay, and 4G LTE connectivity, though it is worth noting that, like the Galaxy S III, the international version of the phone does not have LTE, instead swapping out that feature for a more powerful quad-core processor.
While our reviewer gave it a slightly higher score than the Galaxy S III, the Samsung model comes out slightly ahead because it is much more widely available -- at this point the One X is only offered by AT&T.
Rating Average: 9.2
#3: Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX
The Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX was released only a matter of months after the initial release of the Droid RAZR, coming on the heels of complaints regarding the original model's battery life. Motorola more than adequately addressed the problem, releasing a phone that is marginally thicker than its predecessor, but also packing a 3300 mAh battery that provides many more hours of battery life. Combined with high-end specs like a Super AMOLED display and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, the Droid RAZR MAXX took a good phone and made it great.
This device is a Verizon exclusive.
Rating Average: 9.0
#4: Samsung Galaxy Note
The Samsung Galaxy Note is something of a polarizing device in that some people may take issue with its size, while others may laud its roomy, 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display that allows for the usage of Samsung's S Pen stylus. The device spawned the term "phablet," as it's big enough to be considered a smartphone/tablet hybrid, but it also has more going for it than its massive size. 4G LTE connectivity and a powerful 1.5 GHz dual-core processor are some of the Galaxy Note's "noteworthy" features, so if size isn't an issue for you, this is definitely worth a look.
It is offered by AT&T now, and will be coming to T-Mobile soon.
Rating Average: 7.6
#5 HTC One S
A more affordable version of the HTC One X, the One S is more modestly specced, with a slightly slower dual-core processor? and a smaller, lower resolution (4.3-inch, 540 x 960) display. Nevertheless, the processor of the One S, a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260A Snapdragon with two Krait cores running at 1.5 GHz, performs admirably, to the point where it's almost indistinguishable from that of the One X. Also appealing is its sexy, slim build, measuring only 7.8 mm thick, making the One S a cheaper yet almost equally attractive offer as its big brother.
Currently, this handset is available only from T-Mobile.
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