Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
One of the biggest tech conferences of the year, Mobile World Congress, has come and gone, and it brought several new phones to our attention.
That includes new models from LG, Sony, and Motorola, which all come with a bunch of exciting new features.
We haven’t reviewed or spent enough quality time with the new phones to give them a definitive place on the list, but they’re worth checking out in case you’re in the market for a new machine to stream Netflix or lurk on social media.
Here’s our list of the best smartphones you can buy.
Note: Prices may vary depending on the retailer.
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20. BlackBerry Classic
If you were a BlackBerry fan in the company’s heyday, you’re going to love the BlackBerry Classic. It looks similar to older BlackBerry models but features a sharp touch screen and an excellent physical keyboard.
Price: $340
19. BlackBerry Priv
The BlackBerry Priv is a huge departure for BlackBerry. Instead of running BlackBerry’s own operating system, the Priv runs Android. While it may look like a standard Android phone, the Priv has a slide-out keyboard.
This could be a great device for those who want a physical keyboard but still want access to Google’s apps and services that aren’t available on other BlackBerry devices.
Price: $330
Read the BlackBerry Priv review »
18. Moto G4
The Moto G4 is available in three models, including the $200 G4, the $250 G4 Plus, and the $150 G4 Play.
We reviewed the G4 Plus, which has a 16-megapixel camera, compared with the 13-megapixel shooter on the regular G4, and found that it’s the best cheap smartphone you can buy. The G4 Plus also comes with a fingerprint sensor, while the other models don’t.
The Moto G5 Plus was announced during Mobile World Congress this month, so you might want to wait until its released if you’re considering the G4.
Price: $150 to $250
Check out the three Moto G4 smartphones »
Check out the Moto G4 Plus review »
17. LG G5
LG’s G5 smartphone has a nice almost-all-metal design that’s hampered by a plastic removable bottom, which lets you swap out a dead battery with a fresh one. It’s a thoughtful, if outdated, legacy Android phone feature that prevents the G5′s whole body from being metallic.
The removable bottom can also be exchanged with “modules” that offer new functions, like a camera grip with a zoom dial and a shutter button for better control. However, only a few modules have been released, and they haven’t been a great selling point.
The G5 also has a dual-lens camera, one of which is an ultra-wide-angle lens that gives pictures a fish-eye effect. It’s cool, but you wouldn’t want to capture all your memories with it.
The LG G6 was announced during Mobile World Congress this month, so you might want to wait until its released if you’re considering the G5.
Price: $320
Check out pictures of the LG G5 »
16. Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The Galaxy Note 5 is a killer big-screen phone. Like previous versions of the Note, it has a large, vibrant display and a stylus for taking notes. The new metal-and-glass design is great, too.
Price: $540
Read the Galaxy Note 5 review »
15. ZTE Axon 7
The Axon 7 is made by ZTE, a Chinese smartphone maker that’s relatively unknown in the US.
Why does it deserve a spot on this list? Because it offers the same — if not better — specs as the top Android players here, and it’ll cost you $250 less than the big-name brands like Samsung, LG, or HTC.
That means if you don’t like the Nexus devices and don’t want to pay top dollar for a Galaxy S7 or HTC 10, the ZTE Axon 7 might just be the phone for you.
Price: $400
Check out our hands-on with the ZTE Axon 7 for more details »
14. LG V20
The LG V20′s second screen at the top of the device is genuinely useful, as it gives you shortcuts to your favorite apps and music controls even when the screen is locked.
It also has great specs and a good camera, and it’s incredibly light for its size. It’ll also appeal to Android diehards holding on to legacy Android features like a removable battery and expandable microSD storage.
Unfortunately, those legacy Android features mean LG had to compromise on the overall build quality of the V20, which doesn’t match the premium flagship league it’s in.
Price: $550
Read the LG V20 review »
13. HTC 10
The HTC 10 is a beautiful, extremely well-built smartphone. It can be bought unlocked, which means you won’t find annoying bloatware on the 10.
Price: $600
Read the HTC 10 review »
12. Moto Z
The regular Z model is one of the thinnest phones we’ve held, and it’s gorgeous. We also love the fact that it runs a near-pure version of Android.
The Moto Z also supports different modules that can attach to the back of the phone to give it new and better functionality. For example, you can attach a speaker module for better sound, or a projector module to project videos on a nearby wall.
The Moto Z should work with most carriers. The Moto Z Force model is a Verizon exclusive that’s currently available for a pricey $720.
Compared with the regular Z model, it has an extra strong screen that Motorola claims is shatterproof, as well as a larger battery.
Price: $408 to $720 (Depends on exclusive Verizon “Droid” models.)
Check out our review of the regular Moto Z »
11. Huawei Mate 9
The Huawei Mate 9 boasts a huge 5.9-inch display and great battery life, thanks to its larger-than-average battery.
It’s also one of the fastest Android phones you can buy at the moment, and Huawei’s own layer of software that runs on top of Android largely maintains the pure Android look that we prefer.
The Mate 9 features a dual camera that helps create depth-of-field effects — blurry backgrounds — otherwise known as “bokeh,” which the iPhone 7 Plus also has.
It’s not water-resistant like Samsung’s Galaxy S7 or Apple’s iPhone 7, but for $600, Huawei’s Mate 9 makes a strong case for a place in your pocket.
Price: $600
Read the Huawei Mate 9 review »
10. OnePlus 3T
OnePlus pulled an unusual move by announcing the OnePlus 3T five months after the OnePlus 3′s release.
The good news is that OnePlus 3 owners need not feel left out, as the OnePlus 3T isn’t much of an upgrade.
The changes include a slightly faster processor (Snapdragon 820 versus the 821), a slightly larger battery, a 16-megapixel front camera (versus 8-megapixel), better stabilization for video, and a darker color option.
However, the new front camera with more megapixels seems to do the opposite of what it was intended by taking blurrier selfies than its predecessor’s 8-megapixel front camera.
Price: $440
Read the OnePlus 3T review »
9. iPhone SE
The iPhone SE, with its 4-inch screen, is the best small-form smartphone you can buy at the moment. You get all the best apps, ecosystem, support, and the same performance as the iPhone 6S for a relatively low $400 price tag.
It also comes with Apple Pay, among other premium features like Live Photos and a fingerprint sensor — not to mention great battery life.
Price: $399
Read the iPhone SE review »
8. iPhone 6S
The iPhone 6S is also a great deal, as you still get the premium Apple experience for $100 less than the new iPhone 7.
In addition to getting beautiful hardware, iPhone owners are guaranteed to always get the best apps first from third-party developers and reliable software updates with the latest and greatest features from Apple.
Price: $502
Read the iPhone 6S/6S Plus review »
7. iPhone 6S Plus
Now that the iPhone 7 Plus is out, the iPhone 6S Plus gets a $100 price cut, and that’s a great deal.
Fine, you don’t get all of the latest features that the iPhone 7 Plus has, like water resistance or that fancy dual-lens camera, but the iPhone 6S Plus is no slouch. It runs on the powerful A9 chip and has features like 3D Touch, which can detect how hard you press on the screen and open up a new layer of controls for your apps.
It also has an incredibly fast fingerprint sensor, as well as Live Photos, which let you capture a three-second video with audio when you press the shutter button.
Price: $650
Read the iPhone 6S/6S Plus review »
6. Samsung Galaxy S7
The Galaxy S7 is a beautifully designed smartphone that sports the best camera we’ve seen on a smartphone, even beating the iPhone 7 Plus. It’s also powerful, and its water resistance rests your worries of accidental water damage.
You also get Samsung Pay, which works with almost any payment terminal in any store — something the iPhone’s Apple Pay can’t do. (Note: This is not the same phone as the Galaxy Note 7, which was recalled after reports that the batteries exploded.)
You can get it pretty cheaply this month, but Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy S8 soon, with rumors pointing to a March launch date.
Samsung will announce its new Galaxy S8 on March 29. You’re betting off waiting if you want the latest and greatest from Samsung.
Price: $468
Read the Galaxy S7 review »
5. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The Galaxy S7 Edge has a bigger 5.5-inch display and larger battery than the regular Galaxy S7 while retaining the same features: water resistance, a microSD card slot for expandable storage, and Samsung Pay.
Its wraparound display also boosts the S7′s design to absolutely gorgeous.
You can get it pretty cheaply this month, but Samsung is expected to release the Galaxy S8 soon, with rumors pointing to a March launch date.
Samsung will announce its new Galaxy S8 on March 29. You’re betting off waiting if you want the latest and greatest from Samsung.
Price: $555
Check out the Galaxy S7 review »
4. iPhone 7
Without a doubt, the iPhone 7 brings the best apps and ecosystem to its users. And by ecosystem, we mean the support you get from Apple if something goes wrong, as well as getting the latest software updates straight from Apple.
It also works amazingly well with other Apple products, too, like Apple’s new wireless earphones, called AirPods.
The hardware also got a few improvements over the iPhone 6S, like water resistance, a camera that performs better in low light, a more powerful processor, and even redesigned antenna bands.
Price: $650
Check out the iPhone 7 review »
3. iPhone 7 Plus
The iPhone 7 Plus’ dual-lens camera is the key feature that places the larger iPhone 7 Plus in over the iPhone 7.
It lets you take pictures with a professional-looking “bokeh” effect, in which the background is blurry in contrast to the subject. The second lens is also a telephoto lens that achieves 2x optical zoom, which means it zooms into subjects without sacrificing picture quality like digital zoom does on most smartphone cameras.
Price: $769
Read the iPhone 7 review »
2. Google Pixel XL
The new Pixels are Google’s first smartphones — the company took more control over the hardware than it did with its earlier line of Nexus devices.
What you get is a sleek-looking aluminum phone with a stylish glass panel on the back that cleverly offers grip for your index finger. The Pixel XL’s camera holds its own against the iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S7, too, and its HDR mode adjusts your photos to look amazing.
Google’s Pixel XL, the larger model with a 5.5-inch screen, shares the same specs as its smaller sibling, the Pixel. Yet the XL doesn’t offer more features that help justify its higher price tag like the iPhone 7 Plus does — it’s just a larger Pixel,
Price: $769
Check out the Pixel review »
1. Google Pixel
The Pixel smartphones run Google’s Pixel launcher, which gives Android a cleaner look and bakes in Google’s helpful AI, Assistant.
It’s also a superior phone overall to our previous top pick, the iPhone 7 Plus. It has a better screen, is lighter, and has useful features like fast charging.
The Pixel runs on the powerful and power-efficient Snapdragon 821 and 4 GB of RAM, and it has an excellent 12.3-megapixel camera that holds its own against the iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S7.
Price: $649
Read the Pixel review »
WAIT FOR IT: Samsung Galaxy S8
Rumors have it that Samsung’s Galaxy S8 will have ultra-narrow borders, making for a phone that has dimensions similar to the Galaxy S7, but with a larger screen.
It’s also said to come with Samsung’s own virtual assistant, in the same vein as Siri or Google Assistant. We could also see dual-lens cameras on the Galaxy S8 devices.
Check out what the rumor mill is saying about the Galaxy S8 »
WAIT FOR IT: LG G6
The LG G6 was announced during MWC in Barcelona, and it’s certainly a phone you should consider waiting for until it’s released. Unfortunately, we don’t know when that will be just yet.
With its beautiful glass and metal build, water resistance, and wireless charging, the G6 brings LG back up to pace with the premium flagship smartphone league.
With that said, LG ditched the removable battery in order to give the G6 the features above. We think it was the right move, though.
The G6 has a 5.7-inch display that’s a little taller than most phone screens, as it has a 18:9 aspect ratio instead of the usual 16:9 aspect ratio. Having a taller screen means the screen can be large without making it much more difficult to hold and use.
Interestingly, the G6′s screen has rounded corners instead of the sharp corners we see on most phones. LG claims the rounded corners makes the G6′s screen more resistant to cracking, and it also complements the phone’s rounded curves, too.
As of yet, there’s no details about its price or release date.
Check out our hands-on with the LG G6 »
WAIT FOR IT: Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Sony’s new Xperia XZ line includes the XZ Premium, which has a gorgeous glass mirror finish that stands out among other glass smartphones. The only issue is that its mirror finish supposedly reveals fingerprints like no other smartphone, too.
The XZ Premium dons a 4K HDR display, which should make any compatible video truly pop.
Turning the wheels in the XZ Premium is Qualcomm’s latest and most powerful processor, the Snapdragon 835.
It also has a 19-megapixel camera that can capture video at 960 frames-per-second, which will make for buttery-smooth slow-motion footage.
The Sony Xperia XZ is set for a late-April release date, but the price has yet to be announced.
WAIT FOR IT: Moto G5 Plus
With its metal body, the Moto G5 Plus is a slight departure from the signature colorful and playful plastic of the Moto G design. It looks nice, but BI’s Rob Price, a long-time Moto G user, thought the new premium design took away from the Moto G’s soul.
The G5 sports a sharp 1080p screen, a 12-megapixel camera, a mid-range Snapdragon 430 processor, and a removable battery.
It’s not clear yet when the G5 Plus will be released, but it’ll cost $229 for the model with 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage. For those who want more storage and a slight performance boost, the model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage will retail for $279.
For the money, the G5 Plus is certainly set for a place high up in this list once it’s released.
Check out our hands-on with the Moto G5 »
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