Look on YouTube and you will find countless arguments in the comments section regarding what the best phones are the best brands, the best operating systems and the best models. There are those that love Android, those that love iOS and those that love Windows Phone there are Nokia loyalists and there are Sony fanatics. But which really is the best phone?
Of course the answer to that question is rather disappointing: there is no ‘best phone’. The reason for that of course, is that the best phone is always going to be a matter of opinion and personal preference. One person is going to like one phone more than someone else, because they will have different tastes, different habits and different requirements.
While we can’t definitively state which phone is the overall ‘best’ then, what we can do is to look at which phones are best in particular categories and thus are most likely to be suited to particular kinds of people. We won’t start any arguments, but if you read on you might just find which the ‘best’ phone is for your needs…
For Social Media and Photography
If you’re one of those party types who loves posting images on Instagram and Tweeting about your life, then one of the best phones on the market is undoubtedly the Nokia Lumia 1020. Why? Well that would be because of the incredibly 41 megapixel camera that’s on the back. Along with a wide lens and real flash, this makes it the phone with hands-down the best camera and there’s plenty of software support there too to make the most of it. It runs Windows 8 mobile and doesn’t have the best specs on the planet, but for capturing the moment, cropping it and then pasting it to Instagram there is nothing better.
For Gaming and Media Consumption
For gaming and watching films what you need is a big high definition screen with plenty of horse power to back it up. In that case then, the phone you’re undoubtedly looking at is the Sony Xperia Z Ultra. This is a phone with a huge 6.4 inch HD display and enough power to play back 4K video. It’s waterproof too, so you can kick back in the bath and enjoy some seriously high-def film.
For Coders and Hackers
If you’re someone who understands how stuff works and loves to tinker, then undoubtedly you’ll want a phone that runs Android the most open and customisable framework available. And most likely you’ll want to run that Android experience in a vanilla fashion ready for you to completely take apart and put back together which makes the Nexus 4 probably your best bet.
For Productivity
If you want a phone to bring with you to work, or to take with you into lectures as a student or to work as a business employee, then the Galaxy Note 3 is probably going to be your best option. That’s because of its impressive internals (including 3GB of RAM) that power smart multitasking capabilities. Add to that the ‘S-Pen’ stylus for accurate input and a large screen for seeing what you’re doing and you have a great notepad for the 21st century.
For Music
For listening to music the best phone on the market is probably the HTC One thanks to its forward facing speakers and nice metallic finish. This is the phone that DJs and band members should be carrying.
Premium Devices
If you want a device to show off that’s going to look great with your suit, then you need something with a sterling build-quality that clearly isn’t just a toy. While lots of phones will offer a nice finish these days, the iPhone 5s in gold is probably the one that’s going to look the classiest.
‘Every Day’ Use
The average punter isn’t going to need a stylus though, or a 6.4” display, or a 41 megapixel camera. If you’re just an ‘average Joe’ then, what you’ll want is a phone that supports all the major app frameworks and that is simple and easy to use. For that you can’t do much better than the iPhone 5C, although the Galaxy S3 and S4 are also great ‘all-rounders’ that should meet those needs.
About the Author: Nancy Baker
Nancy Baker, the author of this article, is a freelance blogger, currently writing for, CellphoneUnlocker.com, leaders in Samsung unlock codes. She is an avid technophile who loves attending gadget expos. You can follow Nancy on Twitter @Nancy_Baker_.