Best phone 2016: the 10 best smartphones we’ve tested

10: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

Update: The iPhone SE is a curious little phone – we’ve had a play with it at the launch event, and it packs all the power of the iPhone 6S with the teeny stylings of the older, more palm-friendly 4-inch handsets.

So we’re well into 2016, and the big phones have begun to arrive. The LG G5, with its modular design, was one of the darlings of MWC 2016 (alongside the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, of course) and with the HTC One M10 looking like it’s still going be a month away – and likely to be called the HTC 10 – there’s a lot coming down the line.

If none of those take your fancy and you want the best phone right now, well, this is the place to be (although we would recommend waiting for the new phones to emerge to see if you can save some cash on 2015’s models).

Luckily for you, at TechRadar we check out every phone under the sun, putting the ones that matter through our rigorously vigorous testing process to create our in-depth mobile phone reviews.

With so many to choose from, we’ve spent hours whittling them down to a top ten, taking into account the power, specs, design and most importantly: value for money, although we’ll always point you in the direction of the latest handsets to help you find the best smartphone.

After all, nobody wants to be carting around a phone that won’t be getting any updates in a year’s time, right?

So whether it’s one of the many slick Android handsets, the latest iPhone or one from a range of other cool operating systems, we’ve extensively tested the top smartphones so you don’t have to.

Here are our rankings for the best smartphones around, currently available in the UK.

10. Sony Xperia Z5 Compact

A compact beast with a splendid price

The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is another in the line of smaller handsets from the Japanese brand, packing in all the power into a smaller, more manageable phone.

It’s got all the same power credentials as the Xperia Z5 and Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, but has the added bonus of being a lot more pocketable.

The main reason you’d go for this phone is that it’s a dinkier device, with a 4.6-inch screen combined with the strong camera, waterproofed chassis and allows you to hear all your audio in beautiful upscaled sound quality.

Battery life could be better, but it’s no worse than a lot on this list – and Sony certainly has a unique design that plenty like to fondle.

Full review: Sony Xperia Z5 Compact review

Also consider: If you’re not a fan of the size of this phone, the Sony Xperia Z5 ‘normal’ packs the same great camera, waterproofing and Hi-Res Audio as the larger version, but in a more easy-to-handle frame.

See the best Sony Xperia Z5 Compact deals

9: HTC One M9

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_TuaxdLY7Y

9. HTC One M9

A great phone with a phenomenal build quality

The key thing about the HTC One M9 is the design: it’s beautiful, and the ‘jewellery-grade’ finish and attention to detail does hit you the second you pick this phone up for the first time.

HTC has also worked hard to make sure it’s suite of impressive features aren’t missing, so the front-facing Boomsound speakers really offer some impressive audio, and the internal sound enhancement is strong too. The Sense overlay – the user interface that sits on top of the ‘normal’ Android operating system – is one of our favourite too, with a great array of features that we found genuinely useful.

The camera has been boosted to 20.7MP, although it doesn’t have the impressive snapping power of some of the other phones on the market. It still offers good pictures though, and this is a lovely package to consider.

Full review: HTC One M9

Also consider: If you’re a massive fan of HTC, but don’t want the chunkier form of the M9, then the HTC One A9 is a great choice. Yeah, it’s rather iPhone-like in design, but it has a great camera and the latest version of Android too.

See today’s best deals

8: Nexus 6P

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clTjFk85Fak

8. Nexus 6P

The best phone for those that like a simple interface

The Nexus 6P is a larger phone, but that means it comes with some upgraded specs too. There’s a vivid QHD display, which is much sharper than many other smartphone around, but Huawei (the brand making the Google Nexus phablet) has tried hard to make it more palm-friendly.

You’ll always get the latest version of Android first with Nexus phones (currently the highly-rated Android Marshmallow) and there’s the innovative placement of the fingerprint scanner on the back – which is both quick and accurate, while being much safer than a PIN.

It’s not super-cheap like the old Nexus phones (although it’s more competitive than other phablets in the same screen size bracket), but it’s very well made, and thanks to the improved camera and battery capabilities you’ll likely be very impressed with what Huawei has made here.

Full review: Nexus 6P

Also consider: If you’re after a Nexus phone, you’re thinking about getting the latest version of Android in a smartphone – and you can get that in the Nexus 5X too. It’s cheaper, and not as powerful in some ways, but it’s cheaper and more palm-friendly.

See today’s best deals

7: iPhone 6S Plus

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8CA_RbNXak

7. iPhone 6S Plus

The best phablet you can buy

If you’re OK with a larger iPhone, then you’re in for a treat with the iPhone 6S Plus. It packs all the same upgrades as the smaller 6S – namely the innovative 3D Touch screen and upgraded camera – and fixes some of the flaws we all hate.

The battery is larger, and while the screen is Full HD (with a really great ability to show colours) this is easily the longer-lasting of the two iPhones, meaning you won’t have to reach for the charger as often.

The camera is actually better than on the iPhone 6S, with optical image stabilisation providing sharper and brighter images thanks to mechanical help.

If you’re an Apple fan looking for a ‘bigger’ experience, this is the phone for you.

Full review: iPhone 6S Plus

Also consider: You’ll obviously want to look at the iPhone 6S as the smaller option here – the reason to go smaller would be if you’re not a fan of the phablet and want the lower cost. In the interest of fairness the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ has to be mentioned here as another brilliant phablet, but Apple fans will consider that sacrilege.

See today’s best deals

6: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY5K6cXMQ20

6. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

A beautiful phablet that will win many admirers

The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is still one of our favourite phones around – despite the S7 and S7 Edge arriving, a supersized version of the S6 Edge with gorgeous lines and a larger battery, more features to the curved edge and generally improvements all round.

This means it has one of the best cameras around, more RAM (enabling higher-power applications and slicker day to day use) and a really swift fingerprint sensor.

The Super AMOLED display is large and wonderful for both web browsing and movie watching – but really, the main reason you’d buy this phone is to have the most powerful Samsung phone out, and also one of the best-looking – and now it’s dropping in price, it’s shooting up our list.

Full review: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

Also consider: There are two great choices here – and they’re not what you might think. Obviously the (slightly) smaller Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge makes a lot of sense, as if you’re looking for the same but more compact it’s right there. However, if you’re brand-agnostic (VERY brand-agnostic) then look at the iPhone 6S Plus too – it’s another phablet and is the best Apple has to offer, with a great range of apps to play with.

See today’s best deals

5: iPhone 6S

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHlVqbLL69I

5. iPhone 6S

The best iPhone Apple’s ever made

The iPhone 6S might look the same as last year’s model, but peer below the hood and there are a number of interesting upgrades.

The camera is enhanced, the processor is once again more powerful to let you play ever-better apps and games with speed, and the 3D Touch display is proving innovative.

The new touch system lets you press harder into the screen to open quick shortcuts – so taking a selfie is merely a hard push and swipe of the camera icon away.

It’s still a brilliant iPhone, the phone that loads of users are desperate to get their hands on, and Apple’s not done any harm at all with this upgraded model.

Full review: iPhone 6S

Also consider: The obvious move is to the iPhone 6S Plus, as it’s got a sharper screen and longer-lasting battery – the price is higher and it’s a bit harder to hold, but you’ll likely get used to it pretty quickly.

See today’s best deals

4: LG G4

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STA5J_b231Y

4. LG G4

A brilliant, great value smartphone

LG is always one of the best value manufacturers, and with the LG G4 it’s -again – got one of the top smartphones around while not charging a huge amount for it.

The leather back is a unique feature, and will make your phone stand out among the swath of glass and metal offerings.

Its large, expansive screen is one of the best on the market, the 16MP laser auto-focus camera takes some cracking shots and while the volume and power buttons are on the back, they’re very easy to hit on a phone this size.

It’s got all the power and performance of the phones around it in this list, but for a much lower price – but the successor, the LG G5, has been launched and with its modular design looks like a big upgrade, so perhaps it’s worth waiting until that lands before you make a decision.

Full review: LG G4

Also consider: You OK to spend a little more money? Then get the same power and great camera experience with the Samsung Galaxy S6 – it’s not that much more in terms of cost, but both have the same great South Korean focus on well-used specs and a functional overlay.

See today’s best deals

3: Sony Xperia Z5

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xgLjfUM2KU

3. Sony Xperia Z5

A top, lower-cost flagship smartphone with great camera and waterproof chassis

The Sony Xperia Z5 is the Japanese brand’s ‘mainstream’ phone, and one that we’re happy to talk about – it’s got a number of nice features that make it worth checking out.

It’s a big upgrade on the earlier phones, and the speedy autofocus – much faster than anything else on test – has to be tried to be believed. You can whirl around and still get a sharp snap, and in bright light the Z5 is probably the best camera around.

It’s added in a pleasing fingerprint sensor on the side, and has the latest Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM. The waterproofing is amazing when you see how many open ports there are, but Sony has managed it. You can drop this in the toilet without fear, basically.

The large 5.2-inch screen looks great thanks to Bravia technology – it’s the best phone Sony has ever made, and we especially like the frosted rear glass too. Recent price drops have made it even more palatable, so it’s now sitting pretty near the top of our rankings.

Full review: Sony Xperia Z5

Also consider: You could go larger with the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, which is mostly the same as this model but with a larger 5.5-inch screen and bigger battery – plus it’s a 4K screen too, although that’s not really that useful. However, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is a great option too – smaller 4.7-inch screen, but same great camera and not a lot lower in the power stakes.

See today’s best deals

2: Samsung Galaxy S7

2. Samsung Galaxy S7

One of two five star phones from Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy S7 is a phone that initially looks just like the S6 from last year – but pick it up and you’ll see there’s a world of difference.

Firstly, the rear of the phone feels much nicer thanks to a curved back (through a process called 3D Thermo Forming), it’s now water resistant and a microSD slot is a welcome feature to return, after it was dropped last year.

The camera is just brilliant – it’s lower in megapixels but improved in quality. You’ll get brilliant pictures time and again, and you’ll want to keep trying it in different scenarios. It’s a great phone that you’ll be happy to pull out of your pocket.

Full review: Samsung Galaxy S7

Also consider: An easy one: go for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge if you can afford it. It’s a compact phone with the screen size of a phablet, and offers all the same features with a more attractive design.

See today’s best deals

1: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTQ9IbTV0iM

1. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

The best smartphone in the world – it’s a work of art

Last year’s Galaxy S6 Edge was a good phone, but not brilliant. It was the same as the Samsung Galaxy S6, but had a curved screen – and that was it. It was the same size, power and camera, and that wasn’t enough.

Fast forward to today and the S7 Edge takes all the great looks of the S6 Edge, makes the phone even curvier and combines it with the superb power and feature set of the S7.

The camera is just brilliant, the mix of metal and glass is really nice to hold, and even the Touchwiz overlay is turning into something more usable than before. Battery life improvements are hugely welcomed, and while the price is higher, it’s now affixed to a phone that offers simply the best in nearly every department, so many will be happy with the outlay.

Full review: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review

Also consider: Like the phone above, this is an easy decision: go for the Samsung Galaxy S7 if you’re not feeling the cost and price of the Edge. It’s got all the power, but it’s more compact and costs a little less. The LG G5 is nearly here too though – that could be a dark horse in the mix.

See today’s best deals

You might also like…

We’re all about reviewing and rating all the phones here at techradar. There’s nothing we like more than brewing a pot of tea and deciding where each new phone should sit in the list.

However, sometimes they don’t make it into the top 10 – sad, we know, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a quick look to see if they fit your needs. After all, there are very few bad phones these days…

Huawei Mate 8

Great battery life but a middling interface

This is obviously more phablet than phone, but it’s an intriguing one given it’s lower on the price scale. There’s a great, speedy fingerprint sensor on the rear, the display is still stunning despite not being the sharpest around and the battery life is much stronger than most on show here.

However, Huawei’s Emotion UI is still a bit hard to master, trying to ape the best bits of both Android and iOS but not really managing either. The speaker grille doesn’t look amazing, and we wish the fast charging cable came along at purchase.

Nexus 5X

Smaller, but still (almost) perfectly-formed

The Nexus 5X is a phone that offers the very latest version of Android, a decent (ish) spec list and a more hand-friendly size to plop in your pocket.

The screen is a decent resolution and really clear to boot, and the price isn’t as high as you might find on other phones in this spec bracket.

The best thing is that this will be constantly updated to the latest version of Android for a good while yet, and with an improved camera it’s definitely worth a look – especially if you’re not a fan of the cumbersome skins Samsung and LG like to chuck on their phones.

Microsoft Lumia 950

The beginning of a smartphone revolution?

Maybe you’re bored of the iPhone. Perhaps Android just doesn’t do it for you. Maybe you’re just wondering if there’s something different out there? Well, Windows Phone 10 on the Lumia 950 will intrigue you. It can offer a PC-like experience by extending out to a larger monitor, and the camera is pretty strong.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glR1g7LIWLY

However, there’s one issue: apps. Or the lack thereof – and when combined with the slightly plastic design, it fails to trouble the top 10. However, it’s a legitimate choice and easily one of the most impressive Windows Phones ever.

Full Review: Microsoft Lumia 950

BlackBerry Priv

BlackBerry + Android = more impressive than expected

BlackBerry is back – and it’s taking a new direction by finally jumping into bed with Android. It’s got a slide-out keyboard, a superbly sharp screen, splendidly powerful innards and some decent privacy settings too.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMhQbYto2Y

However, it’s not cheap. At all, and the keyboard – something we all used to love – now feels a little outdated. Combined with the chunkier design (to facilitate that keyboard) and some lag in performance, this isn’t top table worthy. But there’s a lot of promise here, and we’re glad to see BlackBerry is still swinging.

Full review: Blackberry Priv

OnePlus 2

The ‘flagship killer’ with a fantastic price

The OnePlus One was a brilliant phone in 2014, offering a great price for top end specs – it truly was a bargain phone.

The good news is the One Plus 2 has repeated that trick, upgrading the internals while (mostly) keeping the same low price. Its clever overlay still impresses and the little tweaks (such as audio improvement) work quite nicely.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVW-Y6a4KNY

We would have liked to see some upgrades on the screen front, or NFC for mobile payments, but on the whole the brand has managed to avoid stumbling over the ‘tricky second album’ – it’s not quite top ten material, but for the price it’s a decimatingly good smartphone.

Full review: OnePlus 2

HTC One M8

A stunning phone with very few flaws

The HTC One M8 has tumbled dramatically out of the top 10 after holding onto top spot for the best part of a year, so why the demise? Well it’s now pretty old compared to the handsets making up the top ten, and there’s a new kid on the block in the shape of the One M9.

It’s still the same perfectly design handset though, with impressive BoomSound speakers and the short-live, yet innovative Duo Camera on the year – but the One M9 is almost identical, and just a bit better all round.

YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIhWeYieB0A

There’s been a price drop too since the arrival of the One M9, and you certainly won’t be getting a poor phone if you choose to pick it up – but for just a bit more you can have its up to date successor. Your call.

iPhone 6

Perfect for fans of the smaller screen size

After the iPhone 6S launched, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that the iPhone 6 even exists. But it’s right there – looking identical to the 6S and still packing loads of tech that makes iPhones, well, iPhones.

It’s still a bit expensive, but that said it’s sucked down the iOS 9.1 software pretty well, and is still pushing on as a decent option for a cheaper iPhone, especially if you’re not bothered about tricks like the 3D Touch screen.

Plus, you can use it with the Apple Watch and pay for things on the go using the cunningly named Apple Pay – and with improved camera optics and a better battery compared to the predecessor, this is still one hell of a nifty phone.

Source: techradar.com

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Comments (25)

Dr. Beverly Swaniawski says:

March 24, 2016 at 10:34 pm

In Greece we say that "silence is gold"

Reply
Aracely Herman says:

March 24, 2016 at 11:00 pm

I don't know why the Moto X style/pure ed. is not in this list, while it's an excelent phablet, with sharp colorful screen, stunning front stereo speakers, 21 MP rear camera, beautiful back finishes and detail options, all day longlasting battery with turbo charger… I see some bias in order to find some repeats, like all the samsung galaxy s6 gama when they're basically the same, or two versions of iPhone, what the heck was that? Seems too much biased to me.

Reply
Ms. Rowena Emard says:

March 25, 2016 at 12:52 am

iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone…
These are all clones of the same. Where did all the innovation go?
The only interesting phone of 2015 is Blackberry Passport. Rest is so last decade… with few more MHz.

Reply
Ebony Wolff says:

March 25, 2016 at 1:41 am

"Best phone 2016", yet the comments are 2 years old.

Reply
Mrs. Gladys Christiansen III says:

March 25, 2016 at 2:53 am

I went for the Z5 in the end. I found a Sim-Free one for £420 which was cheaper than the Nexus 6P cheapest model. In fact I believe my phone will be waiting for me on the doorstep when I get back home! 🙂

I used to test Sony phones a while back, but they sort of gave up on the idea after the Z2's release so since then we haven't done anything for them. So I got a bit out of "touch" with Sony phones as I've stuck with the Z2 since that time. But I do still like Sony phones but I was considering other options.

Thanks for your advice though man, appreciate it.

Reply
Johnpaul Huel IV says:

March 25, 2016 at 7:02 am

How can Tesla be number 4 in the world? By number of cars sold, they would rank more like 100th. Tesla didn't introduce any breakthroughs. Model S is a big, super heavy electric car that's expensive as other luxury cars. We all know how to make heavy electric car which cost a lot. Hey Tesla, how about making a super light electric car with long range which doesn't cost much?

Reply
Vincenzo Schinner says:

March 25, 2016 at 6:51 pm

It has been long time that LG V10 is out in the market, but no mention of it! , but what about Galaxy Note5 or Note4, no mention of these phones as well???

Reply
Garry Mohr says:

March 26, 2016 at 12:57 am

Same in Turkey. With a small addition : "if speech is silver, silence is gold" 😉

Reply
Mrs. Lavonne Schroeder Sr. says:

March 26, 2016 at 11:40 am

Can't believe the iPhone placed so highly. I don't know if I'd even have it at number 10.

It just has far too many shortcomings and limitations, not too mention the balance of either far to little memory or stupidly expensive.

It really is a phone for the people who know no better.

Reply
Dr. Conrad Willms says:

March 26, 2016 at 12:45 pm

The S6 Edge+ deals part is pretty wack 😀 Defo not $39 on Amazon.

Reply
Mr. Jared Parker says:

March 26, 2016 at 5:02 pm

who is sony xperia z5 premuim ???????

Reply
Tina Toy IV says:

March 26, 2016 at 6:32 pm

You should no by now how these journalists work, if aint apple or samsung then its no good, z5 premium 10th place, does gareth apple beavis live in the real world, i have the z5 premium and its a truly innovative top of range phone beats apple and s6 easily. I don't bother with iradar anymore waste of time.

Reply
Prof. Carlotta Kuphal says:

March 26, 2016 at 7:33 pm

Hi luke i would go for a z5 or z5 compact i think the compact has better battery life, camera is ranked the best in the world of any smartphone. I have had the original xperia z since the 2013 and have a z3. Best phones i ever had , once you had a z series you wont go back excellent specifications and performance and good value. I have seen the the z5 compact for £299 from mobiles direct best price i have seen.

http://www.mobilephonesdirect….

Reply
Ima Bahringer says:

March 26, 2016 at 7:48 pm

There are a few obvious problems with this list. Firstly no Note 5 which is without a doubt the best Phablet with the exception of the newly released s7 Edge, I would rank it at No.2. The second is the iPhone 6s+ is basically a bigger iPhone 6 except it has a much better screen, battery life and camera, major factors when judging how good a phone is. Lastly the Galaxy S6 and 6 Edge are both better phones than an iPhone 6s not just my opinion but that of most reviewers in 2015.

Reply
Mrs. Theodora Harris I says:

March 26, 2016 at 11:04 pm

I'm about to get a new phone but can't decide between Xperia Z5 (I owned the Z2 and was fine with it) or the Nexus 6P. Originally it was going to be the 6P due to price but I can now find a Z5 £20-£30 cheaper. I take a lot of indoor photos of board games for a blog and use a lot of social media stuff if that helps.

Reply
Joan Rosenbaum says:

March 27, 2016 at 12:04 am

Out on a limb here . . . maybe they just preferred it?!

I;m a real maverick me.

Reply
Adolfo Heathcote says:

March 27, 2016 at 8:41 pm

and they found a Roman sword in America !

Reply
Grayce Bode IV says:

March 27, 2016 at 9:14 pm

I beg to differ, to me silence is hell, tinnitus is the devil xD

Reply
Keshawn Goldner Sr. says:

March 28, 2016 at 12:51 am

How can a Tesla be ranked a lowly 4th to a No. 1 Prius?

Reply
Prof. Sabrina Feil says:

March 28, 2016 at 9:15 am

I'm sorry but how can this be the best phone on the market when (a) It's ludicrously expensive and (b) it has one of the poorest batteries on the market. I'm sorry but those should be two MASSIVE killers for any smartphone. And yet for some reason that's fine here?? BIASED!!

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Derick Hodkiewicz says:

March 28, 2016 at 9:53 am

How does Samsung always get to the top of these polls, these phones are good only for about 2 seconds when they inevitably break. Samsung flood the market with so many devices, they should concentrate on a few making sure they are built to last.

Reply
Dr. Catherine Altenwerth IV says:

March 28, 2016 at 10:29 am

Well many people are not interested in using the camera.

Reply
Domenick Thompson Jr. says:

March 28, 2016 at 12:24 pm

So the HTC M9 beats the Huawei Mate S? Lol OK.

Reply
Luisa Mohr says:

March 28, 2016 at 7:45 pm

i like HTC m8 better

Reply
Cory Reichel says:

March 29, 2016 at 3:28 am

The iPhone 6s Plus should be higher up this list, at least in the top 5. Gareth Beavis seems to have an issue with the iPhone "S" models. The 6s Plus is much better than the iPhone 6 Plus in pretty much every department the 6s should be much lower down the list as its screen resolution is outdated. Oh well I'm happy with my 6s Plus. It's just that iOS 9 has held it back a bit hopefully iOS 9.3 will improve things dramatically.

Reply