Three new versions of the iPhone have just been announced, and while they may be light years ahead of Apple's previous models, they may not be for everyone. Looking for a quality smartphone not made by the big A?
Here are some well-regarded competitors.
- OnePlus 5
Screen size: 5.5 inches
Weight: 5.4 ounces
Cameras: 16 MP rear, 16 MP front
Battery: 3,300 mAh
Storage: 64 or 128GB internal storage
Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Price: $479
With 6-8GB of internal RAM and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 825 processor, the OnePlus 5 packs some serious power under the hood, especially considering its $479 price tag.
- Motorola Moto Z2 Play
Screen size: 5.5 inches
Weight: 5.1 ounces
Cameras: 12 MP rear, 5 MP front
Battery: 3,000 mAh
Storage: 32 or 64GB internal storage
Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Price: $499.99
Motorola's Moto Z series of smartphones is known for its attachable "MotoMods" peripherals that allow users to add a variety of new features to their phone, such as increased sound volume and image projection.
- LG G6
Screen size: 5.7 inches
Weight: 5.75 ounces
Cameras: Dual 13 MP rear, 5 MP front
Battery: 3,300 mAh
Storage: 32 or 64GB internal storage; microSD slot for up to 200GB expansion
Operating system: Android 7.0 Nougat
Price: $699.99
LG tried to be bold with its G5 phone, allowing users to remove the bottom of the phone to swap in different modules that provided additional functions to the device. The idea proved to be nothing more than a gimmick for consumers, so LG scrapped it for the G6. The company didn't scrap some of the G5's other features, however, when designing the G6, including dual rear cameras, which allow for greater freedom when taking photos.
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL
Screen size: 5 inches (Pixel), 5.5 inches (Pixel XL)
Weight: 5.04 ounces (Pixel), 5.93 ounces (Pixel XL)
Cameras: 12.3 MP rear, 8 MP front
Battery: 2,770 mAh (Pixel), 3,450 mAh (Pixel XL)
Storage: 32 or 128GB internal storage
Operating system: Android 7.1 Nougat; upgradeable to Android 8.0 Oreo
Price: $649 (Pixel), $769 (Pixel XL)
As Google's flagship devices, the Pixel and Pixel XL benefit from receiving operating system upgrades and software updates more frequently than other Android-based smartphones. The phones also offer similar form factors to the iPhone, meaning those who are switching from Apple's flagship phone should be comfortable with the Pixel's dimensions.
- Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
Screen size: 5.8 inches (S8), 6.2 inches (S8+)
Weight: 5.5 ounces (S8), 6.1 ounces (S8+)
Cameras: 12 MP rear, 8 MP front
Battery: 3,000 mAh (S8), 3,500 mAh (S8+)
Storage: 64GB internal storage; MicroSD slot for up to 256GB expansion
Operating system: Android 7.0 Nougat
Price: $724.99 (S8), $824.99 (S8+)
For those looking for durability as well as power, check out the Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+, both of which include beautiful large-screen displays that take up almost the entirety of the phone's front - a feature not seen in other smartphones.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Screen size: 6.3 inches
Weight: 6.9 ounces
Cameras: Dual 12 MP rear, 8 MP front
Battery: 3,300 mAh
Storage: 64GB, 128GB or 256GB internal storage; MicroSD slot for up to 256GB expansion
Operating system: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Price: $929.99
Samsung's Galaxy Note series suffered a serious setback in 2016 when the batteries in its Galaxy Note 7 phones were found to overheat, causing them on occasion to combust or explode. Since then, however, Samsung claims it has upped its testing procedures, and promises the Galaxy Note 8 is safe. That's a good thing, not just for safety reasons, but because the Galaxy Note 8 is a beautiful, albeit expensive, smartphone, taking all of the best features of the Galaxy S8 and adding a few features for increased productivity, such as the inclusion of a stylus.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
Screen size: 4.7 inches (iPhone 7), 5.5 inches (iPhone 7 Plus)
Weight: 4.87 ounces (iPhone 7), 6.63 ounces (iPhone 7 Plus)
Cameras: 12 MP rear (dual 12 MP rear cameras on iPhone 7 Plus), 7 MP front
Battery: 1,960 mAh (iPhone 7), 2,900 mAh (iPhone 7 Plus)
Storage: 32, 128 or 256GB internal storage
Operating system: iOS
Price: $649.99 (iPhone 7), $749.99 (iPhone 7 Plus)
It may be last year's model, but the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are still solid smartphones for those who are willing to sacrifice a few of the latest bells and whistles for a lower price.
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