Year 2016 was a big year for smartphones; we saw a lot of innovations in smartphone technology. Brands came out of nowhere and sold tons of units in flash sales. Every other Chinese smartphone is having a fingerprint sensor and a processor which is better than my computer’s CPU (literally). Suddenly, smartphone companies start to worry about RAM in their smartphones and number of cores in processors. Here are some of the best smartphones we have in 2016 which you might think of buying in 2017.
Google Pixel XL
Google killed the Nexus lineup because Nexus smartphones are not doing good in the smartphone market and now Google has Pixel smartphone to compete with premium smartphones like iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S7. Google Pixel XL is an iPhone looking smartphone with features which imitates iPhone in many ways.
Google Pixel XL comes with a 5.5 inches quad HD display, with 534 ppi pixel density and protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Google added the best processor; Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor with 4 GB RAM and Adreno 530 GPU. Google created an assistant which is easily accessible from the home button or just by a voice command.
Specifications
- 5.5 inches quad HD display
- 4 GB RAM | 32 GB ROM
- 12.3 MP priamry camera and 8 MP secondary camera
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
- 3450 mAh battery
Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S7 is the flagship smartphone from Samsung with the best hardware which you can find on a smartphone. The display is 5.1 inches with quad HD resolution and 577 ppi pixel density protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The back panel of the phone is also Gorilla Glass 4 which looks absolutely stunning while holding it in hands.
Samsung Galaxy S7 features a 12 MP shooter camera with dual pixel technology with incredibly fast and seamless autofocus. For selfie lovers, this phone comes with a 5 MP shooter capable of full HD videos at 30 frames per second. And to keep this phone running for a whole day, Samsung added a 3000 mAh battery and added a power saving mode.
Specifications
- 5.1 inches Quad HD SuperAMOLED display
- 12 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera
- 32 GB ROM and 4 GB RAM
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- 3000 mAh battery
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
All of the Samsung’s flagship smartphones are now having that “Edge effect” which not only makes it look beautiful but also gives an effect of no bezel. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge comes with the same hardware as Galaxy S7 like the CPU, GPU and RAM. Samsung increased the display size and the battery. The screen size is 5.5 inches and the battery is 3600 mAh now.
The biggest change in Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge is the “Edge”, well you can say it from the title itself. The Edge display is the regular SuperAMOLED display which is curved towards the edges which give a bezel-less feel to the smartphone. The edge display adds a second layer of productivity to the phone with the notification glance, night clock and edge panels without draining much battery from the phone.
Specifications
- 5.5 inches SuperAMOLED display
- Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 processor
- 32/64 GB ROM and 4 GB RAM
- 12 MP primary camera and 5 MP secondary camera
- 3600 mAh battery
Apple iPhone 7
Ok, iPhone 7 is not cheaper, but it is way better than the Pixel and Pixel XL phones. This year Apple has done some significant changes to its iPhone 7, in the hardware as well as the design part. Apple invented a new colour for it’s iPhone 7- Jet Black which is so glossy that you have to wear gloves to operate the phone without getting smudges on it. And Yes, of course, this phone only comes with 128 GB and 256 GB, no 32 GB variant for this beauty.
The camera had improved a lot; now there is quad LED flash in place of dual LED flash for brighter images with the 12 MP sensor. The home button is redesigned as well; it’s not clickable anymore. It’s touch reactive with haptic feedback which gives a feel of a click.
Specifications
- 4.7 inches Retina HD display with 3D touch
- 12 MP primary camera and 7 MP front facing camera
- Apple A 10 Fusion chip
- 32 GB / 128 GB / 256 GB
- iOS 10
- 1960 mAh battery
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
Apple iPhone 7 Plus is the big brother of the iPhone 7 with 5.5 inches display and dual camera. Apple finally brought the dual camera rumours to end and revealed the iPhone 7 Plus with dual 12 MP camera sensor for 2X optical zoom which goes up to 10X including the digital zoom.
The iPhone 7 Plus comes with the quad LED flash as well for the dual 12 MP camera arrangement. The iPhone 7 Plus features stereo speakers and the home button which don’t click anymore. The battery of iPhone 7 Plus is 2900 mAh for long hours of usage. And Believe me, you don’t need to know the processor and RAM of an iPhone because it is not going to lag anywhere!
Specifications
- 5.5 inches Retina HD display with 3D touch
- 12 MP + 12 MP dual camera and 7 MP front facing camera
- Apple A 10 Fusion chip
- 32 GB / 128 GB / 256 GB
- iOS 10
- 1900 mAh battery
OnePlus 3 Soft Gold
OnePlus 3 is the flagship killer and killed almost all the flagships from all brands. It comes with 6 GB RAM which is the first in any Android smartphone. Featuring the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with max clock frequency of 2.2 GHz with Adreno 530 GPU.
The display is 5.5 inches full HD with Optic AMOLED technology, OnePlus 3 comes with the front facing fingerprint sensor which unlocks the smartphone in less than 0.2 seconds. If you ask why I mentioned the Soft Gold version? Because it is the premium colour variant from OnePlus and don’t worry it still price the same.
Specifications
- 5.5 inches full HD Optic AMOLED
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and Adreno 530 GPU
- 6 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM
- 16 MP rear and 8 MP front facing camera
- USB 2.0 Type C port
- 3000 mAh battery with Dash Charge
Honor 8
Honor 8 is another smartphone with the dual camera at the back and every possible tech which you can imagine; dual LED dual tone flash, laser autofocus sensor and the fingerprint sensor at the back. The phone is all heavy 2.5D glass at the back and on the front with the ultra narrow bezel.
This dual camera setup at the back of the camera allows you to refocus the objects even after capturing the picture. The front camera is 8 MP with a wide aperture so it all your friends will fit perfectly in a group selfie. The IR blaster on the top edge with Smart Control 4.0 app is useful to control your IR operated appliances.
Specifications
- 5.2 inches full HD display
- Dual 12 MP camera at the back and 8 MP on front
- 4 GB RAM, 32/64 GB ROM
- HiSilicon Kirin 950 Chipset with Mali-T880 MP4
- 3000 mAh battery
Motorola Moto Z
We all be waiting for that modular phone which Motorola working on; Google ARA. Well, we got one from Motorola but it’s not that one. Motorola Moto Z is the first smartphone which actually feels modular because you can just snap on modules on the back of the phone and it gets connected with those open connectors and magnets which holds the module on smartphone.
Motorola Moto Z is a full metal smartphone with some fo the best hardware you can get; 5.5 inches Quad HD LCD display, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM, 13 MP primary camera, 5 MP front facing camera with LED flash, Qualcomm snapdragon 820 processor and 2600 mAh battery. Moto Mods sold sperately and some of them are even expensive than my current smartphone.
Specifications
- 5.5 inch Quad HD Display
- 4 GB RAM | 64 GB ROM | Expandable Up to 2 TB
- 13MP Primary Camera and 5MP front-facing camera with flash
- 2600 mAh Battery
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Processo
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium Silver
Sony Xperia Z5 premium is the first smartphone featuring a 4K display. Not quad HD, its 4K! with surprisingly high pixel density; 806 ppi. The phone keeps the display at full HD resolution till you play 4K content on it. When you play a 4K video on this phone, it starts the 4K engine and shows you what is actually 4K.
Sony added a 23 MP shooter at the back with phase detection autofocus and LED flash. Front facing camera is 5.1 MP capable of capturing full HD videos at 30 frames per second. The main and the grand feature of this phone is the mirror finish on the back, now you (girls) don’t need to carry a pocket mirror anymore.
Specifications
- 5.5 inches 4K IPS LCD display and 806 ppi pixel density
- 23 MP primary camera and 13 MP secondary camera
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 and Adreno 430
- 3 GB RAM and 32 GB ROM
- 3430 mAh battery
LeEco Le Max 2
LeEco Le Max 2 sports a big 5.7 inches display with 515 ppi pixel density and Quad HD resolution. Le Max 2 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow skinned with eUI 5.6. Le Max 2 powers with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and Adreno 530 for best gaming and multitasking.
Le Max is the second smartphone after OnePlus 3 which runs with 6 GB RAM for faster and smooth multitasking. Not only apps, this phone can multitask several heavy games at the same time. The battery of the phone is 3100 mAh which is good for a whole day of extensive use.
Specifications
- 5.7 inches quad HD display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 and Adreno 530
- 4/6GB RAM and 32/64/128 GB ROM
- 21 MP rear and 8 MP front facing camera
- 3100 mAh battery
Xiaomi Mi5
Here comes the “Chinese Apple” with Mi prefix with everything it sells; Mi5, MiPad, MiVR, MiBand and more. Xiaomi’s Mi line-up are flagship smartphones. Xiaomi Mi5 is one of the first smartphones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and 4 GB RAM.
All this great hardware is encased in a beautiful body with curved glass back panel which looks stunning. The Mi5 comes with a 16 MP shooter at the back and 4 MP on the front for clear selfies. The 3100 mAh battery is sufficient for a whole day of intense use on this smart phone.
Specifications
- 5.15 inches full HD display
- 16 MP rear and 4 MP front facing camera
- 3/4 GB RAM and 32/64/128 GB ROM
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
- 3100 mAh battery
Conclusion
These were the best smartphones of 2016 with the best innovation we’ve ever seen (not like Apple’s innovation). You might be thinking of buying these smartphone in 2017 to replace your current smartphone which you bought in 2015. Tell us which of these smartphone you own right now and do share the experience with us.
