GSMArena smartphone buyer's guide: 2015 Holiday Edition

€400-€500

In this price range, we're shopping for the best, but still keeping an eye on the price. It's hard to fault the phones here, so we get really nit-picky, even tiny imperfections are pointed out.

A lot pricier than the preceding G3 but well deserved. The LG G4 keeps the basic screen specs – 5.5" QHD – but noticeably improves the quality. The camera is one of the best in the 2015 generation, another big improvement from the former model.

The slightly curved design of the G4 helps protect its screen from face-down falls and is a rare shape (shared to an extent with the G Flex). By the way, we think the basic plastic back is a regression from the G3, but the optional leather backs instantly give the phone a more premium feel.

LG G4	Pros	Cons
	5.5" IPS screen, 1,440 x 2,560px (538ppi) Android 5.1 Lollipop; Marshmallow incoming Snapdragon 808 chipset 3GB of RAM; 32GB storage; microSD slot 16MP camera with OIS and 2160p video; 8MP/1080p selfie LTE; optional dual-SIM 3,000mAh battery	Chipset not top of the line; GPU not fast enough for QHD No quick charger in the box Plastic backs are disappointing (leather ones are cool though)
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
532 nits	1238:1	2.317	72.5%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
54h rating	16:40h	7:54h	7:23h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
	1584	15040	1990

One of many HTC phones released this year is a direct competitor and at the right price too. The HTC One E9+ has a 5.5" QHD screen and an impressive camera of its own. No OIS, but the main shooter has a 20MP sensor, while the selfie cam does 13MP photos (in some regions only 4MP though).

HTC's trademark stereo speakers flank the screen. The One E9+ is powered by the MediaTek Helio X10 chipset, which isn’t the fastest, but you get 3GB of RAM and expandable 32GB of storage. Soon the phone will be running Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

HTC One E9+	Pros	Cons
	5.5" screen, 1,440 x 2,560px (534ppi) Android 5.1 Lollipop; Marshmallow incoming MediaTek Helio X10 chipset 3GB of RAM; 32GB storage; microSD slot 20MP camera with 2160p video; 13MP selfie camera LTE; dual-SIM Stereo speakers 2,800mAh battery	Tall, with big bezels on top and bottom Mid-range chipset; GPU not fast enough for QHD Screen brightness is average 2160p videos have narrow FoV Some regions get only a 4MP selfie cam Battery life not very good; non-removable battery
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
487 nits	1657:1	2.305	69.7%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
59h rating	12:07h	8:05h	7:00h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
	1227	9639	1279

Samsung's late 2014 flagship, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 adds a stylus to the phablet formula. It works with its 5.7" Super AMOLED screen thanks to an additional digitizer, courtesy of Wacom (makers of professional drawing tablets).

The Note 4 features a metal frame and faux-leather back and was made before Samsung decided to seal in the battery and drop the microSD slot. It also has a Snapdragon 805 chipset, which may be 32-bit bbut has great performance for the class.

The 16MP camera boasts OIS and 2160p video, while the selfie cam has enough resolution to record QHD video.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4	Pros	Cons
	5.7" AMOLED screen, 1,440x 2,560px (515ppi) S Pen stylus Android 5.1 Lollipop; Marshmallow incoming Snapdragon 805 chipset 3GB of RAM; 32GB storage; microSD slot 16MP camera with OIS and 2160p video; 3.7MP selfie LTE; optional dual-SIM Fingerprint reader Heart rate monitor; SpO2 sensor 3,220mAh battery	Some concerns on build execution
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
399 nits	∞	4.033	74.2%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
90h rating	28:31h	11:01h	17:52h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
		18684	2208

Motorola's effort in this field, the Moto X Style,has a 5.7" QHD screen too, but an IPS LCD one. Its feature list draws may parallels - it uses Snapdragon 808 like the LG G4, stereo speakers around the front like the One E9+, IP52-certified water-repellent treatment like the Moto G.

The Moto X Style has a 21MP with phase detection autofocus and a 5MP selfie cam with its own flash. Its Marshmallow update is already on the calendar. Also, if you have a Moto Maker available in your region, you can add a leather back. Or a wooden one. Your choice.

Motorola Moto X Style	Pros	Cons
	5.7" IPS screen; 1,440 x 2,560px (520ppi) Android 5.1 Lollipop; Marshmallow incoming Snapdragon 808 chipset 3GB of RAM; 16/32/64GB of storage; microSD slot 21MP camera with 2160p video; 5MP selfie with flash LTE Stereo speakers 3,000mAh battery	GPU not fast enough for QHD Non-replaceable battery; battery life not the best
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
			74.9%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
63h rating	22:23h	6:49h	9:14h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
		14598	2132

Let's break off from the established players for abit and look at the ZTE Axon Elite. ZTE has several slightly different Elites around the world, so check which one is available in your area. This one in particular is on the lower end of the €400-€500 segment.

It has a 5.5" 1080p screen paired with a Snapdragon 810 chipset. The design is pretty interesting, with a metal back adorned with faux leather top and bottom panels. There's a dual-camera on the back – 13MP for photos and 2160p videos plus 2MP for depth effects. Also here is a fingerprint reader.On the front is an 8MP selfie cam.

Just for a reference, the Axon Pro and Axon Lux both have 5.5" QHD screens and 4GB of RAM. The Lux also packs 128GB of storage. You pay a premium on both of them, of course (and the Pro lacks the fingerprint reader).

ZTE Axon Elite	Pros	Cons
	5.5" IPS screen, 1,080 x 1,920px (401ppi) Android 5.0 Lollipop Snapdragon 810 chipset 3GB of RAM; 32GB storage; microSD slot 13MP + 2MP camera; 2160p video; 8MP selfie LTE; dual-SIM 3,000mAh battery	Only 1080p screen resolution 13MP still camera isn’t much microSD card takes the spot ofthe second SIM Non-removable battery

If you're on the prowl for something smaller, the Samsung Galaxy S6 has worked its way down to less than €500. It's a massive shift in Samsung design, featuring an attractive slim chassis made of metaland sandwiched between glass panels.

The fingerprint reader works much better than on the S5 and the new Samsung Pay service has been picking up steam – your smartphone can now replace your credit/debit card. Even an old-school one with a magnetic strip – that's something not even the iPhone can do, Apple Pay is NFC-only.

Samsung also improved the screen by making it sharper and enhancing color accuracy, the chipset is the fastest Android is likely to see this year and the camera also further improves on the S5 camera. The big change is the addition of OIS and a wider f/1.9 aperture, the camera module sticks out a good deal out of the back though.

If you have extra cash to burn, the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge is mostly the same phone, but its unique dual-curved display really improves the looks. It doesn’t do much for usability, but again, it's an eye-catcher.

Samsung Galaxy S6	Pros	Cons
	5.1" AMOLED screen, 1,440x 2,560px (577ppi) Android 5.1 Lollipop; Marshmallow incoming Exynos 7420 chipset 3GB of RAM; 32/64/128GB storage 16MP camera with OIS and 2160p video; 5MP/1440p selfie Samsung Pay; fingerprint reader Heart rate monitor; SpO2 sensor 2,550mAh battery	No microSD slot Non-removable battery No water resistance like the S5
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
753 nits	∞	4.124	70.7%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
73h rating	19:48h	10:56h	12:12h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
	1674	27169	2718

If you miss the water resistance of the Galaxy S5, then the Xperia Z series can pick up the slack. The Sony Xperia Z3+ is worth the price premium over the slightly older Z3. It's marginally thinner and lighter, also it jumps from an S801 to an S810 chipset.

The new SoC brings faster LTE with it and the selfie camera was updated to something more modern. The screen improves sunlight legibility, even though it loses some points on contrast.

Sony Xperia Z3+	Pros	Cons
	5.2" IPS screen, 1,080 x 1,920px (428ppi) Android 5.0 Lollipop; Marshmallow on the way Snapdragon 810 chipset 3GB of RAM; 32GB storage; microSD slot 20.7MP camera with large sensor; 2160p video; 5MP selfie IP68 water resistance Stereo speakers LTE; optional dual-SIM 2,930mAh battery	Chipset tends to overheat, throttling performance 1080p screen competes with QHD crowd Small loss in battery capacity compared to Z3; no quick charger in the retail box Non-replaceable battery
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
789 nits	1158:1	2.824	69.6%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
65h rating	16:13h	11:51h	7:46h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
	1226	20767	1436

The Z3+ generation never got a Compact, but that's okay – the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is under €500. We were a bit disappointed that Sony kept the 4.6" 720p screen, the Z-s seem slow to adopt new display tech. Anyway, you get the Snapdragon 810 chipset like the big guys.It is saddled with just 2GB of RAM though.

On the plus side, the camera is even better than the Z3+. With the Z5 generation Sony finally did a big overhaul of the camera, it now features a 23MP sensor with fast phase detection. Also, you get a fingerprint reader, which is missing in the Z3/Z3+.

As with all Xperia Z phones, the Xperia Z5 Compact features front-facing stereo speakers and a waterproof body. It's just that we happen to like the Z3 Compact body better than this one.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact	Pros	Cons
	4.6" IPS screen, 720 x 1,280px (323ppi) Android 5.1 Lollipop; Marshmallow on the way Snapdragon 810 chipset 2GB of RAM; 32GB storage; microSD slot 23MP camera with 2160p video; 5MP selfie IP68 water resistance Stereo speakers Fingerprint reader LTE 2,700mAh battery	Screen seems basic for this price class Only 2GB of RAM Edge softness in camera; lots of noise in the dark Chipset tends to overheat, throttling performance Heavier than thicker than its predecessor; screen bezels are larger too No dual-SIM version like the big Z5 Non-removable battery
Review

Screen	Contrast	Sunlight	Screen-to-body
680 nits	1053:1	2.784	68.9%
Battery	Talk	Web	Video
86h rating	28:23h	11:20h	13:04h
Performance	CPU bench	GPU bench	Web bench
	1696		2099

What didn’t make the cut

Google is a bit blind when it comes to non-US availability of its hardware. If Europe is lucky enough to get its shiny new gadget, it's asked to pay a ridiculous price for it.

For example, the Motorola Nexus 6 is an excellent phone with a great 6" QHD AMOLED screen, stereo speakers and basic water resistance. And in the US it's available at a great price too. The European price is 50% higher, making ita non-starter.

It's the same story with the LG Nexus 5X. While the phone lost some of its geek-cred compared to the 2013 model, it's an excellent piece of kit and the new 12.3MP camera does wonders in the dark, both for photos and videos. It's just thatits way overpriced in Europe. It's a great deal in the US though.

Motorola Nexus 6 • LG Nexus 5X

Huawei has a couple of metal-clad phones that almost made the list. The Honor 7 has a 5.2" 1080p screen and a 20MP camera with phase detection AF, an 8MP selfie cam and a fingerprint reader. An excellent competitor to the Xperia Z3+ (did we mention it will get updated to Marshmallow too?), except that its main camera tops out at 1080p. The Kirin 935 chipset doesn’t quite live up to the heated competition of Snapdragon 810 and Exynos 7420.

The Huawei Mate S is similar, all-aluminum and with a fingerprint reader on the back. Better still, it has a 5.5" AMOLED screen. With only 1080p resolution though and the camera is somehow less impressive than the Honor 7’s, 13MP stills and 1080p video. It does have OIS and the 8MP selfie camera has flash, but that's just not enough to make the difference.

Ofthe runner-up phones here, the Meizu PRO 5 most deserves to have made the list.It boasts a 5.7" AMOLED screen, but disappoints with only 1080p resolution. The camera is pretty great though, based on a fairly large 21MP sensor with phase detection AF and that can do 2160p video. And it uses Samsung's beastly Exynos 7420 chipset. It will do better on benchmarks than the Galaxy Note 4, but that one has the better screen (plus S Pen) and OIS.

Huawei Honor 7 • Huawei Mate S • Meizu PRO 5