TOP PHONES of 2016

Samsung's big move away from Android gives us the Z3. The entry-level Tizen OS phone covers all the basics. But this comes at a cost. The phone is missing most Android apps. But fret not, the popular ones like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter are all safe.

5-inch 1280x720 pixel display
Tizen OS
Quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB storage
8/5 MP Rear and front camera
2600mAh battery

Micromax is an Indian brand, but we've never had a true-blue Indian-made operating system. But with the Indus OS, the Canvas Unite 3 takes the vernacular route, making mobiles accessible to people in all corners of the country. Be it Hindi, Tamil, Marathi or Gujarati, the phone's got you covered.

4.7-inch 800x400 pixel display
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB storage
8/2 MP Rear and front camera
2000mAh battery

It's 2016, and we still crave for a phone that can last the mile. Xiaomi has pushed itself to the limit in giving us the Redmi 3S Prime, a phone that can walk the talk. And you know the best part? this one's made in India, so all those bhakts harping about the Chinese invasion, your prayers have been heard. The flash sale hustles have gone; you can buy the Redmi 3S from a store. It can't compete with a Nokia 1100, but metal body gives us enough confidence about its durability.

5-inch HD 1280x720 pixels display
MiUi 8 over Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
2/3GB RAM
16/32GB storage
13/5 MP Rear and Front camera
4100mAh battery
Dual-SIM

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Lenovo's been making phones that give you virtual reality (VR) on the cheap with its Ant VR, and K5 Plus is part of that family. This phone follows 2016's standard phone template, giving that to you on a budget, of course. Also, home many phones you can think of, can make a difference to the way you listen to music? what more could you ask for?

5-inch HD 1280x720 pixels display
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Octa-core processor
2/3GB RAM
16/32GB storage
13/5 MP Rear and Front camera
4100mAh battery
Dual-SIM

Motorola, or Moto's been the go-to brand for its affordable set of phones. Moto E3 bumps up the affordable phone space, giving Xiaomi a tough run for its money. This one is a reliable workhorse, and has dibs over getting latest Android flavours, before rest of the world. Good way to give yourself a smartphone initiation.

5-inch HD 1280x720 pixels display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Quad-core processor
2GB RAM
16GB storage
8/5 MP Rear and Front camera
3500mAh battery
Dual-SIM

With over 5000mAh of battery power in tow, ZenFone Max is only for those, who want a phone with 2 days of life, and that's it. To get that for under 10K is a blessing, that even the most cynics would find hard to argue about. As for the rest, you get value from a reliable device, with a capable camera, but loaded with apps that one might never want to use.

5-inch HD 1280x720 pixels display
Android 5.1 Lollipop
Quad-core processor
2GB RAM
8/16GB storage
13/5 MP Rear and Front camera
5000mAh battery
Dual-SIM

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Android's new, Chinese entrant in the country is also the first brand to dump the headphone jack. Stealing Apple's thunder is never easy, but LeEco did just that. The phone's also got this special power to run 9 screen at the same time. Sure, all we need is another 9 screens, to along with our phone, laptop, tablet, tv and smartwatch. As for the rest of it, it's just a plane-jane phone.

5.5-inch HD 1920x1080 pixels display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
3GB RAM
32GB storage
13/5 MP Rear and Front camera
3000mAh battery
Dual-SIM

Read The Quint's Review

This is Xiaomi’s mid-range workhorse, setting up nicely as a road warrior, and pleasing the entertainment junkies. This is Redmi 3S Prime’s elder brother, fitting into pockets of those, who like it big. There’s enough power in there to keep the gamers interested, and with 32GB of on-board storage, you’ll never run out of space to install apps, watch movies and listen to your favourite music playlist.

5.5-inch HD 1920x1080 pixels display
MiUi 8 over Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Hexa-core processor
2/3GB RAM
16/32GB storage
16/5 MP Rear and Front camera
4050mAh battery
Dual-SIM

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Moto G4 Plus gives you everything. Fingerprint scanner? check. quality camera? check. fast charging battery? check. affordable? Yes. This sleek, silent monster from Lenovo gives you the best of Android world. Camera is a big improvement; it charges at turbo speed. The biggest plus point with a Moto device is its clean-slate Android

5.5-inch HD 1920x1080 pixels display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
3GB RAM
32GB storage
16/5 MP Rear and Front camera
3000mAh battery
Dual-SIM

Read The Quint's Review

Galaxy S7 is not a Xiaomi or Moto beater but for what it does, you get a reliable performer, that any traditional phone buyer would get with his/her eyes closed. That along with Samsung’s tried-and-tested assurance gives most users the comfort of a brand, that’s as local as any India-based brand. This may be a South Korean company, but has its roots founded on Indian soil.

5.5-inch 1280x720 pixels
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
2GB RAM
16GB storage
13/5 MP Rear and Front camera
3300mAh battery
Dual-SIM

This is the most affordable phone running on the Snapdragon 820 processor, giving Lenovo the impetus beyond its much vaunted Vibe Note affordable range of devices. The Z2 Plus doesn’t go overboard with its dimensions, focused on offering a pure smartphone experience, for people who need a phone for calls, message and social networking. Camera is an added bonus, but pricing is where this device trumps the others.

5-inch 1920x1080 pixel display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Quad-core processor
4GB RAM
64GB storage
13/8 MP Rear and front camera
USB Type C
3500mAh battery

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Zenfone 3 takes Asus away from its earlier budget-tradition. This glass back body device packs the hardware punch, desired by users of 2016, without compromising on the value quotient that’s also become the epitome of phones this year. A quality camera, backed up with a surprisingly reliable battery life, Zenfone 3 vies for a space with the Mi 5 and the OnePlus 3, but priced lower than them.

5.5-inch 1920x1080 pixel display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
4GB RAM
64GB storage
16/8 MP Rear and front camera
USB Type C
3000mAh battery

Read The Quint's Review

Mi 5 is Xiaomi’s flagship stakes, yet again focused on keeping it affordable. The device has been crafted for the purists, inspired by its expensive peers, but standing out from the obvious. The near bezel-less display gives the 5-inch form size justice, making it look beyond its actual market value. It’s got a camera that is capable of matching up to its offering, worthy enough to show up as your social media posts. By adopting Type C, Xiaomi was one of the first brands to use the latest trend in connectivity.

5.1-inch 1920x1080 pixels display
MiUi 7 over Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Quad-core processor
3GB RAM
32GB storage
16/4 MP Rear and front camera
USB Type C
3000mAh battery

OnePlus 3 is the undefeated champion of Budget flagship phones. for 27,999/- OP3 packs in a brilliant handset, the dash charging system is life-saving giving you 60% charge in less than 30 minutes. The aluminium unibody looks premium. The camera is a benchmark for this category and the performance, thanks to top of the line processor and a healthy 6GB of RAM is top of the line. With their first experience showroom coming up in Bangalore, we really hope OP starts selling their phones in brick and mortar shops soon or its going to be impossible to your hands on the refreshed 3T.

5.5-inch 1920x1080 pixels display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Quad-core processor
6GB RAM
64GB storage
16/8MP Rear and front camera
USB – Type C
3000mAh battery

Read The Quint's Review

Huawei is the world's third largest Android phone maker and also the most profitable one. While it is taking bets with super premium $1500 Porsche designed Mate 9 globally, what really struck gold in India is the well-priced Honor 8. the combo of a colour and a monochrome sensor, its 12-megapixel dual lens camera is a 29,000-rupee entry in the world of dual lens photography and crazy shallow depth of field pictures. The camera produces striking macro and lowlight pictures. Want full manual control, that’s packed in for advanced users too. The built infrared blaster is turning a couch potato out of us this winter and we aren't one to complain. Oh and that 8-megapixel selfie cam is among our favourite selfie cams of the year.

5.2-inch 1920x1080 pixels display
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
4GB RAM
32GB storage
12 + 12 MP dual cameras
USB-Type C
3000mAh battery

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This Diwali, the biggest phone maker in the country wanted to launch a zabardast patakha, but the famed Galaxy note 7 that never launched on Indian shores officially, ended up being a phuski bomb (defunct one). That unfortunately took everyone's attention from the Laxmi bomb that was this year's ultimate flagship from Samsung, the invincible Galaxy 7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. While the dual curved edges bent it like Beckham, it is really the seemingly plain yet packing in a Vijender Singh punch wala Galaxy S7 that is our pick for the 2nd best Android superphone of 2016. What's the 1st you ask? Google's debutante Pixel.

5.1-inch/5.5-inch 2560x1440 pixels
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Octa-core processor
4GB RAM
32GB storage
12/5MP Rear and front camera
3000mAh

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The biggest achievement of Google's industry defining, iPhone threatening Pixel smartphone is that this smartphone made everyone smarter. Artificial Intelligence, Neural networks, Machine Learning were terms that only enthu engineering students and Ted talkers showed off in alpha, beta, gamma college clubs. But the beauty of Google Assistant, the smartest virtual assistant on any consumer device is in how humane it feels. Unless your name is Mark Zuckerberg and you can hire Morgan Freeman to lend his voice for your virtual assistant, Google's Pixel is as close as you'll ever get to owning your own JARVIS. (Ironman's all-knowing virtual assistant). Pixel also packs in the BEST smartphone camera of the year. The pricing is ambitious, but you're not just buying a phone with the Pixel, you're literally buying a seminal moment in the history of smartphones of our generation.

5-inch 1920x1080 pixels display
Android 7.1 Nougat
Quad-core processor
4GB RAM
32/128GB storage
12.3/8MP Rear and front camera
USB Type C
2770mAh battery

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Oh Apple! You disappointed us in 2016 like no one has in a long long time. Yes you did bring some much awaited features to the 'GOD phone', water resistance Yayyy, but bro the Android world has been doing this for years now. The only new feature, that too in Beta and only for the more expensive 5.5 inch iPhone 7 plus is the dual lens camera setup. The camera app has an extra feature called Portrait Mode that uses depth effect of produce DSLR like blurred background pictures. We absolutely love that feature but it comes with too many limitations, You cannot use it at night, you can't use it for recording video or any other camera app.

And then their is the 3.5mm post that you kicked out, why Apple why? The Airpods ie wireless earphones cost too much for something that will get lost within couple of days of owning them. Overall iPhone 7 is a great phone for anyone who has never used an iPhone before, for everyone else, wait for the 10th year anniversary edition iPhone next year. We hear a big design change is coming.

5.5-inch 1920x1080 pixels display
iOS 10
Quad-core processor
3GB RAM
32/128/256GB storage
Dual 12/7MP Rear and front camera
2900mAh battery

Read The Quint's Review