Sunday, 24 June 2018

The best phone of 2018 in UAE: Top smartphones tested and ranked

If you're looking for the best smartphone, then you've come to the right place. A set of pages where you can browse all manner of top mobile phones and find the right one for you.

We know that are so many handsets to choose from, but we still sift through them all to make sure we get to the bottom of each and can provide you with a great reason to buy (or not buy) each.

We're in the middle of June now, and we've seen some interesting price variation in the last week - it's affected the top of our rankings, and there are some phones from 2017 that are far more attractive as a result.

But perhaps you're wondering why you can trust us. Well, we check out every phone thoroughly, looking at number of elements but particularly some key things: how's the battery life? Is the phone well made? Is the screen impressive? Does the camera take real-life, sharable pictures?

The key thing for us is working out how each phone will work in your day to day life, not on a test bed - sure, we run some tests to check the performance, but we live with these devices to ensure they're really up scratch.

We've not had any new phones this week, with the LG G7 ThinQ, OnePlus 6 and Honor 10 coming into the mix - you may be surprised to see the HTC U12 Plus is missing, but with some questionable design choices, it's hard to add it into our hugely congested list for not but that could change with software updates.

For some further (or more targeted) light reading, head to our best iPhone or best Android phone guides. Maybe you're more of a brand loyalist though, in which case go for our list of the best Samsung phones.

Feel like saving a little cash and don't want hyper-powerful phones? Then our best cheap phones page is probably right up your street - if you can't find something for you out of all of that, well, let us know... we want to help!

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is a big phone that's designed for big hands - and it takes the very best of what's on the smartphone market and puts it together in a compelling package that we've loved testing. 

Screen: The Super AMOLED 6.2-inch display has been measured as one of the very best around right now, with super colours, great dynamic range and, essentially, the very best viewing experience you can have on a mobile phone.

Battery life: The battery life on the S9 Plus is better than the smaller version, thanks to the 3500mAh battery - although it's probably the weakest part of the phone, not offering as much life as we'd have liked.

Camera: The camera on the Galaxy S9 Plus is among the best on the market, and the dual-aperture capability offers some startlingly good snaps when things get a little darker. Colours can look a tad washed out when the exposure is higher, but the power of the sensor, with memory built into it, offers very low-noise shots.

Mini verdict: If you're after a bigger phone with all the latest and greatest features on it, the Galaxy S9 is that and more.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review

The Huawei P20 is easily the best phone that the brand has ever produced, and it's troubling the top of our charts. Huawei has got so much right on this phone, and it now truly its place in the same breath as Samsung and Apple as a top smartphone choice.

Screen: The 6.1-inch display is only Full HD, but that does help with battery life. This is actually probably one of the weakest parts of the phone, as it lacks the colour reproduction of its rivals, but it does come with a screen protector pre-fitted, which is a nice touch.

Battery life: The Huawei P20 Pro will get you a day and half of light to moderate use - it goes down after a full month's effort, filling it with apps, but even still we're getting a good day's hard use, which is great.

Camera: The camera is the standout feature on the Huawei P20 Pro, offering three lenses... and they're actually useful. The resolution is pin sharp thanks to brilliant image stabilisation, the software photo optimisation is excellent and having that 40MP sensor has been boosted well by Leica for good low light performance.

Mini verdict: The main issue you have to overcome with the P20 Pro is the fact you might not be familiar with the brand, but not only is Huawei a worthy competitor to Apple and Samsung, but it's the most likely to get the bigger price drops first (which is worth checking out using our price finder below).

Read more: Huawei P20 Pro review

If you're looking for the best smartphone around right now, it's the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (as you might have seen on the previous page) - but Apple's latest effort comes mighty close.

The iPhone X (although it's pronounced 'ten') is the redesigned Apple phone that iFans have been crying out for. It's got an all new shape, the notch at the top and higher price... but it's the best iPhone that's ever been made too (as long as you don't miss the headphone jack).

Screen: The 5.8-inch OLED screen is the best display Apple has ever crammed into an iPhone. It’s far ahead of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus for so many reasons: the sharpness, the quality, the fact that it fills the whole front of the phone, and the color reproduction.

Battery life: The iPhone X's battery life is pretty good but it's by no means best in class. If you're a very heavy user you might struggle to last more than 12 hours but for most users it'll comfortably last a whole day.

Camera: Cameras on iPhones have always been superb, and the iPhone X is no different. The camera on the X is often stunning, delivering still shots that are rich with detail. Perhaps not quite as brilliant as the Pixel 2, but still right up there with the best.

Mini verdict: This is the phone to buy if you want to treat yourself to a high-end handset – a little extra per month for something you really enjoy taking out of your bag or pocket is worth it (if you can afford it). 

Read more: iPhone X review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is an incredibly impressive phablet that's perfect for anyone who wants a productive, powerful device and that makes it our top phone.

It's got one of the best displays, one of the top cameras, and an excellent mix of speed and performance under the finger, while the S Pen is a real differentiator in a sea of similar phones.

It's an expensive phone too – only just behind the iPhone X in terms of out-and-out cost. But it's a better choice than the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus – its nearest competitor in terms of overall size and quality – if you want to be able to jot things down in an instant and take beautiful bokeh photos, as well as splash the phone in water.

How good is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 camera?

Also consider: The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, with similar dimensions, a lower cost and longer-lasting battery is where we'd point you. It only has one camera sensor and the S Pen is absent, but many people could happily live with that.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 isn't quite the phone that the S9 Plus is - it's only got a single camera sensor, for one - but it's a more palm-friendly model that still packs the power and top screen quality of its sibling.

Screen: A QHD 5.8-inch screen takes up most of the front of the phone - and it's still a stunning design. Brighter, more colourful and capable of showing the best of movies, the Super AMOLED tech is once again showing itself to be best thing to look at on a smartphone.

Battery life: Battery life is a little disappointing for a top-end smartphone, meaning you'll need to think about a top-up during the day if you're a harder user. Wireless and fast charging capabilities help with this though.

Camera: It's only a single sensor on the rear of the Galaxy S9, unlike the Galaxy S9 Plus - meaning it's not as good at photography. But don't think the S9 takes poor photos, as they're still stunning, and in low light it's a sterling performer, with very little noise.

Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 is a smartphone with all the top-end features you'd want, and more on top. It's not quite at the level of the S9 Plus, and the iPhone X outranks it in some ways - but for a more palm-friendly Android phone it's utterly tops.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 review

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the phone to go for if you want great battery life. It's also a phone for someone who wants something a little different, and needs a handset that can easily last a day, and then some, on a single charge.

The biggest talking point of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is, as you've guessed, its battery.

It’s big at 4,000mAh, and it translates to impressive performance, with the possibility of stretching usage to two days from a single charge if you switch it off overnight.

On the rear, the dual camera setup is a solid point-and-shoot option, but it really excels if you dive into manual mode; if you're a camera enthusiast who's willing to spend time fine-tuning, you can get some great shots from the Mate 10 Pro.

How good is the Huawei Mate 10 Pro camera?

Also consider: The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is probably the closest rival to the Mate 10 Pro, also coming with a great manual camera mode, large and clear screen and phablet-sized, bezel-less proportions. However, it's more expensive and has a shorter battery life.

If you're looking for a powerful phone that packs everything that's good about the Android world, look no further than the LG V30+.

The LG G6 is a fine device, but the V30+ is the sleek, refined and powerful version of that phone. It's got the most powerful processor around, a great camera and delivers one of the best sonic performances from a phone on the market right now, thanks to the dedicated Quad DAC inside.

This means the LG V30 is a great phone to pick up if you value great-sounding tunes, and want a well-made phone into the bargain. Yes, the price is high, but the combination of features justifies that to a compelling degree.

If you're after a phone that's not from the 'Big Two', we'd recommend this one as a close second to the Google Pixel.

How good is the LG V30+ camera?

Also consider: The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a similar device in terms of both power and cost, while you get a slightly better camera and the use of the S Pen; however the V30 probably just edges it for audio performance.

You normally associate the highest-end processor bundled with tons of RAM and storage to an expensive device but Nokia has managed to give us exactly that at a much lesser price with the Nokia 8.

The Nokia 8 offers a lot of great features such as a powerful chipset, dual-sensor camera and a perfectly sized QHD display, all wrapped up in a very good looking and sleek design.

We're also fans of Nokia's pure Android experience which uses Google apps for almost everything and has minimal bloatware. Nokia has done good on updates as well brining Oreo 8.0 to the Nokia 8 along with a publicly accessible beta for 8.1.

While the Nokia 8 has great specs on paper for a camera, the performance of it can be a struggle with a slow auto-focus.

How good is the camera on Nokia 8?

Also consider: The alternative here is the Honor 9 which offers a great design, good performance and a good camera at a slightly lower price. It ins't as fast or has as good of a display as the Nokia 8.

You might think HTC is something of a forgotten brand – and, to a degree, you'd be right. But if you discount HTC you'll be missing out on its latest flagship, which offers exceptional performance in a couple of areas.

The HTC U11 features an eye-catching design, programmable, squeezable sides and great audio performance – and if you’re a fan of Iron Man then you have to check it out in Solar Red, which is seriously beautiful.

The U11 was the first smartphone to introduce squeezable sides, and while the feature has since appeared in the two new Pixel handsets (and to better effect), the U11 remains the only phone on which you can set the action to launch something other than Google Assistant.

Plug in the bundled pair of headphones, meanwhile, and prepare yourself for a seriously impressive sonic experience, with the HTC U11 kicking out audio at a fantastic level. 

It’s not quite the all-round package that some of the phones here offer (hence its lower position), but the reduced price makes it a more attractive proposition.

How good is the HTC U11 camera?

Also consider: It's hard to know what to recommend here, as there's nothing that really compares on the market right now. However, for the price you'd probably look at the Galaxy S8 or the LG G6 as something a bit different.

The latest Honor phone is the best on the list here - and that's down the decent spec list, while keeping the price exceptionally low.

Screen: The Honor 10 screen has the... you've guessed it: notch at the top! It's an LCD screen so lacks the punch of the OnePlus 6 or Galaxy S9, for instance. It's 'only Full HD', but for the price it's excellent and more than does the job.

Battery life: You probably won't get a full day's battery life out of this phone every day, but for the most part it's pretty decent. Not the best on the market and we're used to Honor slugging more battery into its handsets, but at 3,400mAh it's a touch too small.

Camera: The Honor 10 struggles here a little, although the 16MP + 24MP sensors work well in tandem. Some of the AI modes worked very well together at times, but it wasn't always processing and improving the picture in the way you'd want before showing it to you.

Mini verdict: Honor phones are often the same - but that's no bad thing. This is a brand that's challenging, and while it's omitted not quite got the prowess of phones a lot more expensive, it's worth checking the phone out now - you'll never expect the lovely split screen colours on the back.

Read more: Honor 10 review

So those are our pick of the best phones you can get right now, but to conclude we're going to highlight some upcoming handsets that may well get added to this list when they launch.

Below you'll find the likes of the Huawei P20 Pro and iPhone 9, among many others, along with the hottest rumors we have for each of them, as well as expected prices and release dates.

To find out more about any of these handsets just click the link at the bottom of each entry to be taken to our main news and rumors page for them.

iPhone XI & iPhone 9

  • Expected release date: September 2018
  • Expected price: Upwards of AED 2,799

We're not sure what Apple's naming convention will be for the next generation of iPhone, or how many models there will be, but it’s possible that we’ll see an iPhone 9, iPhone 9 Plus and iPhone X2 (or iPhone XI).

Early rumors include the possibility that all models of the phone will have an OLED screen, slender bezels and a Face ID scanner, just like the iPhone X.

That likely also means that they'd ditch the fingerprint scanner and bezels found on the iPhone 8 for an all-screen front. What we do know however, is you'll have to wait until September to find out what Apple has in store for 2018.

LG G7

  • Expected release date: Spring 2018 
  • Expected price: Probably at least AED 2,499

We don't know too much about the LG G7 yet, but LG has switched from LCD to OLED for the LG V30 and there's a high chance the LG G7 will also therefore use OLED, which could mean a more vibrant display than the LG G6 has.

Elsewhere, we've heard that the LG G7 will probably use a Snapdragon 845 chipset, which is expected to be the main flagship chipset of 2018.

In that sense its inclusion wouldn't be surprising, but the LG G6 used the Snapdragon 821, while many rivals used the Snapdragon 835, so if LG does use the 845 for the G7 it should be on a more equal power footing with rivals for its main 2018 flagship than it was with its 2017 one.

But the biggest thing we're starting to believe about the LG G7 is that it won't be called the G7 at all - it seems LG is moving away from that naming strategy.

Google Pixel 3

  • Expected release date: October 2018
  • Expected price: Likely upwards of AED 2,599

There might be three Pixel 3 handsets, with a Pixel 3, a Pixel 3 XL and an even more premium one at the top-end being launched according to one source. And we're expecting them to finally, officially, arrive in the Middle East.

We’ve also heard that the three phones are codenamed “crosshatch”, “albacore” and “blueline”, but exactly what their specs and features will be remains to be seen.

HTC U12

  • Expected release date: Mid-2018
  • Expected price: Probably around AED 2,499

The only real rumor about the HTC U12 is that it could have a dual-lens camera, as HTC has revealed that it plans to build a dual-lens phone.

Everything else is just guesswork for now, but there’s a good chance the HTC U12 will have a Snapdragon 845 chipset, squeezy Edge Sense-powered sides and a similar design to the HTC U11 and HTC U11 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

  • Expected release date: August / September 2018
  • Expected price: Probably at least AED 3,499

Rumors suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 could have a fingerprint scanner built into the screen, which is a feature both Samsung and Apple have been rumored to be working on for a long time.

That would mean the phone could have an all-screen front without relegating the scanner to the back.

There’s also a very, very small chance that the Galaxy Note 9 will have a folding screen. This is something Samsung’s been rumored to be working on for even longer, and it looks like the company could finally be close to launching such a phone, but we wouldn’t count on seeing the tech trialed on something as high profile as the Note 9.

OnePlus 6

  • Expected release date: June 2018
  • Expected price: Over AED 2,299

The OnePlus 6 is the company's next numbered handset, and it probably won't arrive before mid-2018.

Currently there aren't many OnePlus 6 rumors, but it's likely to have many of the same specs and features as the OnePlus 5T, which itself is rumored to have a 20MP dual-lens camera and a 6-inch 18:9 screen.

We also suspect the OnePlus 6 will use the Snapdragon 845, and it's unlikely to have more than the 8GB of RAM you can already get in the OnePlus 5.

Nokia 9

  • Expected release date: Early 2018
  • Expected price: Around AED 1,999

The Nokia 9’s release date is unknown, but we’re expecting to see it sooner rather than later, and when we do it could have a 5.5-inch QHD curved OLED screen, a water-resistant all-metal shell, a dual-lens 22MP Carl Zeiss camera and a 3,800mAh battery.

If those specs prove accurate then the Nokia 9 could truly compete with the best flagships around, though one slightly less promising spec rumor points to it having a Snapdragon 835 chipset.

That’s a flagship chip, but it’s one that’s been around for most of 2017. If the phone launches before the end of the year then that might still be the best option available, but if it slips into 2018 then hopefully it will use the Snapdragon 845 or equivalent.



from TechRadar: Phone and communications news http://www.techradar.com/news/best-phone-uae
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