Best Top Android Phones of 2015 to 2016

With so many great Android phones being available to UK and global customers you can spend literally hours trying to decide which one to get with your next mobile contract. So we keep an Android Top 10 list up to date to help me your decision easier.

Rankings our list of the best Android phones have been decided upon by adding together and averaging out the scores from Tech Radar, CNET, Phone Arena, Wired and Trusted Reviews for each phone.

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 4

• OS: Android OS, 4.4
• Dimensions: 6.04 x 3.09 x 0.33 inches (153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm)
• Weight: 6.21 oz (176 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 5.7 inches/1440 x 2560 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 20.00 hours
• CPU Speed: 8-core, 1900 MHz, ARM Cortex-A57 and ARM Cortex-A53
• Memory: 3GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 32 GB
• Camera Resolution: 16 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 9/10

There's no denying that Samsung's latest phablet offering is a mighty beast: a 5.7 inch QHD display laughs at much of the competition while 2.7Ghz processor sits hand-in-hand with its 3GB of RAM to make it a performance behemoth. Add that to the up-to-128GB expandable storage and a seriously good 16MP rear-facing camera (as well as its 3.7MP front-facing snapper) and you've got one of the best devices of its size on the market.

The Galaxy Note 4 isn't without its drawbacks however. The sheer heft of the screen that will make it appeal to a fairly niche market out there will more than likely disgust others looking for a more compact solution to their mobile telecommunications. The S-Pen stylus is a questionable feature as well, and for much less than the Note 4's weighty price tag you can pick up similarly powerful beasts like the LG G3. Still, the £600 asking price gets you serious speed, a great camera, admirable battery life, and quite simply the greatest and most well-built phablet in existence.

Compare Samsung Galaxy Note 4 offers:

2. Sony Xperia Z3

• OS: Android OS, v4.4.4
• Dimensions: 146mm x 72mm x 7.3mm
• Weight: 5.36 oz (152 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 5.2 inches/1080 x 1920 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 14 hours
• CPU Speed: Quad core, 2500 MHz, Krait 400
• Memory: 3GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 16 GB
• Camera Resolution: 20.7 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8.3/10

There are many reasons why the Sony Xperia Z3 is second (at the time of writing) in this Top 10 Android Phones list. It is a seriously high-end phone that has a premium feel and a blistering performance to boot. The 2.5Ghz Quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM take care of the under-the-hood performance while the 5.2 inch HD screen at 424ppi and gorgeous IP68-rated chassis take care of the aesthetics side of the phone. It's even priced more desirably than the monumentally expensive Galaxy Note 4: you can pick it up for less than $620/£500 after all.

There are too many advantages to owning a Z3 to list here in a concise manner, but suffice it to say that the device has incredible battery life (the 3100mAh batter takes care of this), one of the highest waterproof/dustproof ratings, expandable memory, the ability to shoot 4K video, and PS4 Remote play, a feature that will entice the serious gamers out there.

On balance, there are a few bugs in the OS, the 4K video app can crash if you're recording for too long, and Remote Play had some teething problems in the phone's initial few weeks. In spite of these flaws the Z3 is still deserving of second place here because it looks great, performs fantastically, and has a battery life that many other phones manufacturers wish their phones could stretch to.

Compare Sony Xperia Z3 offers:

3. LG G3

• OS: Android 4.4 (KitKat)
• Dimensions: 5.42 x 2.74 x 0.41 inches (137.7 x 69.6 x 10.3 mm)
• Weight: 4.83 oz (137 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 5.5 inches, 1440 x 2560 pixel Quad HD display
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: TBA
• CPU Speed: QualcomM Snapdragon with 2.46 GHz Quad-Core Processor
• Memory: 2GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 16 GB/Micro SD (up to 128GB | 2TB capable)
• Camera Resolution: 13MP
• Overall Rating: 9.3/10

Before the release of the Galaxy Note 4, the LG G3 was essentially a class-leader in terms of screen resolution. Its QHD screen actually clocks in at an eye-watering 534ppi pixel density, which is 19 more pixels than the Note 4. At 5.5 inches, the G3 has a little less space to fill than its Samsung phablet rival as well. The G3 is simply quite astounding to hold in your hand: hefty yet slender; gigantic yet somehow manageable.

Some users will be put off by the phone's plastic construction, but Samsung have been getting away with this in their S series for years, and LG has made the back panel with a brushed metal coating to make it at least look more premium. You get a sizeable 3GB of RAM in the 32GB version to help the quad-core 2.5GHz processor along. What you get therefore with the LG G3 is a supremely powerful device with a great screen and impressive battery life, though lower than you'd expect due to the beast of a screen.

Compare deals for the LG G3:

4. HTC One M8

• OS:Android (4.4) HTC Sense 6 UI
• Dimensions:5.76 x 2.78 x 0.37 inches (146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35)
• Weight:5.64 oz (160 g) the average is 4.8 oz (137 g)
• Screen Size:5.0 inches
• Screen Resolution:1080 x 1920 pixels
• Pixel Concentration:441 ppi
• Camera Res:4 megapixels, Duo camera
• Computer Chip:Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
• Computer Processor:Quad core, 2300 MHz, Krait 400
• Graphics Chip:Adreno 330
• Phone Memory:2048 MB RAM / LPDDR3
• Phone Capacity:16 GB
• Expandable Capacity:microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 128 GB
• >Battery Talk Time (3G):20.7 days (496 hours) the average is 20 days (489 h)
• >Battery Standby Time:20.00 hours the average is 13 h (757 min)
• Camera Res:1920x1080 (1080p HD) (60 fps), 1280x720 (720p HD)
• Front Camera Res:5 megapixels
• Available Colours:Yellow, Gray
• Overall Rating: 9.16/10

The original HTC One was a stunning phone that pretty much trumped all other Android phones in terms of aesthetics, and the One M8 has returned to make a similar impact. This is a phone with very few flaws: the 2.3GHz quad-core and 2GB RAM give it a good whack of power while the chassis is premium to look at and to the touch since it's made from around 90% brushed aluminium. The M8 also squeezes more out of the same 2600mAH battery, but its relative underperformance in this area is one of the phone's few flaws.

Much like the original One, this means the M8 muscles up to the aesthetic wonder of Apple and the technological prowess of Samsung's mighty and premium devices. The 5-inch display is a decent size but not too large to slip in the pocket, its expandable memory is ideal for those that hate the restrictive iOS devices' lack of add-on storage, and the dual camera is a raging success. If the battery were larger and the camera performed better in low-light conditions, the M8 would be closer to the top spot.

Compare deals for the HTC One M8:

5. Samsung Galaxy S5

• OS:Android (4.4.2) TouchWiz UI
• Dimensions:5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 inches (142 x 72.5 x 8.1)
• Weight:5.11 oz (145 g)
• Screen Size:5.1 inches
• Screen Resolution:1080 x 1920 pixels
• Pixel Concentration:432 ppi
• Camera Res:16 megapixels
• Computer Chip:Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974-AC
• Computer Processor:Quad core, 2500 MHz, Krait 400
• Graphics Chip:Adreno 330
• Phone Memory:2048 MB RAM / LPDDR3
• Phone Capacity:16 GB
• Expandable Capacity:microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 128 GB
• Battery Talk Time:21.00 hours
• >Battery Standby Time:16.2 days (390 hours)
• Camcorder:3840x2160 (4K) (30 fps)
• Front Camera Res:2.1 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 9.02/10

While the Galaxy S5 is no longer Samsung's latest high-end model, it still marks the peak of their S series, and it provides performance that reflects the position it holds in this top 10. Even if you forget the quad-core 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor and 2GB of RAM that sits at the heart of the S5's performance, you've got the usual expandable memory (up to 128GB), full-HD Super-AMOLED 5.1 inch display, IP-67 rating for dust and water resistance, and also a fingerprint scanner to boot.

What the above numbers translate into is a phone that's immensely powerful, extremely versatile, and extremely good at outlasting its competitors in terms of battery life. While the fingerprint sensor can be a little temperamental and the phone's aesthetics could definitely do with somewhat of an overhaul from Samsung, there's a reason the S series is Samsung's flagship device of choice: power, durability, longevity, and high-end specs all make this phone the smart choice for premium-phone fans.

Compare Samsung Galaxy S5 offers

6. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

• OS: Android OS, v4.4
• Dimensions: 5.00 x 2.56 x 0.34 inches (127 x 64.9 x 8.6 mm)
• Weight: 4.55 oz (129 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 4.6 inches/720 x 1280 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 14.00 hours
• CPU Speed: Quad core, 2500 MHz, Krait 400
• Memory: 2GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 16 GB
• Camera Resolution: 20.7 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 9/10

The Xperia Z3 Compact is essentially Sony's answer to Apple's iPhone, but as Sony will try and tell you, smaller doesn't mean less performance. The Z3 Compact is in fact quite the contrary, sharing much of its technology under the hood with its bigger brother, the Xperia Z3. The compact has its brother's processor (2.5GHz quad-core), its brother's gigantic 20.7MP camera, and its wonderful sibling's impressive battery life. It's just that the Z3 compact has a chance of fitting into your pocket without a struggle.

There are a few areas that the compact can't match its brother on however. Obviously the first is the screen size, which is 4.7 inches instead of the Z3's 5.2. There's also less mAh in the battery (2,600), less RAM to work with (2GB instead of 3GB), and many review sites have reported problems with the camera app crashing as well as the camera itself not being quite as good as that of the original Z3. Still, if you're looking for a phone that performs well, looks great, lasts more than a day, and has the highest waterproof rating, then look no further than the Z3 Compact.

Compare Sony Xperia Z3 Compact offers:

7. Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini

• OS: Android (4.4) TouchWiz UI
• Dimensions: 5.16 x 2.55 x 0.36 inches (131.1 x 64.8 x 9.1 mm)
• Weight: 4.23 oz (120 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 4.5 inches/720 x 1280 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 10.00 hours
• CPU Speed: Quad core, 1400 MHz
• Memory: 1.5GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 16 GB
• Camera Resolution: 8 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8/10

One of the main reasons that the Galaxy S5 Mini is deserving of its place here is that in many ways it's just a shrunk-down Galaxy S5, a phone that is still one of the best Android devices on the market. Its design is certainly S5-esque; it is identical aside from a small flap on the bottom and its size cut, from 5.1" to 4.5". It fits in the hand more comfortably than the original S5 yet still has its fingerprint scanner, super-bright screen, and IP67 waterproof rating. So it should be equally as incredible, right?

While the S5 Mini certainly is a decent phone, where it falls down a little is its processor, which is still quad-core but much less efficient than the S5's one, and clocks in at only 1.4GHz to the S5's 2.5. The fingerprint scanner doesn't work as well as the iPhone's either, but biometrics are still in their early days anyway. In spite of its inferior processor, it still performs well and its screen is still super-bright and reproduces colours extremely well. It's also cheaper than the S5, at around $400/£350.

8. Samsung Galaxy Alpha

• OS: Android OS, v4.4.4
• Dimensions: 146mm x 72mm x 7.3mm
• Weight: 5.36 oz (152 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 5.2 inches/1080 x 1920 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 11 hours
• CPU Speed: Quad core, 2500 MHz, Krait 400
• Memory: 3GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 16 GB
• Camera Resolution: 20.7 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8/10

If ever a phone on this list could be described as muscling in directly on the iPhone market, then the Samsung Galaxy Alpha would be it. This 4.7-inch device is quite the well-balanced handset with both its size and its power. Its display is bright and crisp, offering the same performance as more premium Samsung devices like the S5, but it s performance also shines through and is more affordable at around $650/£500.

For all of the phone's balance, there are a few flaws however, including the lacklustre TouchWiz software, disappointing battery life, finicky fingerprint sensor, and lack of microSD slot meaning no expandable storage. The phone definitely provides some competition for the smaller iPhone, but in spite of taking a well-balance approach it falls slightly short in too many areas to really draw any serious attention to itself.

Compare Samsung Galaxy Alpha offers:

9. Samsung Galaxy Note 3

• Dimensions: 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm
• Weight: 5.93 oz (168 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 5.7 inches/1080 x 1920 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 25 hours/22 days (528 hours)
• CPU Speed: Qualcomm Snapdragon, Quad core, 2300 MHz, Krait 400
• Memory: 3072 MB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 32 GB/Expanded up to 64 GB with Micro SD
• Camera Resolution: 13 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8.74/10

Samsung build's on the success of their second edition note with an additional 1GB of Memory, twice as much in built storage to fit all those useful apps on and over 40% more processing power with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad core 2300 MHz processing power. This is a serious monster of a phone with a great deal of improvements at it's core beyond power - just check out the full range of note features at theofficial micro site.

10. Sony Xperia Z2

• OS:Android (4.4)
• Dimensions:5.78 x 2.89 x 0.32 inches (146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2)
• Weight:5.75 oz (163 g)
• Screen Size:5.2 inches
• Screen Resolution:1080 x 1920 pixels
• Pixel Concentration:424 ppi
• Camera Res:20.7 megapixels
• Computer Chip:Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974-AB
• Computer Processor:Quad core, 2300 MHz, Krait 400
• Graphics Chip:Adreno 330
• Phone Memory:3072 MB RAM
• Phone Capacity:16 GB
• Expandable Capacity:microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 64 GB
• Battery Talk Time:15.00 hours
• Battery Standby Time:28.8 days (690 hours)
• Talk Time (3G):19.00 hours
• Standby Time (3G):30.8 days (740 hours)
• Camcorder:3840x2160 (4K)
• Front Camera Res:2.2 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8.7/10

Enjoy your photos and videos in the same quality and performance as a real compact digital camera. The Xperia Z2 comes with a 20.7 megapixel camera with Exmor sensor for sharp, clear and bright photos and 4K video capture.

The 5.2-inch Full HD screen provides the perfect place to view your photos, or the latest blockbuster movie, and gives you an incredible viewing experience no matter what you're watching.

11. LG G2

• Dimensions: 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9 mm
• Weight: 5.04 oz (143 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 5.2 inches/1080 x 1920 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: Info hours/Info days (Info hours)
• CPU Speed: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, Quad core, 2260 MHz
• Memory: 2048 MB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 32 GB/None expandable
• Camera Resolution: 13 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8.82/10

The first phone to contain the Snapdragon 800, Quad core, 2260 MHz processor this is a seriously fast phone and big Android contender from LG. The 13 Mega pixel camera takes super sharp photos and with a generous 2GB of memory we would have put this phone at the number one slot had it not been for the fact that in the UK neither Three or O2 offer the phone in the 32 GB internal storage version.

With the 16 GB version being the only model available some users may find this capacity just a little limiting. If LG would have kept to the expandable memory option (micro SD slot) that was present in their previous phones this may not be have been too much of a hurdle for users who like more space. If however you are not a heavy gamer or app user and can manage your inventory more efficiently this won't cause you a problem.

On the whole the LG G2 deserves second spot due to it's many powerful features compared to previous models. It scores an impressive 8.82/10 across the big phone review sites.

Compare LG G2 offers:

12. HTC One Mini 2

• Dimensions: 5.41 x 2.56 x 0.42 inches (137.43 x 65.04 x 10.6)
• Weight: 4.83 oz (137 g) the average is 4.8 oz (137 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 4.5 inches/720 x 1280 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: 23.2 days (556 hours) the average is 22 days (516 h)
• CPU Speed: Quad core, 1200 MHz, ARM Cortex-A7
• Memory: 1024 MB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 16 GB/Expanded up to 128 GB with Micro SD
• Camera Resolution: 5 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8.3/10

Good things come in small packages. Boasting the award-winning features and design of its larger counterpart, the HTC One mini has a compact 4.3" display screen and a slimmer build. Its dual frontal stereo speakers, automatically updating home screen and low-light camera come in a premium metal design more compact than ever.

Constructed of polished metal alloy, the HTC One mini features a compact profile that's designed for easy one-hand use. Its durable construction is shaped to seamlessly conform to your grip and provide on-the-go convenience for your busy life.

Dual frontal stereo speakers project sound at you, not away, for unrivalled sound from a smartphone. Built-in amps enhance everything so you'll experience louder, fuller, richer sound for a more immersive experience. The only thing small about the HTC One mini is its size.

13. LG G Flex

• OS: Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
• Dimensions: 160.5 x 81.6 x 8.7 mm
• Weight: 6.24 oz (177 g)
• Screen Size/Resolution: 6.0 inches /720 x 1280 pixels
• Battery Talk Time/Standby: TBA
• CPU Speed: Quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400
• Memory: 2GB RAM
• Built in Storage/Expansion: 32 GB
• Camera Resolution: 13 megapixels
• Overall Rating: 8.2/10

After the Samsung Galaxy Round’s release in Korea, there was no way that rival phone companies weren’t going to come up with a like-for-like response: the LG G Flex is LG’s answer to this wonderfully curved device. The G Flex has a curved screen measuring 6 inches and possesses a quad-core 2.26GHz processor. Its camera is quite impressive at 13mp, but the one thing that may put many off at this stage is the substantial price tag, ringing in at well over the usual high-end phone price at roughly $900 or so. The Flex is no doubt a high-end masterpiece but waiting for the price to drop would be a smart move that will save you money.