akaylist: Best Smartphone 2017

It’s difficult to say, with confidence, which of the many smartphones available on the market is the absolute, all-around best. And that’s only because of the polarizing differences between iOS and Android— not to mention all the other preferences to choose from (camera, gaming, budget and screen size). Sometimes, taste is as arbitrary as Coke vs. Pepsi. You don’t know why you like it — you just do.
That said, there are some clear winners in each category — winners that, we think, boast the right specs, design elements and features to satisfy the general public. So read on to see which smartphones made the cut for the best of 2017.

1. Best Overall: Pixel XL

Google’s introduction of the Pixel XL has firmly pushed the company right to the top of the smartphone space. There is a 32GB and a 128GB variant of the 5.5” 1440p Pixel XL, and inside is the Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, Type-C ports and arguably one of the best smartphone cameras ever (12.3-megapixels). Google’s design of the hardware isn’t revolutionary, but the glass panel on the rear of the device and metal build add up to something that feels premium. The buttons (volume, power) are on the right of the device with the fingerprint reader on the rear and Type-C charging/connection port at the bottom of the device. All day performance shouldn’t be an issue except for the most intense app-running conditions. As a Google device, expect the latest in Android updates with Android 7.1, which introduces among other features, Google Assistant. Google’s answer to Siri and Cortana, Assistant utilize Google’s search and knowledge base and adds a host of information right at your fingertips. Equally useful and futuristic, Assistant is always listening. Just say “OK, Google” and speak your search query. Perhaps the top standout of the Pixel XL, the camera is one of the best in the current smartphone market and that’s saying something in the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7 world. Images are sharp and better exposed than Google’s previous “Nexus” line, and the introduction of HDR+ allows for excellent photography. With sharp detail and good exposure, the front-facing 8-megapixel “selfie” cam is arguably better than most Android rear-camera devices. To top it off, the Pixel captures 4K 30-frames-per-second video and adds electronic image stabilization that outperforms Apple’s optical image stabilization.

Google Pixel XL Phone 32GB - 5.5 inch display ( Factory Unlocked US Version ) (Very Silver)
5.5 inch QHD display 3450 mah battery FDD LTE: B 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/20/25/26/28/29/30 TDD LTE: B 41, CDMA: BC0/BC1/BC10 Snapdragon 821, 4GB ram 32GB storage

2. Best iOS Smartphone: Apple iPhone 7

With Apple's iPhone 7, you will find an improved battery, a better camera, water resistance and, for better or worse depending on who you ask, no headphone jack. On top of that, the introduction of the A10 Fusion chipset offers a nice performance bump. It's available in four colors, including jet black (which looks fantastic, but is prone to fingerprint marks and scratches). The iPhone is the same size as its predecessors, but it has IP67 water-resistance standards. You can keep your iPhone up to a meter of water for 30 minutes without worrying about it getting fried. The Taptic-home button will take some getting used to, but it’s a welcome change as the physical button had to go to make way for water resistance protection. The 4.7” Retina HD screen remains top-notch and is more vivid than the 6S, especially when it comes to viewing in direct sunlight. The inclusion of a f/1.8 sensor on the rear 12-megapixel TrueTone camera, as well as the addition of optical image stabilization are definite upgrades as well. Low-light photography has improved, too, thanks to four smart LEDs built into the camera that 50 percent more light than the previous iPhones. The quad-core A10 chip is fantastic and allows for faster launching of apps and multitasking. Battery life on the iPhone 7 is much improved over the 6S, adding an additional two hours of talk time, thanks to the new processor and 14 percent larger battery. The lack of a headphone jack has caused quite a bit of negative chatter, but this is easily remedied with an adapter. Overall, the iPhone 7 is easily the best smartphone on the marker today.

Apple iPhone 7 128GB Unlocked GSM Water Resistant Quad-Core Smartphone w/ 12MP Camera - US Version (Jet Black)
The 12-megapixel iSight camera captures sharp, detailed photos. It takes 4K video, up to four times the resolution of 1080p HD video

3. Best Android Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy S7

It doesn’t get much better than this. Samsung’s latest flagship phone is meant to compete directly with the Apple iPhone — and maybe even surpass it. Like the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, the Galaxy S7 has a sister model in the beefier S7 Edge. The difference between the two mostly comes down to preference: How big do you like your screen?

The standard S7 offers higher resolution (Super AMOLED; 2,560 x 1,440; 534 ppi); a more robust, high-contrast camera; a larger screen (5.5 inches vs the 6S’s 4.7 inches) and a significantly longer-lasting battery. It’s also got a quad-core processor with a 4 GB RAM and 32 GB of storage space (expandable to 200 GB). But because it costs around the same price, these specs aren’t necessarily going to convert any Apple addicts. Then again, Android diehards aren’t lining up for the iPhone 7 either. But the prominence of these two flagship phones highlight the intense competition between the two companies, and the clear supremacy the two of them have over the market.

Samsung Galaxy S7 G930F 32GB Factory Unlocked GSM Smartphone International Version (Black)
Android v6.0 Marshmallow, Chipset: Exynos 8890, Processor: Octa-Core (Quad-Core 2.3 GHz Quad & Quad-Core 1.6 GHz); GPU: Mali-T880 MP12

Best Phablet or Large-Screen Smartphone: Apple iPhone 7 Plus

When push comes to shove, choosing between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus generally comes down to screen size. Fortunately, both displays are fantastic but the 1920 x 1080 LCD on the iPhone 7 Plus really shines. Fantastic display aside, let’s talk about Apple’s new A10 Fusion quad-core processor – it's the fastest chip yet, which means app-loading will be a breeze. The A10 is also more power efficient, which helps offer an additional 60 minutes of battery life over the 6S Plus (this is also thanks in part to the five percent larger battery). And the inclusion of 3GB of RAM with this model gives it a little extra “oomph” over the 7.

Like the iPhone 7, the Taptic home button might take some getting used to, but this means that the phone now meets IP67 water resistant standards and can stay in up to one meter of water for a maximum of 30 minutes. There’s no question the removal of the headphone jack is worth noting here as well, but this is easily fixed if you buy an adapter.

The 12-megapixel camera on the rear of the device is arguably the best part of the iPhone 7 Plus and likely the best smartphone shooter on the market. The inclusion of optical image stabilization, f/1.8 aperture, and the brand new dual camera setup sets the 7 Plus apart from the pack. Essentially, Apple has made it so you can tap between 1x and 2x zoom modes or drag your finger along a half-circle for more precise control. Apple added digital zoom up to 10x, but realistically, anything beyond 2x and you’ll start to see the noisier, grainy images that are associated with digital zoom. The secondary telephoto camera (that’s the “dual” camera part) has a wider f/2.8 aperture that allows photo junkies to play more with depth of field. In short, if you're a fan of phablets and are looking for one of the most powerful ones on the market, this is it.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus Unlocked Phone 32 GB - US Version (Black)
The 12-megapixel iSight camera captures sharp, detailed photos. It takes 4K video, up to four times the resolution of 1080p HD video.