The best mid-price smartphones.

In the past year, we saw a lot of interesting mobile new products, so it was very difficult for us to highlight the 10 best of them. The site's rating includes smartphones that have something to surprise customers and that can be an excellent gift for the New Year.

Apple iPhone 6

In that year Apple surprised us with two smartphones at once - iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (). However, the company from Cupertino does not separate the two modifications of the device; even in the company’s online store they are on the same tab.

Apple iPhone 6 (both modifications) deserved to be included in the rating due to their extremely high popularity among buyers. In the first 3 days, more than 10 million of these gadgets were sold worldwide.

Despite the revealed defects of smartphones (who hasn’t read about and?), they can boast of popular love - for their high-quality assembly, high speed and well-functioning iOS ecosystem. By the way, "Apple iPhone 6 has become the most interesting gadget in 2014.

Tim Cook made the right decision by abandoning the strategy of releasing small devices. So it's no surprise that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus is in high demand, especially in Asia (see graph below). Analysts even claim that the iPhone 6 Plus could have a significant impact on sales of small tablets iPad mini.

Illustration: AppLovin

Samsung GALAXY Note 4

Many experts call it, and not the best Samsung smartphone of the past year.. Probably, if Samsung had released this gadget without a stylus and corresponding functionality, thereby making it cheaper, GALAXY Note 4 would have been even more popular.

Here is the most powerful this moment filling: bright and ultra-clear Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, protected, Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor (or no less powerful eight-core Exynos 7 Octa), optimized and user-friendly interface, as well as an excellent camera and high time battery life.

It should also be added that GALAXY Note 4 is the first Samsung flagship, which received a metal body, which makes it attractive not only in terms of characteristics, but also in terms of design.

Top LG smartphones have always had an excellent price/performance combination. Here you can remember not only the Nexus 4 and 5 smartphones, but also last year’s LG G2. Although the LG G3 cost a lot at launch, it dropped significantly in price over the next few months.

It is significant that in Russia the LG G3 became practically the only flagship of the A-brands that did not rise in price after the collapse of the ruble exchange rate - now its recommended retail price is at the level of 24,990 Russian rubles (approximately 490 dollars at the current exchange rate). An advantage of the LG G3 is the presence of a dual-SIM version (officially sold in Belarus).

In addition to excellent characteristics (5.5-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801) and nice design (minimal frames around the display, ergonomic shape, convenient, according to many experts, buttons on the back cover), the LG G3 stands out for its camera .

Despite the fact that it does not have a record-breakingly large (by current standards) 13-megapixel photo module, Western and Russian observers often call the LG G3 camera the best among current smartphones. Among other things, an innovative laser focusing system helps you obtain high-quality images.

Read more about it in the review of the site.

HTC One (M8)

Continuation of last year flagship smartphone HTC, unfortunately, received almost the same lackluster ultrapixel camera. The dual photo module allows you to take photographs with the ability to post-focus, but at the same time it loses to the cameras of other flagship gadgets.

Otherwise, the smartphone is excellent - the HTC One (M8) has an all-metal body, powerful hardware (5-inch Full HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor) and an optimized interface. The device turned out to be so successful in terms of design and shell that a number of reviewers even called it an iPhone on Android. Well-deserved fourth place.

Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro

Lenovo's flagship tablet with a metal body, an excellent camera and powerful hardware (Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 with a frequency of 2.5 GHz, 3 GB of RAM) logically took 5th place in our rating.

Despite the 6-inch display, which for some will be beyond the comfort zone, the device is very convenient to use due to its ergonomic shape. And the resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels makes it difficult to distinguish individual pixels on the screen.

Huawei Ascend Mate 7

Another metal tablet, another one Chinese manufacturer, which deservedly took its place in our top ten.

Here is a 6-inch IPS Full HD display, the latest eight-core HiSilicon Kirin 925 processor with maximum clock frequency 1.8 GHz, up to 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. The resolution of the front camera is 5 megapixels, the main one is 13 megapixels. It is important that the device received capacious battery at 4100 mAh.

Samsung GALAXY Alpha

The smartphone is the pioneer of a new line of Samsung devices - stylish, quite powerful devices in a compact metal case.

Experts called Samsung GALAXY Alpha a warning blow to Apple: like the iPhone 6, the smartphone received a thin metal body (albeit a plastic cover) and a 4.7-inch display. And it appeared on the market shortly before the release of Apple’s new flagship.

Read all the details in the review on the site.

Nokia Lumia 930

(now the devices of the legendary company will be produced under the Microsoft brand) made it into our rating due to its powerful hardware, attractive design and not the highest price - which, however, is not surprising for Windows Phone devices.

The smartphone is based on a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with a frequency of each core of 2.2 GHz, has 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of non-volatile memory without the ability to connect a microSD card. Battery capacity 2420 mAh.

Read the review of the site.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

This smartphone can easily be called the most powerful compact gadget of 2014, which allowed it to get into our rating.


Mini version of current Sony flagship received a 4.6-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, a glass and plastic body, powerful processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, 20.7 megapixel camera and 2 GB of RAM. Internal memory Only 16 GB, also supports memory cards. The battery capacity was 2600 mAh. The thickness of the device is 8.6 mm, weight is 129 grams. The cases are available in white, black, orange and green.

Huawei Ascend P7

Rounding out the top 10 smartphones of 2014 according to TUT.BY is the stylish flagship Huawei -.


He became one of the most popular gadgets in Belarus at the end of the past year for an excellent combination of design (thin and light body made of plastic and glass), characteristics and cost. The 5-inch smartphone with a Full HD display, 8-megapixel front and 13-megapixel main cameras received a Kirin 910T processor with four ARM Cortex-A9 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz and Mali-450 graphics. RAM capacity - 2 GB, flash drive 16 GB permanent memory plus a MicroSD slot.

Which smartphones deserve to be in the top 10 in your opinion? Write to us in the comments.

How to choose the best smartphone? The iPhone still offers the most intuitive clear interface and strives to be the first to get the most anticipated applications. But the largest screens and the most variety in settings are typical for Android devices. And Windows Phones smartphones will be of interest to novice photographers (Lumia series from Nokia).

In the Galaxy S5 smartphone you will find a set most interesting functions, including an in-display fingerprint sensor and a heart rate monitor that works with the improved S Health app. But those specifications aren't what make it a favorite. The S5 has an improved camera with fast focusing and real-time HDR mode. The display has become larger and even more beautiful, and the battery life has been significantly extended. All this was packed into a case protected from water and dust. In general, the S5 became the best smartphone in our ranking.

With an excellent metal build, Sense UI, loud speakers, 5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel display, HTC One (M8) is among the best smartphones and promises vivid viewing of photo and video files. The updated BlinkFeed interface turns your phone screen into a colorful hub for all your news and social updates. To the advantages of the M8 we add the Duo Camera system and long battery life.

IPhone 5S, which received a 64-bit A7 processor from Apple, occupies a leading position in smartphone ratings. The improved chip gives it twice the overall efficiency and graphics power of the previous iPhone. In addition, the camera in the iPhone 5S has undergone significant improvements; it has larger pixels and a dual flash, and shoots up to 10 fps in continuous shooting mode.

New Touch function ID allows you to unlock your device via the built-in fingerprint sensor and purchase applications. Battery capacity has also increased, and you can choose the device in several colors, including space gray and gold.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 phablet with bright screen Full HD and super-fast Snapdragon 800 processor lasts more than 11 hours. The manufacturer has significantly improved the functionality of the electronic pen (stylus). Connoisseurs of multitasking mode will be pleased with the ability to run applications simultaneously in two windows and the ability to drag content from one window to another. You'll need both hands to operate the Galaxy Note 3, but if you want a phone that doubles as a tablet, it's your best choice today.

OnePlus One definitely deserves a place on our list. For just $300, you get a large 5.5-inch Full HD screen, a fast Snapdragon 801 processor, and excellent battery life. The CyanogenMod 11S firmware, running on top of the Android 4.4 KitKat platform, gives additional features In the settings and security settings, you can also configure shortcuts on the lock screen.

He is not afraid of dust, water and sand. Samsung Galaxy S5 Active is a reliable smartphone for all occasions. This Android device can survive being submerged in water up to one meter deep for 30 minutes and being dropped from a height of 120cm. Moreover, you can even take pictures using the 16MP camera underwater. As for the rest of the characteristics, here is the best of all flagship model S5, including a bright and vibrant AMOLED display, long time battery life and built-in heart rate monitor. The only thing missing is a fingerprint scanner.

Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the Lumia 1020 from Nokia. The presence of a 41-megapixel sensor, a fast Carl Zeiss lens with six lenses and an optical stabilization system, the ability to zoom after shooting and a host of other functions provide the Lumia 1020 with a stable leadership position in the ranking of camera phones. Advanced camera apps let you adjust exposure, focus, and more through easy-to-use controls. Nokia Lumia 1020 easily becomes the best Windows Phone smartphone.

Naturally, not every person will be able to buy a flagship at a price of about $800, such as the iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S5. However, fortunately, developers are not limited to producing only expensive models and today you can buy a decent smartphone at a low price. It is clear that he will be deprived of the most latest innovations And best characteristics, such as a Full HD display and a 13-megapixel camera, but “pull” games with average graphics and perform various tasks he definitely can. Compared to last year, prices for budget smartphones have decreased significantly. Today, a smartphone with last year’s characteristics in the mid-price segment can be purchased at a budget price.

Asus ZenFone 5 – the most affordable HD smartphone

The first we will review will be an excellent inexpensive smartphone from Asus. The ZenFone series, which has created a stir among low- and mid-range smartphones, boasts quite worthwhile devices. However, this particular smartphone is the most optimal of this line. Its body is made of plastic, but thanks to the original solution at the bottom of the front panel, the phone stands out among other budget models of the same type and does not look cheap at all.

ZenFone 5 is an excellent inexpensive smartphone that has a 5-inch HD display, two SIM cards, a memory card slot, a dual-core processor from Intel, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, and a very nice design. Thanks to the beveled corners and thinning around the edges of the case, the device fits very well in the hand. The smartphone has a fairly low price, having the same characteristics as devices from competing companies such as Lenovo, Huawei, Fly and others.

The smartphone screen with a 5-inch IPS matrix has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and is covered with Gorilla Glass 3, and the pixel density is 294 ppi, so it will be difficult to see the pixels. The brightness reserve is large, there is oleophobic and anti-reflective coating, so you can easily clean the display from streaks and dirt. This model equipped with an 8-megapixel main camera with autofocus and ASUS technology PixelMaster, which takes excellent photos comparable to top models. There is also a 2-megapixel front camera with acceptable quality. The 2110 mAh battery is enough for one day of active use.

Price: 150$.

Conclusion: For a relatively low price you will receive great smartphone, which is worth the money.

LG L60 is an amazing budget phone

The LG L60 is a smartphone that is completely worth the money. For a very small price, the buyer receives a full-fledged dual-SIM device with many functions.

The appearance of the smartphone does not particularly stand out among other budget models: a stylish and plump phone with a thickness of 11.8 mm. However, due to its characteristics, the device deserves special attention.

L60 is equipped with a 2-core processor from MediaTek. Its frequency is 1.3 GHz. The volume of built-in memory is 8 GB, expandable with a memory card, and RAM is 512 MB, which is a little disappointing, but do not forget what class of smartphone we are dealing with. The display diagonal of this model is 4.3 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, which will be quite enough for web surfing and watching videos. Another feature is the pre-installed version of Android 4.4 KitKat, which is extremely rare in budget devices.

The smartphone is equipped with two cameras. The main 5 megapixel camera makes nice pictures with sufficient lighting. There is also a front 0.3 MP camera. The battery capacity is 1640 mAh, and thanks to these characteristics of the device, the charge will last for 3 days of moderate use.

Price: 75$.

Conclusion: Lg L60 is an excellent inexpensive smartphone with a front camera and dual SIM cards that deserves the attention of anyone who wants to buy a budget smartphone.

Motorola Moto G – an ambitious budget phone

Today, powerful, inexpensive smartphones are increasingly occupying the market. Moto G is the most balanced phone in terms of price and quality. The entire phone is made of plastic, but the back side has a very pleasant soft-touch coating, which, unfortunately, will retain fingerprints and dirt. It is also prone to scratches.

The Moto G display has a 4.5-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1280 by 720, which gives 235 pixels/inch. You will practically not be able to see the pixels. The IPS matrix gives the screen even better quality with very vibrant colors and wonderful viewing angles. In addition, the display covers protective glass Gorilla Glass 3 to prevent abrasions. The cameras of this model will not please you. Moto G has two of them: the main one is 5 MP and the front one is 1.3 MP. Both of them do not have autofocus and their quality leaves much to be desired.

Probably the main disadvantage of this device is that there is no slot for a Micro-SD card. However, the manufacturer offers two versions of this model: 8 and 16 GB. Snapdragon processor 400, which has four cores at 1.2 GHz, GPU Adreno 305 and 1 GB of RAM provide a very “fast” interface, as well as sufficient performance for games. This model comes close to mid-price smartphones according to synthetic tests.

A 2070 mAh autonomous battery provides approximately a day of active use with the device without recharging, and about two days with moderate use.

Price:$150 – 8 GB, $170 – 16 GB.

Conclusion: The Motorola Moto G has no significant shortcomings. It has a nice design, good performance, a high-quality display and amazing ergonomics. Thanks to this, Moto G deservedly takes first place in terms of price/quality ratio.

Nokia Lumia 630 Dual SIM – the cheapest Windows Phone

Lumia 630 Dual SIM is a new and inexpensive smartphone running Windows Phone 8.1 OS. This device is a successor to the previous one budget model from Nokia - Lumia 520. This is the first device on WP 8.1 OS that has two SIM cards. The design of this model is very nice and typical of the Lumia line. The phone is very well built and fits well in the hand.

The heart of the smartphone is a 4-core Snapdragon 400 with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, and Adreno 305 is responsible for graphics. There is only 512 MB of RAM, but for this OS this is enough for smooth operation of the interface. Built-in memory 8 GB. The thickness of the device is 9.2 mm and weighs 134 g.

The main 5-megapixel camera with autofocus will not please you with excellent quality, but for a budget phone it will be quite enough. The battery has a capacity of 1820 mAh, which gives three days of operation with moderate use.

Price: 90$.

Conclusion: Overall, Nokia has created an excellent inexpensive dual-SIM smartphone that will please many users at its price.

Samsung Galaxy Star Advance is the most inexpensive smartphone

In the summer of 2014, some inexpensive Samsung smartphones from the Galaxy line were released, of which Star Advance turned out to be the cheapest, but its characteristics are pleasantly surprising. This model is also equipped with the latest version at the time of the smartphone’s release – Android 4.4 KitKat, which is mainly equipped with top models. This is the second most important advantage of this smartphone after the amazing price.

The new Star looks very good, has good design and ergonomics. The display measures 4.3 inches and is made in TFT technology. The resolution is 480 by 800 pixels. The model is equipped with a single-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, as well as 512 MB of RAM. By modern standards this is not the most the best option, but for full operation of the smartphone this is more than enough. A battery with a capacity of 1800 mAh will allow you to use the phone for 3 days without recharging. The Star Advance camera has a 3-megapixel sensor and corresponding quality. You can forget about great photos. The device also has two slots for SIM cards.

Price: 69$.

Conclusion: The Korean company has come up with a very successful budget device. The only drawback of this model can be considered only bad camera. This inexpensive dual-SIM smartphone will undoubtedly top the ranking of inexpensive smartphones in 2014.

This year has brought us a large number of devices with good characteristics and at a reasonable price. All this happens because manufacturers compete not only at the flagship level, but also at the budget level as well. Thanks to this competition, the price of some devices turned out to be quite low. This concludes the review of inexpensive smartphones in 2014.

After all the companies showed their vision of flagships for 2014 and began selling them, there was a need to figure out which device is better, what each model offers unique and unusual. Of course, it was possible to add not only flagships to the comparison, but this makes no sense, since they often choose best device, without regard to cost. The Galaxy Note 3 will remain outside the scope of this comparison, despite the fact that it can compete with all the devices listed. But its 5.7-inch diagonal automatically places it in the phablet category, which is difficult to evaluate by the same standards as regular flagships. Reasoning this way, I racked my brains for a long time about whether it was worth leaving this iPhone comparison 5s, since its screen diagonal also makes the device stand out from the existing market. But at the same time, this is one of the most popular models, and therefore I decided to leave it in comparison in order to at the same time show how quickly the gap in functionality between the iPhone and its Android competitors is growing.

According to good tradition, our “Buyer’s Guide” is not ultimatum in nature; we do not impose our opinion on you at all, but rather give food for thought. We show the strengths and weak sides each product, we describe the unique features. You yourself will be able to highlight those characteristics that play the greatest role for you, and compare these models based on your needs and this material. And ultimately get the most objective picture that is possible for you. After all, no one knows you better than yourself. No one can tell you what exactly you like to do on your device and how critical the camera, operating time, screen diagonal and other characteristics are to you. After necessary preface let's start our comparison.

Cost, brand perception, secondary market

When buying a phone for 30,000 rubles, people expect to get the maximum possible - it should be a model that has no or minor compromises. The price also implies trust in the brand, its perception and, as a result, the willingness to pay money for such a product.

It will not be a secret if I say that Apple has the strongest brand among the manufacturers in question. The word iPhone has not become a household word, but most buyers irrationally want to get this particular device. So the iPhone has long turned into not specific device, but as a kind of statement about lifestyle, preferences, level of income - real or imaginary. This is perhaps why the iPhone is the most common smartphone on the market today.

The Sony and HTC brands, on the contrary, are presented at the other end of consumer perception - they are somewhat reminiscent of the slogan “Think different”, both manufacturers were strong in the market 5 years ago, both have lost their glory. Both HTC and Sony are characterized by the presence of a small but very loyal audience, which can easily be compared with Apple fans - but the scale is different. Both manufacturers in the flagship segment have negligible sales and have virtually no impact on the market. As a result, many people cannot find such devices in their hands. Sony has one more feature: unlike all the companies presented in the comparison, they update their flagships twice a year. While other manufacturers do this only once a year. So, Galaxy line updated in the spring, at the same time HTC shows its device and starts selling it. But Sony is trying to sit on two chairs at the same time - in the spring they show one device, and in the fall, shortly before the announcement of the new iPhone, its improved version. As a result, the price of flagships from Sony is falling much faster than for competing solutions - but the main thing is that a person ends up with an obsolete flagship in his hands. An improved version appears on the market. For many buyers who are not committed to Sony Style, this frequency of product updates is a blocking factor for purchase.

Finally, it’s worth stopping at Samsung - the Galaxy line is the second most important in sales after the iPhone, it is perceived by many consumers as a smart choice, optimal in terms of price/quality ratio, and the strength of the Samsung brand is last years only increased, which pushed sales up. It can be argued that it is Apple and Samsung that are the priorities when choosing a flagship device for consumers; all other models act as alternatives. For example, in Russia, the percentage of sales of the flagships of these two companies in 2013 was 92 percent, and other companies shared the remaining crumbs (Nokia, LG can also be included here).

	iPhone 5S	Galaxy S5		HTC One M8
Diagonal	4 inches	5.1 inches	5.2 inches	5 inches
Permission	1136x640 pixels	1920x1080 pixels	1920x1080 pixels	1920x1080 pixels
Dots per inch, ppi	326	432	423	441
Screen type	IPS	SuperAMOLED	IPS	SuperLCD3
Oleophobic coating	Yes, good quality	Yes, good quality		Yes, good quality
Comments	Elongated screen		Insufficient brightness reserve

All flagships are presented at the same price, with the exception of the HTC One M8, this model is 10 percent more expensive, which is due to HTC’s reluctance (or inability) to bear costs due to the changed dollar exchange rate and the weakening of the ruble. Sony and Samsung decided to reduce their margins in order not to go beyond the important milestone of 29,990 rubles - this is a psychological line beyond which it is difficult to sell smartphones without regard to their functionality. On the other hand, HTC understands that the market share is minimal and the price does not affect sales growth for their brand. That's why we decided to change it. For the consumer, this is more of a minus than a plus. But I want to emphasize that this cannot be a serious obstacle when purchasing such a device - after all, the difference is not that huge.

Over the course of the year, the reduction in price of Galaxy, Xperia, and One occurs according to the established pattern: Samsung starts first, then competitors catch up. Usually the price decreases evenly - after three months to the level of 27,990 rubles, then a little lower and then to 24,990. After a year, the price is set at 20-21 thousand rubles. That is, the device loses about 30 percent of its original cost. At Sony, price changes after the release of a new flagship can occur faster; for example, over the course of a year, the price of Sony Z (C6603) dropped from 29,990 to 14,990 rubles. This is the record holder for the cheapest price.

The cost of the HTC One M7 (previous generation) did not decrease so much over the year - from 29,990 to 24,990 rubles (although it should be noted that the price increased by 2,000 rubles in April 2014 due to exchange rate differences, which made the price reduction not so noticeable).

For those who plan to sell their phone in a year on the secondary market, it is worth looking at the Apple iPhone - prices are kept at a fairly high level, and selling a phone for half the price is quite possible. While with other manufacturers this is not possible. But for most buyers of such products, such a factor as the subsequent sale of the phone does not play any role; they still buy the device for use and with the hope that it will meet all expectations.

Scope of delivery – additional accessories

Usually, when we buy expensive things, manufacturers try to give us a set additional accessories, which will make the purchase even more pleasant and eliminate the need to buy them separately. It must be admitted that the package contents of all flagships, except Sony, are very meager and typical - a charger with a synchronization cable, instructions, a wired stereo headset, and that's all.

Sony includes in the package a desktop charger, as well as a stereo headset with noise reduction - it costs about 2,000 rubles separately.

That is, it turns out that the Sony package is not just richer, it saves you money and makes using the device more enjoyable. As for the headset, what you find in the kit with Samsung and HTC does not have any special sound quality; regular headsets sound average. The headset included with the iPhone sounds better and is only slightly better than average.

At Samsung, all Galaxy S5 buyers receive pre-installed applications and services that separately cost quite a decent amount of money. So, in the advertisement the company mentions that the cost of these programs is equal to the cost of the phone (that is, about 30,000 rubles). You probably won’t need many of the services, but, for example, a 50 GB subscription to DropBox, a premium account in sports applications, or other goodies may come in handy.

In my opinion, comparing the applications on the phone and the package is not very correct. What you can touch in the box will always win, and here the Sony Z2 is the undoubted leader. In terms of price/quality ratio it is best kit supplies.

Due to its wide distribution in the market iPhone quantity There are tens of thousands of both branded and third-party accessories for every taste, color, and budget. Next comes Galaxy, but the wealth of offers for Sony and HTC is much poorer. At the same time, branded accessories from these companies are much more expensive. Thus, a case with a hole from HTC, which makes a stunning impression, but does not have any electronics, costs about 2,000 rubles.

Case materials, protection against water and falls

It so happened that we are accustomed to thinking that metal is perceived as a sign of an expensive product, but plastic is the lot of everyone else. The iPhone 5s uses aluminum in the body design, as a result, this device is one of the best in terms of its premium component. The HTC One M8 also has a body made entirely of metal, and this makes it very interesting - it fits well in the hand and is cool.

The Sony Z2 uses glass on both the front and back surfaces, with an aluminum frame around it. This is an attempt to create top phone with materials other than aluminum. It turned out unusual, but very dirty - the surfaces collect handprints, you have to constantly wipe them. For pedants fixated on cleanliness, this device is contraindicated.

The Z2's design is less drop-resistant than other devices. Surprisingly, but true - the glass covering the case does not crack, unlike the iPhone, where broken glass is common problem. In Z2, the internal board is usually damaged and the device fails. If I can say so, this is the most fragile model of all the flagships. But here it all depends on your bad luck - sometimes the phone can fall on the carpet and break, and sometimes it can withstand a fall on the asphalt and get off with light scratches.

The three other models are quite comparable in terms of behavior during falls; they are approximately equivalent and undergo the same tests at factories. If the iPhone and HTC do not have any protection against water, then the Sony and Samsung have it. Both devices can spend up to 30 minutes underwater at a depth of up to one meter. You just need to make sure that all the plugs are closed. I swam with these devices in the city baths of Budapest, which aroused great interest among young people who watched with all their eyes as the phones sank, were picked up, removed from them and sank again. After a few weeks, these devices feel great, no problems have appeared in them.

IN Sony protection IP55/58, in Galaxy S5 – IP67. From Samsung features I would like to note the water-repellent coating on the back cover. The presence of protection is an additional plus and a guarantee that if you drop your phone in the toilet or bathtub (the first and second place among drowning victims), you will not lose it. On the other hand, if you get it quickly, then HTC and Apple will not have any problems. And if you dry it properly, you won’t notice any problems in the future.

Device screens - sizes, quality, comparison

Perhaps, main characteristic For a smartphone today, the screen size is changing - the smaller the screen, the more delicate the fonts and the less information can fit on it. For Apple, for many years, the sacred cow was the size of the phone, so since 2007 the width of the screen has not changed, although the current model has a 4-inch matrix, it has only grown in height. This allowed for continuity iPhone sizes in width, but falls far behind competitors who have made their models much more convenient in terms of displays. And Apple's internal research, which became public in the Apple-Samsung trial in the US, shows that the majority of iPhone users dream of a big screen. By the way, this is one of the reasons why people do not buy an iPhone, but switch to other smartphones - the screen is small by modern standards.

	iPhone 5S	Galaxy S5		HTC One M8
Diagonal	4 inches	5.1 inches	5.2 inches	5 inches
Permission	1136x640 pixels	1920x1080 pixels	1920x1080 pixels	1920x1080 pixels
Dots per inch, ppi	326	432	423	441
Screen type	IPS	SuperAMOLED	IPS	SuperLCD3
Oleophobic coating	Yes, good quality	Yes, good quality	Yes, average, leaves fingerprints	Yes, good quality
Comments	Elongated screen	Gray mode, battery saving, unique AMOLED technology	Insufficient brightness reserve

In my opinion, all devices are comparable in terms of image display quality, color rendition, and font legibility. The iPhone has font size adjustment, but the fact that the display is inferior in width to its competitors, and very much so, does not allow this option to be fully implemented. In this aspect, the iPhone is very outdated, and in my opinion the screen is the key characteristic of a modern smartphone. For those who use their phone more for calls, SMS and less for browsing the web, the iPhone will be convenient - it has a small body size, is quite light and convenient. This is an ideal dialer, but as a smartphone it is far from ideal; its competitors have long since surpassed it. Rumors persist that the next iPhone model will have a large screen, I am inclined to believe them. This is logical, and Apple cannot ignore the market, and it dictates what consumers want. Perhaps it was precisely because of the screen size that I even wanted to take the iPhone out of this comparison. But in the end I left it.

In the Sony Z2, the screen brightness is not always enough, and this is the Achilles heel of the device. But for most people this screen will seem good and of high quality; it is somewhat inferior in its characteristics to its competitors, but by and large, will be perceived at the same level.

The screen in the Galaxy S5 is the richest in settings and various operating modes; it was even called one of best screens in the current generation of devices. The number of different technologies used in it exceeds several dozen, and it is a kind of work of art. You can customize this screen to suit your preferences.

The HTC screen is very good, but the number of settings is much smaller; you cannot fine-tune the screen to suit you and your preferences.

Look at the comparison of the screens of HTC One M8, Galaxy S5, Sony Z2 (located from top to bottom). I think that in these photographs you will not notice any difference (maximum backlight). In life, the differences are also leveled out, but I would like to emphasize once again that this is more of a question fine adjustments and their capabilities, working in automatic modes.

From top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2

Comparison of cameras - who takes better pictures?

Inexpensive digital point-and-shoot cameras have ceased to exist; most manufacturers are curtailing their production, as modern phones successfully replace them. We are accustomed to the fact that flagships use best cameras that give high quality images and allow you to publish photos on social networks or show them to friends or send them by mail.

Perhaps the key difference between the approach of Apple and other companies is the way the cameras are organized - for example, the iPhone does not have complex and additional settings, the ideology is simple - point and shoot. As a result, this may sometimes be lacking, but for most, the iPhone means quality photography. Although the iPhone 5s is already far behind the current generation of flagships in terms of photo quality. However, this happens every year, since Android flagships get a head start of almost six months, then a new iPhone comes out that catches up with them, and everything repeats again.

Not long ago we spent comparison test cameras of major smartphones, including a “blind vote” among our readers. The results are quite predictable - devices such as the Galaxy S5 and Sony Z2 were at the same level, while the iPhone 5s lagged behind them. But the unique technology of two cameras in the HTC One M8, which, moreover, produces a final image with a resolution of 4 megapixels, turned out to be unsuccessful - the images were inferior to all the devices presented in comparison.

Considering that this is a very detailed material that covers shooting in different conditions, I will not repeat it here. Check out the comparison results from the links above.

In a short summary, I want to say that in terms of manual settings and capabilities, the Galaxy S5/Sony Z2 is ahead of all others, then with a noticeable gap iPhone is coming and closes HTC. If the quality of your photos is important to you, and you really want to take good pictures, then you cannot consider HTC as a candidate for purchase. The camera is the weakest point of this device.

Operating time – how long will the phone last?

There is an opinion that the iPhone has the longest operating time among all smartphone manufacturers. Several generations ago this was true, but today the situation has changed - all phones show comparable operating time, and the iPhone, due to its smaller screen, is completely inferior to its competitors in terms of energy efficiency.

To estimate the operating time, we did not look only at the stated parameters or battery capacity, but simply measured it with this use - 3 hours of screen operation at maximum backlight, 30 minutes of calls, 30 minutes in a Wi-Fi connection, 20 minutes of downloading files via 4G connection, 1 GB capacity, 30 minutes of music listening. The result turned out to be quite interesting - the Galaxy S5 sat down first, the HTC lasted a little longer (plus 1.5 hours), the iPhone worked at its level, but the Z2 turned out to be the undoubted leader, it was able to work for about another 5.5 hours. In reality, this means that the first three devices can work for about one daylight hours (depending on your settings, you can also do some magic here, and a lot depends on what you use, how many programs, and so on). But the undoubted leader was the Z2, which can last about 1.5-2 days, this result is similar to the operating time of the Galaxy Note 3, which is one of the longest-lived smartphones on the market (in its class).

Memory, expandable memory

Traditionally, on an iPhone, you don't have the ability to expand the built-in memory; you have to make do with the amount you have. The prices for the 32 and 64 GB versions are about a hundred dollars, that is, you will have to pay extra for a model with the volume that you need. This is a serious disadvantage, since all competitors also have built-in memory starting from 16 GB, but there is a microSD memory card available, where you are free to choose a card of any size (up to 128 GB). Which will ultimately give you more memory than the iPhone can provide and, moreover, for less money. Moreover, you can not buy a memory card right away, but buy it at the moment when you need it and you understand how much memory you have for certain things. With an iPhone, choosing the wrong amount of memory when purchasing is fatal; you will have to constantly transfer your files to your computer.

Multimedia capabilities – radio, codecs and other “little things”

Ideologically, the iPhone has always avoided installing an FM radio, although we know from the example of the iPod that the company could, in theory, install it here too. But the iPhone doesn't have a radio. Samsung also ditched FM radio. Therefore, if you need a radio, then you should look at HTC or Sony.

Another difference is the supported audio and video codecs. Android smartphones come pre-installed with almost all common codecs out of the box; you can watch unconverted video and listen to FLAC files. In iPhone for this you need to search special programs, there are quite a few of them, and their characteristics cannot be compared with the variety of software that is on Android. To some extent, the iPhone is redeemed by the fact that many films and music are prepared for listening and viewing on it, converted in advance. But still, greater omnivorousness is on the side of Android devices. Some will consider this important, others, on the contrary, will not pay attention to it.

People are divided into those who react to the world exclusively emotionally, and those who try to be pragmatic. I am close to those who try to combine both seriousness and ease of perception, when emotions are no less important than reasonable reasoning.

In terms of emotionality, the charge that the manufacturer has put into their devices, I am close to both the iPhone 5s and the HTC One M8. Whether this is due to the metal of the case, the quality of workmanship, or the overall thoughtfulness and proportionality of the devices, I don’t know. This is just my impression, yours may be completely different. The design of the Z2 is definitely not for everyone; it clearly stands out among other models. But the Galaxy S5 does not touch you emotionally at all - a powerful and interesting filling in a faceless, typical body. But at the same time, for me personally, the advantages that the Galaxy S5 has outweigh its external dullness and inexpressiveness.

I don’t know what parameters are important to you, what kind of life you lead. That's why I've given reasons both for and against each device, so that you can choose what's important to you. Many people do not want to make decisions even on something as small as choosing a phone for themselves; they rely on the opinion of experts and try to shift all the blame for this decision onto them. This is not true because no one but you will tell you what you need.

While working on this material, I caught myself thinking that Android smartphones have become very similar in their functionality, and their differences are not so serious, strengths and weaknesses are distributed approximately equally. The iPhone is a completely different matter; it relies on the strength of the Apple brand, which allows it to sell significantly less functionality (smaller screen, less memory, worse camera, etc.). Basically, for certain scenarios using iPhone is practically perfect, and is something of a counterweight to the Android smartphones reviewed in this buyer's guide. But these are completely different usage scenarios, which are already more typical for a telephone than a modern smartphone. The question remains open: how many people need the smartphone rather than the telephone component of such devices. And how often?

There is still a lot of time until the fall, when the next iPhone should appear. At the beginning of summer, Samsung will show us several more devices in addition to the Galaxy S5, which may change our opinion both about the design of flagships and about the capabilities of South Korean designers. But in any case, if you need a top-end phone, then you should choose it today and not turn into a chronic waiter - a person who cannot buy a device and lives from announcement to announcement, meticulously studying all the characteristics of new products and not daring to buy any of them .

Now let's take a look at the camera parameters in the tested devices and get started.

Phone model	Number of megapixels	Angle (mm)	Lens aperture	Image stabilization
LG G2	13	30	F2.4	Optical
Nokia Lumia 1020	5/38	26	F2.2	Optical
Nokia Lumia 1520	20	26	F2.4	Optical
FujiFilm X20 camera	12	28	F2.0	Optical
Samsung Galaxy Camera 2	16	23	F2.8	Optical
Samsung Galaxy S5	16	31	F2.2	Digital
HTC One (M8)	4	28	F2.0	Optical
Samsung Galaxy Note 3	13	34	F2.2	Digital
Sony Xperia Z2	8/20	28	F2.0	Digital
Apple iPhone 5S	8	34	F2.2	Digital

Shooting conditions

Almost all the photos were taken on smartphones in automatic mode (touch focus was not used, and on the Sony Xperia Z2 they set “Smart Mode” and manual, on the Nokia 1020 photos were taken in 5 MP and 38 MP modes), with automatic white balance, standard settings sharpness, color rendition and maximum quality. Where it was possible to enable optical or electronic stabilization in the settings, we turned it on. Each frame was taken on phone cameras from one position with a minimum time interval (about 5 seconds). We didn't try to achieve perfect photo(for example, using a tripod) because a common person, probably won't bother with a mobile camera that much. Standard scheme taking photographs - took out the gadget, launched the camera and took pictures.

Everything that will be described is a purely subjective point of view, based not on the results of your vote, but on your own experience.

Who where?

1. LG G2
2. Nokia Lumia 1020
3. Nokia Lumia 1520
4. FujiFilm X20
5. Samsung Galaxy Camera 2
6. Samsung Galaxy S5
7. HTC One (M8)
8. Nokia Lumia 1020 (5 MP)
9. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
10. Sony Xperia Z2
11. Sony Xperia Z2 (auto mode 8 MP)
12. iPhone 5S

Poor indoor lighting

The shot was taken in the stairwell of GUM. This place does not have very good mixed lighting (lamps above daylight, on the left – sunlight).

It seems to me, Samsung Note 3 did a little better than the others. Although, in fact, it is extremely difficult to judge, since almost all devices took approximately the same frame. The Note 3 has a brighter picture, good detail, and white balance is close to ideal. Second place would be given to Nokia Lumia 1520, but its photo is a little green. Third place – Sony Xperia Z2 in “Auto” mode. The rest of the photos are difficult to comment on. The only thing that stands out is the Nokia Lumia 1020 with the darkest frame.

In principle, a good photo at number 8, under which the Nokia 1020 with a 5 MP image was “hidden”.

Shooting indoors in good lighting

The shot was taken in good natural light inside the GUM building. IN in this case It’s the detailing that’s worth considering, since the emphasis was on the sign in the frame.

First place - Nokia Lumia 1020. No wonder, because it has the highest resolution. Second place – number 9 – is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Along with it is the Samsung Galaxy S5. Third place, in my opinion, is occupied by the Sony Xperia Z2 with a 20 MP frame.

It’s again difficult to comment on the remaining shots: some are a little better, some are a little worse.

Shooting macro in good lighting

In fact, I don't like testing cameras in macro mode because the photographer's offset relative to the subject produces a different image on different devices.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 did the best job with this mode: high detail, correct white balance, good contrast and color rendition. I think that first place should be shared with the Sony Xperia Z2 with an 8 MP photo in automatic mode. You can add Nokia Lumia 1020 to them, since its photo is the largest. Second place - Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The worst shots - 3, 4, 7 - are Nokia 1520, FujiFilm X20 and HTC One.

Shooting in sunlight

The most favorable filming conditions: the sun behind, blue sky, contrasting object.

I liked photo number 8 – Nokia 1020. Here is a low-resolution frame (5 MP), but with high detail and correct white balance. Second place - Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Of course, we could have added the Galaxy S5 here, but its image seemed noisier. Third – Sony Xperia Z2 in “auto” mode. Please note that Sony Xperia Z2 manual mode I took the most unfortunate shot, much like the HTC One M8.

Shooting against the sun

It seems to me that shooting against the sun is difficult not only for smartphone cameras, but also for regular cameras. A lot depends on the lens. The sun is above.

I think that there are two outsiders in this test: surprisingly, the FujiFilm X20 camera and the HTC One M8 smartphone. The frames are dark, the details are extremely poorly done. The remaining devices showed approximately the same results. The most “creepy” BB is the Nokia Lumia 1520, the most correct is the Nokia Lumia 1020, Galaxy Note 3.

Shooting a landscape in sunlight

This test shows the capabilities of cameras in terms of detail. The sun is behind.

In theory, the Nokia Lumia 1020 should be in first place here. Alas, this is not the case. The fact is that this device sometimes takes pictures very well with high detail, and at times the picture is slightly blurry. I have not been able to figure out what this depends on. In any case, know that the 1020 takes photos with maximum detail.

Since we have to evaluate based on specific images, the first place, in my opinion, goes to Samsung Note 3: a clean and contrasty image with the right WB. Samsung camera The Galaxy S5 made a slight mistake: more artifacts, less detail. Therefore - second place. Third – 10 and 1 – Sony Xperia Z2 in manual mode and LG G2. The worst of all are Nokia Lumia 1020 (only because the resolution is 5 MP) and Samsung Galaxy Camera 2.

Taking a portrait in low light

We apologize that we couldn't find a person for the portrait, so we have a plastic gentleman in a black hat.

I liked photo number 8. This is a Nokia Lumia 1020 in 5 MP resolution. Many may say that the white balance is wrong here. In fact, the mannequin's face is not yellow, but close to the color of a person's face. There was a violet light shining from the right, so the nose and shirt were correctly colored that color.

FujiFilm X20 and Sony Xperia Z2 took very good photos in auto mode. About the same - Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 in manual mode.

Shooting in minimal light

The most difficult testing for mobile cameras.

The best picture, I think, was taken by the Nokia Lumia 1020 (ISO 800) in both 38 MP and 5 MP: high detail, minimum artifacts or noise. Oddly enough, the second place is occupied by the HTC One M8 (shutter speed 1/12, ISO 640). It has slightly less detail, but a slightly brighter image.

Worst photos: Sony Xperia Z2 (1/25, ISO 1000) in manual mode, Samsung Galaxy S5. It is worth noting that the Galaxy S5 takes photographs in auto mode, and in this case the “Night” mode was set. In terms of time, the S5 takes the longest time to shoot – about 4 seconds including processing! The remaining devices were removed in approximately the same way.

Shooting text under artificial light

The subject of the shooting is a newspaper. 4 fluorescent lamps with a warm tint shine from above.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 and Apple iPhone 5 have the ideal white balance. The FujiFilm X20 camera has the most incorrect one.

If we talk about detail, then in the photo of the Sony Xperia Z2 in manual mode you can see the texture of the photo’s print pattern (small circles at the bottom right). However, the edges of the frame are slightly blurred, perhaps due to the F2.0 aperture. The texture can also be seen on the Nokia Lumia 1020 in a 5-megapixel photo. Weakly, but still noticeable on the Nokia Lumia 1520. The HTC One M8 takes the worst pictures.

Conclusion

Once again I would like to repeat that I carried out the photographs and testing, so, naturally, the testing results are purely subjective.

If we are talking about a smartphone with maximum possible settings and subsequent processing, the first place is occupied by the Nokia Lumia 1020. I understand that many will disagree, however, the Lumia 1020 is the only smartphone that can shoot in RAW format (a digital photography format containing raw data obtained from a photo matrix). Of course, few people will deal with processing and reformatting from DNG to the usual JPEG, nevertheless, such a thing exists. In addition, no one is stopping you from shooting in 5 + 38 MP JPEG mode.

Another 1020 boasts fully manual settings: shutter speed, ISO, exposure, white balance and even focus. As a bonus, there is a xenon flash and an LED that helps you focus in low light.

Don't forget that Lumia has a dedicated camera button, and if you buy a special case, you will not only get protection for the device, but also a comfortable grip for your smartphone for shooting, a thread for a tripod, and a built-in battery (1020 mAh).

Of course, the Nokia 1020 also has significant disadvantages:

• Shooting speed (camera launch, focusing, processing) is the slowest of all existing smartphones on Russian market
• Large dimensions of the device
• Small screen and low matrix resolution
• IMHO, but still the operating room remains for me Windows system Phone. Although you can already live with 8.1.

I would put several in second place at once mobile gadgets: Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2.

Samsung has the best quality so far: minimum artifacts, minimum noise, good detail, fast and accurate focus. With a minimal margin – Samsung Galaxy S5. At the moment the device has several problems. I really hope that they are related to the firmware. The essence of the problems is this: there is a lot of digital noise and artifacts in S5 photographs, autofocus does not work well at close distances, and in low light it may not focus at all. However, as we were promised, colors are not distorted in the dark.

Sony smartphone The Xperia Z2 is still unclear to me from the point of view of taking photos: some photos come out better in auto mode, others in manual mode, and there are often blurs in landscape photos. The wide angle and decent detail in the center of the frame are pleasing.

The Nokia Lumia 1520 takes decent photographs, but its white balance is simply a disaster. In addition, among all the test gadgets, it is the largest.

The iPhone 5S is 100% average, although I put it in penultimate place. Last year there was approximately the same result. The device doesn’t have enough stars in the sky, but it doesn’t, roughly speaking, fall flat on its face.

The LG G2 smartphone takes good pictures, at least it fights noise well and “draws” a nice picture.

Last place occupied by the HTC One M8 camera. His shots look great only on screen. Positive points: decent night photography, high speed camera launch, shooting speed.

Total:

1. Nokia Lumia 1020
2. Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2
3. Nokia Lumia 1520
4. LG G2
5. Apple iPhone 5

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