Best Smartphones 2018 – Buyer’s Guide

You’re looking for a premium smartphone but you don’t know what to buy? Find out which are the best smartphones models of May 2018.
“They say there is no innovation without competition.”

Each year brings to the table new smartphones, many not only with increased performance but also with other types of innovation.

Our plan is to create a top 10 best smartphones of 2018. Of course, it’s risky, because such classifications are often the main reason for criticism from the owners of other phones than those presented in the top, or those that are present, but in a place lower than one may expect. Though things seem pretty clear in terms of arranging this top, sometimes the differences between smartphones are quite small and insignificant.

Even though the best phones of 2018 are relatively similar when it comes to specifications, the differences become significant when it comes to innovation.
Top smartphones are a true mobile office, being extremely useful for those who work while traveling.

Best Smartphones 2018

1. Samsung Galaxy S8 – The gigantic ultra wide AMOLED screen

The most important model of the Korean manufacturer, the Galaxy S8, had a very difficult task: was supposed to become the best smartphone on the market.
Although I like the metallic type smartphones with the polished aluminum feeling, I have to admit that the Samsung Galaxy S8 looks and feels exceptionally in the hand of the user, being the kind of gadget with impeccable details, the glass isn’t slippery, the edges being very smooth, and everything was designed for full comfort and handling.

The glass on the back retains all of your fingerprints and at some point looks pretty dirty being a glossy surface; when you put your finger on the fingerprint sensor the chances are very high to touch the lens from the camera, and if you do not wipe it, you will notice the prints in the pictures. One of the downsides is the curved glass on the edges of the phone – if you accidentally drop it and you don’t have a protective cover, it will break.

Going back to design, we can say that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is the most beautiful smartphone ever released. S8 has less curved edges than its predecessors, the screen occupies almost 100% of the frontal part, but this design has moved the fingerprint sensor behind the device, not a very inspired decision at a first glance, but to be realistic, where could they put it?

Galaxy S8 is thin and very light, weighting only 155 grams, but at the same time being extremely robust and well assembled. In addition, the phone is certified IP68, and can stay up to 30 minutes under water at a depth of maximum 1.5 meters.

As we were accustomed, Samsung is making two processor units, both with 8 very fast cores depending on the region, as it goes:
– for the US, Japan and China, the new smartphone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
– for Europe and the rest of Asia, with Exynos 8895

This processor, combined with 4GB of RAM and the latest graphics accelerator – the Mali G71, makes the S8 model the ultimate smartphone! The Super AMOLED screen with a 1440 x 2960 pixel resolution is covered with Gorilla Glass 5 and 3D touch system for the home button area, which is integrated directly into the screen.

In terms of performance, there is no downside, because the S8 model does not fail at any level. Applications start quickly, multitasking is almost instantaneous, and we haven’t yet been put to the test of a noticeable lag in menus or applications.

What surprised ups regarding to the S8 was the fact that the phone almost did not warm up during use, no matter how intense it was; the phone only vaguely felt that it would warm up.

The camera is the same as last year’s model, but it comes with a software update; so we’re talking about a 12MP fast-focus model with an excellent 26mm f1.7 lens.
No doubt this is the best smartphone of 2018, coming equipped with the well-known Android operating system upgraded to the 7.0 Nougat version.

2. Apple iPhone 7 – The best operating system

As tradition goes, every fall, the Americans at Cupertino announce a new iPhone model ( occupies a deserved position in #2nd place in top 10 best smartphones ), and on the 10th anniversary I was more than pleased with the improvements the engineers and designers of the company brought to this model. Visually speaking, there are no major changes except the color: it comes in 2 shades on black (one glossy and one matte).

Major changes take place inside, where we find a phone without audio jack, replacing the audio transmission with the Lightning plug, and, good guy Apple includes a Lightning Jack adapter in the pack.
The new iPhone 7 has not gone too far in terms of styling from the previous version, the iPhone 6s, being as user friendly and being made of the same good materials. A great change from the 6s is the integration on the new iPhone 7 of the taptic engine mode – it is placed under the Home button, and produces vibrations at the push of the button.

On the performance side, the iPhone 7 model features the A10 Fusion processor, with 4 cores, but the difference lies in how they work, more precisely in the distribution of tasks on the cores. The GPU is also 50% faster than the A9 (as seen on the iPhone 6S).

The cores management is shared:
– two cores are for apps and games that require resources;
– the other two cores are designed to run simple operations (email verification, viewing pictures and videos, Facebook, Youtube, etc.)

The last two cores are less powerful, and they consume less energy adding extra smarpthone autonomy.
The new iPhone 7 has 2 GB of RAM, in comparison with other phones that in 2017 came with up to 6 GB of RAM. Apple is not scared because it has the most powerful iOS operating system, and it knows how to manage the resources very well and the link from the A10 Fusion core and the RAM memory works perfectly.

The main camera is 12 MP, a f / 1.8 aperture and is very good… even excellent I’d say! The iPhone 7 features an optical image stabilizer and a post-shooting processor that takes care so the images are as natural and vibrant as possible. If we talk about the frontal camera, it was upgraded to 7 MP and the selfies made with it are somewhat more qualitative. Higher storage capacity – Finally with the iPhone 7, Apple has expanded its storage capacity to 32GB, 128GB and 256GB, and it is even 5 grams lighter than the 6S version.

Being an expensive phone, I use so many types of covers and ultra protective covers, and I also have some of the new accessories. The lack of the 3.5mm audio jack did not seem to be a problem; having the Lightning Adapter and the headphones from the box and a good audio quality…everything worked up fine for me! To be honest I would put it on top of our list of the best smartphones.

3. Google Pixel – The best & purest Android

When it came out I was like: “WOW! I want it!” Google Pixel ( ranked #third in the top 10 best smartphones ) is probably the most expensive Android phone at the moment but, and here is the question, is it the best?
It is, indeed, above all, and probably disputes the title of ‘the greatest smartphone’ with Galaxy S8.

The performance was surprising at any level; the battery autonomy is amazing even in tight situations when the camera is in use.
We have to mention that the Nexus range is now called Pixel, and it is sold as made by Google and the real manufacturer (HTC) is less involved in this. Let’s not forget that the Google Pixel is very closely related to HTC 10 because they are made by the same company.

If you are an Android enthusiast, do not hesitate to take Pixel (5 inches) in consideration, the official Google phone.
Google Pixel does not come filled with cool features, and also the design does not excel; but they are very fast and the full HD AMOLED screen pulls its energy out of a 2770 mAh battery, so it will run at least one day of use in average conditions, but it will not set Olympic records.

On top we find a 3.5mm jack and the antenna lines; at the bottom we have symmetry of speaker and microphone grilles, and on the side we can find 3 buttons (volume and power on / off).
The Google Pixel comes with a 2.15 GHz Snapdragon 821 processor, a 4GB RAM memory, and 32GB or 128GB of storage space without the possibility of card expansion, but with unlimited storage in Google Drive.
The 12.3 MP main camera is praised for having a great quality of foregrounding details, and for great performance under all possible conditions and situations. Also, the 8MP selfie camera does not disappoint at all.

4. OnePlus 5 – Best dual camera on the market

OnePlus 5 is still the world’s first phone to have 8GB of RAM, but I personally think that 8GB of RAM are not suitable for a mobile phone, as the operating system does not use more than 40 or 50%, and the rest will remain unused. I think the 6GB version remains way more attractive, and is for sure more accessible.
No doubt this phone is making our top, being very attractive; the 8GB RAM (with 128 GB storage memory) is the most powerful of all mobile phones from the same price range. If it was for me, I would have made it cheaper, but these prices are reflecting the performance and quality.

The display is an AMOLED FullHD of 5.5 inches. The most notable feature of OnePlus 5 is the dual-camera system that makes any daytime photo look amazing; the colors are extremely vibrant and all in all natural. The dual cameras on the back are equipped with 20MP and 16MP image sensors, being amazing in low light. The 16MP selfie camera has an f / 2.0 aperture, also very good with Auto HDR.

There has been a long and tight argument about the similarity between the new OnePlus 5 and the iPhone, but at first glance this resemblance does not seem that obvious; at least from my point of view. OnePlus 5 looks and feels completely different from the iPhone. I would go on and say that it looks even better than the so praised Apple product.

In terms of design, everything is made with high quality materials, also providing the user with the premium handset package.
OnePlus 5 comes with the Oxygen OS based on Android 7.1.1 and has the stock interface, as well as a gaming mode. If you are in the middle of a captivating game, you can set the phone to disable notifications from different apps. Whatever theme you choose for your OnePlus 5, the pure Android feel will be kept in every situation.

Inside, we can find the most powerful processor on the market, the Snpadragon 835 from Qualcomm, with 8 GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 data storage capacity, but on the market will also be available a more “simple” version of 6 GB of RAM and 64GB of storage space.
We have to say that the octa-core has four Kryo cores of 2.45 Ghz and four other cores of the same type but set at 1.9 Ghz. The video drive it comes equipped with is the Adreno 540.

5. HTC U11 – The best camera on a smartphone

In a year in which rival companies Samsung or LG emerged with new design innovations for high-end range phones, such as larger screens, more ergonomic construction, rounded display corners, or “edge” screens, HTC chose to stick to something more traditional and altogether classic in terms of design for the U11 model, but which is one of its greatest features.

The HTC U11 looks like a carefully finished gem, and its full glass back (being a major change after years of robust metal phones) comes in colors that reflect the light in spectacular ways and makes the phone stunning when viewed from different angles. Even if it’s a beautiful and polished piece, the phone will attract any fingerprint with great ease. But, being so daring to get rid of all the traces HTC included a cloth in the pack to keep it perfectly clean every time.
The phone feels pretty good in every hand, having a slight curve on the back that makes it fit better in the palm of everybody’s hand. The buttons are very easy to access and send excellent feedback.

HTC did not completely succeeded in hiding the camera inside the body of the phone, as almost rivals did, but the big advantage is the fingerprint reader on the front of the phone, in an accessible place that many consider it as being the most natural (by the way, the fingerprint reader is one of the fastest and most accurate we’ve ever used).

The U11 is built with a 5.5 “screen that supports a 2560 × 1440 pixel resolution with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB of RAM and an Adreno 540 GPU; the storage capacity varies depending on the 32GB or 64GB version, of which it should be mentioned that 11GB are used by the Android 7.1 (Nougat) system.

HTC has not excelled in the range of phone cameras recently, but for U11 they’ve opted for a 12 MP one named UltraPixel 3 that has pixels of 1.4 micron aperture f / 1.7 and optical image stabilization, plus dual LED flash and video recording in 4K format. The front camera has 16 MP and should provide superior quality for selfies, which can also be done in Panorama mode.

The built-in Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 3,000 mAh. The audio quality (together with the headphones delivered in the package) is the best you can find on a smartphone at the moment.
HTC comes with an innovation called Edge Sense, a feature that lets the phone get commands from the user by simply tapping the phone, or to be more precise, it’s edges. Basically, within the side metallic frames, the phone has some pressure sensors that detect when the user picks up the phone in hand. By a brief clip, for example, the user can quickly launch the camera, can open the computer, calendar, email account, or reject a call.

6. LG G6 – The most atypical screen on the market

The G6 is the premium product of the LG Company a phone that catches your eye with the atypical aspect ratio of the screen. Like the Galaxy S8, the G6 offers a 2: 1 aspect ratio screen, making it better for watching anamorphic videos and playing VR games. The elongation of the screen allowed a diagonal of 5.7 “without affecting the phone’s width, which is 72 mm, narrower than the previous model. That means it will be comfortable in your hand without problems. LG took a step back from using plastic or metal-plated materials, all in favor of glass and metal. The power button has been kept on the back, and the volume buttons are on the left edge.

On the performance side we mention the Snapdragon 821 processor, covered by 4 GB of RAM and a 32GB or 64GB storage space, with the possibility to enlarge it up to 256GB by card.
LG has thought of including two cameras on the back, a 13 MP camera with f / 1.8 lenses and three-axis stabilization, and a 13 MP camera with f / 2.4 lenses, together the image of the two cameras is excellent for multiple situations, in taking panoramas and photos in small spaces.

If you’re passionate about capturing landscapes, the G6 will be an excellent choice because it goes on the opposite direction to the iPhone 7 Plus, which focuses more on portraits.
The 3300 mAh battery is more than enough for a day’s work, with the brightness set on auto and power saver is activated. Without Power saver and under the intense use of your phone, there are chances that the battery will die much faster.

The LG G6 has a fingerprint sensor, is waterproof and has a microSD card slot. LG decided to keep the microSD card slot, but had to give up the removable battery.
When talking about performance, we can say they are fairly good, both in common tasks such as web browsing and simple applications, as well as in gaming or multimedia.

If we talk about price, we can say that it is high because of the components, and the really new technology brought on the G6 is the QHD 18: 9 display with HDR. The processor is from the previous generation and so is the GPU, and did not come up with things like iris scanning or wireless charge.

7. Blackberry KeyOne – For the QWERTY fans

Although not a popular phone, BlackBerry KeyOne has its fair share of fans, especially those who still sigh after the Canadian manufacturer and the QWERTY keyboard that has become a registered trademark for BlackBerry. For many, an Android BlackBerry does not sound familiar, but BlackBerry KeyOne is that device equipped with Android OS v7.1 Nougat and a QWERTY keyboard at the bottom.

Personally, I like the limited edition BlackBerry KEYone because it comes with 4 GB of RAM and a 64 GB internal storage (the original version of KEYone has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory). KEYone is based on a 4.5 “display with unusual aspect ratio (to avoid saying strange) 1620 × 1080. Behind the display we have a Snapdragon 625 2.0 Ghz processor that drives this terminal.

The keypad seems interesting, but the trackpad is the main focus here, even though it’s very large and does not seem that easy to use, as most of the users want. An absolute novelty is the fingerprint sensor, integrated in the space bar on the keyboard. Android fans may confuse the space bar with the HOME button (due to positioning), but the real Home Button is placed somewhere above the keyboard.

The battery has a 3505 mAh capacity, while the camera has a 12 MP image sensor with f / 2.0 aperture. BlackBerry KeyOne comes with stereo speakers and headphone jack.
The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, and the GPU, an Adreno 506, sounds really good. KeyOne also has a selfie camera that can shoot in Full HD format, and has an 8 MP image sensor.

For the level of hardware BlackBerry offers, the price is quite high, as the new KEYone is broadly a mid-range hardware performance device.
Being completely honest, KeyOne is appealing for the customers because it has the QWERTY keypad, also it comes with a business pack, and the security measures are higher in comparison with the other competing models.

8. Motorola Moto G5 Plus – Best budget phone on the market

The Moto G5 Plus is Motorola’s next generation smartphone and is considered to be the follower of the famous Moto G4 smartphone.
The Moto G5 Plus is slightly bigger and powerful, with a 5.2 ” FullHD screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 12MP camera with Sony IMX362 sensor that can make perfect pictures to be stored on the 64GB stock memory (with the possibility of extending it with a microSD card).

It would be absurd for me to think that the phone was made for passionate gamers or that it will not get some lag when it’s filled up with apps. However, with 4GB of RAM, the G5 Plus is perfect for those who want their phone for internet browsing, or social networks and video clips.

Design-wise I can say that Motorola did not really put great effort in it, even though it has a metallic casing, it does not offer a very good sensation when using it and does not have a nice aspect either. The edges are thick around the screen and for a moment it brought back memories of the first Moto G (but not in a good way).
The Motorola Moto G5 Plus has a 3100 mAh battery that also benefits from fast charging, usually supported by the Qualcomm chipsets.

9. Honor 9 – The best Chinese smartphone

Although you are tempted to say that we are talking about Huawei Honor 9, its actual stage name is in fact Honor 9- the latest Chinese top range phone, with a remarkable set of specifications at an affordable price.

Honor 9 comes with a Full HD 1080p screen with a 5.15 “diagonal. Inside, one can find a combination of a SoC Kirin 960 octa-core, composed of 4 cores at 2.4GHz and another 4 at 1.8GHz, 6GB of RAM, and an internal memory of 64GB or 128GB, and the possibility of expanding it up to256GB with a microSD card. Honor 9 ( the chinese manufacturer occupies the #9th place in top 10 best smartphones of 2018 ) can be charged through a Type-C USB port that has become a standard in the industry and includes a standard fingerprint sensor on the front.

The operating system is an Android 7 that was stylized by the Huawei Emotion UI 5.1 interface, and was simplified to be as close as it can get to that pure Android everyone is craving for.

Also, the phone features a dual camera on the rear with 12 and 20 MP sensors with 2 x optical zoom and an 8-MP sensor selfie camera. The 12MP camera integrates the RGB sensor for color capture, and the other 20MP camera integrates the monochrome sensor for more detailed photos. In addition, the monochrome sensor captures three times more light than a regular one, improving the picture and reducing noise even in low light conditions, delivering excellent image quality.
The 3200 mAh Li-polymer battery is fast charging, going from 0 to 40% in just 30 minutes.

10. Apple Iphone SE – the most powerful 4” smartphone on the market

So it looks like my dream came true, after millions of wishes, coins thrown in wishing wells or from the bridges in Paris, and other wondrous places, Apple returns to the classic 4 inch phone format, but with the latest technology.

The hardware configuration is very similar to that of the iPhone 6s, the only difference being the display. I’m not joking when I’m saying is the most powerful 4-inch smartphone in the world.

I have to admit that it is indeed very well balanced. The battery lasts for two days if you’re not overusing it and the keyboard is optimized, being hard to make mistakes on it even if you were used to 5” or 6” screens.

In the iPhone SE ( ranked #10th in the best smartphones 2018 ) case we find an Apple A9 chipset, with 2GB RAM, a 1624 mAh battery, and a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1136 x 640 pixels.
Apple also used its best camera on this model, borrowing the one used for the 6S model: 12 MP, dual-LED flash, and the video clips are recorded in 4k quality (the 4k format occupies a lot of space, and in the case of the 16GB model you may fill it very fast).The selfie enthusiasts will be disappointed to hear that the frontal camera is only 1.2 MP.

I think that iPhone SE has the battery inside, unlike the iPhone 6 or 6S that only had a condenser that went out very fast (kidding!). Let me tell you; when I took the phone out of the box the battery was 88% and I started doing the following:

– back-up restore
– iOS update via WiFi
– I’ve installed the CoPilot app and tested it for 40 minutes with the GPS running
– watched some clips on YouTube
– I’ve read the “news” till I fell asleep
– I woke up to 43% battery (WOW!)

I think it’s clear for everyone here what the deal with the hardware is: the phone is identical to the iPhone 6s, the exception being the Force Touch screen that I haven’t used per se, only to brag about it, and you don’t know how it feels not to have a jackhammer in your pocket hitting you constantly over your thighs.