Best Mobile Phones 2014: 10 Best smartphones you can buy
The 4.5-inch, Windows 8-running 1020 piles in some impressive photo-grabbing specs including a 41-megapixel PureView camera and a Xenon flash with LED focus light. Image results can compete with compact system cameras in the right conditions and can be viewed back on a punchy, colourful 1,280x768 resolution screen.
It's only dual-core and does still suffer from a poor selection of Windows apps. But if you really want camera quality photos, then the Lumia 1020 is the handset to snap up.
Review price: £599
9. LG G2
The 5.2-inch G2 features a full HD IPS edge-to-edge display, a 13-megapixel OIS (optical image stabilization) camera and a speedy Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU.
Moving the buttons to the rear and reducing the screen bezel frees up the extra screen estate to make the most of HD movie and video watching. The camera is good, but doesn't deliver Z1 or Lumia 1020-like images.
The G2 delivers a strong overall package making it a great alternative to the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Price: £400
8. SONY XPERIA Z1
The 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor delivers one of the slickest overall performances we've seen and the 3,000mAh battery gives the Z1 real staying power.
A slightly curvier design makes the 5-inch smartphone more comfortable to hold and the added camera button makes it easier to take photos and video underwater. The improved 20.7-megapixel camera didn’t blow us away but is still one of the best smartphone snappers around.
Look out Samsung and HTC, Sony is starting to get a hang of this smartphone-making business...
Review price: £550
7.SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 3
Featuring a 5.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen, the Note 3 is powered by a Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz CPU and has 32GB and 3GB of RAM to take care of multitasking.
The key design change from the Note 2 is the leather-effect battery cover which is more cosmetic than adding anything in terms of comfort. There’s a 13-megapixel main camera to shoot photos on par with the S4, but the S Pen stylus is once again the star of the show and has more apps to utilize its stylus powers.
If you are after a big screen phone to get creative with, this is the best to go for.
Review price: £619.99
6. SAMSUNG GALAXY S4
It has a 13-megapixel camera, giant 1080p 5-inch display and quad-core processor (the 8-core version is not available in the UK.) In Samsung style, it has masses of extra software features including a fitness tracker, translator and eye tracking software that lets you scroll books and articles with just a gesture.
Quite simply the Samsung Galaxy S4 is still one of the best Android phones to buy.
Review price: £579
5. HTC ONE
It has a sleek aluminium body that makes the top-end competition feel a little bit cheap. The HTC One also has a few other new HTC features. Top of the list are the UltraPixel camera and Blinkfeed, the star of the show of the new Sense UI. It’s sleeker and more stylish than the HTC Sense of old and – in our experience – it works better too.What’s not to like?
The 4-megapixel camera doesn’t reap as detail-packed shots as its top rivals in bright sunlight, but it’ll win out in dim situations. Until the HTC One Two turns up, this is still wins our vote as the top high end Android smartphone.
Review price: £549
4. GOOGLE NEXUS 5
Its Snapdragon 800 processor means it's a match for the iPhone's A7 processor, and it's actually faster than the S4 and HTC One by dint of having the latest version of Qualcomm's top-end processor.
Elsewhere, we love the understated and practical design, the screen and the pure Android 4.4 experience with its improved interface.
Where it falls down is in the battery life and camera departments. Neither are bad, but they don't quite match up to the iPhone 5S, which is why it's only a narrow (but still excellent) second overall.
Review price: £300
3. SONY XPERIA Z1 COMPACT
Key features:
The single aluminium frame gives it a construction similar to the iPhone 4S and despite the drop down in screen resolution, is still a sharp and colourful place to watch high resolution video. In the power department, it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU as the Xperia Z1 so expect a similarly slick performance and it also manages an all-day battery life.
Packing the same 20.7-megapixel camera as the Z1 the Compact produces good but not Nokia Lumia 1020-rivalling photos. If you are looking for a classy mini that comfortably sits in the pocket this is the best out there.
Review price: £430
2. I PHONE 5S
1. MOTO G
At 143g and 11.6mm thick it’s not the slimmest or lightest phone but it’s but it's still a nice-looking handset for the price. It’s the first time we’ve seen a 720p screen on a phone this cheap and it serves up good, sharp image quality with a Gorilla Glass screen adding a layer of durability.
The Moto G runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and the Snapdragon 400 CPU with 1GB of RAM ensures it handles most everday tasks like browsing, and playing games well. The 5-megapixel camera delivers decent image quality, while the 720P HD video shooting is on par with other similar phones.
Whether you go for the 8GB version at £135 or the 16GB version at £160, the Moto G offers far better specs than any other big-name phone you can buy for £150 and is the cheap smartphone to beat as it stands.
Price: £135 (8GB), £160 (16GB)
10. NOKIA LUMIA 1020
Key features:
- 5.7-inch 1080p Full HD screen
- 13-megapixel main camera with LED flash
- Best stylus experience on a phone
- 32GB of storage with microSD card support
The 4.5-inch, Windows 8-running 1020 piles in some impressive photo-grabbing specs including a 41-megapixel PureView camera and a Xenon flash with LED focus light. Image results can compete with compact system cameras in the right conditions and can be viewed back on a punchy, colourful 1,280x768 resolution screen.
It's only dual-core and does still suffer from a poor selection of Windows apps. But if you really want camera quality photos, then the Lumia 1020 is the handset to snap up.
Review price: £599
9. LG G2
Key features:
- 5.2-inch Full HD 1080p display
- 13-megapixel main camera
- Strong battery life
- Rear physical buttons on the back
The 5.2-inch G2 features a full HD IPS edge-to-edge display, a 13-megapixel OIS (optical image stabilization) camera and a speedy Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU.
Moving the buttons to the rear and reducing the screen bezel frees up the extra screen estate to make the most of HD movie and video watching. The camera is good, but doesn't deliver Z1 or Lumia 1020-like images.
The G2 delivers a strong overall package making it a great alternative to the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Price: £400
8. SONY XPERIA Z1
Key features:
- 5-inch Full HD 1080p screen
- 20.7-megapixel main camera with 1/2.3-inch sensor
- 16GB of onboard storage
- Impressive battery performance
The 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor delivers one of the slickest overall performances we've seen and the 3,000mAh battery gives the Z1 real staying power.
A slightly curvier design makes the 5-inch smartphone more comfortable to hold and the added camera button makes it easier to take photos and video underwater. The improved 20.7-megapixel camera didn’t blow us away but is still one of the best smartphone snappers around.
Look out Samsung and HTC, Sony is starting to get a hang of this smartphone-making business...
Review price: £550
7.SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 3
Key features:
- 5.7-inch 1080p Full HD screen
- 13-megapixel main camera with LED flash
- Best stylus experience on a phone
- 32GB of storage with microSD card support
Featuring a 5.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen, the Note 3 is powered by a Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz CPU and has 32GB and 3GB of RAM to take care of multitasking.
The key design change from the Note 2 is the leather-effect battery cover which is more cosmetic than adding anything in terms of comfort. There’s a 13-megapixel main camera to shoot photos on par with the S4, but the S Pen stylus is once again the star of the show and has more apps to utilize its stylus powers.
If you are after a big screen phone to get creative with, this is the best to go for.
Review price: £619.99
6. SAMSUNG GALAXY S4
Key features:
- Stunning 5-inch Full HD screen
- 13-megapixel camera takes solid pictures
- Powerful overall performance
- New features like Air View, Smart Pause and Infra Red remote
It has a 13-megapixel camera, giant 1080p 5-inch display and quad-core processor (the 8-core version is not available in the UK.) In Samsung style, it has masses of extra software features including a fitness tracker, translator and eye tracking software that lets you scroll books and articles with just a gesture.
Quite simply the Samsung Galaxy S4 is still one of the best Android phones to buy.
Review price: £579
5. HTC ONE
Key features:
- Superb 4.7-inch full HD display
- Excellent aluminium chassis
- Great overall performance
- Runs on Android 4.3 with HTC Sense 5.5
It has a sleek aluminium body that makes the top-end competition feel a little bit cheap. The HTC One also has a few other new HTC features. Top of the list are the UltraPixel camera and Blinkfeed, the star of the show of the new Sense UI. It’s sleeker and more stylish than the HTC Sense of old and – in our experience – it works better too.What’s not to like?
The 4-megapixel camera doesn’t reap as detail-packed shots as its top rivals in bright sunlight, but it’ll win out in dim situations. Until the HTC One Two turns up, this is still wins our vote as the top high end Android smartphone.
Review price: £549
4. GOOGLE NEXUS 5
Key features:
- 5-inch full HD 1080p screen
- 8-megapixel camera with decent low-light camera performance
- Runs on Android 4.4 KitKat
- Powerful enough to run apps smoothly
Its Snapdragon 800 processor means it's a match for the iPhone's A7 processor, and it's actually faster than the S4 and HTC One by dint of having the latest version of Qualcomm's top-end processor.
Elsewhere, we love the understated and practical design, the screen and the pure Android 4.4 experience with its improved interface.
Where it falls down is in the battery life and camera departments. Neither are bad, but they don't quite match up to the iPhone 5S, which is why it's only a narrow (but still excellent) second overall.
Review price: £300
3. SONY XPERIA Z1 COMPACT
Key features:
- Great 4.3-inch 720p HD screen
- Water and dust-proof
- Solid battery life
The single aluminium frame gives it a construction similar to the iPhone 4S and despite the drop down in screen resolution, is still a sharp and colourful place to watch high resolution video. In the power department, it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU as the Xperia Z1 so expect a similarly slick performance and it also manages an all-day battery life.
Packing the same 20.7-megapixel camera as the Z1 the Compact produces good but not Nokia Lumia 1020-rivalling photos. If you are looking for a classy mini that comfortably sits in the pocket this is the best out there.
Review price: £430
2. I PHONE 5S
1. MOTO G
Key features:
- Great 4.5-inch 720p IPS screen
- Runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
- Available with 8/16Gb of internal storage
- Amazing value for money
At 143g and 11.6mm thick it’s not the slimmest or lightest phone but it’s but it's still a nice-looking handset for the price. It’s the first time we’ve seen a 720p screen on a phone this cheap and it serves up good, sharp image quality with a Gorilla Glass screen adding a layer of durability.
The Moto G runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and the Snapdragon 400 CPU with 1GB of RAM ensures it handles most everday tasks like browsing, and playing games well. The 5-megapixel camera delivers decent image quality, while the 720P HD video shooting is on par with other similar phones.
Whether you go for the 8GB version at £135 or the 16GB version at £160, the Moto G offers far better specs than any other big-name phone you can buy for £150 and is the cheap smartphone to beat as it stands.
Price: £135 (8GB), £160 (16GB)
Maleficent -- The fairy-tale re-imaginings haven't been wildly successful yet, but there is reason to believe that first-time director, Robert Stromberg, can bring the same look and feel he brought as the visual effects supervisor on Pan's Labyrinth to this dark tale told from the perspective of Sleeping Beauty's evil nemesis. It doesn't hurt that Angelina Jolie will fill the title role, or that the cast is rounded out by Elle Fanning (Princess Aurora), Juno Temple (Thistletwit), Sharlto Copley (Stefan) and Peter Capaldi (The Thick of It) as King Kinloch.
Robopocalypse -- Assuming that Steven Spielberg actually follows through on his promise to direct Robopacalypse, the film -- scripted by Drew Goddard and based on a Daniel H. Wilson novel -- holds immense potential. The novel is already a critical favorite, described as an Andromeda Strain for a new century. Comparisons to early Michael Crichton are aplenty. Set the not-too-distant future, Robopocalypse is about robots that have made our lives a lot easier: they help clean our kitchens, drive our cars, and fight our wars -- until they are turned into efficient murderers by a sentient artificial intelligence buried miles below the surface of Alaska. What? That sounds batshit. But, robots, murder, and Spielberg! Rumors that Chris Hemsworth could board the project in the lead role make it all that more appealing.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 -- Wait, wait. Before you loosen your bowels, hear me out: My opinion of the first The Amazing Spider-Man was that, if it weren't for the fact that the story had already been told, it could've been a great film, a better version of Sam Raimi's first movie. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone were an amazing pair, and Marc Webb did a good job with the film, too. What the movie was missing was a good, original screenplay. Now that the rebooted franchise has gotten the requisite origins story out of the way, they have the freedom to tell a better, darker story. Spider-Man 2 was the best in the Raimi trilogy, and I expect this one to be the best in Garfield's, especially if Sony decides to take it to a that place and kill off Gwen in this installment.
The Hobbit Part 3 -- I'm not that excited to be putting this on the list, but by the time it rolls around, The Hobbit Part 3 will be the most anticipated movie of the year, if only because it will finally see the end of a trilogy that has no business being a trilogy. How are they going to turn a very modest little book into three movies? I don't know, but I'm really excited for it to end. It also has a couple of cast members going for it that the LOTR movies did not, namely Benedict Cumberbatch (Smaugh) and Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins). The bad news: There's a lot of LOTR characters in the movie that don't belong.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I -- I feel similarly about Mockingjay Part I as I do about three Hobbit movies: It shouldn't exist. Mockingjay is the weakest of the Hunger Games novels and therefore, the least designed to be broken in two. There's not even a natural break for the movie. However, my hope is that the screenwriters find a way -- in expanding the novel into two movies -- to bring some new elements, and more life to a novel that clearly was written under a tight deadline. There are great characters in The Hunger Games and it's a splendid universe. Hopefully, the two movies can give the final chapter the justice it didn't receive in the books.
X-Men: Days of Future Past -- 2011 was meant to be the year of the Superhero, but it turned out that the first one out of the gate, X-Men: First Class, was the best of a bunch that included Captain America, Thor and Green Lantern. The young X-Men are due again to compete against Captain America in 2014, and I expect a similar result: Matthew Vaughn is back, and James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence are more popular than ever. It helps, too, that it's based on one of the most famous X-Men stories, a very dark one that involves a world where mutants are hunted mercilessly by sentinels. Lots of X-Men may die. That's my kind of superhero movie.
King Dork -- I cannot guarantee that King Dork will arrive in 2014 (though, that is its current forecast), as development on the film has stopped and started on several occasions. A director has finally been hired -- Matt Piedmont (Casa de mi Padre) -- and D.V. DeVincentis (High Fidelity) wrote the screenplay. Last I heard, Thomas Mann (Project X), Keir Gilchrist (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) and Nick Offerman were attached to the film. It is a brilliant, funny, amazing coming-of-age novel with a mystery twist -- probably one of my favorite books of the last decade -- and it's really well-designed for a movie. With the right people behind it, it could be one hell of an amazing film, one I've been anticipating since Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's production company bought the rights back in 2006.
Jupiter Ascending -- Nobody knows a ton about The Wachowski Sibling's Jupiter Ascending, except that it's being described as completely off-the-sh*t bat-wall, that it stars Charming Potato and Mila Kunis, an offer was made to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and it's expected to be the first entry in another Wachowski trilogy. This is the story, as broken down by 
The World's End -- I am super stoked about The World's End the final part in the Cornetto trilogy that includes Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Once again, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will reunite with director Edgar Wright. The team behind it is a big enough sell, but the premise seals it: