Compare Smartphones

The Smart Rating is a single rating that evaluates the smartphone's specifications and features as well as ratings from the following sources: CNET, PC Mag, Wired.com, and PC World.Zero (0) stars indicate that the smartphone has not been rated by any expert sources.

Some smartphones offer touchscreen capabilities, while others have a physical keyboard instead. There are even some smartphones out there that offer both.
Touchscreen Keypads have few, if any, physical buttons. Thanks to the dynamic nature of a touchscreen keypad, some smartphones include predictive text technology, such as Swype, which allows the user to continuously slide a finger over a keyboard to type, instead of pressing individual keys. Other smartphones are equipped with a physical half- or full-qwerty keypad, which include physical buttons. Choosing a keypad is a matter of personal preference; it’s best to try out several styles before you choose.

A measurement of the phone’s battery life while it is on standby (when it is on but not in use).

The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the phone itself. This does not include additional carrier charges.The price without the contract is typically much higher than the subsidized, 2-year contract price offered when you sign with a service provider. On the other hand, purchasing a phone without a contract means that there will be no service commitment and that you will not be subject to termination fees.

The smartphone’s internal memory, which is measured in megabytes (MB).The amount of internal storage is a very important feature for those who listen to music, take video or capture photos. Storage space on the average smartphone ranges from 2 MB to 16+MB. If you’re the type of person who is constantly storing and referring to data on their phone, make sure to get a phone that comes with an optimal amount of storage. It's important to note that many smartphones are equipped with slots that allow you to use memory cards for any excess data you might need.

Pixels per square inch of a phone's display. The higher, the better the image quality will be on the phone's screen.

The length of time the phone can be used before its battery needs to be recharged.Talk time, or battery life, reflects the length of time the phone's battery will last during regular use.

These are the features of the smartphone's screen or display.

• Additional Display Support - offers the ability to connect your smartphone to an external display.
• Ambient Light Sensor - detects surrounding light around the user and auto-adjusts the brightness of the backlight.
• Touchscreen – functionality allows you to operate the smartphone by touching the screen of the smartphone as opposed to smartphones that use keyboards for input.
• Proximity Sensor – automatically senses when you hold the phone against your face and disables the touchscreen, preventing accidental hangups.
• Scratch Resistant Glass – offers more durable protection of your display screen.

These are the features that come with the smartphone’s camera.

• 3D Capture – includes 2 cameras in order to capture multiple perspectives
• Autofocus – the camera judges which part of the frame to focus on. Cameras that include a face detection feature helps in taking pictures of groups of people.
• Front Facing Camera – allows for video chat.
• Rear Facing Camera – standard camera placement that usually offers higher quality resolution than front facing cameras.
• LED Flash – illuminates the subject in low light settings.
• Video Recording – records motion and sound.
• Digital Zoom – smartphones that have zoom capability are able to take photos of objects that will appear closer than they actually are; but be aware that a digital zoom makes photos blurrier.

The measurement of the smartphone’s display or screen area.For those who constantly check e-mail, read large amounts of text, surf the Web, watch videos, or take photos with their phone, a large screen with high resolution eases the viewing experience. But large displays typically drain battery life because they use more energy in order to power the backlight. A phone with an LED or AMOLED screen consumes less power.

The image resolution, which is measured in megapixels, of a smartphone's rear camera.Most smartphones come equipped with cameras. If your phone doubles as your camera, pay close attention to the number of megapixels, as well as camera features like zoom and flash. The megapixels of a camera determine the resolution of the camera’s photos: a higher number means the camera’s light sensor has more receptors per given area.

The total price of the smartphone on activation or renewal of a mobile phone plan.If you are willing to commit to a two-year contract, most network providers will subsidize your phone's cost. You could receive upwards of $200 off the phone's MSRP if you renew or sign a contract, but be careful – these contracts often have heavy termination fees that range from $125-250. Also note that you will not be eligible for another subsidy for a two-year period after signing an upgrade contract.

The options and/or functions of a smartphone.

• DLNA – Digital Living Network Alliance allows you to connect your smartphone to an HDTV or other DLNA-enabled display or device via wireless connectivity.
• FM Receiver – ability to receive an FM radio signal.

• FM Transmitter – ability to broadcast an FM signal. Great for sharing music.
• GPS Navigation – ability to send and receive location data via a satellite-based navigation system.
• HD Playback – high definition playback offers enhanced video quality.
• Microphone – second microphone for improved recording quality during videos or speakerphone use.