Top 10 smartphones of 2012

Samsung battles Apple for the top spot, but a surprise could be in store

For phone lovers 2012 was a special year.

At the top of the market, Apple and Samsung continued their fascinating battle for market dominance based on amazing phones innovations and the odd legal dispute.

This saw giant phones like the 5.5in Note 2 from Galaxy complete with its S Pen launched, while Apple even decided to grow a bit, giving its iPhone 5 a 4in screen, breaking free from the shackles of 3.5in edict from Steve Jobs.

Elsewhere, Nokia stepped up its game with hot new phones on the Windows Phone 8 platform while Google's Android platform continued its incredible growth, with the firm's own brand Nexus 4 device packing some top specs at a far lower price point than most rivals.

With so much on offer, the V3 team put its head together and came up with what we think are the 10 most important, impressive and innovative devices of 2012 and then set about ranking them to find clear winner.

The results may surprise you...

10. Nokia Pureview 808

Now, while the Nokia Pureview was not a good phone itself - it ran the utterly dated Symbian software for a start - it deserves a place on our list as it offered an early insight into the work the folks at the Finnish firm were up to and the innovations they're capable of offering.

The clear headline draw was the 41MP sensor that captured all the headlines when it was announced at Mobile World Congress in February and Nokia has now integrated this technology into its Lumia 920 device, although this only has an 8.7MP camera.

Still, the Pureview technology makes the camera one of the best on the market and if what was essentially a demo Symbian device could handle a 41MP lens, there's no reason why the firm can't continue to boost the capabilities of future Lumia devices. Exciting stuff.

Top 10 smartphones of 2012

Samsung battles Apple for the top spot, but a surprise could be in store

9. Huawei Ascend P1 LTE

Huawei may not be as big a name as some of the others on our list, but they were one of the first companies in the UK to release a handset compatible with EE's 4G LTE network.

During our time with the phone, we reached blazing fast internet speeds of 22Mbit/s, speeds which put 3G connectivity to shame. This means the phone is ideal for tasks such as browsing the web and video streaming.

The Huawei Ascend P1 LTE also features a high-resolution 4.3in touchscreen, powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and Google's Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

The skinny 9.9mm-thick phone also comes with 4GB of included storage, a microSD slot, an 8MP rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video, a 1.3MP front-facing camera and 1,800mAh battery. All of which makes us think it's worth slipping in at number nine in the countdown.

8. HTC Windows Phone 8X

Nokia may be leading the pack when it comes to Windows Phone devices, but the Finnish phone-maker may soon have a fight on its hands if HTC's debut Windows Phone 8 device is anything to go by.

Microsoft's newly-customisable Windows Phone 8 interface is showcased on the 8X's 4.3in 720x1280 S-LCD2 screen, one of the brightest displays on the smartphone market.

It's also one of the slickest too, thanks to the 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor under the hood. The HTC Windows Phone 8X also looks to challenge Nokia with its impressive 8MP rear-facing camera with f.2/0 sensor, 2.1MP front-facing camera, integrated Beats Audio software and 16GB of included storage.

However, it certainly has some fierce competition from the Nokia Lumia 920 handset, which may also be making an appearance on our list.

7. The Motorola Razr I

We here at V3 like to reward innovation, which is why in the past Motorola smartphones and tablets have at best picked up middling marks in our reviews. They've just failed to really capture our excitement.

So when we initially got the invite for a "mystery phone launch" from Motorola earlier in the year we didn't have high hopes. However, we soon found we shouldn't have been so dismissive.

This is mainly thanks to the Razr I's use of an Intel Atom 2GHz single-core processor. Now, while the Orange San Diego was the first smartphone using an Intel chip in the UK, the Razr I is the device that really showcased what the chip-maker can do in the mobile space.

This is because the Razr I is the first smartphone to lend some weight to Intel's claims that there is currently no need for multi-core processors in a mobile device. While we were sceptical at first, once we had the Razr I in our hands we were forced to concede Intel had a point.

The Razr I is fast, really fast. Running head-to-head with similarly priced, dual-core powered smartphones, like the HTC One S, we found the Motorola phone easily held its own.

Add to this the added bonus of its crisp and clear 4.3in edge-to-edge 540x960 HD Super Amoled and nigh-indestructible Kevlar-laced chassis and we feel the Razr I is easily one of the top 10 phones of the year.

Top 10 smartphones of 2012

Samsung battles Apple for the top spot, but a surprise could be in store

6. The HTC One X

Since choosing to go its own way and release phones under its own brand, Taiwanese tech company HTC has earned a reputation for releasing, solid, reliable, albeit slightly boring smartphones.

However, earlier this year it tried to break its boring reputation by releasing the HTC One X smartphone. Something of a game changer for HTC, we found that while the One X was again well-built and reliable, it was far from boring.

The chief reason for this is when it was first released midway through the year, the HTC One X was the first and only quad-core smartphone available in the UK, packing a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

Proving the dragon still has some bite, this means that even now, in the days where quad-core phones are run of the mill, the One X is blazingly fast.

Add to this the One X's awesome 8MP rear camera with F2.0 lens and the One X had the muscle to stand out from the crowd.

5. Google LG Nexus 4

If you want a top of the range smartphone, you're lucky if you can get it for under £500 upfront or under £30 per month over two years, which equates to some £700 plus. Simply put, smartphones ain't cheap.

However, the Nexus 4 from Google, made by LG, shatters that illusion with some seriously high-end specs, including a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 8MP rear-facing and 1.3MP front-facing cameras but at a price that's definitely mid-range at about £239. No wonder it's already proved so popular.

It's also the first handset to run its Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system and can come with either 8GB or 16GB of storage, although sadly there's no microSD option while battery life drains rapidly when used for an intensive task like watching video.

However, these are minor niggles and at that price point it's hard to really complain, meaning the device is highly deserving of its fifth placed position.

4. Samsung Note 2

If this list was literally about the biggest smartphone of 2012 there wouldn't be any doubt about the winner, with Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 device a whopping great thing with a 5.5in screen, dwarfing the competition.

For some, such a large screen looks ridiculous but many others - five million to be precise - appear to think differently and with its nifty S Pen stylus built in to let you edit images and web pages it's a highly useable device.

It also showcases the willingness of Samsung to innovate and broaden its portfolio, while its impressive specs, including an 8MP camera and 1.6GHz quad-core processor, mean it's definitely worth a fourth placed finish, although given its competition perhaps it's not surprising it couldn't quite crack the top three...

Top 10 smartphones of 2012

Samsung battles Apple for the top spot, but a surprise could be in store

3. Samsung Galaxy S3

First unveiled back in May, Samsung's Galaxy S3 smartphone has become one of the devices of the year, even winning the coveted Smartphone of the Year award at the V3 awards and topping a recent poll of readers on their device of 2012.

While we certainly agree it's a stunning device, enough to help it pick up bronze medal in our run down, it was always going to struggle to take top spot in our countdown as its rivals had much more time to prepare their responses for later in the year.

That said it remains a thoroughly excellent smartphone and it's not hard to see why it's already shifted some 30 million units to date. It comes packed with NFC support and an excellent 8MP camera while it has a gorgeous 4.8in 1280x720 Super Amoled HD touchscreen display.

It runs like a dream too thanks to its powerful 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM. All of this has helped Samsung pull clear of its Android rivals such as HTC or Sony to carve a position as the top smartphone sell on the planet, and the only true rival to Apple.

However, it's not all perfect. Although there's a nice edged metallic trim that underlines its high-end credentials the Galaxy S3's mainly plastic design makes it feel a little cheap and far less sturdy in comparison to some other handsets on the market, although this does help make it nice and light too.

It's not cheap, based at around £500, akin to most high end devices now available on the market, but if you're an Android lover it's by far the best device running Google's operating system.

All in all Samsung has set itself a tough challenge to match or even surpass the S3 with the next Galaxy device it launched - probably to be called the S4 - which may get an unveiling at CES or Mobile World Congress. We'll certainly be watching with keen interest.

Top 10 smartphones of 2012

Samsung battles Apple for the top spot, but a surprise could be in store

2. Apple iPhone 5

The sales figures don't lie: five million devices sold in the opening weekend with hoards of eager fans queuing for several nights in a row to be among the first to get their hands on the device proves the iPhone 5 was a huge success.

The design barely altered from the iPhone 4S apart from the notable exception of the screen which shifted from 3.5in to 4in in a move to compete with some of the other larger devices on the market, like the S3, in spite of Steve Jobs claimed 3.5in was the ideal size for a phone.

Still, the new screen is nice and makes viewing videos, browsing the web and reading documents are more pleasurable experience by fitting more information on a single display.

Furthermore it's spectacularly light, at just 112g, making it one of the nicest phones to hold on the market. Beyond this, though, most of the changes were under the hood with a faster A6 processor the most notable upgrade, helping speed up performance considerably.

The camera has also been improved, with some new modes offering nice touches including the ability to take a still shot while shooting video and a new Panorama image tool, which lets users take wide angle shots by slowly panning the camera around. This feature was available on Android devices for a while, though, so Apple was playing catch up.

Beyond this, though, there were some notable issues with the device. Most embarrassingly the Apple Maps software proved disastrous with many complaining it was unable to find their locations or placing cities in entirely wrong locations. Even the police were unimpressed.

A new nano-SIM and reduced connector dock are also annoyances, with the latter rendering many peripherals for iPhone devices, like speaker docks, redundant unless you buy a connecting cable - yet more expense and hardly convenient.

These frustrations plus a lack of any real wow factor or startling innovations to the device mean that, despite its clear benefits and huge market appeal, we just couldn't quite give it the number one slot.

Top 10 smartphones of 2012

Samsung battles Apple for the top spot, but a surprise could be in store

1. Nokia Lumia 920

Nokia entered 2012 in a state of disarray. It's opening Windows Phone assault on the Android and iOS dominated smartphone market had failed to have impact the Finnish phone maker had hoped, with stores reporting lower than expected sales of its flagship Lumia 800.

When the company went on to release the Lumia 900, things went from bad to worse with critics and customers seeing the smartphone as little more than a blown up 800.

Suffice to say the Lumia 900 didn't sell well and the company's stock rating and profits plummeted.

However, rather than throw in the towel and giving up, Nokia surprised us all releasing the Lumia 920, a device that in our mind is one of the most innovative smartphones ever created.

The Lumia 920 was the first ever Windows Phone 8 handset ever released by Nokia. Taking advantage of every perk of its shiny new OS the 920 packs a powerful 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor that makes it one of the nippiest smartphones released this year and comes pre-loaded with a host of useful apps, including Microsoft Office.

But Windows Phone 8's features aren't what make the Lumia 920 our smartphone of the year - instead it's the host of innovative technologies and services Nokia's built into the device.

Chief of these is the 920's amazing 8.7MP rear-facing camera. Loaded with Pureview technology and a custom Carl Zeiss lens Nokia claims can absorb more than double the amount of light absorbed by competing lenses. The result is that the 920's camera is the best we've ever seen on a smartphone.

Running the 920 head-to-head with competing devices, including some with higher megapixel counts, we're yet to find a smartphone that can match Nokia's new Lumia.

Nokia's innovation also carries over to the 920's 4.5in 768x1280, 332 ppi display, which thanks to thanks to Clearblack and PureMotion technology, is among the finest ever seen on a mobile device.

Clearblack is custom technology that helps ensure the display remains rich and sharp by producing deep blacks that make primary colours pop out. Text and images are very sharp, a fact aided by the fact that the Lumia 920 features dazzling brightness levels.

This also means that using the 920 outside is far easier than on a number of competing smartphones. While the 920's screen still struggles when being used in direct bright sunlight, it is still far more legible than competing top end devices, like the Galaxy S3.

The device also comes with a wireless charging mat, removing the need for yet more wires to cluttering up your room. Once you've started using this system going back to a traditional plug and socket system seemed positively antiquated and we expect more manufacturers to bring in similar innovations in 2013.

Puremotion is another nice touch that lets users navigate the 920's screen while wearing gloves. While this may not sound like a massive perk, living in dreary, rainy London we thoroughly welcome the fact we don't have to sacrifice our hands' warmth to answer our phone while on the move.

Because of these innovations, combined with the inherent benefits of Windows Phone 8, we feel the 920 deserves the crown of best smartphone 2012.