Top 10 Android smartphones with super-sized screens

5in and above devices taking the fight to the Apple iPhone

Smartphone screens have been increasing in size for many years now. Where once small, 3in and above screens were the norm, as shown by the popularity of the iPhone 4, now bigger is very much better.

Sony, Samsung, Huawei and HTC are among those pushing out ever-growing devices that aim to meet the demand for devices that make it easier and more pleasurable to watch content, write emails and browse the web.

So strong is this demand that data revealed earlier in the week from Canalys found that shipments of devices with 5in and above screen sizes rose by a staggering 369 percent between Q1 2014 and 2013.

With this in mind, V3 has put together a list of 10 of the best Android devices that offer these screen sizes - in ascending order - to help you assess the biggest devices on the market running Google's platform.

And for you Apple fans, fear not - the iPhone 6 is set to come in a 5.5in size as the firm recognises the growing demand for larger-screen devices.

10. Google Nexus 5 - 5in

Google's flagship device may only cost in the region of £300, below most top-end devices, but with a 5in screen the Nexus 5 is strong entry to kick off the supersize charts. (Technically the screen is 4.95in, but we're rounding up to make life easier.)

The display quality is excellent, boasting a 1080x1920 IPS Plus capacitive touchscreen with a density of 445ppi.

Furthermore, your £300 not only gets you a large screen but a bunch of other half decent specs too, such as an 8MP rear camera and a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

Add in the fact it's light at just 130g and comes with Android KitKat fully loaded, and all future updates should be available instantly as it has no silly skin added by a vendor meaning that all future Android updates should arrive rapidly.

Top 10 Android smartphones with super-sized screens

5in and above devices taking the fight to the Apple iPhone

9. Huawei Ascend P7 - 5in

The 5in 1080p HD screen on Huawei's Ascend P7 may not be the largest on the list, but that makes it a sensible choice for those making their first leap into the world of giant-sized phones.

Despite packing a large 5in display, the Huawei Ascend P7 is the skinniest smartphone on the list at 6.5mm thick, good for those worried about stuffing a mammoth-sized smartphone into their skinny jeans pocket.

It also manages to cram in a nippy 1.8GHz quad-core chip, alongside Google's Android 4.4 KitKat software, a 13MP rear-facing camera, a whopping 8MP front-facing camera and 16GB internal storage, which can be expanded by an additional 64GB.

The Ascend P7 is also cheaper than many others on the list, and is set to cost around £350 when it goes on sale.

8. HTC One M8 - 5in

New to the market this year, the HTC One M8 builds on the critical success of the HTC One by boosting a number of specifications, including the screen size which grew to 5in, up from 4.7in on the original device.

This only adds to its allure, as the device is easily one of the best Android handsets we've seen for a long time, with a great design, good battery and powerful performance.

The 5in screen also comes with a 1080x1920, 441ppi, Super LCD3 capacitive touchscreen and has great viewing angles, as we noted in our review in March. At around £550 the device is certainly at the top end of the market, but it is one of the flagship phones worthy of such a price tag.

7. Samsung Galaxy S5 - 5.1in

Moving up in size, albeit by just .1in, comes the Samsung Galaxy S5. The device has already been one of the most hotly anticipated unveilings of 2014 and has proved immensely popular.

Following on from the success of the S4 Samsung had to pull out all the stops, and one tactic it used was to increase the screen size from 4.7in to 5.1in.

This is complemented by a 1920x1080, 432ppi Super Amoled display, giving the device excellent brightness levels and viewing angles.

Bundle this in with a lightweight design and powerhouse 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and it's easy to understand why it has sold so many since release.

Top 10 Android smartphones with super-sized screens

5in and above devices taking the fight to the Apple iPhone

6. Sony Xperia Z2 - 5.2in

Sony is taking the Android smartphone fight to Samsung with its Xperia range and the Xperia Z2 is the latest flagship from the firm. Keen to outdo its rival it made the screen for the device .1in larger than the Samsung Galaxy S5.

Not only this but it has loaded the 1080x1920 screen display with all kinds of fancy-sounding screen tech such its custom Triluminos display and X-Reality Engine. Sony claims these make the Xperia Z2's screen sharper, clearer and more defined than competitors' by reducing image noise and interference resulting from overlapping colours and pixels.

Complementing this display is a sizeable 20.7MP UltraPixel camera meaning you have plenty of screen estate to enjoy your best snaps. Add in a meaty 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and a slim 147x73x8.2mm build and the Xperia Z2 is a top device.

5. Samsung Note 3 - 5.7in

Now we're really moving into the big league. At 5.7in the Note 3 is heading into phablet territory and even comes equipped with a stylus pen to make it easier to input information and take advantage of the large screen on offer.

The Note 3's 5.7in Super Amoled display is a minor size increase of 0.2in on the previous Note 2, and it is ideal for watching high-resolution videos and working on the go, thanks to the 16:9 aspect ratio the large screen provides.

There are some quibbles that Samsung does not let users take advantage of this large screen estate by having more apps on a single screen or displaying text in a smaller font size, but these don't detract from the otherwise excellent display.

The one point a potential buyer may want to consider, though, is that the Note 4 is likely to be unveiled in a few months' time, so it could be worth seeing what the South Korean giant does for the next upgrade. Will the screen grow again?

Top 10 Android smartphones with super-sized screens

5in and above devices taking the fight to the Apple iPhone

4. Acer Liquid S2 – 6in

Here come the big boys, the true phablets. The Liquid S2 is a 6in giant, with a 1080p HD screen display, and sees Taiwanese firm Acer looking to make a name for itself in the phablet market.

While it is already likely to turn heads thanks to its mammoth display, it's also available in pillar box red, for those who really want to stand out from the crowd. Its 13MP rear-camera sensor will get people staring too, with the Acer Liquid S2 boasting a quirky LED ring flash which circles the lens.

While it comes running Google's ageing Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean software, the handset is unlikely to disappoint in the hardware department. A 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor provides the power behind the 6in display, while the handset can handle up to 128GB storage.

The Acer Liquid S2 also boasts a beefy 3,300mAh battery, a 2MP front-facing camera and HSDPA and WiFi connectivity.

3. LG G Flex - 6in

The LG G Flex is one of the largest smartphones on the list thanks to its 6in screen, and the only one to boast a flexible display.

The LG G Flex is the first curved smartphone to arrive in the UK, and while the smartphone is not 'truly’ flexible, the curvature of the 6in display means the smartphone flexes and sits comfortably against the side of your face. It also makes the G Flex more rugged than your average smartphone, as does the handset's 'self healing' back panel coating, which LG claims makes the handset resistant to scratches and scuffs.

If that wasn't enough to whet your phablet appetite, the LG G Flex also touts nippy quad-core internals, dual 13MP and 2.1MP cameras, 32GB of included storage and a ginormous 3,500mAh battery, which will deliver 15 hours of constant talk time.

The only downside is that it will set you back £650 in UK stores.

Top 10 Android smartphones with super-sized screens

5in and above devices taking the fight to the Apple iPhone

2. Asus Fonepad - 7in

Now if you really want to look ridiculous the Asus Fonepad is for you. With a 7in screen it looks giant when held against your head and making a phone call could well give you a serious case of wrist ache if you're on hold to a call centre for too long.

Of course, a pair of headphones will make the Fonepad more comfortable for calls, but it still means you have to carry a 7in device around all the time in your jacket pocket or jeans, which is hardly ideal, especially as it weighs 340g.

Still, the big screen comes with a nice 1280x800 IPS LCD touchscreen display and it costs just £180. Given that you're getting phone capabilities in a tablet-sized device, some may see this as great value for money.

However, as the Canalys data shows, only two percent of sales of 5in screens and above were for 6in and above, as it seems most users are unwilling to face the irritations of a 7in phone.

1. Samsung Note 8.0

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is just taking the mickey really but if you have little-to-no shame and fancy delving into the realms of the ridiculous it could be the device for you.

We say device, because we're not entirely sure what the Galaxy Note 8.0 is. At 8in, the 'thing' is bigger than an iPad mini, but unlike the Apple tablet, it's capable of making phone calls. Why? We're not sure - but for those who think the Asus Fonepad isn't quite big enough, it looks like Samsung has your back.

In terms of features, the Galaxy Note 8.0 comes with the ability to block out the sun when held to your face, as well as a unique pull which attracts pointing fingers and head-shakes from strangers.

In terms of real hardware specs, though, the Galaxy Note 8.0 actually delivers, boasting a quad-core Exynos processor, optional 4G LTE support and a whopping 4,600mAh battery, offering up 28 hours of constant talk time. You will look like a wally using it for phone calls, though. You have been warned.