We've wrangled together the five best phones available on Verizon Wireless to make sure your next two-year contract isn't wasted on a dud device.
It’s both good and bad to be a Verizon subscriber right now. On the plus side, Verizon is getting some of the best handsets on the market and its high-speed 4G LTE network is the best in the country. These innovations come at a cost, however, as Verizon has become the most expensive carrier to deal with. New phones are about $100 more expensive than competing carriers like Sprint and AT&T, and the cost of data has more than doubled in the last year, with a $30 plan now buying you 2GB of data instead of the 5GB (or “unlimited”) it bought just a few months ago. So you’re getting higher speeds, but you can do less with them. Still, with
Samsung Galaxy Nexus
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Screen: 4.65-inch Super AMOLED, 720×1280 pixels Description: The Galaxy Nexus isn’t out yet and we haven’t actually used it, but if you’re looking to get the best phone, we suggest you wait to give this one a try. The Galaxy Nexus is a Google Experience phone and the first device that runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). This means it has a completely revamped user interface and will be one of the only phones on the market to get updates as they come out. While owners of other Android phones will have to wait for months (or never get updates), Nexus owners get updates on time. The Galaxy Nexus is rumored to be released Dec. 8. |
Apple iPhone 4S
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Screen: 3.5 inches, 640×960 pixels Description: The iPhone 4S looks identical to the 4 on the outside, but it packs some new features. The update has a dual-core processor, better camera, and a new iOS 5 operating system that has some cool new features. Siri voice control lets you use more natural language to talk to your iPhone and works fairly well, and iCloud will let you automatically store your documents and media on the net. For more info, read iPhone 4S: Everything you need to know. |
Motorola Droid Razr
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Screen: 4.3-inch Super AMOLED, 540×960 pixels Description: The Droid Razr doesn’t catch your eye like the original Razr, but it’s a lot thinner. At 7.1 inches thick, it’s the thinnest phone on the market, but also sports a decent battery, much-improved screen, and a durable frame. The only downsides are Motorola’s weak camera and bland interface. Hopefully, when the Razr gets Android 4.0, it will look a little nicer. Still, with fast LTE speeds, the Razr is one of the best phones on the market. Read our full review. |
HTC Rezound
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Screen: 4.3-inch S-LCD, 720×1280 pixels Description: Don’t buy the Rezound for its Beats support. You can only get high fidelity audio if you play music through HTC’s own special app and listening to audio on the Beats earbuds without the Beats filter turned on sounds muffled. This is highly disappointing. If you can get over the gimmicky Beats support though, the Rezound is a good dual-core LTE device, with a 720×1280 screen, promised Android 4.0 upgrade, and Incredible-like red design. |
Motorola Droid Bionic (with Extended Battery)
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Screen: 4.3-inch PenTile LCD, 540×960 pixels Description: The first 4G LTE handset on the market to sport a dual-core processor, the Droid Bionic’s sleek design follows in the footsteps of its forebearers, the Droid 3 and Droid X2. Of course, the best part of the device is its lighting-fast 4G speeds, but this high-speed connectivity does cut down on the Droid Bionic’s battery life quite a bit. If you buy it, consider getting an extra battery or the extended battery, which adds some heft, and a lot of juice. The screen, bland UI, and camera also disappoint here, but they are somewhat minor problems. Read our full review. |
HTC Trophy
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Screen: 3.8-inch LCD, 480×800 pixels Description: Microsoft isn’t making it easy to support Windows Phone on Verizon. The HTC Trophy lags behind all major Android phones and the iPhone from a features perspective, especially LTE support and dual-core processing, which are non-existent. The only thing it has going for it is a very low $30 price and the Windows Phone interface, which quickly grows on you. We think WP7 is a great operating system, especially if you have a large MP3 collection or like podcasts. If you’re up for a change, give it a try. |
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