ALL FLAGSHIPS
If you're in the market for a
high-end device from the newer batch of smartphones, or perhaps, even
looking for an upgrade, there's no escaping these five handsets. Each
of these is capable of
running demanding apps, can handle all productivity tasks (e-mails,
instant messaging, word processing, spreadsheets and presentations),
boast of sterling photo and video output, is more than capable of
playing most hi-def formats of movies and music straight out of the box
and also support direct reading from and writing to OTG USB pen drives.
The choice ultimately comes down to your budget, the size of the
screen you prefer, and the pre-packaged features that each of these
flagships brings to the table...
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE EDGE
Samsung still has the best support for stylus. The S Pen, when coupled with its Action Memo widget, lets you jot down notes, to-do lists, e-mails, etc in your handwriting and then, even converts it into typed text. You can also use the S Pen with the S Note app to draw, sketch, and annotate maps, photos and graphics.
The Note still retains its split screen feature that lets you view and work with two apps simultaneously . For instance, you can check your e-mails, while also referring to your S Planner calendar app. Additionally, fitness-conscious folk might want to consider this device for its S Health app that uses hardware sensors to record physical activity, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. This app even keeps track of calorie intake, weight, sleep patterns and more. What you also get is an IR blaster, along with the Smart Remote app, that can be configured to be used along with your TV . The biggest novelty of this handset, however, is that its display curves over the right edge of this device. This Edge displays a quick-launch bar for access to contacts, camera, e-mail, browser and S Health. Swipe and you get quick access to widgets for a stopwatch, torch, a 10-cm measure scale and voice recorder. And you can download extra display tools for Twitter feeds, sports scores, the news, and more.
XIAOMI MI4
A stainless-steel frame, combined with a white body and an almost identical size make it look like an iPhone clone. But that's where the similarity ends. The Xiaomi Mi4 runs on MIUI 6, a custom interface based on Android KitKat and thankfully , without any bloatware pre-installed. It comes with a call-recording function, and you also get an IR blaster that can be used to control a range of home appliances such as TVs, ACs and DVD players, with sup port for more devices coming soon via updates.
This handset scores over the older Mi3 with its clearer call quality, and also a screen that's, sharper and more vibrant to look at, on a par with much more expensive devices. In fact, in processor benchmarks that we ran, this device consistently scored higher than the Vivo and Oppo handsets, notching up scores only slightly lower than the Note Edge that retails at thrice as much.
The only perceivable chink in its armour is its lack of expandable memory , so buyers are stuck with just 16GB internal storage.SPECS: 5-inch (1920x1080px) IPS, Gorilla Glass 3 with OGS | 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 quad-core | 3GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 8MP | 16GB (internal storage) | 3080mAh Li-po
VIVO X5MAX & OPPO R5
The Vivo X5Max and Oppo R5 look alike, are super slim at 4.75mm and 4.85mm respectively; share almost identical hardware, and even perform identically , except that the former is a tad bit larger.
Both handsets come with their own customized Android user interface that includes pre-loaded utilities for office productivity , security, the ability to record calls, configurable gestures, and power management features.
The R5, however, lacks a standard audio jack. Instead, you have to use Oppo's earphones along with a microUSB-to-stereo adapter. This is inconvenient when you need to charge the phone at the same time. The Vivo, on the other hand, includes a dual SIM tray in which the second slot can also be used to read a microSD card. Despite how compact these phones are, we did not find any overheating issues. That said, both devices give you a little less than a day of use on a full charge. Here, Oppo's fast charger saves the day for the R5 by replenishing the battery to over 70% in half an hour.
It should be noted that although both handsets are capable of all smartphone tasks, they scored lower than the lesser-priced Mi4 in benchmark tests, and this could be the slight difference when it comes to running extremely demanding apps.
GOOGLE NEXUS 6
The Google Nexus 6, with its phablet-like form factor, is the largest of the devices on test here. And unlike the other flag ship phones, it runs the latest version of Android, called Lollipop. What you get is a combination of a spiffy user interface with hardware that's powerful enough to take on almost any applica tion and game. In fact, this device posted the highest scores in synthetic benchmark tests. Indeed, the Nexus 6 is one of the most powerful handsets in the market today. Its camera is a significant improvement over the one found in the Nexus 5, boasting of sharper captures and neutral colours. On the flip side, it lacks shooting modes, which smartphones with a custom interface have. The Nexus 6 is also equipped with an “ Ambient Display“ feature that activates a small part of the screen to display important updates as soon as you lift the phone or whenever you receive any notification.
Despite the phone's super high-res display , the Nexus 6 battery gives you a day's worth of basic usage. And when combined with its new battery saver feature, you will be able eke out a few hours more. SPECS: 5.6-inch (2560x1440px) Super AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 | 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core | 3GB RAM | 16MP (LED), 3.7MP | 32GB (internal storage), microSD (up to 64GB) | 3000mAh Li-ion VIVO SPECS: 5.5-inch (1920x1080px) Super AMOLED | 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 octa-core | 2GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 5MP | 16GB (internal storage), microSD (via second SIM slot) | 2000mAh Li-po OPPO SPECS: 5.2-inch (1920x1080px) AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 | 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 octa-core | 2GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 5MP | 16GB (internal storage) | 2000mAh Li-po SPECS: 5.96-inch (2560x1440px) AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 | 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core | 3GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 2MP | 32GB (internal storage) | 3220mAh Li-po
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE EDGE
Samsung still has the best support for stylus. The S Pen, when coupled with its Action Memo widget, lets you jot down notes, to-do lists, e-mails, etc in your handwriting and then, even converts it into typed text. You can also use the S Pen with the S Note app to draw, sketch, and annotate maps, photos and graphics.
The Note still retains its split screen feature that lets you view and work with two apps simultaneously . For instance, you can check your e-mails, while also referring to your S Planner calendar app. Additionally, fitness-conscious folk might want to consider this device for its S Health app that uses hardware sensors to record physical activity, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. This app even keeps track of calorie intake, weight, sleep patterns and more. What you also get is an IR blaster, along with the Smart Remote app, that can be configured to be used along with your TV . The biggest novelty of this handset, however, is that its display curves over the right edge of this device. This Edge displays a quick-launch bar for access to contacts, camera, e-mail, browser and S Health. Swipe and you get quick access to widgets for a stopwatch, torch, a 10-cm measure scale and voice recorder. And you can download extra display tools for Twitter feeds, sports scores, the news, and more.
XIAOMI MI4
A stainless-steel frame, combined with a white body and an almost identical size make it look like an iPhone clone. But that's where the similarity ends. The Xiaomi Mi4 runs on MIUI 6, a custom interface based on Android KitKat and thankfully , without any bloatware pre-installed. It comes with a call-recording function, and you also get an IR blaster that can be used to control a range of home appliances such as TVs, ACs and DVD players, with sup port for more devices coming soon via updates.
This handset scores over the older Mi3 with its clearer call quality, and also a screen that's, sharper and more vibrant to look at, on a par with much more expensive devices. In fact, in processor benchmarks that we ran, this device consistently scored higher than the Vivo and Oppo handsets, notching up scores only slightly lower than the Note Edge that retails at thrice as much.
The only perceivable chink in its armour is its lack of expandable memory , so buyers are stuck with just 16GB internal storage.SPECS: 5-inch (1920x1080px) IPS, Gorilla Glass 3 with OGS | 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 quad-core | 3GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 8MP | 16GB (internal storage) | 3080mAh Li-po
VIVO X5MAX & OPPO R5
The Vivo X5Max and Oppo R5 look alike, are super slim at 4.75mm and 4.85mm respectively; share almost identical hardware, and even perform identically , except that the former is a tad bit larger.
Both handsets come with their own customized Android user interface that includes pre-loaded utilities for office productivity , security, the ability to record calls, configurable gestures, and power management features.
The R5, however, lacks a standard audio jack. Instead, you have to use Oppo's earphones along with a microUSB-to-stereo adapter. This is inconvenient when you need to charge the phone at the same time. The Vivo, on the other hand, includes a dual SIM tray in which the second slot can also be used to read a microSD card. Despite how compact these phones are, we did not find any overheating issues. That said, both devices give you a little less than a day of use on a full charge. Here, Oppo's fast charger saves the day for the R5 by replenishing the battery to over 70% in half an hour.
It should be noted that although both handsets are capable of all smartphone tasks, they scored lower than the lesser-priced Mi4 in benchmark tests, and this could be the slight difference when it comes to running extremely demanding apps.
GOOGLE NEXUS 6
The Google Nexus 6, with its phablet-like form factor, is the largest of the devices on test here. And unlike the other flag ship phones, it runs the latest version of Android, called Lollipop. What you get is a combination of a spiffy user interface with hardware that's powerful enough to take on almost any applica tion and game. In fact, this device posted the highest scores in synthetic benchmark tests. Indeed, the Nexus 6 is one of the most powerful handsets in the market today. Its camera is a significant improvement over the one found in the Nexus 5, boasting of sharper captures and neutral colours. On the flip side, it lacks shooting modes, which smartphones with a custom interface have. The Nexus 6 is also equipped with an “ Ambient Display“ feature that activates a small part of the screen to display important updates as soon as you lift the phone or whenever you receive any notification.
Despite the phone's super high-res display , the Nexus 6 battery gives you a day's worth of basic usage. And when combined with its new battery saver feature, you will be able eke out a few hours more. SPECS: 5.6-inch (2560x1440px) Super AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 | 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core | 3GB RAM | 16MP (LED), 3.7MP | 32GB (internal storage), microSD (up to 64GB) | 3000mAh Li-ion VIVO SPECS: 5.5-inch (1920x1080px) Super AMOLED | 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 octa-core | 2GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 5MP | 16GB (internal storage), microSD (via second SIM slot) | 2000mAh Li-po OPPO SPECS: 5.2-inch (1920x1080px) AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 | 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A53 octa-core | 2GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 5MP | 16GB (internal storage) | 2000mAh Li-po SPECS: 5.96-inch (2560x1440px) AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3 | 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 quad-core | 3GB RAM | 13MP (LED), 2MP | 32GB (internal storage) | 3220mAh Li-po
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