Since the introduction of Android operating system by Google Inc., there have been massive boosts in the use of smartphones in Nigeria and the world at large.
Android operating system has brought about the demise of Java and Symbian OS which has seen the buying over of Mobile phone giant Nokia by Microsoft Corporation with the introduction of windows mobile
Talking about global players in the mobile industry like Samsung, HTC, Huawei Google Nexus range, ZTE, ACER and the likes, android OS has come to stay.
Getting quality affordable android phones could be difficult judging from the many distinctions in their screen sizes, power processors, software and application features and design.
Now let us go through the list of top 10 best android phones to buy based on their sleekness, ruggedness and efficiency, am sure you would be able to make a choice.
Top 10 Best Android Phones/Devices
- Samsung Galaxy Alpha
A desirable and balanced phone, the Alpha signalled Samsung’s new design
The Alpha borrows liberally from the Apple design playbook, but it still feels like a notable progression for the Samsung – and it still feels like a Samsung phone. Just a far classier one. Samsung brand ambassadors Banky-W and Kate Henshaw can attest to this.
A manageable 4.7-inch display, slim profile, blazing performance and an accomplished 12-megapixel camera means the Alpha has what it takes to deliver a quality Android experience.
Samsung has stepped up the design again with the Galaxy S6, but if you’re looking for a more decent option, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha would do just fine.
Samsung Galaxy Alpha Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 4.7-inch
Resolution: 1280 x 720
Memory: 2GB
Storage: 32GB
Battery: 1860mAh
Rear camera: 12MP
Front camera: 2.1MP
- HTC One Mini 2
Small and stylish, the One Mini 2 still has a lot to offer
The HTC One Mini 2 inherits a lot from the M8, with a similarly stylish metal build and the same BoomSound speakers, but in a smaller, more affordable package.
The innards have changed, with a lesser but still quad-core processor and there’s a 13MP camera on the back in place of the HTC One M8’s Ultra Pixel snapper, but the key thing is that the HTC One Mini 2 is designed for those who’d prefer a more pocketable 4.5-inch display without sacrificing a premium design. On that front it passes with flying colours.
HTC One Mini 2 Specifications
OS: Android 4.4
Screen size: 4.5-inch
Resolution: 1280 x 720
Memory: 1GB
Storage: 16GB
Battery: 2110mAh
Rear camera: 13MP
Front camera: 5MP
8. Sony Xperia Z3
A solid phone with a good screen and excellent battery life. One feature it commonly boasts of is It’s water and dust resistant.
The Sony Xperia Z3 manages to improve on the already excellent Xperia Z2 in some key areas. The screen is a large 5.2-inches with a full 1080p resolution and the technology behind the screen gives a boost to the overall brightness of the display, which makes it look fantastic.
The Xperia Z3 also packs some impressive specs with a quad-core 2.5GHz processor, Adreno 330 GPU and 3GB of RAM. These improved specs are all housed in a slimmer and more stylishly designed chassis, giving the Xperia Z3 a truly premium feel.
It does a lot of things right, with some excellent hardware specs and a stylish design. If you own a then the Remote Play feature that lets you stream PS4 games to the handset could be of real interest – and if it’s not, it should be.
It’s a great phone, but the experience isn’t quite flawless enough to get it any higher in our charts, with a disappointing camera and buggy software being chief among its problems.
Sony Xperia Z3 Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 5.15-inch
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 16GB/32GB
Battery: 3100mAh
Rear camera: 20.7MP
Front camera: 2.2MP
- Google Nexus 6
The Google Nexus 6 is a super-sized version of the 2014 Moto X. It is widely regarded as Google’s flagship Android Device.
At six inches, this is regarded as a phablet – but then again, it offers so much that you’ll really start to warm to it quickly. Plus the edge-to-edge design means it’s nowhere near as large as it should be.
There’s a lot to like about Nexus 6. Android Lollipop looks great on this bright, 6-inch AMOLED display and the 13-megapixel camera is more true-to-life than 2013’s Nexus 5 and Motorola’s other smartphones combined, even if it doesn’t quite measure up to what Samsung’s doing.
This is the best Nexus Google has ever crafted. And, when you think about it, you’re not going to need to hold onto your money, as you’ll require both hands to grab onto this two-handed monster.
Google Nexus 6 Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 5.96-inch
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB
Battery: 3220mAh
Rear camera: 13MP
Front camera: 2MP
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Samsung’s latest phablet is the best bigscreen phone available
Four years after the original Galaxy Note kick started the phablet craze, the Galaxy Note 4 arrives to show that Samsung still has what it takes to make excellent super-sized smartphones.
It has a fantastic 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED screen along with a 2.7GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM. With these specs it easily outperforms its closest rivals such as the iPhone 6 Plus,
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 5.7-inch
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB
Battery: removable 3220mAh
Rear camera: 16MP
Front camera: 3.7MP
The Galaxy Note 4 certainly isn’t cheap, but a fantastic screen, brilliant specs and a great camera all help justify the hefty asking price. If you’re in the market for a large smartphone then you’ll definitely want to seriously consider the Note 4.
- Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
A small Android phone packed with big features
Sony has done such a good job of shrinking down the Xperia Z3 into a smaller handset with only a few minor cuts to the specifications that it has, perhaps by accident, created a more desirable phone.
It has the same 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor as the Z3, along with an Adreno 330 GPU and very good 20.7MP camera. The smaller 4.6-inch screen gives the Z3 Compact a better battery life than the full size Z3, as well as being more comfortable to hold. The price has also been cut, making the Z3 Compact a more compelling purchase.
Easily the best compact Android phone on the market today. Sony has worked hard to fit some excellent features into this handset despite its smaller stature and it has paid off. This is great work from Sony, and doubly brilliant if you own a PS4 too thanks to the Remote Play feature.
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 4.6-inch
Resolution: 1280 x 720
Memory: 2GB
Storage: 16GB
Battery: 2600mAh
Rear camera: 20.7MP
Front camera: 2.2MP
- HTC One M9
The One M9 even though not number one is in a class of its own.
This Device is effortlessly the best looking Android phone around and arguably the best looking handset running any Android OS.
HTC One M9 Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 5-inch
Resolution: 1920×1080
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB
Battery: 2840mAh
Rear camera: 20.7MP
Front camera: 4MP
Not only does it look incredible but also it’s got lots of power and a decent 20.7MP camera on the back, with its UltraPixel snapper relegated to selfie duties. Plus its slick Sense interface and impressive BoomSound audio make it a joy to use.
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Curving into the future with impressive specs
Have you got style? Then you need the Galaxy S6 Edge arguably has the standard S6 beat, as it offers the same compelling specs with the addition of an eye-catching curved display. But for most people money is an object and the S6 Edge is both more expensive and not much better in use, as the curves are more about form than function.
Still, its 5.1-inch QHD screen is glorious, its 16MP camera impresses and it’s got a powerful octa-core processor and all the nifty features of the S6, like a fingerprint scanner and fast charging.
The curved screen feels like a missed opportunity but it’s undeniably stylish and if you can stomach the price tag this is a powerful, futuristic phone which is sure to inspire admiration and jealousy in everyone who sees it.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size: 5.1-inch
Resolution: 1440 x 2560
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB/128GB
Battery: 2560mAh
Rear camera: 16MP
Front camera: 5MP
- LG G4
An Android phone that’s all about its camera and a strange look
The LG G4 has one of the best screens on the market, an unique design and strong camera which gives it a great foundation at the top of the mobile market.
The curved chassis might be thick, but it doesn’t feel too overbearing in the hand, and battery life still isn’t great – but that’s a common theme across most of the top-end handsets today.
It’s stuffed full of features, the removable battery will be a real plus point for many, and the G4 certainly stands out in a crowd of metal and glass covered smartphones.
OS: Android 5.1
Screen size: 5.5-inch
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB
Battery: removable 3000mAh
Rear camera: 16MP
Front camera: 8MP
- Samsung Galaxy S6
This device shut all critics after a below per expectation from users of Samsung Galaxy S5.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is loaded with trending features such as fast charging and a fingerprint scanner, the Samsung Galaxy S6 really is the complete package and its octa-core Exynos processor leaves rivals in the dust. All that power is hard on the battery, but otherwise this is a near perfect phone.
Though nothing premium comes cheap but you will be satisfied for the cost matches its worth. The only insignificant disadvantage is that the Samsung Galaxy S6 lacks a memory card slot but the robust internal memory is already a complement
So far Samsung Galaxy S6 is the best android phone of its generation
Samsung Galaxy S6 Specifications
OS: Android 5
Screen size/Resolution: 5.1- inch/1440 x 2560
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB/64GB/128GB
Battery: 2550mAh
Rear camera: 16MP
Front camera: 5MP