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Grid comparison of currently available smartphone solutions
(Choosing your perfect mobile device!)

The idea here is to score most current PDA/smartphone solutions and see which one comes out on top. The scores for each criteria are my own personal evaluations. You can apply your own weightings, though, and the page will multiply everything up and work out your most suitable smartphone solution. Models and scores: (10=excellent, 1=terrible). Weightings: 'Not'/'Quite'/'Very' multiplies scores by 0, 1 or 2 respectively.

Updated February 2012. Note that you must have Javascript enabled in your browser for this to work! 

To use the Grid:

  1. Work your way down the 30 left hand side criteria, rating each according to how important it is to you
  2. Read off your personalised scores from the bottom row - which is best for you?
Criteria Importance to you Apple iPhone 4S HTC Desire
 Samsung Galaxy Note
 Nokia E6 HTC Desire HD
 Motorola Defy
 Nokia C7 Nokia E7
 Nokia N86 8MP Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
 Nokia N8 Google Galaxy Nexus
 Samsung Galaxy S II
 HTC Desire Z
 Nokia Lumia 800
Photos (not to scale)
Apple iPhone 4 HTC Desire Galaxy Note E6 HTC Desire HD Motorola Defy Omnia HD E7 N86 Xperia Arc N8 Galaxy Nexus Galaxy S II Desire Z Lumia 800
Calendar/Agenda Not
Quite
Very		 8
 7
 7
 7
 7
 7
 7
 8 6
 7
 7
 8
 7
 7
 7
Voice interrogation, transcription and read-back
 Not
Quite
Very		 9
 6
 6
 3
 6
 6
 3
 3
 3
 6
 3
 7
 6
 6
 5
As a phone, reception and suitability of form factor for voice use
 Not
Quite
Very		 8
 6 3
 10
 6
 8
 10 8 9 7
 10 4
 6
 7
 9
Email Not
Quite
Very		 9 8
 8
 9
 8
 8
 8
 8
 7
 8
 8
 8
 8
 8
 9
Web browsing Not
Quite
Very		 8
 8
 10
 3
 9
 8
 6
 7
 4
 9
 6
 10
 10
 8
 9
Homescreen  flexibility and presentation of current  information
 Not
Quite
Very		 5
 9
 9
 5
 9
 8
 6
 6
 4
 8
 6
 8
 8
 9
 5
Speed (processor + general impression) Not
Quite
Very		 10 8
 10
 9 8
 9
 9
 9
 8 9
 9 10
 10
 9
 10
Office Suite (built-in) Not
Quite
Very		 4 2 10
 10 2 2
 5 10
 5 2
 5 2
 10
 2
 10
Loudspeaker quality and volume Not
Quite
Very		 7
 2 7 7 2
 5
 7
 7
 5 6
 8 2
 7
 2
 5
Screen font sizes (for those with ageing eyesight, like mine!) Not
Quite
Very		 10 7 10
 5
 9
 7
 8 10 6 7
 8 7
 8
 7
 10
Video playback (codecs built-in, etc.)
 Not
Quite
Very		 7
 7 10
 10
 7
 7
 10
 10 7 10
 10 9
 10
 7
 6
Music playback (quality over decent phones) Not
Quite
Very		 10
 9 10
 10
 9
 9 10
 10
 10 10
 10
 9 10
 9 10


Apple iPhone 4 HTC Desire Galaxy Note E6 HTC Desire HD Motorola Defy Omnia HD E7 N86 Xperia Arc N8 Galaxy Nexus Galaxy S II Desire Z Lumia 800
Still photography Not
Quite
Very		 9
 2
 8
 3
 2
 5
 3
 3
 9
 8
 10 5
 8
 2
 7
Video recording (quality of video, resolution, and quality of audio capture) Not
Quite
Very		 9
 4 10
 10
 6
 5
 10
 10
 7
 8
 10
 8
 10
 4
 9
Low light and night stills/videos Not
Quite
Very		 7 1 7
 4
 3
 2
 4
 4
 8 8
 10
 5
 7
 1 7
Screen contrast outdoors Not
Quite
Very		 7
 4 8
 8
 6
 4
 7
 9
 6 9
 8 8
 9
 6
 9
Regular firmware updates Not
Quite
Very		 9 7
 8
 8
 7
 3
 8
 8
 5
 5
 8
 8
 9
 5 10
Multitasking Not
Quite
Very		 7 9 10
 10 9 9
 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 5


Apple iPhone 4 HTC Desire Galaxy Note E6 HTC Desire HD Motorola Defy Omnia HD E7 N86 Xperia Arc N8 Galaxy Nexus Galaxy S II Desire Z Lumia 800
Text entry speed Not
Quite
Very		 7 5 7
 8
 6
 7
 5 10
 3 5 5 6
 6
 8
 9
Gaming and graphics potential Not
Quite
Very		 10 7 10
 4
 8
 6
 7
 7
 3
 8
 7
 9
 9
 7
 9
Battery life and options (e.g. is it replaceable?)**** Not
Quite
Very		 5
 4 9
 10 3
 5
 8
 4
 6 6
 5
 6
 7
 5
 4
File management Not
Quite
Very		 1 3 6
 5
 3 3
 5 5 5 3
 5 6
 6
 3
 1
Memory/capacity/ expansion  possibilities
 Not
Quite
Very		 6
 7
 10
 9
 7
 7
 9
 5
 9
 7
 10 5
 10
 7
 5
Size/weight (double weighting!) Not
Quite
Very		 7 7 1
 9 2
 8 8 3
 8 6
 7 2
 4
 6
 7
Screen size and resolution (pixels, horizontal and vertical) (double weighting!) Not
Quite
Very		 8
 7
 10
 3
 9
 7
 5
 7
 1
 8
 5
 10
 9
 7
 6
Robustness (and hardware simplicity) Not
Quite
Very		 6
 6
 6
 9
 6
 10
 6
 7
 5
 5
 8
 6
 6
 2
 9
Software stability*** Not
Quite
Very		 10 8 7
 6
 7
 9
 6
 6
 6 7
 6
 6
 7
 7 8
Built-in positioning and GPS functionality with maps and realtime navigation (in some countries) Not
Quite
Very		 6
 8
 8
 10
 8
 8
 10 10
 10 8
 10 8
 8
 8
 10
Size of third party software catalogue Not
Quite
Very		 10 8 8 5
 8
 8
 6
 6
 4
 8
 6
 8 8
 8
 7
One handed operation? Not
Quite
Very		 4 4 0
 9
 2
 5
 7
 3
 10 5
 7 1
 4
 4
 7
Social network integration, out of the box
 Not
Quite
Very		 6
 6
 6
 6
 8
 6
 6
 6
 3
 4
 6
 4
 6
 8
 9


Apple iPhone 4 HTC Desire Galaxy Note E6 HTC Desire HD Motorola Defy Omnia HD E7 N86 Xperia Arc N8 Galaxy Nexus Galaxy S II Desire Z Lumia 800
Criteria Importance to you Apple iPhone 4S HTC Desire Samsung Galaxy Note
 Nokia E6 HTC Desire HD
 Motorola Defy
 Nokia C7 Nokia E7
 Nokia N86 8MP Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
 Nokia N8 Google Galaxy Nexus
 Samsung Galaxy S II
 HTC Desire Z
 Nokia Lumia 800
Overall   TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC

In the UK, almost all of the phones and smartphones featured here can be bought ex-contract, SIM-free from Mobile Fun. On their web site, click on 'SIM-free Mobile Phones' and you're off and running with what I think to be just about the most competitive prices around. See also Vodafone.

* How compatible is this solution with the outside world? Is it effectively tied to a PC?
*** i.e. how often does it crash? This is somewhat subjective, I've had to rely on reports from owners. 10=super-stable, 1=buggy as hell
**** Includes consideration of battery life per charge and whether the batteries are replaceable  - i.e. can you swap in a new one?

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