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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 May 2013. Added the Samsung Galaxy S4. Note that you must have Javascript enabled in your browser for all this to work! Note the continued inclusion of a few Nokias because of the unique hardware or form factor.

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 5 HTC One
 Samsung Galaxy Note II
 Nokia E6 Samsung Galaxy S4
 Motorola RAZR i (and RAZR M)
 Nokia N9
 Nokia E7
 Motorola RAZR MAXX
 Sony  Xperia Z
 Nokia N8 Google Galaxy Nexus
 Nokia 808 PureView
 Google Nexus 4
 Nokia Lumia 920
Photos (not to scale)
Apple iPhone 5 HTC One Galaxy Note II E6 Galaxy S4 Motorola RAZR i/M N9 E7 RAZR MAXX Xperia Z N8 Galaxy Nexus Nokia 808 Nexus 4 Lumia 920
Wireless charging
 Not
Quite
Very		 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 10
 10
Voice interrogation, transcription and read-back
 Not
Quite
Very		 9
 8
 8
 1
 8
 8
 0
 1
 8
 7
 1
 9
 1
 9
 6
As a phone, reception and suitability of form factor for voice use
 Not
Quite
Very		 9
 7
 3
 10
 7
 8
 9
 8 8
 7
 10 6
 10
 8
 9
Email Not
Quite
Very		 9 8
 8
 7
 8
 8
 10
 7
 8
 8
 7
 8
 7
 8
 8
Web browsing Not
Quite
Very		 8
 10
 10
 3
 10
 8
 5
 6
 9
 10
 5
 10
 5
 10
 10
Homescreen  flexibility and presentation of current  information
 Not
Quite
Very		 5
 8
 9
 5
 9
 9
 6
 6
 9
 8
 5
 10
 6
 10
 9
Speed (processor + general impression) Not
Quite
Very		 10 10
 10
 7
 10
 9
 6
 5
 8
 10
 5
 9
 7
 10
 10
Office Suite (built-in) Not
Quite
Very		 4 10
 10
 10 2
 10
 1
 10
 10
 2
 10
 2
 10
 2
 10
Loudspeaker quality and volume Not
Quite
Very		 9
 10
 10
 7 9
 7
 5
 7
 6
 6
 8 3
 10
 5
 9
Screen font sizes and accessibility (for those with ageing eyesight, like mine!) Not
Quite
Very		 10 9
 10
 6
 9
 7
 7
 10 7
 9
 8 8
 9
 9
 10
Video playback (codecs built-in, performance, ease of sideloading content, etc.)
 Not
Quite
Very		 6
 8
 10
 10
 10
 7
 3
 10 7 10
 10 9
 10
 9
 8
NFC pairing, contactless payments etc.
 Not
Quite
Very		 0
 10
 10
 0
 10
 10
 10
 0
 0
 10
 0
 10
 10
 10
 10


Apple iPhone 5 HTC One Galaxy Note II E6 Galaxy S4 Motorola RAZR i/M N9 E7 RAZR MAXX Xperia Z N8 Galaxy Nexus Nokia 808 Nexus 4 Lumia 920
Still photography Not
Quite
Very		 7
 8
 6
 3
 8
 5
 6
 3
 4
 7
 9
 4
 10
 6
 6
Video recording (quality of video, resolution, quality of audio capture and intelligent digital zoom) Not
Quite
Very		 7
 9
 8
 6
 8
 6
 4
 6
 4
 8
 8
 6
 10
 7
 9
Low light and night stills/videos Not
Quite
Very		 3
 6
 4
 2
 4
 2
 2
 2
 2
 4
 9
 2
 10
 4
 8
Screen contrast outdoors Not
Quite
Very		 7
 7
 8
 9
 6
 5
 10
 10
 5
 4
 8 8
 10
 8
 10
Regular firmware updates Not
Quite
Very		 10
 7
 7
 6
 6
 4
 1
 7
 3
 5
 7
 9
 7
 10
 10
Multitasking (including full task switching)
 Not
Quite
Very		 6
 8
 8
 10 8
 8
 10 10 8
 8
 10 8
 10
 8
 5


Apple iPhone 5 HTC One Galaxy Note II E6 Galaxy S4 Motorola RAZR i/M N9 E7 RAZR MAXX Xperia Z N8 Galaxy Nexus Nokia 808 Nexus 4 Lumia 920
Text entry speed (out of the box, across words, punctuation, names, and more)
 Not
Quite
Very		 7 8
 7
 9
 6
 7
 6
 9
 5
 6
 4
 7
 5
 8
 9
Gaming and graphics potential Not
Quite
Very		 10 10
 10
 4
 10
 8
 4
 7
 8
 8
 7
 10
 7
 10
 9
Battery life and options (e.g. is it replaceable?)**** (triple weighting!)
 Not
Quite
Very		 4
 4
 10
 10 8
 4
 3
 2
 9
 4
 3
 5
 6
 3
 4
File management Not
Quite
Very		 1 6
 6
 8
 6
 4
 10
 8
 4
 6
 8
 6
 8
 6
 1
Usable memory/capacity/ expansion  possibilities
 Not
Quite
Very		 6
 5
 10
 9
 8
 9
 4
 4
 5
 10
 10 4
 10
 4
 5
Size/weight (double weighting!) Not
Quite
Very		 9
 5
 1
 9 3
 9
 9
 3
 5
 4
 7 4
 6
 5
 3
Screen size and resolution (pixels, horizontal and vertical) (double weighting!) Not
Quite
Very		 9
 10
 10
 4
 10
 8
 7
 7
 8
 10
 5
 10
 6
 10
 10
Robustness (and hardware simplicity) Not
Quite
Very		 5
 8
 6
 9
 6
 9
 6
 7
 9
 5
 8
 6
 8
 4
 9
Software stability*** Not
Quite
Very		 10 7
 7
 6
 6
 6
 5
 6
 7
 7
 6
 8
 5
 8
 8
Built-in positioning and GPS functionality with maps and realtime navigation (in some countries) Not
Quite
Very		 7
 8
 8
 10
 8
 8
 9
 10
 8
 8
 10 8
 10
 8
 10
Size of third party application catalogue (triple weighting!)
 Not
Quite
Very		 10 8 8 3
 8
 8
 4
 5
 8
 8
 5
 8 4
 8
 7
One handed operation? Not
Quite
Very		 5
 2
 0
 9
 3
 7
 7
 3
 6
 4
 7 4
 6
 4
 4
Social network integration, out of the box
 Not
Quite
Very		 9
 7
 7
 6
 7
 5
 9
 6
 5
 7
 6
 3
 6
 3
 9


Apple iPhone 5 HTC One Galaxy Note II E6 Galaxy S4 Motorola RAZR i/M N9 E7 RAZR MAXX Xperia Z N8 Galaxy Nexus Nokia 808 Nexus 4 Lumia 920
Criteria Importance to you Apple iPhone 5
 HTC One
 Samsung Galaxy Note II
 Nokia E6 Samsung Galaxy S4
 Motorola RAZR i (and RAZR M) Nokia N9
 Nokia E7
 Motorola RAZR MAXX Sony  Xperia Z
 Nokia N8 Google Galaxy Nexus
 Nokia 808 PureView
 Google Nexus 4
 Nokia Lumia 920
Overall   TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC



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* 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?

See also my Internet-based TV-style Phones Show... If you'd like to say thank you for the Grid or for the Phones Show, please use this PayPal link to send me a few spare PayPal dollars or pounds! Also, if you're trying to buy one of the above phones, I highly recommend Amazon - more reliable than eBay and more new (and clearance) stock.

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Thanks to Brian Cryer for his help with the Javascript on this page!

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