It can be tricky sorting through the dozens of phones on the market, and finding which ones are best, or even worth paying attention to. The over-abundance of choice is intimidating, to say the least. Even worse, with new phones coming out all the time the top-contenders are constantly being dethroned in favour of newer, shinier arrivals.
Lucky for you we do this kind of thing for a living. Here are the top 5 phones in Canada.
We’ll try to keep the list as up-to-date as possible, but also be sure to check the publication date up above.
Nexus 5X and 6P
The 5X and 6P are sister phones, released at the same time to wave the Android flag for Google. Each was designed by a different manufacturer – the 5X by LG, and the 6P by Huawei – but both in close cooperation with Google, leading to similarities between the two.
You can grab either phone on contract, or buy them outright and opt for a BYO Phone plan. This tends to be a popular option with Nexus phones, as they tend to be cheaper than their direct competitors, meaning less of an up-front hit to your wallet.
The Nexus 5X is the baby, with just a 5.2 inch 1080p display and a lower price tag. It has options for 16GB or 32GB of on board storage, and comes running the latest version of Android out of the box.
In terms of bang-for-buck, there are few phones on the market that can compare with this badboy. This is a very-near flagship phone for a mid-range price. Plus, the native Android UI means you’ll get updates more-readily then even the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S6.
The 6P is the premium Nexus for 2015 and first three quarters of 2016. Despite being more-expensive than the 5X, it’s still comparatively cheaper than many of the other fully-fledged flagships out there.
With 32GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options, this 5.7 inch Quad-HD phone, backed up by powerful internals, packs a serious punch.
|
500MB BYOP Plans |
1GB BYOP Plans |
3GB BYOP Plans |
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
Another power-duo; the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are almost identical in every way, apart from the obvious discrepancy in size between their 4.7 and 5.5 inch screens, and the small advantage in pixel density the 6s Plus’ 1080p resolution boasts over the smaller 6s’ Retina Display.
Apple’s flagship devices need little introduction, although this year there are a few new improvements. Starting with ‘3D Touch’ – the next phase in multitouch displays that measures the force with which you press with impressive accuracy.
The cameras are predictably fantastic, this year finally making the jump from 8MP up to 12MP. Apple claims that it’s taken this long for smartphone tech to advance to the point where the larger megapixel count can be implemented with no errors or visual noise. Whether or not you believe that is relatively unimportant; what really matters is the quality of the images you can capture, which is pretty high.
The new iPhones also have reinforced frames, meaning that there should be no repeat of 2014’s ‘Bendgate’ scandal.
|
iPhone 6s Carrier plans |
iPhone 6s Plus Carrier plans |
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The Note 5 is the most-recent flagship from Samsung. The Korean giant releases two major phones each year: the latest Galaxy ‘S’ model in the first quarter, and the larger-screened Note in Q3. With 6 months more R&D under its belt, it should be no surprise that the Note 5 boasts improvements over the smaller Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.
The camera is brilliant, possibly even the equal of this years’ iPhones, the CPU powerful, and the starting storage capacity is 32GB – double the lowest iPhone.
Ever-popular, the S-Pen stylus has even received some upgrades. It’s now metallic, to suit the new metal rim surrounding the Gorilla Glass device, and has a clicking mechanism to remove and lock it in to place. There’s also built-in wireless charging, a fingerprint sensor, and a gorgeous Quad HD display.
|
Galaxy Note 5 Rogers Plans |
Galaxy Note 5 Telus Plans |
Galaxy Note 5 Bell Plans |
Motorola Moto G3
The only other phone on this list that can give the Nexus 5X a run where value-for-money is concerned, the Moto G3 is the go-to phone for the budget-conscious. Unlike other ‘low-end’ phones, the Moto G3 (AKA Moto G 3rd Generation, AKA Moto G 2015) can seriously contend with devices twice or more the price.
Thanks to its vanilla Android UI, there’s no top-heavy skins or applications there to slow things down. It can make the absolute most of its hardware, allowing it to accomplish more with less.
Moto has even addressed the biggest problem plaguing its devices for years: the camera. The shooter on the G3 is downright passable, even good for a phone in its price bracket.
We absolutely adored this phone when we reviewed it and, considering the lighter demand it’ll make on your bank account, we think you could find plenty of reasons to get on board with it, too.
Like the 5X and 6P, the relatively low price of the G3 means that you can hit up some cheaper, no-contract BYO Phone plans. That’s a great option if you want to experiment with different carriers to find the best one for you, and also a price and customer service experience that you can live with.
|
500MB BYOP Plans |
1GB BYOP Plans |
3GB BYOP Plans |
LG G4
The LG G4 might be around 6 months old, but it’s still one of the best smartphones out there. The flagship for LG, this device is pretty much the equal of the ultra-popular Samsung Galaxy S6 in terms of user experience, with one all-important difference: price.
On contract, and sometimes outright, the LG G4 is often significantly cheaper than its Samsung competitor. If you’re choosing between two phones with comparable virtues, it makes sense to go for the more affordable option.
Probably the highlight of the G4 is the camera. While it’s been dethroned by the Note 5 and iPhone 6s in terms of being ‘the best’, it’s still an absolutely great shooter that should keep you happy for at least the next two years.
|
LG G4 Rogers Plans |
LG G4 Telus Plans |
LG G4 Bell Plans |
Phone with bright background image from Shutterstock
Find a better phone plan
Thousands of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
Related Articles
Find Better Phones and Plans
Hundreds of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
