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The best phone of 2018 in UAE: Top smartphones tested and ranked

April 08, 2018
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The best phone of 2018 in UAE: Top smartphones tested and ranked
The best phone of 2018 in UAE: Top smartphones tested and ranked

You want to know which brand has created the best smartphone of the moment, right? Well, you've come to utterly the right place.

We test and rate all the best phones around (and some of the less than appealing ones too) to find out which takes the most amazing photos, lasts the longest, offers an amazing design and does it all with a brilliant screen.

The best smartphone to buy right now is the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. This phone ticks all the boxes listed above thanks to a dazzling screen, amazing camera and an impressive, rolling metal-and-glass design.

Or maybe you're just after something a little cheaper... whatever your needs, we've got something for you right here on this list, with the best mobile phones for April 2018.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is a big phone that's designed for big hands - and it takes the very best of what's on the smartphone market and puts it together in a compelling package that we've loved testing. 

Screen: The Super AMOLED 6.2-inch display has been measured as one of the very best around right now, with super colours, great dynamic range and, essentially, the very best viewing experience you can have on a mobile phone.

Battery life: The battery life on the S9 Plus is better than the smaller version, thanks to the 3500mAh battery - although it's probably the weakest part of the phone, not offering as much life as we'd have liked.

Camera: The camera on the Galaxy S9 Plus is among the best on the market, and the dual-aperture capability offers some startlingly good snaps when things get a little darker. Colours can look a tad washed out when the exposure is higher, but the power of the sensor, with memory built into it, offers very low-noise shots.

Mini verdict: If you're after a bigger phone with all the latest and greatest features on it, the Galaxy S9 is that and more.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is an incredibly impressive phablet that's perfect for anyone who wants a productive, powerful device and that makes it our top phone.

It's got one of the best displays, one of the top cameras, and an excellent mix of speed and performance under the finger, while the S Pen is a real differentiator in a sea of similar phones.

It's an expensive phone too – only just behind the iPhone X in terms of out-and-out cost. But it's a better choice than the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus – its nearest competitor in terms of overall size and quality – if you want to be able to jot things down in an instant and take beautiful bokeh photos, as well as splash the phone in water.

How good is the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 camera?

Also consider: The Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, with similar dimensions, a lower cost and longer-lasting battery is where we'd point you. It only has one camera sensor and the S Pen is absent, but many people could happily live with that.

The iPhone X is the most impressive handset Apple has ever made. Ever. 

You could argue that the iPhone 4 or iPhone 6 should have that tag, but the X (that's 'X' as in '10') represents something that most iPhone buyers want: a new design, after years and years of the same thing being released.

You know already that this is an expensive phone, but Apple has done all it can to justify that cost. It's got an amazing, well-tuned screen, and a strong camera bolted on the back.

The lack of bezel around the device is a massive departure for the brand, and losing the home button has lead to a redesign of iOS 11 – you might struggle to transition for a day or two if you go for this phone, but trust us, it'll become second nature in no time.

This is the phone to buy if you want to treat yourself to a high-end phone – a little extra per month for something you really enjoy taking out of your bag or pocket is worth it if you can afford it.

How good is the iPhone X camera?

Also consider: If you're in the market for an iPhone but don't want to fork out the cost of the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus is the handset to go for thanks to many similar features. Actually, if you wanted to be really thrifty you could get away with the iPhone 7 Plus, but the updates won't last as long for that device.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 isn't quite the phone that the S9 Plus is - it's only got a single camera sensor, for one - but it's a more palm-friendly model that still packs the power and top screen quality of its sibling.

Screen: A QHD 5.8-inch screen takes up most of the front of the phone - and it's still a stunning design. Brighter, more colourful and capable of showing the best of movies, the Super AMOLED tech is once again showing itself to be best thing to look at on a smartphone.

Battery life: Battery life is a little disappointing for a top-end smartphone, meaning you'll need to think about a top-up during the day if you're a harder user. Wireless and fast charging capabilities help with this though.

Camera: It's only a single sensor on the rear of the Galaxy S9, unlike the Galaxy S9 Plus - meaning it's not as good at photography. But don't think the S9 takes poor photos, as they're still stunning, and in low light it's a sterling performer, with very little noise.

Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 is a smartphone with all the top-end features you'd want, and more on top. It's not quite at the level of the S9 Plus, and the iPhone X outranks it in some ways - but for a more palm-friendly Android phone it's utterly tops.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 review

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the phone to go for if you want great battery life. It's also a phone for someone who wants something a little different, and needs a handset that can easily last a day, and then some, on a single charge.

The biggest talking point of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is, as you've guessed, its battery.

It’s big at 4,000mAh, and it translates to impressive performance, with the possibility of stretching usage to two days from a single charge if you switch it off overnight.

On the rear, the dual camera setup is a solid point-and-shoot option, but it really excels if you dive into manual mode; if you're a camera enthusiast who's willing to spend time fine-tuning, you can get some great shots from the Mate 10 Pro.

How good is the Huawei Mate 10 Pro camera?

Also consider: The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is probably the closest rival to the Mate 10 Pro, also coming with a great manual camera mode, large and clear screen and phablet-sized, bezel-less proportions. However, it's more expensive and has a shorter battery life.

If you're looking for a powerful phone that packs everything that's good about the Android world, look no further than the LG V30+.

The LG G6 is a fine device, but the V30+ is the sleek, refined and powerful version of that phone. It's got the most powerful processor around, a great camera and delivers one of the best sonic performances from a phone on the market right now, thanks to the dedicated Quad DAC inside.

This means the LG V30 is a great phone to pick up if you value great-sounding tunes, and want a well-made phone into the bargain. Yes, the price is high, but the combination of features justifies that to a compelling degree.

If you're after a phone that's not from the 'Big Two', we'd recommend this one as a close second to the Google Pixel.

How good is the LG V30+ camera?

Also consider: The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a similar device in terms of both power and cost, while you get a slightly better camera and the use of the S Pen; however the V30 probably just edges it for audio performance.

You normally associate the highest-end processor bundled with tons of RAM and storage to an expensive device but Nokia has managed to give us exactly that at a much lesser price with the Nokia 8.

The Nokia 8 offers a lot of great features such as a powerful chipset, dual-sensor camera and a perfectly sized QHD display, all wrapped up in a very good looking and sleek design.

We're also fans of Nokia's pure Android experience which uses Google apps for almost everything and has minimal bloatware. Nokia has done good on updates as well brining Oreo 8.0 to the Nokia 8 along with a publicly accessible beta for 8.1.

While the Nokia 8 has great specs on paper for a camera, the performance of it can be a struggle with a slow auto-focus.

How good is the camera on Nokia 8?

Also consider: The alternative here is the Honor 9 which offers a great design, good performance and a good camera at a slightly lower price. It ins't as fast or has as good of a display as the Nokia 8.

We thought the days of the 4K phone were over – but Sony's back, and has reinvigorated the technology by cramming in HDR compatibility, which really makes videos look stunning.

Sure, there isn't masses of mobile HDR content out there at the moment, but the screen tech makes even the most mundane image look brighter and more colourful, and the rest of the phone is impressively powerful.

The camera is capable of taking exceptional pictures, the slow motion capabilities are insanely great in the right light, and the raw grunt of the handset is up there with the very best. If you're a Sony fan, you'll love this phone.

How good is the Sony Xperia XZ Premium camera?

Also consider: The easiest comparison here is with the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus: they're both impressive phablets with excellent HDR screens, so it really depends which brand you're most attracted to.

You might think HTC is something of a forgotten brand – and, to a degree, you'd be right. But if you discount HTC you'll be missing out on its latest flagship, which offers exceptional performance in a couple of areas.

The HTC U11 features an eye-catching design, programmable, squeezable sides and great audio performance – and if you’re a fan of Iron Man then you have to check it out in Solar Red, which is seriously beautiful.

The U11 was the first smartphone to introduce squeezable sides, and while the feature has since appeared in the two new Pixel handsets (and to better effect), the U11 remains the only phone on which you can set the action to launch something other than Google Assistant.

Plug in the bundled pair of headphones, meanwhile, and prepare yourself for a seriously impressive sonic experience, with the HTC U11 kicking out audio at a fantastic level. 

It’s not quite the all-round package that some of the phones here offer (hence its lower position), but the reduced price makes it a more attractive proposition.

How good is the HTC U11 camera?

Also consider: It's hard to know what to recommend here, as there's nothing that really compares on the market right now. However, for the price you'd probably look at the Galaxy S8 or the LG G6 as something a bit different.

The Honor 7x is another phone from Honor that brings high-end features to an affordable price range.

It's the first budget phone we've seen with an 18:9 aspect ratio display, which has until now been reserved for more expensive phones. The Honor 7X is also built very well and should survive a fall or two, or twenty, without much worry. 

Inside, the Honor 7x has a Kirin 659 CPU paired with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and Android Nougat software. While that processor will go through daily tasks just fine, you do see a lag every once in a while.

The camera setup to the Honor 7x is made up of a 16MP and 2MP combination sensor that can take decent photos during the day but struggles with low light. 

Finally, Honor has packed the 7X with a 3,340mAh battery that easily lasts all day.

How good is the Honor 7X camera?

Also consider: If you're not sold on the Honor 7x, then the Honor 9 is your next-best bet. Higher up in specs, and for not a lot more money, it's a nice choice for anyone wanting flagship performance at a low price.

New phones for 2018

So those are our pick of the best phones you can get right now, but to conclude we're going to highlight some upcoming handsets that may well get added to this list when they launch.

Below you'll find the likes of the Huawei P20 Pro and iPhone 9, among many others, along with the hottest rumors we have for each of them, as well as expected prices and release dates.

To find out more about any of these handsets just click the link at the bottom of each entry to be taken to our main news and rumors page for them.

iPhone XI & iPhone 9

  • Expected release date: September 2018
  • Expected price: Upwards of AED 2,799

We're not sure what Apple's naming convention will be for the next generation of iPhone, or how many models there will be, but it’s possible that we’ll see an iPhone 9, iPhone 9 Plus and iPhone X2 (or iPhone XI).

Early rumors include the possibility that all models of the phone will have an OLED screen, slender bezels and a Face ID scanner, just like the iPhone X.

That likely also means that they'd ditch the fingerprint scanner and bezels found on the iPhone 8 for an all-screen front. What we do know however, is you'll have to wait until September to find out what Apple has in store for 2018.

LG G7

  • Expected release date: Spring 2018 
  • Expected price: Probably at least AED 2,499

We don't know too much about the LG G7 yet, but LG has switched from LCD to OLED for the LG V30 and there's a high chance the LG G7 will also therefore use OLED, which could mean a more vibrant display than the LG G6 has.

Elsewhere, we've heard that the LG G7 will probably use a Snapdragon 845 chipset, which is expected to be the main flagship chipset of 2018.

In that sense its inclusion wouldn't be surprising, but the LG G6 used the Snapdragon 821, while many rivals used the Snapdragon 835, so if LG does use the 845 for the G7 it should be on a more equal power footing with rivals for its main 2018 flagship than it was with its 2017 one.

But the biggest thing we're starting to believe about the LG G7 is that it won't be called the G7 at all - it seems LG is moving away from that naming strategy.

Google Pixel 3

  • Expected release date: October 2018
  • Expected price: Likely upwards of AED 2,599

There might be three Pixel 3 handsets, with a Pixel 3, a Pixel 3 XL and an even more premium one at the top-end being launched according to one source. And we're expecting them to finally, officially, arrive in the Middle East.

We’ve also heard that the three phones are codenamed “crosshatch”, “albacore” and “blueline”, but exactly what their specs and features will be remains to be seen.

HTC U12

  • Expected release date: Mid-2018
  • Expected price: Probably around AED 2,499

The only real rumor about the HTC U12 is that it could have a dual-lens camera, as HTC has revealed that it plans to build a dual-lens phone.

Everything else is just guesswork for now, but there’s a good chance the HTC U12 will have a Snapdragon 845 chipset, squeezy Edge Sense-powered sides and a similar design to the HTC U11 and HTC U11 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

  • Expected release date: August / September 2018
  • Expected price: Probably at least AED 3,499

Rumors suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 could have a fingerprint scanner built into the screen, which is a feature both Samsung and Apple have been rumored to be working on for a long time.

That would mean the phone could have an all-screen front without relegating the scanner to the back.

There’s also a very, very small chance that the Galaxy Note 9 will have a folding screen. This is something Samsung’s been rumored to be working on for even longer, and it looks like the company could finally be close to launching such a phone, but we wouldn’t count on seeing the tech trialed on something as high profile as the Note 9.

Sony Xperia XZ2

  • Expected release date: September 2018
  • Expected price: At least AED 2,499

So far we've only really heard one Xperia XZ2 rumor, but it's a big one: the design of the phone might be completely changed.

Sony has stuck with largely the same smartphone design for most of its handsets for years now, so a redesign is long overdue.

That aside, expect typically high-end specs, though possibly just a 1080p screen, since other than the Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia Z5 Premium Sony has also seemed reluctant to up the resolution of its phones.

We may actually see the Xperia XZ2 Premium first though, with the latest rumors pointing towards a MWC 2018 appearance for the third generation, 4K-display smartphone.

Huawei P20

  • Expected release date: April 2018
  • Expected price: Upwards of AED 2,799

Originally though to be called the Huawei P11, the Huawei P20 was set to arrive at the same time as the Galaxy S9 during MWC 2018 - although that now looks in some doubt.

The octa-core Kirin 970 chipset found in the Huawei Mate 10 will likely be used, and we've also heard that the Huawei P11 could have 8GB of RAM and a 4K screen, though we’re skeptical of this, as it would be a huge jump from the Huawei P10.

Whatever else though, it's likely to be a stylish, metal-clad and relatively affordable flagship.

OnePlus 6

  • Expected release date: June 2018
  • Expected price: Over AED 2,299

The OnePlus 6 is the company's next numbered handset, and it probably won't arrive before mid-2018.

Currently there aren't many OnePlus 6 rumors, but it's likely to have many of the same specs and features as the OnePlus 5T, which itself is rumored to have a 20MP dual-lens camera and a 6-inch 18:9 screen.

We also suspect the OnePlus 6 will use the Snapdragon 845, and it's unlikely to have more than the 8GB of RAM you can already get in the OnePlus 5.

Nokia 9

  • Expected release date: Early 2018
  • Expected price: Around AED 1,999

The Nokia 9’s release date is unknown, but we’re expecting to see it sooner rather than later, and when we do it could have a 5.5-inch QHD curved OLED screen, a water-resistant all-metal shell, a dual-lens 22MP Carl Zeiss camera and a 3,800mAh battery.

If those specs prove accurate then the Nokia 9 could truly compete with the best flagships around, though one slightly less promising spec rumor points to it having a Snapdragon 835 chipset.

That’s a flagship chip, but it’s one that’s been around for most of 2017. If the phone launches before the end of the year then that might still be the best option available, but if it slips into 2018 then hopefully it will use the Snapdragon 845 or equivalent.





April 08, 2018 at 08:04AM

April 08, 2018 at 09:43AM
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