Christmas is just around the corner which also means we are coming to the end of, what can only be described, as a pretty hectic year for numerous amounts of reasons. Regardless of this, it should be noted that every large OEM has released their smartphone this year so it is worth asking the question as to which smartphone is the best one for this year? There have been a lot of good contenders so here is a list of possible contenders with a conclusion picking out the best smartphone from the contenders.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Putting its price aside, the iPhone 7 Plus is everything any Apple fan dreams of. Yes, it does not have an headphone jack. However, I am pretty sure most phones will remove this feature in the next 5 years (with Motorola being another company to do it already with their Moto Z phone).

The screen is clear and beautiful, the design is slim and the power and consistency of performance will be something many people will love.

Samsung S7

I have chosen the S7 over the S7 Edge simply because I feel most people see the curve as a gimmick and something not that useful. For example, one of my friends actually changed his phone because 1) he could never hold the phone in one hand without hitting something on screen and 2) it’s a pain typing on the phone when the screen curves away from you.

Putting this aside, the S7 is a great phone, which has everything the iPhone 7 has plus the freedom of Android. What is great about the S7 is the micro-SD slot and, weirdly enough, it is surprisingly light feeling for a smartphone which should never go unnoticed!

Google Pixel XL

Being one of the latter phones to be released, Google has rid itself of the Nexus image and designed their own smartphone named the Pixel. The Pixel XL is the one to go for, though, with a larger screen and battery.

Looking at the design, it oozes a premium feel and has all of the features an Android lover would love. This includes the latest version of Android with Google Assistant, unlimited 4K storage for free, a beautiful OLED display, great battery, great speed and consistent performance. But, with this, there is a price to pay…

Ultimately, it is difficult to say which is the best smartphone. Naturally, there are two winners. If you are a lover of Apple, you will not be turned away from Apple and the same applies to Android. But, regardless of operating system, the winner from the above has to be the Samsung S7. It is by far the cheapest and features such as the micro-SD card, waterproofing, beautifully clear and vibrant display and premium design puts it up among one of the best smartphones ever produced.

(note: if only the Samsung Note 7 did not have an exploding battery…)