Clove’s top 10 smartphones August 2016

We are a matter of weeks away from Apple announcing some new tech, the iPhone 7?

Naturally the rumours are flying around as to what we can expect, the most talked about I think being the possible lack of 3.5mm headphone jack.  Whether they take the same approach as the Moto Z and include an adapter will be confirmed in time.

Since July's top 10 Samsung have unveiled the Note 7.  Few surprises here really if you followed all the rumour but Samsung have now gone IP rated on the Note series and included USB Type-C.

Some of the newer devices that arrived last month continue to gain attention, there is not all that much movement in this months list.

So here is to our top 10 smartphone list for August 2016.

If you want to see our previous top 10's you can do so here.

10. Doro Liberto 825

With an ageing population there is a need to produce a smartphone that is engineered to be more intuitive and easier to use than many phones on the market today .

Not growing up with computers and technology means that for some a smartphone is a daunting investment, but there is a desire to do what is required on the move.

Doro specialising in creating technology products for seniors and their range has evolved from feature phones to smartphones and the new Liberto 825 is without doubt the best yet.

The 5″ screen has larger, clearer icons and physical buttons rather than simply touch sensitive on screen controls.

Hearing aid compatibility ensures crystal clear call experiences and the included charging dock does away with the need to fiddle with connecting a cable each time.

And because sometimes a senior is more at risk the assistance button can be pressed when they need help and pre-programmed contacts can be alerted.

On screen tutorials and even remote management options make the 825 a great option for those looking for a smartphone but are not so 'up and familiar' with technology.

Click here to find out more about the Doro Liberto 825

9. LG G5

LG have never settled for just being conventional, you always get the feeling that they are trying.  The G series has evolved and th e design of rear mounted buttons that existed since the G2 has now changed slightly to offer up a fingerprint sensor in place of these on the new G5.

A slight reduction in screen size from the G4, the G5 looks to bridge the gap between the 5-5.5″ screen size and appeal to a larger number of the smartphone users today.

You would be correct to think the G5 has high end specifications and performance is, well excellent. USB Type-C is included on the G5 and wireless charging is not included, so if you already have a G2,3 or 4, you might need to update some of your accessories.

Modularity and accessories is what takes the G5 from a smartphone to a powerful mobile solution.  I really like the idea and for those who want to be able to swap batteries and really take image and audio to the next level there is something quite compelling here.

Un-clipping the bottom of the G5 allows you to add on optional modules, including the Cam Plus ad Hi-Fi Plus which enhances the camera and audio functionality.

The dual lens, wide angle camera on the G5 is excellent and can take images that few can find fault with.  What is particularly good, compared to some competing devices, you can zoom and crop post capture without much loss of detail.

There are too a series of 'friends' including the 360 Cam and 360 VR which gives greater scope and potential use cases.

Click here to find out more about the LG G5

8. Lenovo Vibe K5

It arrived into stock in June and has certainly not gotten the media attention this deserves.

At £150 this dual SIM smartphone packs a real punch and can give the Wileyfox Swift a run for its money. It has stereo speaks and aluminium casing, comes supplied with a case and a screen protector and sports a user removable battery.

A respectable 2GB of RAM and Qualcomm processor keep the K5 ticking along.

5″ display means the phone is practically sized but large enough that media and interaction with the phone is straight forward.  In fact the stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos technology on board make this quite punchy even if it is only a 720p HD screen.

It is not a smartphone designed for power users, more a smartphone for those who want a decent smartphone without having to pay over the odds.

Click here to find out more about the Lenovo Vibe K5

7. Wileyfox Swift

Whilst premium smartphones are desirable, the costs associated with them are often not. So the budget/value for money phones can give you a great sense of satisfaction.  Thankfully the options available today whilst cheaper and less feature rich do not scream cheap.

Depending on who you ask one of the recommendations will be the Motorola Moto G and likely the other will be this Wileyfox Swift.

You simply cannot fault this phone for the price.  It might not be perfect for everyone but few things are, but we think it is close to it!

At £129 this dual SIM smartphone has an impressive feature set and kind of runs Android, with a modified version called Cyanogen OS. This gives you more control over certain features of the phone's system and in turn makes it more customisable and appealing to those who always like to fiddle and tweak their handset.

A 5″ screen, 13 megapixel camera, 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory are just a few of the benefits of buying this phone. Compare the specs and price to the currently more popular Moto G and you can see why this new entrant is ranking so highly so quickly.

Feedback has been extremely positive and our very own Josh raves about it in his hands on review here.

Click here to find out more about the Wileyfox Swift

6. Honor 5C

Just when I thought Honor could not do any better, they announced and launched the 5C.

It is very similar to the 5X that launched earlier this year but the screen is a bit smaller at 5.2″ and the front facing camera gets a boost to 8 megapixels.

2 quad-core processors, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, plus a microSD card slot and the option to use this as a dual SIM phone.  Did I mention it has a fingerprint reader and aircraft grade aluminium?!

For £150 this is a fantastic phone.  There is a lot of competition at this price but this probably takes the crown when you consider everything including the premium finish.

Running Google Android you get all the well advertised Google services.  There are a few Honor tweaks and customisations but nothing too heavy or off putting.

Click here to find out more about the Honor 5C

5. Alcatel Idol 4 + VR

The phone is by no means perfect, but for the £229 price tag there is A LOT to like about this phone and it is amazing how Alcatel have managed to do it.

You probably need to see and use this phone to really appreciate the value. It looks good with a lovely large screen.  It has 2 powerful speakers, good performance, helped by 3GB of RAM and a camera that ticks all the right boxes too.  Add to this a box contents that includes premium earphones, a VR headset, and not 1 but 2 different types of cases in the box.

Performing extremely well, the Idol 4 would make a fantastic phone for a teenager or those wanting to try out VR but serves perfectly well even for the more demanding user who would rather save a few pounds.

There is too the Boom button. A multipurpose physical button, the boom button, has some pre-programmed uses, but can also be customised to have effects on applications of your choice. Offering a mix of productivity and a creative twist the Boom button improves your user experience.

Find out a bit more in our hands on review here.

Click here to find out more about the Idol 4 + VR

4. Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge

A few months past launch now and the price and availability has settled on the S7 series and there has even been the introduction of Pink and White since it launched in the UK.

As flagship phones go this is one to beat and only personal prefernce may have you opting for iPhone 6s or HTC 10.

Its predecessor the S6 still remains popular, but the added benefit of an IP rating and the return of the microSD memory card slot make the S7 a desirable smartphone.

They look good, they feel good, perform great and are a model example of what is possible in 2016.

The S7 caters to those who want a slightly smaller phone, whilst the S7 Edge gives a little more with another 0.4″ on the display but as this wraps around the edges the phone not only looks but feels smaller than one imagines.

Edge screen functionality is improved over the S6 with more capability and for some forms and faster means for interacting with the phone, but for other affects the grip of the handset in the hand.

Great results come from the internal camera and the focus speed of the lens is really really quick.  it is a fingerprint magnet but you can put up with this for the speed, performance and general appeal.

3. Apple iPhone SE

You know that saying 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' well I feel this is appropriate with the iPhone SE.  Although it is not strictly true because in some respects it has been fixed.

The SE uses the chassis of the iPhone 5S, an exceptionally popular phone, and replaces the internals with virtually all of the current internals from the iPhone 6S.  How, I am not sure, but the resulting device is well, superb!

Yes there are bigger bezels and it looks a little dated, but it works and I have shown it to people I know using the iPhone 4 and 5 and 5S and they were all very impressed.  Most are stuck with the older phones because they love the form factor.

As the cheapest iPhone yet, prices start at £359 for the 16GB model, but your probably best opting for the 64GB model at £439.  Both are available in Space Grey, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold.

iOS 9 is installed as is the powerful Apple A9 processor, 13 megapixel camera, with 4K recording, 4G connectivity, Apple Pay and much more.

The small screen at 4″ keeps the physical size down but the resolution is a little yesteryear at 326 pixels per inch, but for text messages, phone calls and web browsing it is perfectly acceptable, just lacking some of the richer detail from the HD displays on the larger iPhones.

Click here to find out more about the iPhone SE

2. Moto G4

We knew the Moto G4 would be popular but the demand has taken us and Lenovo by surprise.  Selling out in what seems like just a few days.

Thankfully stock is back on track and customers can benefit from the superb device.

Growing in size with the 5″ screen of the 2015 model being replaced with a 5.5″ panel, the device is slimmer as a consequence. You would be hard pushed to argue that the G4 is a bad looking piece of kit for the money.

There of course have been a number of other improvements too including revisions to the camera software, and a bump in the battery size, but that does somewhat compensate for the larger screen. Android 6 is installed out of the box so 'doze' a feature of this version is present and will bring the increased standby times we all desire.

Available in 2 variants, the Moto G4 can be purchased as a single or dual SIM option.  The Black colour is the single SIM option, whilst the White is the dual SIM.

The default storage is 16GB of internal memory coupled with 2GB of RAM.  You can expand this with a microSD memory card.

The popularity has been for the dual SIM variant so far.

Click here to find out more about the Moto G4

1. CAT S60

This might be a bit of a surprise to find this at the top of our list for some reading this, but the S60 has been our top seller this month.

There is no denying, this is not for everyone.  For many it really does not suit, but for others there is a real purpose behind the device and what it offers. You can read or watch about it in depth here in our full review.

Thermal imaging may seem a bit of fun, but for some its a very important need indeed with business clients spending hundreds if not thousands on specialised thermal imaging equipment.

Within a matter of days of receiving their S60 one customer had already used it to highlight an overheating component within their plant and shut it down before causing a potential fire.

Designed to survive knock and drops from a height of 1.8 meters and capable of being taken to depths of 5m in fresh water the dual SIM enabled S60 is solid and you really appreciate this when in hand.

The software implementation is very good and even if the FLIR module is not of a desire to you, this is one of the most capable (specification wise) rugged smartphones available.

Please do remember that this list is our top 10 based on our preferences, feelings, sales and customer feedback.  Others may have a very different opinion on what makes their top 10. For a complete list of the phones that we range, see our SIM free smartphones section.

If you have any questions then contact us on sales@clove.co.uk or by phoning +44 (0)1202552936 and we will happily help.

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Source: Clove's top 10 smartphones August 2016