Theta Android News: Best unlocked Android phones (December 2015)

Nexus 5X VS Moto X Pure Edition-9

Now that an increasing amount of smartphone manufacturers are selling their phones at cheaper price points, it's much easier for consumers to afford an off-contract device rather than purchasing one with a two-year contract. At least in the United States, the way smartphones are priced has changed dramatically, and that's a good thing.

So, what are the best smartphones out there for those who'd like to forgo the standard contract and buy unlocked? We're here to take you through the best unlocked Android smartphones for under $250, under $500 and over $500. As always, if you have anything you'd like to suggest, be sure to speak up in the comment section at the bottom of the post.

Editor's note: We'll be updating this list regularly as new devices launch. It's also worth noting that this article is written for a U.S.-centric point of view, though (since they are unlocked) pretty much all of these devices are available outside of the U.S., at least in some capacity.

Update, December 2015: It's been a few months since we've last updated this list, so just about every phone in this post has been changed. The OnePlus X is now the best unlocked phone you can buy for under $250, the Nexus 6P holds the top spot in the "under $500" category, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is now the best phone you can buy above $500.

Best phones under $250

#1 – OnePlus X

The OnePlus X is one of the best budget devices you can purchase right now. It's compact, extremely fast, and boasts many of the same software features that come with its older brother, the OnePlus 2. It has an impressive 5.0-inch AMOLED display, a perfectly capable Snapdragon 801 processor, 3 gigabytes of RAM, microSD card expansion up to 128GB and two SIM card slots.

There are a few things to watch out for, though. If you want to activate the device on AT&T or T-Mobile's networks, you may not have great 4G LTE coverage, as the device is missing the appropriate bands. It also comes with no NFC on board, so you won't be able to use mobile payment methods like Android Pay. It's also only available for purchase if you have an invite… well, at least most of the time. OnePlus still employs its dreaded invitation system here, except for every Tuesday. If you don't have an invitation, Tuesday is the only day of the week you can actually buy this handset.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly smartphone and don't mind spending a few extra bucks, get the OnePlus X. You can purchase it from OnePlus' website for $249.99.

Specs

5.0-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441ppi
2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor
3GB of RAM
16GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 2525mAh battery
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
140 x 69 x 6.9mm, 138g

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#2 – Motorola Moto G (2015)

The Moto G, one of the most beloved budget phones on the market, is now in its third iteration. This time around, the handset offers up a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor and either 8GB storage and 1GB RAM, or 16GB storage and 2GB RAM. bother models include microSD support, a 13MP rear cam, a 5MP front cam, a 5-inch 720p LCD display, and a hefty 2470mAh non-removable battery. While the Moto G has never been about flashy extras, this year's model does introduce waterproofing and LTE to the mix.

For those that lust for customization, the Moto G also includes limited Moto Maker support. While this feature isn't as robust as you'd find with the Moto X Style (Pure Edition), it's still a great step in the right direction. As for software? The phone runs Lollipop out of the box, and it is likely only a matter of time before a Marshmallow upgrade makes its way into the hands of consumers.

It should be noted that only the model with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of on-board storage reaches the under-$200 price point. To get the higher end variant, you'll need to pay around $219 in most regions.

Specs

5.0-inch LCD display with 720 x 1280 resolution
1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU
1/2GB of RAM (depending on storage option)
8/16GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 32GB
13MP rear cam, 5MP front cam
Non-removable 2470mAh battery
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
142.1 x 72.4 x 11.6mm, 155g

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Buy now from Amazon

#3 – ASUS ZenFone 2

ASUS launched its newest flagship, the ZenFone 2, at CES 2015. It was originally marketed as the first smartphone to feature 4GB of RAM, but that's not all this powerhouse brings to the table. Toting a 5.5-inch 1080p display, the ZenFone 2 features a big 3000mAh battery, 13MP rear-facing camera, a powerful 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop.

The Asus ZenFone 2 is now available in the U.S., China, Taiwan, Europe and a few other regions. The base model, which is the variant running on 2GB of RAM and the Z3560 processor, is now available from Newegg, Amazon, and several other major retailers starting at just $199. If you want to spring for the higher-end model, which has a 2.3GHz Intel Atom Z3580 processor, 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, that will only run you $299.

Specs

5.5-inch full HD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution
64-bit quad-core Intel Atom Z3560/Z3580 processor (running at 1.8 or 2.3GHz)
2/4GB of RAM
16/32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD card expansion up to 64GB
13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 3000mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm, 170g

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Buy now from Amazon

#4 – BLU Life One X

The BLU Life One X is a newcomer to the budget-friendly space, and it packs quite the punch. It boasts a 5.2-inch Full HD display, a super fast MediaTek MT6753 CPU, microSD expansion and a big 2900mAh battery. Not to mention the solid build quality – this device has a real aluminum frame and a plastic back plate that makes for a great in-had feel.

We'd normally expect a device of this stature to go for about $200-$250, but that's not the case here. You can purchase the BLU Life One X for only $149.99 from BLU's website.

Specs

5.2-inch LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 424ppi
1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6753 processor
2GB of RAM
16GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 64GB
13MP rear-facing camera, 5MP front-facing camera
Non-removable 2900mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
186.8 x 72.8 x 8.4mm

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Buy now from Amazon

Best phones under $500

#1 – Nexus 6P

As the successor to last year's Motorola Nexus 6, Google recently unveiled the Huawei-made Nexus 6P. This device is the higher-end of the two Nexus phones announced at Google's event, and that's incredibly apparent when looking at the spec sheet.

It comes with a big 5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, super fast Snapdragon 810 processor, a giant 3450mAh battery and an impressive 12MP rear-facing camera. Want to get your hands on one? The Nexus 6P is pretty cheap, considering the specs and build quality. You can purchase it from the Google Store starting at just $499!

We've just published our full review of this handset, and come to the conclusion that it's up there with the best of the best. If you aren't a fan of Samsung's Galaxy S6 for any reason, you should get the Nexus 6P.

Specs

5.7-inch AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 resolution
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
3GB of RAM
32/64/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD card slot
12MP rear-facing camera, 8MP front-facing camera
Non-removable 3450mAh battery
159.3 x 77.8 x 7.3mm, 178g
Aluminum, Graphite, Frost
Android 6.0 Marshmallow

#2 – Motorola Moto X Style (aka Pure Edition)

With the original Moto X, Motorola proved you don't need to have the latest specs to get a great user experience. With the second generation, the Lenovo-owned company took no chances and double-downed on the spec side as well, packing the new Moto X (2014) with a dense 5.2-inch AMOLED screen, a beefy processor, and a capable 13MP camera. But with the Moto X Style, Motorola reaches the perfect balance between performance, simplicity, price and… well, style.

By Style we are mostly referring customization capabilities, a factor which has been an integral part of the Moto X experience since day one. Customers can use Moto Maker to manipulate their devices' aesthetics to their will. You can change the color of the metal areas, engrave the back and even choose from a plethora of back options, including materials leather, wood, rubber and other materials.

The device is not a bad contender in terms of hardware, either. The larger screen puts the phone up with contenders like the OnePlus 2, Nexus 6, LG G4 and the Galaxy Note series. It may not sport the "best" processor in the market, but the Snapdragon 808 is pretty close to the 810, and Motorola has proven time and again they can make a super fast phone without the greatest chipset. The best part? This phone's price will start at only $399!

It's worth noting that the phone will be sold in most markets under the Style branding, though in the United States it will be sold as the Moto X Pure Edition, an unlocked model that will play nice with all U.S. carriers.

Specs

5.7-inch display with QHD 2560x1440p resolution
1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 CPU
3GB of RAM
16/32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 128GB
21MP rear cam, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 3000mAh battery
153.9 x 76.2 x 11.06 mm, 179g
Customizable via Moto Maker
Water resistant
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

#3 – LG G4

With every phone on this list bringing something different to the table, LG attempts to offer the most with their latest flagship. While maintaining the design language and the unique elements of its predecessors, LG's attempt to standout on the design front involved adding a subtle curve to the display, and the availability of different back cover options in a hard plastic or leather variants.

Speaking of back covers, the LG G4 is one of the very few flagships to come with a removable back cover, which makes possible an even rarer feature: a replaceable battery. A gorgeous Quad HD display, a great camera experience, and a smooth and fluid software iteration make for a fantastic device. If what is missing in other flagships kept you from buying them, the G4 just might be the phone that you're looking for.

It should be noted that while LG recently released the V10 (found below), we found that the G4 still offers up some great features for the price.

Specs

5.5-inch LCD Quantum Dot display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution (534 ppi)
1.82 GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
Adreno 418 GPU
3GB of RAM
32GB of on-board storage, expandable via microSD up to 128GB
16 MP rear camera with LED flash, 8 MP front-facing camera
3,000 mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
148.9 x 76.1 x 6.3 – 9.8 mm, 155 grams

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Buy now from Amazon

#4 – Nexus 5X

Google chose to release two Nexus smartphones in 2015 – the higher-end Nexus 6P made by Huawei and the LG-made Nexus 5X, which is the true sequel to LG's beloved Nexus 5 from 2013. Both of these devices feature similar specifications, but they still manage to stand out drastically from one another. The Nexus 5X has one of the best processors on the market (the Snapdragon 808), a decent 2700mAh battery and a really great 12.3 megapixel rear-facing camera. It also boasts a fingerprint scanner on the back Google is calling Nexus Imprint, a front-facing speaker that provides decent audio quality and of course, this phone runs the latest version of Android.

In our full review, we had just a few gripes. While the Snapdragon 808 processor is very capable of performing just about everything you throw at it, the fact that the 5X comes with just 2GB of RAM makes us nervous for the future. It also only comes with 16 or 32GB of on-board storage with no microSD card expansion, so folks who are used to 32 or 64GB variants will need to rely on cloud storage when it comes to keeping media on the phone.

Considering that the Nexus 6P costed only $120 more than the 5X at launch, it was a tad difficult to recommend this smartphone at the start. Now that it's dropped in price, though, we really think this is one of the better phones you can buy at this price range. You can now purchase the Nexus 5X starting at only $329.

Specs

5.2-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 423ppi
1.8GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
2GB of RAM
16/32GB of on-board storage, no microSD card expansion
12.3MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 2700mAh battery
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
147 x 72.6 x 7.9mm, 136g

Best phones above $500

#1 – Samsung Galaxy Note 5

It's hard denying that Samsung has always been the king of large-screened smartphones, and that still holds true today. With its crystal clear 5.7-inch display, powerful Exynos 7420 CPU and killer 16MP rear-facing camera, the Galaxy Note 5 is one of the best Android phones available on the market right now.

It's an all-around solid device, boasting an all-glass chassis that's similar to that of the Galaxy S6. It comes with an improved S Pen and some great multitasking features that will make it easy to get work done. The software is much more clean and simple than we've seen from the company in the past, too.

With all of that said, though, this device doesn't come without its caveats. Samsung's decision to omit the microSD card slot and removable battery has been a controversial one over the past few weeks, especially among Samsung die-hards. Even with these notable omissions, the Note 5 can still be considered one of the best out there.

If you're looking for a big smartphone and money is no object, you should definitely consider picking up the Galaxy Note 5.

Specs

5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440 x 2560 resolution
Samsung Exynos 7420 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, no microSD card slot
16MP rear cam, 5MP front cam
Non-removable 3000mAh battery
153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm, 171g
Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Silver Titan, White Pearl
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

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#2 – Samsung Galaxy S6

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is one of the best smartphones on the market. It features the powerful Exynos 7420 processor, an impressive 16MP rear-facing camera and a crystal clear 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display.

Although Samsung decided to forgo the removable battery and microSD card slot this time around, we'd wager to say that the much-improved build quality with the S6 is a pretty decent trade off. Basically, if you can get past these two caveats and don't mind Samsung's Touchwiz software overlay, the Galaxy S6 is one of the best phones you can buy.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is definitely one of the best smartphones of 2015 thus far, though it can be a little pricey depending on which model you choose.

Specs

5.1-inch Super AMOLED with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 577 ppi
Samsung Exynos 7420 processor
3GB of RAM
32/64/128GB storage options, no microSD card expansion
16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 2550mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8mm, 138g

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Buy now from Amazon

#3 – LG V10

If you aren't completely satisfied with the LG G4, perhaps the V10 will suit your needs. It has the same powerful Snapdragon 808 processor and 16MP rear-facing camera as the G4, but with a few extra features included. Most notably, the V10 sports a secondary "ticker" display LG calls the Second Screen. This extra display aims to provide its users useful information without the need to turn on the main screen. It will display app shortcuts, notifications, and even weather and battery percentage information. Although the placement is a bit wonky, we're sure you'll be pretty happy with the added benefit of having a secondary display.

The V10 also has two front-facing cameras for wide-angle selfies, a fingerprint scanner that's actually really reliable, a MIL-STD-810G Transit Drop Compliant rating for shock absorption, and a 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC electronic processor with support for Qualcomm's QFE2550 closed-loop antenna tuning solution. It's also the first smartphone ever to come with a manual mode for taking video.

Both the V10 and the G4 are great smartphones. If you aren't concerned with spending a bit more money, though, you should buy the V10.

Specs

Main display: 5.7-inch IPS Quantum Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 513ppi
- Secondary display: 2.1-inch IPS Quantum Display with 160 x 1040 resolution, 513ppi
Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
Adreno 418 GPU
4GB of RAM
64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 2TB
16MP rear-facing camera, 5MP Dual Lens front-facing camera
Removable 3000mAh battery
Android 5.1 Lollipop
159.6 x 79.3 x 8.6mm, 192g

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#4 – Sony Xperia Z5

Alongside the Xperia Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium, Sony unveiled another high-end offering, the Xperia Z5. Featuring a solid design, premium specifications and a slightly toned down software experience, the Z5 certainly brings a lot to the table.

It may not stray too far away from other Sony handsets on the design front, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's one of the sleekest and most elegant smartphones on the market, thanks to its mostly glass design and metal trim. It also has some pretty solid specifications under the hood. The Z5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor backed by 3GB of RAM, and comes with a big 2900mAh battery. It also features Sony's new 23MP Exmor RS camera sensor, microSD expansion up to 200GB, and a fingerprint sensor that's embedded in the home button.

The Sony Xperia Z5 may not be the best smartphone on the market in terms of software, hardware or extra features, though it's still a really solid option for anyone looking for a premium Android handset without many compromises.

Specs

5.2-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 428ppi
64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor
3GB RAM
32GB storage, microSD expansion up to 200GB
23MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera
Non-removable 2900mAh battery
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
146 x 72 x 7.3mm, 154g
White, Graphite Black, Gold, Green

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Buy now from Amazon

There you have it – our picks of the best unlocked Android phones you can buy right now. Missed anything? Tell us in the comments!

Check out our related best lists:

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Theta Android News

Monday, December 28, 2015

Best unlocked Android phones (December 2015)

Best phones under $250

#1 – OnePlus X

#2 – Motorola Moto G (2015)

#3 – ASUS ZenFone 2

#4 – BLU Life One X

Best phones under $500

#1 – Nexus 6P

#2 – Motorola Moto X Style (aka Pure Edition)

#3 – LG G4

#4 – Nexus 5X

Best phones above $500

#1 – Samsung Galaxy Note 5

#2 – Samsung Galaxy S6

#3 – LG V10

#4 – Sony Xperia Z5

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