Every smartphone that has passed through our testing labs in 2016 has been rounded up on this page.
Readers in the market for a new smartphone: this is a good starting point. Consider the smartphones available, narrow the selection down according to your price range and then begin qualifying either the retailer or carrier best suited to your individual needs.
Google Pixel XL: The new best Android phone
It is as good as or incrementally better than everything else on the market but the A.I-enhanced Google Assistant elevates it to another level of smartphone technology. But innovation comes with a hefty premium.
Huawei P9: lifting photography to another level... sometimes
The P9 is a decent mid-range phone with best-on-the-market fingerprint reader and potentially the best camera of any phone (including many compact cameras).
Huawei Mate 8: probably the best all-round Android phone you can buy
A great-value, great all-round Android phone.
Sony Xperia XZ: A turbo-charged, last-gen, flagship phone
The XZ feels like a turbo-charged version of its last-generation phones. It's not svelte and pretty like other flagships. And a comparable S7 costs $250 less nowadays.
HTC 10: A great phone, but avoid paying full price for it
A great camera, 24-bit audio, decent interface and Vive VR partnership are all attractive.
Huawei Nova Plus smartphone
A second-tier phone in every way. There's little it can't do. But that's about the most exciting thing about it.
Sony Xperia X Performance: Sony’s most disappointing product in years
A mediocre, mid-range phone at a massive price. The Huawei P9 is a better buy than the entire Xperia X range.
Moto G4 Plus: Is this the best value phone on the market?
It's not much of a looker but its a great performer. Specs and features are high end and the price stays low. Camera performance could be better though.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
It's priced to ride the coat tails of the iPhone. But while it is a very good Android device, there is much better value to be had elsewhere.
Alcatel Idol 4S: King of the mid-range?
Alcatel is pushing out of its budget-brand comfort zone with a well-specified mid-range offering. The screen and cameras are attractive, but prices of better rivals are falling fast.
Moto Z: Motorola proves modular smartphones can be the future of mobility
We're concerned about the overheating issue, but make no mistake, the Moto Z is a very good phone.
Next: Samsung's exploding Note 7, iPhone 7 plus great value from Oppo, Moto and LG...
