Wired.co.uk rounds-up the best 4G smartphones on sale today and provides reviews for each.
4G's coming up very fast and with UK coverage extending almost daily, it's time to insist on a 4G-capable handset for your next upgrade. Here are a few of the best to consider.
The HTC One M8, the company's flaghip, is one of the most stylish out there, with a metal unibody case that's thin at 9mm, relatively lightweight at 160g and has a pleasingly curved shape at the back that helps it to fit very comfortably in the hand. We also like the optional dot matrix cover which offers simplistic, retro look updates without the need to switch on the phone.
The SuperLCD3 screen measures 5in and boasts a full HD resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels -- great for streaming HD movies with your 4G connection and they'll sound better than most too, thanks to the stereo speakers intelligently placed on the front and the optional BoomSound audio processing to beef up your bass.
The quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 backed by 2GB RAM is very fast indeed, and whips through apps and menus seemingly at the speed of thought. Unfortunately though, there's no option to expand the memory, so you're stuck with the 16GB it comes with.
Wired: Sleek metallic good looks, fine HD screen, powerful processor, good battery life
Tired: No expandable memory, camera doesn't match quality of rivals
9/10
The original Moto G redefined what a budget handset could be - but it didn't have 4G. Now that embarrassing omission has been addressed with the latest update, which adds LTE capability to an already very capable phone.
It's not the best looking phone, and at 12mm it's certainly not one of the slimmest, but the screen is one of the best you'll see on a phone this price -- 4.5 inches of HD loveliness delivering 1,280x720 pixels. It's running the latest 4.4 KitKat version of Android and since Motorola is owned by Google these days, it will be one of the first in line to upgrade to Android L when it becomes available.
The processor is a peach too, a quad-core 1.2GHz model backed by 1GB RAM. It's not up there with the very best but it's a treat to find something so powerful on a phone at this price.
Another big improvement is that unlike the original Moto G, this one allows you to extend the 8GB memory via microSD card.
Wired: Gorgeous screen, powerful processor, sturdy build, good battery life, budget price
Tired: A bit on the chunky side
8/10
It's been around for a while but it's still very difficult to beat. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is packed with extras, including the fingerprint sensor and heartbeat monitor, but it works because it doesn't neglect the basics.
It's slim and lightweight, plus it has an absolutely gorgeous 5.1in Super AMOLED screen that delivers an impressively sharp 1,920x1,080 full HD resolution.
The processor too is a cut above, 2.5GHz quad-core and backed by 2GB RAM it's blisteringly fast and able to handle just about anything you care to throw at it, whether you're streaming HD movies or playing HD games. Downloads can get supercharged too, thanks to Samsung's Download Booster which combines 4G and Wi-Fi if available to get your stuff even quicker.
On the back, there's a fine 16-megapixel camera (plus a pretty decent 2 megapixel one on the front) and as if all that wasn't enough, it's dust and waterproof too.
Wired: Beautiful screen, powerful processor, slim build, good camera, lots of extras
Tired: Plastic casing won't be to everyone's taste, fingerprint scanner not as good as iPhone, not cheap
9/10
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
