Stuff Gadget Awards 2012 – Smartphone of the Year shortlist
Android, iOS and Windows Phone – all have their contenders in the battle for this year's best smartphone
This year has been a strong one for smartphones, as evidenced by this incredible collection – one of which will bag Stuff’s 2013 Smartphone of the Year award!
£530 apple.com/uk
Its mapping issues are well publicised, but there’s no doubting that Apple has once again delivered a stupendous piece of hardware. It’s an evolution rather than a revolution, but the iPhone 5’s camera, screen, build quality and processing power are something to behold. And finally, it’s 4G!
Apple iPhone 5
£480 htc.com/uk
The best high end Android phone? It’s debatable, but there are certainly areas where the One X blows away its rivals: the screen quality is stunning, the minimalist design alluring and the camera delightfully quick off the mark.
£520 samsung.com/uk
Combining great form with near-perfect function, Samsung’s flagship handset is truly special – it packs in bags of power, innovative software, easily expandable storage and marathon battery life.
HTC One X
£450 sony.co.uk
Although it predates the current crop of super-phones, Sony’s first smartphone since its split with Ericsson is a worthy contender in its own right – it’s powerful, compact and well-equipped (packing in NFC smarts and that 12MP camera).
£400 lg.com/uk
LG may not be the first name that springs to mind when you think of top class smartphones, but if it keeps turning out handsets like this, that’ll change. The 4X HD’s quad-core power and razor-sharp 720p screen make it yet another high-end Android phone worthy of your wallet’s contents.
Samsung Galaxy SIII
£250 htc.com/uk
It’s not always about ultra-pricey flagship phones – sometimes what’s needed is something a little easier on the bank balance. And when it comes to budget models, the One V is right up there, thanks to its classy build, screen and camera.
£440 nokia.com
Nokia came back in a big way with its Lumia Windows 7 phones, and while the 900 was more powerful, it was the 800 which grabbed our attention: compact and with a beautiful yet tough polycarbonate body, it shows what Microsoft can do when partnered with great hardware.
Sony Xperia S
£350 motorola.com
A tough cookie crafted from kevlar and aluminium, the Android-powered RAZR i is nicely pocketable despite its large screen – and benefits from being significantly more affordable than most of its rivals.
Check out the Stuff Gadget Awards 2012 – and don’t forget to come back on November 1st, when we’ll be announcing the winners!
LG Optimus 4X HD
HTC One V
Nokia Lumia 800
Motorola RAZR i
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
