Why You Can Trust CNET 10 top phones for spring
The Galaxy S8 and a lot more are on the horizon. Find out what we're looking forward to this spring.
Samsung Galaxy S8
Price: $720-$750, depending on carrier
Availability: April 21
The outlook: With a major redesign under its belt, the gorgeous curved-screen S8 is light and easy to hold with one hand. While it seems promising on the whole, a limited Bixby assistant and an awkwardly placed fingerprint reader are early question marks.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
Price: $840-$850, depending on carrier
Availability: April 21
The outlook: About the only difference between the S8 and its (fraternal) twin is the S8+'s larger, 6.2-inch screen size. Other than that, it has the same features and striking curvy build.
LG G6
Price: $550-$720, depending on carrier
Availability: April 7
The outlook: LG has turned out a beautiful phone you can comfortably use with one hand. Many of its specs, from the waterproofing to wireless charging, can compete with top-tier phones like the Galaxy S8.
Motorola Moto G5 Plus
Price: 32GB: $229; 64GB: $299
Availability: TBD
The outlook: The king of the budget phones is back with a metal body and some satisfying specs, including a 12-megapixel camera and splash-proof coating. The major bummer: no NFC for the US means you won't make mobile payments.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Price: TBD
Availability: June 2017
The outlook: The 5.5-inch screen and Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor are nice, but what piques our interest in this premium Android Nougat phone most is the 19-megapixel camera that can shoot super-slow-motion video at 960 frames per second. There's no fingerprint sensor for US models.
Sony Xperia XZS
Price: $699.99
Availability: April 5, 2017
The outlook: Smaller than the XZ Premium, this 5.2-inch handset shares the Premium's camera resolution, metal build and dust-resistance, but has a slightly slower processor. US models lack the fingerprint sensor.
BlackBerry KeyOne
Price: $549
Availability: April
The outlook: Anyone craving the feel of real keys beneath their fingertips can cast their gaze at this rebooted BlackBerry franchise's first effort. Some clever hardware tricks sweeten the phone's midlevel specs.
LG X Power 2
Price: TBD, but likely around $150 based on previous model
Availability: TBD
The outlook: You really can't hope for much more than a ginormous 4,5000mAh battery and large, 5.5-inch screen for under $200, and that's LG's gambit. Android Nougat gives the otherwise lower-end specs a nice little lift.
Asus Zenfone AR
Price: TBD
Availability: By June
The outlook: This is the phone that can prove AR isn't cumbersome. The second phone with Google's Tango software for augmented reality is slim and attractive, with a 5.7-inch screen and a 23-megapixel Sony camera. Promising stuff.
Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom
Price: TBD
Availability: By July
The outlook: A monster of a 5,000mAh battery could bring us closer to the dream of multiday phone use, but this device is all about photography. It has twin 12-megapixel cameras, a 13-megapixel front-facing selfie cam with flash and a portrait mode like the iPhone 7 Plus.
Nokia 3310
Price: 49 euros (converts to about $50)
Availability: TBD
The outlook: If it disappoints you that this ultra-simple icon won't make an appearance in the US, just remember that the 2.5G device has very few apps and can't even send an email. But if you ever need an inexpensive phone abroad for calls only, it's one to keep in mind.
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