Back to School: Great mobile phones for students

No matter which carrier you're on, opting for Samsung's latest superphone is sure to be a smart move. That's because the Samsung Galaxy S III comes with practically every bell and whistle such as a stunning and massive screen, fast dual-core performance, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Check out our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S III.

It's not only students who may need to pull all-night cram sessions once in a while, their mobile phones have to keep pace as well. For a powerful Android smartphone that has a massive battery which can run around the clock, consider the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx. Other great features include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4G LTE, a vibrant screen, and new update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Why spend money on both a tablet and a phone when the Samsung Galaxy Note merges the two into one mobile gadget? With a gargantuan 5.3-inch display and stylus, the Note is well-suited for jotting down key lecture points and also does double duty as a pleasing e-book reader. Check out our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Note.

As loyal subscribers to the carrier know, T-Mobile has been in a recent smartphone drought. Compelling handsets were simply lacking in the cellular provider's lineup. That all changed with the HTC One S. It manages to pack Android ICS, Sense 4, and a feature-filled camera into one of the slimmest phones on the market. Check our our full review of the HTC One S.

As Google's flagship Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus pioneered the Android platform. Now that the handset has received the new Jelly Bean update, it's even more compelling, especially for students who also happen to be huge Android fans. Take a look at our full review of the unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Sometimes the wise choice is the unconventional one. For cash-strapped students one option is to break with the iPhone and Android crowd and take the third path, a Windows Phone device. The Nokia Lumia 900 for AT&T offers plenty to like such as a beautiful screen, fashionable design, 4G LTE, and nimble performance despite its single-core CPU. Read our full review of the Nokia Lumia 900 to find out more.

Who says you can't get a full-featured smartphone at a low price? The Pantech Burst comes equipped with a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, dual-core 1.5GHz processor, and 4G LTE data courtesy of Verizon, all for $50. Learn more about the Pantech Burst in our full review.

For punching out rapid-fire texts and e-mails, the accuracy of an old-school physical keyboard can't be beat. Problem is, QWERTY sliders are few and far between these days. One last but modern keyboard option, the Motorola Droid 4 for Verizon, is built for those who can't kick the physical key habit -- just don't get caught in class. Be sure to read our full review of the Motorola Droid 4.