Samsung Galaxy S2

This is a phone that just won't die... it held off the iPhone 4S and it's just repeated the trick with the HTC One X.
Make no mistake - this was a close call, as only the slightly iffy battery life of the One X and the recent upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich have kept the S2 at the top.
What we love about the Samsung Galaxy S II is the sheer amount of stuff that's packed in under the chassis - but more important is the way Samsung has used all that tech to create a phone that just works near-flawlessly.
And don't worry about the impending Samsung Galaxy SIII - while it's going to probably knock this bad-boy off the top spot, the S2 is now getting to ridiculously cheap levels on many one year deals, and that makes it very much worth thinking about.
The dual-core 1.2GHz processor, the Super AMOLED plus screen and the excellent sonic performance of the media player all combine to make a real doozy of a mobile phone.
Recording in 1080p is a nice touch (given that it actually works most of the time) and the camera is more than enough to take great shots in a short space of time - although we suggest you check out the iPhone 4S or HTC One X for snapper power, as we rate the cameras on those devices that little bit higher.
In short, be it internet browsing, navigation, media, or social networking- the Samsung Galaxy S2 is still our pick of the bunch for all those functions in one phone.

HTC One X

The HTC One X is an odd handset - not in the design (lovely) or the features (top-end) - but that it's seen as a 'renaissance' phone for the firm, despite its success in such a short time.

The likes of the HTC Sensation and Salsa were seen as overly complicated, so HTC has taken things back to what it knows: making beautiful hardware fused with a top end skin.
The polycarbonate shell is smooth and premium-feeling in the hand, and the large 4.7-inch HD screen might not be OLED but it's certainly crisp and clear - and we haven't even mentioned the quad core processor beating at the heart of the One X.
There's only one downside - well, two if you're a fan of expandable storage, as this 32GB-imbued monster doesn't have a microSD slot - and that's the battery. It's OK, but many will find it doesn't last the full day in many usage scenarios, and that's a problem.

iPhone 4S

When Apple announced this phone, it's testament to the power of the rumour mill that people were angry it wasn't called the iPhone 5.
But a phone by any other name would smell as sweet, and despite being identical in looks to the iPhone 4, there's enough here to warrant the 4S' high place in our rankings.
Siri voice recognition has shown itself to be more than a novelty, the dual-core processor has made phone operation even slicker and we're salivating over what the seven times more powerful graphics chip will be able to do.
We were hoping for a larger display and things like a lack of Bluetooth transfer, no Flash integration with the internet browser and an uninspiring contacts app still grate - but they're no match for the sheer ease of use and general operation of Apple's best smartphone to date.

HTC One S

There are few phones we play with where we think that we have the complete package and would happily give five stars. The HTC One S would have had five stars had it not been for the 16GB memory cap and non-HD screen.
We'd have even settled for 32GB in the absence of an expansion card slot. If you're a music lover, you may be better hanging about for the Samsung Galaxy S3.But let's not get caught up with negativity here: if you're not bothered about a massive memory (which most people aren't), you probably can't do much better now. The HTC One S is a beautiful handset blessed with beautiful capabilities and is already available at very palatable price points

Sony Xperia S

We used to love the Xperia Arc S - but we're a fickle bunch, and now Ericsson has been cast aside, we're all over the new brand like a cat on a fresh set of curtains.
The Xperia S almost has too many positive points to list, with a new HD screen, 12MP camera and dual core processor all combining to make one of the finest smartphones of 2012.
As you may have gathered from our review, the Sony Xperia S has both an amazing screen and a dual core processor that never slows down - plus that 12MP camera is really one of the best out there.
Sony has also very kindly bundled lots of software with the Xperia S out of the box, which saves you having to dash to Google Play as soon as you turn on to grab vital apps.
Battery life is the only slight wobble (if you don't mind a plastic casing) but it will generally last a day under normal conditions, and that's a solid enough benchmark for is.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray

Sony Ericsson has had something of a smartphone reboot in 2011, with the likes of Xperia Arc and Xperia Mini proving big hits.
But there's another winner from the soon-to-be-just-Sony brand, with the Xperia Ray winning more than a few admiring glances.
It's got the innards of the Arc, plus the same pixel count - in a much smaller screen. That means the display is pin sharp, and while a little small compared to the competition, it's a very pocketable affair indeed.
The 8MP camera isn't as strong photographically as its rivals, but it still delivers quality snaps for a cheaper price tag.

BlackBerry Bold 9900

RIM's been in the doldrums a little of late, but that hasn't stopped it doing what it does best: bringing out the industry's top messaging devices.
The Bold 9900 is the best BlackBerry ever created, with a solid chassis, easy to use keys, a superbly hi-res screen and touch capabilities too.
BB OS 7 might not be much of an upgrade, but it still just works on a phone with a QWERTY keyboard / smaller screen combo.
The internet is faster (although not market leading), the camera has been improved and NFC capabilities push the Bold 9900 into next generation territory.

Nokia Lumia 800

The Nokia Lumia 800 is the Finnish firm's first handset to use Windows Phone, and it's been a quite success - a million devices have been sold worldwide so far.
The size, shape and weight of the Nokia Lumia 800 provides a quality feel, and is a unique shape compared to many other phones on the market.
The GUI feels intuitive with a very impressive speed of response, providing a continuity of feel between applications.
Essentially, the Nokia Lumia 800 takes the best of Windows Phone - Xbox Live integration, fantastic Office tools and a clever tile-based user interface - and adds in a great quality screen with a nice-feeling chassis.

Huawei Ascend G300

When you initially pull the Huawei Ascend G300 out of its box, or out of your pocket, you'll be more than impressed at the quality given you only handed over 100 notes for the privilege.
A quirky skin atop Android 2.3 might not sound like much, and it's a little underpowered if truth be told, but for the price it serves the purpose of making the handset stand out a little in the Android cacaphony.
The budget market is a difficult one to crack, and the G300 has managed to put in enough tech, including a 4-inch WVGA screen, 1GHz processor and slim design to compete with the Blackberry Curve 8520, the Samsung Galaxy Y and the HTC One V, all of which are more expensive.

HTC Sensation XE

We know it's terribly geeky, but the battle between the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S2 was one we were salivating over.
Both dual core powerhouses, both with cutting-edge software of the time and both the brands behind them have been enjoying success with Android in recent times.
But with the launch of the One X, HTC has a new favourite to show off to all the world, meaning if you're after a top-end Sense experience, you won't be looking at the HTC Sensation XE any more.
But that doesn't mean it's going to slide right out of the top 20 ranking - as it's got a cheaper price tag and an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich to keep things ticking over nicely.
The camera is quality, browsing and UI speeds are still speedy and the overall build quality is sure to entice a number of users to still pick up the Sensation XE and play with it in their local phone outlet - especially with Beats Audio branding too.

Motorola Razr

Don't be thinking you've got caught in a time vortex - the Motorola Razr of old is back, but in a totally new form factor.
The Motorola Razr is one of those phones that, like the Atrix, we instantly looked forward to when we saw it launched.
A super thin body, oodles of RAM, Kevlar casing and a top end processor are all things we want to see in a phone of this ilk, and it's good to see Moto attempting to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple.
Motorola needed a phone like the Razr in its arsenal, and now it has one to be proud of. It's got all the dual-core power of the Atrix, plus a superior screen; more importantly, it's jumped from a squat chassis to a sumptuous slimline affair that glides into the pocket

Sony Xperia Arc S

When we talk about a Phoenix Phone, it will forever be the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, and despite only being a few months old, it's already been upgraded to the Xperia Arc S, which makes things even better.
It's taken a right old tumble down our rankings thanks to now being usurped as a flagship device by the Sony Xperia S - but given it's now got a lovely low price, it's only just outside the top ten still in our eyes.
From the beautiful Reality Display with Bravia Engine to the powerful-yet-simple 8.1MP camera with Exmor R technology, this is one of the phones that people actually want to hold and play with when you show it off - plus it now boasts a 3D panorama mode, although you have to hook it up to a compatible big screen TV to view.The Sony Ericsson overlay has cool features like an 'exploded widgets' view, and the integration of YouTube searching for videos of songs currently playing is super cool too - plus the Xperia Arc S is now rocking deeper Facebook integration and the latest version of Android: 2.3.4.
OK, it's not dual-core powered, but Sony Ericsson has looked to fix that with a boost to a 1.4GHz processor, and until we start seeing some applications that really start to challenge these smartphones, we're happy to recommend a phone that is slick under the finger, slim in the pocket, satisfying in the hand and kinder than many on the wallet to boot.

BlackBerry Curve 9360

The Curve range has been something of a saviour for RIM in the last few years, with the immensely popular Curve 8520 still selling years after its launch.
The new Curve takes things to another level though, with the new handset offering a superbly sleek chassis, a well-designed keyboard and next-generation functionality thanks to the inclusion of NFC to connect up to other BlackBerry devices, as well as letting you pay for goods on the go.

Samsung Galaxy Note

Is it a phone? Is it a tablet? Samsung wants us to believe it's a whole new category of device - but let's be honest, it's essentially just a really big phone. Or a really small tablet - depending on how you like your gadgets.
Given the penchant for so many to browse rather than make calls on their pocket device, something with a huge 5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with high-power internals (1.4GHz dual core processor, no less) is always going to impress.

HTC Desire S

The HTC Desire S is a slick, compact and attractive handset that's an improvement on its predecessor with more compact lines and an improved Sense experience - which has now been updated to the Sensation-matching Sense 3.5 offering.
It may only have a 5MP camera, but it's got a budget-busting price tag these days, so that means it's still going to have a decent customer uptake even with the might of the Android 4.0-powered One Series.

Google Nexus S

The first Android 2.3 phone to land on the market was also one of the first with NFC capabilities and a curved chassis with Super AMOLED screen from Samsung.
It's a 'Pure Google' experience, which means no messing about waiting for networks to bring you the update; if Google likes it, you'll have it (for the foreseeable future, with the Ice Cream Sandwich update landing).The build quality might feel a little suspect at first, but it's robust enough and sits in the hand well, and that screen is just superb for the internet and media.

HTC Wildfire S

The HTC Wildfire S might only be an evolution of the popular Wildfire, but it's proven to be an attractive handset in its own right.
It was a little bit too pricey when it first launched at over £200, but subsequent price drops have seen it come in at a much more palatable £130.It's got the same Sense UI as it's bigger brothers, and a neat-enough screen too. It's not the fastest handset in the world, but we're still fans.

Motorola Milestone XT720

US cellphone maker Motorola's Milestone XT720 is at No 10 on the list. Measuring 10.9mm in thick, the phone has a capacitive 3.7-inch touchscreen display with a WVGA (480X854) resolution. XT720 comes with 8 megapixel camera and offers support for HD video recording. Other camera functions include Smart Image Capture, panorama, face detection, multi-shot (six shots in a row), face filter, red eye reduction and camera shake prevention.

Running on Android 2.1, Milestone XT720 has 8GB microSD card. Memory can be expanded upto 32GB

Nokia N8

Nokia's popular iPhone rival N8 is at No. 9 on the list. Powered by the Symbian3 platform, N8's biggest feature is its 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash.

The phone has a VGA camera for video calling. The phone can record HD videos at 25 frames per second. N8 runs on ARM 11 680 MHz processor. Measuring 113.5 x 59 x 12.9 mm, the phone weighs 135 grams. Featuring a 3.5-inch multitouch AMOLED touchscreen display, the phone comes with 16GB internal memory. The phone's battery promises upto 5.5 hours of talktime. The phone comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation. The phone can play back MPEG4, H.264, Real and Flash Video.

Samsung Wave

At No 8 is Samsung Wave which features a 3.3-inch WVGA (480800) AMOLED display. The phone is Samsung's first smartphone based on its own operating system called Bada OS. Wave comes with 1GB memory which can be expanded via microSD card. For connectivity, the phone packs Bluetooth, USB v2.0, Wi-Fi and aGPS. Wave sports a 5 megapixel camera with LED Flash, AF Face/Blink Detection, geotagging and image editor. Wave comes with audio and video playback feature, FM Radio, 3.5 mm headphone jack. The phone offers talktime of 15 hrs and standby time of 600 hrs.

Palm Pixi Plus

Measuring 111 x 54.9 x 10.9 mm, Palm Pixi Plus is at No 7. Featuring a 2.63-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen display, the phone has a QWERTY keyboard. Running on webOS 1.4.1, the phone is powered by Qualcomm MSM7627 600 MHz processor. Pixi Plus packs 2 megapixel camera with LED flash. For storage, the phone comes with 8GB internal memory. As for battery, the phone promises 5.2 hrs talktime and 350 hrs standby time

Apple iPhone 3GS

Apple's third-gen iPhone too makes it to the list of best phones at No. 6. Measuring 115.5 x 62 x 12.3 mm, iPhone 3G S comes with 3.5-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixels.The third-gen iPhone has a 3 megapixel camera with video capturing, auto-focus mechanism and editing capabilities. The model runs on iPhone 3.1 OS and is powered by ARM Cortex A8 processor. As for memory, the iPhone comes in 16GB and 32GB memory options. The phone has 256MB RAM.

HTC Legend

HTC's Android-based smartphone Legend in at No. 5 on the list of world's best phones. Sporting a 3.2-inch OLED HVGA display, the phone's traditional trackball has been replaced with an optical joystick. Among key features, HTC Legend packs a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, GPS antenna, Wi-Fi and 3.5G connectivity, 3.5 mm stereo audio jack connector, Bluetooth and Adobe flash player support. The phone bundles a new widget called friend stream that manages multiple social networking sites such as Flickr, Twitter and Facebook. Powered by Qualcomm 600MHz processor, the phone packs Android OS v2.1. As for memory, Legend has 384MB RAM, 512MB ROM and card slot for 32GB memory expansion. The phone promises talktime of 6 hrs 10 min and standby time of 560 hrs.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini

Next on the list is Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 Mini featuring a 2.5-inch capacitive screen. The phone has a capacitive screen which has dual-touch capability. Running on Android 1.6, the phone is powered by Qualcomm MSM7227 600MHz. Xperia X10 Mini comes with 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and the ability to record VGA resolution video at 30fps (frames per second). Xperia X10 Mini has a proprietary UI implementation called Timescape, that brings data from all your communication nodes -- SMS, email, missed calls, Facebook and Twitter updates chronologically on the homescreen. It has a 950 mAh Li-Polymer battery that gives four hours of talktime, and claims to provide up to 360 hours of 3G standby time. It is powered by a 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor. The phone is priced at Rs 16,745 (approx).

Samsung Galaxy S

One of the most talked-about iPhone killer Samsung Galaxy S too makes it to the best phones list at No 3. Android-powered smartphone measures 64.2 X 122.4 X 9.9 mm and weighs 119 grams. Sporting a 4-inch WVGA (480x800) 16M super AMOLED display, the phone packs a 5 megapixel AF camera. The phone has a VGA camera for video calling. It has option for 720p HD video recording at 30 frames per second. The phone runs on ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor. Other key features include 3G, Wi-Fi, A-GPS and HD video playback. As for memory, Galaxy S has 8GB and 16GB versions. The phone promises talktime of 769 minutes on 2G and 391 minutes on 3G.

Apple iPhone 4

At No. 2 is Apple's newly released iPhone 4. Measuring 4.5 x 2.3 x 0.37 inches, iPhone 4 has gone sleeker, more angular and razor thin than its predecessor which is nearly half-a-inch thick. Apple's fourth-gen model comes with 3.5 inch display with 640 X 960 pixel resolution.The phone packs Apple's latest mobile operating system iOS 4. Among other things, the new OS promises features like multitasking, spell check, Folders and iBooks.iPhone 4 comes with multitasking feature which means the phone will be able to run more than one programme at a time. The latest model comes with 16GB and 32GB memory capacity. Like its predecessor, the phone lacks a memory expansion slot.The phone has a 5 megapixel camera, up from 3 megapixel in the earlier version. The camera has an LED flash. It has a second VGA camera for video calling.The phone's connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI and GPS. According to reviews, iPhone 4 has better battery life compared to its predecessors. The device promises 7 hrs of 3G talk time, 6 hrs of 3G browsing, 10 hrs of Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hrs of video and 40 hrs of music playback.

HTC Desire

Topping the list of best phones is HTC's Android-powered Desire.
Sporting a 3.7-inch AMOLED display with 480 x 800 pixels, Desire measures 119 x 60 x 11.9 mm. Powered by 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the phone runs on Android OS v2.1. Desire has 512MB of ROM and 576MB of RAM. The phone comes with 4GB MicroSD card and the memory can be expanded upto 32GB.
Desire has 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, standard micro-USB and Bluetooth 2.1. For connectivity, the phone supports 3G, aGPS, GPRS, EDGE and Wi-Fi. Desire packs a 5 megapixel camera with auto focus, flash, face detection capability, widescreen photo capture and geotagging. The phone records videos at WVGA resolution (800*480) at 15 fps.The handset comes with music player and FM radio and has both audio and video recording. The phone promises a talktime of upto 6 hrs 40 min on 2G and upto 6 hrs 30 min on 3G.

TOI Tech

The year 2010 has seen several big smartphone launches including the Apple iPhone 4. Some other big launches of the year have been the smartphones based on Google's mobile OS Android. Android powers many of the smartphones launched during the year. Other than Android, some big launches have also come from Nokia and Blackberry.Wondering, which are the smartphones which rank high both on looks and features. TechRadar recently released a list of what it calls "Best phones in the world". Here's looking into who the smartphones that made it to the top 10.