The Top 10 Smartphones of 2011

The year 2011 has brought together a cast number of new phones that far surpass the top smartphones in the year 2010. The Android revolution continues and is continuing to creep closer to the position of #1 among smartphones (in terms of market share) which is currently held by iOS as of now. Windows Phone 7 is also getting its act together with many updates making the freshest OS in the market, a lot more user friendly and feature packed. But 2011 is definitely the year of the android and with the latest Gingerbread update, there can be no denying that things can only look up for Google’s Android based smartphones.

Top Smartphones in 2011

This year has brought with it the advent of Dual Core smartphones, mobile 3D and a trend for even larger screens on phones. So coming down to it, it’s time to see which smartphones will make the cut and be a part of the Top 10 Smartphones of 2011.

1. Samsung Galaxy S II

The Samsung Galaxy SII is the successor to the very successful Galaxy S line of smartphones available previously; having taken up the best features of its predecessor and kicked it up a notch, you can expect nothing short of the awesomeness from this phone. Featuring a 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor,1 GB RAM, an 8/2 MP (rear/front) camera, 4.3” Super AMOLED Plus display, 16/32 GB internal space with the latest TouchWiz 4.0, all in a frame only 8.5mm thick.This smartphone can be crowned as the ultimate iPhone killer, without a hint of doubt.

2. HTC Sensation

The latest dual core entry from HTC features the HTC Sense UI 3.0 and feature packed with a large number of pictures would have been a serious contender for the #1 spot had it not been for laggy behavior due to the Sense UI. Featuring a 4.3” qHD S-LCD display, 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor, 8 MP camera this featured pack entry from HTC will leave your drooling with its eye catching UI.

3. LG Optimus 2X P990

The first dual core smartphone to be released in the market, the LG Optimus 2x makes a valiant effort to keep ahead in this era of smartphone revolution but it’s unable to keep up with its dual core cohorts from Samsung and HTC in spite of its power-packed NvidiaTegra 2 GPU and 1 GHz dual-core processor on 4” IPS LCD Display. The need for more RAM shows its effect during the full HD video shooting and in cases of extreme multitasking.

4. HTC EVO 3D

The recently released HTC EVO 3D offers the innovation of 3D in your pocket and that too without wearing those obtrusive glasses. Not only can you view 3D content but the dual 5 MP cameras allow you to capture 3D pictures and videos, making this every 3D enthusiasts dream phone. Featuring a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, 1 GB RAM and a 4.3” qHD 3D LCD display this phone is already having enough merit to make it a sure shot purchase but having 3D on the go, is a serious bonus.

5. Motorola Atrix

With a 4” qHD display running on Froyo with the MOTOBLUR UI, the Atrix is a beautiful feature packed phone. Having a large 1930 mAh battery, expect really fantastic battery backup with up to 9 hours of talk time. The Atrix has a 1 GHz dual core processor with 16 GB storage and 1 GB RAM. It also features the advanced Tegra 2 GPU for advanced gaming performance. The only downside to this otherwise brilliant phone is its 5 MP camera which is a little dated.

6. iPhone 4:

The phone that started it all, the iPhone 4 is still one of the best smartphones in the market. Having one of the best displays in terms of resolution, the elusive Retina Display with a 960×640 resolution, feels a little outdated in terms of overall screen size of just 3.5 inches. With no support for 4G and a serious need for a proper OS update, the iPhone 4 feels a little out of place in this list but seeing that it has launched way earlier than the other phones in the list, it can be said it’s keeping the seat warm for the much awaited and rumored iPhone 5.

7. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Standing tall at 4.2 inches, having a 1 GHz Scorpion processor and 512 MB RAM. this is definitely one of the largest phones from the Sony Ericsson stable running on the latest Gingerbread. The 480×854 LED-backlit LCD display has a great look about it and the Sony Mobile Bravia engine really gives those high resolution videos the added oomph in terms of clarity and vibrancy. The Timescape UI looks brilliant and adds flavor to the elegant arched body of the Xperia Arc.

8. Dell Venue Pro

The Dell Venue Pro runs the Windows Phone 7 OS and though, it may have seemed unlikely for a WP7 to have braved its way to this list the Dell Venue Pro does just that. With a 4.1” 800×480 AMOLED display with a slider form factor (physical keyboard) , 5 MP Camera, 8/16 GB storage with 1 GHz Scorpion Processor this is a phone for the executive, the enthusiast and the casual user alike. The look of the Microsoft WP7 UI is refreshing and the OS is pretty intuitive. However, limitations with older hardware from last year and lack of enthusiasm towards the Windows Marketplace is the reason this phone can’t go any higher on this list.

9. Google Nexus S:

The Google Nexus S is still one of the best smartphones out there in the market. It features hardware similar to the Galaxy S series from Samsung and is always the first to receive any Google updates. However, with its older processor, lack of 4G and lack of expandable storage, it is not highly recommended as of now, but nevertheless it is a solid smartphone.

10. Nokia E7:

The Nokia E7 features the older Symbian ^3 OS on 680 MHz ARM 11 processor with GPU support on a 4” nHD display and has an 8MP camera and supports 720p video capture. The physical keyboard is a joy to use and with USB on the go and HDMI out, this “flagship” from the Nokia stables is still far from close to current gen smartphones but for many dedicated users of the Symbian UI, it’s still a peak performer and meets the need of both executive and casual users.

This year, the list is flooded with Android phones from different brands as will probably be the case next year too. The fact of Windows Phone 7 and Nokia both seem to be tied as they are trying to gain stranglehold in this fiercely competitive smartphone. The Apple fanboys are awaiting the next iPhone with bated breath and so are we. After all, with the many iPhone killers out there, we need to see the best that Apple can dish out. But one thing is for sure, standing at the zenith of the smartphone battle as of now is the Samsung Galaxy S2, with its fierce performance and sleek looks.

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