The 18 best smartphones of 2015

Best smartphones of 2015: the 18 best flagship phones

1. Google Nexus 6P

A stylish, speedy phone with a pair of superb cameras, great software, impressive battery life and a big, sharp, colourful display, the Google Nexus 6P is our new favourite smartphone, knocking the Samsung Galaxy S6 off its perch after more than six months at the top. Why is it so good? Simple - because this 5.7in handset gets pretty much everything right, and wraps it up in a picture perfect package that doesn't cost a huge amount of money. It's a recipe its rivals are going to find it very hard to beat.

2. Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung finally ditched the plastic for its most recent smartphone design and, aside from a few reservations, the result is a real triumph. The S6 looks glorious with Gorilla Glass 4 at the front and rear and coloured metal beneath it to give it a glitzy, shimmering look. It isn't only the exterior of the handset that sees improvements, however: Samsung has improved performance and battery life. The highlight, however, is the phone's improved camera – it's superb. The S6's sibling – the Galaxy S6 Edge – is just as good and arguably the more attractive device, but its higher price means we'd recommend going with the standard S6.

3. LG G4

Last year's LG G3 was a top smartphone – and still is – but the LG G4 is a different beast entirely: it has a camera to match the Samsung Galaxy S6, fast internals and a fantastic 5.5in Quad HD display. It isn't as slim, sleek or outright delicious as the Samsung Galaxy S6, but the leather-backed options are surprisingly attractive. Unlike Samsung's leading light, the G4 boasts a removable 3,000mAh battery, so you can carry a spare for emergencies or replace a failing battery a year or two down the track; and it also has a microSD slot, so you're not stuck with the 32GB stock storage allocation. Plus, it's a touch cheaper than the S6. It isn't quite as quick as the Samsung Galaxy S6 and battery life isn't as good, but it's a very, very close-run thing.

4. Google Nexus 5X

Google’s 2015 Nexus 5X may not be able to compete with the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact for looks (see below), but it’s a bigger bargain for those looking to save a bit on their next smartphone purchase. For your money, you get one of the best mobile phone cameras in the business, slick performance and - most important of all - pure Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It’s a class act.

5. Sony Xperia Z5 Compact

Bigger isn't necessarily better. If you’re against the trend towards giant handsets and almost-tablet-sized screens, then the Xperia Z5 Compact is going to set you fumbling for a credit card. Its 4.6in screen is lovely and bright; the 20 megapixel camera is fantastic; and battery life is excellent for such a a compact handset. Factor in the reasonable price, reassuringly sturdy build and IP68 water resistance, and the Z5 Compact is something of a pint-sized superstar.

6. Apple iPhone 6s

The iPhone 6s is a great smartphone – fast, reliable and with an excellent camera – and with its new 3D Touch (Force Touch) display, 12-megapixel camera and faster A9 processor it's the best iPhone yet. Battery life hasn't made great strides forward, but it's all-round a better phone than the iPhone 6 and as such replaces it in our list of best smartphones.

7. Apple iPhone 6s Plus

If you like your phones big, you’re going to love the iPhone 6s Plus. Equipped with a huge 5.5in Full HD display and ingenious pressure-sensitive touchscreen tech, it’s Apple’s biggest and fastest smartphone yet. Although it’s largely identical internally to the 4.7in iPhone 6s, it is superior in some respects: it has longer battery life and the camera’s optical image stabilisation (OIS) gives it the edge for low-light photography. Its high price will put many off, but make no mistake, the iPhone 6s Plus is one fabulous smartphone.

8. OnePlus 2

Australians might have difficulty getting hold of this phone - you might need to go through a special-order online retailer who'll import it. That said, the company's second-generation smartphone packs in high-end smartphone design, a very good camera, decent screen quality and a top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor; it has all the hallmarks of a flagship smartphone and yet the 16GB model costs a mere £239 (approximately AU$511). It's a bargain of epic proportions; the only reason it isn't higher up this list is it's so darned hard to buy.

9. Sony Xperia Z5

We've been eagerly awaiting the Xperia Z5, and Sony has done a cracking job of bringing the big-screened Xperia bang up to date. The camera has received an impressive upgrade, and performance and battery life are excellent. The only problem is that the competition has got that much tougher – the Apple iPhone 6s and Samsung Galaxy S6 have markedly superior hardware, and the LG G4 is nearly as good while costing almost half the price. It's still a lovely, lovely phone, though.

10. Samsung Galaxy Note 5

This is an amazing smartphone. It's as fast as the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge+, has a glorious 5.7in AMOLED display, looks gorgeous, and best of all, has a pressure sensitive stylus built in, so you can jot down notes onscreen and sketch away to your heart's content. It's an all-round good egg, and great value, too.

11. Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Samsung has produced the finest phablet yet; almost a year after its initial launch the 5.7in Note 4 is still a fantastic handset. The Quad HD display is just fabulous, the battery life brilliant, and Samsung has upped the ante just about everywhere else, with a great camera and a huge range of features. Its replacement – the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 – has been announced too.

12. Nexus 6

The Nexus 6 is not currently listed on Google's Australian Store, presumable because it's soon to be discontinued. If Google does resurrect it, though, it's still a decent smartphone - if you want a phone with a really big screen, that is. Battery life is good, the camera is excellent, and the build and design quality remain second to none. Although its rivals hold an edge over it in many areas, the attraction of pure Android and the price make it still worth considering.

13. Sony Xperia Z3

Looking for a 5.1in phone that doesn't cost a fortune? Then you might want to consider the Xperia Z3. It's still a good-looking handset with good performance across the board – not to mention a very competent camera – and now that prices have dipped to just under $500 at some retailers it offers a hell of a lot of phone for the money. If you love the Sony design and can't stretch to the lovely, and oh-so-expensive Xperia Z5, then there's no shame in opting for the Xperia Z3.

14. HTC One M9

HTC took the One M8's design and refined it for 2015, creating a truly stunning smartphone. The internals have been upgraded as well: Qualcomm's octa-core Snapdragon 810 SoC; the camera goes from the M8's 4-megapixel snapper to 20 megapixels; and HTC has added a host of features to its Sense Android launcher software. It's a beautifully crafted and highly competent smartphone, just like last year's HTC One M8. But it's only a small improvement on its predecessor.

15. Motorola Moto X Play

Squeezed between the Moto G and the Moto X Style, the Motorola Moto X Play is a more-than-decent mid-range smartphone with excellent battery life; if you can’t get an invite for the OnePlus 2, it’s an excellent alternative.

16. Nokia Lumia 930

The Lumia 930 is a knockout from the first moment you pick it up. It's a Windows Phone device, so it can't compete on apps, but the design of Nokia's flagship is sumptuous and right up there with the best around.

17. Samsung Galaxy S5

There's much to like about the Samsung Galaxy S5: it's fast, tough and feature-rich, and we love the user-replaceable battery and memory expansion. It's a great smartphone in every way, and now that the S6 has arrived, the price is more reasonable than ever. If you're not precious about the way your phone looks, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is a great buy.

18. LG G3

A thoroughly pleasant surprise from LG last year – the G3 is powerful, and packs a ridiculously high-resolution screen and superfast camera. The newer LG G4 is a big improvement, particularly when it comes to battery life, but the G3 is now ridiculously cheap, and worth considering for that fact alone.