Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Basically an unexploded hand grenade
At $1349 we expect perfection and this isn't it. The lack of bezel means input mistakes are a constant bugbear. But the screen is good and the Iris scanner interesting. There's better value to be had everywhere else. Oh, and there's the issue that they've all been pulled from sale because they kept exploding.
Oppo F1s: 2016 has another King of the Best Value phones
At under $350 the F1s is a steal. It has features we'd like to see on top-end phones like fast fingerprint unlocking, free case and a three day battery life. Just beware of the camera performance and processing delay with power apps.
Moto X Force: Leading features from a mid-range phone
If you can put the fact that this phone launched overseas a year ago out of your head, this is still one of the best mid-range phones on the market and one that beats the best on the market in many key areas.
Apple iPhone 7
It's a decent phone that's very well made but represents poor value in the phone market on its own. However, buyer's relationships with Apple and its ecosystem will dramatically affect value.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus review: including Portrait Mode
A lightly-flawed flagship. Taptic feedback isn't as useful as a headphone jack, the camera's Portrait Mode is a mess and there are some low light issues. But it's fast and well-appointed and if Apple's ecosystem is important to you, value is less of an issue.
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LG G5
The innovative features are flawed to one degree or another, casting a dark shadow on a phone that otherwise does have a lot of offer.
Moto G4 Play: it's OK
Perhaps a better way to explain the Moto G4 Play is to call it an overachieving mediocre phone.
LG X Power smartphone
For a phone that's all about the battery, we expected this to last even longer - like its rivals do. The camera is poor in low light and the components are low powered. There's not much to like here.