RANKED: The Best Smartphones In The World

Amazon's first smartphone, the Fire phone, generated a lot of hype before it launched in July. But just about every critic bashed it. It's an interesting device thanks to its screen's 3D effects, but it doesn't have the same vibrant app ecosystem as the iPhone or Android phones.

Click here for the Amazon Fire phone review >>

Price: Starts at $450, only on AT&T.

Samsung popularized the "phablet" category with the Galaxy Note more than two years ago. Now the phone is in its third generation with the Galaxy Note 3.

The Galaxy Note 3 has the biggest screen yet, 5.7 inches, yet its body is actually thinner and lighter than the last model. It also comes with a special stylus called the S Pen for drawing or taking notes.

But unless you really need a new Galaxy Note right away, you should wait. Samsung recently unveiled the successor, the Galaxy Note 4. That phone will launch in a few weeks.

Click here for the Galaxy Note 3 review>>

Price: Around $516

The Nokia Lumia 1020 has been the company's flagship phone for well over a year now. But it's about to be replaced by the newer Lumia 830. Still, it's a well-loved device among Windows Phone fans. It also has a really nice camera.

Price: Around $610, only on AT&T

The Lumia 1520 is the first Windows Phone phablet ever made. It has a huge 6-inch screen, which gives you extra room for more apps and Live Tiles on your home screen. If you like Windows Phones and want a giant screen, this is your best option.

Click here for the Nokia Lumia 1520 review>>

Price: Around $585, only on AT&T

The HTC One M8 For Windows is the best phone you can buy running the Windows Phone operating system. It has a gorgeous metal body and the new version of Windows Phone, 8.1, which includes the excellent digital assistant Cortana.

It's only available on Verizon for now, but will come to AT&T and T-Mobile later this year.

Click here for the HTC One M8 for Windows review >>

Price: Around $600, only on Verizon

Apple's iPhone 5S may be over a year old, but it's still a really good phone, especially if you don't want a bigger screen. If you want a great iPhone experience at a discount, get the iPhone 5S. However, if you want the best experience, you're better off spending the extra $100 on an iPhone 6.

Click here for the iPhone 5S review>>

Price: Starts at $549

LG's current flagship, the G3, has one of the sharpest displays ever put on a smartphone. It's also massive thanks to its 5.5-inch display. That makes the G3 more like a phablet than a standard smartphone.

It's a good Android phone, but LG put the power and volume keys on the back of the device, which is pretty awkward.

Click here for the LG G3 review >>

Price: Around $599

Google's current flagship phone is the Nexus 5, which was made in partnership with LG.

Like all of Google's Nexus devices, the Nexus 5 runs a pure version of Android, meaning you won't find any modifications to the software. It also gets software updates much faster than other Android phones. But perhaps the best part is the value. You can get the Nexus 5 unlocked for about half the price as other top-tier smartphones.

The only downside: the camera isn't that great.

Click here for the Nexus 5 review>>

Price: $349 unlocked from Google. Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, and several other international carriers.

Samsung's latest flagship phone, the Galaxy S5, is a nice improvement over last year's phone. Instead of weighing the device down with a bunch of unnecessary features, Samsung focused on improving the stuff people care about the most. The Galaxy S5 has the best screen ever made for a smartphone. The camera is really good, too.

But if you don't like phones made out of plastic, you should probably look for something else.

Click here for the Galaxy S5 review>>

Price: Around $610

What if you could get a smartphone with a huge 5.5-inch screen, great software, and zippy internal specs that rival the best smartphones?

That's what Chinese startup OnePlus did with its new flagship phone, the One. The OnePlus One only costs $300 unlocked, which is much cheaper than other premium phones like the iPhone 5S and Samsung Galaxy S5, which can cost $650 or more.

The downside? Supplies are extremely limited and you need an invitation from a current OnePlus One owner to buy the phone.

Click here for the OnePlus One Review >>

Price: $300 unlocked. Works on T-Mobile or AT&T.

Motorola's new Moto X, which just launched in September, is a strong contender for best Android phone. Similar to Google's Nexus 5, the Moto X runs a nearly clean version of Android, meaning you get software updates a lot faster. The phone also looks really nice and has a 5.2-inch display.

Click here for the Moto X review >>

Price: Around $500

HTC's flagship phone, the HTC One (M8), is the best Android phone you can buy.

Like the original, the new HTC One, which is also called the M8, has a gorgeous design and high-quality metal construction. It also has an extra rear camera that acts as a depth sensor so you can edit photos later and change the focus.

Click here for the HTC One (M8) review>>

Price: Around $540

If you want a phablet, the iPhone 6 Plus is the best phone you can buy. Unlike other phablets that can be thick, chunky, and plasticky, the iPhone 6 Plus is thin, gorgeous, and made of metal. It doesn't feel like you're lugging around a giant phone.

Click here for the iPhone 6 Plus review >>

Price: Starts at $749

The iPhone 6 is the best smartphone. Unless you really like using Android or Windows Phones, the iPhone 6 should be your first choice.

Why? It's the perfect mix of design, hardware specs, and app selection. Apple also finally caught up to its competitors by adding a larger screen to the iPhone 6. It's 4.7 inches, up from the 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5S.

Click here for the iPhone 6 review >>

Price: Starts at $649

Samsung's new phablet, the Galaxy Note 4, launches in the US on October 14. It has the same size screen (5.7 inches) as last year's model, but the resolution is much sharper. It also has a metal band around the edge, which makes it feel better in the hand.

Click here for photos of the Galaxy Note 4 >>

The Note Edge is similar to the Galaxy Note 4, but it has a secondary screen on the side that changes depending on what app you're using. The "edge" screen can also display information like news updates and other notifications when the rest of the screen is switched off.

Samsung hasn't said when the Note Edge will launch, but it will likely be a limited release later this fall.

Any BlackBerry fans still out there? You're probably excited for the Passport, BlackBerry's upcoming flagship phone. It has a physical keyboard and a squarish, 4.5-inch screen.

BlackBerry will sell the Passport unlocked for $599 soon. Unfortunately, early reviews aren't very good.

Google's next phone, the so-called Nexus 6, has leaked a bunch of times over the last few weeks. This time, it looks like Google partnered with Motorola to build its flagship phone. The Nexus 6, which will reportedly have a huge 6-inch screen, seems like a super-sized version of the Moto X.

Google is expected to formally unveil the Nexus 6 later in October.

Click here to see the first apps you should download for your new iPhone >>