Top 10 Phablets of 2014
The Galaxy Note 4 is perhaps the best phablet that has been released in 2014. It is a combination of Samsung's brand new design language, which is vastly improved with the presence of a metal frame, a stunning QHD display, and a fantastic rear camera, which includes optical image stabilisation, impressive battery life, a fast processor and useful software features. In fact, the software features of the Galaxy Note set it apart from the competition as they help make use of the lovely 5.7-inch canvas and the S-Pen stylus.
iPhone users who have longed for a large screen like the Galaxy Note can finally rejoice as Apple has finally bitten the bullet and released the iPhone 6 Plus. And like the standard iPhone 6, it is a blend of a great screen, slick performance, a stupendous rear camera and a simple interface. Its battery life is also vastly improved, and it is the only iPhone that will appeal to the roadrunner. Frankly, it is a bloody good attempt at a first phablet, just that it is not the best.
At its heart, the Nexus 6 packs similar specs as the Galaxy Note 4. But its screen is a little larger, and its camera is a little inferior. It is also the device, which offers the best of Android, as it is the showcase product for Android Lollipop. Unlike previous Nexus phones it is also a little expensive, but then again this time around fewer corners have been cut and it boasts the design finesse of the Moto X. All in all, it is one of the best phablets that we have seen this year. If there is a quibble, then it has to be the lack of 4G support.
The OnePlus One has been one of the most hyped and talked about phones of 2014. And with good reason, because it wields the hardware and software muscle power of phones that cost twice as much. Frankly, the phone has it all. It has a nice 1080p screen, a faster Qualcomm processor, a nice 13-megapixel camera and a large battery. To make the deal irresistible, the phone has the hacker friendly Cyanogenmod, which is an Android ROM that is closer to pure Android.
Like the OnePlus One, the Vibe Z2 Pro screams value for money. It is a fast phone, no doubt, but then again it is not as expensive as the similarly amped up LG G3. Earlier in the year, it became one of the first phones in the market to offer a 6-inch quad-HD screen. The screen is also backed with a fast Snapdragon 801 processor, dual-SIM support, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and a great 16-megapixel camera on the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the front. The cherry on the cake is its gargantuan 4,000mAh battery, which can last for almost 2 days on a single charge.
Xiaomi's Redmi Note in typical fashion offers lots in terms of specs and yet does not cost a bomb. For a person who aspires for a big screen, but has a low budget, the Redmi Note is a defacto choice. Why? Well, it has a decent 720p screen, its performance is largely lag free thanks to its octa-core processor, and it is able to take good pictures from both its cameras. It even offers decent battery life for what it is. Honestly, most will not miss out on anything with the Redmi Note.
Of all the major Android flagship phones, the LG G3 was perhaps the last one to come out in the market. However, when it launched, it was also the most power packed of the lot. It was the first one to escalate the screen resolution wars to quad-HD, and it also brought forth camera innovations like a laser-guided auto-focus. Other than this, the G3 introduced us to LG's new Android skin, which borrows many cues from Android Lollipop and has fast internals like the Snapdragon 801 processor.
Technically, the Lumia 1520 was launched at the last Nokia World in October 2013. However, the phone reached India only in January 2014. The Lumia 1520 is an interesting device on many counts. It is not only the first Windows Phone phablet, but perhaps it is the phablet with the best camera currently. It uses Nokia's PureView technology in tandem with optical image stabilisation, which allows its massive 20-megapixel sensor to take great shots in both low-light and normal conditions. Besides this too, it is a fast phone as it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.
Not many phablets costing less than Rs 20,000 can offer the super charged performance of the ZenFone 6. Its Intel Atom processor allows it performs as well as devices that cost twice as much. Even its camera performs very well for the price. The only knock is its massive 720p screen, which admittedly is not the nicest one in town, but hey then again one can't have everything.
The Desire 820 is the newest kid on the block and it does pack quite a punch. It is one of the first phones in the market to be launched with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor with 64-bit support. Of course, the 64-bit support is all theoretical as one needs Android Lollipop for it. However, other than this, it is a great phablet, which has a decent screen, fast performance, good battery life, a good selfie camera, 4G support, dual-SIM capabilities and clean software. One cannot go wrong with the Desire 820.