Our editors talk: Best phones, worst phones 2017

27 December 2017
As 2017 draws to a close, we take a look back at the phones, which impressed us, and the ones which disappointed us. This end-of-year edition of our Editors Talk series will give you a glimpse at the love-and-hate relationship we have with smartphones and their design and features.

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  • L
  • Lubam
  • r3H
  • 28 Dec 2017

Thank y'all @TeamGSMArena for all the first hand info and top updates all these years. Merry 🎄 Xmas and prosperous New 2018

    • D
    • AnonD-552695
    • X}t
    • 28 Dec 2017

    My best phone of the year goes to mate 10 pro ai bilud
    IP 67 water resistance laica camara F1.6
    Finally better price
    still same speces like note 8 and iPhone x but the price is more profitable (mate 10 pro worth for money)

      • D
      • AnonD-413194
      • bEP
      • 28 Dec 2017

      The post could have had the actual product names in Bold. Would have been easier for people like me who dont read the entire post to spot the phone names quickly.

        • S
        • Samarth N8 808 user
        • Dkm
        • 28 Dec 2017

        Nice article and nice to know the staff members now.
        I wonder why Mr. Prasad just put Google Pixel 2 on his favorite as well as disappointment list?
        And although, iPhone X could rightfully belong on Rank 1, how does Pixel 2 get a good rank 2? The damn phone has had enough misfunctions and failures, it shouldn't even fall close among the best devices.

        Although, I do agree with his point about dual cameras, selfies, 3.5mm jack, voice assistants, VR and all. Agree with each point here.
        Mr. Ricky just focused on Apple, so I don't believe that what happened to iPhone 8/X is the biggest disappointment of 2017. There are bigger misses.
        Agree with Vlad too.
        Angie's opinion about the 3.5mm jack is really to the point. I will not buy a phone with a 3.5mm, simple.

        For me, the biggest disappointment was obviously what all Prasad mentioned, plus the many functioning and quality issues of Pixel 2.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • XPp
          • 28 Dec 2017

          AnonD-664474, 28 Dec 2017They were disappointed by Sony having bezels on their phone... moreDidn't couple of guys criticize that, guess you didn't read the complete article. Did you?

            • i
            • imRGZ
            • upf
            • 28 Dec 2017

            Anonymous, 28 Dec 2017The Pixel XL 2is probably the best phone of the year, after... moreYes, absolutely, they are the two best phones out there right now in having beta software with lots of bugs. I think Pixel 2 XL will take the cake here with added feature: poor, issue prone screen which beats the notched screen of X.

              • A
              • AD
              • vaS
              • 28 Dec 2017

              Will's comment are the most concise and straight to the point! thumbs up!

                • i
                • imRGZ
                • upf
                • 28 Dec 2017

                AnonD-669148, 28 Dec 2017Phones are getting worse, 1000 Euro for a phone is just com... moreOn the other hand you are getting phones with flagship specs for around half of $1000 flagship, like OnePlus 5T/Mate 10......

                  • i
                  • imRGZ
                  • upf
                  • 28 Dec 2017

                  xXENDER FREAKXx, 28 Dec 2017One thing that is weird from all the reviewers is that they... moreIn fact few editors mentioned the exact same reason you are pointing out while putting iPhone 8's as disappointing phones of the year. And except for one, i think even X was treated as a disappointment for its notch and beta software. Many hold on to iPhone because of iOS. As far as Sony is concerned, they look all the same, other than minor differences since Xperia Z, launched way back in 2013. That's way too long to hold on to a design template. There is nothing exciting about their designs. They just look boxy, bulky and uninspiring. They don't have any unique features of their own to stand against likes of Samsung and Apple. Camera? Well, almost all editors over here and everywhere named Pixel 2's camera as the champion. Screen? Again Samsung and Apple took the top honors. Audio quality? htc is ahead of all. Only thing Sony is little faster in providing software updates because of their bare bones UI. Then what is Sony's specialty in smartphone field? What sets them apart from the herd? You may boast of 4K and Slow Motion, but slo-mo is gimmicky at best and 4K is overkill right now, with less content to enjoy. If Sony doesn't change their designs and strategies for the next year, they aren't going anywhere.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-373654
                    • te3
                    • 28 Dec 2017

                    xXENDER FREAKXx, 28 Dec 2017One thing that is weird from all the reviewers is that they... moreApple can still sell no matter what because its the only device that comes with ios.. Not only that.. the number of people who switches from apple to other devices is very less, because the quality is superb and of-course because of ios. What makes sony special tell me that? Simplicity and build quality is better in google pixels.. innovation and designs are better in samsung.. and there are 7-8 other chinese brands who provide better specs at half the price of sony.. So you have got options.. Maybe apple kept the design, but people don't have other options for ios or the reliability apple provides. Ok, but there is one other very important reason. Few years back I bought The Galaxy S6 edge at 52K INR.. after 14 months I wanted a new phone. Now the price of that phone came down to 37K INR.. I could only get 20K selling it, no matter how much I tried to negotiate. So for 14 months usage I had to shell 32K.. And Before that S6 edge I had iphone 5s 32GB.. I bought it in 2014 for 30K.. and when I went to sell it in 2016, the price was still around 27K. But surprisingly I could sell it for 18K due to the huge after sales value. You get the point? Now coming to Sony.. There was a phone called Z5 premium. It launched in our country with a price tag of 60K.. A girl in our college who is also a geek bought it at 55K from flipkart the next month of its launch, within the next 2 months at holiday season it fell straight to 40K.. now the phone sells at 27K .. so thats also a point people don't buy sony anymore

                      I do have to mention. Welcome Aboard Angie! I wish you luck in the best team of GSM-related sites!
                      AHEM!
                      back to our subject. I do agree. As much as dual glass sandwitch permits wireless charge... I agree it's a serious letdown. (not for me though. I am always packed with a shield-type case. dual if not triple layered case to protect my phone) and that removal of 3.5mm jack. For real? I agree with Kaloyan in every aspect. if you do something. atleast let me frugging enjoy it. have an insanely great DAC? give me an equipment that lets me enjoy! prefer the bluetooth stuff? bundle it in! companies do need to heed costumers's comments ffs. >.>

                        • Q
                        • Quiapo Dibidi
                        • wuj
                        • 28 Dec 2017

                        Fanbois always tend to feel ever so sensitive whenever anyone isn't kissin the @$$ of their fave smartphone... fo real! These editors are just being honest to everyone of their own personal opinions (all of us is entitled to that aint we?!). No one can disprove anyones opinion. The best smartphone is always the one We Like! And we are not obliged to hate the ones We Dont Like! C'mon fanbois... its almost 2018... its time to grow up and face the future and be somewhat..more like a Open minded Human being!

                          AnonD-669148, 28 Dec 2017Phones are getting worse, 1000 Euro for a phone is just com... moreGo back to 2015 then while the rest of us moves on. You'd do the world a favor.

                            • D
                            • AnonD-669148
                            • gJe
                            • 28 Dec 2017

                            Phones are getting worse, 1000 Euro for a phone is just complete madness, and removing 3.5 mm headphone jack, and curved displays with horrible reflections and unwanted touches, and smaller narrower unreachably too tall displays, and no longer removable batteries, and pointless dual cameras, and removing the fast secure and user friendly fingerprint scanner!

                              • D
                              • AnonD-373654
                              • te3
                              • 28 Dec 2017

                              why do people at gsmarena bash apple iphone x? I mean it is great n every way.. the display quality is the best i have seen in any phone.. colors, vibrancy is even better than galaxies.. the camera is only second to google pixel 2.. the chipset is the fastest in the world, on top of that add apple optimizations. I know its in early stages and there are minor issues, but within few months apple gonna fix those also.. People may find it hard to navigate at first, but within 1 week I managed to work it awesome in my friend's phone. SO its pretty easy.. Face id sounds gimmicky, but this is the first face recognition tech I have ever seen, working that fast... Only complaints are headphone jack and fingerprint.. But atleast they are giving a headphone and adapter to compensate.. and face id is cool too.. thats the future I guess

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • vV5
                                • 28 Dec 2017

                                xXENDER FREAKXx, 28 Dec 2017One thing that is weird from all the reviewers is that they... moreI think at least one of them mentioned that Apple has using the same design for three generations.

                                  AnonD-664474, 28 Dec 2017They were disappointed by Sony having bezels on their phone... moreOne thing that is weird from all the reviewers is that they said Sony kept using the same old design for their smartphones, isn't Apple doing the same too? The front didn't change much, until they trimmed down a lot of bezels on the front of the iPHONE X, but it still kept the same design with the only change of the amount of bezels and the vertical camera setup, I am not going to talk anymore of it, or else those haters will start a war here again

                                    I agree with the person who said the glass sandwich and the removal of the headphone jack were low lights of 2017. I just hope the midrange market keeps growing.

                                      • D
                                      • AnonD-664474
                                      • Kg%
                                      • 28 Dec 2017

                                      They were disappointed by Sony having bezels on their phones. Why aren't they complaining the same for the U 11, Nokia 8, and OP5?
                                      And the iPhone 8 Plus?

                                      I was okay already that no Sony will be in the favorites, as long as there would also be no Sony in disappointment (because literally, there is none).

                                        Best phone is a tough one, but for me, the Note 8 is still the best all-rounder. Worst is easy the iPhone X. Apple was way behind in the design and features stakes, but had two years to "get it right", yet the X has a flawed design, lack of optimisation, half-baked features and poorly thought out IOS.This makes the most expensive phone nothing more than a work-in-progress.