Top 5 Best Smartphones That Money Can Buy in 2012

When it comes to smartphones, they are improving rapidly. Every year seems to bring improvements in leaps and bounds over the previous years devices and cell phone plans. If you’re planning on purchasing a smartphone at some point in 2012, here are 5 awesome phones to keep an eye on in 2012.

From LTE to Windows Phone 7 to gigantic displays, there are a host of new features being brought to the market in the coming months.

1. HTC Titan II

The original HTC Titan was met with favorable reviews. With a massive screen, Windows Phone 7, and HTC’s knack for design, the phone was bound to have a successor. At CES 2012, HTC showed off the Titan II. Still running Windows 7 and bringing several improvements over the original Titan, the Titan II is set to be one of the most cutting edge phones the world has seen when it releases. Specs include:

- 4.7-inch screen
- 16 megapixel camera
- 4G LTE
- Dual-core processor

And no, that’s not a typo. The Titan II’s camera really is going to be 16 megapixels. Between having a massive screen, an incredibly high-resolution camera and LTE support, it’s clear that HTC is doing its best to ensure that the Titan II lives up to its name.

2. Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX

The original DROID RAZR is less than three months old and an upgraded version is already on the way. At first thought, it wouldn’t seem that Motorola could have made many improvements to the original device. And, to a degree, that’s true. Not a whole lot has changed in the RAZR MAXX. But the change that has been made is one that many LTE smartphone owners have begged for, and that’s a bigger battery. Motorola has upped the battery in the RAZR MAXX by over 1,000 mAh while only adding a small amount of thickness to the device. Specs include:

- 4.3-inch screen reinforced with Gorilla Glass
- 3,300 mAh battery
- 1.2 GHz dual-core processor

One of the most frequent complaints regarding LTE smartphones is their low battery life. The RAZR MAXX looks like it’s going to fix this in a big way. A great phone was just made even better.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note

HTC isn’t the only manufacturer going big with their screens. The Samsung Galaxy Note is a variant of the wildly popular Samsung Galaxy S2. The screen size has jumped from 4.3 inches to 5.3 inches, and makes the Note something of a hybrid of a phone and tablet. Its features include:

- 4G LTE
- 8-megapixel camera
- Barometer sensor

4. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

The latest Xperia device adds a few intriguing new features. With a Reality Display and 3D Sweep Panorama, Sony certainly has paid attention to the software side of things. The Xperia Arc S is no slouch on the hardware side, either. The device includes:

- 1.4 GHz processor
- HDMI port
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread

5. Nokia Lumia 900

Rounding out the list is another Windows 7 phone. If the HTC Titan II’s display is too large, then the 4.3 inches found on the Lumia 900 might be more fitting. The phone is an upgraded version of the Lumia 800, but that’s not a bad thing at all. It has 4G LTE support and a very impressive camera that’s capable of taking HD video. Like virtually all new smartphones, it also includes a front-facing camera for video chat. Other features include:

- 1.4 GHz dual-core processor
- 16 GB internal storage
- 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display

Overall, it looks like a terrific device. While there aren’t a lot of Windows 7 devices on the market yet, the Titan II and Lumia 900 should both satisfy Windows fans.

No matter a person’s preference, there are plenty of choices in smartphones and cell phone plans. Between these five devices there’s something for everybody. With all of the phones that have been announced and will be announced, 2012 looks like it will be a very exciting year in the world of smartphones.