Just because you’ve picked your provider doesn’t mean you’re
in the clear - you still have to pick a phone. If you've decided on Virgin Mobile, and won't settle for anything but the best, we’ve compiled a list of our most-loved devices available now.
There's something for everyone here, both iPhones and Androids, and from a range of different manufacturers. Do you like the sleek glass design of the new Galaxy S6, or would you prefer something more colourful, maybe a Sony Z3?
- Runs newest version of Android (Lollipop 5.0)
- Fast TouchWiz interface
- Excellent 16-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilisation
- Battery life not impressive, but does charge quickly
- Curved display on the Edge version not particularly useful
The
Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge are all but identical in hardware, user experience and size. The only real difference is that the S6 Edge sports curved sides to its display, a feature for which you pay extra, but only adds a few more scraps of functionality.
Both phones are crazy fast, smooth and offer the most slimmed-down Samsung experience of any phone to date. Traditionally, the
Touchwiz user interface (UI) employed by the Korean giant has been bulky and slow. But not anymore; this is finally the Galaxy device that we've wanted for so long.
Finally, the camera is possibly the best on the market. The only real competitors are the iPhone 6s and 6 Plus. Either way, the S6 generates
incredibly clear, bright images in daylight and even handles most low-light situations admirably.
- Excellent performance and ease of use
- Improved 12-megapixel camera
- Vibrant display
- NFC means mobile payments are possible, but Australia still waiting on Apple Pay
- Expensive
The iPhone 6s is a phone that need no introduction. By Apple's own number crunching, it sold 13 million iPhone 6s units over the first weekend of sales, so in many ways we are preaching to the converted.
If you're still weighing up a new iPhone 6s purchase, you can look forward to a number of industry-leading features. It has a powerful processor under the hood, as you'd expect, but it is more than a simple smartphone. Apple's new 3D Touch is a world's first, and means the touchscreen can detect how hard you press on the screen, giving developer's even more ways for you to interact with their apps.
The new and improved camera comes with a 12-megapixel sensor, the result of which is more than just larger photos, but also clearer, sharper, more colourful shots too. The millions of pixels on a camera's sensor are what's used to capture light and the more you have, the better your photos will turn out.
- Amazing 5.5-inch screen
- Stylus makes for easy use
- Impressive everyday performance
- Pricier than other Galaxy smartphones
- Screen can take a toll on battery life
If you're after a big-screened phone, go no further than the
Note 5. It has a stunning 5.7 inch 2560 x 1440 display, giving it around 75% more pixels than the 1080p iPhone 6s Plus. It's also very powerful, has a stunning camera and the kind of battery life you'd be hard pressed to push through in a single day.
You've also got the surprisingly-useful
S-Pen stylus. You may hear that and think it sounds like tech from yesteryear, but Samsung really has done a good job integrating its electronic pen in to the UI as a useful addition to your experience.
One last word of caution: it's not water resistant like Sony phones, or even last year's Galaxy S5, so don't go dunking it in the sink as a party trick.
- Exceptional camera with optical image stablisation
- Great battery life
- Intuitive user interface
- Much bigger than other phones with similar display sizes
- Software can be 'buggy' at times
The iPhone 6s Plus is a big
5.5 inch phone. It's also a bit more costly than its smaller sibling, but comes with a few extra features to sweeten the deal.
Unlike other phablets, which also have screens 5.5 inches or larger, the 6 Plus is of a fairly imposing size. Apple surround the large display with a larger bezel than you'll find on the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, which is both a pro and a con for this model.
In a surprising turn of events, Apple has gone above and beyond the "Retina" display with the 6 Plus. It boasts a
full 1080p resolution, giving it 400ppi compared to the iPhone 6s's 326ppi -- the higher the pixel density (pixels per inch) the better the image you get on screen.
The camera is also a bit better on the bigger model iPhone. Images come out smoother and more well-defined, making it one of the best cameras you'll find in a smartphone so far.
- Best Nexus camera to date
- Solid, metal design
- Fun, easy to use interface
- Not as big and cumbersome as other 'phablets'
- Battery good for a day, but not much more
Google's Nexus phones have been the domain of only the most avid Android fans before now. While cheaper, the Nexus has never been cutting edge in terms of the hardware on offer. The Nexus 6P is a welcome departure from this pattern.
Built by Huawei, the Nexus 6P has everything tech enthusiasts love about modern phones. It has a (Samsung made) AMOLED display with a huge 2K resolution, making it one of the sharpest screen in town. The camera is also a pleasant surprise; a significant improvement on previous Nexus phone cameras which takes it to the competition, namely Apple and Samsung.
It comes with the latest version of Google's Android system (6.0 known as Marshmallow) packed with Google's latest ideas. There is also a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone, which is a great place considering how most of us hold our handsets.