TechSmart 121, October 2013 TechSmart 123, December 2013 | Page 14

FEATURE 5 of 2013 smartphones Top Over the course of the year, smartphone display sizes, screen resolutions and processing power took leaps forward to challenge our budgets and jean pocket space. Here are our Top 5. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android; 5.7" (381 ppi); Exynos 5 Octa 5410 R9 000 3 The king of phablets – Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 – upped the stakes with a better S-pen and a spec sheet longer than a public petition list against e-tolling. Setting the Note 3 apart from the 2013 Galaxy S range was a slight, but noticeable styling change, involving a faux leather back cover complete with fake stitching. Despite being thinner and lighter than the Note 2, we found the Note 3 to be a little too big for our pockets, but users looking for the best note-taking companion don’t have to search any further. 5 Apple iPhone 5s iOS; 4" (326 ppi); 1.3 GHz A7 CPU R10 000 For iPhone 5 owners, upgrading to the 5s would be a hard sell seeing that Cupertino’s latest smartphone boasts exactly the same design and Retina display found in its predecessor. However, upon closer inspection you’ll find upgraded optics for capturing photos in low light, beefier processing power, as well as a fingerprint scanner to access the future of mobile password technology. Despite getting more of the same, iPhone 5s buyers won’t be all that disappointed with their device seeing that is future proof thanks to its 64-bit A7 CPU. Samsung Galaxy S4 Android; 5" (441 ppi); Exynos 5 Octa 5410 R8 500 4 Samsung’s Galaxy S4 combines outstanding hardware with a neverending list of software features, all within a thin and light package. However, preventing the smartphone from landing a higher place on our top 5 is its disappointing all-plastic build, which does not stand up to the premium feel that comes standard on the iPhone 5s or HTC One. Its seemingly impressive software features list is also littered with additions most users will find a little gimmicky or simply too impractical for daily use, proving that less (features) can be more. 12 Looking for these top smartphones? Visit www.excellular.co.za for the best deals and friendly service. Call their sales team on 074-140-8686 today, or mail [email protected]! December 2013 | TechSmart