Yes, we’ve all heard it and if it annoys you you’re not alone – the little portmanteau that describes a smartphone with an above average-sized screen. I’m talking, of course, about "phablet" – the name for a larger smartphone that is a big growth market at the moment among consumers who want a high-quality portable video experience. Here are some of the biggest phablets (eurgh) on the market this year.
1. Samsung Galaxy Note 4
The Galaxy Note 4 provides a 5.7 inch HD display, with a Multi-Window mode that allows you to run two apps side by side. A 16 megapixel camera makes this a good choice for a budding photographer and the Snapdragon 805 processor gives it enough kick to power your applications. For the more image-conscious among you, Samsung has upped the design ante for the new Note, giving it a sleek metal finish.
2. LG G3
The 5.5 inch screen on this handset crams in a mighty 2,560 by 1,440 pixels, more than enough to enjoy an episode of Breaking Bad or whatever has replaced it as the darling TV show of the global population. The 13 MP camera carries a laser auto-focus, apparently the fastest on the market. The device sports a removable battery pack and a micro-SD card for boosting the storage.
3. Huawei Ascend Mate 2
One hesitates to call Huawei‘s offering the camel of phablets, but its 25-hour battery life definitely deserves a mention. The device carries a 6.1 inch display, with a 13 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front-facing camera. At 720p the display could possibly do with an upgrade, but Huawei’s focus on affordability means that the Mate’s price tag is considerably less hefty than most other devices in the phablet range.
4. Google Nexus 6
This offering from the US internet giant carries high-end specs – a Snapdragon 805 processor, a 13 MP camera with optical image stabilisation, high-end Quad HD display and audio quality provided by dual front-facing speakers – all served up with a helping of Android 5.0 Lollipop. The battery life isn’t bad either, lasting 24 hours from a full charge and 6 hours of use from 15 minutes of charging.
5. Nokia Lumia 1520
Windows Phones are often eclipsed by their Android and iOS counterparts, but the specs on this make it a strong contender in the phablet arena. A six-inch HD display gives you 1080 pixels, but the stand-out feature on this handset is probably the primary 20 MP PureView camera. The 1520 goes for the enterprise market with built-in Microsoft Office, Exchange and Lync, as well as enterprise-grade security.
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