It’s hard shopping for dads. They never seem to want anything, but you know they deserve something great. Fortunately, phones make a great gift and that old handset your pop has needs to be replaced. Here are four of the best candidates for the job.
———
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/samsung-galaxy-s7-edge/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 5 stars out of 5 (Spectacular)
The good: The Galaxy S7 Edge has a gorgeous larger curved screen and larger battery than the otherwise identical standard S7. It really is something special. The extra navigation tools can be useful when used judiciously.
The bad: When you pile on these extra navigation tools, they slow you down rather than speed you up. It’s pricier than other good phones.
The cost: $599 to $799.99
The bottom line: The gorgeous Galaxy S7 Edge makes the best Android phone that much better.
———
iPhone 6S Plus
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-iphone-6s-plus/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)
The good: Improved speed, better cameras, always-on Siri, and pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display compared to last year’s 6 Plus. And it has slightly better battery life, a bigger higher resolution screen, and optical image stabilization for photos and video that can make a difference.
The bad: It’s really big. It costs more than the smaller iPhone. Other phablet-sized phones offer longer battery life.
The cost: $599.00 to $1,149.96
The bottom line: The iPhone 6S Plus has a few key advantages that give it an edge for serious iPhone users, but its big body still may not fit for a lot of people.
———
LG G5
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/lg-g5-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: The LG G5’s unique modular design lets you swap in fun accessories. It has (two!) great rear cameras, expandable storage and a replaceable battery — a rarity in high-end phones.
The bad: Although you can swap out some parts, there aren’t enough to make this feature compelling. You can only access the phone’s app drawer in a specialized theme.
The cost: $624 to $727.22
The bottom line: This is the phone to get if you want a removable battery, but it fails to live up to its world-changing Swiss Army knife potential.
———
Google Nexus 6P
Product Review: http://www.cnet.com/products/google-nexus-6p/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: One of the first two Android 6.0 phones, Google’s metal Nexus 6P has a sharp, high-resolution screen and a solid camera, an accurate fingerprint reader, loud speakers and works with every major carrier. Its lower cost makes it a good top-tier value buy.
The bad: It’s big, a bit boxy and top-heavy, the fingerprint reader’s position isn’t always convenient and the 6P ditches the wireless charging of previous models.
The cost: $498.89 to $499.99
The bottom line: The Nexus 6P doesn’t have the most inspiring design, but when it comes to hardware prowess, value for money and Google extras, this best-ever Nexus is hard to beat.
———
The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Section Editor Jessica Dolcourt, Senior Associate Editor Lynn La, Senior Editor Scott Stein and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
About the Author
