With all the smartphones available, picking your next phone can be a serious challenge.
Each month, multiple new phones are added to the mix, all with varying levels of specifications, different software, new features, different degrees of build quality, and designs. To make it worse, a lot of the newer – and sometimes older – phones overlap one another. For instance, some of HTC’s newest smartphones (the Desire 610 and One mini 2, for instance), while slightly different, cover the exact same ground and target the same demographics.
The other factor to consider is your carrier of choice and which phones it offers. Nowadays, most carriers offer much of the same phones, but that isn’t always the case – some carry different versions, exclusivities still exist for some reason, and, from time to time, wireless providers willingly pass on questionable smartphones.
If you’re on MetroPCS, which phones should you be checking out come time for upgrade? What are the best smartphones on MetroPCS? Check the list below to see, in no particular order, the best smartphones currently available on MetroPCS!
Samsung Galaxy S5
We just finished reviewing the Galaxy S5 back in May. It’s the 2014 iteration of its globally popular Galaxy S brand, and while our own Michael Fisher calls it “good, but not glam,” it’s a worthy upgrade last year’s Galaxy S4.
Its specifications are all topnotch. A Snapdragon 801 SoC with a 2.3GHz quad-core Krait 400 CPU and Adreno 300 GPU paired with 2GB of RAM ensure snappy performance through most – if not all – tasks. The heavily saturated 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display is gorgeous. The 16GB inbuilt storage with the 128GB support for microSDXC cards allows for ample storage space. The 16-megapixel camera takes brilliant pictures in broad daylight, though its low-light performance leaves much to be desired. The swappable 2,800mAh battery provides above average stamina.
To boot, the Galaxy S5 comes with some non-standard hardware: a fingerprint scanner for added security and a heart rate sensor for fitness aficionados. Oh, lest we forget, it comes with IP67 certification for dust-proofing and water-resistance to boot.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is, without question, the best smartphone currently offered on MetroPCS. At $649 plus tax, it’s also the most expensive, so it may not be the most ideal buy for everyone.
Samsung Galaxy S4
If you want all the Galaxy S5 has to offer – minus the fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensor, and IP67 rating for water-resistance and dust-proofing – the Galaxy S4 is as close as you can get to the Galaxy S5 without coughing up $649.
Save for the removable back cover and a few other odds and ends, the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5 look virtually identical. Their insides are pretty similar, too. Instead of the Snapdragon 801, the Galaxy S4 comes with a Snapdragon 600 SoC with a quad-core Krait 300 CPU clocked at 1.9GHz and an Adreno 320 GPU. That said, it still comes with the same 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, though the microSD card support only goes up to 64GB. The 13-megapixel camera takes excellent pictures, and the 2,600mAh battery provides average stamina.
The 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display is still one of the best on the market and not all that different from the Galaxy S5’s.
With the Galaxy S4, you’ll still get many of the software features found on the Galaxy S5, but it comes at a more bearable $499 price tag.
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
If neither of those options are big enough for your tastes but you like the appearance and software, the Galaxy Mega 6.3 is a fair alternative.
However, the internals are not going to be nearly as advanced as either of the two previous options. The Galaxy Mega comes with a 6.3-inch LCD display with 720p resolution. It still comes with 16GB of fixed storage and support for up to 64GB of external storage, but it has 1.5GB of RAM and an 8-megapixel camera. It also comes with a 3,200mAh removable battery. Inside, the Mega comes with a Snapdragon 400 SoC with a 1.7GHz dual-core Krait and Adreno 305 GPU.
In other words, the Mega is like a lower-end Galaxy S4, except much larger. The part that will be hard to stomach is the Mega’s price point; it’s also $499 plus tax.
LG Optimus F6
Stepping away from Samsung, the smartphone offerings on MetroPCS quickly become more questionable. They also become much cheaper. The LG Optimus F6 is a mid-ranger which can be had for just $99 plus tax.
That cost savings will be felt in the form of performance, build quality, and specifications. The Optimus F6 comes with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 with Adreno 302 GPU. It has a 4.5-inch display with a qHD (540 by 960 pixels) resolution. It only has 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot with support for up to 32GB. It’s fitted with a 5-megapixel shooter around back and a 2,460mAh battery keeps the show running.
The Optimus F6 isn’t our top pick for a few reasons. The display, storage, and RAM will be low points for the device, especially for anyone besides basic users. That said, the cost savings alone could make the Optimus 70 worth it for some.
Nokia Lumia 521
Finally, one of our favorite phones: the Lumia 521 by Nokia.
Inside, it’s pretty unimpressive. It has just 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage, though it takes up to 64GB microSD cards. It’s running on a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 and has a measly little 1,430mAh battery. The 5-megapixel camera is par for the course in this type of smartphone, and the display measures a comparatively small 4-inches with a 480 by 800 pixel resolution.
It isn’t the most mind-blowing piece of hardware – far from it. Its specs are low-end and it’s underwhelming on practically every front. However, the value is through the roof.
The Lumia 521 can for $0 (plus tax) and it performs like a champ. Don’t believe us? Check out our review. If you’re looking for barebones smartphone functionality for as cheap as humanly possible with the least amount of sacrifices in performance and reliability, this is it.
Are you a MetroPCS customer? If so, which phone would you recommend? Sound off in the comments below and tell us what your top MetroPCS phones are!