With all the telcos on the market offering 4G, it’s easy to get confused about which phone is the right one for you. Surely it’s about spending the least amount of money for the most powerful phone, right? Not necessarily. We round up all the 4G smartphones on the market to tell you what’s best.
Welcome to Gizmodo’s 4G Week: Everything you need to know about 4G in Australia. From the networks that do and don’t support it, through to the devices you can use and the best deals out there.
• 4G In Australia Explained
• Every Australian 4G Contract Mobile Phone Deal Compared
• 4G Smartphone Buying Guide: The Right Handset For You
• 4G Tablet Buying Guide 2012: How To Choose The Right Tablet
The Basics
Before you start on your quest to buy a shiny, new 4G smartphone, it’s worth considering the basics that should underpin all tech purchases:
Know Your Budget
Setting a budget and sticking to it is paramount when it comes to tech buying, and it’s especially important when it comes to getting a phone on a contract. 24 months is a long time to be stuck with one device, and if it’s beyond your means, you’ll either be stuck paying too much for something you don’t need or something you can’t afford. Do a bit of maths, find a figure you can comfortably afford per month and stick to it. Don’t let yourself be duped by slick talking mobile salesfolk. At the end of the day, it’s always you left holding the bag.
Decide What You Need Above What You Want
Make a list of features you know you can’t live without in your smartphone. Need an ace camera? Make sure there’s a note of it. Desperate for customisation options? Android’s the one for you. Need a certain amount of battery life? Write that down, too. Don’t get sucked into a certain device because it’s shiny and neglect everything you need day-to-day.
Check Your Coverage
Having 4G support on your device sure is fun, but you need to check if you’re in a 4G coverage area first. No good getting your new phone home and figuring out it can’t do the speeds it says on the tin. You can search for your address on Telstra’s 4G maps here and Optus’ here. MVNOs like Virgin Mobile run on the Optus network, but if you want to be sure, it has coverage maps also. Vodafone currently doesn’t support 4G. For that, you’ll be waiting until next year.
Research Your Device
Once you have one or two devices in mind, hit your nearest search engine to see what people who own that device think about it. You might just find that it goes bang after a month with the device or it doesn’t do something you hoped it actually did. You can read reviews that we and other tech sites write until the phone goes out of style, but we can’t tell you what it’s like to live with over an extended period of time like others can. Also, make sure you try before you buy. Even if it involves insisting that a salesperson powers up a phone for you to try before you sign on the dotted line.
Know Thy Telco
Here’s a bit of information on the telco landscape right now. For more information on 4G in Australia, read our 4G Frequencies explained feature.
Optus
Optus is a solid 12 months behind Telstra in the 4G coverage race, so the handset selection isn’t as bountiful as you might think. Still, different networks mean different coverage footprints and price structures. Optus currently has 4G coverage in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne, with Brisbane and the Gold Coast coming early next year and Adelaide to follow in mid-2013.
Telstra
Telstra has a solid head-start on the number-two telco in Australia, meaning that it has managed to iron out more device exclusives. Telstra has pledged that it will have 66 per cent of the population covered by mid-next year, meaning that it will hold onto its number one spot for some time yet. More coverage means more places you can use your 4G coverage before you failover to Next G.
Virgin Mobile
While Optus and Virgin Mobile share the same 4G network, Virgin often has cheaper prices on 4G handsets, often the same devices Optus is offering too.
Armed with that knowledge, let’s get started…
(All phones are in alphabetical order, click on the name to read the full review…)
Apple iPhone 5
Apple’s iPhone 5 brings a new look to an old favourite. Splitting from the previous generations of iPhone, the 5 comes with a 4-inch screen rather than a 3.5-inch, meaning you get more content on your screen at once. Always a good thing.
Add on top of that the sleek new aluminium design, the iPhone 5 is as light as it is beautiful.
Specs
• Carriers: Optus, Telstra, Virgin
• OS: iOS 6
• CPU: 1.2Ghz dual-core A6
• Screen: 4-inch Retina display (1136×640, 326ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 1.2MP front
• Battery: 1440mAh
HTC 8X
The 8X is the first Windows Phone 8 handset to come out of HTC. It’s packed with a massive screen, great specs and curves so sexy you’ll think they were pulled off Scarlett Johansson.
Specs
• Carriers: Telstra (coming December)
• OS: Windows Phone 8
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core
• Screen: 4.3-inch Super LCD2 (1280×720, 342ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 2.1MP front
• Battery: 1800mAh
HTC One SV
HTC can do no wrong with the One series. Born out of the company’s need to focus on a smaller range of products, the One series is everything we love about HTC spanned across a range of price points.
The One SV is an Optus-exclusive handset, and packs dual-core power into a bright and beautiful body complete with a 4.3-inch display. This one is for those who want a good all-rounder capable of serious speed.
Specs
• Carriers: Optus
• OS: Android 4.0
• CPU: 1.2Ghz dual-core Snapdragon S4+
• Screen: 4.2-inch Super LCD2 (800×480, 217ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 8GB
• Camera: 5MP rear, 1.6MP front
• Battery: 1800mAh
HTC One XL
The HTC One XL is essentially just a 4G-version of the HTC One X, which is already fantastic. Adding 4G onto a device of this caliber just makes a good thing that much better. Like chocolate topping on ice cream.
It’s powered by the same conventional weapon of a processor that powers tablets and it has a screen so beautiful it has been known to reduce grown men to tears. It’s a serious machine, this. It’s for power users who not only demand a lot of power, but also those who demand beautiful screens.
It’s worth keeping in mind though that the HTC One XL is slightly longer in the tooth than say the Samsung Galaxy S III 4G, meaning that you might get better bang for buck with a newer, competitor model.
Specs
• Carriers: Telstra
• OS: Android 4.0.3
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon
• Screen: 4.7-inch Super IPS LCD2 (1280×720, 312ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 32GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 1.3MP front
• Battery: 1800mAh
HTC Velocity 4G
The HTC Velocity 4G is the smartphone that started it all here in Australia. It was the first phone to hit the market with this new, fangled 4G technology on-board.
As a result, it’s longer in the tooth than even the HTC One XL. If you’re a fan of nostalgia, this one is for you, but be mindful that there are much better handsets on the market for about the same outlay per month.
Specs
• Carriers: Telstra
• OS: Android 2.3.7 (upgradable to Android 4.0)
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core
• Screen: 4.5-inch qHD S-LCD (960×540 245ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 1.3MP front
• Battery: 1620mAh
Motorola RAZR HD
Motorola calls it “the all-day phone”, we call it a coming of age for the RAZR brand we all knew and loved.
The RAZR has finally grown up into something you might want to live with for 24 months. With a massive 2530mAh battery, the RAZR HD really is something that could go all-day, paired with a powerful set of specs all wrapped up in a splash-proof and shock-proof body, it’s a serious contender.
The RAZR HD is a phone for those who want speed, style, and more importantly: wherewithal. It’ll survive the knocks, splashes and torment that most other phones would buckle at the sight of.
Specs
• Carriers: Telstra (until December 31)
• OS: Android 4.0
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon S4
• Screen: 4.5-inch ColourBoost LCD (1280×720 312ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 1.3MP front
• Battery: 2530mAh
Motorola RAZR M
The RAZR M, while very similar to the RAZR HD, is slanted towards a content king rather than a road warrior. It’s the first Motorola RAZR to feature an “edge-to-edge screen”. In layman’s terms, that just means it has a tiny bezel on the sides of the screen so that you get more real estate for your apps, movies, music and games.
It’s a slightly smaller device, but that doesn’t stop it looking amazing, and it still has the same Kevlar-coating that makes it splash-proof and shock-proof. This is a phone for content lovers who are more than a little careless with their phones.
Specs
• Carriers: Telstra (until December 31)
• OS: Android 4.0
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon S4
• Screen: 4.3-inch ColourBoost LCD (960×540 256ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 8GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, VGA front
• Battery: 2000mAh
Nokia Lumia 820
The Lumia 820 is the younger sibling of the show-stealing Lumia 920. The main differences between the two lie in the screen, both in size and resolution, the camera and internal storage. The 820 does pack expandable storage, however, which is a rare commodity on smartphones these days.
It’s not a bad phone whatsoever, it’s actually rather excellent. The only problem is that everyone compares it to the Lumia 920, which is infinitely better.
Specs
• Carriers: Optus, Vodafone (non-4G)
• OS: Windows Phone 8
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core
• Screen: 4.3-inch IPS TFT (800×480 217ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 8GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, VGA front
• Battery: 1650mAh
Nokia Lumia 920
The Lumia 920 is the great Windows Phone 8 hope. Selling out before it even hits store shelves, it’s this season’s must have smartphone. Among the standout features are the 8.7-megapixel camera with Optical Image Stabilisation, the absurdly crisp screen and a design that turns more heads than the tennis.
This one is for those who know style. It’s the best looking phone on the market right now and it’s got the specs to help it talk the talk. It’s for those who love to be social, love to have the latest tech and above all, love to be noticed.
Specs
• Carriers: Telstra
• OS: Windows Phone 8
• CPU: 1.5Ghz dual-core
• Screen: 4.5-inch IPS TFT (1280×768 332ppi)
• RAM: 1GB RAM
• Storage: 32GB
• Camera: 8.7MP w/ OIS rear, 1.3 front
• Battery: 2000mAh
Samsung Galaxy Note II 4G
The last time we saw the Galaxy Note, we were a bit put off by the size. We weren’t really sure what it was for, and neither were Aussie telcos. That device went on to sell millions of units. The follow-up album, aptly named the Galaxy Note II, brings with it more power, a larger screen and of course the most important feature: the 4G antenna.
The Note II is the ultimate Android device. It’s the device by which all other Androids ought to be measured. It’s large, in charge and has enough power to run rings around every smartphone currently on the market.
If you need speed and uncompromising size, the Note II is your handset.
Specs
• Carriers: Optus, Virgin (Telstra next year)
• OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• CPU: 1.6Ghz quad-core Exynos 4412
• Screen: 5.5-inch Super AMOLED (1280×760 267ppi)
• RAM: 2GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 1.9 front
• Battery: 3100mAh
Samsung Galaxy S III 4G
Ever since the Galaxy S III hit store shelves earlier in the year, we were asking if there would be a 4G-version. Months later, Samsung beefed up the device we loved and bundled in a 4G radio to sweeten the deal.
With a massive quad-core processor, more RAM than the computer you had as a kid and a big, bright 4.8-inch screen, the Galaxy S III 4G is a phone for power users: those who need a device with a device to take on the big jobs like smooth mobile gaming and true multi-tasking.
Specs
• Carriers: Optus, Telstra, Virgin
• OS: Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean
• CPU: 1.4Ghz quad-core Exynos 4412
• Screen: 4.8-inch Super AMOLED (1280×720, 306ppi)
• RAM: 2GB RAM
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• Camera: 8MP rear, 1.9MP front
• Battery: 2100mAh
Lead image: Shutterstock
What about the Lumia 820?
Great write-up like always Luke.
Just FYI regarding the Nokia Lumia 920: Resolution is 1280 x 768, not 1280×720.
You left out the Lumia820 which seems like a better deal than the 920 to me.
The 820 is a great phone but lacks that incredible camera that the 920 packs. It also doesn't have wireless charging built in. Camera alone does it for me.
The 820's camera is more than good enough. I only ever take low res photos on my current phone anyway, because of it's fixed storage capacity, and the 820's microSD support more than makes up for any other shortcomings when compared to the 920's limited storage. I also prefer the 820's removable battery, as it makes battery life anxiety a thing of the past for just a few bucks. Wireless charging doesn't seem like much of a thing anyway, as all you are really doing is moving the wire from the phone to the charger, rather than eliminating it altogether. And on my boat it wouldn't hold the phone securely enough to be useful.
820 is saddled with a ordinary low res screen. 800 x 480 is just crapulent in 2012. 920 screen is more than worth the difference in price.
I'm glad I have not optimal eyesight. Means I can't really tell the difference (resolution wise) between my 800x480 Samsung Omnia 7 and my HTC One X :P
How do you know, daffy? You have not seen them at all, let alone side-by-side. Only a complete idiot would judge the quality of the screen from the specs. As usual, you are talking like one is acceptable and the other is rubbish but the likely reality is that both are very good. That is certainly what the reviews have said.
The only reason I'd choose a 1200 pixel screen over an 800 pixel one is if it allowed me to fit 50% more stuff onto it. If all it is doing is mapping one pixel to 1.5 pixels, then I'm just not interested because unless it is done very well, it could result in a worse display.
Hey Luke, the iPhone 5 comes in 16gb, 32gb and 64gb.
iPhone 5 comes in 16, 32 and 64GB, not 8, 16 and 32, but otherwise good stuff! :)
I doubt I'll see 4G for a while, my Next G speeds are only just over 1 mbit/s (although still faster than the competition), gotta love regional speeds.
I believe you may have forgot that Optus actually has a massive upper hand in the Newcastle/ Hunter region in regards to coverage due to the large scale trial it completed there. Probably worth mentioning that if you live and/or work in that area and are after 4G speeds Optus/ Virgin are arguably a much better option.
"You can search for your address on Telstra’s 4G maps here and Optus’ here".
That word "here" should've been a link, no?
I know Vodafone don't have 4g yet but they are selling 4g handsets. They have the note 2, iPhone 5 and are getting HTC 8x and s3 4g in coming weeks.
They also let people who sign up now keep their plans with 4g when it launches without having to sign up to a 4g plan when they launch.
Isn't that what got them in trouble with 3G? ie, selling phones that their network couldn't support properly, which resulted in lots of angry customers? Seems to me like they haven't learned from their mistakes. I don't see this ending well for them.
Last edited November 27, 2012 1:23 pm
No way, Vodafone wouldn't ever do anything to upset their customers.
When I was in Japan working the network I was on had not launched 4g yet. They sold 4g phones so customers who signed long contracts could get phones now that would work on their new network when it launched. Future proofing is very common and I think it makes sense.
Vodafone 4g network will be where ever they currently have 850 so I tip they will have a pretty big 4g network when it launches which would lead to happy customers yes?
I should say I am a Vodafone customer: a very happy one. Optus' coverage was ten times worse than I get now (3G) that's for sure. The recent 3G+ upgrade has made a huge difference too.
Dad's looking to upgrade from his DEFY. He doesn't want a massive screen and isn't too concerned with speed, more concerned with battery life and durability.
How does the RAZR M compare, is it still reasonably water/dust/drop-proof? Does it have a replaceable battery (he's got the XL bulky aftermarket battery on his DEFY)?
I was considering getting the RAZR M for my wife for the same reasons, but honestly I think it's overpriced. I was quite disappointed when I saw how expensive they were. Motorola really dropped the ball with that I think.
Just waiting for TPG plans to pick up on the Optus 4G network... fingers crossed.
More want than requirement though. Once I have an NBN connection then it will be useful as I can then stream/upload Hi-Def content from my NAS (860kbps UL just doesn't cut it!).
Luke, what is the phone model in the photo?
There is a Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE although Telstra only carry the non HD version but it is still LTE.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=buy+galaxy+s2+HD+LTE&aq=f&oq=buy+galaxy+s2+HD+LTE&aqs=chrome.0.57j0l3j62l2.10840&sugexp=chrome,mod=14&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=buy+galaxy+s2+HD+LTE&hl=en&tbo=u&source=univ&tbm=shop&sa=X&psj=1&ei=kIi0UO34HY2UiAfLpoCoAw&ved=0CH0QrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&fp=afb115db270fa5a3&bpcl=38897761&biw=1024&bih=464
Have been playing with the 920 for a few days and have a few thoughts so far. I am looking for a business phone, i travel interstate weekly and use MS office extensively on my laptop. I have a real soft spot for Nokia and Ms, so really want to buy the 920. Unfortunately though its just too immature for me. Just cant go past the SG3 4g as it is a much more mature platform. I reckon the Windows phone might have to wait a few years.
Key issues: non interchangeagle battery, Average battery life, recharging time, limited Google interface (including imbedded webpage google maps Directions), A bit heavy, raised buttons get in the way when picking up phone, GPS connectivity issues, plus unable to launch GPS from frt screen, missing a few apps i use regularly. Miss the many customisable options, notification limitations
What i loved - Office integration, build and call sound quality, Lightening fast, Great camera, easy to navigate, more modern look
Summary - its a pity the 820 is not available on Telstra 4 G. Optus is just not an option for me. The 820 has changeable battery, removeable SD card and is less bulky so would have been a difficult choice if on Telstra. In the end, there is just nothing the SG3 4g doesnt do. So for business use its the best choice. Perhaps for, social media, multimedia and gaming, plus ease of usethe 920 would be a reasonable choice if you dont mind the weight in your pocket
Hope this is useful to someone!