If you’re skeptical about getting a new Note 7 after this whole debacle, and I certainly would be, you might want to consider getting a different phone. The Note 7 was hailed as one of the best smartphones of 2016 while it had its run, but what are some of the other excellent alternatives? We’ve compiled a list of four that you should seriously check out if the Note 7 piqued your interest.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The Galaxy S7 Edge is about the closest you’ll get to the Note 7. Best of all, if you’re trading in your Note 7, S7 Edge is one of the phone you can get for free. At 5.5 inches the display isn’t quite as big as the Note 7’s 5.7 inches, but it comes pretty close enough. They also have at the same 2560×1440 resolution, so the S7 Edge is actually more pixel dense. The processors are once again the same even right down to the clockspeed as is the 4GB of RAM, IP68 level of water resistance, cameras and Android Marshmallow. The main difference is that the S7 Edge doesn’t come with the S Pen stylus. You also get a little less storage: the base is 32GB opposed to 64GB, but it’s expandable up to an additional 256GB, which is an insane amount for a phone. Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Edge is priced at US$769.99 and it’s your best bet for a Note 7 replacement.
Google Nexus 6P
If downgrading to a 5.5-inch display isn’t your thing (or perhaps you’re not too find of Samsung right now,) the Google Nexus 6P is another fantastic pick. It has the same size display as the Note 7 at 5.7 inches at the same resolution, an ever so slightly inferior Snapdragon 810 processor and a step down to 3GB of RAM. Google has always made tremendous Android phones, as you might expect from the maker of Android. Mostly everything else is on par with the Note 7. But one feature in particular far exceeds it: price. The Nexus 6P is a superb deal coming in at only $499 for 32GB of storage. Upgrading to 128GB still brings you to $649, which is over $100 less than the Galaxy S7 Edge and $200 less than the Note 7. The Google Nexus 6P is overall an excellent value and a solid Note 7 alternative.
LG G5
The LG G5 steps down even further to a 5.3-inch display, but nearly every other aspect of the specs is the same to the Galaxy Note 7: same processor, same RAM, Android Marshmallow and an even larger 16MP camera. The G5 also has a slide-out battery that you can replace on the fly if necessary. All of this is wrapped up in arguably one of the sleekest phones on the market. Like the Nexus 6P, the G5 is also a great value at again, $499 for the base 32GB of storage. Even though you won’t get Samsung’s great software, a stylus or the 64GB storage standard, you also won’t pay over $800. The LG G5 is way less and still totally capable.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
If you’re willing to look outside the realm of Android, there is no better time to switch to iOS with the iPhone 7 Plus fresh out of the gate. It comes in five stylish colors now — two of which are black, because why not? — and has plenty to offer. It should have stellar performance with the Apple A10 chip and improved battery life. Plus, camera on the back is unlike anything else on a smartphone today. You might not get a headphone jack with the iPhone 7 Plus, but you do get Lightning headphones and a 3.5 mm adapter. If you’re willing to exit the Android ecosystem, iOS is always reliable and just got bundled in Apple’s nicest hardware yet. The iPhone 7 Plus starts at $769 for 32GB of storage all the way up to $969 for 256GB. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
