OnePlus One

Youve probably never heard of OnePlus... but if you have, youll know why this unknown brand is suddenly sitting at number four of our list of best smartphones in the world. The reason is simple: its a phone that has all the power, specs and functionality of the top dogs, adds in super customisable software and does it at nearly half the price. Were talking big savings on cost (?229 for the 16GB version and ?269 for the 64GB variant) without much in the way of compromise. In fact, the only things its really missing are a microSD slot and removable battery, and those are elements more for the purists that absolutely necessary. If were being super picky, its not got the greatest camera set up and the design is a bit... efficient, but at this price point it really doesnt matter. And given the target audience is those that care about raw power over style, it makes sense that this is where the costs could be saved. Quick verdict We love the fact that a new contender can maintain such a high place in the ranking of the best phones in the world it means that its not just a case of big budget means best phone. We were debating whether the OnePlus could even have gone higher, but theres one big problem that youll have if you want to get your hands on one: theyre impossible to find. Numbers wont ramp up for a while, and probably never to the level of availability of the better known names. But if you want a phone that offers supreme power at a really low cost: the OnePlus One is it. Its what the Nexus range used to be, and if Google ditches that program, then thankfully the likes of OnePlus have shown there will be brands to pick up the slack.