Best 5 cell phones

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(Sep 12, 2008)
Kent German
Senior Editor

You carry your phone almost everywhere, so it's important that you find the model that's right for you and one that works with your carrier. Fortunately, CNET is here to help. We've chosen five handsets that we think are the best cell phones right now in any category. If you'd like to drill deeper, follow the links at the left for our favorite cell phones in several categories. These lists change frequently, so check back often.


Apple iPhone 3G
Just over a year after Apple birthed the first iPhone, the long-awaited, next-generation iPhone 3G has arrived bearing a mildly tweaked design and a load of new features. With access to a faster 3G wireless network, Microsoft exchange server e-mail, and support for a staggering array of third-party software from the iPhone Apps store, the new handset is the iPhone we've been waiting for. It still lacks some basic features but when compared with what the original model was year ago, this device sets a new benchmark for the cell phone world.

Price: Sorry, pricing not available

Filed in: Best MP3 phones, Best video phones , Best AT&T phones


RIM BlackBerry Curve 8320
T-Mobile's Curve has the same sleek design as the original Curve, but it offers a more spacious and easy-to-use keyboard. You also get a 2-megapixel camera, which will endear the 8320 to a wider audience, and we're thinking it'll be a hit. The Curve offers solid performance, a great design, excellent messaging features, and the addition of Wi-Fi is icing on the cake.

Price: Sorry, pricing not available

Filed in: Best smartphones, Best T-Mobile phones


Nokia N95
When it comes to cool Nokia phones, the United States often is left out in the cold while our friends in Europe and Asia get all the goods. Well, it seems Nokia has heard our cries; the company has started selling more of its best handsets in North America. One model in particular has attracted a lot of attention, and that would be the Nokia N95. The demand for this smartphone has been so great that Nokia decided to release a North American Edition of the Nokia N95. For the most part, it's very similar to the original version, but there are some major additions that make it a better buy, namely 3G support, more memory, longer battery life, and faster performance.

Price: $444.99 - $450.00 (check prices)

Filed in: Best smartphones


Samsung Instinct
Though the Instinct and the iPhone look about the same, there are some important feature distinctions. The Instinct offers its own brand of visual voice mail and it bests the first incarnation of the iPhone by offering 3G network compatibility, integrated GPS, and work e-mail support, just to name a few. The new iPhone 3G will be more evenly matched, but even the Instinct gets points for its multimedia messaging, voice dialing and video recording. In the important areas of usability and performance, however, the Instinct struggled on a few fronts. The Web browser wasn't quite as easy to use as we had hoped, the camera lacked editing features, and the Instinct's call and video quality were variable. However, even with those caveats, the Instinct remains a powerful, innovative cell phone with a loaded feature set and an appealing design.

Price: $129.99 - $599.99 (check prices)

Filed in: Best video phones , Best Sprint phones


Sony Ericsson W760i
The Sony Ericsson didn't let us down in the slightest. It first captured our eye at CES 2008 where it was a finalist in the cell phones category for CNET's Best of CES. At the time, we admired its slick design and its laden feature set, which includes a motion sensor, an accelerometer, and support for three UMTS/HSDPA bands. And now, seven months later, we can report that this super world phone offers so much to like that it earned our Editors' Choice Award. If you want a Walkman phone you can't do better.

Price: Sorry, pricing not available

Filed in: Best MP3 phones