Following on from our look at the best that EE has to offer, today we’re browsing though the best Vodafone Android phones on the market. Vodafone is a well-established player in the UK market and one of the longest running without some sort of merger.
The network has been gradually mixing in some home brand production on the same shelves as the staple high-end models, leading to an interesting range of products on offer. The company also has an online outlet store, offering users bargain prices on nearly-new and refurbished handsets.
Don’t miss: Vodafone UK network review (2015)
Let’s kick off our review of the best Vodafone UK smartphones!
#1 LG G4
Vodafone is one of the first UK carriers to offer LG’s latest flagship smartphone. The big talking point with the LG G4 is its improved f/1.8 aperture camera and manual shooting mode to get the most out of your pictures. The inclusion of laser auto focus also ensures that your snaps will always look sharp.
On top of that LG’s latest smartphone packs in a subtly curved QHD display, plenty of RAM and storage space and a big 3,000mAh battery. Although not featuring the very highest-end Snapdragon 810 SoC, we’ve seen that the 808 runs cooler and puts in an equally impressive performance.
The LG G4 is a top of the line flagship in every regard but features a slightly lower price point that the latest Galaxy S6 or One M9. Vodafone is offering the G4 for £0 upfront with a two year £35 per month contract. You’ll need to pay an extra £70 up front for an equivalent 32GB Galaxy S6, which doesn’t feature expandable storage capacity either!
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with support for 128GB microSD card
- 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
- Removable 3,000mAh battery
- 149.1 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm, 154g
- Metallic Grey, Red Leather
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
Read more
- LG G4 review
- LG G4 first impressions
- LG G4 officially announced
Buy now from £0
#2 Nexus 6 and Moto 360
If the LG G4 isn’t quite large enough for you then perhaps you’ll be interested in the Google Nexus 6. The handset is usually offered directly through the Google store with a rather substantial upfront price tag, but Vodafone is not only subsidising the cost of the latest and greatest Nexus, but is also throwing in a Moto 360 smartwatch as well. It’s quite the deal.
The Nexus 6 offers a stock Android Lollipop experience complete with the latest updates. Unlike some previous Nexus devices, the 6 is also sporting some top-of-the-line pieces of hardware, including a QHD display, front facing speakers and a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. The Moto 360 makes for an excellent companion, complete with Android Wear OS to ping your notification directly to your wrist.
Price wise, the bundle can be yours for £0 upfront and £34 per month, making it cheaper than many single handset offers. If this combo doesn’t take your fancy, Vodafone also has a similarly compelling LG G Flex 2 and G Watch R selection for the same price.
Specs
- 5.96-inch AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage
- 13MP rear camera with 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,220mAh battery
- 159.3 x 83 x 10.1 mm, 184g
- Midnight Blue
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
- Google Nexus 6 review
- Moto 360 review
- Nexus 6 announced
Buy now from £0
#3 Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
If you’re looking for a fully equipped flagship smartphone then the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is probably the leading choice. With cutting edge processor and camera hardware, wireless charging, and Samsung’s latest curved AMOLED display, there’s no finer example of the industry’s latest hardware.
The least expensive up front contract that Vodafone offers begins at just £9 down, but with higher monthly payments to make up the gap. Contracts for the 64GB model start at £54 per month over two years, or £59 for 128GB of internal storage. There are also options with much more expensive upfront costs and lower monthly fees. Of course, opting for the regular Galaxy S6 model will save you a few pounds per month as well.
Specs
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.1GHz Samsung Exynos 7420 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32/64/128GB internal storage
- 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,550mAh battery
- 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, 138g
- Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum or White Pearl colours
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Review
- Galaxy S6 officially announced
- Galaxy S6 camera shoot-out
Buy now from £9
#4 Samsung Galaxy Note 4
I don’t think we can mention Samsung without bringing up the Galaxy Note 4. Still a competitive high-end smartphone, the Note 4 is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a handset capable of keeping up with your productive self.
As well as high-end hardware and a large vivid display, Samsung bundles the Note 4 with a stylus and series of apps to help you take notes and keep organized.
Vodafone is selling the Galaxy Note 4 for a little cheaper than the Galaxy S6, with monthly contract fees beginning at £39 per month with £0 down. Prices can reach as high as £54 per month if you’re looking for a package with 10GB of data.
Specs
- 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with 128GB microSD card support
- 16MP rear camera and 3.7MP front camera
- Removable 3,220mAh battery
- 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm, 176g
- Black Charcoal
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review
- Galaxy Note 4 officially announced
- Cases to protect your Galaxy Note 4
Buy now from £0
#5 Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
Next up in our best Vodafone Android phones list is the Xperia M4 Aqua, which is a good option for those looking to save a few pennies. The handset features a 13MP rear camera, a Snapdragon 615 processing package and Sony’s rather good software features, which is great for everyday use and snapping the occasional good looking pic.
This M4 Aqua is not just a solid mid-ranger, but it also sports IP68 rating for resistance to dust and water, a feature usually reserved for Sony’s high-end models. However, the 2,400mAh is perhaps not ideal for the very heavy user.
Vodafone is selling the M4 Aqua starting at just £22 per month with £0 and is throwing in a free wireless speaker to sweeten the deal.
Specs
- 5-inch LCD display with 720×1280 resolution
- 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC
- 2GB of RAM
- 8GB of internal memory with up to 128GB microSD card
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,400mAh battery
- 145.5 x 72.6 x 7.3 mm, 136g
- Black or White
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
- Xperia M4 Aqua review
- Sony Xperia M4 Aqua announced
Buy now from £0
#6 Vodafone Smart Ultra 6
Perhaps a surprise entry in our best Vodafone Android phones list is the home brand Smart Ultra 6. Well, technically the Smart Ultra 6 is not a proper white-box product, instead it is a re-branded ZTE Blade S6 Plus.
Despite the low £125 price tag, the handset features a 1080p 5.5-inch display, 13MP rear camera, competitive Snapdragon 615 processing package and 16GB of storage. Perfect for the day to day demands of a daily driver.
The handset is a ludicrously good deal at just £125 with a PAYG SIM, but Vodafone also has the phone available on contract for £17 per month for two years. That will net you 500MB of data, 500 minutes and unlimited texts.
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1080×1920 resolution
- 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 16GB internal memory with up to 64GB with a microSD card
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,400mAh battery
- 154 x 77 x 8.35mm, 159g
- Grey
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
Read More
- Smart Ultra 6 launched
Buy now for £125 PAYG
That’s it for our look at the best Android phones available on Vodafone UK. Don’t miss: Vodafone UK network review (2015)