The industry has sort of agreed that phones with 5.5-inch screens are mainstream. The best phone you can buy at that size is the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.
Best overall
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
See at AT&T
See at Sprint
See at T-Mobile
See at Verizon
See at Amazon
There’s no question that Samsung hit a home run with its Galaxy S7 line. We already think the smaller GS7 is the best phone under 5.2 inches, and the larger, curved-screen Galaxy S7 edge is our pick for the best phone under 5.7 inches. Why? It takes everything we love about the smaller phone and makes it bigger — but not too much.
This water-resistant phone is comfortable to hold, and even to use in one hand, while the internal specs are some of the best in the business — Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 in the U.S. and an Exynos 8890 internationally — with 4GB of RAM and a standard 32GB of storage. But it’s the dual curved display that is so arresting, with an infinity pool experience that really stands out amongst a sea of flat smartphones. That curvature also has a purpose, allowing for quick access to favorite contacts, apps, web pages, and more.
Around back, the 12MP rear camera is the best in the business; many other devices have been released since the Galaxy S7 edge came out earlier this year, and none — not even Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus — has dislodged it from that top position. And just underneath that camera, a massive 3,600mAh battery keeps things moving all day.
Bottom line: The Galaxy S7 edge is one of the obvious choices for the best smartphones around, but it is definitely the best smartphone between between 5.2 inches and 5.6 inches.
One More thing: This highly-rated device is available at all four major carriers in the U.S., but if you’d rather live dangerously and contract-free, Samsung offers an unlocked model that also works overseas.
Why the Galaxy S7 edge is the best
A beautiful phone that delivers the specs and performance.
In previous years, Samsung managed to out-promote its way to sales victory, even as phones from HTC, Motorola and LG were objectively better. But starting in 2015 that all changed when the company unveiled its Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, two of the most interesting, beautiful, and well-designed phones on the market. That playbook was even more refined this year with the Galaxy S7 edge, which took cues from its curved predecessor while upping the screen size — and the usability.
The phone has a number of things going for it, including water resistance, expandable storage, plenty of speed and power, an enormous battery that lasts all day, and a stunning 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display that curves at both sides in an effortless infinity pool effect. But the whole experience comes together when you realize Samsung took to heart much of the criticism levelled against its software in recent years, improving the way you navigate through the interface, while removing impediments to quick actions and shortcuts. Moreover, there are some truly innovative ideas in the software, from the edge screen to the excellent camera app, which was redesigned for this generation.
While the Galaxy S7 will likely appeal to more people, the GS7 edge’s larger chassis and curved display give it something a little bit extra — including a higher price tag. We say that added cost is worth it if you’re looking for a phone that lasts all day and then some, or use your phone for a lot of media consumption.
Best at many things
OnePlus 3
See at OnePlus
The OnePlus 3 does everything well — that’s what you need to know first. It’s a huge upgrade over the OnePlus 2, and its all-metal chassis doesn’t feel overly large despite the ample 5.5-inch screen size. And that’s what you’re looking for in a big phone: one that doesn’t feel like a brick in your hand.
OnePlus did a great job improving the internals in the OnePlus 3: the 5.5-inch Full HD display is vivid and bright, and the quad-core Snapdragon 820 paired with 6GB of RAM makes the phone a formidable performer — even more so when you consider the $399 price point. While it lacks the little things that add up to justify the S7 edge’s extra cost — water resistance, expandable storage, and a high-quality QHD display — the OnePlus 3 is without compromises, which is something we’re really happy to see at this price tier.
Bottom-line: With a big, bright 5.5-inch screen, a great camera, excellent build quality, and loads of nice software touches, the OnePlus 3 is one of the best smartphone deals you can find today.
One more thing: The OnePlus 3 has a 16MP camera that does a lot more than just shoot great photos — it supports 4K video, slo-mo, and excellent panoramas.
Best for doing more
Moto Z
See at Motorola
The Moto Z is an interesting phone. Yes, it doesn’t have a headphone jack, but there is so much more to the story than that. It’s extremely thin — under 5.2mm to be exact — and light, but is made of strong stuff, including aluminum and stainless steel. And while the Moto Mods story is the one that most people are telling, even without add-ons the Moto Z is one of the best Android experiences on the market. It has a great 5.5-inch QHD display, the specs you’d expect from a $699 phone, including an excellent 13MP rear camera and some fantastic software, but when paired with a Moto Mod, the story becomes more interesting.
Those Mods, which range from inexpensive battery adds-ons to more expensive projector and camera options, add a considerable amount of functionality to the device, and are well worth the investment.
Bottom-line: It may not be cheap, but Motorola, under Lenovo’s ownership, has proven that it is still one of the most innovative companies in phones today.
One more thing: You can buy the Moto Z unlocked directly from Motorola, as well as through Verizon under the Droid name.
Conclusion
There are so many smartphones out there today. It’s not easy picking the right one, especially when tasked with choosing a phone at a certain size. This bracket, between 5.3 and 5.6 inches, appears to be the sweet spot for many people, which is why an increasing number of flagships are settling in it.
The Galaxy S7 edge has no real flaws: it is fast, intuitive, and well-designed, with premium materials and lots of space for a great camera and capacious battery. It may be expensive, but Samsung has proven with this year’s phone lineup that the extra cost over, say, the OnePlus 3, is justified.
Best overall
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
See at AT&T
See at Sprint
See at T-Mobile
See at Verizon
See at Amazon
There’s no question that Samsung hit a home run with its Galaxy S7 line. We already think the smaller GS7 is the best phone under 5.2 inches, and the larger, curved-screen Galaxy S7 edge is our pick for the best phone under 5.7 inches. Why? It takes everything we love about the smaller phone and makes it bigger — but not too much.
This water-resistant phone is comfortable to hold, and even to use in one hand, while the internal specs are some of the best in the business — Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 in the U.S. and an Exynos 8890 internationally — with 4GB of RAM and a standard 32GB of storage. But it’s the dual curved display that is so arresting, with an infinity pool experience that really stands out amongst a sea of flat smartphones. That curvature also has a purpose, allowing for quick access to favorite contacts, apps, web pages, and more.
Around back, the 12MP rear camera is the best in the business; many other devices have been released since the Galaxy S7 edge came out earlier this year, and none — not even Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus — has dislodged it from that top position. And just underneath that camera, a massive 3,600mAh battery keeps things moving all day.
Bottom line: The Galaxy S7 edge is one of the obvious choices for the best smartphones around, but it is definitely the best smartphone between between 5.2 inches and 5.6 inches.
One More thing: This highly-rated device is available at all four major carriers in the U.S., but if you’d rather live dangerously and contract-free, Samsung offers an unlocked model that also works overseas.
Note: This list is of phones between 5.3 inches and 5.6 inches. We already have a list of the best phones 5.2 inches and under, and the best phones 5.7 inches and above.
