If you’re a techie like me, you’ve probably had a lot of phones over the years. Each one is a little snapshot of a specific time in your life. But some phones stand above the rest, and I’ve gone through my personal archives to find which one is at the top.
Now, as a long-time phone reviewer, my definition of a phone I “owned” is a bit different. Not every phone on this list was purchased with my own money. However, I only considered phones that I used for a considerable length of time, many of which I commited to enough to buy accessories for.
13
Motorola DROID 2
The Motorola DROID 2 had two things working against it. One, it came after my very first smartphone, which I absolutely loved. Two, I didn’t have much money to spend on a new phone. I didn’t really want the DROID 2 that badly, but I found a good deal on Swappa, and it had a lot of community support on XDA. It was a fine phone.
12
HTC 7 Trophy
When I started writing for a Windows Phone publication in 2012, I needed a Windows Phone device that worked on Verizon. The HTC Trophy was basically my only option. It was small, slow, and the camera wasn’t very good. Nonetheless, it gave me a positive first foray into Windows Phone. Verizon just didn’t have much to offer in the way of Windows Phone devices at this time…
11
HTC 8X
…so I switched to AT&T! Literally. I was fed up with Verizon not getting any decent Windows Phone devices, and I had received the HTC 8X to review. I liked it so much that I wanted to use it as my daily driver. After years of using Google Voice as my primary number, I made the leap to AT&T. All for the HTC 8X. If that doesn’t say something, I don’t know what does.
10
Nokia Lumia 925
After some time with the HTC 8X, it was time for an upgrade. I had been eyeing Nokia Lumia devices since I started writing about Windows Phone. I finally hopped on board and bought myself a Nokia Lumia 925. The HTC 8X may have looked cooler, but the Lumia 925 was definitely a better all-around phone. I even went so far as to pull out the wireless charging coil from the optional cover and hack it into the back of the phone.
9
LG V30
I had a soft spot for LG phones for a while. However, of all the LG phones I tried over the years, the LG V30 was head and shoulders above the rest. I legitimately used it as my daily driver for many months. It didn’t have all the gimmicks of LG’s other phones, and that is precisely why I liked it so much. The V30 was just a super solid smartphone.
8
Nexus 6
The Nexus 6 marked a very exciting time as an Android user, at least for me. I absolutely loved Android 5.0 Lollipop and the new “Material Design” UI. The Nexus 6 was huge, but I didn’t care. I loved how it felt in my hand, and I loved the software. I had the first Moto 360 at this time, which I also loved very much. Definitely one of the best phone/watch pairings I’ve had in my life.
7
Pixel 3
The Pixel 3 XL had a hideous notch, so I opted for the smaller model. At the time, I was transitioning away from reviewing every new Android phone. I wanted a phone that I could use for a long time, and the Pixel 3 served that purpose. I think this was the first phone I actually used for a solid two years, since before I started reviewing phones.
6
Pixel 7
The Pixel 3 showed me that I really enjoyed having a small phone that I could easily use with one hand. So, I stuck with the smaller Pixel mode for a few generations. Stripping away all the emotional attachments, the Pixel 7 is probably the Pixel I was most impressed with. It felt like the Pixel series was moving past enthusiasts and becoming a more serious contender. I bought my own shortly after sending the review unit back.
5
Pixel 9 Pro XL
The Pixel 9 Pro XL is my current daily driver. I’ll be honest, I don’t love how big it is, but I’ve gotten used to it. I actually have a Pixel 9 as well, but the zoom lens is something I use all the time. It’s worth the occasional awkwardness of one-handed use to get better shots of stuff that’s far away. Like the Pixel 7, I also felt like the Pixel 9 series marked a definitive “growing up” moment for Google.
4
Nexus 5
Ah, the Nexus 5. What a phone. After my time with Windows Phone, the Nexus 5 was my entry point back into the world of Android. I used the Nexus 5 for a long time and hacked the ever-loving crap out of it. Custom ROMs, Xposed modules, you name it. This phone was a workhorse. If I remember correctly, I only stopped using it because the battery started to die very quickly.
