Top 5 unlocked LTE phones - January 2014

As China has now started to switch on it’s 4G LTE networks the rest of the world can now benefit from unlocked LTE phones. Here are our top 5 for the start of2014!

Nubia Z5S Mini LTE

ZTE’s Nubia range of phones offers stunning hardware at affordable pricing. The Z5S Mini is the most affordable of the range with the LTE version costing just $390 (a regular 3G model is also available for $247).

Top 5 unlocked LTE phones - January 2014

As the name would suggest the Nubia Z5S Mini LTE is a small screen phone with just a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 Sharp IGZO display. Under the hood a 1.7Ghz Snapdragon 600 CPU runs this unlocked LTE phone plus there is 2GB RAM inside too! Network connectivity is rather good on the Mini which supports FDD-LTE band 1/3, TD-SCDMA 1900/2000mhz, WCDMA 2100mhz, CDMA/EDDO 800mhz, GSM 900/1800mhz

Nubia Z5S

If the Nubia Z5S Mini LTE tickles your fancy but the size is a little on the small size you could take a look at the bigger brother the Nubia Z5S. Like it’s little brother, the Nubia Z5S is an unlocked LTE phone built around a stylish design, but being the flagship device in the range a few more features have been thrown in.

The display is a larger 5-inch model with a FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080, the processors is a more powerful Snapdragon 800, plus there are all your usual smartphone features such as NFC, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0 and 2 x good quality cameras. Again cellular support on the Nubia is very good with most of the bases covered inducing TDD-LTE band 38/39/40, FDD-LTE band 3, TD-SCDMA band 34/39, WCDMA 2100mhz and GSM 900/1800mhz.

Lenovo Vibe Z

Lenovo have been taking the smartphone market more seriously over the past few years. The K900 was a solid phone for 2013 and the new Lenovo Vibe Z looks to take on the flagship crown for 2014.

Hardware is just what we like to see from phones and includes a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 display, 2.3Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM and high quality 13 mega-pixel rear camera. The design of the Vibe Z is more business like when compared to the Nubia phones, but it’s still a very handsome device and measures in at only 7.6mm.

Network connectivity covers GSM, 3G and LTE, plus there’s Bluetooth, WIFI, GPS etc.

Vivo Xplay 3S

By far the most advanced phone in this list, and currently the most advanced of all unlocked LTE phones on the market today, the Vivo Xplay 3S has everything every other smartphone would dream to have!

Not only the most advanced but the largest of the phones here, the Vivo Xplay 3S has a 6-inch 2K display (2360 x 1440) with a pixel density of 490ppi, pretty impressive for such a large screen device!

Other features include a Snapdragon 800 CPU, 3GB RAM, dedicated audio chips from Texas Instruments and ESS Technologies, and DTS stereo offering surround sound! The battery is a large 3200mAh cell, and even the rear 13 mega-pixel camera has a F1.8 aperture for excellent low-light photography!

Gionee Elife E7

Last but not least we have the Gionee Elife E7 smartphone which actually comes in a number of versions with the top of the range Snapdragon 800 model supporting 4G LTE network connectivity.

As well as packing a 2.5Ghz Snapdragon 800 chipset and up to 3GB RAM, the Gionee Elife E7 has a 5.5-inch 1080 display, 16 mega-pixel Largan M8 lens, NFC and 2500mAh battery. Pricing for the Elife E7 begins at $440 rising to $570 for the 3GB RAM 32GB memory version of the phone which will launch in around 40 countries around the world.