Here, we are talking about the phones launched in 2014 that never got their share of fame and sales numbers. These were actually very good devices that simply failed to take the front stage in terms of mind share and the hype that they deserved.
HTC One E8, the silent killer.
Perhaps too silent for its own good, the HTC One E8 is essentially the flagship HTC One M8 minus the metal body and the over-hyped 4MP ultra-pixel camera. Priced around Rs 32,000, the E8 essentially saves you a lot of cash without making any real compromise. HTC has a history of not being able to market and sell their excellent products against the likes of Samsung and Sony. And, the HTC One E8 launch was no different.
Micromax Canvas Nitro, the surprise package
The Micromax Canvas Nitro is one of the zillion canvas devices that Micromax unleashed upon us this year. And while very few came anywhere close to impressing us, the Canvas Nitro blew us away with its stellar performance and impressive feature list. Priced at Rs. 12,500 the Micromax Canvas Nitro ticks all the right boxes for a value Android smartphone. Unfortunately the Canvas Nitro was overshadowed by two big phone launches, the Xiaomi Redmi 1S and the 2nd Gen Moto G that were released around the same time frame. We hope Micromax has some more gems lined-up in its arsenal, and this time they do get the deserved mileage.
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, the Note 4 killer
Big screen phones, once considered as a niche have taken center stage with the recent launch of Nexus 6 and iPhone 6 plus in India. The Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (yeah, such a phone exists), is the best big screen flagship smartphone deal in the market today. You get a 6-inch high quality 2K (2560x1440) IPS display, Snapdragon 801 SoC, 3GB RAM and 16MP camera (same sensor as the Samsung Note 4) backed by a massive 4000 mAh battery pack. Sadly, Lenovo choose to promote the hell out of the Vibe X2 and gave step-motherly treatment to the Vibe Z2 Pro.
LG G3, the unsung hero
This flagship Android from LG has its roots connected to the LG G2. We loved the G2 for its form factor and bold design decisions. The LG G3 carries all the goodies from the G2 and ups the bar with a 2K IPS screen, laser assisted camera and excellent performance across the bench. At its current going price of the Rs. 36,000, the LG G3 is so much better than the Samsung Galaxy S5.
Nokia Lumia 730. Undervalued craftsmanship
Nokia Lumia 730 is most definitely the best looking and well-built premium smartphone under Rs. 15,000 in India. One of the last Lumia devices to carry the “Nokia” branding. The Nokia Lumia 730 has been severely under advertised by Microsoft in India, the company seems to be busy drafting a strategy for Microsoft Lumia devices. The fact that the Nokia Lumia 730 has the best front/selfie camera of all smartphones makes it an excellent phone for the selfie obsessed!