Best Smartphones And Tablets Of 2014

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With 2014 wrapping up, it’s time for us here at CRN to take a look back at the coolest mobility releases of the year. So here they are, the best smartphones and tablets of 2014.

Google’s latest flagship phone, the Nexus 6, dropped in November and made a big splash. The Nexus 6, manufactured by Motorola, features a screen that is nearly 6 inches wide, making it one of the biggest phablets on the market. In only 15 minutes, users can charge up to six hours of battery life on this beast of a phone.

It’s no surprise that the hottest launch of the year came from Apple. In September the company released the iPhone 6, which boasts its largest screen yet and a retina display. The newer, slimmer iPhone also features a beautiful new camera and runs on iOS 8.

[Related:CRN's 2014 Tech Year In Review]

Motorola touted its Droid Turbo’s display as the sharpest of any smartphone. According to the company, the phone also has the longest battery life at 48 hours, and runs on Android KitKat.

We turn now to tablets, in a year where two-in-ones were hot on the market. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 added a new Surface pen for writing and drawing, as well as two cameras and a host of Microsoft apps.

Google’s Nexus 9 launched alongside its phone in November, and features an 8.9-inch LCD display. This tablet weighs just 15 ounces, has HTC BoomSound speakers, and boasts 9.5 hours of battery life.

But once again Apple dominated the tablet market with the launch of the iPad Air 2 in October. The new thin tablet features Touch ID, weighs less than a pound, and boasts a 9.7-inch retina display. The Air 2 also runs for up to 10 hours on battery.

PUBLISHED DEC. 16, 2014