10 rivals to Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus

Apple has gone to great lengths to present its debut phablet as a top-of-the-line beast of a machine, with enough processing horsepower to shame HAL 9000 and a large enough screen to put your local multiplex out of business. However, the iPhone 6 Plus is a relative latecomer to this particular race, and it’s got some substantial competition.

You can read our full review of the iPhone 6 Plus here. We’ve also got a round-up of the 7 biggest iPhone 6 rivals here.

Display The iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5in display, which Apple describes as Retina HD. It’s 1080×1920 pixels, which equates to a good pixel density of 401ppi, better than the 326ppi of the iPhone 6.

Design Apple is well-known for its sleek, sophisticated designs, and the iPhone 6 Plus is no exception, despite its enormous screen. It’s made with anodised aluminium available in Silver, Gold or Space Grey, and has a soft, curved design. It weighs 172g (compared with 129g for the iPhone 6) and is a slim 7.1mm thick, just .2mm thicker than the iPhone 6.

Specs Inside the iPhone 6 Plus is Apple’s A8 processor, paired with an M8 co-processor and 1GB of RAM. Combined, those chips are powerful and efficient, and manage to beat many of Apple’s smartphone rivals in our benchmark tests. You can find out more in our article listing the fastest smartphones of 2015. Capacities: 16GB, 64GB, 128GB (no microSD card slot for expansion) Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G.

Camera The iPhone 6 Plus’s camera offers a slight improvement over the iPhone 6, with an 8Mp rear-facing iSight camera with optical image stabilisation, 1.5 micron pixels, a dual-LED flash, f/2.2 aperture and 1080p video recording. On the front is a 1.2Mp front-facing ‘FaceTime’ camera, with 720p video recording and burst mode.

Additional features The iPhone 6 Plus also includes a Touch ID fingerprint sensor beneath the home button, in addition to an NFC chip that works with ApplePay (and currently only Apple Pay, but not in the UK until later this year).

Software The iPhone 6 Plus runs Apple’s iOS 8, and will get iOS 9 when it arrives later this year.

Price 16GB – £619, 64GB – £699, 128GB – £789

The LG G3 is the current crown jewel of LG’s smartphone line-up, sporting a gorgeous Quad HD screen, 4K video recording, and an impressively premium build quality. At a cost of under £500, it is also very competitively priced, considering its series of features. This is definitely one to watch in the phablet race.

Display The LG G3 has a 5.52in LCD display, with a resolution of 1440×2560. That makes a whopping 534ppi, which is a record-breaker that leaves the iPhone 6 Plus’s 401ppi screen in its dust.

Design The design of the LG G3 is certainly attractive, though we’d argue that it’s not quite as sleek as the iPhone 6 Plus. It has a plastic rear cover, but it does have a metallic sheen that helps it look more premium than plasticky. There are also some metal portions elsewhere, including the LG G3’s frame. What we do particularly like about the LG G3 is the tiny bezels, which make the stunning screen look even better. It’s 8.9mm thick (compared with 7.1mm for the iPhone 6 Plus) and 149g, so lighter than Apple’s big iPhone.

Specs The LG G3 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.46GHz Quad-Core processor paired with 2GB RAM, or 3GB if you opt for the 32GB capacity model. Capacities: 16GB, 32GB, microSD card slot for up to 128GB Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G, NFC, Infrared blaster

Camera The LG G3 has a 13Mp rear-facing camera, with a dual-tone LED flash and optical image stabilisation like the iPhone 6 Plus. There’s a new Laser Auto Focus feature that makes images crisper, and video recording has been upped to an impressive 4K. The front-facing camera is 2Mp (compared with iPhone 6 Plus’s 1.2Mp).

Additional features There’s no fingerprint sensor in the LG G3, but there’s a cool Knock Code system that allows you to unlock the device, rather than requiring a password. There’s also wireless charging, achieved by purchasing a separate wireless charging unit, and LG’s Rear Key button on the back.

Software The LG G3 runs Android 4.4 out of the box, with an Android 5.0 update on its way.

Price £439.99 (much cheaper than iPhone 6 Plus’s £619 starting price).

The Xperia Z3 is Sony’s current flagship smartphone, heading up the company’s range of mobile devices. It features some fairly impressive specs, including full waterproofing, substantial battery life and the ability to use it for remote-play on the Sony PlayStation 4.

Display The Sony Xperia Z3 has a 5.2in display, so is slightly smaller than the iPhone 6 Plus. It has the same 1080×1920 pixels packed into that display though, so the pixel density is better at 423 compared with 401ppi.

Design The Sony Xperia Z3 has a more squared design than the iPhone 6 Plus, which we’ve discovered can cause holes in your jeans if you tend to store it in your pocket. It’s still good-looking, although the copper and green models won’t have as much mass appeal as the white and black models.

It’s a tiny bit thicker than the iPhone 6 Plus at 7.3mm (compared with 7.1mm) but weighs slightly less at 152g. The Z3 is more sturdy than the iPhone 6 Plus, though, not only due to its durable corners, but also thanks to its IP65 waterproof rating.

Specs Inside the Xperia Z3 is a Snapdragon 2.5GHz Qualcomm quad-core processor with 3GB RAM, and an impressive battery that can last for up to twice as long as the iPhone 6 Plus. Capacities: 16GB, microSD card slot for up to 128GB additional Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G.

Camera The Sony Xperia Z3’s camera is one of its big selling points, at 20.7Mp and capable of recording 4K video. The front-facing camera is 2.2Mp and offers 1080p video recording. Plus, a high ISO of 12800 means better low-light pictures.

Additional features There’s no fingerprint sensor in the Sony Xperia Z3, but it does have a dedicated camera button, as well as Remote Play for PS4 gamers.

Software Like the LG G3, the Sony Xperia Z3 runs Android 4.4 with an upgrade to 5.0 Lollipop coming soon.

Price 16GB – £549

The HTC One M9 is the new flagship smartphone offering from HTC, unveiled at MWC 2015, and is a solid rival to the iPhone 6 Plus. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Display The HTC One M9’s display is smaller than the iPhone 6 Plus’s, at 5in, so is really positioned between the 4.7in iPhone 6 and the 5.5in iPhone 6 Plus. It has the same 1080×1920 resolution, but with the smaller screen that makes 441ppi compared with 401ppi of the iPhone 6 plus.

Design Made with aluminium, the HTC One M9 matches the premium design of the iPhone 6 Plus, and it comes in similar colours too with a two-tone effect on the sides. It weighs less than the iPhone 6 Plus at 157g compared with 172g, but is a fair bit thicker at 9.6mm compared with 7.1mm.

Specs The Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor is paired with 2GB of RAM, and should be suitably speedy Capacities: 16GB with microSD slot for up to 128GB additional storage Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G, NFC

Camera HTC has upped the camera specs in this new smartphone to 20Mp for the rear-facing camera and 4Mp for the front-facing camera with UltraPixels for better photos. There’s a dual-LED flash on the rear, too.

Additional features We love the front-facing speakers found on the HTC One M9, setting it apart from rivals including the iPhone 6 Plus. There’s no fingerprint sensor in the HTC One M9, though.

Software Android 5.0 Lollipop is the HTC One M9’s operating system, with HTC’s Sense UI.

Price TBC, but we’re expecting around £550 to match its predecessor. It’ll be available to buy from 31 March according to HTC.

Just before 2014 came to an end, Google unveiled its Nexus 6, which is the biggest smartphone on our list with a (you guessed it) 6in display.

Display The 6in AMOLED display on the Nexus 6 is impressive. It’s Quad HD like the LG G3 and Samsung’s offerings, but has a lower pixel density due to its bigger screen, at 493ppi. That’s more than the iPhone 6 Plus’s 401ppi, though.

Design The Nexus 6 is actually made by Motorola, so looks a lot like a super-sized Moto X. The 6in display manages to squeeze into a chassis that’s not much bigger than the iPhone 6 Plus overall, though, which is impressive. It’s thicker, though, at 10.4mm at its thickest point, making it one of the bulkiest phones around. It’s the heaviest in this round-up, too, at 183g.

Specs You’ll get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor clocked at 2.7GHz and paired with 3GB RAM with the Nexus 6, but oddly not 64-bit despite Google’s 64-bit Android Lollipop. Still, it beats the iPhone 6 Plus in many of our benchmark tests. Capacities: 32GB, 64GB (no microSD card slot for additional storage Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, 4G

Camera The Nexus 6 has a 13Mp rear camera with a dual-LED flash and the ability to record 4K video. It also has optical image stabilisation, and a 2.1Mp front-facing camera.

Software As it’s Google’s, the Nexus 6 comes with Android Lollipop, and is likely to be one of the first smartphones to get forthcoming software updates.

Price 32GB – £499, 64GB – £549

The Honor 6 Plus was unveiled by parent company Huawei during MWC 2015 in Barcelona in March, and we were impressed by its design, camera and specs. We’re not sure Apple will be too pleased with the name, though. Quite familiar, don’t you think?

Display The display on the Honor 6 Plus is the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus at 5.5in. Like the iPhone 6 Plus, it also has the same 1080×1920 pixels and therefore the same 401ppi pixel density.

Design We like the slim, sleek design of the Honor 6 Plus, which has a metal band around the edge paired with a glass front and back. It’s thin at 7.5mm, and only weighs 165g.

Specs There’s a good Kirin925 octa-core inside, clocked at 1.8GHz and paired with 3GB RAM. We’ve not been able to fully benchmark the Honor 6 Plus yet but we expect it to be pretty speedy Capacities: 16GB, 32GB (microSD card slot for expansion up to 128GB) Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, 4G, NFC, dual SIM.

Camera One of the Honor 6 Plus’s standout features is its rear-facing camera. There are actually two, each 8Mp, which allow you to capture wide aperture images and change the focus later, similar to the feature found on the HTC One M8.

Software The Honor 6 Plus is running Android 4.4 KitKat with Emotion UI, and it’s possible that a Lollipop update will arrive in the future.  

Price We’re expecting a price tag that’s under £300 for the Honor 6 Plus, but the UK price hasn’t yet been officially announced. We’ll update this article when we know more.

Find out more in PC Advisor’s Honor 6 Plus hands-on review from MWC 2015

Announced at CES 2015, the LG G Flex 2 is the successor to LG’s original bendy smartphone. It’s designed with ergonomics in mind, and while it won’t appeal to everyone, the new model is definitely a step in the right direction.

Display The LG G Flex 2 has a 5.5in screen, though it looks slightly smaller thanks to its curved nature. It’s FullHD like the iPhone 6 Plus, and 403ppi so very similar in quality.

Design At its thinnest point, the LG G Flex 2 is the same 7.1mm as the iPhone 6 Plus, and weighs less at 152g. We’ll admit, it does feel good to hold and comfortable to use for phone calls thanks to its curve, but putting it your pocket is another matter. It comes in Platinum Silver or Flamenco Red.

What’s cool is the improved self-healing back cover, which takes seconds to remove small surface scratches thanks to its special coating.

Specs Inside the G Flex 2 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, and it’s the first time we’ve seen this chip in a smartphone so far. It’s 64-bit like the A9 processor in the iPhone 6 Plus, and is Octa-core clocked at 2GHz. It comes with either 2 or 3GB of RAM. Capacities: 16GB, 32GB, microSD card slot for up to 2TB (yes, you read that right). Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, SlimPort, 4G.

Camera The LG G Flex 2 has a 13Mp rear-facing camera, the same as the one found in the LG G3, with optical image stabilisation, a dual-tone LED flash and laser auto focus. At the front is a 2.1Mp selfie camera.

Software The LG G Flex 2 comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

Price: TBC

We’ve got a Windows Phone smartphone for you now, in the form of the Nokia Lumia 930, which is just about the best Windows Phone smartphone you can buy right now.

Display The 441ppi of the Nokia Lumia 930 is achieved by packing a resolution of 1080×1920 (the same as the iPhone 6 Plus) into a 5in display.

Design This smartphone is almost as different as you can get to the iPhone 6 Plus when it comes to looks. It’s blocky, bright (if you opt for the neon Orange or Green models), and thick at 10mm. There are black and white models available, too.

Specs There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM inside the Nokia Lumia 930. Disappointingly, it’s 32GB or nothing with this smartphone, though. Capacities: 32GB, no microSD card slot Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, 4G, NFC

Camera Like the Sony Xperia Z3, the Nokia Lumia 930’s camera outshines the iPhone 6 Plus when it comes to megapixels. It has a 20Mp rear-facing camera, and manual control over shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus and other settings means you can capture some stunning images with this smartphone. It also offers a dual-LED flash.

Additional features Other features include wireless charging, which doesn’t require an additional purchase as the charger accessory comes in the box.

Software As a Windows Phone, the Lumia 930 runs Windows Phone 8.1.

Price £435 (much cheaper than the iPhone 6 Plus 32GB, which costs £699)

Boasting a colossal 5.7-inch screen, Quad HD and a Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy Note 4 is Samsung’s big kahuna. While it’s still cheaper than the iPhone 6 Plus at around £600, it’s definitely on the upper end of the price range.

Display Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is one of the biggest smartphones in our iPhone 6 Plus rivals round-up, bit it also has one of the best displays around. It’s a Quad HD Super AMOLED display with 2560×1440 pixels, making an amazing 524ppi.

Design The Note 4 is not the best-looking smartphone in the world, with a faux-leather back cover that we think looks a bit tacky and four colour options including Frost White, Charcoal Black, Bronze Gold and Blossom Pink. We definitely prefer the first two options. It does have a metal frame, though.

Specs The processor found under the hood of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a 2.7GHz Quad-core or a 1.9 Octa Core processor depending on your region. There’s 3GB of RAM, too. Capacities: 32GB, microSD up to 128GB Connectivity: 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, 4G.

Camera When it comes to cameras, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a 16Mp rear-facing snapper and a 3.7Mp camera on the front. There’s optical image stabilisation, too.

Additional features The Galaxy Note 4 has an Infrared Blaster, works with Samsung S Health software, has a quick charge feature, a fingerprint scanner, UV sensor and heart-rate monitor.

Software The iPhone 6 Plus Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Price 32GB – £600

The companion to Samsung’s flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note Edge’s main unique selling point is its screen, which is curved on one side to accommodate notifications and touch controls. Other than this admittedly novel feature though, the Note Edge is to all intents and purposes the same phone as its big brother.

Display The Note Edge’s display is 5.6in diagonally, and is Quad HD Super AMOLED like the Note 4, with a resolution of 1600 x 2560 pixels and 515ppi.

Design The first thing you’ll notice about the Note Edge is that it has a curved screen on one side for notifications and controls. Aside from that it has the same design, as the Note 4, but is only available in black or white.

Specs The Galaxy Note Edge has the same camera, capacity, connectivity and processor as the Note 4.

Price 32GB – £650