LG Nexus 5 (16GB)

A phone like the Nexus 5 would get our blessing even at a higher price, but the fact that you can buy it for a low price makes it that much sweeter. We can't point our finger at any one feature that was clearly the victim of cost-cutting, with battery life being the only possible exception. And even that's somewhat of an improvement over last year's Nexus 4. We love the high-res display, overall performance and the enhancements brought to us by Android KitKat. Most of the problems we saw in the Nexus 4 have been addressed here. All told, we can think of very few things we find fault with. In addition, though, the Nexus 5 isn't just a really nice phone; it's also a welcome harbinger of where smartphones might be headed. That you can purchase a smartphone with such incredible specs for less than 25k -- without being forced into a contract in the process -- is a shot across the bow at manufacturers who sell similar devices for an additional $200 (at best). Whether or not it was the company's intent, Google is sending a message to smartphone makers that it's possible to make high-quality handsets without costing consumers the proverbial arm and leg. Now we just wait and see if that message will be warmly received.