1. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Samsung is the first company to bring its 2016 flagship smartphone to India. The phone maker has updated the specification sheet, and refined the whole glass and metal design that was introduced with the Galaxy S6 range in 2016. The phone is now waterproof, and allows microSD cards of up to 200GB. Samsung has used an all new Exynos 8890 SoC on the new Galaxy S7 Edge, and there is 4GB of RAM along with 32GB of internal storage. It features an AMOLED display with 2560x1440-pixel resolution, but the screen size has been increased from 5.1 inches to 5.5 inches. This has allowed Samsung to increase the battery size from 2600mAh to 3600mAh, which allows it to offer better battery life. The biggest change in the phone, though, is the new 12MP Dual Pixel camera, which shoots amazing photographs even in low light.
2. Huawei Nexus 6P
Made by Huawei, the Nexus 6P features a premium aluminium build, and offers storage variants of up to 128GB. Huawei has equipped the smartphone with a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with 2560x1440-pixel resolution. It is powered by a well-optimised Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC, offering smooth performance. There is a 12.3MP camera at the back, which offers laser-assisted autofocus and shoots really good photographs. Adding to that are the fast fingerprint sensor, an 8MP front camera, a 3450mAh non-removable battery and the goodness of Android Marshmallow the way it is meant to be, and the Huawei Nexus 6P is one of the most complete Android phones out there.
3. Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi’s two-year-long wait for the Mi 5 poses a massive upgrade over its previous flagship smartphone in India, the Mi 4. Xiaomi has given it a complete makeover, fusing an incredibly ergonomic body with glass and metal chassis. It has a 5.15-inch display that offers a very well-balanced colour gamut with Full HD resolution. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s present generation chipset, the Snapdragon 820. Only the 3GB RAM-32GB storage variant has been launched in India, which offers fluent performance. The 16MP primary camera has 4-axis OIS, and is a very fast camera module. Also, the 3000mAh battery should last you through the entire day out, comfortably.
4
4.Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The Note 5 from Samsung is another great choice but the phone really shines when productivity is required on the go. This last year’s Samsung flagship still one of the fastest and productive smartphone around. It features a 5.7-inch, bright, 2K AMOLED display which offers good viewing angles and is big enough to be used with the S-Pen (stylus). Powered by Samsung’s last gen flagship the Exynos 7420 SoC, it is still one of the most fastest phone in the market. The larger footprint allows for a larger battery and the phone can easily last you day, even if you are a power user. The 16MP rear camera is nothing short of great, which offers sharp images and good looking 4K video recording.
5. Samsung Galaxy S6
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is a year old now, but it still beats a lot of contenders to be fifth in this list. It houses a very good, 16MP camera with OIS, is powered by the Exynos 7420 SoC, and the combination of these two factors makes it an excellent overall device. It features an excellent 5.1-inch AMOLED display panel with 2560x1440-pixel resolution. The glass and metal construction laid foundation for Samsung’s resurgence on the design front. The Galaxy S6 is available in 32GB and 64GB variants, and 3GB of RAM on board handles all kinds of heavy multitasking.
6. LG Nexus 5X
A successor to the LG Nexus 5, the Nexus 5X is a reincarnation of the previous, popular smartphone with new interiors. The phone sports a 5.2-inch Full HD IPS display that is great to look at. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC that provides stable performance, and the smartphone is available in two storage variants – 16GB and 32GB (we suggest you go for the 32GB variant). In the camera department, the Nexus 5X features a similar setup as the Nexus 6P - 12.3MP primary camera module with laser-assisted autofocus.
7. Moto X Force
The Moto X Force has been billed as the world’s first phone with a “shatterproof display”. The smartphone features a 5.4-inch AMOLED display with 2560x1440-pixel resolution. Powered by the Snapdragon 810 SoC, it is the most powerful smartphone in Motorola’s lineup, as of now. This translates into a good performance, and Motorola has further optimised both the hardware and software to offer a better battery life. The rear camera is quite competent, and with the latest price drop, this is an excellent proposition. The shatterproof display adds to the prospect. So, if you have clumsy hands are are just paranoid that, you might drop your phone, the Moto X Force would be a good choice.
8. OnePlus 2
The self-proclaimed flagship killer for 2015 did not quite make the same impact as its predecessor, but is still a very good smartphone. OnePlus took extra precautions to evade the Snapdragon 810’s heating issues, and even added a nice camera to it, thus making this a great value-for-money propositions. The smartphone is now available at a discounted price, and if you are in the market to buy a flagship-class smartphone within a budget, this might be the one to buy.
9. HTC One A9
The HTC One A9 has been an exception to HTC’s products of late, that have disappointed in the massively competitive market. With an uncanny similarity to the Apple iPhone 6 in terms of its design, the HTC One A9 is a very good-looking and ergonomic smartphone. It is slim and light, and houses a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 617 SoC, which, combined with the 3GB of RAM, keeps everything rolling smoothly. The 13MP rear camera on the phone is nothing groundbreaking but at its price, it can’t be ignored and really ups the competition. However, the selling point of the phone remains its design.
Three rooting programs that have garnered some attention in the past few months — 
