3 best Samsung Galaxy Note 7 alternatives: Make the safe switch

Samsung has stopped the production and distribution of their Galaxy Note 7 smartphones following several incidents involving the handsets’ battery overheating and catching fire. If you are reading this article using a Samsung Note 7, please do yourself a favour: Turn off the phone and return the device at the nearest Samsung centre. You are going to need a new phone, of course, so here’s the list of the three best -- and safe -- Galaxy Note 7 alternatives out in the market to help you decide.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

It is only proper that the best alternative to the Galaxy Note 7 should also be a Samsung smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is the closest thing to the Galaxy Note 7 you can find, offering the same distinctive quality and robust capabilities. One notable difference is the absence of the contemporary S-Pen. The Galaxy S7 Edge also has a slightly smaller screen size at 5.5 inches compared to the Galaxy Note 7’s display of 5.7 inches.

All the basic goodies are still there though. The Galaxy S7 Edge is basically a compact version of the Galaxy Note 7 that doesn’t explode.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is available via Vodafone. They have plans that start at $83 a month.

Google Pixel XL

Compared to the 5.7-inch screen of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Google’s brand new Pixel XL has 5.5 inches of Quad HD display. The Google smartphone features the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and 4 GB RAM as the Galaxy Note 7. The smaller display size of the Pixel XL also provides better pixel density, so there is no room for complaints.

The Google Pixel XL’s sleek, aluminium-and-glass premium design is also a nice incentive. The smartphone’s intelligent personal assistant, simply called Google Assistant, can be used to find easier traffic routes and book dinner reservations using voice commands. The Pixel XL is also compatible with Daydream, Google’s new virtual reality platform.

The Google Pixel XL smartphone will be launched in Australia on Oct. 20, with Telstra as the exclusive carrier partner. They offer plans that start at $92 per month.

Motorola Moto Z

The Moto Z is an ultra-thin smartphone with a 5.5-inch Quad HD display capped by Gorilla Glass 4. This Motorola smartphone’s 13-megapixel primary camera is great for taking photos even in low light. Its secondary 5-megapixel selfie camera is also more than capable. The handset also comes with the same chipset as the Galaxy Note 7.

Unfortunately, the Moto Z does not come with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, just like the Apple iPhone 7. The box comes with a headphone adapter, though, so you won’t have to pay extra to listen to your favourite tunes.

The Moto Z is available for purchase at the Motorola store.