Samsung Galaxy Alpha

The Galaxy Alpha’s name alone exudes confidence and presence in a market of brilliant handsets of late. The Alpha was a completely new design direction for Samsung and although it’s not a flagship device like the recently launched S6, it looks and feels like one of the front runners thanks to the premium look, metal frame and sleek, chic body.

A balanced and easy to use premium phone, this handset fits into the hand very snugly. The design is attractive with a super thin body. The 4.7 inch screen is slightly smaller than the recently launched iPhone and Samsung S6 but it feels just right – offering a clear view of HD video, games and web browsing. The display resolution is and while lower than the newer Samsung’s, for its screen size the 720p is perfect and sharp. Thanks to the Super AMOLED technology, colours are bright and striking.

Great features include, the finger scanner and fitness apps such as the heart rate monitor and pedometer - great for today’s growing number of health and fitness fans.

The camera is 12MP taking excellent snaps with the beauty face extra (for smoothing off those wrinkles and spots) as well as other great camera extras. It takes 4K video meaning your memories can be played back smoothly and in high resolution. The handset runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat but newer handsets are due to be updated to the Android 5.0 Lollipop I’m told. Battery performance is standard and you also get the benefits of ultra-power saving mode. Offering 32GB of internal storage is more than enough for most.

This handset stands out with its beauty, charm and elegance. Its compact size makes it comfortable and easy to use and it boasts good performance and plenty of power.