Samsung Galaxy S5 tops Consumer Reports latest smartphone ratings

Three different versions of the Samsung Galaxy S5 captured the top positions on the list of Consumer Reports latest smartphone rankings. Both the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active topped the list with scores of 79. Just one point behind was the Samsung Galaxy S5 Sport. Even though all three models employ the same 2800mAh battery, the Galaxy S5 Sport appears to have received a slightly lower rating for battery life than the other two Galaxy S5 variants.

The LG G3 was next with a 78 score, followed by the Apple iPhone 6 which received a score of 77. Also posting a 77 was the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Alpha. The LG G2 was next with a 76 while the HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge each scored a 75.

Other popular phones on the list included the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, which was ranked 15th with a score of 73. The second-generation Motorola Moto X had a 72 to grab the 20th ranking. The first Windows Phone model on the list was the Samsung ATIV SE. With a 73, the handset finished in the 19th position. Since the list was produced prior to the release of the BlackBerry Passport and BlackBerry Classic, the top ranked BlackBerry handset was the BlackBerry Z10. The handset wound up with a 67 score, good enough to rank number 37.

Most of the top models had high rankings for Ease of Use, Messaging, Web Browser and Display Quality. Consumer Reports gave the 12th ranked Sony Xperia Z3 top marks for having the best-in-class pictures, and the 13th ranked Motorola DROID Turbo was recognized for its "superb battery life." You can find the rankings in the February 2015 issue of the magazine.