2012 Holiday Gift Guide: The 10 Best Smartphones $300 and Under

HTC One X+

Carrier: AT&T
Price: $200 (w/two-year contract)
Just when you thought the Taiwanese mobile giant couldn’t push the One series to newer heights, it did the next best thing—keep all the amazing facets of its predecessor and throw in a quad-core processor with Jelly Bean (Android 4.2). HTC’s really focused on the internals with the One X+ by integrating a multitasking-ready 1.7 Ghz Tegra 3 CPU, along with 64GB of internal storage to promote near-endless multimedia use. AT&T’s LTE service should make for solid data speeds and the gorgeous 4.7-inch Super LCD2 display found on the One X remains intact. The Sense 4+ skin sweetens the purchase.

Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD

Carrier: Verizon
Price: $300 (w/two-year contract)
If long-lasting power is your M.O., then consider the RAZR Maxx HD a saving grace. We thought the original RAZR Maxx was a beast on the vitality end, but its successor puts the previous model and every other smartphone to shame—maintaining a charge for nearly a day and half on just moderate use thanks to its massive 3,300mAh cell. The inclusion of a 4.7-inch HD Super AMOLED panel boasts amazing visual output and viewing angles. One can’t neglect the efficient dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 or full Kevlar coating for scratch-free protection either. Best battery life smartphone ever built.