Buyer s guide, An Android phone with good battery life

I want an Android phone with good battery life. I make a lot of phone calls, and I would like to stay connected to the internet at all times, whether it is to browse the web, check emails, or watch videos. I also use Facebook and Twitter a lot. Could you please suggest a handset?

—Rohan Shetty, Amrita Parab, Amarjit Singh

Android devices are known to be juice guzzlers, and battery life is one of the biggest concerns for most users on this platform. You didn't specify a budget, so here are three models in different price ranges that might meet your needs...

Lava Xolo B700 

Price: Rs 8,999

The B700 features a long-lasting 3450mAh battery that lasted a full 24 hours in our tests which included phone calls, internet usage over both 3G and Wi-Fi, a bit of gaming, few YouTube videos, and plenty of music playback.

And at this price, that's simply fantastic. The 4.3-inch IPS screen, however, is a little washed out and the colours aren't true, but it's still sharp with its qHD (960x540 pixels) resolution. Also, the Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich phone struggles with graphics-intensive games; is sluggish when multitasking; has trouble latching on to GPS quickly; and the output of its cameras (whether in daylight or at night) leaves a lot to be desired - problems that are common in this price range.

But if your usage is mainly making lots of phone calls and text messages, checking email, and some internet browsing and social networking, then the B700 is a fine purchase.

Lenovo P770

Price: 15,000

It's rare to find a phone that impresses us, but the Lenovo P770 did just that with its battery life. On the same usage as the B700, it gave us an incredible 30 hours. Plus, this Android 4.1 Jelly Bean handset performs really well. Its 4.5-inch qHD IPS screen is bright, sharp and an eye-pleaser, only suffering in direct sunlight.

We aren't fans of Lenovo's Android customization though, which looks a bit tacky. Its camera leaves a lot to be desired, and works well only if used with a filter app like Instagram. But the phone feels solid, has a nice polished-plastic look, and isn't heavy despite its mammoth 3500mAh battery. If you intend to make lots of calls, use the internet heavily, and want some multimedia on-the-go , then the Lenovo P770 is bang for your buck.

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Price: Rs 36,500

If you want a device with all the trimmings that still lasts after a day's worth of usage, this is it. In the same type of usage as the B700 and the P770, the Galaxy Note II pulled on for 22 hours. And everything else about the phone is top-notch : fantastic performance, a gorgeous screen, customized software to get more out of the phone, an excellent camera - it's a wonderful experience.

The only downside, as such, is that the phone might be too large for some with its 5.5-inch screen; and the plastic build quality doesn't feel up to the premium price it asks for. Still, among all the high-end phones, Android or not, this is the best battery life you will get.