Comparisons

The original

The original Samsung Galaxy Note started the phablet craze we're witnessing today and the Galaxy Note 3 is the latest instalment in the Korean firm's supersized smartphones.

Bundled with the S Pen stylus, the Galaxy Note 3 already has an advantage over the G Flex when it comes to handwriting recognition and note taking.

Samsung has also stuffed the Note 3 full of eye, hand and heading tracking technology - so if you don't fancy touching the screen all that often you'll want to check it out.

The Note 3 isn't a great deal cheaper than the G Flex, but it does boast a full HD, 5.7-inch display, an extra GB of RAM and a microSD card slot for expanding on the internal storage making it an all round better offer.

The Galaxy Note 3 is becoming mainstream, so if you fancy a smartphone that's going to turn heads the G Flex is the one. If you just want to get things done then plump for the Note 3.

Unique, in a different way

While the LG G Flex has its curved, flexible chassis the Sony Xperia Z Ultra has a massive screen. Seriously, it's huge - a whole 6.44 inches of real estate makes this device more tablet than smartphone.

That whopping great body is also dust- and waterproof, meaning you can happily whip it out in a thunderstorm or take it in the bath and watch a movie while soaking in the tub.

The trade off however is the Z Ultra's size. It's large, unwieldy and will stretch your pockets to their limits - I found the G Flex tricky enough at times to manage and the Xperia Z Ultra just enhances the issue.

If you want a decent camera on your smartphone you're better off going for the G Flex, as its 13MP snapper trumps the 8MP offering on the Z Ultra.

However if you fancy a small tablet which you can make the occasional call on, and use a normal pencil as a stylus (I kid you not!), then the Xperia Z Ultra may be the one for you.

Copy cat

The LG G Flex is basically a bigger, more flexible LG G2 with a lower screen resolution. The two phones share the same processor, GPU, RAM, cameras, operating system and interface. Heck they even have the same buttons-on-the-back set up.

The LG G2 has two key advantages however; price and screen. In fact a SIM-free G2 will cost you around £200 less than the G Flex, and for that you get a 5.2-inch, full HD display with a 424ppi pixel density.

Compare that to the 720p, 245ppi 6-inch screen on the G Flex and the G2 makes a very convincing case for itself.

I also find the G2 much easier to manage in one hand, while I'm always worried that the G Flex may slip from my grasp as I shuffle its long body in my hand as I desperately claw at the notification bar at the top of the screen.

The G2 can't compete when it comes to battery life though, with the LG G Flex's 3500mAh comfortably outstripping the 3000mAh offering in its smaller brother.

If you fancy a top LG smartphone then go for the G2 - it's cheaper, just as powerful and easier to wield.