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Noise terror - here are the 10 smartphones with the loudest loudspeakers from 2014!

One of the most overlooked items when choosing a smartphone is its speaker loudness and quality. One doesn't always have the opportunity to test the amplification before plunking down the cash for a new smartphone. Or maybe, at this point we're conditioned to the anemic sound emitted by the tiny mono speakers inside most handsets and we don't give them much of a consideration. However, there is the rare unicorn in the form of the HTC One (M8), or Sony's recent Xperia flagships and the Meizu MX4 - those were this year's best surprises in terms of loudness and loudspeaker quality. They certainly elevate the benchmark of what to expect from a smartphone sound system, and even smaller manufacturers aren't oblivious to that. The latest smartphones from Sharp and Vivo, for example, feature high-end digital audio converters that enable functionality such as sound enhancements and karaoke mode. Meanwhile, dual front-firing stereo speakers are becoming the norm for flagship devices. If only they didn't take away so much precious top and bottom space in an industry that's increasingly obsessed with slender frames and minimal bezels!Here are the 10 loudest smartphones from the past year as measured in our speaker loudness tests at PhoneArena. You will certainly find some unexpected faces! If being able to hear your ringtone over ambient noise is a primal concern of yours, definitely consider going for one of these here loudmouths.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge - 87db

"Sound quality via the single loudspeaker on the back of the phone is fairly loud and clear, and you can even hear some depth to tunes, which is nice. Still, this is not a speaker that can match the industry-leading clarity and depth of a device like the HTC One (M8)." - read the full review.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 - 85db

"The single speaker of the Galaxy Note 4 has decent volume, but it lacks any depth, making it sound rather thin and distorted. It's not too bad, but it's far from the best we've heard." - read the full review.

BlackBerry Passport - 82.7db

"Sporting two speakers along its bottom edge, they deliver an ear popping 82.7 dB of audio power. No doubt it’s pretty deafening at the loudest volume setting, but there’s a shrill tone that accompanies it – giving it an unpleasant quality." - read the full review.

Samsung Galaxy S5 - 81db

"The sound coming through the speaker is very powerful and actually pretty deep (for a phone speaker). the speakerphone is very powerful, so hearing your callers even in busier environments shouldn't be that much of a problem." - read the full review.

LG G3 - 81db

"The loudspeaker of the phone is quite powerful – it may not be the cleanest one yet, but it sure packs quite a punch, which is very important." - read the full review.

HTC Desire 501 - 80db

"The built-in speaker is average – it's okay in terms of sound quality for a cell speaker, but it's strength is not enough to hear it in noisy environments." - read the full review.

Oppo Find 7 - 80db

"Obviously, watching clips off YouTube, or even the occasional TV show is not an exercise in futility, thanks to that large and crisp display and powerful speaker on the rear. The loudspeaker is pretty strong, and quite clean, but lacking fullness somewhat." - read the full review.

Meizu MX4 - 80db

"Speaking of music, we've got to note that the MX4's mono loudspeaker on its bottom side is very powerful and easily fills a medium-sized room with sound. Audio fidelity is also great for a smartphone. But extras like equalizer and other goodies are only available with earphones on." - read the full review.

Nokia Lumia Icon - 79db

"Whether it’s the internal speaker or the 3.5mm headset jack, there’s no shortage of lovable sounds that are rich with clarity and robustness. With the internal speaker, it nearly pumps out 80 dB of audio at the loudest setting – and there’s no evidence of strain or crackling!" - read the full review.

HTC ONE (M8) - 75.2 db

"Audio fans have a lot to rejoice about with the new HTC One, just because the signature dual front-firing speakers with HTC BoomSound and built-in amplifiers are back for another ride. Showing us it’s serious, they deliver a pounding level of audio quality that’s unrivaled – while maintaining a pleasant audio level that’s accompanied by some subtle bass, making them sound fuller compared to the speakers of most rival phones." - read the full review. Video Thumbnail

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Aldo Pusey

Update: 2024-05-31