It was just over a year ago that the phablet became official — at least in terms of being recognized with an official entry in the Oxford Online Dictionary.

Back then, it was also a lot easier to pick the best phablet.

Chances are, you’d go with the Galaxy Note 3, from Samsung (SSNLF). After all, it was Samsung that virtually invented the category. Just like Apple (AAPL) was pretty much the only game in town if you wanted a good tablet in 2010, Samsung was an obvious favorite for making the best phablets last year.

The picture is very different in 2014.

Phablets have transitioned from oddity to hot seller. They’re the fastest-growing mobile device category, and IDC projects this super-sized smartphones will account for nearly 25% of all connected devices sold by 2018 — that includes regular smartphones, tablets and PCs.

The phablet battle just entered the super-heated phase with the introduction of Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus. With more options to choose from than ever and entries from all the major smartphone manufacturers, which is the best phablet on the market?

Here are our picks for the top five.

Best Phablets: Samsung Galaxy Note 4

If you’re looking at the best phablets of 2014, the safe choice is going to be Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4, the fourth generation of the device that kicked off the phablet craze in Western markets.

Samsung packs the latest version with an improved S Pen stylus (making the device a natural for taking notes), super fast recharging (zero to 50% in 30 minutes) and an amazing Quad HD Super AMOLED display.

Galaxy Note 4 Key Specs:

• 5.7-inch display at 2560 x 1440 resolution
• 2.7GHz quad-core processor
• 16MP primary camera
• 3220 mAh battery
• Weighs 6.2 ounces
• Runs Google (GOOG) Android 4.4 KitKat
• Base price: $299 on contract when it arrives in October

Best Phablets: Apple iPhone 6 Plus

The best phablet if you’re an iOS fan comes down to a single choice, the new iPhone 6 Plus. However, Apple’s gigantic iPhone also makes a case for being among the best phablets, period.

Android fans will say the iPhone 6 Plus is simply a case of Apple rushing to copy Samsung, while Apple will say it studied the market and finally moved once it knew exactly what people wanted and how to optimize the big smartphone experience.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but the results speak for themselves: the iPhone 6 Plus isn’t just a great Apple smartphone, it’s one of the best phablets available.

iPhone 6 Plus Key Specs:

• 5.5-inch display at 1920 x 1080 resolution
• Apple 64-bit A8 processor
• 8MP primary camera (sues
• 2915 mAh battery
• Weighs 6.07 ounces
• Runs iOS 8
• Base price: $299 on contract

Best Phablets: Nokia Lumia 1520

Microsoft’s (MSFT) Nokia is in the phablet game, too, offering a Windows Phone option for those who want a big smartphone. The Nokia Lumia 1520 also follows the Lumia tradition of stuffing a very high quality camera inside, making it a good choice for photography fans.

Lumia 1520 Key Specs:

• 6-inch display at 1920 x 1080 resolution
• Qualcomm (QCOM) quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU at 2.2GHz
• 20MP PureView primary camera
• 3400 mAh battery
• Weighs 7.37 ounces
• Runs Windows Phone
• Base Price: $199 on contract

Best Phablets: Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

The wildcard in the race for best phablet is another entry from Samsung.

The Galaxy Note Edge is an attempt to re-invent the category, reworking the best-selling Galaxy Note to include a wraparound display that extends down the right side of the device, creating a separate display that shows information like notifications.

This one is either going to be a hit when it arrives in October, or a bomb. There’s probably not a lot of middle ground.

Galaxy Note Edge Key Specs:

• 5.6-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display at 2560 x 1440 + 160 pixels
• 2.7GHz quad-core CPU
• 3000 mAh battery
• Weighs 6.14 ounces
• Runs Android 4.4 KitKat
• Base Price hasn’t been announced, although when it arrives later this year expect to pay a significant premium over the Galaxy Note 4’s $299 contract price

Best Phablets: LG G3

LG may not get the same attention as Samsung, but it quietly churns out some of the most respected Android devices and manufactures the Nexus 5 smartphone for Google.

The LG G3 is on our list of best phablets because it impresses as an overall well-rounded device. It has a fantastic display, good performance, laser-focused camera, metallic-look case and compact size despite that big display. And at $199 on contract, it’s less costly than flashier offerings from Samsung.

LG G3 Key Specs:

• 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS display at 2560 x 1440 pixels
• Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 801 CPU at 2.5GHz
• 3000 mAH battery
• Weighs 5.26 ounces
• Runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat
• Base Price $199 on contract

As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.