Holiday Gift Guide 2014: 11 Smartphones Android Lovers Want This Season

So you’ve decided to give a smartphone as a holiday gift, but which should you choose? You know the person you’re shopping for scoffs at Apple, so the simple choice of the big iPhone or the bigger iPhone is out the window. You could buy them a Windows Phone, but let's be serious.

There are so many Android smartphones on the market that it can be hard to decide which to give. But the diversity of the Android ecosystem is also its strength: There really is an Android phone for just about everyone. Everyone except, perhaps, for the Apple die-hard for whom nothing but an iPhone will do.

Here are the best Android-based phones on the planet for each personality type:

For the style buff: Motorola Moto X

You’re shopping for someone who thinks of their smartphone as an accessory. Not only does it have to work well, it must look good. Look no further than the Motorola Moto X (2014). Owners can design the Moto X according to their specifications, which include choosing a black or white front, a back made of leather, wood or solid colors, and different metallic colors for the trim.

The Moto X features a 5.2-inch full HD display and runs pure Android software, with little to no bloatware. Users can also name their Moto X and prompt actions by calling the device by name. The Moto X is also water resistant.

The Moto X sells unlocked for $499 through Motorola online. Carriers offering it include AT&T and Verizon, which have subsidized pricing at about $99.99. Prices may vary depending on how the Moto X 2014 is designed; the leather and wood backs costs $25 extra.

For the design enthusiast: HTC One M8

If you’re shopping for someone who likes a premium look, the HTC One M8 is a great choice. Made of 90 percent metal, the HTC One M8 is a paragon of beautiful industrial design. And behind the screen, the device’s Sense user interface includes such applications as Blink Feed, which congregates all social media and news updates into one area, and Zoe, which lets users make short music videos out photographs.

The HTC One M8 sells unlocked for $649 through HTC online. Carriers offering the device include AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile, which have subsidized pricing at about $199.99 and varying equipment installment plans.

For the hipster: OnePlus One

You know the type: people who want the new thing before anyone else has it. TheOne Plus One is so exclusive that you need an invitation in order to purchase it. The OnePlus One also runs an operating system that not everyone has, the Android-based CyanogenMod custom software, which provides the pure Android experience with a host of features you won’t find on a Google product.

The OnePlus One features a 5.5-inch full HD display, a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera, and a powerful 3,100 mAh battery.

The OnePlus One sells for between $299 and $349. It runs on carriers AT&T and T-Mobile. To buy a OnePlus One, customers need to get an invite from a OnePlus One owner, or can win an invite through contests on social media and OnePlus Forums.

For the artist: Samsung Galaxy Note 4

If your gift recipient thinks in color and sees in sound, they would benefit from having a smartphone that allows them to record all of their latest ideas. Whether they draw, write or film, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 can help the artist in your life realize many of their visions.

The Galaxy Note 4 features an S-Pen stylus, which is perfect for jotting down notes or a quick sketch for a more elaborate piece. The device has a 16-megapixel camera, which can shoot video in 4K resolution for photographers and videographers alike. Additionally, the Galaxy Note 4 features a 5.7-inch high-resolution QHD display to showcase the user's latest masterpiece.

Carriers offering the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 include AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular and T-Mobile, which have subsidized pricing for about $299.99 and varying equipment installment plans.

For the battery hog: Motorola Droid Turbo

You’re shopping for someone who can easily drain a smartphone battery in an hour. But with the Motorola Droid Turbo, whether they are streaming a movie or tethering their computer, your battery hog won’t lose juice.

The Droid Turbo features a massive 3,900 mAh battery that runs for up to 48 hours, according to Motorola. If power on the Droid Turbo does happen to run low, no need to worry -- the device includes Motorola Turbo Charger support that can power the device for up to eight hours after a 15-minute charge.

Its rugged Kevlar back means this smartphone won’t bend from a drop or two; it’s also water resistant and able to withstand up to 20 minutes in a downpour. The Droid Turbo features a 5.2-inch QHD display, a 21-megapixel rear camera with 4K video recording and a 2.1-megapixel front camera.

The Droid Turbo sells for $199.99 with a two-year contract and is available exclusively with Verizon. The smartphone can also be purchased through Verizon’s Edge equipment installment plan or off-contract for $599.99.

For the gamer: Sony Xperia Z3

If you’re shopping for someone whose most prized possession is their Sony PlayStation 4, the Sony Xperia Z3 would be the perfect companion device for your gamer’s console. The Xperia Z3 allows those with PlayStation Network accounts to log in and download and play mobile games on their handset.

The Xperia Z3 also takes design cues from PlayStation consoles, giving it a sleek, premium look. The smartphone features live home screen wallpaper; it may seem like your standard Sony background, but once you're finished going through the home screens, keep swiping and the animation keeps going.

The Xperia Z3 sells for $629.99 at T-Mobile. At Verizon, the device goes by the name Xperia Z3v and sells for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

For eclectic tastes: Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

You’re recipient likes their toys strange. The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is bound to quench their thirst for the peculiar. The device is much like your average Samsung smartphone in many ways. It’s large and includes an S-Pen stylus and a leather textured back. But its screen curves around the right edge of the phone.

This extra screen, if you will, allows for interruption-free controls that allow the user to relegate notifications and other functions away from the main screen. The edge screen is also good for placing favorite app shortcuts for easy access. When turned off, the edge screen turns into an alarm clock and illuminates at night.

Carriers offering the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge include AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular and T-Mobile, which have subsidized pricing between $399.99 and $429 and varying equipment installment plans.

For the photographer: LG G3

You’re shopping for someone who would rather lug their DSLR around everywhere than risk a bad photo with a smartphone. But they can put away their state-of-the-art lenses if you get them the LG G3. The smartphone features a 13-megapixel autofocus lens with optical image stabilization and a soft-light feature for taking selfies.

The LG G3 includes a gesture shutter feature, which simplifies taking photos by prompting the shutter with a motion instead of a press of a button. Its focus feature allows the lens to create focal points within a shot. The device includes 4K video recording, 1440p video display and a 2.1-megapixel front camera. Aside from its powerful camera, the LG G3 features a 5.5-inch QHD display. It's the first smartphone on the market to have that high a resolution.

Carriers offering the LG G3 include AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular and T-Mobile, which have subsidized pricing between $99.99 and $199.99 and varying equipment installment plans. The device is also available at Amazon.com and Best Buy.

For the nostalgic: BlackBerry Passport

The person you’re shopping for preferred how phones where in the good old days. OK, we know this phone doesn't run Android, but 10 years ago, almost everyone was addicted to BBM. The BlackBerry Passport will take your nostalgic friend right down memory lane. With its square design, the Passport doesn't exactly look like an old-school BlackBerry, but it does include a physical keyboard, which significantly improved every BlackBerry user's dexterity once upon a time.

The BlackBerry Passport also includes a touchscreen for a bit of modern technology. The smartphone boasts a 30-hour battery life, according to BlackBerry, and a 13-megapixel camera.

The BlackBerry Passport sells for $599 though BlackBerry online and Amazon.com.

For the frugal: Motorola Moto G

You’re shopping for someone who doesn’t see the point in paying $600 for a smartphone. The Motorola Moto G is under $200 off contract, so the person receiving this gift won’t gripe about how much you spent. The Moto G features a 5-inch display and stereo sound with dual front-facing speakers. Users can also get up to a full day’s use out of a single charge.

The Moto G sells unlocked for $179 through Motorola online. Carriers offering the device include AT&T for 99 cents with a two-year contract, Sprint for $79.99 off contract and Verizon for $99.99 off contract.

For the music lover: HTC One M8

You’re shopping for someone whose favorite apps are Spotify and SoundCloud. Though it’s already been mentioned, the HTC One M8 will provide all of the bass and treble your music lover needs.

The HTC One M8 features dual front-facing speakers and HTC’s BoomSound audio system, which allows for volume outputs up to 95dB. HTC One M8 is considered to have among the best audio quality on a smartphone for both speakers and headphone input. It also includes 32GB of internal memory, which lets music fans to store all the tunes they want.

The HTC One M8 sells unlocked for $649 through HTC online. Carriers offering the device include AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile, which have subsidized pricing at about $199.99 and varying equipment installment plans.

For the purist: Motorola Nexus 6

The person on your list thinks an operating system is not something with which to be tampered. They cannot stand additional user interfaces, and especially scowl at bloatware. With the Motorola Nexus 6, your purist will be in stock-Android heaven. The Nexus 6 runs Google’s latest Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, which features new themes like Material Design, notification upgrades and major battery improvements. Coupled with a sleek metal design and gargantuan 5.9-inch display, the Nexus 6 is the standard all other Android devices follow.

The Nexus 6 sells at the Google Play Store (on Wednesdays) and through Motorola online for $649. Carriers offering the device include AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, which have subsidized pricing at about $249.99 and varying equipment installment plans.