stand- outs [Virginian - Pilot]

(Virginian - Pilot Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Here are four smartphones with impressive features that set them apart from the crowd.

- CNET.com Nokia Lumia 920 The good The Nokia Lumia 920 forges new Windows Phone ground with wireless-charging support and a highly sensitive screen you can use with gloves. Moreover, Nokia helps fill in Windows Phone OS gaps with a few missing features.

The bad A thick, heavy build and slippery finish for some colors make the Lumia 920 harder to hold and carry, and the phone's overhyped camera doesn't have enough settings.

The cost $99.99, with contract.

The bottom line Nokia's Lumia 920 is heavy and thick, but if you want the most powerful, feature-rich Windows Phone smartphone available, this is it.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 The good Oodles of screen real estate make the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 terrific for videos, games and reading; and its improved stylus aids productivity. A blazing quad-core processor, a great camera and strong battery life round out the advantages of this Android 4.1 phone.

The bad The huge display makes the Galaxy Note 2 unwieldy to carry, and hiccups in the S Pen stylus and apps can slow you down. The pricey Note 2 isn't a suitable tablet replacement across all categories.

The cost $149.99 to $309.99, with contract.

The bottom line Samsung delivers a powerful, boundary-pushing device that gets a lot right. Yet its complicated features and high price raise questions about its purpose.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD The good The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD (Verizon) offers fast performance, a big, eye-popping screen and luxurious design. It also has great call quality, lots of storage, 4G data speeds and unbeatable battery life.

The bad The Droid Razr Maxx HD's major weakness is a camera that produces subpar images. The phone is filled with Verizon bloatware as well.

The cost $149.99 to $299.99, with contract.

The bottom line Motorola's fast, stylish Droid Razr Maxx HD offers outstanding battery life, but its camera captures unimpressive images.

Samsung Galaxy Beam 1/2 The good The Samsung Galaxy Beam has an integrated pico projector, as well as a dual-core processor, 720p video capture, and a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen.

The bad The Galaxy Beam's projection software needs some work, the 5-megapixel camera sometimes blurs indoor shots, and the Beam is thicker and heavier than many of today's phones.

The cost $474.49 to $839.99 The bottom line Despite weak software, the Samsung Galaxy Beam's bright projector pushes boundaries, and strong smartphone features make it a worthy standalone device.

Nokia Lumia 920 The good The Nokia Lumia 920 forges new Windows Phone ground with wireless-charging support and a highly sensitive screen you can use with gloves. Moreover, Nokia helps fill in Windows Phone OS gaps with a few missing features.

The bad A thick, heavy build and slippery finish for some colors make the Lumia 920 harder to hold and carry, and the phone's overhyped camera doesn't have enough settings.

The cost $99.99 The bottom line Nokia's Lumia 920 is heavy and thick, but if you want the most powerful, feature-rich Windows Phone smartphone Nokia Lumia 920 The good The Nokia Lumia 920 forges new Windows Phone ground with wireless-charging support and a highly sensitive screen you can use with gloves. Moreover, Nokia helps fill in Windows Phone OS gaps with a few missing features.

The bad A thick, heavy build and slippery finish for some colors make the Lumia 920 harder to hold and carry, and the phone's overhyped camera doesn't have enough settings.

The cost $99.99 The bottom line Nokia's Lumia 920 is heavy and thick, but if you want the most powerful, feature-rich Windows Phone smartphone available, this is it.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 The good Oodles of screen real estate make the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 terrific for videos, games, and reading; and its improved stylus aids productivity. A blazing quad-core processor, a great camera, and strong battery life round out the advantages of this Android 4.1 phone.

The bad The huge display makes the Galaxy Note 2 unwieldy to carry, and hiccups in the S Pen stylus and apps can slow you down. The pricey Note 2 isn't a suitable tablet replacement across all categories.

The cost $149.99 to $309.99 The bottom line Samsung delivers a powerful, boundary-pushing device that gets a lot right. Yet its complicated features and high price raise questions about its purpose.

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