Which phone should you buy?

An embarrassment of mobile phone riches makes this a terrific -- and confusing -- time to buy. We'll help you figure out where to start depending on what you want.

"Which phone should I buy?" As phone reviewers, this is the single most common question readers like you ask us every day. With the launch of a new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone and upcoming BlackBerry Q10 joining the Apple iPhone 5, a legion of excellent Android handsets, and the rise of Microsoft's Windows phones, the choices are more numerous than ever before.

On the bright side, options are a good thing -- if you're armed with the knowledge necessary to make smart shopping decisions. Sit tight as we lay out what you need to find the right mobile platform and model for you.

Which operating system is for you?

iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry. Each has its own pluses and minuses, and will appeal to people differently depending on what they want. While a unique phone design might lure you to a new OS, many people prefer to start with the platform and go from there.

iOS' strengths are its well-integrated ecosystem, a very full apps marketplace, and a fairly intuitive interface, but you're pretty much locked into iTunes for content.

Android is the most customizable and a wonderland for tinkerers. However, most manufacturers and carriers add a specialized twist, which can lead to slower OS updates, and to an interface that's less easy to use from the get-go.

Windows Phone 8 is building in features that make for good higher-end phones. Its fresh, simple interface is appealing, but power users won't find it as deep or as flexible. A thinner-but-growing app ecosystem is another weakness for the app-crazy.

(Credit: Technonet)

The newly rebooted BlackBerry 10 OS will win back longtime fans with its rich communication, e-mail, and security features. However, its gesture-based navigation isn't the most intuitive, and the nascent OS lacks a killer feature that will propel happy users to switch from another OS.

Before you begin choosing your OS, there are a few things to keep in mind. With Android phones in particular, you have to think about the OS version and level of extra software customization. Android phones suffer from fragmentation, as carriers and manufacturers add their own software layers that sometimes get in the way of an update to the next generation. As such, we'd avoid any new phone running Android 2.3 Gingerbread or older -- stick with the now slightly-older Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or preferably, pick a phone with Android 4.1 orAndroid 4.2.

We'd also completely bypass Windows Phone 7 handsets, even if they're inexpensive. They just won't see software advances. Buy aWindows Phone 8 device instead. Not only will you receive OS updates, you'll also be more likely to get a phone with a faster processor and sharper screen.Of course, true Android devotees should spring for the latest Google Nexus handset, the LG Nexus 4, which runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Higher-end phones, and Google Nexus devices especially, are typically the first to receive OS updates.

iPhones have the advantage of receiving the same OS upgrade at the same time, and the newest OS is usually available on multiple devices. iOS 6, for instance, will work on the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 4, but not on the iPhone 3GS or earlier.

Best iPhone: In the easiest pick of this entire list, choose the iPhone 5 (multiple carriers).

Best Android phones: HTC Droid DNA (Verizon), Samsung Galaxy S3 (multiple carriers), LG Nexus 4 (T-Mobile, unlocked), Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (multiple carriers), LG Optimus G(Sprint, AT&T).

Best Windows phone: Nokia Lumia 920 (AT&T), HTC Windows Phone 8X (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon).

Best BlackBerry: In the U.S., both the Z10 and keyboard-equipped Q10 are expected in the March or April timeframe. The Z10, however, is already available in some parts of the world.