Ever year engadget does a back-to-school roundup of the best products, gadgets, playthings, etc. In this year’s “Back 2 School Gift Guide 2012: Smartphones” these three phones came out on top:

Nokia Lumia 900
Coming out on top in the “Prepaid/Budget” category, engadget highlighted it because a price cut, not lack of features, makes it a stand out among less expensive phones. Plus its an easy transition for students who are surround by new things.

LTE? A 4.3-inch screen? A capable 8MP camera? Check. And while some look at that simple Metro interface and the smaller app market with a jaded eye, Windows Phone is a good pick if you’re new to smartphones and like living in Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus HSPA+
Highlighted for being the first phone to feature Jelly Bean, the Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ wins the “Mid-Range” title.

The new OS makes it exceptionally responsive, and Google Now will help you find out just how late you’ll be to class if you miss the bus.

HTC One X
Though it won the “Money’s No Object” title, engadget went with the HTC One X because it offers just as much bang for considerably fewer bucks then the high end competitors.

The One X delivers a leaner interface, higher build quality and arguably the best display of any phone, all at half the up-front price of its peers. Performance (both in the 1.5GHz chip and LTE data) is top-notch, and the 8MP camera enjoys both longer burst shots as well as a simpler, faster interface for capturing Frosh Week escapades.

Engadget also highlighted two runners-up in each category, so go read about all the featured phones before you decide which one tuck into the backpack.