Best Custom ROMs for Android

Android handsets hold the ability to highly customize and tweak the base software to a user’s need. Installations of certain ROMs are a testament to this, with most custom ROMs offering a multitude of utilities that enhance the Android UI. One thing to note is that a device needs to be rooted before custom ROMs can be installed. Here are a few custom ROMs that offer much more in terms of features:

Cyanogenmod

This is undoubtedly the most popular ROM available. It aims to offer an almost vanilla-like Android UI, and is one of the most widely available ROMs out there. The screen shortcuts are customizable and you get the chance to add custom notifications. Cyanogenmod also gives a lot of theming choices with Theme Control. It derives its strength from being present for quite some time and gaining ground with each version. A major advantage with installing this ROM cones from the fact that there is a large community of coders and users who are ready to give assistance for new users in terms of installation advice and troubleshooting.

MIUI

MIUI is known for the tweaks it offers in terms of the look and design of the UI. It has one of the best looking themes and navigational elements, and offers a lot more in terms of Smart Dialing, enhanced features which makes the default Music client more customizable and more camera tweaks and additions. While this ROM is not available for as many devices as some of the others in this category, it is considered to be one of the best if a minimalistic design aesthetic is what you're looking for.

Xylon

It’s the new kid on the block and will evolve exponentially as time goes. It aims to ease the Android user interface, and it succeeds in doing so. The changes it filters into Google Now Navigation are extremely admirable. It makes your navigation bar sleeker with varying changes in theme, color and other additions.Not only this, it adds features like the T9 dialer in contacts as well as the ability to change notification alerts. The Xylon ROM is currently available for Nexus devices as of now, but is set to launch for more devices as interest grows.

Android Revolution HD

This may look pretty similar to stock Aroma ROM, but works extensively better. You do not have any battery issued with this ROM and the interface doesn't have any glitches whatsoever. It does have the usual customization tweaks, and there is a dedicated community at work trying to make this ROM one of the best for Android. The best thing about Android Revolution HD is that it is very light-weight on system resources; and as a result it delivers on legacy devices as well as low-end handsets. It has ROMs for different devices that offer tweaks that are targeted just for that device. As such, it is gaining a lot of interest from users.

DarkyROM

DarkyROM is for users seeking to break free from the anachronistic bloatware that is Samsung's TouchWiz skin. This ROM gives users a TouchWiz like UI without most of the unnecessary features that usually come with it. The design of this ROM is clean, and offers a lot of customization that is often missing in Samsung devices. Any user of the Galaxy series of devices should find a welcome change in the functionality of their device after installing this.

Paranoid Android

This ROM offers a lot of tweaks to your stock Android handset. Since the conversion to Jelly Bean 4.2.1, users are treated to a much faster navigation thanks to Project Butter. The way this ROM blends your handset interface with that of a functional tablet is obvious; particularly in the way your navigation bar works. You can easily change unused or rarely used options in the menu with your desired ones, thus increasing your work pace. This one leads the pack where customization is sought after, and there are no issues with custom ROM.

Conclusion

Android is doing great in terms of overall handset activations and revenues. With Google trying to build on every new iteration and further refine and hone the UI, it is clear that the Android ecosystem will continue its growth in the next few years. With the launch of the Play Books and Movies in India, it is clear that Google is trying to consolidate its offerings in the country, and offer more incentive to buyers to make the switch to Android. As more and more users join the Android bandwagon, there would only be an increase in the number of custom ROMs.