Selecting the very best Android telephone can really feel overwhelming as there are such a lot of choices from so many manufacturers, it’s onerous to know the place to start out. In contrast to Apple, which sticks to its smooth lineup of iPhones, Android gives a world of selection. Whether or not you are eyeing the most recent flagship from Samsung, a budget-friendly smartphone from Motorola or one thing distinctive with a foldable design, there’s an Android gadget on the market to fit your wants.
The great thing about Android is its flexibility. You’ll discover telephones with totally different display sizes, digital camera setups, battery life and even quirky extras like stylus assist or rugged builds. Plus, Android permits you to customise your gadget to your coronary heart’s content material – one thing Apple followers may envy. We’ve examined and researched the highest Android telephones that will help you discover the appropriate one to your price range, way of life, and tech preferences.
What to search for in a brand new Android telephone
Efficiency
With regards to choosing our favourite Android telephones, the primary issues we search for are fairly simple: good efficiency (each compute and AI), a pleasant show, stable design, sharp cameras, lengthy battery life and a major dedication to ongoing software program assist. For efficiency, not solely can we take a look at benchmarks and different metrics, however we additionally consider telephones primarily based on responsiveness. No matter whether or not you’re studying, textual content messaging, scrolling by social media or enjoying a sport, nobody needs a gadget that feels sluggish.
Show
With regards to shows, we typically favor OLED panels that may produce wealthy, saturated colours with at the very least 600 nits of brightness, although lots of our high mid-range and high-end telephones can hit 1,000 nits or extra. And extra not too long ago, most of our favourite units additionally assist screens with quick refresh charges of 90Hz or 120Hz, which provides an additional degree of smoothness and fluidity.
Design
Now we’ll admit there’s a little bit of subjectivity when deciding which telephones look the very best, however there are different design points like mud and water resistance or display sturdiness that may make a giant distinction to long-term survival. It’s additionally essential to think about issues like assist for wi-fi charging, energy sharing (aka reverse wi-fi charging) and UWB connectivity, which may have an effect on how your telephone interacts together with your different units.
Cameras
Clearly, for images we’re on the lookout for sharp, colourful pictures in each vivid and low-light situations. And we would like video clips with excessive dynamic vary, wealthy audio and easy picture stabilization. Further cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. One of the best cameras must also embody options like devoted evening modes, assist for varied video recording resolutions, and extra photograph modes like timelapse, sluggish movement and extra.
Battery and software program
Lastly, when it comes to longevity, we’re on the lookout for all-day battery life on units that additionally delivered nice outcomes on our native video rundown check (at the very least 16 hours on a cost, however extra is clearly higher). Wi-fi charging capabilities have change into virtually ubiquitous over the previous few years, and most of our high picks have this further perk. Quick-charging is obtainable on some Android telephones, too. Lastly, with individuals holding onto their telephones longer than ever, we prefer to see firms decide to at the very least three years of software program assist, upgrades and common safety updates.
Learn our full Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL review
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 6.3-inch Tremendous Actua, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (50MP extensive, 48MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, 48MP 5x telephoto lens), 42MP twin PD selfie entrance digital camera with autofocus | Battery: 4,700mAh
Lastly, a smaller Pixel Professional. Google’s Pixel sequence has lengthy been probably the greatest Android telephones round, with the Professional mannequin being the superior model. However it was all the time a bit of too huge and too cumbersome for these of us who’ve smaller arms or need our telephones to slot in our pockets. Cue the Pixel 9 Pro, which is the littler model of the Pixel 9 Professional XL. As a substitute of a comparatively giant 6.8-inch display like that on its greater sibling, the usual Professional has a 6.3-inch show that’s straightforward to maneuver. No extra worrying about dropping your Pixel Professional simply since you fumbled whereas attempting to succeed in the highest of the display!
Higher but, with the Pixel 9 Professional, Google hasn’t sacrificed any key function to get to the smaller dimension, that means you will discover the identical digital camera setup and efficiency in each handsets. The one actual variations are the display dimension, battery and charging speeds, because the non-XL mannequin recharges at a barely slower charge. However the Pixel 9 Professional can also be a lot longer-lasting than the XL, notching virtually 25 hours on our battery check.
These distinctions apart, the Pixel 9 Professional lineup is our favourite Android telephone due to its top-notch digital camera efficiency, intriguing AI options and a normal grown-up vibe. Whereas earlier Pixel flagships had a colourful, blocky design that felt contemporary, this yr’s units really feel stable and refined. And, dare we are saying it, virtually like iPhones. With out the digital camera bars, they’d be fairly onerous to inform other than Apple’s telephones.
Presumably as a result of it is grown up a lot over time, however the Pixel telephones now value the identical as iPhones. The Pixel 9 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional each begin at $999, and although a few of us have come to consider Google’s handsets because the extra competitively priced possibility, this yr’s mannequin may be adequate to justify a premium value. In case you nonetheless need one thing from the Pixel 9 household however do not need to pay $1,000, the bottom Pixel 9 continues to be a stable handset for most individuals. However because it stands, the Pixel 9 Professional is the very best Android handset cash can purchase. — Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor
- Nice digital camera options and improved telephoto digital camera
- A yr of Gemini Superior free of charge
- Unimaginable battery life
- A stupendous, vivid display that’s straightforward to make use of outdoor
- Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor
- Slower charging speeds than the XL
- Not the very best telephone for gaming
Learn our full Google Pixel 8a review
Processor: Google Tensor G3 | Show: 6.1-inch 1,080 x 2,400 OLED, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (64MP extensive, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 4,49mAh
Google’s A-series Pixels have lengthy been among the finest midrange telephones available on the market. However now with the addition of a Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a helps the identical highly effective and versatile AI features you get on Google’s flagship telephones together with wonderful cameras, a stunning 120Hz OLED show and nice battery life. The gadget additionally comes with creature comforts like IP67 mud and water resistance and handy (however sluggish) 7.5-watt Qi wi-fi charging. However most significantly, beginning at $499, it may be probably the greatest offers available on the market.
- Colourful 120Hz OLED show
- Robust battery life
- Glorious cameras
- Nice worth
- Gradual wi-fi charging
- Thick bezels
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Show: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED QHD+, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (200MP, Twin Pixel AF, Digital Zoom 100x, 50MP Macro, 12MP UW), 12MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 5,000mAh
For its newest super-premium telephone, Samsung gave the S24 Ultra a extra sturdy titanium body, quicker efficiency because of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a for much longer battery life. The corporate additionally tweaked its longest telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom so it is extra usable in a wider vary of conditions. However the largest improve is a brand new full suite of AI instruments, which incorporates the flexibility to proofread texts, edit pictures and transcribe recordings. And if you tack on the very best show obtainable on a telephone as we speak and a built-in stylus, you’ve got a really compelling flagship handset. Sadly, beginning at $1,300, the S24 Extremely is a bit too costly to advocate to anybody with out deep pockets.
Learn our full Pixel 9 Pro Fold review
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 8-inch Tremendous Actua Flex LTPO full show, 6.3-inch Actua cowl show | Cameras: Rear array (48MP extensive, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto), 10MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 4,650mAh
The small however mighty enhancements Google dropped at its second-gen foldable have pushed it to the entrance of the pack. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold turns the considerably unfinished authentic Pixel Fold right into a stable handset prepared for prime time. Google refined its design to have a side ratio that mimics the usual Pixel 9 smartphones, with a well-recognized 6.3-inch, 20:9 exterior show, that’s each simpler to make use of and maintain. The inner show has a extra sq. facet ratio as nicely with a bit extra display actual property than earlier than. The handset general has a extra premium really feel and positively a extra polished look because of its matte again and satin steel body.
Together with stable efficiency (and battery life) and an upgraded design to match, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold nonetheless has the very best cameras out of any foldable handset we’ve tried, regardless of not having any {hardware} upgrades from the unique model. Plus, Google’s AI picture modifying instruments like Magic Editor offer you extra management over your images, and Pixel-only software program like Made You Look make Google’s handset a extra compelling foldable. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
- Slick design
- Higher cameras than the competitors
- Thinner and lighter than earlier mannequin
- Runs cooler than earlier than
- Nonetheless costly
- Some software program quirks
Trending Merchandise