Android has one obvious advantage over iOS: the variety of phones you have to choose from. Apple has made the iPhone the only game in town for iOS, but with Google's operating system, there are dozens of choices from manufacturers like Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and others. But that also means it can be difficult to decide which device is best for you when it comes time to upgrade or whether you want to move from iPhone to Android in the new year. If you're looking for a new phone and don't know where to start, we've got you covered with a selection of the best Android phones for every budget.
What to look for in a new Android phone
Performance
When it comes to choosing our favorite Android phones, the main things we look for are pretty simple: good performance (both compute and AI), nice screen, solid design, sharp cameras , long battery life, and a strong commitment to ongoing software support. . For performance, we not only look at benchmarks and other metrics, but we also rate phones based on their responsiveness. Whether you're reading, texting, browsing social media, or playing a game, no one wants a gadget that feels slow.
Display
When it comes to displays, we generally prefer OLED panels that can produce rich, saturated colors with at least 600 nits of brightness, although many of our high-end and mid-range phones can reach 1,000 nits or more . And more recently, most of our favorite devices also support displays with fast 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rates, adding an extra level of smoothness and smoothness.
Design
Now we admit that there's a bit of subjectivity when it comes to deciding which phones look best, but there are other design aspects, like dust and water resistance or screen durability, which can make a big difference to long-term survival. It's also important to consider things like wireless charging support, power sharing (i.e. reverse wireless charging), and UWB connectivity, which may have a impact how your phone interacts with your other devices.
Cameras
Obviously, for photos, we're looking for sharp, colorful shots, in bright and low-light conditions. And we want video clips with high dynamic range, rich sound, and smooth image stabilization. Additional cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. The best cameras should also include features like dedicated night modes, support for various video recording resolutions, and additional photo modes like timelapse, slow motion, and more.
Battery and software
Finally, in terms of longevity, we're looking for all-day battery life on devices that also performed excellently in our local video test (at least 16 hours on a charge, but more is obviously better) . Wireless charging capabilities have become almost ubiquitous in recent years, and most of our top picks offer this added benefit. Fast charging is also available on some Android phones. Finally, as people hold on to their phones longer than ever, we like to see companies commit to at least three years of software support, upgrades, and regular security updates.
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Processor: Google Tensor G3 | Display: 6.7-inch Super Actua, up to 120 Hz | Cameras: Rear array (50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 48MP telephoto), 10.5MP front camera | Battery: 5050mAh
Read our full Google Pixel 8 Pro review
Thanks to the Tensor G3 chip, updated sensors and a host of new AI-based features, the Google Pixel 8 And 8 Pro have even more to offer for photography and everyday use. The new Magic Editor on Pixel phones makes it surprisingly easy to remove distracting objects from your photos, while the Audio Magic Eraser reduces distracting ambient sound in videos. And for all those group photos, Best Take ensures everyone looks their best, even if they weren't smiling in the first photo. On top of that, Google's call screen just got smarter Assistant Features, like being able to summarize or real articles out loud, makes it easy to stay on top of the news the way you want. Add in a sleeker design, brighter screens, better battery life, and improved performance, and Google's latest flagship phones could be the most fully featured Android phones on the market.
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display: 6.8 inches, 3168 x 1440, up to 120 Hz | Cameras: Rear array (50MP main sensor, 48MP ultra-wide, 64MP telephoto), 32MP front camera | Battery: 5,400 mAh
Read our full OnePlus 12 review
For anyone who just wants a flagship phone with great specs and none of the AI nonsense we've seen on recent Samsung and Google PhonesTHE OnePlus 12 This is exactly what you are looking for. It delivers stunning performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, while its 5,400mAh power cell delivers the best battery life we've seen on any handset to date. Its Hasselblad cameras are also surprisingly sharp, even without the help of machine learning. And while its IP65 dust and water resistance rating isn't as good as what you get on a iPhone or one Galaxy S24, this is the highest level we've ever seen on a OnePlus phone. But the best part is that with a starting price of $800, the OnePlus 12 costs $200 less than an equivalent S24+, and that's before you factor in OnePlus' deal that nets $100 additional with the exchange of any of them phone.
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Processor: Google Tensor G2 | Display: 6.1 inches FHD+, up to 90 Hz | Cameras: Rear bay (64MP wide, 13MP ultra-wide), 13MP front camera | Battery: 4,385mAh
Read our full Google Pixel 7a review
The $500 Pixel 7a offers everything we look for in a great, affordable Android phone (if you have less money to spend, check out our best cheap phones guide). New features include a faster Tensor G2 chip, a smoother 90Hz display, and, for the first time on one of Google's A-series phones: support for wireless charging. And with a refreshed design with IP67 water resistance, it looks like the standard Pixel 7 but for $100 less. You also get excellent support with five years of security updates and at least three years of software updates. The Pixel 7a's only flaws are rather minor and include the lack of a dedicated zoom lens and lack of mmWave 5G support (unless you buy a slightly more expensive $550 model from Verizon) .
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display: 6.8 inches Dynamic AMOLED QHD+, up to 120 Hz | Cameras: Rear bay (200MP, Dual Pixel AF, 100x digital zoom, 50MP macro, 12MP UW), 12MP front camera | Battery: 5000mAh
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
For its latest super premium phone, Samsung has given the S24 Ultra a more durable titanium frame, faster performance thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and much longer battery life. The company also modified its longest telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom so that it is more usable in a wider range of situations. But the biggest upgrade is a comprehensive new suite of AI tools, which includes the ability to proofread text, edit images, and transcribe recordings. And when you use the best screen available on a phone today and a built-in stylus, you get a very compelling flagship handset. Unfortunately, starting at $1,300, the S24 Ultra is a little too expensive to recommend to anyone without sufficient financial means.
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Display: 6.2-inch HD+ front display (up to 120 Hz), 7.6-inch QXGA+ main display (up to 120 Hz) | Cameras: Rear array (50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto), 10MP front camera (cover) + 4MP UDC (main) | Battery: 4,400 mAh
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review
Despite increased competition from the Pixel foldingfor people who want to maximize their mobile productivity, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is still the best big foldable phone on the market. On the latest model, Samsung not only added two new gestures for engaging in side-by-side multitasking or switching from a full screen to a windowed app, but it also increased the number of recent apps you can see on the taskbar of two. at four. The Z Fold 5's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset also delivers faster performance than the Pixel Fold, and while this Samsung phone has a smaller power cell (4,400 mAh versus 4,800 mAh), it also has better autonomy. But the biggest change for this generation is Samsung's new flexible hinge, which allows the phone to close completely flat and makes it slimmer when booting. Unfortunately, its camera system is largely unchanged from last year, and with prices starting at $1,800, the Z Fold 5 isn't even close to being affordable.