[ad_1]
The Android ecosystem is all about choice. While iPhone owners have a smaller pool of new devices to pick from when it’s time to upgrade, there’s a huge range of new Android phones every year. Some of them even fold in half! You want a built-in stylus? A flagship processor for less money? Maybe even — dare I say it — an unapologetically pink phone with matching earbuds? You’ve got options on Android.
On the flip side, all that choice can make for some hard decisions. Here’s where I’d like to help; I’ve tested a whole boatload of recent Android phones, and I think there are some real winners in the current crop. It’s all a matter of what you’re looking for, what you’re comfortable spending, and what your definition of a “reasonably sized phone” is. (I have my own, personally.)
Here’s something else to factor in: one of the year’s biggest Android phone launches is likely just around the corner. We’re expecting Google to announce new Pixels this fall, as it tends to do, and rumors point to some substantial upgrades to the camera along with the end of the curved-edge design, at last. If you’re interested in a new Pixel, it’s worth waiting a while to see what’s new this year. Otherwise, most of the year’s major Android phone launches are behind us, and there are some great options on the table.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>What I’m looking for
A great Android phone will go the distance. I look for signs that the hardware and software will keep up for many years to come, including a strong IP rating for dust and water resistance (IP68 is preferred), durable glass panels on the front and back, and a sturdy aluminum frame rather than plastic. A minimum of three years of Android OS version upgrades is preferred, along with a total of four or five years of security updates.
The best Android phones have plenty of resolution to cover their large display area, which means 1080p or higher. A fast refresh rate of at least 120Hz is preferred — animations and scrolling look super smooth at that rate — and even better if it’s variable down to 1Hz to save on battery life.
Any phone can take a decent photo in good lighting, but the best phone cameras can handle low light and high-contrast scenes well, too. I look for optical (most common) or sensor-shift (rare) image stabilization, which helps compensate for hand shake and enable slower shutter speeds in low light to gather more light. A telephoto lens is great to have too, though high-res sensors are starting to offer better lossless crop modes that mimic short 2x lenses well.
Most phones on this list offer wireless charging, though not all do. Lack of wireless charging isn’t a complete deal-breaker, but it’s becoming an essential feature for a lot of people since it’s convenient for charging many different kinds of devices.
If you live in the US, I have some bad news about the Android market, though. For complicated reasons having to do with “capitalism” and “geopolitics,” we don’t get nearly as many of the options as you’ll find in Asia and Europe — brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, and Oppo just aren’t available here. I’ve limited this guide to the devices I’ve personally tested in depth; thus, it is a fairly US-centric set of recommendations.
With that in mind, it’s also worth acknowledging that most people in the US get their phones “for free” from their wireless carrier. If you can manage it, buying a phone unlocked will give you the most flexibility and freedom if you end up wanting to change carriers in the near future. Phone manufacturers also offer financing and trade-in deals to make payment more manageable. But if you’re happy with your carrier and the free phone on offer is the one you really want, by all means, take the free phone. Just make sure you understand the terms, especially if you need to change plans to cash in on the deal.
However you go about it, you have some fantastic options for your next Android phone.
Screen: 6.2-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G3 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F1.7 main with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10.5-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,575mAh / Charging: 27W wired, 12W wireless / Weather resistance: IP68
There’s more space between Google’s standard and Pro model Pixels in the 8 series than there’s been in the past couple of generations. The Pixel 8 will miss out on some of the showcase AI technologies that the Pro will get in the coming year, but even so, it’s a phone with a lot of smarts and quality-of-life updates that would make just about anyone happy.
A lot has changed here and there from the Pixel 7, starting with the size. In an age of big and bigger phones, the Pixel 8 actually shrank a little year over year, from a 6.3-inch screen to 6.2 inches. This brings the overall device dimensions down just a smidge, too, making it a more comfortable phone to hold one-handed. The screen has been upgraded with a 120Hz top refresh rate, which has become the standard for high-end phones (at least on Android).
a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Other updates aren’t immediately obvious but make a real difference in how you use the phone in your daily life. Face unlock now works for payments and password managers — not just unlocking your device. Google Assistant is better at understanding pauses and emphasis in natural language, which makes it feel like a more useful tool in general. The camera system is good as always, bolstered this year by the addition of some AI-driven photo editing tools that are creepily good.
Importantly, the Pixel 8 gets the basic stuff right, too. The battery goes all day, there’s an IP68 rating for robust dust and water resistance, and wireless charging is an option if you’re into that. Best of all, Google is promising seven years of OS upgrades, which is a big improvement over the three platform updates it offered on previous models. All of the above makes it a winner if you’re looking for the best phone to get you through your day now — and keep up for a long time to come.
