Selecting the most effective 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 glossy 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 system on the market to fit your wants.
The great thing about Android is its flexibility. You’ll discover telephones with totally different display screen sizes, digital camera setups, battery life and even quirky extras like stylus assist or rugged builds. Plus, Android enables you to customise your system to your coronary heart’s content material – one thing Apple followers may envy. We’ve examined and researched the highest Android telephones that can assist you discover the suitable one on your funds, life-style, and tech preferences.
What to search for in a brand new Android telephone
Efficiency
In terms of selecting our favourite Android telephones, the principle issues we search for are fairly easy: good efficiency (each compute and AI), a pleasant show, strong design, sharp cameras, lengthy battery life and a major dedication to ongoing software program assist. For efficiency, not solely can we have a look at benchmarks and different metrics, however we additionally consider telephones based mostly on responsiveness. No matter whether or not you’re studying, textual content messaging, scrolling by means of social media or taking part in a sport, nobody needs a gadget that feels sluggish.
Show
In terms of shows, we typically want OLED panels that may produce wealthy, saturated colours with no less than 600 nits of brightness, although a lot 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 most effective, however there are different design features like mud and water resistance or display screen sturdiness that may make a giant distinction to long-term survival. It’s additionally vital to contemplate 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 photographs we’re in search of sharp, colourful photographs in each vivid and low-light situations. And we wish video clips with excessive dynamic vary, wealthy audio and clean picture stabilization. Further cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. The most effective cameras also needs to embody options like devoted evening modes, assist for varied video recording resolutions, and extra picture modes like timelapse, sluggish movement and extra.
Battery and software program
Lastly, when it comes to longevity, we’re in search of all-day battery life on units that additionally delivered nice outcomes on our native video rundown check (no less than 16 hours on a cost, however extra is clearly higher). Wi-fi charging capabilities have turn out to be nearly ubiquitous over the previous few years, and most of our high picks have this additional perk. Quick-charging is on the market on some Android telephones, too. Lastly, with individuals holding onto their telephones longer than ever, we wish to see firms decide to no less than three years of software program assist, upgrades and common safety updates.
Learn our full Google Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL evaluation
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 6.3-inch Tremendous Actua, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (50MP huge, 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 collection has lengthy been probably the greatest Android telephones round, with the Professional mannequin being the superior model. Nevertheless it was all the time a bit too massive and too cumbersome for these of us who’ve smaller palms or need our telephones to slot in our pockets. Cue the Pixel 9 Professional, which is the littler model of the Pixel 9 Professional XL. As a substitute of a comparatively massive 6.8-inch display screen 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 making an attempt to achieve the highest of the display screen!
Higher but, with the Pixel 9 Professional, Google hasn’t sacrificed any key characteristic to get to the smaller measurement, which means you will discover the identical digital camera setup and efficiency in each handsets. The one actual variations are the display screen measurement, 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 nearly 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 common grown-up vibe. Whereas earlier Pixel flagships had a colourful, blocky design that felt contemporary, this 12 months’s units really feel strong and refined. And, dare we are saying it, nearly like iPhones. With out the digital camera bars, they’d be fairly onerous to inform aside from Apple’s telephones.
Presumably as a result of it is grown up a lot through the years, however the Pixel telephones now price 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 choice, this 12 months’s mannequin may be ok to justify a premium value. Should you nonetheless need one thing from the Pixel 9 household however do not need to pay $1,000, the bottom Pixel 9 remains to be a strong handset for most individuals. However because it stands, the Pixel 9 Professional is the most effective Android handset cash should buy. — Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor
- Nice digital camera options and improved telephoto digital camera
- A 12 months of Gemini Superior without spending a dime
- Unbelievable battery life
- An attractive, vivid display screen that’s straightforward to make use of open air
- Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor
- Slower charging speeds than the XL
- Not the most effective telephone for gaming
Picture by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Learn our full Google Pixel 8a evaluation
Processor: Google Tensor G3 | Show: 6.1-inch 1,080 x 2,400 OLED, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (64MP huge, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 4,49mAh
Google’s A-series Pixels have lengthy been a few of the finest midrange telephones in the marketplace. 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 glorious cameras, a beautiful 120Hz OLED show and nice battery life. The system 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 in the marketplace. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter
- Colourful 120Hz OLED show
- Robust battery life
- Glorious cameras
- Nice worth
- Sluggish wi-fi charging
- Thick bezels
Picture by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely evaluation
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Show: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x QHD+, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (200MP, Twin Pixel AF, Digital Zoom 100x, 50MP Macro, 50MP UW), 12MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 5,000mAh
The S25 Extremely is a do-anything telephone. It has a variety of cameras together with a 5x telephoto lens and a brand new 50-megapixel sensor for its ultra-wide shooter, a beautiful 6.9-inch AMOLED show (which is 0.1 inches greater than final 12 months) and naturally, Samsung’s signature S Pen. That mentioned, for 2025, Samsung’s predominant focus was on its improved Galaxy AI options corresponding to Now Transient, which creates a customized feed of reports, occasions and extra. There’s additionally Drawing Help that makes it simpler to create AI-generated artwork, or you possibly can flip to AI Choose for assist with taking screenshots, turning movies into GIFs or summarizing tales.
Sadly, apart from a brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the S25 Extremely doesn’t include a ton of recent {hardware} in comparison with its predecessor (or the S23U for that matter). So whereas Samsung’s newest flagship is a good telephone, it doesn’t really feel like a vital improve for individuals with flagship units which might be solely a 12 months or two previous. — S.R.
- Glorious display screen
- Nice efficiency and battery life
- Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2 panels
- Slimmer bezels
- New 50MP ultra-wide sensor
- S Pen not suppers Air actions
- Identical predominant and telephoto cameras as final 12 months
- Not totally suitable with magnetic Qi2 equipment
- Costly
Learn our full Pixel 9 Professional Fold evaluation
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 8-inch Tremendous Actua Flex LTPO full show, 6.3-inch Actua cowl show | Cameras: Rear array (48MP huge, 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 Professional Fold turns the considerably unfinished authentic Pixel Fold right into a strong 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 interior show has a extra sq. side ratio as nicely with a bit extra display screen actual property than earlier than. The handset total has a extra premium really feel and positively a extra polished look because of its matte again and satin metallic body.
Together with strong efficiency (and battery life) and an upgraded design to match, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold nonetheless has the most effective 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 photographs, 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
