Android has one clear advantage over iOS: the variety of phones to choose from. While Apple made the iPhone the only iOS option, Google’s operating system gives you dozens of choices from manufacturers like Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus. But that also means that when it’s time to upgrade, or if you want to switch from iPhone to Android in the new year, it can be hard to decide which device is best for you. If you’re looking for a new phone and don’t know where to start, we have a selection of the best Android phones for every budget.
What to look out for in new Android smartphones
performance
When choosing our favorite Android phone, the main things we look for are pretty simple: great performance (both compute and AI), a beautiful display, a solid design, a sharp camera, long battery life, and a strong commitment to ongoing software support. When it comes to performance, we don’t just look at benchmarks and other metrics, we rate phones based on their responsiveness. No one wants a gadget that feels sluggish no matter what they’re doing, whether that’s reading, sending a text message, scrolling through social media, or playing a game.
screen
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
When it comes to displays, OLED panels are generally preferred as they can produce rich, saturated colors at a brightness of at least 600 nits, but many of the top mid-range and high-end smartphones can achieve brightness of over 1,000 nits. What’s more, these days, most of your favorite devices also support faster 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate screens, providing even more smoothness and fluidity.
design
While we acknowledge that there’s a bit of subjectivity involved when deciding which phone looks best, there are design elements, like dust and water resistance and screen durability, that can make a big difference in long-term durability. It’s also important to consider factors that can affect how your phone interacts with other devices, like support for wireless charging, power sharing (aka reverse wireless charging), and UWB connectivity.
camera
Naturally, when it comes to photos, you want clear, colorful shots in both bright and dark conditions. You also want video clips with high dynamic range, rich audio, and smooth image stabilization. Even better is an extra camera for an ultra-wide or telephoto lens. The best camera should also include features like a dedicated night mode, support for a range of video recording resolutions, and additional photo modes like time-lapse and slow-motion.
Battery and Software
Finally, when it comes to longevity, we look for devices to offer all-day battery life (at least 16 hours on a single charge, and of course more is better), which also showed good results in our local video rundown test. Wireless charging capabilities have become nearly universal over the past few years, and most of our top picks have this added perk. Fast charging is also available on some Android smartphones. Finally, as people continue to hold on to their smartphones for longer than ever before, we expect companies to promise at least three years of software support, upgrades, and regular security updates.
Read our full review of the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Display: 6.3-inch Super Actua, up to 120Hz | Camera: Rear array (50MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide with macro focus, 48MP 5x telephoto lens), 42MP dual PD selfie front camera with autofocus | Battery: 4,700mAh
Finally, the tiny Pixel Pro is here! Google’s Pixel series has long been one of the best Android phones, and the Pro model is its premium version. But it’s always been a bit too big and unwieldy for people with smaller hands or those looking for a phone that fits in their pocket. Enter the Pixel 9 Pro, a smaller version of the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Rather than the relatively large 6.8-inch screen of its larger sibling, the standard Pro has a 6.3-inch display that’s easy to navigate. No more worrying about dropping your Pixel Pro just by reaching for the top of the screen.
Even better, with the Pixel 9 Pro, Google didn’t sacrifice any key features to reduce size, so you’ll find the same camera setup and performance on both devices. The only real differences are screen size, battery, and charging speed. The non-XL models charge slightly slower. However, the Pixel 9 Pro lasts much longer than the XL, clocking in at almost 25 hours in our battery tests.
Those differences aside, the Pixel 9 Pro lineup is our favorite Android phone thanks to its top-notch camera performance, compelling AI features, and overall grown-up feel. Whereas previous Pixel flagships felt fresh with their colorful, blocky designs, this year’s devices are solid and sleek, and dare I say it, almost iPhone-like. If it weren’t for the camera bar, it’d be pretty hard to tell them apart from Apple’s phones.
Perhaps because of the massive growth over the years, Pixel phones are now priced the same as iPhones. The Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro both start at $999, and while some would say Google’s devices are more competitively priced, this year’s models might be of enough quality to justify the premium price. If you want a device in the Pixel 9 family but don’t want to shell out $1,000, the base Pixel 9 is still a great phone for most people. But as it stands, the Pixel 9 Pro is the best Android phone money can buy. — Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low
Pros Great camera features and improved telephoto camera One year free with Gemini Advanced Incredible battery life Beautiful, bright screen that’s great for outdoor use Tensor G4 heats up less than its predecessor Cons Slower charging speed than the XL Not the best smartphone for gaming $999 at Google
Photo: Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
Processor: Google Tensor G3 | Display: 6.1-inch 1,080 x 2,400 OLED, up to 120Hz | Camera: Rear array (64MP wide, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP front camera | Battery: 4,49mAh
Google’s A-series Pixel has long been one of the best mid-range phones on the market. But with the addition of the Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports the same powerful and versatile AI features as Google’s flagship phone, as well as a great camera, a beautiful 120Hz OLED display, and great battery life. The device also comes with niceties like IP67 dust and water resistance and handy (but slow) 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging. But most importantly, with a starting price of $499, it’s one of the best deals on the market.
ProsColorful 120Hz OLED displayLong battery lifeGood cameraGood valueConsSlow wireless chargingThick bezels$499 at Amazon
Photo: Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED QHD+, up to 120Hz | Camera: Rear array (200MP, Dual Pixel AF, 100x digital zoom, 50MP macro, 12MP UW), 12MP front camera | Battery: 5,000mAh
As the latest super premium smartphone, Samsung has given the S24 Ultra a more durable titanium frame, faster performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and significantly longer battery life. The company also tweaked its longest telephoto lens to 5x optical zoom, making it usable in a wider range of situations. But the biggest upgrade is a full suite of new AI tools, including the ability to proofread text, edit images, and transcribe recordings. Add in the best display available on a smartphone today and a built-in stylus, and you have a very attractive flagship device. Unfortunately, starting at $1,300, the S24 Ultra is a bit too expensive for those on a tight budget.
$46 at Samsung Electronics
Read our full Pixel 9 Pro Fold review
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Display: 8″ Super Actua Flex LTPO Full Display, 6.3″ Actua Cover Display | Camera: Rear Array (48MP Wide, 10.5MP Ultra Wide, 10.8MP Telephoto), 10MP Front Camera | Battery: 4,650mAh
Google’s small but powerful improvements to its second-generation foldable phone really put it ahead of the pack. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold transforms the original, somewhat unfinished Pixel Fold into a robust device worthy of primetime. Google revamped the design, giving it an aspect ratio that mimics the standard Pixel 9 phone. The exterior display is a familiar 6.3-inch, 20:9 screen that’s easy to use and hold. The interior display also has a more square aspect ratio, giving it a bit more screen real estate than before. The phone feels more premium overall, and with a matte back and satin metal frame, it looks more polished.
In addition to solid performance (and battery life) and an upgraded design to match, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has the best camera of any foldable we’ve tried so far, despite the lack of hardware upgrades from the original. Plus, Google’s AI image editing tools like Magic Editor give you more control over your photos, and Pixel-exclusive software like Made You Look makes Google’s foldables even more appealing. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
Pros: Sleek design, better camera than the competition, thinner and lighter than previous models, runs cooler than before, Cons: Still pricey, some software glitches, $1,799 at Google
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