Android phones come in various shapes and are often specialized for gaming or photography, so you can have a personalized experience that suits your lifestyle. Many refined and practical flip and fold options now redefine what a smartphone can do with increased screen space and practicality. The best Android phones have incredible performance to handle multitasking and intense gaming and include world-class displays and powerful cameras to capture your special moments.

Choosing an Android phone is harder than ever with so many available options, so we made a list of the best models we’ve tested this year. Our team used them for work and play in their daily lives and tried their features to separate the practical from the marketing hype. For this list, we included the phones that impressed us the most from top brands like Samsung, Asus, and Google, so there’s something for everyone.

Best Android phones: Our top picks

Google’s Pixel 8 Pro has shaken up the smartphone world with AI integration that revolutionizes photo editing. Its triple camera system offers impressive day and night shooting with a 50MP main sensor, 48MP telephoto sensor, and 48MP ultrawide sensor. AI changes the game with tools like the Magic Editor, allowing you to click and move objects at will, increase or decrease their size, and add infinite effects. The Audio Magic Eraser separates the sounds from your videos into different layers, so you can remove the sound of the dog barking in the background or increase voice volume.

At the heart of the Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s latest Tenser G3 chip with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage for a smooth and fluid experience. The 6.7-inch Super Actua OLED is super bright at 2,400 nits and fast with a 120Hz refresh rate. With conservative use, you should get a full day from the 5050mAh, which supports wireless and fast charging. Everything is wrapped up in a Bay, Obsidian, or Porcelain housing with the trademark camera bar at the back, which now includes a temperature sensor. Google claims it will support the Pixel 8 Pro with seven years of security updates, but the benefits are questionable because most people will upgrade sooner.

Most flagships this year had the usual performance and camera improvements, but none can match the Pixel 8 Pros’ innovation and groundbreaking features. It’s the first smartphone to truly embrace regenerative AI and is worth getting despite its hefty price tag and average battery life, because no rival can match its unique features.

Samsung’s flagship S24 Ultra raises the performance bar with a top-of-the-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM that can handle the most demanding apps and multitasking. Space varies between 256GB, 500GB, and 1TB, so you can get one that best suits your needs and budget. Innovative AI tools like Circle to Search, Photo Assist, Live Translate, and Note Assist make the S24 Ultra stand out from its rivals and do wonders to improve functionality and usability.

The 6.39 x 3.11 x 0.34-inch titanium housing is another new feature to keep the weight manageable at 18.18oz, and it includes a handy slot for the included S Pen stylus. Everything is displayed on a stunning 6.8-inch touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Armor for protection against bumps and drops. It’s impossible to discuss the S24 Ultra without mentioning its stellar battery life, which should last almost two days with moderate use.

Performance comes at a price, and the S24 Ultra justifies its cost with impressive all-around capabilities to handle anything you throw at it. The bland styling is forgivable because of the sturdy premium titanium body that protects it from damage and the handy stylus for drawing and sketching.

The OnePlus12R proves that great phones don’t need to cost a fortune, and offers decent performance and camera abilities for around half the price of the Samsung S4 Ultra. It’s powered by last year’s flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with 16GB of RAM, which might seem dated on paper but delivers fantastic performance and a smooth user experience in the real world. This model is only available with 256GB of storage, which should be enough for most users and is expected at this price point.

Build quality is comparable to its premium rivals, with a sturdy 6.43 x 2.96 x 0.35-inch aluminum body weighing 7.03oz and a 120Hz 6.78-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. The 5,500mAh battery should last around a day, and you can get it back up again in no time with fast 100W wired charging. Photo and video quality is decent from the 50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro lenses, but pros will probably need something more powerful, especially for night shots.

Buyers unwilling to fork out for features they don’t need will appreciate the OnePlus12R’s smooth performance for a low price. It should handle most everyday tasks, and the lack of wireless charging and a measly three years of security updates are acceptable drawbacks considering its overall capabilities.

Flip phones have gone from clunky models for early adopters to sleek and practical options suitable for daily use, thanks to innovative designs like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. It has a premium aluminum frame with a sturdy hinge and a gap-less design, giving it a modern and sophisticated feel. However, there’s no need to open it in many scenarios because of the handy 3.4-inch external display that allows you to answer calls and reply to messages and includes widgets to display calendars, weather forecasts, and more. The display is also handy in selfie mode because it sits beside the camera and works with a flexible hinged design to help you get the best shot.

There’s no power compromise for a compact phone, and you get the high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8GB of RAM and 256 or 512GB of storage. The inner display is a 6.7-inch AMOLED (2640 x 1080) with a 120Hz refresh rate and a barely noticeable crease that barely affects the user experience. You’ll probably get a full day’s life from the 3700mAh battery with conservative use, and you can top it up again with either a 25W wired or 15W wireless charger.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 proves that flip phones are finally coming into their own and becoming a feasible alternative to conventional smartphones. There are still some issues to iron out, like the average camera and slow charging, and the jury’s still out regarding long-term durability. Despite costing as much as many flagships, it’s still a worthwhile option if you want something stylish and different for medium use and don’t need an amazing camera.

OnePlus’s Open knocks it out of the park with a sleek and modern design that solves many of the inherent drawbacks of foldables with its practical design. The tough hinge has a satisfying click when it opens and closes with no gap between the two halves and an almost invisible crease that’s barely noticeable compared to the competition. It’s also super slim at 6.04 x 2.89 x 0.46 inches when closed and 6.04 x 5.63 x 0.23 inches when opened, and the 8.43oz weight is acceptable considering what it can do.

The 6.2-inch (2484 x 1116) AMOLED outer display can handle most tasks, but the star of the show is the main 7.82-inch (2440 x 2268) display with an outstanding 2,600 nits of peak brightness that changes the multitasking game with its handy size. The OnePlus Open Canvas software makes the massive screen real estate even bigger because it allows you to drag apps on and off the display and lay multiple windows together in vertical or horizontal orientations.

Photos and videos are clear with the triple Hasselblad camera setup on the rear, and the two front cameras do a decent job for selfies. All these features require massive processing power, and the Open is up to the task thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and a speedy 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM with 512GB of storage.

The OnePlus Open is the best foldable phone because it has awesome power with a solid hinge and no irritating gaps or creases to ruin the user experience. On the other hand, its low IPX4 rating and lack of wireless charging are disappointing, considering its high cost. It makes a compelling case for buyers who don’t need those features and is cheaper and more practical than its main rivals, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold.

Gamers looking for high performance and the fastest display can check out the Asus ROG phone 8 Pro. It can easily handle any title with the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 16GB of RAM, and you can upgrade it to the 24GB model if you need more oomph. The 512GB of internal storage is about standard and should suffice for most gamers and those with big media libraries. Graphics performance is second to none, with a 6.78-inch display offering a blistering 165Hz refresh rate and a superb 2,500 nits of brightness.

Asus seems to have listened to customer feedback and brought its design in line with similarly priced competitors by adding wireless charging and an IP68 rating, which was lacking in previous models. The improved camera system is another major refinement, with a 50MP main, 32 MP telephoto, and 13MP ultrawide lens at the back and a 32MP selfie in the front to take crisp and clear photos and videos. Despite its grown-up design, the ROG phone 8 Pro still has the gamer-friendly features you’d expect, like dual air triggers and USB-C ports, an external cooling fan, and a 3.5mm audio jack to connect headsets.

Older gaming phones weren’t taken seriously by regular buyers because of their many drawbacks, and the Asus ROG phone 8 Pro feels like a step forward because it adds a decent camera, wireless charging, and other comfort features. It sets the bar for gaming performance, but it still feels like a specialist choice, considering it costs a bit much for regular users who won’t appreciate its capabilities.

Redmagic’s 9 Pro punches above its weight with flagship performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12GB of RAM for a fraction of its competitors. The 256GB of internal storage is about standard, but the 9 Pro stands out with a long-life 6,500mAh battery that lasts a couple of days of moderate use and gets back to full in no time with 80W fast charging.

When it comes to design, the 9 Pro has an angular 6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35-inch aluminum body with a 120Hz 6.8-inch display protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Gaming features include dual shoulder triggers and 3.5mm audio for gaming headsets. There’s also a 20,000 RPM internal cooling fan to improve thermal performance, and you can see it spinning through the RGB window on the back of the phone.

Not many Android phones can match the 9 Pro’s fantastic price-to-performance ratio, making it the best option for gamers on a budget. However, it falls into the usual gaming phone trap of having average cameras and no wireless charging, which might put off regular users looking for practicality over power.

Sony’s Xperia 5 V is a quirky alternative to the mainstream models on this list and is perfect for buyers looking for something unique without a huge cash outlay. It’s the baby sibling of the flagship 1 V and features a smaller 6.06 x 2.68 x 0.34-inch body with a 120Hz refresh rate and 21:9 aspect ratio. 6.1 OLED display. Performance is fine for browsing, social media, and other daily tasks with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and 8GB of RAM, but it might struggle with more demanding games and apps.

Unlike most premium phones, the 1V includes a 3.5mm jack to connect to wired headphones. It also has an SD card slot to easily transfer photos and other media or upgrade the 256 GB of internal storage. The dual camera setup takes decent photos for the price with a dual-lens Zeis Optics system, enhanced by excellent software and a dedicated shutter button for a professional feel.

The 1V’s compact size is perfect for buyers with smaller hands, and it offers impressive value with decent performance at a great price. It might not be the first model on most buyers’ minds when looking for a new Android phone, but it’s worth a look if you value features like an SD Card slot and 3.5mm audio port that are getting rarer on most rivals.

You can’t go wrong with Google’s Pixel 7a if you’re in the market for an affordable phone because its Tensor G2 chipset and 8GB of RAM are fast enough for most tasks and deliver smooth enough performance for most users. The 128GB of internal isn’t the biggest, but it aligns with the pricing and should be fine for most buyers.

Design-wise, the Pixel 7a has a compact 5.98 x 2.87 x 0.35-inch aluminum body with a natural feel and rounded edges housing a 90Hz 6.1-inch OLED display rate. Like all Google phones, it impresses in the photography department, boasting a 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide, and 13MP selfie lens with Magic Eraser and other nifty software tools to enhance your shots.

The Google Pixel 7a is one of the best budget phones because it’s stylish and has enough power for most tasks. You can’t expect it to be perfect for the price, and its average brightness and digital are minor drawbacks considering its overall value.

The bottom line: Which is the best Android phone?

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is the best Android phone because it has innovative AI technology for unbelievable photo editing and other amazing functions. Samsung’s S24 Ultra is the best premium Android phone because it performs well across all areas and includes the S Pen for jotting notes or sketching images. The OnePlus 12R is the best way to get high-end performance for a great price because it undercuts similarly-specced competitors.

How did we choose the best Android phones?

Our team spent days using the best Android phones for work and play in their busy lives and made this list of top picks for every user based on their performance, construction, and value. The flagships on this list are among the fastest Android phones ever made, and even the budget model offers decent performance for the price and a fluid user experience.

Construction is another critical factor because phones aren’t cheap and should be durable enough to handle our different lifestyles. Most of our picks have some IP rating for protection against water and dust and should withstand daily use if taken care of properly. Most of these phones are expensive but justify their price tags with incredible performance and unique features, allowing you to customize your user experience for AI art, gaming, photography, music, or whatever you prefer.

FAQ

Q: Which Android phone brand is best?

Samsung and Google are probably the most popular and well-known Android brands, but companies like Asus, Xiaomi, and OnePlus also make quality phones.

Q: Which phone has the best Android version?

Most Android phones have smooth and user-friendly software, but the Google Pixel range is known for its streamlined and bloat-free experience.

Q: Which Android phone is the best value for money?

The OnePlus 12R offers great value because it has fantastic build quality and capable performance for less.