The very best Android telephones for 2025

Selecting the very best Android telephone can really feel overwhelming as there are such a lot of choices from so many manufacturers, it’s laborious 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 machine on the market to fit your wants.

The fantastic thing about Android is its flexibility. You’ll discover telephones with completely different display screen sizes, digicam setups, battery life and even quirky extras like stylus assist or rugged builds. Plus, Android helps you to customise your machine to your coronary heart’s content material – one thing Apple followers would possibly envy. We’ve examined and researched the highest Android telephones that will help you discover the fitting one on your price range, way of life, and tech preferences.

What to search for in a brand new Android telephone

Efficiency

Relating to selecting our favourite Android telephones, the principle issues we search for are fairly simple: good efficiency (each compute and AI), a pleasant show, stable 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 primarily based on responsiveness. No matter whether or not you’re studying, textual content messaging, scrolling by social media or taking part in a sport, nobody desires a gadget that feels sluggish.

Show

While the specs haven't changed much from last year, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra's 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED display is still easily one of the best smartphone screens on the market. — Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Relating to shows, we typically desire OLED panels that may produce wealthy, saturated colours with no less than 600 nits of brightness, although lots of our high mid-range and high-end telephones can hit 1,000 nits or extra. And extra just lately, most of our favourite gadgets additionally assist screens with quick refresh charges of 90Hz or 120Hz, which provides an additional degree of smoothness and fluidity.

Design

Now we are going to admit there’s a little bit of subjectivity when deciding which telephones look the very best, however there are different design facets like mud and water resistance or display screen sturdiness that may make an enormous distinction to long-term survival. It’s additionally necessary to think about 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 along with your different gadgets.

Cameras

Clearly, for pictures we’re searching for sharp, colourful photographs in each brilliant and low-light situations. And we would like video clips with excessive dynamic vary, wealthy audio and clean picture stabilization. Additional cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. The very best cameras also needs to embody options like devoted night time 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 searching for all-day battery life on gadgets 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 into virtually ubiquitous over the previous few years, and most of our high picks have this further perk. Quick-charging is out there on some Android telephones, too. Lastly, with folks holding onto their telephones longer than ever, we prefer to see corporations decide to no less than three years of software program assist, upgrades and common safety updates.

Google

Learn our full Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL review

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 digicam with autofocus | Battery: 4,700mAh

Lastly, a smaller Pixel Professional. Google’s Pixel sequence has lengthy been probably the greatest Android telephones round, with the Professional mannequin being the superior model. However it was at all times a bit of too large and too cumbersome for these of us who’ve smaller arms or need our telephones to slot in our pockets. Cue the Pixel 9 Pro, 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 attempting to achieve the highest of the display screen!

Higher but, with the Pixel 9 Professional, Google hasn’t sacrificed any key function to get to the smaller dimension, that means you may discover the identical digicam setup and efficiency in each handsets. The one actual variations are the display screen dimension, battery and charging speeds, because the non-XL mannequin recharges at a barely slower price. However the Pixel 9 Professional can also be a lot longer-lasting than the XL, notching virtually 25 hours on our battery check.

These distinctions apart, the Pixel 9 Professional lineup is our favourite Android telephone due to its top-notch digicam efficiency, intriguing AI options and a normal grown-up vibe. Whereas earlier Pixel flagships had a colourful, blocky design that felt recent, this yr’s gadgets really feel stable and refined. And, dare we are saying it, virtually like iPhones. With out the digicam bars, they’d be fairly laborious to inform other than Apple’s telephones.

Probably 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 yr’s mannequin could be adequate to justify a premium worth. When you nonetheless need one thing from the Pixel 9 household however do not wish to pay $1,000, the bottom Pixel 9 continues to be a stable handset for most individuals. However because it stands, the Pixel 9 Professional is the very best Android handset cash should buy. — Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor

Execs

Nice digicam options and improved telephoto digicam
A yr of Gemini Superior at no cost
Unimaginable battery life
A lovely, brilliant display screen that’s straightforward to make use of outside
Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor

Cons

Slower charging speeds than the XL
Not the very best telephone for gaming

$999 at Google

Picture by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

Learn our full Google Pixel 8a review

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 digicam | Battery: 4,49mAh

Google’s A-series Pixels have lengthy been a few of the greatest 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 stunning 120Hz OLED show and nice battery life. The machine 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 could be probably the greatest offers in the marketplace.

Execs

Colourful 120Hz OLED show
Sturdy battery life
Wonderful cameras
Nice worth

Cons

Sluggish wi-fi charging
Thick bezels

$499 at Amazon

Picture by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

Learn our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Show: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED QHD+, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (200MP, Twin Pixel AF, Digital Zoom 100x, 50MP Macro, 12MP UW), 12MP entrance digicam | Battery: 5,000mAh

For its newest super-premium telephone, Samsung gave the S24 Ultra a extra sturdy titanium body, quicker efficiency due to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a for much longer battery life. The corporate additionally tweaked its longest telephoto lens with a 5x optical zoom so it is extra usable in a wider vary of conditions. However the greatest improve is a brand new full suite of AI instruments, which incorporates the flexibility to proofread texts, edit pictures and transcribe recordings. And while you tack on the very best show obtainable on a telephone at present and a built-in stylus, you’ve a really compelling flagship handset. Sadly, beginning at $1,300, the S24 Extremely is a bit too costly to advocate to anybody with out deep pockets.

$40 at Samsung Electronics

Google

Learn our full Pixel 9 Pro Fold review

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 digicam | 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 Pro Fold turns the considerably unfinished unique Pixel Fold right into a stable handset prepared for prime time. Google refined its design to have a facet ratio that mimics the usual Pixel 9 smartphones, with a well-known 6.3-inch, 20:9 exterior show, that’s each simpler to make use of and maintain. The inner show has a extra sq. side ratio as effectively with a bit extra display screen actual property than earlier than. The handset total has a extra premium really feel and definitely a extra polished look due to its matte again and satin steel body.

Together with stable efficiency (and battery life) and an upgraded design to match, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold nonetheless has the very best 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 provide you with extra management over your pictures, and Pixel-only software program like Made You Look make Google’s handset a extra compelling foldable. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

Execs