The Android ecosystem is all about selection. Whereas iPhone house owners have a smaller pool of recent units to select from when it’s time to improve, there’s a wider vary of decisions on Android. Some Android telephones even fold in half! Imagine.
On the flip facet, all that selection could make for some laborious selections. Right here’s the place I’d like to assist; I’ve examined an entire boatload of latest Android telephones, and I feel there are some actual winners within the present batch. It’s all a matter of what you’re on the lookout for, what you’re comfy spending, and what your definition of a “fairly sized telephone” is. (I have my own, personally.)
As you sift via the choices, you’ll virtually definitely come throughout tech’s favourite buzzphrase of the second: AI. Typically talking, AI has but to actually impress me on a telephone. The Pixel 9 collection has some probably helpful options, like a Screenshots app that makes use of AI to tag related information in metadata, and Galaxy units can translate a telephone name for you in actual time. These items are nothing to sneeze at! However none of it feels just like the platform shift that the large tech corporations maintain promising. Greatest to not put an excessive amount of inventory in any firm’s AI claims simply but.
What I’m on the lookout for
There’s no shortcut to correctly testing a telephone; I put my private SIM card (bodily or in any other case) in every telephone I evaluation and reside with it for no less than one full week. I arrange every telephone from scratch, load it up with my apps, and go about dwelling my life — stress testing the battery, utilizing GPS navigation on my bike whereas streaming radio, taking rapid-fire portrait mode photographs of my child — every little thing I can throw at it. Beginning over with a brand new telephone each week both seems like a dream or your private hell, relying on how Into Telephones you might be. For me, switching has turn into so routine that it’s mostly painless.
A terrific Android telephone will go the space. I search for indicators that the {hardware} and software program will sustain for a few years to come back, together with a powerful IP score for mud and water resistance (IP68 is most well-liked), sturdy glass panels on the back and front, and a sturdy aluminum body relatively than plastic. Samsung and Google flagships now supply seven years of OS and safety updates, which as superior. As a naked minimal three years of Android OS model upgrades is most well-liked, together with a complete of 4 or 5 years of safety updates.
The perfect Android telephones have loads of decision to cowl their massive show space, which suggests 1440p, ideally. A quick refresh fee of at the very least 120Hz is most well-liked — animations and scrolling look tremendous easy at that fee — and even higher if it’s variable all the way down to 1Hz to save lots of on battery life.
Any telephone can take a good photograph in good lighting, however the most effective telephone cameras can deal with low mild and high-contrast scenes nicely, too. I search for optical (commonest) or sensor-shift (uncommon) picture stabilization, which helps compensate for hand shake and allow slower shutter speeds in low mild to collect extra mild. A telephoto lens is nice to have too, although high-res sensors are beginning to supply higher lossless crop modes that mimic brief zoom lenses nicely.
Most telephones on this listing supply wi-fi charging, although not all do. Lack of wi-fi charging isn’t an entire deal-breaker, nevertheless it’s changing into a necessary function for lots of people because it’s handy for charging many various sorts of units.
In the event you reside within the US, I’ve some dangerous information in regards to the Android market, although. For classy causes having to do with “capitalism” and “geopolitics,” we don’t get practically as most of the choices as you’ll discover in Asia and Europe — manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, and Oppo simply aren’t accessible right here. I’ve restricted this information to the units I’ve personally examined in depth; thus, it’s a pretty US-centric set of suggestions.
With that in thoughts, it’s additionally value acknowledging that most individuals within the US get their telephones “totally free” from their wi-fi provider. In the event you can handle it, shopping for a telephone unlocked provides you with essentially the most flexibility and freedom if you find yourself wanting to alter carriers within the close to future. Telephone producers additionally supply financing and trade-in offers to make cost extra manageable. However when you’re comfortable along with your provider and the free telephone on supply is the one you actually need, by all means, take the free telephone. Simply be sure you perceive the phrases, particularly if it’s good to change plans to money in on the deal.
Nevertheless you go about it, you will have some unbelievable choices on your subsequent Android telephone.
The perfect Android telephone general
$599
The Good
- Up to date design feels safer in hand
- Quick fingerprint sensor
- Seven years of software program and OS updates
The Unhealthy
- No telephoto digital camera
- AI options are inconsistent
- What is a photograph?
Display: 6.3-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.7 primary with OIS, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 10.5-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 27W wired, 15W wi-fi (with Pixel Stand 2) / Climate resistance: IP68
Google’s {hardware} is best than ever, and the entire Pixel 9 lineup feels simply as polished as something you’d get from Samsung or Apple. However at $799 (and sometimes lower than that), the fundamental Pixel 9 is in a very interesting place, and when you don’t want a telephoto digital camera or the most important display screen, then that is the Android telephone to get.
The Pixel 9 comes with some vital quality-of-life enhancements like a quicker fingerprint scanner for unlocking the telephone. The digital camera is as dependable as ever, and when you’re into AI photograph enhancing methods, boy does this phone have ‘em. There’s a brand new Screenshots app that acts as a spot to retailer all the data that will in any other case be misplaced at sea in your digital camera roll, and it makes use of AI to parse data out and make it searchable. Kinda helpful.
Even with out AI, this is a wonderful telephone. It’s additionally designed to go the space, with seven years of promised OS updates, which very seemingly means you’ll outgrow the telephone earlier than Google stops supporting it. Its potential for long-term worth and the standard of the {hardware} make it a straightforward suggestion for anybody who simply desires a pleasant Android telephone that works.
The perfect maximalist telephone
$1055
The Good
- Wonderful display screen
- Improved ultrawide digital camera
- Rounded corners are comfier
The Unhealthy
- Costly
- Cumbersome
- AI is (nonetheless) hit and miss
Display: 6.9-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite / Cameras: 200-megapixel primary with OIS, 50-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 50-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,000mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wi-fi (Qi2 Prepared) / Climate resistance: IP68
There’s nonetheless no telephone fairly just like the Extremely. The Galaxy S25 Extremely is Samsung’s ad click rate reply to the query, “What in case your telephone had all the options?” It’s outfitted with two telephoto cameras, a built-in stylus, and an enormous, shiny display screen. Good luck discovering that mixture in one other telephone. Associated: this is among the costliest slab-style telephones you should purchase.
The latest version of the Extremely comes with rounded corners and flat edges, making it extra comfy in your hand. However when you’re on the lookout for vital year-over-year enhancements to the Extremely formulation exterior of that, nicely, you gained’t discover a lot. Samsung’s focus has been on software program options, which is to say AI options. However AI on Galaxy telephones stays a combined bag — it’s definitely not the paradigm shift Samsung desires us to assume the S25 collection represents.
Picture: Allison Johnson / The Verge
All of that places the Extremely in a spot of barely much less distinction than earlier variations. The largest updates are software program options accessible to the remainder of the S25 collection. The Extremely appears and feels extra like different Galaxy telephones this time round, too. Greater than ever, it’s laborious to grasp what Samsung means when it calls this telephone “Extremely.” Nonetheless, it’s your most suitable option for a feature-packed Android telephone — even when it’s not fairly as extremely because it as soon as was.
The perfect Android telephone that isn’t enormous
$720
The Good
- The final fairly sized Android telephone
- Seven years of OS upgrades
- Excellent digital camera
The Unhealthy
- Samsung software program is as cluttered as standard
- AI continues to be a combined bag
Display: 6.2-inch 2340 x 1080 120hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Cameras: 50-megapixel primary with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel selfie Battery: 4000mAh / Charging: 25W wired, 15W wi-fi (Qi2 Prepared) / Climate-resistance score: IP68
Most individuals like an enormous telephone, and I get that. I do. If you would like an enormous Android telephone, you will have loads of choices in entrance of you. However a few of us like a smaller telephone — one thing that (sort of) matches in your pocket, or feels extra comfy in your hand. For us, there may be however one possibility on Android: the Samsung Galaxy S25.
That’s the common S25, not the Plus, which is a wonderful massive telephone. However the usual S25 is mainly the final of its sort: a full-featured telephone with a 6.2-inch display screen. It’s not small, nevertheless it’s not enormous, and we’ll must take what we will get. And it’s a darn good telephone that retains up with the larger units in all of the necessary methods: the battery goes all day, it comes with loads of RAM, and it even has an actual telephoto lens — not one thing you get on a fundamental, 6.1-inch telephone on, say, iOS.
Picture: Allison Johnson / The Verge
The Galaxy S25 isn’t only a good, small-ish telephone by default. It’s dependable, sturdy, and comes with the promise of seven years of OS updates. It’s not my decide for the general greatest Android telephone as a result of Samsung software program could be a bit a lot, however when you’re comfy within the Samsung ecosystem and also you simply desire a telephone that matches in your dang pocket, then that is the one to go together with.
The perfect telephone when you hate ready on your telephone to cost
$900
The Good
- Wonderful battery life
- Six years of safety updates
- Robust IP score for mud and water resistance
The Unhealthy
- Massive telephone is massive
- Not as many OS updates as Google and Samsung supply
Display: 6.82-inch 1440p 120Hz LTPO OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.6 primary with OIS, 50-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 50-megapixel f/2.0 ultrawide, 32-megapixel selfie / Battery: 6,000mAh / Charging: 80W wired, 50W wi-fi / Climate-resistance score: IP68 and IP69
There are many good causes to think about the OnePlus 13. It has an enormous, lovely display screen, and prices 100 bucks lower than the Galaxy S25 Plus. Its mud and water resistance is so sturdy you could possibly virtually use the telephone in a hurricane with out penalties. And its digital camera system is way improved 12 months over 12 months, significantly relating to low-light portraiture. However there’s one standout purpose to think about the 13: impatience.
The OnePlus 13 presents sufficient battery stamina to get via two days of average use on a single cost — and that’s with loads of power-draining options enabled, together with the always-on show. In the event you’re thriftier along with your cost, it might even transcend that. Forgot to cost in a single day? No massive deal; you possibly can in all probability simply cost it up on evening two. Charging can also be comparatively quick, and within the US, the telephone comes with an 80W wired charger within the field. So even when you do want a noon top-off, you’ll be capable to get hours of cost in a matter of minutes. No different flagship telephone presents that sort of charging (or not charging) flexibility.
$1499
The Good
- Wonderful outer display screen format
- Interior display screen is beautiful to make use of
- Seven years of OS updates
The Unhealthy
- Costly
- Foremost digital camera isn’t nearly as good as slab telephones
- Lengthy-term sturdiness?
Display: 8.0-inch 2076p 120Hz OLED interior display screen, 6.3-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED cowl display screen / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 primary with OIS, 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel selfie (cowl display screen), 10-megapixel interior selfie digital camera / Battery: 4,650mAh / Charging: 21W wired, 7.5W wi-fi / Climate resistance: IPX8
Does anybody actually want a folding telephone? In all probability not. However utilizing one is very good, and the Pixel 9 Professional Fold is the nicest book-style foldable I’ve used so far. It’s dear, it’s nonetheless bulkier than a slab-style telephone, and its cameras aren’t fairly as good as the opposite Pixel 9 Professional telephones. However it’s a pleasure to make use of, each as a daily telephone with the duvet display screen and whenever you unfold the large interior display screen.
The 9 Professional Fold is Google’s second folding telephone, following up the passport-shaped Pixel Fold with a format that feels far more acquainted. The outer display screen measures 6.3 inches on the diagonal, however extra importantly, the ratio is similar as Google’s slab telephones. By comparability, Samsung’s Z Fold 6 makes use of a taller, narrower format that feels cramped. Having used them each, I a lot want the 9 Professional Fold’s strategy.
That mentioned, the 9 Professional Fold isn’t with out compromises. The digital camera system isn’t fairly nearly as good as what you get within the different 9 Professional telephones. The outer display screen isn’t as sharp or shiny because the Pixel 9 Professional’s, both. And it’s not as sturdy as its slab-style counterparts — there’s no mud resistance, and you may’t get it repaired simply wherever. For $1,800, that’s an terrible lot to swallow. For the adventurous early adopter, although, the 9 Professional Fold will likely be very rewarding.
Different Android telephones value contemplating
There are a lot of extra nice Android units that weren’t coated right here, and some are value calling out that didn’t fairly make the lower for a suggestion.
- First off, there’s the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung’s glorious clamshell-style foldable. It’s not as a lot enjoyable to make use of because the 2024 Motorola Razr Plus — which facilitates utilizing apps on the duvet display screen extra simply — however Motorola’s observe file for software program updates isn’t nice, so the Z Flip 6 is a safer wager for a flip telephone. Read our review.
- The OnePlus Open can also be one other good book-style foldable possibility. It’s skinny and lightweight, and the software program consists of some considerate approaches to multitasking — an important a part of the folding telephone expertise. However it gained’t be supported with software program updates for so long as the Pixel 9 Professional Fold or the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Read our review.
- Talking of OnePlus, the corporate additionally not too long ago launched the OnePlus 13R, a midrange telephone with an enormous 6.78-inch OLED show and sufficient battery life to hold you thru two full days on a single cost. That mentioned, the $599 handset lacks wi-fi charging and full water resistance, each of which might be discovered on different budget-friendly telephones for much less. Read our review.
- Final however not least, there’s the Google Pixel 9A. It comes with some small however necessary updates over the 8A, together with extra strong water resistance and a barely greater, brighter display screen. Higher but, these enhancements don’t include a worth bump. With seven years of OS updates included, that’s a powerful ROI. Read our review.
Replace, Might sixth: Up to date present pricing / availability and added a point out of the OnePlus 13R.