The very best Android telephones for 2024

There’s one clear perk that Android has over iOS and that’s selection on the subject of the telephones you must select from. Apple has made the iPhone is the one sport on the town for iOS, however with Google’s working system, there are dozens of decisions on the market from producers like Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and others. However that additionally means it may be tough to resolve which gadget is greatest for you when it comes time to improve, or if you wish to change from iPhone to Android within the new 12 months. Should you’re searching for a brand new telephone and don’t know the place to begin, we’ve received you lined with a choice of the very best Android telephones for each funds.

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 will we take 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 way of 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 usually desire OLED panels that may produce wealthy, saturated colours with not less than 600 nits of brightness, although lots of our prime mid-range and high-end telephones can hit 1,000 nits or extra. And extra lately, most of our favourite gadgets additionally assist screens with quick refresh charges of 90Hz or 120Hz, which provides an additional stage 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 essential to contemplate issues like assist for wi-fi charging, energy sharing (aka reverse wi-fi charging) and UWB connectivity, which might have an effect on how your telephone interacts together with your different gadgets.

Cameras

Clearly, for pictures we’re searching for sharp, colourful pictures in each vivid and low-light circumstances. And we wish 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 photograph modes like timelapse, sluggish movement and extra.

Battery and software program

Lastly, by way of longevity, we’re searching for all-day battery life on gadgets that additionally delivered nice outcomes on our native video rundown take a look at (not less than 16 hours on a cost, however extra is clearly higher). Wi-fi charging capabilities have develop into nearly ubiquitous over the previous few years, and most of our prime picks have this additional perk. Quick-charging is obtainable on some Android telephones, too. Lastly, with individuals holding onto their telephones longer than ever, we prefer to see firms decide to not 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 extensive, 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 the most effective Android telephones round, with the Professional mannequin being the superior model. Nevertheless it was all the time somewhat too massive and too cumbersome for these of us who’ve smaller fingers 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 giant 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 characteristic to get to the smaller dimension, which 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 be a lot longer-lasting than the XL, notching nearly 25 hours on our battery take a look at.

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 common grown-up vibe. Whereas earlier Pixel flagships had a colourful, blocky design that felt recent, this 12 months’s gadgets really feel stable and refined. And, dare we are saying it, nearly like iPhones. With out the digicam bars, they might be fairly laborious to inform other than Apple’s telephones.

Presumably as a result of it is grown up a lot over time, however the Pixel telephones now value 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 is perhaps adequate to justify a premium value. Should you nonetheless need one thing from the Pixel 9 household however do not wish to pay $1,000, the bottom Pixel 9 remains 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 12 months of Gemini Superior without cost
Unbelievable battery life
A ravishing, vivid display screen that’s straightforward to make use of open air
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 extensive, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP entrance digicam | Battery: 4,49mAh

Google’s A-series Pixels have lengthy been a number of the greatest midrange telephones available on the market. 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 wonderful cameras, a stunning 120Hz OLED show and nice battery life. The gadget 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 is perhaps the most effective offers available on the market.

Execs

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

Cons

Gradual 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, sooner 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 largest 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 this time and a built-in stylus, you will have 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.

$46 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 extensive, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto), 10MP entrance digicam | Battery: 4,650mAh

The small however mighty enhancements Google delivered to its second-gen foldable have pushed it to the entrance of the pack. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold turns the considerably unfinished authentic Pixel Fold right into a stable handset prepared for prime time. Google refined its design to have a side 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 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 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 enhancing instruments like Magic Editor offer you 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