The Android ecosystem is all about selection. Whereas iPhone house owners have a smaller pool of latest gadgets to select from when it’s time to improve, there’s a a lot wider vary of decisions on Android. You need unimaginable digital camera zoom? A built-in stylus? A telephone that runs an entire desktop setting if you plug it right into a monitor? You could find it on Android. Heck, you could find all of that in a single gadget.
On the flip facet, all that selection could make for some arduous selections. Right here’s the place I’d like to assist; I’ve examined a complete 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 in search of, what you’re snug spending, and what your definition of a “moderately sized telephone” is. (I’ve my very own, personally.)
If Samsung’s S24-series launch occasion is something to go by, then it’s a secure guess that this 12 months’s cellular tech buzzword might be AI. Typically talking, AI has but to actually impress me on a telephone. Google’s Pixel telephones have some neat AI picture modifying methods, and Galaxy gadgets can translate a telephone name for you in actual time. This stuff are nothing to sneeze at! However simply remember the fact that you’re all the time just some faucets away from AI-gone-wrong atrocities like Pillow Arm. Finest to not put an excessive amount of inventory in any firm’s AI claims simply but.
In case you reside within the US, I’ve some dangerous information in regards to the Android market, although. For sophisticated 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 obtainable right here. I’ve restricted this information to the gadgets 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 “free of charge” from their wi-fi service. In case you can handle it, shopping for a telephone unlocked offers you essentially the most flexibility and freedom if you find yourself wanting to vary carriers within the close to future. Telephone producers additionally provide financing and trade-in offers to make fee extra manageable. However in case you’re completely happy together with your service and the free telephone on provide is the one you really need, by all means, take the free telephone. Simply be sure you perceive the phrases, particularly if it’s worthwhile to change plans to money in on the deal.
Nonetheless you go about it, you may have some improbable choices to your subsequent Android telephone.
One of the best Android telephone general
$1000
In contrast to years previous, the Galaxy S24 Plus will get the identical QHD decision because the Extremely mannequin. In any other case, it provides a really comparable expertise to the bottom mannequin, solely it’s noticeably larger at 6.7 inches. That makes it roomy sufficient for an even bigger 4,900mAh battery with 45W quick charging, too.
Display: 6.7-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F1.8 major with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,900mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wi-fi / Climate resistance: IP68
Samsung’s larger flagship — however not the large large flagship — is as soon as once more the very best Android telephone for most individuals. The Galaxy S24 Plus is a crowd-pleaser if the crowds need a large display, spectacular cameras, and good battery life (I feel they do).
Samsung makes a giant deal about its AI options, that are like all AI options on telephones proper now: hit-and-miss. You’ll be able to have the telephone act as a real-time language translator on telephone calls. It really works properly sufficient and will actually come in useful in a pinch. However the generative AI picture edits? Nonetheless very a lot a piece in progress.
Outdoors of software program updates, you received’t discover a lot new {hardware} right here — and that’s fantastic. The up to date Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset is highly effective sufficient for nearly anybody, the battery is slightly larger, and the display will get a decision bump this 12 months for a crisper picture. If these sound like minor updates, it’s as a result of they’re. However that’s okay if you’re already giving the folks what they need.
Learn my full overview of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus.
One of the best maximalist telephone
Display: 6.8-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Cameras: 200-megapixel major with OIS, 50-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,000mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wi-fi / Climate resistance: IP68
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely says all of it within the title: Extremely. It has every thing you possibly can ask for in a telephone — properly, at the very least one which doesn’t fold in half. There’s a stylus, two telephoto cameras, an enormous battery, and top-of-the-line ding dang screens on any telephone, anyplace.
So why am I slightly underwhelmed? For starters, Samsung swapped final 12 months’s 10x telephoto digital camera for a higher-resolution 5x digital camera that makes use of in-sensor crop to zoom to 10x. It is a smart transfer, and photographs at 10x look fantastic, if not as crisp as they did on the final mannequin. It’s additionally pricier this time round, and it was already an costly telephone. It’s fairly darn heavy, too, and Samsung’s swap to titanium for the body hasn’t made it any lighter.
Private emotions in regards to the zoom lens apart, the S24 Extremely remains to be principally peerless. Its much-touted AI options are fantastic, but when there’s one factor that makes it definitely worth the improve, it’s the display. Its anti-glare coating and boosted most brightness make it so snug to make use of exterior it’s nearly magic. That’s hardly a flowery new tech characteristic, however the Galaxy S24 Extremely is hardly any outdated telephone.
Learn my full overview of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely.
One of the best telephone in case you’re sick of listening to about AI
Display: 6.82-inch 1440p 120Hz LTPO OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.6 major with OIS, 64-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 48-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide / Battery: 5400mAh / Charging: 80W wired, 50W wi-fi / Climate-resistance ranking: IP65
After just a few years and a little soul-searching, OnePlus is again to its roots. The OnePlus 12 is a wonderful gadget with high-end efficiency with a aggressive worth: $799 for the bottom mannequin with a hefty 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
For that worth, you get a crisp 1440p 6.8-inch show, a top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and a succesful digital camera. It helps wi-fi charging, one thing that earlier OnePlus flagships have skipped. Battery efficiency is improbable, too — energy customers can get by a full day, and light-weight customers can stretch it to 2.
What stands out in regards to the OnePlus 12, although, may simply be what’s not right here: a bunch of AI options. Truthfully? That’s sort of refreshing. A number of the AI options Google and Samsung are busy delivery proper now are good, however none of them really feel important. If you wish to sit out this AI hype cycle however you continue to need a fantastic telephone, the OnePlus 12 could be the one.
Learn my full overview of the OnePlus 12.
One of the best telephone for household images
Display: 6.7-inch 1344p 120Hz LTPO OLED / Processor: Tensor G3 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.7 major with OIS, 48-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 48-megapixel ultrawide / Battery: 5050mAh / Charging: 30W wired, 23W wi-fi with Pixel Stand 2 / Climate-resistance ranking: IP68
Anybody who’s ever tried to {photograph} a younger youngster understands what a telephone digital camera is up in opposition to: an unpredictable (however lovable!) topic that received’t. Ever. Sit. Nonetheless. The Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Professional sort out this age-old downside with some new tech: AI. And in contrast to most up-to-date AI options on smartphones, these instruments actually do come in useful.
Each telephones embrace an AI modifying instrument that may allow you to select the very best expression for every particular person in your picture if you take a burst of photos — particularly helpful if you wish to get one with everybody trying on the digital camera. There’s AI to enhance the audio in your movies, too, permitting you to attenuate distracting background noises.
The Pixel 8 and eight Professional have extremely succesful cameras on the whole, although solely the pricier 8 Professional has a telephoto lens. It’s definitely worth the improve in case you’re a eager photographer. The 8 Professional additionally comes with an even bigger display and battery, which lots of people will respect. The sunshine and svelte Pixel 8, with its 6.2-inch display, is an effective selection for small-ish telephone followers. Each telephones use Google’s Tensor G3 chipset, although solely the 8 Professional is ready to run giant language fashions on-device — that’ll be essential sooner or later as AI instruments (probably?) turn into extra helpful.
In any other case, the 8 and eight Professional are good all-around gadgets — simply know that Pixels are sadly prone to an uncommon bug right here and there. Not one of the overview items I’ve examined have suffered from them, however they’re out there.
Learn my full overview of the Google Pixel 8 and eight Professional.
One of the best foldable telephone
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 appears so much like its predecessor, however it now folds flat due to a brand new hinge with fewer shifting components. It maintains the 7.6-inch internal show and slender 6.2-inch cowl display, however it now makes use of the identical Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor present in Samsung’s Galaxy S23 telephones.
Display: 7.6-inch 2176p 120Hz OLED internal display, 6.2-inch 2316p 120Hz OLED cowl display / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F/1.8 major with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel selfie (cowl display), four-megapixel under-display selfie (internal display) / Battery: 4,400mAh / Charging: 25W wired, 15W wi-fi / Climate resistance: IPX8
Samsung’s flagship foldable is due for alternative quickly, so preserve that in thoughts in case you’re contemplating the Z Fold 5. However its multitasking capabilities stay second to none, and it’s lighter and simpler to wield than Google’s Pixel Fold. The slender dimensions of the duvet show make it slightly awkward to make use of for normal telephone stuff, however that’s an affordable tradeoff contemplating every thing that the Fold 5 can do.
There are some essential issues to contemplate, although, beginning with the $1800 worth. That’s what the Pixel Fold prices, too, however it doesn’t matter the way you take a look at it — that’s so much to pay for a telephone. The Fold 5 isn’t dust-resistant, both, so that you’ll need to be considerably cautious together with your funding.
The Fold 5 isn’t precisely teeming with technological enhancements over final 12 months’s mannequin, both. There’s a brand new hinge that folds flat fairly than with a niche between the 2 halves of the telephone, and that’s about it. A few software program updates that it provides will come to older Fold gadgets sooner or later, so there’s not a lot cause to hurry out and commerce in your Fold 4 for a Fold 5.
In case you’re a faithful Pixel fan or averse to the Fold 5’s slender type issue when closed, Google’s foldable could be a more sensible choice. However for most individuals, the Galaxy Fold 5’s versatility and good latest monitor report for sturdiness make it a greater guess.
Learn my full overview of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
One of the best telephone that places on a lightweight present
The Nothing Telephone 2 embraces a sure retro-infused aesthetic that’s in contrast to the rest you’ll discover in the marketplace. It’s not licensed to work on Verizon, and its rear-panel LED gentle strips are extra fashionable than useful, however it’s a superb different to the massive Android manufacturers.
Display: 6.7-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F/1.9 major with OIS, 50-megapixel ultrawide, 32-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 45W wired, 15W wi-fi / Climate resistance: IP54
The Nothing Telephone 2 doesn’t provide the perfect worth proposition in its upper-midrange class. But when it’s fashion you’re after and one thing slightly flashy (properly, so much flashy), then the Telephone 2 is a simple decide.
It provides a superb 6.7-inch display, nice day by day efficiency and battery life, and a succesful digital camera system. However that’s the same old stuff — what’s uncommon in regards to the Telephone 2 is its set of LED gentle strips on the again panel. They illuminate in mixtures referred to as “glyphs,” and you’ll set them to provide you with a warning to sure notifications. It’s neat however in the end isn’t as useful because the system’s customizable always-on show.
On the draw back, the Telephone 2 is barely splash-resistant fairly than totally proof against water submersion like nearly all different telephones over $500. It’s additionally not totally supported on Verizon’s community, which takes it out of rivalry for lots of the US inhabitants.
If neither of the above is a deal-breaker, and the Telephone 2’s styling appeals to you, then it’s a superb selection. One factor’s for certain — it positively stands out from the group.
Learn my full overview of the Nothing Telephone 2.
Different Android telephones value contemplating
There are various extra nice Android gadgets that weren’t lined right here, and some are value calling out that didn’t fairly make the reduce for a suggestion.
- First off, there’s the Galaxy Z Flip 5, a clamshell-style foldable that’s due for alternative quickly, very like the Z Fold 5. The newest Flip is way extra helpful than its predecessors, due to an even bigger 3.4-inch cowl display that permits you to kind out texts and emails on a full QWERTY keyboard. It’s not as versatile because the Fold 5, however it additionally costs a more reasonable $999. Motorola’s Razr and Razr Plus flip telephones are actually within the combine, too, however we’re nonetheless testing the 2024 variations.
- On the opposite facet of the foldable spectrum, the OnePlus Open is a welcome addition to the combination with the very best display format on a book-style folding telephone. It’s skinny and light-weight, and the software program contains some considerate approaches to multitasking — a vital a part of the folding telephone expertise. At $1,700, it’s simply $100 shy of the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5 and misses a few key options that each of these different choices embrace: wi-fi charging and an IPX8 ranking. But when these omissions don’t hassle you and the shape issue appeals, it’s a stunning gadget to make use of.
- Final however not least, there’s the Google Pixel 8A. In case you actually need to maximize the return in your funding, it’s arduous to beat Google’s newest midrange telephone. It covers all the basics for $499 whereas providing seven years of software program help.
Replace, June twenty ninth: Added a point out of the Google Pixel 8A, flagged Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked occasion, and famous Motorola’s 2024 Razr flip telephones.