Best Android phones in 2024

Life is all about choice, and giving you options is Android’s true power in the smartphone space. The best smartphones are all about meeting your needs, which is why many of the best ones run Android. The flexibility and versatility that Android offers simply can not be found on competing devices. In addition to being able to customize the Android OS to your heart’s content, various manufacturers are bringing different designs and approaches to the table.

Some people need a flagship device that can do just about everything extremely well, some may want a powerful device with the best of everything, while others may be more intrigued by the latest foldable phones. Android devices even have a slew of smaller phones, if that’s more your speed.

We’ve even included a budget phone on our list to prove you don’t need to spend over $1,000 to get a fantastic Android experience. Whatever your criteria, Android OEMs have a device that fits the bill. Let’s take a look at our top picks.

Top-reviewed Android phones

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is everything fans of Pixel phones have been waiting for. Google shed much of its past baggage by delivering a phone that addressed many of our prior misgivings. It earns our badge of best overall with its excellent performance, premium build quality, and gorgeous display. It builds on many improvements made with the Pixel 8 Pro, with additional measures taken to control heat and improve battery life.

The Pixel 9 Pro features a 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED display that refreshes at 120Hz. Google increased the maximum brightness to 3,000 nits for 2024. The display is vibrant and easily readable outdoors. Google also improved its Tensor G4 chipset, making it more power and heat-efficient. In addition, Google fitted the Pixel 9 Pro with a vapor chamber, helping heat dissipation.

Google promises seven years of software support for the Pixel 9 Pro, including major Android upgrades. It’s impressive support, and we’re glad Google is sticking with it. The Pixel 9 Pro’s software features Google’s latest and greatest AI enhancements, including Gemini Live. Gemini Live allows you to have natural, free-flowing conversations with your voice assistant, making it ideal for brainstorming. Pixel Studio is a fun way to generate images from just a few words. Of course, fan favorites like Now Playing and Call Screening are still around.

Of course, there are the versatile Pixel cameras. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 50MP primary sensor, 48MP 5x optical periscope zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide. Images from its camera are consistent and exactly what you’d expect from Google’s computational photography. Night Sight is excellent, producing crisp and detailed low-light photos.

While some criticize its iPhone-like appearance, the Pixel 9 Pro is the company’s best design to date, with clean lines and a fantastic feel in the hand. It sports Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, with a polished aluminum frame. All told, if you pick up a Pixel this year, you won’t be disappointed.

It’s worth noting we’re a fan of the entire Pixel 9 series this year. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a larger screen experience, and the more affordable Pixel 9 still gives you a great display, Tensor G4 performance, and 12GB of RAM for less cash.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra checks all the boxes of a premium pick — including the price. While we still recommend the S24+ for most users, the S24 Ultra is popular among hardcore users and former Galaxy Note fans. It’s a much different conversation this year, as Samsung has brought the S24+ up to spec; you no longer have to compromise on RAM or a QHD display merely because you don’t want to pay extra for the S24 Ultra.

While you pay a lot for the S24 Ultra, you won’t be short on features, with its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and gorgeous display, making Samsung’s flagship a top performer. You’ll get excellent frames on high graphics settings in most AAA mobile games, with the S24 Ultra also capable of chewing through video and photo editing on the go. If you have a particularly long work day or enjoy your phone lasting well into the evening, the S24 Ultra gets excellent battery life, comfortably providing over 8 hours of screen-on time.

Let’s also not forget the S-pen, which represents more than just nostalgia for Galaxy Note fans. One UI 6.1 features a full suite of stylus functions, from making gifs to entertain friends to taking selfies remotely. It’s also just convenient to write on the display, whether it’s for simple note-taking or signing documents out in the field.

The S24 Ultra’s 6.8-inch Super AMOLED QHD display is gorgeous, and its 2,600 nits peak brightness means you’ll have little trouble viewing it outdoors. When you add in the premium titanium frame and flat glass back, the S24 Ultra provides one of the most premium smartphone experiences you can buy stateside. If you enjoy buying the best of the best, need an S-pen, and want the most versatile camera Samsung offers, the S24 Ultra should be your pick

Google’s A-series phones have always been solid performers considering their more accessible price tags, and the Pixel 8a is shaping up to not only continue that trend, but perhaps even close the gap with the company’s mainstream flagships. While getting a smartphone under $500 necessitates a few compromises, Google has done a better job than ever in making the right ones here, creating an A-series phone that delivers more bang for your buck than ever.

For example, while last year’s Pixel 7a cut corners on screen quality, the Pixel 8a packs in the same Actua-quality panel as the Pixel 8. It’s a bright and vibrant display with solid viewing angles that we think most folks will enjoy — as long as you can get past the larger bezels which remain just as large as they were on last year’s budget model. While there are some subtle technical differences between the displays, we don’t think these are things most folks need to care about. The back is also plastic rather than glass, but it’s a lovely matte finish that feels great in the hand and won’t turn into a fingerprint magnet.

Naturally, Google has also put its Tensor G3 chip into this model, too, which means great performance. More importantly, Google finally nailed the efficiency curve with the G3, which means the Pixel 8a will run far cooler and consume less power when faced with demanding tasks like gaming. Even during the break-in period, we’ve found we can easily get through a full day of heavy use with over 30 percent battery remaining.

Of course, like any other Pixel phone, what makes Google’s Pixel 8a really compelling is its photographic prowess. You won’t find much new here compared to prior models, but that’s not a bad thing at all considering how far ahead Google’s image processing is from what most other smartphones offer. The Google Pixel 8a will easily take the best photos you’ll get from a phone in its price range, which really makes it stand out from the pack.

There are other phones on this list with similar price tags that offer better screens and faster chips, but the Pixel 8a still punches above its weight class in both of these areas, and no other phone even holds a candle to it for producing photos that are naturally balanced, vibrant, and sharp even under some of the most challenging conditions. Like every other A-series, the flagship Pixel phones still pack in better sensors, but Google’s magic has always been in the Tensor chip’s image signal processing and its clever software algorithms.

If we’re being honest, the Pixel 9 Pro isn’t for everyone. Whether it’s the relatively restricted launcher, the love-it-or-hate-it design, or the bugs that have earned Google a reputation for turning its users into beta testers, anyone wanting to stay away from the Pixel is likely to find themselves checking out whatever Samsung’s been working on for the past year. And while you might think the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the obvious comparison point, in 2024, we actually think most users should check out Samsung’s middle child, the Galaxy S24+, instead.

Unlike previous generations, where skipping out on the S Pen-equipped phone meant some serious downgrades in specs, the Galaxy S24+ goes toe-to-toe with its bigger sibling. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor (at least stateside; globally, this phone is powered by Exynos, which may push some shoppers away), 12GB of RAM, and a QHD+ display make this feel every bit a flagship for a whopping $300 less than the Ultra. We also think it has a better design too; you’ll lose out on that new titanium build, but the flat edges and rounded corners help the Galaxy S24+ fit more comfortably in your hand.

Samsung is just as focused on AI as any other tech company right now, and you’ll find One UI 6.1 loaded up with new ways to interact with your keyboard, camera, and more. Unfortunately, Galaxy AI can’t make up for the overall mixed results we’ve seen when taking photos with this phone, which holds it back from gracing the very top of this list. More than ever, Samsung is struggling to process moving subjects reliably, something that desperately needs to be improved through a software fix if we’re to give this phone a wholehearted recommendation. Still, if Google isn’t for you, the Galaxy S24+ is absolutely worth a look.

2023 was truly the year of the foldable, especially in the US, where previous competition included Samsung and, well, not much else. That changed thanks to launches by Google, Motorola, and, most impressively, OnePlus. The OnePlus Open arrived late in the year, after Galaxy and Pixel devices had already lined store shelves, to leave plenty of reviewers with their jaws on the floor. Though the company may seem like the US arm of Oppo more than ever before, that didn’t stop the Open from becoming one of the best foldables you can buy today.

The OnePlus Open is jam-packed with all the usual 2023 specs — a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, loads of RAM, and a large battery ready to power your experience. It’s all in a chassis that’s thinner and lighter than anything else available in North America, as little as 239 grams in the black colorway. The outer 6.3-inch display feels like a standard smartphone screen, while the inner 7.82-inch panel is one of the best on any foldable yet. And due to its matte anti-glare screen protector, it’s easy to read in all lighting conditions, all while the crease is barely existent.

The large camera module on the back of the device seems destined to be divisive among fans, but it houses the most impressive phone camera you can buy on a foldable today. It’s not as consistent as something like the Pixel 9 Pro’s camera, but it’s a lot of fun to shoot with. OxygenOS remains as lackluster as ever, though the Open Canvas feature for multitasking puts it leagues beyond the competition. And the battery is long-lasting and fast-charging, though at the sacrifice of wireless charging. Boo, OnePlus.

Despite its age, the OnePlus Open remains the best all-around foldable you can buy today. It has better multitasking features and gaming performance than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a better camera with more personality than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and a year after launch, is routinely on sale for just $1,300. It might not be as svelte as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but in every other way, this feels like a modern foldable worthy of your consideration in 2024.

Last year Motorola came out swinging with the Razr+, hoping to regain the best flip phone title. With the 2024 edition of the Razr+, Motorola continues to push Samsung and the flip category forward. The Razr+ is such a great phone that it has allowed Motorola to regain its title of best flip phone manufacturer, at least for the time being.

Motorola arguably already has the best and most versatile cover display and this year it has increased the cover display to an almost edge-to-edge 4 inches in size. This LTPO OLED display has a 165Hz refresh rate, making it both beautiful to look at and silky smooth.

Unfolding the Razr+ reveals an enhanced hinge and a large 6.9-inch internal display. The hinge has been tweaked slightly, giving it a sturdy and satisfying feel. The internal pOLED display has a 2640 x 1080 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, as well as up to 3000 nits of brightness, ensuring you’ll never have trouble seeing the display outdoors.

The Razr+ comes with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. Performance buffs may scoff that Motorola didn’t equip this device with Qualcomm’s flagship processor, but the Razr+ has more than enough power to handle anything you can throw at it. With a 4,000mAh battery, you can expect easily make it through a full day on a single charge.

The Razr+ has a much improved dual camera setup, including a 50MP f/1.7 main lens and a 50MP f/2.0 telephoto lens. There’s no ultrawide this year as Motorola opted to replace it with the telephoto lens. These cameras are quite good, not quite to the level of the best camera phones, but are much improved over Motorola’s previous attempts.

Motorola’s Achilles heal as of late has been their software policy. Motorola has promised three Android updates, which fall behind the likes of Google and Samsung’s seven years of support. Motorola is also very slow to issue upgrades. So long as you don’t care about which version of Android is on your device, the Razr+ is a great choice.

If you’re looking for the ultimate budget phone, you won’t find it from Samsung or Google. This year, OnePlus shook up the midrange competition with the OnePlus 12R, the first time the R-series has ever earned a global debut. It’s an impressive one at that: this is a $500 smartphone that looks an awful lot like a flagship phone from 2023, and at this price point, it’s hard to go wrong.

From the overall design to the curved glass edges to the underlying processor, the OnePlus 12R could even be mistaken for a rebranded version of last year’s OnePlus 11. And yes, the core specs sheet — a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8 or 16GB of RAM, 80W fast charging — sure looks familiar at first glance. But OnePlus has made some interesting changes here, and it all starts with the display. The 6.78-inch QHD+ panel on this phone is perhaps the best I’ve seen on a device in this price range. At 1,600 nits, it’s in line with the flagship OnePlus 12, and far beyond anything the company’s produced before. Compared with the likes of the Pixel 7a and its mediocre 90Hz panel, it’s night and day.

The rest of this specs sheet is as good as you probably remember. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, in particular, isn’t all that different from its successor in terms of raw power — this smartphone is still better at gaming and other intensive tasks than anything else on the market. Really, the biggest downside is the camera. It’s not bad, but it falls far short of the Pixel A-series, and without the Hasselblad color profile, that signature OnePlus pop just isn’t there. Still, this is a mighty impressive smartphone for the price, and it’s going to take a lot of work for other Android OEMs to best it.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 brings many improvements and enhancements over its predecessor. Its small form factor and compact package offer a unique device that can practically fit in any pocket and backpack. The phone is also made of premium materials and powered by a premium chipset.

The Flip 6 might have a similar look and similar displays to its predecessor, but it has a usable 3.4-inch cover, and a beautiful, and even brighter 6.7-inch AMOLED display that looks gorgeous in all lighting conditions. Whether you want to consume content, play games, or multitask, it’ll serve you well with its large screen estate and compact design. The cover screen can also display selected apps, notifications, and even widgets.

The camera takes decent photos in most lighting conditions, and we found the battery lasts about a full day on a single charge — depending on how intensively you use it. The more capable chip certainly helps make things more efficient, which also helps improve the camera quality.

If you’re looking for a great all-rounder and one of the best flip foldable devices that’s readily available, features seven years of software and security updates, and offers just about all the features you might need, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is worth considering.

The OnePlus 12R might be an undoubtedly impressive debut for the company’s midrange series, but we’re equally impressed with the 2024 proper flagship. The OnePlus 12 builds on everything the company got right in 2023, all while making the necessary improvements to keep its phones in the conversation. From the striking marble green colorway to the top-tier specs sheet, it’s hard to find a better flagship bargain for $800 right now.

If there’s one thing the OnePlus 12 isn’t, it’s surprising. The core design is nearly unchanged from last year, while the under-the-hood performance is everything you’d expect to find on a modern Android phone. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is as great a chip as we’d hoped for, while the 6.82-inch display is bright, vivid, and as impressive as anything Samsung has on its phones. It’s still curved, though, and while some users might appreciate it, others might find the overall design lacking compared to flat edges from its peers.

Unlike the OnePlus 12R, though, this phone doesn’t feel like its cutting as many corners to hit a price tag lower than the competition. Wireless charging is back, for example, and at 50W with a compatible charger, it’s as speedy as ever. Likewise, Hasselblad’s color profile has come a long way; shooting on this smartphone feels a lot like shooting on the OnePlus Open, and that’s far from a bad thing. There’s still space for changes next year — IP65 dust and water resistance isn’t quite up to par with modern standards — but this is as close to the full package as we’ve seen from OnePlus in years, and at a price that’s not too hard to swallow.

We understand not everyone wants to spend upwards of $1,000 on their next smartphone, and most people won’t even use the added horsepower provided by the other entries on this list. If you’re looking to save a few dollars but still get a solid Android experience, the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G offers many of Android’s benefits without the massive hit to your wallet.

We’ll start with the display, a gorgeous 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel refreshing at 90Hz. It’s crisp and contrasty, providing a great experience while binging content or playing games. Speaking of gaming, the A15 is powered by the Dimensity 6100+, allowing for better performance in games like Genshin Impact and other titles you wouldn’t expect at this price point.

While we feel it’s limited by 4GB of RAM, the Galaxy A15 still includes some fan favorites like a 3.5mm headphone jack and expandable storage — the only device on our list to include both. The A15 may not be constructed of glass and titanium like its more expensive siblings, but it at least looks the part, with Samsung streamlining its design language across all devices.

Moreover, the A15 has serviceable cameras and fantastic battery life, adding value. All told, it’s a hard package to beat for $200, and when you add in five years of software support, the Galaxy A15 becomes an attractive Android option.

Usually, a phone like the Galaxy S24 Ultra would be reserved for the premium section on this list — it is, after all, one of the most expensive smartphones on the market. But with the Galaxy S24+ having made so many strides compared to its predecessor, it only makes sense for us to recommend that phone in its place, as you’re no longer required to get the Ultra to enjoy features like a QHD display and a higher refresh rate. However, there are still plenty of fans of the old Note series, and the S24 Ultra is ideal for them.

While you pay a lot for the S24 Ultra, you won’t be short on features, with its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and gorgeous display, making Samsung’s flagship a top performer. You’ll get excellent frames on high graphics settings in most AAA mobile games, with the S24 Ultra also capable of chewing through video and photo editing on the go. If you have a particularly long work day or enjoy your phone lasting well into the evening, the S24 Ultra gets excellent battery life, comfortably providing over 8 hours of screen-on time.

Let’s also not forget the S-pen, which represents more than just nostalgia for Galaxy Note fans. One UI 6.1 features a full suite of stylus functions, from making gifs to entertain friends to taking selfies remotely. It’s also just convenient to write on the display, whether it’s for simple note-taking or signing documents out in the field.

The S24 Ultra’s 6.8-inch Super AMOLED QHD display is gorgeous, and its 2,600 nits peak brightness means you’ll have little trouble viewing it outdoors. When you add in the premium titanium frame and flat glass back, the S24 Ultra provides one of the most premium smartphone experiences you can buy stateside. If you enjoy buying the best of the best, need an S-pen, and want the most versatile camera Samsung offers, the S24 Ultra should be your pick

What are the most important things to look for in an Android phone?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the specifications and features thrown around in a phone’s product listing or reviews. Ultrasonic fingerprint sensors, 100x zoom cameras, S Pen stylus support, UWB, and the list goes on, but what do you actually need, and what’s just icing on the proverbial cake? There are four key features you should look at in a new phone — after you decide on your budget, of course:

• Camera
• Screen
• Battery
• Software and updates

Camera

While the camera might not be the most important feature for some buyers, it’s a good indicator of overall speed, performance, and quality. For example, if a review mentions that the camera takes too long to open or too long between shots when snapping multiple photos in succession, that’s a hint that the phone’s long-term performance might be more sluggish than what initial reviews indicate.

Screen

Most phones today come with screens in the 6.4 to 6.8-inch range, though aspect ratio certainly plays a role in how wide/narrow/tall/short a phone ends up feeling in your hand. If you prefer more petite devices, be prepared for a difficult search if you want to go smaller than the 6.1-inch Samsung Galaxy S24. There are three other screen features to consider: curved screens, high refresh rates, and maximum brightness. Curved screens can look lovely, but it’s often harder for tempered glass screen protectors to fit on them — and they can also be harder to grip without accidental touches.

Meanwhile, when it comes to refresh rates, the higher, the better. 60Hz is the classic rate, but 90Hz and 120Hz are becoming much more common, even among mid-range and budget phones like the Samsung Galaxy A15. You’ll get a smoother experience with a high refresh rate display, but often at the cost of battery life. Finally, make sure you pay attention to your phone’s screen brightness if you spend time outdoors. If a screen doesn’t get very bright, it’ll be hard to read outside. You don’t necessarily need a screen that can reach 2,600 nits like the S24 Ultra, but 800 nits is a nice goal if you need to reliably and regularly use your phone outside in full sun.

Battery

The brighter your screen, the more power it consumes. However, a battery is more than just a number on a spec sheet; be sure to read the reviews and see how that battery fares in actual use in reviews. While a good power bank or a fast phone charger can somewhat offset a smaller battery, nothing can replace getting a phone with a proper battery life from the start.

Software and updates

And of course, when it comes to software, you’ll want to look for features you care about crossed with a reliable update schedule. Some users can’t stand how One UI behaves towards most third-party launchers or how over-stuffed Samsung’s apps and features are, flocking instead to the Pixel 8 series and its cleaner design. Others prefer how flexible One UI can be compared to the competition, especially with add-ons like Good Lock.

When looking at a phone’s promised updates, it’s important to remember a few things. Platform updates are updates to the features and Android level of your phone; the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 series will get seven years of OS upgrades and security patches.

What’s the best Android phone you can buy?

This list represents the best Android has to offer and is a true testament to the versatility that the platform offers. From flagship-level specs to years of software support, the best Android devices are required to do many things very well. As a result, they command a price tag reflective of the level of craftmanship that has gone into each one of these devices.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL offers the best combination of performance, features, and software support. It has one of the best cameras you can find on a smartphone and sells at a price that undercuts some of the competition. If you’re looking to protect your new Pixel 9 Pro XL, be sure to check out our best picks for cases.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a great device if you are looking for a phone that offers just about every feature you can think of, is extremely powerful, and offers fantastic battery life. It’s also one of the more expensive devices on this list and is held back a little by its camera, which struggles when capturing moving images.

As usual, Google’s Pixel 8a follows in the footsteps of its flagship Pro sibling by providing the same sort of well-rounded experience at a remarkably affordable price. You get a fast Tensor G3 chip and a gorgeous display. Although the camera sensors are a notch down from Google’s top-end models, they still capture incredible photos under some of the most challenging conditions thanks to Google’s legendary computational photography capabilities.

No matter what device you are looking for, Android has you covered. Android devices come in various shapes, sizes, and performance levels, making finding the perfect one easy.