The most effective Android telephones to purchase in 2024

The Android ecosystem is all about selection. Whereas iPhone homeowners have a smaller pool of recent units to choose 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 will discover it on Android. Heck, you’ll find all of that in a single gadget.

On the flip aspect, all that selection could make for some arduous choices. Right here’s the place I’d like to assist; I’ve examined a complete boatload of current Android telephones, and I feel there are some actual winners within the present batch. It’s all a matter of what you’re searching for, what you’re snug spending, and what your definition of a “fairly sized telephone” is. (I’ve my very own, personally.)

As you sift by means of the choices, you’ll nearly actually come throughout tech’s favourite buzzphrase of the 12 months: AI. Typically talking, AI has but to actually impress me on a telephone. The Pixel 9 sequence has some probably helpful options, like a brand new 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 massive tech firms hold promising. Finest to not put an excessive amount of inventory in any firm’s AI claims simply but.

If you happen to dwell within the US, I’ve some unhealthy information concerning the Android market, although. For classy causes having to do with “capitalism” and “geopolitics,” we don’t get almost 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 price acknowledging that most individuals within the US get their telephones “totally free” from their wi-fi service. If you happen to can handle it, shopping for a telephone unlocked provides you with probably the most flexibility and freedom if you find yourself wanting to alter carriers within the close to future. Telephone producers additionally provide financing and trade-in offers to make fee extra manageable. However when you’re pleased together with your service and the free telephone on provide 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. 

Nonetheless you go about it, you could have some implausible choices in your subsequent Android telephone.

Display screen: 6.3-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.7 foremost 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 healthier than ever, and the entire Pixel 9 lineup feels simply as polished as something you’d get from Samsung or Apple. However at $799, the fundamental Pixel 9 is in a very interesting place, and when you don’t want a telephoto digital camera or the largest display, then that is the Android telephone to get.

The Pixel 9 comes with some important quality-of-life enhancements like a sooner fingerprint scanner for unlocking the telephone. The digital camera is as dependable as ever, and when you’re into AI picture enhancing tips, boy does this telephone have ‘em. There’s a brand new Screenshots app that acts as a spot to retailer all the info that may in any other case be misplaced at sea in your digital camera roll, and it makes use of AI to parse info out and make it searchable. Kinda useful.

Even with out AI, this is a superb telephone. It’s additionally designed to go the gap, with seven years of promised OS updates, which very possible 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 needs a pleasant Android telephone that works.

Learn my Google Pixel 9 overview.

Display screen: 6.8-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Cameras: 200-megapixel foremost 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 the whole lot you possibly can ask for in a telephone — nicely, no less than one which doesn’t fold in half. There’s a stylus, two telephoto cameras, a large battery, and probably the greatest ding dang screens on any telephone, anyplace.

So why am I somewhat 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 images at 10x look positive, 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 change to titanium for the body hasn’t made it any lighter.

Private emotions concerning the zoom lens apart, the S24 Extremely remains to be mainly peerless. Its much-touted AI options are positive, 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 previous telephone.

Learn my Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely overview.

Display screen: 6.82-inch 1440p 120Hz LTPO OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.6 foremost 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 a couple of years and somewhat soul-searching, OnePlus is again to its roots. The OnePlus 12 is a superb 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 implausible, too — energy customers can get by means of a full day, and light-weight customers can stretch it to 2.

What stands out concerning the OnePlus 12, although, may simply be what’s not right here: a bunch of AI options. Truthfully? That’s form of refreshing. A number of the AI options Google and Samsung are busy transport 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 OnePlus 12 overview.

Display screen: 8.0-inch 2076p 120Hz OLED inside display, 6.3-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED cowl display / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 foremost with OIS, 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel selfie (cowl display), 10-megapixel inside selfie digital camera / Battery: 4,650mAh / Charging: 21W wired, 7.5W wi-fi / Climate resistance: IPX8

Does anybody really 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 up to now. 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. Nevertheless it’s a pleasure to make use of, each as an everyday telephone with the duvet display and if you unfold the massive inside display.

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 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 favor the 9 Professional Fold’s strategy.

That stated, the 9 Professional Fold isn’t with out compromises. The digital camera system isn’t fairly pretty much as good as what you get within the different 9 Professional telephones. The outer display isn’t as sharp or brilliant 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’ll’t get it repaired simply anyplace. For $1,800, that’s an terrible lot to swallow. For the adventurous early adopter, although, the 9 Professional Fold can be very rewarding.

Learn my Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold overview.

Display screen: 6.7-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 / Cameras: 50-megapixel F/1.9 foremost 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 type you’re after and one thing somewhat flashy (nicely, lots flashy), then the Telephone 2 is a straightforward choose.

It provides an excellent 6.7-inch display, nice day by day efficiency and battery life, and a succesful digital camera system. However that’s the standard stuff — what’s uncommon concerning 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 finally isn’t as useful because the system’s customizable always-on show.

On the draw back, the Telephone 2 is barely splash-resistant slightly 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 competition 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 wonderful selection. One factor’s for certain — it positively stands out from the gang.

Learn my Nothing Telephone 2 overview.

There are numerous extra nice Android units that weren’t coated right here, and some are price calling out that didn’t fairly make the reduce for a suggestion.

• First off, there’s the Galaxy Z Flip 6, Samsung’s wonderful 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 extra simply — however Motorola’s monitor document for software program updates isn’t nice, so the Z Flip 6 is a safer guess for a flip telephone. Learn our overview.
• The OnePlus Open can be one other good book-style foldable possibility. It’s skinny and light-weight, and the software program consists of some considerate approaches to multitasking — an important a part of the folding telephone expertise. Nevertheless it gained’t be supported with software program updates for so long as the Pixel 9 Professional Fold or the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Learn our overview.
• Final however not least, there’s the Google Pixel 8A. If you happen to actually wish to maximize the return in your funding, it’s arduous to beat Google’s newest midrange telephone. It covers all of the fundamentals for $499 whereas providing seven years of software program help. Learn our overview.

Replace, September thirteenth: Changed the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus with the Google Pixel 9 and the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with the Pixel 9 Professional.