Selecting the most effective Android cellphone can really feel overwhelming as there are such a lot of choices from so many manufacturers, it’s laborious to know the place to begin. Not like Apple, which sticks to its smooth lineup of iPhones, Android provides a world of selection. Whether or not you are eyeing the newest flagship from Samsung, a budget-friendly smartphone from Motorola or one thing distinctive with a foldable design, there’s an Android machine on the market to fit your wants.
The fantastic thing about Android is its flexibility. You’ll discover telephones with totally different display screen sizes, digital camera setups, battery life and even quirky extras like stylus assist or rugged builds. Plus, Android enables you to customise your machine to your coronary heart’s content material – one thing Apple followers may envy. We’ve examined and researched the highest Android telephones that can assist you discover the suitable one to your funds, way of life, and tech preferences.
Greatest Android telephones for 2025
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Learn our full Google Pixel 10 Professional and 10 Professional XL evaluation
Processor: Google Tensor G5 | Show: 6.3-inch Tremendous Actua, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (50MP vast, 48MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, 48MP 5x telephoto lens), 42MP twin PD selfie entrance digital camera with autofocus | Battery: 4,870mAh
With the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Professional, Google has as soon as once more refined its smartphone {hardware} whereas pushing its AI-powered software program in new and great methods. Not solely do each units now assist full high-res portrait pictures, its 100x Professional Res Zoom captures long-range pictures in ways in which lenses and megapixels alone merely can’t. You then add in noticeably higher efficiency, greater batteries, brighter shows and correct Qi2 magnetic charging (the primary from a serious Android cellphone maker) through Pixelsnap and you’ve got actually sensible units that makes choosing anything appear sort of dumb.
- Longer battery life
- Brighter shows
- 100x Professional Res Zoom provides main magnification
- Pixelsnap charging (aka Qi2 assist)
- Magic Cue is tremendous useful (when it really works)
- No extra wi-fi powersharing
- Processing full-res photographs is a bit gradual
- Pixel 10 line is eSIM solely within the US
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Learn our full Google Pixel 9a evaluation
Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 6.3-inch 1,080 x 2,424 pOLED, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (48MP vast, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 5,100mAh
The Pixel 9a is not particularly flashy and it does not have any particular options that are not already out there on its dearer siblings. In truth, it truly has slower charging and it is lacking assist for a few of Google’s homegrown software program just like the Screenshots app. However for everybody who simply needs a easy cellphone with a stable design, a pleasant display screen, wonderful cameras and powerful battery life, the Pixel 9a is basically laborious to beat. So whereas it isn’t tremendous fancy, the cellphone has all of its most vital bases coated (after which some). However most significantly, beginning at simply $499, this cellphone looks like an unbelievable deal that punches effectively above its worth.Â
- Modern design
- Superior battery life
- Good show
- Nice cameras
- IP68 ranking for mud and water resistance
- Charging might be quicker
- No Pixel Screenshot app
- Macro Focus mode generally is a bit finicky
Photograph by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely evaluation
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Show: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x QHD+, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (200MP, Twin Pixel AF, Digital Zoom 100x, 50MP Macro, 50MP UW), 12MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 5,000mAh
The S25 Extremely is a do-anything cellphone. It has a variety of cameras together with a 5x telephoto lens and a brand new 50-megapixel sensor for its ultra-wide shooter, a beautiful 6.9-inch AMOLED show (which is 0.1 inches greater than final yr) and naturally, Samsung’s signature S Pen. That mentioned, for 2025, Samsung’s primary focus was on its improved Galaxy AI options equivalent to Now Temporary, which creates a personalised feed of stories, occasions and extra. There’s additionally Drawing Help that makes it simpler to create AI-generated artwork, or you possibly can flip to AI Choose for assist with taking screenshots, turning movies into GIFs or summarizing tales.
Sadly, apart from a brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the S25 Extremely doesn’t include a ton of latest {hardware} in comparison with its predecessor (or the S23U for that matter). So whereas Samsung’s newest flagship is a superb cellphone, it doesn’t really feel like a necessary improve for folks with flagship units which might be solely a yr or two previous.
- Glorious display screen
- Nice efficiency and battery life
- Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2 panels
- Slimmer bezels
- New 50MP ultra-wide sensor
- S Pen now not suppers Air actions
- Identical primary and telephoto cameras as final yr
- Not totally suitable with magnetic Qi2 equipment
- Costly
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 evaluation
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite | Show: 8-inch 2184 x 1968QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X full show, 6.5-inch 2520 x 1080FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X cowl show | Cameras: Rear array (200MP vast, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto), 10MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 4,400mAh
One of many greatest points with foldable telephones is the added dimension and weight that always comes with the inclusion of a versatile show. Samsung has made {that a} factor of the previous on the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which sports activities bigger screens — each in and out — whereas being 26 p.c thinner than earlier than. And as if that wasn’t sufficient, the Z Fold 7 additionally options improved sturdiness, elevated efficiency and a brand new 200MP primary digital camera, matching or exceeding what you get from conventional flagship smartphones. The principle downsides are that at $2,000, it is nonetheless removed from inexpensive and for long-time Samsung followers, the lack of S Pen assist could also be a dealbreaker. However for individuals who wish to expertise new heights in foldable cellphone design, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a masterpiece of contemporary gadget design.
- Exquisitely skinny design
- Sleeker hinge
- Huge 200MP primary digital camera
- Bigger shows
- High-tier efficiency
- Very costly
- No S Pen assist
- Mediocre charging speeds
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Learn our full OnePlus 13 evaluation
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Show: 6.8-inch OLED, 120Hz, 4,500 nits max brightness | Cameras: Rear array (50MP vast, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto), 32MP entrance digital camera | Battery: 6,000mAh
Whereas the OnePlus 13 options some fundamental AI options like Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini assistant, it’s actually simply an old style flagship in all the most effective methods. That’s as a result of as an alternative of specializing in machine studying, OnePlus crammed the cellphone with tons of top-notch {hardware}. It sports activities a 6.8-inch OLED show with an unbelievable peak brightness of as much as 4,500 nits. The OP13 additionally provides wonderful efficiency due to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, together with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. There are additionally three 50-MP rear cameras together with one with a 3x telephoto zoom and a large 6,000 mAh battery that’s greater than what you get in virtually all of its opponents.
OnePlus didn’t skimp on the cellphone’s design both, because the OP13 nonetheless comes with the corporate’s signature Alert Slider. Plus, should you go for the blue or white variants, you’ll get a sturdy and really touchable vegan leather-based again that helps the cellphone stand out amongst all its glass brick rivals. However the most effective half is that beginning at $900, it prices lower than an equal Galaxy S25+ too.
- Class-leading battery life
- Tremendous-bright show
- Nice efficiency
- Enticing design
- Photograph high quality might be a contact higher
- Solely six years of software program assist as an alternative of seven
- Wants a case to completely assist magnetic Qi2 equipment
What to search for in a brand new Android cellphone
Efficiency
Relating to choosing our favourite Android telephones, the primary 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 have a look at benchmarks and different metrics, however we additionally consider telephones based mostly on responsiveness. No matter whether or not you’re studying, textual content messaging, scrolling by means of social media or taking part in a sport, nobody needs a gadget that feels sluggish.
Show
Relating to shows, we usually desire OLED panels that may produce wealthy, saturated colours with a minimum of 600 nits of brightness, although lots of our high mid-range and high-end telephones can hit 1,000 nits or extra. And extra just lately, most of our favourite units additionally assist screens with quick refresh charges of 90Hz or 120Hz, which provides an additional degree of smoothness and fluidity.
Design
Now we are going to admit there’s a little bit of subjectivity when deciding which telephones look the most effective, however there are different design points like mud and water resistance or display screen sturdiness that may make a giant distinction to long-term survival. It’s additionally vital 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 cellphone interacts together with your different units.
Cameras
Clearly, for pictures we’re in search of sharp, colourful pictures in each vivid and low-light circumstances. And we would like video clips with excessive dynamic vary, wealthy audio and easy picture stabilization. Additional cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. One of the best cameras must also embrace options like devoted night time modes, assist for varied video recording resolutions, and extra picture modes like timelapse, gradual movement and extra.
Battery and software program
Lastly, by way of longevity, we’re in search of all-day battery life on units that additionally delivered nice outcomes on our native video rundown check (a minimum of 16 hours on a cost, however extra is clearly higher). Wi-fi charging capabilities have change into nearly ubiquitous over the previous few years, and most of our high picks have this additional perk. Quick-charging is on the market on some Android telephones, too. Lastly, with folks holding onto their telephones longer than ever, we wish to see firms decide to a minimum of three years of software program assist, upgrades and common safety updates.
