The very best Android phone to purchase in 2023 

The Android environment is everything about option. While iPhone owners have a smaller sized swimming pool of brand-new gadgets to select from when it’s time to update, there’s a big variety of brand-new Android phones every year. A few of them even fold in half! You desire an integrated stylus? A flagship processor for less cash? Perhaps even– attempt I state it– an unapologetically pink phone with matching earbuds? You have actually got alternatives on Android.

On the other hand, all that option can produce some tough choices. Here’s where I wish to assist; I have actually evaluated an entire considerable amount of current Android phones, and I believe there are some genuine winners in the existing crop. It’s all a matter of what you’re searching for, what you’re comfy costs, and what your meaning of a “fairly sized phone” is. ( I have my own, personally.)

And have not you heard? It’s hot collapsible summer season, and there are a lot of brand-new folding phones debuting over the next couple of months. Motorola’s Razr Plus looks actually appealing with a big cover screen, the Google Pixel Fold is getting here quickly with a pleasant brand-new kind element, and OnePlus states it’ll have a (likely cheaper) collapsible this year. If you wonder about foldables, you may wish to hold back for a couple of months up until all the alternatives are on the table.

If you reside in the United States, I have some problem about the Android market, however. For complex factors pertaining to “commercialism” and “geopolitics,” we do not get almost as a lot of the alternatives as you’ll discover in Asia and Europe– brand names like Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, and Oppo simply aren’t offered here. I have actually restricted this guide to the gadgets I have actually personally evaluated in depth; therefore, it is a relatively US-centric set of suggestions.

With that in mind, it’s likewise worth acknowledging that many people in the United States get their phones “free of charge” from their cordless provider. If you can handle it, purchasing a phone opened will offer you the most versatility and flexibility if you wind up wishing to alter providers in the future. Phone producers likewise use funding and trade-in offers to pay more workable. However if you more than happy with your provider and the totally free phone available is the one you actually desire, by all methods, take the totally free phone. Simply make certain you comprehend the terms, specifically if you require to alter strategies to capitalize the offer.

Nevertheless you set about it, you have some wonderful alternatives for your next Android phone.

Screen: 6.6-inch 1080p 120Hz OLED/ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy/ Cameras: 50-megapixel F1.8 primary with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel selfie/ Battery: 4,700 mAh/ Charging: 45W wired, 15W cordless/ Weather condition resistance: IP68

Samsung’s Galaxy S series phones have actually been the go-to high-end Android phone for the previous couple of years– especially in the United States– and there’s an excellent factor for that: they’re exceptional gadgets. The Galaxy S23 Plus is a small upgrade to that winning formula, however that still makes it a winner. It nicely checks every product on the list of 2023 essential flagship functions: a beautiful, big 6.6-inch screen, a capable electronic camera system with a telephoto lens, robust weather condition resistance, and terrific battery life. At $999, it’s not low-cost, however it’s likewise not the most pricey flagship phone you can purchase.

It’s not unexpected that the S23 Plus consists of Qualcomm’s most current chipset: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However what is unexpected is that all variations of this phone offered around the world usage that Snapdragon processor– formerly, some areas would get a Samsung-made Exynos chip. That’s terrific news due to the fact that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is exceptional, and it makes the S23 Plus sing. Everyday efficiency is superior, and battery endurance is much enhanced. There’s a bigger 4,700 mAh battery cell in the Plus this year, however the 8 Gen 2 is likewise well-tuned to save battery.

The 50-megapixel primary electronic camera, ultrawide, and 3x telephoto cams that comprise the S23 Plus’ imaging system aren’t showstoppers like the S23 Ultra, however they’re more than sufficient for many circumstances. Periodically, the S23 Plus takes spectacular pictures, especially in its telephoto picture mode. However it’s likewise vulnerable to some heavy-handed processing that goes a little too tough on the HDR often.

Samsung’s software application isn’t our preferred, either. With a little work upfront, you can uninstall or a minimum of conceal the majority of the exclusive apps and services Samsung demands downloading, however it would be great not to need to tango with Bixby in the very first location. However on the brilliant side, Samsung uses among the greatest software application assistance policies from any Android device-maker, with 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates assured. Even if the preliminary setup takes a little work to solve, a minimum of you will not need to do it all over once again in a number of years.

Read my complete evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus

Screen: 6.3-inch 1080p 90Hz OLED/ Processor: Google Tensor G2/ Cameras: 50-megapixel F1.85 with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10.8-megapixel selfie/ Battery: 4,355 mAh/ Charging: 30W wired, 20W cordless/ Weather condition resistance: IP68

Depending Upon how you take a look at it, the Google Pixel 7 can pass as either an economical flagship or a premium midrange phone. At $599, it’s a bit less expensive than Samsung’s S-series phones and likewise a bit more pricey than the $499 Pixel 7A, an authentic midrange gadget. Its specifications do the same: you get the premium develop and benefits of a high-end gadget, like an IP68 ranking and cordless charging, however you lose out on great additionals like a telephoto electronic camera and a 120Hz screen. If those things aren’t extremely crucial to you, then the Pixel 7 is one heck of a bargain.

The Pixel 7 and its step-up 7 Pro brother or sister usage Google’s most current customized chipset, Tensor G2. It provides flagship-level efficiency, however it’s likewise part of the Pixel series’ unique sauce of Google-exclusive functions. They’re normally smart however sort of a variety in regards to how valuable they in fact are.

Clear Calling, which is special to the Pixel 7 series, resembles sound cancellation for telephone call that makes it much easier to hear somebody you’re speaking to when they remain in a loud environment. Other functions developed to make browsing phone trees and client service calls less agonizing do not work too regularly. However they aren’t actively bad, and Google has actually shown dedicated to supporting its gadgets with updates and brand-new functions throughout their life expectancy.

Software application actually is the Pixel 7’s strength. It runs a tidy variation of Android, devoid of replicate assistants and app shops (taking a look at you, Samsung) and will be supported well into the future with 3 OS upgrades and 5 years of security spots. On the hardware front, you’ll need to deal with a number of concessions Google made to keep the rate down. The 6.3-inch screen is simply great, however its 90Hz revitalize rate is a bit slower than the super-smooth scrolling 120Hz screens on many phones at this rate.

The Pixel 7 is likewise missing out on a telephoto rear electronic camera, though the 2x crop mode from the 50-megapixel primary sensing unit does an exceptional impression of a real optical telephoto lens. The ultrawide electronic camera is likewise a generation behind the Pixel 7 Pro’s. However beyond those couple of downsides, you do not lose out on a lot by going with the Pixel 7 instead of the 7 Pro– and you certainly get to keep a couple of additional dollars in your pocket.

Read my complete evaluation of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

Screen: 6.8-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED/ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy/ Cameras: 200-megapixel primary with OIS, 10-megapixel 10x telephoto with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 12-megapixel selfie/ Battery: 5,000 mAh/ Charging: 45W wired, 15W cordless/ Weather condition resistance: IP68

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s costly, beginning at $1,199, and thanks to a 6.8-inch screen, it’s big. It’s likewise the most effective Android phone you can purchase in the United States today, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, S Pen stylus assistance with an integrated silo for storage, and 2– count ’em, 2— telephoto cams on the rear panel. It’s sort of tough to envision what else Samsung might perhaps pack into this phone.

The screen at the center of this spec beast is a 6.8-inch OLED with a variable refresh rate as much as 120Hz and 1440p resolution. It’s beautiful, and the even much better news is that it’s more battery-efficient than in 2015’s design. In between that and the brand-new chipset, the S23 Ultra makes it through a complete day of heavy usage with a bit more wiggle space than its predecessor could.

The S23 Ultra’s electronic camera system is a significant factor to think about putting in the additional money for this design instead of the S23 Plus. There’s absolutely nothing rather like it offered on any other flagship phone: there’s both a 3x and 10x telephoto electronic camera plus an ultrawide and, oh yeah, a 200-megapixel primary electronic camera.

The 200-megapixel thing is just partly a stunt– the majority of the time, you’ll be getting a 12-megapixel file from it, however the additional information from all those pixels appears to assist the system develop some wonderful images. It sometimes makes some strange judgments or turns the HDR as much as 11, however it’s frequently excellent and, occasionally, is even efficient in spectacular “I can’t think it’s not a ‘genuine’ electronic camera” pictures.

Our problems about Samsung software application stand, regrettably, and its faults are a lot more glaring on a really costly phone. Why the spammy clickbait links in the weather condition app? And who in the world desires push notices from the Samsung Galaxy shop? You do not get that example on a Pixel phone. Still, there suffice excellent features of the S23 Ultra that it deserves some small software application inconveniences.

Read my complete evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Screen: 6.7-inch 1440p 120Hz OLED/ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/ Cameras: 50-megapixel F1.8 primary with OIS, 48-megapixel ultrawide, 32-megapixel 2x telephoto, 16-megapixel selfie/ Battery: 5,000 mAh/ Charging: 80W wired (100W beyond United States)/ Weather condition resistance: IP64

The United States Android market is controlled by Samsung and Google (well, primarily Samsung). However we do have a couple of options to those brand names, and the OnePlus 11 5G is a standout for somebody who desires a high-performing gadget for a bit less cash. It utilizes the exceptional Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, however at $699, it’s $300 less expensive than the S23 Ultra with a comparable processor.

The OnePlus 11 has a number of other things going all out, too, consisting of a great 6.7-inch 1440p screen with a leading 120Hz revitalize rate. There’s likewise extremely quick wired charging with the consisted of quick battery charger– as much as 80W in the United States, which will take its huge 5,000 mAh battery from empty to one hundred percent in less than thirty minutes. It’s quickly adequate to make over night charging optional.

On the drawback, there are a number of things missing out on here that you’ll discover on many other phones at this rate. The very first is cordless charging, which might be a deal-breaker if you’re currently purchased charging your phone that method. And the OnePlus 11 is just ranked to IP64, not IP68 like essentially every other flagship. That indicates it’s resistant to splashes and spray however isn’t developed to stand up to complete immersion in water for any length of time.

Those 2 missing out on functions narrow the OnePlus 11’s appeal. If you’re not worried about dropping your phone in a puddle (or toilet or tub or sink or swimming pool) and you ‘d rather charge your phone rapidly than on a cordless charging pad, then the 11 5G is a fantastic method to get exceptional efficiency and keep a bit more money in your wallet.

Read my complete evaluation of the OnePlus 11 5G

Screen: 7.6-inch 2176p 120Hz OLED inner screen, 6.2-inch 2316p 120Hz OLED cover screen/ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1/ Cameras: 50-megapixel F/1.8 primary with OIS, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel selfie (cover screen), four-megapixel under-display selfie (inner screen)/ Battery: 4,400 mAh/ Charging: 25W wired, 15W cordless/ Weather condition resistance: IPX8

There’s absolutely nothing rather like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 on the marketplace, especially in the United States. The Z Fold 4 is Samsung’s tablet-style collapsible– you have actually got a 6.2-inch cover screen on the outdoors for typical phone things, however on the within, it unfolds to a big 7.6-inch screen. It’s a level of adaptability you will not discover on any standard slab-style phone. It’s priced appropriately, too, at a high $1,799 MSRP.

The Z Fold 4 is as long lasting as foldables come today. It’s IPX8 ranked, so it’s safeguarded versus complete immersion in water. However that “X” indicates there’s no assurance versus dust invasion, and in spite of Samsung’s best shots to enhance the gadget’s resistance to ecological aspects, long-lasting resilience is still an enigma. That’s most likely a leap of faith many people will not have the ability to consider a $1,800 phone.

The Z Fold 4 likewise runs up versus another constraint on the software application side: the Android tablet app environment. Apps do not constantly make terrific usage of the huge inner screen; they’re frequently simply scaled-up phone apps, leaving a great deal of unused blank area. Fortunately, Samsung’s UI uses a lot of assistance to organize numerous windows for multitasking. It can take a little futzing, however you can use that huge canvas by showing numerous apps at the same time.

Unpredictability about how it will hold up in the long run and the two-hands-on-ness needed to take advantage of it indicate the Z Fold 4 is sort of a device individual’s gizmo. It’s a display of hardware development, and you can do things with it that slab-style phones can just imagine. If you have actually got the actual and metaphorical deep pockets for it, you’ll be well rewarded.

Read my complete evaluation of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

There are much more terrific Android gadgets that weren’t covered here, and a couple of deserve calling out that didn’t rather make it for a suggestion. The Galaxy S23 Plus’ smaller sized brother or sister, the Galaxy S23, is a great choice if you desire a rather smaller sized Android phone. Its 6.1-inch screen does not put it in “little phone” area, however it’s a lot more pocketable than the other 2 S23 designs. Battery life has actually been enhanced this year on the S23, too, which was a powerlessness for the S22.

There’s likewise the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung’s clamshell-style collapsible. It uses a 6.7-inch inner screen that folds in half with a little 1.9-inch cover screen on the outdoors for heads-up information and notices. It’s sort of like a routine phone with a smartwatch glued on the front. It’s not as flexible as the Z Fold 4, however it costs a far more sensible $999. I have the very same issues about long-lasting resilience as I make with the Z Fold, and the cover screen might be better. Still, it’s a great deal of enjoyable to utilize, and it folds down little adequate to suit your front denims pocket.

If you’re all in on Google’s environment, then the Pixel 7 Pro is an excellent (and rather apparent) step-up choice. It does not use any necessary upgrades compared to the Pixel 7 however does include an excellent 5x telephoto electronic camera. The screen is larger– 6.7 inches compared to 6.3– and it’s likewise a little better, with a quicker 120Hz leading refresh rate. However the Pixel 7 is priced so well that it’s sort of difficult not to suggest it, and many people will discover whatever they require in the base design.

There’s another Pixel phone to think about: the Google Pixel 7A It’s $499 and has the very same Tensor G2 processor as the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. The 7A is certainly the very best phone electronic camera you can get for the cash, and it features great animal conveniences not generally seen in spending plan gadgets, like cordless charging. It’s on the costly side of the “spending plan” classification, however it’s developed to go the range.

Lastly, there’s the Motorola Edge Plus (2023 ) It is a great gadget for $799, with a good screen, terrific battery life, an outstanding Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and all the flagship trimmings like cordless charging and an IP68 ranking. It’s an excellent choice if the OnePlus 11 appeals however you desire cordless charging and much better water resistance. However we’re not fans of the curved edge screen, and the OnePlus 11 features an extra year of security updates. Besides, it does not use enough to stick out from the remainder of the field to require a complete suggestion.

Update June 9th, 2023, 5:25 PM ET: Eliminated the Asus Zenfone 9, which will be changed quickly by the Zenfone 10 Eliminated the Google Pixel 6A from the “likewise think about” area and changed it with the Pixel 7A.