Our best Android phones list doesn’t look enormously different to our best smartphones list and there’s good reason for that: almost every smartphone runs Android, with the handful of iPhones released each year being the only compelling alternatives for most people.
As such, there are plenty of excellent Android handsets to choose from, and there’s about to be even more, as the Samsung Galaxy S21 range is set to be announced on January 14 and we’d expect those phones will make it to or near the top of this list.
As such you might want to wait until we’ve passed our verdict on them before buying a new handset – assuming you’re in the market for a flagship. But there’s no need to, as any of the phones below should serve you well, and there are a wide assortment of brands to choose from.
They include the likes of the Sony Xperia 5 II, Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, and OnePlus 8T, and for each we’ve included a list of pros, cons, specs, and an overview of what makes them so great.
That means you can see at a glance which phones are right for you – but make sure to click through to our full reviews if you want more details.
(Image credit: Samsung)
1. Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus
These are the very best Android phones
Specifications
Release date: March 2020
Weight: 163g/186g
Dimensions: 151.7 x 69.1 x 7.9mm/161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.2-inch/6.7-inch
Resolution: 1440 x 3200
CPU: Snapdragon 865 / Exynos 990
RAM: 8GB/12GB
Storage: 128GB (S20) or 128GB/256GB/512GB (S20 Plus)
Battery: 4,000mAh/4500mAh
Rear camera: 12MP + 64MP + 12MP
Front camera: 10MP
Reasons to buy
+The best screen around+Excellent cameras
Reasons to avoid
-High price-Iterative improvements
The Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus are – along with the Galaxy S20 Ultra – Samsung’s latest and greatest flagship phones, so it’s no wonder they top this list.
While the S20 Plus has a slight specs edge, thanks to a larger 6.7-inch screen, a bigger 4,500mAh battery, a fourth camera lens (for depth-sensing) and optionally more storage, they’re largely very similar phones, so they’re fit to share the top spot.
Both have a highly capable camera array, with 12MP standard, 12MP ultra-wide, and 64MP telephoto sensors, and both also have top-end power, thanks to a Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset (depending on where in the world you are) and up to 12GB of RAM.
They also both have a stunning 1440 x 3200 display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. At the time of writing this is arguably the best screen you’ll find on any smartphone.
The design is premium too, and they’re both packed full of features, like reverse wireless charging, 5G, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and water resistance. They might not quite be the very best at everything, but they’re certainly the best Android phones overall.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S20 review
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus review
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(Image credit: OnePlus)
2. OnePlus 8 Pro
The most accomplished OnePlus ever, but also the priciest
Specifications
Release date: April 2020
Weight: 199g
Dimensions: 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.78-inch
Resolution: 1440 x 3168
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 8/12GB
Storage: 256GB
Battery: 4,510mAh
Rear camera: 48MP + 48MP + 8MP + 5MP
Front camera: 16MP
Reasons to buy
+One of the best displays around+5G and plenty of power
Reasons to avoid
-Most expensive OnePlus yet-Sizable rear camera bump
The OnePlus 8 Pro is the latest and greatest OnePlus handset, and it comes very close to challenging the best Samsung phones.
Its screen can rival them in fact – with its 120Hz refresh rate and crisp resolution, the OnePlus 8 Pro has one of the best displays you’ll find on a smartphone.
It also has a top-end Snapdragon 865 chipset, more RAM than you’ll know what to do with, and most of the other flagship bells and whistles, such as water resistance and wireless charging.
Its cameras arguably can’t quite match those of the very best phones – but they come close, and the price is the highest yet for a OnePlus phone – but still lower than some top-end handsets. All in all though, this is a stunning effort.
Read more: OnePlus 8 Pro review
Today’s best OnePlus 8 Pro deals
OnePlus 8 Pro (5G) Dual-SIM…
OnePlus 8 Pro (5G) Dual-SIM…
(Image credit: Oppo)
3. Oppo Find X2 Pro
Oppo’s most premium and accomplished smartphone
Specifications
Release date: June 2020
Weight: 200/217g
Dimensions: 165.2 x 74.4 x 8.8/9.5mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.7-inch
Resolution: 1440 x 3168
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256/512GB
Battery: 4,260mAh
Rear camera: 48MP, 13MP, 48MP
Front camera: 32MP
Reasons to buy
+Beautiful display+Feels great to hold
Reasons to avoid
-Very pricey-Middling battery life
Oppo’s most premium smartphone to date reaches our list of the best Android phones, and with a top-end display, camera and build, it does so in style.
The Find X2 Pro’s display is its real selling point with a high resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, big size and software to make it great for playing games, viewing movies and TV or scrolling through social media.
The phone’s high specs are matched by a super-high price though, as it’s one of the priciest devices on this list, and that’s why it isn’t ranking higher up. If you can look past the high price, however, the Oppo Find X2 Pro is definitely worth your attention, and we’d recommend it as the best Oppo phone and one of the top Android devices you can buy right now.
Read more: Oppo Find X2 Pro review
Today’s best Oppo Find X2 Pro deals
Original Oppo Find X2 Pro…
Original Oppo Find X2 Pro…
(Image credit: Samsung)
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
An Ultra-sized phone
Specifications
Release date: August 2020
Weight: 208g
Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.9-inch
Resolution: 1440 x 3088
CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus / Exynos 990
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Battery: 4,500mAh
Rear camera: 108MP, 12MP, 12MP
Front camera: 10MP
Reasons to buy
+Useful S Pen features+Great-looking screen
Reasons to avoid
-Slow charging-Ultra-expensive
Samsung’s latest super-premium smartphone is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, with advanced features, a great-looking screen, and special features for the S Pen stylus which comes included in the phone, that give you added versatile ways to use your device.
Sure it’s expensive, and pretty huge, and doesn’t actually have all the bells and whistles of the Galaxy S20 Ultra. But those weaknesses are made up for with plenty of advantages.
This is a real top-end phone with top specs in every sector, so if your budget (and hand) can stretch for it, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra may really be one worth considering.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review
Today’s best Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra deals
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra…
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra…
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra…
(Image credit: Motorola)
5. Motorola Edge Plus
Motorola returns to the big leagues
Specifications
Release date: April 2020
Weight: 203g
Dimensions: 161.1 x 71.4 x 9.6mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.7-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2340
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB
Battery: 5,000mAh
Rear camera: 108MP + 16MP + 8MP + ToF
Front camera: 25MP
Reasons to buy
+Great display+Great specs
Reasons to avoid
-Limited zoom capability-Pricey
Motorola doesn’t often have its smartphones hit our ranking of the best Android phones, since its devices tend to be more affordable handsets, but the Edge line changed that.
The Motorola Edge Plus has a great display with curved edges (hence the name), top-end specs from its processor to camera, and all the features that make Motorola unique like its Moto Actions.
The phone is pretty pricey which may put some off, and in some regards it doesn’t reach other top-end phones, but overall it’s a device that you should consider if you like style and top specs.
Read more: Motorola Edge Plus review
Today’s best Motorola Edge Plus deals
PPG Diamond 5 gal. #HDGCN12U…
(Image credit: OnePlus)
6. OnePlus 8T
Cheaper than most top-end phones, the OnePlus 8T still offers plenty of good features
Specifications
Release date: October 2020
Weight: 188g
Dimensions: 160.7mm x 74.1mm x 8.4mm
OS: Android 11
Screen size: 6.55-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2400
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 8/12GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Battery: 4,500mAh
Rear camera: 48MP + 16MP + 5MP + 2MP
Front camera: 16MP
Reasons to buy
+Long-lasting battery +Beautiful display
Reasons to avoid
-No wireless charging -Lacklustre design
The OnePlus 8T might not offer a ‘wow’ factor, lacking a headline feature, but it makes up for it by being solidly dependable and offering mostly all you could need at a keen price point.
One particularly neat feature for the price is that OnePlus has squeezed in an AMOLED panel that has a fast refresh rate of 120Hz, which ensures that it looks great no matter what you’re doing. Impressively, that’s not to the detriment of its battery life either, easily maintaining a charge during a full day’s use.
The OnePlus 8T might lack a few finer details like wireless charging and a high-end camera but, for the most part, it’s all pretty competent and we’re big fans of its beautiful screen.
Read more: OnePlus 8T review
Today’s best OnePlus 8T deals
OnePlus 8T 5G Dual-SIM 128GB…
OnePlus 8T 5G Dual-SIM 128GB…
(Image credit: Xiaomi)
7. Xiaomi Mi Note 10
So close to perfection; not quite reaching it
Specifications
Release date: December 2019
Weight: 208g
Dimensions: 157.8 x 74.2 x 9.7mm
OS: Android 9
Screen size: 6.47-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2340
CPU: Snapdragon 730G
RAM: 6/8GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Battery: 5,260mAh
Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 5MP + 20MP + 2MP
Front camera: 32MP
Reasons to buy
+Incredible camera capability+Swift charging speeds
Reasons to avoid
-Weak chipset-Battery life a little underwhelming
The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 probably isn’t a phone you’ll hear many people talking about, but it deserves to be, as this is Xiaomi’s masterpiece.
It has a superb penta-lens camera setup, headlined by a 108MP snapper, plus an impressive AMOLED screen, speedy charging, and a curvy design that makes it comfortable to hold.
Where it falls down a little is in performance, as it’s packing a mid-range Snapdragon 730G chipset, and in battery life, as despite having a massive 5,260mAh one we found this to be fairly average. But this isn’t a phone that’s going to break the bank, so these are issues that we can forgive.
Read more: Xiaomi Mi Note 10 review
Today’s best Xiaomi Mi Note 10 deals
(Image credit: Samsung)
8. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
The ultimate flagship – at an ultimate price
Specifications
Release date: March 2020
Weight: 166g
Dimensions: 166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.9-inch
Resolution: 3200 x 1440
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 12/16GB
Storage: 128/512GB
Battery: 5,000mAh
Rear camera: 108MP+48MP+12MP
Front camera: 40MP
Reasons to buy
+Best specs of 2020, period+5x optical, 100x digital ‘Space Zoom’
Reasons to avoid
-Very expensive-Extras not worth price bump
The Galaxy S20 Ultra is, indeed, ultra – billed as the ultimate Samsung phone thanks to top-of-the-line specs on paper. It’s an evolution of the max-specced Samsung Galaxy S10 5G from last year, though the Ultra’s execution isn’t the best.
It may come with the very best specs, but it’s a very expensive handset and it has a few flaws that mean it isn’t entirely worth the price bump like you may expect it to be.
That said, if you’re looking for all the top-end features available on a Samsung phone including the pheomenally powerful 100x zoom feature you may want to opt for the Ultra over the other Samsung devices on this list.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra review
Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G 128GB
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(Image credit: Sony)
9. Sony Xperia 5 II
Like an Xperia 1 II, but smaller and cheaper
Specifications
Release date: September 2020
Weight: 163g
Dimensions: 158 x 68 x 8mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.1-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2520
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Battery: 4,000mAh
Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP
Front camera: 8MP
Reasons to buy
+Great cameras+120Hz screen looks great
Reasons to avoid
-Annoying Google Assistant button-Still quite a high price
The Sony Xperia 5 II is essentially a smaller, cheaper take on the Sony Xperia 1 II, but despite its lower price this is still a high-end phone.
There’s no shortage of power from its Snapdragon 865 chipset and 8GB of RAM, and while its 6.1-inch screen isn’t as sharp as some, it has a 120Hz refresh rate, so the phone feels silky smooth in operation.
The Sony Xperia 5 II also has excellent rear cameras, including a 12MP main one, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and a 12MP telephoto one, with 3x optical zoom.
Plus, its relatively small size makes it much easier to use with one hand than the Sony Xperia 1 II, so unless you particularly want a big handset it’s arguably the better buy.
Read more: Sony Xperia 5 II review
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 II deals
Sony Xperia 5 II Unlocked…
Sony Xperia 5 II Dual-SIM…
(Image credit: OnePlus)
10. OnePlus 8
The OnePlus 8 is the new affordable flagship to beat
Specifications
Release date: April 2020
Weight: 180g
Dimensions: 160.2 x 72.9 x 8mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.55-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2400
CPU: Snapdragon 865
RAM: 8/12GB
Storage: 256GB
Battery: 4,300mAh
Rear camera: 48MP + 16MP + 2MP
Front camera: 16MP
Reasons to buy
+Affordable 5G connectivity+Impressive specs
Reasons to avoid
-No telephoto camera-No wireless charging
The OnePlus 8 is rather shown up by the OnePlus 8 Pro, but it’s still a great phone in its own right, thanks to its similarly high-end power (you’re getting the same Snapdragon 865 chipset) and lower price.
The OnePlus 8 also supports 5G as standard and has a 90Hz refresh rate on its 6.55-inch 1080 x 2400 screen – specs that aren’t quite a match for the OnePlus 8 Pro, but are still decent.
There’s a big 4,300mAh battery here too, with support for fast charging, plus an in-screen fingerprint scanner, a triple-lens camera, and up to 12GB of RAM. Unlike its Pro sibling this isn’t quite a rival to the best Samsung and Apple handsets, but at what it costs it doesn’t need to be.
Read more: OnePlus 8 review
Today’s best OnePlus 8 deals
OnePlus 8 5G UW 128GB in Onyx…
OnePlus 8 5G UW 128GB in…
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Looking for the best deal on one of the phones above? We’ve put together this comparison chart for you to use to find the option that suits you best.
Sort ByRecommendedMonthly cost (low to high)Monthly cost (high to low)Upfront cost (low to high)Upfront cost (high to low)Data (low to high)Data (high to low)Carrier (A to Z)Carrier (Z to A)Product Name (A to Z)Product Name (Z to A)Minutes (low to high)Minutes (high to low)Texts (low to high)Texts (high to low)Contract length (low to high)Contract length (high to low)
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Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G 128GB
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This article originally appeared on https://www.techradar.com/best/best-android-phones
