The 7 Best Android Phones - MUO - MakeUseOf

Since Android phones are produced by a wide range of manufacturers, there is plenty of choice when it comes to choosing the type of Android phone you want.

But with them all competing against each other to boast the best camera, brightest displays, and long-lasting batteries, it can be difficult to find the right Android phone.

Here are the best Android phones available right now.

The S lineup from Samsung has always been a series of best-in-class premium phones, and the S22 Ultra is no different. It boasts a spectacular display, powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, improved cameras with stunning low-light performance, and 8K video recording capabilities.

With 1750 nits of peak brightness the S22 Ultra has one of the brightest displays. It has a Wide Quad HD+ (WQHD+) resolution that makes the content look crisp and clear on the screen. WQHD+ is also an upgrade from the FHD resolution found on most Android phones. The super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate ensures your interaction is always sublime with the phone, whether you're browsing through apps or playing games.

The bigger 5000mAh battery with fast charging support keeps the phone running all day long with just a full charge in the morning. The device also has reverse wireless charging support, allowing you to charge accessories like wireless earbuds by simply placing them on the back of the smartphone.

Key Features
  • 8K video recording
  • 45W fast charging
  • S-Pen support
Specifications
  • Brand: Samsung
  • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
  • Display: 6.8-inch WQHD+, 3088x1440p, 120Hz with HDR 10+
  • RAM: 12GB
  • Storage: 512GB UFS 3.1
  • Battery: 5000mAh
  • Ports: 1x USB-C 3.2
  • Operating System: Android 12
  • Camera (Rear, Front): 108MP/10MP/10MP/12MP, 40MP
  • Front camera: 40MP wide
  • Rear camera: 108MP wide, 10MP periscopic telephoto, 10MP telephoto and 10MP ultrawide
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.2, LTE, 5G
  • Dimensions: 7.09 x 3.74 x 1.22 inches
  • Colors: Burgundy, Green, Phantom Black, and Phantom White
  • Display type: Dynamic AMOLED
  • Weight: 13.1oz
  • Charging: Fast Charging: 45W wired, 15W wireless
  • IP Rating: IP68
  • RAM and Storage: 12GB and 512GB
  • Micro SD card support: No
  • Stylus type: S Pen
Pros
  • Bright and super smooth AMOLED display
  • Wireless fast charging support
  • Impressive low-light camera performance
Cons
  • No 3.5mm headphone jack
  • No charger in the box
Buy This Product
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The Sony Xperia 1 III offers everything to gratify an Android enthusiast. It sports a 120Hz 6.5-inch OLED display with 4K UHD resolution while displaying colors more accurately using a 10-bit panel. This produces more colors than the 8-bit panel found on most Android phones. The high refresh rate, color-accurate 4K display, stereo speakers, and the gamer's favorite 3.5mm headphone jack ensure your multimedia and gaming experience on the device is top-notch.

The Xperia 1 III packs a triple-camera setup calibrated by the renowned Zeiss Optics. Each of the three 12MP sensors has dual-pixel PDAF that helps in accurately setting the focus on objects, and the smartphone can record super-stabilized videos up to 4K 120 fps, thanks to the OIS and EIS. In the camera app, you can find a Professional mode to tweak settings like ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, which is pretty much everything a photography lover could want in a smartphone.

On the downside, the battery life is average, but given the resource-intensive 4K display that comes with the device, it's justified. Unlike the S22 Ultra, this smartphone comes with a 30W charger in the box that can charge it to 50 percent in roughly 30 minutes. Lastly, the fingerprint scanner is side-mounted, which can be another con for those who prefer an in-display reader.

Key Features
  • 4K 120Hz HDR OLED panel
  • Variable telephoto lens and Dual Pixel PDAF sensor
  • 21:9 aspect ratio
Specifications
  • Brand: Sony
  • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
  • Display: 6.5-inch 4K UHD, 3840x1644p, 120Hz with HDR
  • RAM: 12GB
  • Storage: 256GB UFS 3.X
  • Battery: 4500mAh
  • Ports: 1x USB-C 3.1, 1x 3.5mm jack
  • Operating System: Android 11 (upgradable to Android 12)
  • Camera (Rear, Front): 12MP/12MP/12MP, 8MP
  • Front camera: 8MP wide
  • Rear camera: 12MP wide, 12MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide with OIS
  • Connectivity: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
  • Others: N/A
  • Dimensions: 6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 inches
  • Colors: Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple
  • Display type: OLED
  • Weight: 6.6oz
  • Charging: 30W wired fast charging, Qi and reverse wireless charging
  • IP Rating: IP65/IP68
  • RAM and Storage: 12GB, 256GB
  • Micro SD card support: Yes
  • Stylus type: N/A
Pros
  • High resolution display
  • Stereo speakers with 360 reality audio support
  • Best-in-class cameras
Cons
  • No in-display fingerprint scanner
  • Average battery life
Buy This Product
sony xperia 1 iii

The Pixel 6 is an affordable flagship that packs a 6.4-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, ensuring smoother gameplay and animations, precise color accuracy, and better viewing angles. The outdoor display visibility is significant as it has a peak brightness of 800 nits, which can be attained by enabling the High-Brightness Mode.

On the chipset front, things have changed since the Pixel 6 now comes with Google's Tensor chipset, which can deliver a lag-free gameplay experience with a variable refresh rate, despite being not as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. It can handle everything smoothly, from casual browsing to moderate gaming.

The camera is where you'll notice a significant upgrade from the Pixel 5 though. The Pixel 6 packs a dual-camera setup with a 50MP sensor that can shoot detailed low-light photos and super smooth videos and a secondary 12MP sensor for clicking ultra-wide shots. The battery capacity on the Pixel 6 is 4614mAh, a small upgrade from the Pixel 5. It supports wireless fast charging and can be charged at 21W using the Pixel Stand.

Additionally, Google has pledged two significant OS upgrades and four years of security patch updates for the Pixel 6. It can be a drawback given that other manufacturers like Samsung offer four major OS upgrades even on inexpensive smartphones like the A53.

Key Features
  • New powerful Google Tensor Chip
  • Pure Stock Android experience
  • Compact design
Specifications
  • Brand: Google
  • CPU: Google Tensor
  • Display: 6.4-inch FHD+, 2400x1080p, 90Hz with HDR 10+
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Storage: 256GB UFS 3.1
  • Battery: 4614mAh
  • Ports: 1x USB-C 3.1
  • Operating System: Android 12
  • Camera (Rear, Front): 50MP/12MP, 8MP
  • Front camera: 8MP wide
  • Rear camera: 50MP wide and 12MP ultrawide
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.2, 5G, LTE
  • Others: N/A
  • Dimensions: 6.24 x 2.94 x 0.35 inches
  • Colors: Sorta Seaform, Kinda Coral, Stormy Black
  • Display type: AMOLED
  • Weight: 7.30oz
  • Charging: Fast charging: 30W wired and 23W wireless with Pixel Stand
  • IP Rating: IP68
  • RAM and Storage: 8GB and 256GB
  • Micro SD card support: No
  • Stylus type: N/A
Pros
  • Competitive pricing
  • Improved cameras
  • Feels premium in hand
Cons
  • Fingerprint unlock speed is average
  • Lacks telephoto lens
Buy This Product
Google Pixel 6

The Pixel 6 Pro is the upgraded version of the Pixel 6. It packs a bigger 6.71-inch LTPO AMOLED display that is more power-efficient when compared to normal AMOLED displays. The display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus and has a Quad HD+(QHD+) resolution to make the content on-screen look more lively.

The performance of this device is slightly better than the Pixel 6 despite both having the same Tensor chip. From long-term camera usage to graphic-intensive games, it can handle anything you throw at it.

Cameras are an upgrade over the Pixel 6 as this one has an extra 48MP telephoto lens, which can easily capture distant objects in high quality, thanks to the powerful 4x optical zoom. The selfie camera can record videos up to 30 fps in 4K resolution, which is a definite upgrade compared to the 1080p resolution cap in the Pixel 6.

Moreover, it packs a 5003mAh battery that supports fast-charging up to 30W wired and 23W wirelessly. With the battery-efficient LTPO panel and optimized stock Android running under the hood, you can get through an entire day or a day and a half with a full top-up in the morning.

Key Features
  • LTPO AMOLED display
  • 23W wireless fast charging
  • Google Tensor chipset
Specifications
  • Brand: Google
  • CPU: Google Tensor
  • Display: 6.71-inch QHD+, 3120x1440p, 120Hz with HDR10+
  • RAM: 12GB
  • Storage: 256GB UFS 3.1
  • Battery: 5003mAh
  • Ports: 1x USB-C 3.1
  • Operating System: Android 12
  • Camera (Rear, Front): 50MP/48MP/12MP, 11.1MP
  • Front camera: 11.1MP ultrawide
  • Rear camera: 50MP wide, 48MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.2, 5G, LTE
  • Others: N/A
  • Dimensions: 6.45 x 2.98 x 0.35 inches
  • Colors: Stormy Black, Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny
  • Display type: LTPO AMOLED
  • Weight: 16.64oz
  • Charging: Fast Charging: 30W wired and 23W wireless, Power Delivery 3.0
  • IP Rating: IP68
  • RAM and Storage: 12GB and 256GB
  • Micro SD card support: No
  • Stylus type: N/A
Pros
  • Excellent cameras
  • Vanilla Android
  • Five years of security updates
Cons
  • Average fingerprint reader
  • Tensor is a bit weak when compared to Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Buy This Product
Google Pixel 6 Pro

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