Whether you’re looking for a smartphone to help you survive the holidays or you want to upgrade to a newer, better model, there are plenty of Android phone options available to you. The Wirecutter Android Phone Guide is your one-stop shop for finding the best Android phones out there, regardless of your budget.
Motorola Moto G5 Plus
Whether you are a budget buyer or looking for an affordable smartphone, the Moto G5 Plus has you covered. It’s a great device that’s affordable, durable, and offers great features.
The G5 Plus features a 5.2-inch full-HD display with a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution. Its colors are vibrant and the blacks are very good.
The G5 Plus has a 12-megapixel rear camera. It has an f/1.7 aperture that allows for a shallower depth of field. Its light metering is excellent. It can capture more texture in any scene. It also has an HDR mode, which automatically uses more advanced camera settings. Its camera also takes better pictures in the macro range.
The G5 Plus also has a fingerprint sensor. The backplate is made of aluminum, which adds a stylish look.
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus has a reputation for building quality Android phones at affordable prices. The 6T is no exception. While it’s not the best Android phone, it has a few features that make it worth considering.
OnePlus boasts a notch on its 5.5-inch display, but it’s not quite as big as the one on the iPhone XS. The OnePlus One’s alert slider is also a rare sight on Android. It changes the ringer mode instantaneously.
The OnePlus 6T has a biometric scanner built into the bottom third of its display. This isn’t quite as innovative as the iPhone’s Touch ID, but it’s not a bad feature.
The OnePlus 6T is powered by a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. The phone has 6 GB of RAM, and comes in a variety of colors. It also has a dedicated gaming mode. You can also opt for a high-end version with 12 GB of RAM.
Samsung Galaxy S9
Despite its price tag, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is an excellent phone. Its hardware is top-notch, and its camera takes beautiful pictures. However, the software is a little cluttered. There are duplicate Google apps loaded on the phone, and its voice assistant, Bixby, is weak.
The dual rear-facing cameras allow users to take zoomed shots without losing details. But the camera is not very accurate in low light. The Samsung camera app is also a little confusing.
The camera is capable of recording slow-motion GIFs. These can be set as wallpaper or shared over messaging apps. It also includes a mode for super-slow-motion video.
The fingerprint reader is also a bit slow. Unlike the Pixel 3, which uses an in-screen sensor, the Galaxy S8’s sensor is buried beneath the camera.
HTC One M9
Among the top Android phones on the market, HTC One M9 is one of the most beautiful. It features a sharp 5-inch display with true colors and BoomSound speakers. It runs the latest version of Android, 5.0 Lollipop.
The HTC One M9 is available in a variety of color options. The phone is compatible with AT&T’s network in the US. It also has a fingerprint scanner, which unlocks the device. The phone comes with 32GB of onboard storage and can be expanded up to 128GB with a microSD card.
HTC One M9+ is the high-end version of the HTC One M9. It has a larger 5.2-inch Super LCD3 display with a Quad HD resolution. It also features an octa-core MediaTek MT6795T processor and 3GB of RAM. It runs HTC’s Sense 7 software, which adds new features from One M9.
The HTC One M9+ is available in gunmetal and silver gold. It has a fingerprint scanner that works reliably. It also comes with a 2,840 mAh battery that lasts 14 to 16 hours with normal use.