In the U.S.? These are the best Android phones available
Globalization of the smartphone world has leveled the playing field dramatically, with most phones nowadays being made available internationally. But there are some notable exceptions, and if you're in the U.S. you don't get your choice of every phone out there. These are the best devices you can get in the U.S. today - from the highest end with the Galaxy S20+, down to dramatically more affordable options.
Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy S20+
Our previous top pick here was the Galaxy S10+, and everything Samsung did this year with the S20+ made it an easy recommendation in its place. The S20+ makes improvements across the board, with a bigger and better display that has a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, a larger 4,500mAh battery, 12GB of RAM, and a new Snapdragon 865 processor. It's 5G capable as well, which isn't a huge deal now but will become more important later in 2020.
The biggest move up is in the cameras, with a new array all around. The new sensors are larger, letting in more light to take dramatically better low-light photos. It's not quite on the level of the Pixel 4 XL, but this is a big step up from what Samsung offered before and is no longer a big shortcoming of the phone. You also get solid zoom capabilities up to 5X, while keeping the ultra-wide camera for shooting variety.
The only way the S20+ steps down from the S10+ is in its price, and removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The base phone is a couple hundred dollars more than last year, and removing the audio jack is a tough blow for those who rely on it. But both are a result of the direction the whole phone industry is going - phones keep getting more expensive, and Samsung was already one of the last holdouts in the flagship space to keep the headphone jack.
Pros:- Best-in-class display
- Good battery life
- Exceptional performance
- Great all-around cameras
- 5G enabled
- Expensive for 128GB of storage
- Camera zoom much weaker than S20 Ultra
- Slow fingerprint sensor
- No headphone jack
Samsung's excellent all-rounder.
The S20+ has a great screen, high-end specs, a strong array of cameras and feature-packed software. It's worth the price.
Best on a Budget: Moto G7
Motorola defines the budget phone segment with the Moto G series. The baseline G7 is an excellent value device that hits all of the basics at a price just about anyone can afford. You get functional hardware, a big display, capable specs, and clean Motorola software that's easy to pick up and use. Best of all, you can get it on the Big Four major U.S. carriers.
Note: The new Moto G series has been announced in the U.S., but is not yet on sale. If you're willing to wait, you'll get a newer phone with fresh specs and features for a similar price, or if you want to save some money, the Moto G7 will drop in price.
Pros:- Big 1080p display
- Capable specs for the money
- Simple and intuitive software
- Works on the Big Four U.S. carriers
- No NFC
- Software update future uncertain
$230 at Amazon $200 at Walmart
Get the basics done in a solid package
The G7 is the budget phone benchmark. You still get great build quality, a solid screen, and a full spec sheet with clean software.
Best Camera: Google Pixel 4 XL
The Pixel 4 XL is, first and foremost, about its cameras. The main rear camera takes spectacular shots in all conditions, and the secondary telephoto lens is surprisingly capable even at 5X zoom using software processing. There are other redeeming qualities here: The understated hardware is nice in the hand, the 90Hz display is solid, and Google's software is powerful and always kept up to date.
Google has stumbled when it comes to battery life; even the large Pixel 4 XL fails to make it through a day for many people. Its weak longevity provides no confidence. Plus, new features like face unlock and Motion Sense have little real-world use or don't work with enough apps. This all detracts from so many other great aspects of the phone.
Pros:- Super-smooth 90Hz display
- Simple, useful and fast software
- Excellent face unlock
- Top-notch camera quality back and front
- Nice-looking and feeling hardware
- Incredibly weak battery life
- Motion Sense has little real-world use
- Low RAM and storage for the money
- Many apps still incompatible with face unlock
$800 at Amazon $899 at Walmart
The best camera you can get in a smartphone today
The Pixel 4 XL has the best camera you can get, but it's let down by poor battery life and weak specs for the money.
Best Compact Choice: Google Pixel 3a
There are many reasons why you'd find yourself looking at the Pixel 3a. The first is its size because it's one of the few "small" phones out there right now. Because it has a larger version, the 3a XL, the standard 3a remains compact and manageable one-handed. The screen's still big enough to get things done, but the phone isn't going to be a burden in your pocket or hard to use.
The most impressive part of the 3a is its camera, which is nearly on par with the Pixel 4 yet costs less than half as much. The main camera takes exceptional photos in all lighting conditions, with Night Sight really showing its strength in challenging scenes. The front-facing camera is great as well. Front and back, you're getting flagship-level photos out of a phone that's dramatically less expensive
The Pixel 3a offers exceptional value, especially several months after its release with some discounts. Google's software runs rather well on mid-range hardware, even though it's clearly not as fast as the latest phones. But you don't need to be worried about losing support as it gets older, because unlike most of its mid-range competitors the Pixel 3a is guaranteed to get software updates for the next couple years.
Pros:- Incredible camera for the money
- Excellent build quality with polycarbonate shell
- Guaranteed software updates
- Clean Android build
- Performance not on flagship levels
- Display is no more than functional
Google's budget phone is a great value, and it's small.
The Pixel 3a has flagship camera quality but at a fraction of the price. It's also one of the few great compact phones available.
Best Value: OnePlus 7T
An argument could be made that the OnePlus 7T represents a better value than the ostensibly higher-end 7 Pro. This hardware feels every bit the quality of phones hundreds of dollars more, the screen looks great, and the internal specs are top-notch. The software experience is also fantastic, as is the battery life.
The only shortcomings here are on the fringes, where you're missing out on some extra features. There's no official waterproofing rating or wireless charging, and the cameras just aren't quite flagship-level. Still, the value on offer here is exceptional, splitting the difference perfectly between typical "budget" phones and true high-end flagships.
Pros:- Well-designed, with premium materials
- Excellent battery life
- OxygenOS 10 is awesome
- Consistent and versatile cameras
- Great price for what you get
- Lacks official IP rating
- No wireless charging
- Loses telephoto OIS from OnePlus 7 Pro
A perfect balance of high-end quality and mid-range price
You get the same great specs as the OnePlus 7 Pro, in a slightly smaller package with a few extras cut back - but in return get an exceptional price.
Best With a Stylus: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Even with the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra now available, the Note 10+ can still hold its own as one of the best phones you can buy - especially if you want a stylus. It's big, powerful, and feels completely modern for 2020. The hardware looks and feels great, the display is bright and wonderfully colorful, and there's nothing you can throw at it to slow down the software.
Everything the Note 10+ has to offer is punctuated by its S Pen, which has no equal in the smartphone world. If you see value in having a stylus in your phone, there's no comparison here - and thankfully the rest of the phone is great as well. And with its successors now in the market, the Note 10+'s price has dropped a bit.
Pros:- Incredible display
- Hardware looks and feels expensive
- Outstanding performance
- Best stylus experience on any phone
- Great battery life and fast charging
- Solid camera performance
- Low-light camera quality is weak
- Software requires lots of tweaking
- No headphone jack
Samsung's biggest and best (for now), with a stylus
For many, there's no replacement for a Note. You get great Samsung features, with a huge display, plus the unique S Pen.
Best Battery Life: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Just like its name implies, the Galaxy S20 Ultra takes a step beyond the S20+. It has the same specs and capabilities, but with an even larger display - up to 6.9 inches - and a correspondingly large battery at 5,000mAh. When you keep the display at 60Hz refresh, it's a complete battery champ; you'll never have to worry about battery life.
The S20 Ultra also makes use of that extra space to give you better cameras, with a 108MP main shooter that takes even brighter photos, and a telephoto camera that can reach out and get great shots at 10X (and decent shots at 15X). The trade-offs of this extra capability, and battery life, are its overall size and higher price. The S20 Ultra is huge, and almost 20% heavier than the S20+; it's also much more expensive, which can be tough to handle when the S20+ is already spendy. But if battery life is a priority, this is your best choice.
Pros:- Massive high-quality screen
- Huge battery
- Super-sharp main camera shots
- Solid zoom camera up to 15X
- Great battery limited to 60Hz mode
- Necessarily big and heavy
- Slow fingerprint sensor
- No headphone jack
- 30X+ zoom is a gimmick
Samsung goes all-out with the biggest battery and screen, plus its best cameras.
Take the S20+ and take it up a level - all of the same features, but with an even bigger screen and battery.
Bottom lineWhen you're looking to buy a phone in the U.S., you have access to nearly all of the leading Android phones out today. Samsung does a great job with the Galaxy S20+'s U.S. availability. You can get the phone unlocked and use it on any U.S. carrier, whether that's one of the big four or a prepaid offering.
And it's a great phone to pick for every other reason: it has great hardware, a whole mountain of features, long battery life, and has been updated to Android 10. Its cameras are feeling a bit old now that it's getting on in age, but the complete package is a great choice at its reduced price.
Credits - The team that worked on this guide
Andrew Martonik is Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central. He has been a mobile enthusiast since the Windows Mobile days and covering all things Android-related with a unique perspective at AC since 2012. For suggestions and updates, you can reach him at andrew.martonik@androidcentral.com or on Twitter at @andrewmartonik.
Daniel Bader is Managing Editor of Android Central. As he's writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there's a correlation.
Joe Maring is Android Central's News Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He's been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop. Have a tip? Reach out on Twitter @JoeMaring1 or send an email to joe.maring@mobilenations.com!