The Pixel 3a is the best phone for Visible in 2020
When it first launched in May 2018, Visible made a big mark on the carrier space since $40/month for unlimited everything on Verizon sounds too good to be true. One of the few drawbacks to the service is that Visible only works with a small selection of Android phones, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to be an Android user and get the most out of what the carrier has to offer. Here are our favorite Android phones that work with Visible, including the Google Pixel 3a!
Best Overall: Google Pixel 3a
Looking back at 2019, one phone that stands out as one of the year's top highlights is the Pixel 3a. It's the first mid-range phone Google's ever released under its Pixel brand, and the end result is one heck of an Android phone.
Without a doubt, the aspect of the Pixel 3a that shines the most is its rear camera. The 12.2-megapixel sensor, paired with Google's near-magical levels of post-processing, result in it being impossible to take a bad picture with the Pixel 3a. Photos are crisp, colorful, and low-light photography is a breeze.
Outside of the camera, the Pixel 3a also benefits from a solid AMOLED display, reliable performance, and a 3.5mm headphone jack - something that's become a rarity on most phones in 2019. We also love the inclusion of NFC for Google Pay and the snappy rear fingerprint sensor - both of which help to make up for the lack of wireless charging.
Lastly, since this is a Pixel phone, the 3a is first-in-line for software updates and security patches as they're released. It's already running Android 10 and will keep getting updates through May 2022.
Pros:- Fantastic camera
- AMOLED display
- Reliable performance
- Fast fingerprint sensor
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- No wireless charging
- Plastic construction
Best for most people
Overall, the Pixel 3a is the best phone you can use on Visible. It has outstanding cameras, a great AMOLED display, and more for a stellar price.
Best Alternative: Samsung Galaxy S20
The Pixel 3a is the phone we'd recommend most people get, given its balance of features and specs for its low price. However, should you find yourself in a position where you can spend a bit more money, we'd urge you to consider splurging for the Galaxy S20.
Samsung's Galaxy S20 is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but considering everything it brings to the table, we think it's worth the price. That all starts with the display, which is a 120Hz Super AMOLED panel with a crisp Quad HD+ resolution. It's buttery smooth, the colors are vibrant, and the 6.2-inch screen size is surprisingly easy to use with one hand. Around back, you're treated to a trio of rear cameras that take gorgeous photos.
Also offered is a large 4,000 mAh battery for reliable endurance, Qualcomm's ultra-fast Snapdragon 865 processor, 128GB of expandable storage, and a gorgeous glass/metal design.
Pros:- 120Hz AMOLED display is outstanding
- Relatively compact size
- Excellent rear cameras
- Flagship performance
- Surprisingly large battery
- No headphone jack
- High price tag
Get this if you have a bigger budget
If you're able to spend more money, the Galaxy S20 is what you should get. Its design, specs, and features are all top-notch.
Best Mid-Ranger: Samsung Galaxy A51
If you like to get a lot of bang-for-your-buck, mid-range phones are tough to argue with. They tend to offer a wonderful combination of features and value, and in regards to phones that work with Visible, the mid-ranger that we recommend is the Samsung Galaxy A51.
The Galaxy A51 isn't a perfect phone, with its sluggish processor and so-so camera performance being the biggest drawbacks. If those things don't bother you, however, the rest of the experience is pretty great! The A51 has a large 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, along with a Full HD+ resolution. The design is also quite nice, featuring slim bezels, a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera, and a back design that has a pretty unique pattern.
Rounding out the A51 is its 4,000 mAh battery, 128GB of storage for all of your apps/games, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. For the price Samsung's asking for the phone, it's a pretty great deal.
Pros:- Large AMOLED display with slim bezels
- Beautiful design
- Huge 4,000 mAh battery
- Still has a 3.5mm headphone jack
- Comes with 128GB of storage
- Iffy performance
- Disappointing cameras
Mid-range is the way to go
The Galaxy A51 is a reliable option for Visible customers. It has great battery life, a striking design, and a headphone jack.
Best Battery Life: Moto G7 Power
Far too many smartphones are plagued with ho-hum battery life, but the Moto G7 Power certainly isn't one of them. Outfitted with a 5,000 mAh battery, the G7 Power is rated to get up to three days of regular use on a single charge - making it one of the battery champs of the entire smartphone market.
Compared to most handsets that are good for about a day's worth of use and nothing beyond that, being able to get well over two on the G7 Power is quite the achievement. When it does come time to charge up, the G7 Power uses its 15W TurboPower charger for decent refuel times.
Battery life is obviously the main draw to the G7 Power, but that's not all it has going for it. There's also a large 6.2-inch display (though it's capped at a 720p resolution), a Snapdragon 632 octa-core processor, and 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 512GB.
So long as you can get over the mediocre cameras and Motorola's poor track record for software updates, the Moto G7 Power is a great buy.
Pros:- Three days of battery on one charge
- Modern design
- Large display
- Alexa built-in
- Expandable storage
- Mediocre cameras
- 720p screen resolution
- Motorola has a bad track record for updates
The battery champ
Need a phone with a battery that never dies? The Moto G7 Power has your back. It's rated for up to 3 days on a single charge!
Best Camera: Google Pixel 4 XL
Google was met with a lot of mixed reactions upon launching the Pixel 4 XL back in October 2019, mainly over its poor battery life. You won't get much more than a day's worth of use out of the phone, and while that is annoying, the Pixel 4 XL more than makes up for this with its cameras.
A 12.2MP primary camera and 16MP telephoto camera are found on the back of the phone, and simply put, they create one of the best imaging setups you'll find on any smartphone. Open the camera app, press the shutter button, and you're treated to an excellent photo every single time. Google's unmatched image processing results in great colors, detail, and jaw-dropping low-light photos.
The camera array is certainly the biggest draw to the phone, but that's not all it has going for it. You're also treated to a 90Hz AMOLED display, excellent software, and guaranteed updates + monthly security patches through October 2022.
Pros:- One of the best camera setups currently available
- 90Hz AMOLED display looks great
- Clean and smooth software
- Unmatched face unlock
- Years of guaranteed updates
- Battery life isn't good
- Expensive
- Too big for some
Never take a bad picture ever again
Most phones take great pictures these days, but the Pixel 4 XL is on a completely different level - and it's worth the high price.
Best Overkill: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
The regular Galaxy S20 is arguably the best purchase if you're interested in a Samsung flagship, but if you want a larger version of it with a more technically-impressive camera, the S20 Ultra is worth checking out.
You're getting a downright huge 6.9-inch Super AMOLED display, and just like the regular S20, you still get a Quad HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate for buttery smooth animations. Powering all of that is Qualcomm's incredible Snapdragon 865 processor, along with 12GB of RAM. On the battery side of things, you're treated to a 5,000 mAh unit. There are a total of four cameras on the back of the S20 Ultra, and they're very, very good. Where it stands out over the regular S20 is the Space Zoom feature, which allows you to zoom all the way up to 100x.
The size, weight, and price of Galaxy S20 Ultra make it a difficult phone to hold for some folks, but as far as premium Android experiences go, this is one of the best.
Pros:- Massive 6.9-inch display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Excellent build quality
- Blazing-fast performance
- Very capable rear cameras
- Can zoom up to 100x
- Too big for some people
- Doesn't have a headphone jack
- It's just so expensive
Everything and the kitchen sink
Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra is big, expensive, and loaded with every feature/spec you can imagine.
Bottom lineWe're hoping to see Visible's Android support grow as time goes on, but until then, these are the best phones you can get for the carrier - the Pixel 3a being the best of the best.
The Pixel 3a has gotten a lot of praise by many of us here at AC, and it'll continue to do so. Google crafted something special with this phone, and any chance we have to recommend it, we do just that.
From the cameras, display, software, and more, the Pixel 3a is the epitome of what all affordable/mid-range phones should be. It's enjoyable to use, doesn't make any serious cutbacks, and comes in at a fantastic price. If that sounds like a combo you're interested in, pick up the Pixel 3a. You'll be glad you did.
Credits - The team that worked on this guide
Joe Maring is Android Central's Senior Editor Editor. He loves talking about all things tech, especially when it comes to Android phones. He has a drawer full of them that continues to grow and spends way too much time at Starbucks. Have a tip? Send an email to joe.maring@futurenet.com or hit him up on Twitter @JoeMaring1