Other Phones to Consider Google Pixel 9. Photo: Julian ChokkattuWe test a lot of Android phones. We like the ones below, but you’ll be better off using one of the options above. If you haven’t already, check out our Best Cheap Phones and Best Foldable Phones guides for more. 8A and the Pixel 9 Pro series, struggling to stand out. It shares many features with its pricier sibling, but you can get a very similar experience with the Pixel 8A, all while saving hundreds of dollars. If you love design and want new smart software features, don’t stop! But it might be wiser to wait for the Pixel 9A this spring. Samsung Galaxy S24 FE for $650: The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is in the same boat as the Pixel 9. The price is very close to the Galaxy S24 series, which you can find on sale for no more, and there are cheap phones that are just more value. It is a perfectly capable smartphone with an array of three cameras (including a 3X telephoto camera), and delivers good performance. It has wireless charging, IP68 water resistance, and a solid one-day battery life. Shame the design is a bit drastic. Google Pixel 8 for $499 and Pixel 8 Pro for $599: The Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommendations) from 2023 are still available to buy and they’re great devices. many lives are left behind. Make sure you don’t spend more than $600. Anything else and you just have to buy from the new Pixel 9 series. Honor Magic V3 for £1,799: If you’re outside the US, the Magic V3 might be the best folding phone out there right now; it is definitely the world’s thinnest folding phone (8/10, WIRED Recommendation). It has good battery life, a wide external screen that looks like a normal phone, and a wide internal screen when opened. Even the camera is versatile, although the ultrawide is not good, and the phone’s overall software can cause some disturbances. Photo: Julian ChokkattuOnePlus 12 for $800 and OnePlus 12R for $600: OnePlus reconnects with its roots in 2024, offering killer specs by surprise. cheap prices. The OnePlus 12R is a better value than the OnePlus 12 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but you should only buy the phone if you can afford it. Otherwise, buy the latest OnePlus 13 and 13R because they’re not that expensive.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 for $1,900: The Fold6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great big-screen folding smartphone. If you’re worried about durability and repairability when buying a foldable, Samsung is your best bet because they’ve been producing these devices for a long time. The camera takes great photos, the display is very bright, and Samsung promises long-term software support. The Fold6’s outer screen is slightly wider and better to use than previous iterations, but otherwise, there aren’t any new changes outside of AI advancements. You can still grab last year’s Galaxy Z Fold5 to save some dough. Photo: Julian ChokkattuSamsung Galaxy Z Flip6 for $1,100: The Flip6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) has some advantages over Motorola’s new Razr+, like a better, better hinge mechanism. quality, strong camera, and software support again. But I still like the overall experience on the Motorola flip, mostly because of the larger external screen. Still, Flip6’s 3.4-inch screen cover is handy for glancing through widgets, and you can open it up to get a big screen Android phone experience. The Galaxy Z Flip5 is a worthy choice if you don’t mind buying last year’s technology at a lower price. Photo: Julian Chokkattu We have a small recommendation for some popular devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, and S22 or the Google Pixel 9 series. It is smart to slap a little on these glass sandwiches and even protect the screen so that the display does not get scuffs and scratches. Here are some other essential accessories, including charging adapters, that many phones no longer include. See our best USB-C Cables guide for more recommendations. Anker 45-Watt Charger for $20: This small charger will be all you need to charge most smartphones. It’s compact, reliable, and cheap, plus the prongs fold up. More smartphones than ever can reach 45-watt charging speeds, so get the most out of a 45-watt charger. Counterpart The Charger for $44: It’s not the best value, but this design-forward charger has a 4-foot retractable cable. makes a fantastic two-in-one-no need to pack a separate charger and cable! It produces 35 watts, which is enough to charge most phones and tablets quickly, and the prongs fold up for travel. Peak Design Samsung and Pixel Everyday Case for $50: If you have a Samsung or Pixel phone and you often attach your phone to your bike or scooter, you owe it to yourself to snag this case and Peak Design bike mount. The case snaps perfectly into the mount, is simple to release, and has not fallen off after years of riding. Peak Design also sells a number of other accessories that can be attached to the back of the case, bringing Android into Apple’s MagSafe ecosystem. Nimble Champ Portable Charger 10,000 mAh for $60: This portable battery is small enough to leave in your bag but has enough power to fully charge your phone once or twice. There are USB-C and USB-A ports, providing 18 watts of power, so you can recharge your tablet or phone, and it’s housed in 73 percent post-consumer plastic with plastic-free packaging. Nomad ChargeKey for $25: When your phone dies, it’s almost always because you forgot to bring a charger or battery. The ChargeKey is a great solution – it’s like clipping a small USB-C charging cable onto a key ring. Just plug one end into your phone and the other into any kind of power source (a friend’s phone or a power adapter if you can find one), and you can charge your phone. Native Union also has similar items that are better but just as good. Choose a Wireless Charger: Our guide to the best wireless chargers includes dozens of models in different colors, shapes, and materials, and some are even designed for specific phones. Not every Android phone supports wireless charging, but it’s a luxury you’ll want to take advantage of. Take a gander at our guide to our favorites.
11 Best Android Phones of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
