The 5 Best Android Phones – The New York Times

Our pick

Google Pixel 6

The Pixel 6 offers the best version of Android, with guaranteed updates through fall 2026—plus the best Android camera we’ve ever tested, a custom Google processor, and excellent build quality for half as much as Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Key specifications:

Google’s Pixel smartphones have always offered the best software experience on Android, but the Pixel 6 is the first model with hardware worthy of the software. It has the best camera available on an Android phone save for the Pixel 6 Pro, and Google’s fast custom Tensor processor can hold its own against high-end chips in other phones. It also gets Google’s longest update guarantee yet: five years from release. At $600, it costs hundreds less than phones that won’t last as long or perform as well.

Upgrade pick

Google Pixel 6 Pro

The Pixel 6 Pro takes the amazing Pixel 6 and adds a bigger, better screen and a zoom camera—and it’s still cheaper than the competition.

Key specifications:

The Google Pixel 6 Pro is similar to the Pixel 6 but adds a larger OLED screen with a higher resolution and refresh rate, a bigger battery, and a camera with 4x optical zoom. These improvements bump the regular price up to $900, so the value isn’t quite as strong as with the Pixel 6. But the Pixel 6 Pro is a more capable phone, it still gives you the same excellent software plus five years of update support, and it’s still better than the best from Samsung, OnePlus, or Motorola.

Budget pick

Google Pixel 5a with 5G

For even less than the Pixel 6, the Pixel 5a offers the best version of Android, with guaranteed updates through August 2024—but it also means a slight step down in the performance, camera, and screen.

Key specifications:

Google’s Pixel 5a with 5G is priced $150 lower than the flagship Pixel 6, but it retains almost all of what you might expect from a high-end phone. The Pixel 5a has Google’s clean, fast version of Android 12, with three years of guaranteed updates. It also offers camera performance that’s better than what you can get from phones that may cost twice as much. However, the Pixel 5a with 5G isn’t quite as responsive as the Samsung Galaxy S22 or the Pixel 6. It also has no support for wireless charging or expandable storage, and its screen is not the smoother, high-refresh variety. It does, however, have a headphone jack.

Also great

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

A fast processor, a huge screen, class-leading cameras, and even a stylus make the Galaxy S22 Ultra the most full-featured Android phone available. But you should buy it only if it’s on sale.

Buying Options

*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,000.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is essentially a Galaxy Note by another name. It has the biggest, brightest screen of any smartphone in 2022, and the included S Pen can help you take notes, mark up documents, and create art in ways you can’t do on any other phone available. It has the best build quality of any Android phone, with a custom aluminum alloy frame that wraps around the edges, and the matte glass repels fingerprints. In addition, this Galaxy phone almost matches the Pixel 6 with its collection of four useful camera lenses, including a 10x “periscope” zoom lens. The primary drawback is this phone’s high regular price—for $300 less, the Pixel 6 Pro is better at most things. The S22 Ultra is ideal if you demand maximum versatility from your phone, but you should buy it only on sale—we recommend purchasing when it’s closer to $1,000, or if you have an older Samsung phone to trade in.

Also great

Samsung Galaxy S22

The Galaxy S22 has the same powerful processor as the S22 Ultra, but its compact frame and smaller display make it easier to use, even if you have only one hand free.

Most good Android phones are big and heavy, but the Samsung Galaxy S22 is petite enough for those with smaller hands. The 6.1-inch OLED display looks even better than the Pixel 6’s screen, and the build quality is every bit as good as that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It’s built to last on the software side, too, with the same five-year update commitment as on Samsung’s other flagship phones. The S22 lacks the advanced camera array of the S22 Ultra, but it still shoots better photos than anything else that isn’t a Pixel. However, the smaller size means a smaller battery—the S22 will last a day, but only just.

Our other phone coverage

• The Best Budget Android Phones

  There are more options than ever for people who need a good Android phone but don’t want to spend a lot of money for it.

• Which iPhone Should I Get?

  If you’re happy with your iPhone, an upgrade can wait. But if you need a new device, the iPhone 13 has a fantastic camera and better battery life than ever.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-android-phone/