These are the best Android phones you can buy right now - Android

If you want to get your hands on the best Android phone in 2021, the Samsung Galaxy S21 is for you. It's a device that delivers all of the high-end specs and features you could ask for in a flagship smartphone, all while coming in at a lower price than its predecessor. That said, if you're in the market for a more affordable smartphone with different software, or a more unique design, there are plenty of other options to consider.

What are the best Android phones?

There are a lot of contenders when it comes to the best Android phones, but we think the Samsung Galaxy S21 is the go-to choice for most people. The S21 isn't the absolute most premium Android phone you can buy in 2021, but when looking at the specs and features it offers for the price, it's easily the best phone most people should buy.

The best part is that the Galaxy S21 costs less than its predecessor, making it an even better option. While Samsung made a few changes to bring down the price, the fundamentals are still intact: you get the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, a 120Hz AMOLED display, great cameras, reliable battery life, wireless charging, and IP68 dust/water resistance. Everything you could ask for is present on the S21, and it does all of this with a retail price that's easily palatable.

If you have a few more dollars to spend and want something even more impressive, our next pick is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. This is one of the most powerful Android phones currently available in 2021, and that's evident with virtually every facet of the S21 Ultra. It also has Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 888 chipset, and it comes with a Quad HD+ display that can be run at 120Hz, and a camera system that's practically guaranteed to make your jaw drop.

We should also mention the Google Pixel 4a, which is a completely different category of smartphone compared to the Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra. It has lesser specs across the board and a cheaper design, but that also results in a vastly lower price. Times are tough for many people right now, and if you want a top-notch Android phone that can do everything you ask of it while spending as little as possible, the Google Pixel 4a is the phone to get.

Samsung Galaxy S21

The best Android phone overall

Bottom line: Samsung's Galaxy S21 is a great overall package, delivering 5G, the latest hardware, and all the extras you could ask for in a 2021 flagship.

Pros:

• Compact and lightweight design
• Snapdragon 888 is a performance beast
• 120Hz AMOLED display
• Very capable cameras
• All-day battery life

Cons:

• Doesn't have expandable storage
• No MST for Samsung Pay

For 2021, Samsung has released a smaller and more affordable smartphone in the form of the regular Galaxy S21. For shoppers that want a fully-fledged smartphone experience without completely breaking the bank, it's well worth your consideration.

One of the best things the Galaxy S21 has going for it is the display. It's a Full HD+ AMOLED panel, and when paired with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, it is nothing short of excellent. It's not quite as sharp as the Quad HD+ resolution found on the S21 Ultra, but thanks to a smaller 6.2-inch display size, the picture still looks really crisp. Combine that smaller display with premium plastic construction, and the S21 ends up being a really comfortable phone to use thanks to its small size and lightweight design.

Another highlight is performance; the Galaxy S21 features the Snapdragon 888 and 8GB of RAM. No matter what apps or games you throw at the phone, it'll handle them with ease. There's also a 4,000 mAh battery for all-day endurance, an IP68 dust/water resistance rating, and your choice of 128 or 256GB of storage. The camera experience isn't as jaw-dropping as what you'll find with the S21 Ultra, though it is a bit better than the S20 FE. Once again, it's a nice middle-ground between the two.

You get three guaranteed Android updates and four years of security patches on the software front, making the Galaxy S21 one of the best phones for long-term use. That said, the Galaxy S21 shares the same cons as the S21 Ultra, meaning there's no expandable storage or MST for Samsung Pay. Those are two features you do get with the S20 FE, but the S21 still manages to stand out thanks to its improved cameras, faster performance, nicer design, and more pocketable form factor.

Best Android Phone Overall

Samsung Galaxy S21 128GB

$800 at Amazon $800 at Best Buy $700 at B&H

With a sublime display, stellar cameras, and a price tag that your wallet will appreciate, the Galaxy S21 is the best Android phone.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

An Android phone with zero compromises

Bottom line: The S21 Ultra stands out as the phone to get if you don't want to spare any expense. Everything from the display, performance, cameras, and more are among the very best you can get — just be prepared for it to cost you a pretty penny.

Pros:

• Gorgeous design
• Quad HD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate
• Snapdragon 888 is ridiculously fast
• New camera system is top-notch
• Works with the S Pen

Cons:

• Doesn't have expandable storage or MST
• It's a massive phone

What Samsung achieved with the Galaxy S20 FE is nothing short of amazing, and for the vast majority of you reading this, it's the phone you should probably buy. But if you're itching for a device that has even more to offer and you're OK spending more to get that kind of experience, you'll want to turn your attention towards the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

This is Samsung's top-of-the-line flagship for 2021, and in virtually every regard, the premium nature of the S21 Ultra is easy to see. Starting first with the display, you're treated to a massive 6.8-inch panel that's capable of running a Quad HD+ resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate at the same time — something very few smartphones are capable of doing. This means you get razor-sharp text, buttery smooth animations, and the stunning colors of Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED screen technology.

Powering the S21 Ultra is the Snapdragon 888 chipset, which can be paired with either 12 or 16GB of RAM. In real-world use, that means the Galaxy S21 Ultra is one of the fastest phones money can buy. Keeping with the theme of high-end specs, other niceties include a 5,000 mAh battery, up to 512GB of storage, an IP68 water/dust resistance rating, and a larger in-screen fingerprint sensor that's much faster and easier to use than the one found on the S20 FE.

As if that wasn't enough, the tour de force of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is its camera system. The primary camera is a 108MP sensor that captures extremely detailed and colorful shots, the 8MP ultra-wide lens is a strong performer, and the two telephoto cameras — featuring 3x and 10x zoom distances — allow for some of the very best zoom pictures we've ever seen.

There's no denying the impressiveness of the S21 Ultra, but that's not to say it's without its faults. Samsung dropped expandable storage and MST for Samsung Pay, two hallmark features of Galaxy phones before it. If you're alright with those commissions, the rest of the Galaxy S21 Ultra experience is well, well worth the price of admission.

Best Premium Phone

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 128GB

$1,000 at Amazon $950 at Best Buy $1,000 at B&H

Spending $1,000 for a new phone isn't for everyone, but if you're able to, the S21 Ultra makes great use of its high price.

OnePlus 9 Pro

The best phone for Android enthusiasts

Bottom line: The OnePlus 9 Pro delivers a gorgeous new design combined with top-notch internal hardware, cameras tuned by Hasselblad, and clean software. OnePlus finally has a phone that measures up to the best that Android offers, and the OnePlus 9 Pro is an affordable alternative to the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Pros:

• Outstanding performance
• Gorgeous design with 120Hz AMOLED display
• Stellar cameras tuned by Hasselblad
• 65W wired / 50W wireless charging
• IP68 dust and water resistance

Cons:

• Only two years of software updates
• Average battery life
• Single-SIM in the U.S.

The OnePlus 9 Pro is gunning straight for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The phone features the latest hardware you'll find today, including the Snapdragon 888 chipset along with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage modules, and a marquee addition this year is the cameras.

OnePlus always nailed the hardware, but it just couldn't deliver cameras that held up to Samsung, Google, and Xiaomi. That's changing with the OnePlus 9 Pro; the device comes with an upgraded 48MP camera at the back that takes fantastic photos. OnePlus has partnered with German camera giant Hasselblad to deliver outstanding photos to capture every moment. The result is that the OnePlus 9 Pro takes amazing shots in just about any lighting condition. There's also a 50MP wide-angle lens that may just be the best on any phone today, and you get an 8MP module that offers 3x digital zoom.

The OnePlus 9 Pro is one of the fastest phones you can buy today, and the top-notch hardware is joined by a new 120Hz AMOLED display. The phone uses an LTPO display to dynamically change the refresh all the way from 1Hz to 120Hz, allowing it to conserve battery life while delivering a smooth and fluid user experience in daily use.

You'll also find clean software without any bloatware at all in the Android 11-based OxygenOS 11. The interface has plenty of customizability, and unlike Samsung's One UI, you will not find any errant ads anywhere. The clean UI combined with a focus on performance and customization make OxygenOS the default choice for enthusiasts.

The phone doesn't miss out in other areas either — you get IP68 dust and water resistance, 5G connectivity over both Sub-6 and mmWave, and dual-band GPS along with NFC. But a key highlight is around battery tech — the OnePlus 9 Pro offers 65W wired charging along with 50W wireless charging, with the phone taking just 29 minutes to fully charge using the bundled charger.

While it's exciting to see the gains in this area, the one downside is that battery life itself isn't on par with other Android flagships. The OnePlus 9 Pro barely manages to last a day with heavy use, so you may want to take the charger along if you're heading out. And although the software is cleaner than what you'll find on the Galaxy S21 series, you will only get two Android updates — one less than what Samsung offers.

That said, the OnePlus 9 Pro is a great overall package that nails the fundamentals. If you're not sure about the Galaxy S21 Ultra and are looking for an alternative, you will love what the OnePlus 9 Pro has to offer.

Best Phone For Enthusiasts

OnePlus 9 Pro

$1,070 at Amazon $1,069 at OnePlus

The OnePlus 9 Pro gives you the latest hardware features and cameras that take outstanding photos in any lighting.

Google Pixel 4a

Amazing camera, even better price

Bottom line: There are a lot of good smartphone deals out there, but none of them are as amazing as the Pixel 4a. From its flagship-grade cameras, reliable performance, all-day battery life, and long-term software support, no other phone gives you this much for so little.

Pros:

• Flagship camera on a budget phone
• Easy to use in one hand
• AMOLED display looks great
• Snappy performance
• Three years of software support

Cons:

• Boring design

The Pixel 4a is the best phone value available today, period. Google's packed most of what makes the Pixel 4 series good into a smartphone that costs over 50% less. You also get a compact device that, despite its size, excels in the battery life department. Seriously, this phone lasts all day and then some.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the 4a is its camera, which is nearly on par with the Pixel 4. The main camera shoots exceptional photos in all lighting conditions, with Night Sight really showing its strength in poor lighting. Google even added Astrophotography mode this time around and improved the already impressive Portrait Mode. The front-facing camera is also tack-sharp and focuses more quickly than on the Pixel 3a from 2019. Both front and back, you're getting flagship-level camera quality out of a phone that's a fraction of the price. Google's also improved the video quality on the 4a, thanks to an improved Snapdragon 730 chipset and 6GB of RAM standard.

So what do you lose by spending a third of the price of a more traditional flagship? Well, the Pixel 4a is made of plastic and lacks both water resistance and wireless charging, features you can take for granted at a higher price point. It also only comes in one size, a 5.8-inch variant, and one color, black. There are no storage size options, either: you get 128GB of internal memory, which should be plenty for most people, but a lack of microSD expansion may be a problem for the content collectors out there. Also, there's no 5G support here.

All of these limitations shouldn't impede your desire to buy the Pixel 4a, which proved to be one of the best smartphone surprises of 2020 — even if it did launch a few months late. Google's latest budget phone is a winner, from the size to the performance to the battery life and camera quality.

Best Value Android Phone

Google - Pixel 4a 128GB (Unlocked) - Just Black

$346 at Amazon $300 at Best Buy $349 at B&H

The Pixel 4a has flagship camera quality at a fraction of the price. It's also one of the few legitimately compact phones available.

Google Pixel 5

The ultimate camera smartphone

Bottom line: They say that the best camera you have is the one you have with you, so make sure it's the best it can be. Google's Pixel 5 takes incredible photos in virtually any setting, and thanks to the company's top-notch image processing, you don't even have to be a pro photographer to get impressive shots.

Pros:

• Among the best cameras on the market
• Compact and comfortable to hold
• 90Hz AMOLED display
• Great battery life
• Three years of software updates

Cons:

• Might be too small for some users

The Pixel 5 is Google's latest flagship smartphone that you can buy and compared to past releases, it's a huge departure. Rather than trying to have the absolute best specs possible, the Pixel 5 focuses on offering a great all-around user experience at a competitive price. And, in just about every regard, it succeeds.

First thing's first, we have to talk about the Pixel 5's camera performance. Simply put, if camera quality is a key priority for you, the Pixel 5 should be at the very top of your shopping list. The 12.2MP primary and 16MP ultra-wide cameras may not look all that impressive on paper, but combined with Google's unmatched image processing, they kick out truly incredible results. The detail is sharp, colors are true-to-life, and the Pixel 5 handles low-light environments without a hitch. The best part? The Pixel 5 does all of this more reliably than any other smartphone.

Outside of killer cameras, the Pixel 5 has a bunch more to offer. We're in love with its design, which is refreshingly compact and is made entirely out of aluminum. The paint job gives it an exceptional in-hand feel, and if you ask us. The Sorta Sage color is one of the best we've ever seen on a phone. Period.

Rounding out the Pixel 5 experience is a 90Hz AMOLED display, fast performance thanks to the Snapdragon 765G processor, and long-lasting battery life. For considerably less money than a lot of other flagships, the Pixel 5 is well worth your consideration.

Best Android Phone Camera

Google Pixel 5 128GB

$699 at Amazon $650 at Best Buy $699 at B&H

Ready to take the best pictures ever? That's what you'll be doing if you buy the Pixel 5.

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

The best value flagship

Bottom line: Samsung's Galaxy S20 FE is a solid, affordable 5G phone that offers most of what makes Samsung flagships so good in a cheaper, colorful package.

Category	Galaxy S20 FE
Display	6.5-inch OLED, 2400x1080, 120Hz refresh rate
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