One of the great things about Android phones is how many models there are to choose from. That can also be overwhelming, though, as it can be hard to find the right one. We're here to help!

UPDATE: 11/20/2023

We've reviewed our recommendations and have updated our picks for the best camera phone, the best battery life, and the best Android gaming phone you can buy.

How to Shop For an Android Phone in 2023

There are a lot of things to consider when buying a new phone. If you're here, you're already considering Android, so that's one big decision out of the way. Android devices offer more flexibility than iPhones (with Apple's closed ecosystem), and there are many, many more phones to choose from.

We'll be throwing a lot of technical jargon at you in this list. Processors, RAM, megapixels, refresh rates, and more are mentioned. The good news is you don't necessarily need to worry about all the tech specifications. There's not one single "spec" that makes or breaks a phone.

The whole smartphone package is what matters, and that's how we've approached this roundup.

How Did We Research

Models Evaluated

Hours Researched

Reviews Analyzed

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How-To Geek's product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best Android Phone Overall: Samsung Galaxy S23

Front and rear facing cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Series
Justin Duino / How-To Geek

Pros

Cons

Sweet spot size

Not much of a camera upgrade over last year's model

120Hz, HDR display

Same performance as the Ultra

When it comes to the best Android phone, we're looking at five main areas—price, performance, design, cameras, and battery life. The Galaxy S23 has all bases covered.

The S23 features a durable aluminum exterior that comes in six color varieties. Whether you like a sleek, understated approach to your phone's aesthetics or a bright, "look at me!" shell, Samsung's 2023 flagship is for you.

But what if you care less about how the phone looks and more about its performance? The S23's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 octa-core processor will not disappoint. Working with 8GB of RAM, the 2023 Galaxy handset can handle almost anything you throw at it. Work, school, and gaming sessions in between, the S23 can run it with ease.

Whether you're into selfies or nighttime astronomy shots, the S23 also has a camera to catch your eye. There's one 12MP camera on the front-facing side of the device, perfect for selfies. Flipping around to the rear-facing side, you'll find a set of four cameras for different situations.

The main (Wide-angle) camera comes in at 50MP, which is certainly nothing to scoff at. Alongside the S23's 50MP camera is a 12MP Ultrawide lens for capturing a large frame and a 10MP telephoto lens for crisp details from far away.

The specs sound great, but they also sound power-hungry. However, the Galaxy S23 has a battery that can keep the phone running all day. At 3,900mAh (a 200mAh improvement over the S22), the S23's battery is good for up to 22 hours of video playback.

At its upper mid-range starting price, the Galaxy S23 is a great blend of performance, design, and a reasonable smartphone price point, with a powerful camera set to boot.

galaxy s23
Samsung Galaxy S23
Best Android Phone Overall
$535 $700 Save $165

Samsung's latest flagship phone strikes a nice balance between price and function. You'll get a beautiful 120Hz display, fantastic cameras, and a capable battery life.

Best Budget Android Phone: Moto G Play (2023)

Moto G Play 2023 on purple background
Motorola

Pros

Cons

Great battery life

Can't handle memory-heavy tasks or gaming

3GB of RAM is good at this price

Clean software

Less than $200

While "budget" used to be a bad word in the Android world, the days of awful, cheap Android phones are mostly behind us. There are plenty of great budget Android phones available on the market today, and many of them go for under $200. The best of the bunch is the Moto G Play (2023).

With this latest model of the popular Motorola brand, you'll get a 6.5-inch, 90Hz, 720p screen. It's not the bleeding edge, but this is a fantastic display for the price. It does suffer a little in direct sunlight, but with budget phones, you generally have to accept slight downgrades like that.

The 2023 Moto G Play has a MediaTek Helio G37 processor and 3GB of RAM. This is great for most light tasks, such as looking at photos, apps, and social media. If you're looking for a gaming phone, though, you'll need to raise your budget.

On the camera front, the Moto G Play has three 16MP cameras on the back (an improvement over 2021 and 2022 models) and a 2MP selfie camera on the front. This Motorola phone gets great pictures for a device under $200.

Finally, Motorola uses a light version of Android without much bloat. This is already great in general, but the lack of bloat also helps with the 2023 Play's battery life. With a huge 5,000mAh battery, Motorola says that the Moto G Play can last up to three days. It may not last quite as long in practice, but there's no denying this phone will last more than a day and still have plenty of juice remaining.

moto g play
Moto G Play (2023)
Best Budget Android Phone
$100 $170 Save $70

The latest model of the Moto G Play series has a great screen, a triple camera system, and a 5,000mAh battery, all for under $200.

Best Mid-Range Android Phone: Google Pixel 7a

5G logo on the Google Pixel 7a
Justin Duino / How-To Geek

Pros

Cons

Every bit as speedy as the Pixel 7

Pricier than previous model

Display now has a 90Hz refresh rate

Plastic back

Wireless charging

Camera is excellent for the price

Quality mid-range phones are difficult to find between the higher-priced premium phones and a sea of mediocre budget phones. Google's Pixel A-series has been one of the best options in this class for years, and with the Google Pixel 7a, the line is better than ever before.

As has been the case with previous Pixel generations, the Pixel 7a shares the same chipset as the 7—the Google Tensor G2. However, unlike the Pixel 6 and 6a, the Pixel 7a now has the same 8GB RAM you'll find inside the Pixel 7. The only major difference in specs is that you can choose 256GB of storage on the Pixel 7 instead of the lone 128GB option on the Pixel 7a.

Aside from size, differences have also largely disappeared when it comes to the screens. The Pixel 7a has a 6.1-inch screen, as opposed to the 6.3-inch screen on the Pixel 7. That said, while the previous generation limited the Pixel 6a to a 60Hz refresh rate, the 7a has the same 90Hz refresh rate as the 7.

The Google Pixel 7 has a larger camera sensor than the 7a, but the megapixel count is higher on all three of the 7a's lenses. Pixel 7a features 64MP wide and 13MP ultra-wide cameras on the rear, with a 13MP front lens. The angle on the ultra-wide lens is also wider than the 7's.

Something unique to phones from Google, as opposed to other manufacturers, is that you can be sure you'll have the latest updates on OS upgrades as soon as they're available. You may find yourself waiting months for updates with phones from other manufacturers, especially with their mid-range and entry-level offerings.

On top of that, there are plenty of Pixel-exclusive features that will never come to other Android devices, as mentioned in our Google Pixel 7a review, like Now Playing, which automatically listens to music playing in the background and displays the title and artist on your lock screen. There are also Google Assistant-powered call assist features that sit on hold for you, screen incoming calls from unknown numbers, and so much more.

The Google Pixel 7a retails for $50 more than the previous generation, but with all these upgrades, the slight price increase is easier to swallow. The phone is available in three color options: Charcoal, Sea, and Snow.

pixel 7a
Google Pixel 7a
Best Mid-Range Android Phone
$374 $499 Save $125

The Pixel A-series have always been great mid-range phones, but the Google Pixel 7a is better than ever, with the same Tensor G2 chipset, 8GB RAM, and 90Hz display as the Pixel 7.

Best Premium Android Phone: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Person holding the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and its S Pen with a hand-written note
Justin Duino / How-To Geek

Pros

Cons

Five total cameras

Very expensive

5,000mAh battery

Very large

High-end performance

Beautiful display

Great software support

Take the Samsung Galaxy S23, our pick for the best Android phone overall, and add a host of extra features, improved hardware, and $400 to the price tag, and what do you get? The fantastic, premium Galaxy S23 Ultra.

There's little to wish for with this Android phone, and it's a champ through and through. It features a beautiful 6.8-inch, 120Hz HDR display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, up to 12GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.

The S23 Ultra also has five cameras, all for specific photo-taking situations. Starting with the 200MP main (wide-angle) camera, this is what you'll probably use the most if you're not a selfie aficionado. Yes, you read that right: 200MP from a smartphone camera. It's ready to stand and deliver the best quality you can get from an Android handset.

And it's not alone. You also have access to a 12MP Ultra Wide camera, two 10MP telephoto lenses for distance, and a 12MP front-facing selfie cam. With the S23 Ultra, you can take any picture you'd want easily—though we found in our Galaxy S23 Ultra review that they're not always crystal clear.

Performance, design, cameras—where's the downside? Look to the price tag for one of the only drawbacks of the Galaxy S23 Ultra. You'll have to shell out more than a thousand dollars for Samsung's premium smartphone and more if you want upgrades to storage and RAM.

However, for those searching for the best of the best in almost every handheld category, the S23 Ultra is worth the price of admission.

Galaxy s23 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Best Premium Android Phone
$845 $1200 Save $355

Samsung's high-end flagship is the bleeding edge of Android tech. Five cameras, a 5,000mAh battery, and more make this the premium smartphone to beat, though it comes at a price.

Best Android Phone for Gaming: RedMagic 8S Pro

Redmagic
RedMagic

Pros

Cons

Incredible performance

Aggressive design

Great battery life

Heavy during extended gaming sessions

Unbeatable value

AMOLED display

RedMagic smartphones have always been great for gaming, and the RedMagic 8S Pro carries on that tradition. Built with premium hardware for a blistering fast gaming experience, few Android devices can match its combination of pricing and performance.

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and up to 16GB RAM, the RedMagic 8S Pro can handle nearly every mobile game you throw at it. It benefits from an advanced cooling system that uses a combination of fans, gel, and copper foil to prevent the device from overheating during intense gaming sessions. Games and movies also look impressive on the 6.8-inch AMOLED display, which supports up to 120Hz refresh rates.

Even with these power-hungry components, it's possible to eke out two days of use on a single charge. Keep in mind, this number will be much lower if used for gaming, though it should never have a problem making it through a standard work (or school) day.

RedMagic cut no corners when designing the 8S Pro—and we mean that literally. The smartphone's edges are a bit pointy for most hands, which can cause discomfort during prolonged play. It's also slightly heavier than other smartphones at 228 grams. But considering its price, that's a minor inconvenience. And when paired with a controller, these become non-issues. You'll want to compare its specs with the expensive ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, though most gamers will find the RedMagic 8S Pro to be the better offer.

REDMAGIC-8S-Pro-Media-Aurora-1_1
RedMagic 8S Pro
Best Android Phone for Gaming

The RedMagic 8S Pro delivers one of the best mobile gaming experiences thanks to powerful hardware and a vibrant AMOLED display. It's also shockingly affordable, despite all its premium components.

Best Android Camera Phone: Google Pixel 8 Pro

Front facing selfie camera on the Google Pixel 8 Pro
Justin Duino / How-To Geek
 

Pros

Cons

Incredible suite of cameras

Lackluster battery life

Vibrant display

Tensor G3 chip

The Pixel seems to get better with every generation, and that trend continues with the Pixel 8 Pro. Offering a robust set of cameras and plenty of processing power thanks to the Tensor G3, there's a lot to love about the latest Pixel flagship.

One of the big draws of the Pixel 8 Pro is its photography chops. Inside you'll find a 50 MP main camera, 48MP ultrawide, 48 MP telephoto, and a 10.5 MP front camera for selfies. These take incredible photos—and they've been optimized to perform exceptionally well in low-light environments. Toss in access to Pro Controls to make tweaks to settings like shutter speed and ISO, and it's a compelling replacement for your camera.

Viewing your pictures looks great on the vibrant 6.7-inch display, and using the phone is a smooth experience because of its new Tensor G3 chip. All these features are a drag on battery life, however, so power users can expect to need a recharge at the end of a typical workday. Beyond that, there's little to dislike about this premium Android smartphone.

pixel 8pro
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Best Camera Phone
$749 $999 Save $250

The Google Pixel 8 Pro includes the search giant's latest CPU, the Tensor G3, is among the best smartphone cameras on the market, and has some of the best AI-powered features.

Best Android Phone for Battery Life: ASUS ROG Phone 7

ROG Phone (1)
ASUS

Pros

Cons

AMOLED display

Expensive

Battery lasts for days

Quirky design

Top-of-the-line performance

Great for gaming

If you can look beyond its aggressive gamer aesthetics, you'll find tons of incredible features packed into the ASUS ROG Phone 7. That includes a great display, solid cameras, and a battery that can last for several days before needing to find an outlet.

Boasting a 6,000mAh battery, the ASUS ROG Phone 7 will run for around 19 hours with average use and up to a few days if used sparingly. That puts most other Android phones to shame, as the vast majority can barely make it through a long workday. It's even more impressive when you consider its power-hungry Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and massive 6.78-inch AMOLED display.

The ROG Phone 7 is tailor-made for gaming, and you'll have no problem running today's hottest games at blistering frame rates. However, that gaming theme spills over to its design, which is about as "gamer" as it gets. This includes a quirky two-tone design and lots of aggressive patterns. Consider tossing a case on it if you're not thrilled by its looks.

Anyone in the market for an Android phone that'll last all day can stop the search here. It's a bit expensive and looks a little strange, but there's no denying its power and longevity.

ROG Phone 7-1
Asus ROG Phone 7
Best Android Phone for Battery Life

The ASUS ROG Phone 7 lasts longer than nearly every other Android phone on the market while also featuring a vibrant AMOLED display and premium processor.

FAQ

How do you unlock an Android phone?

Unlocking an Android phone so it can be used with other carriers is not a simple process. Consider contacting your carrier about whether or not it's possible for your specific model.

How do you find a lost Android phone?

There are several ways to track and find an Android phone, including the use of software from Google or Samsung. Check out our full guide for more details.

Should I buy an Android phone or an iPhone?

Both types of phones are incredibly popular. iPhones tend to be more streamlined, while Android phones offer more customization options. You'll also find more Android phones to choose from, as they're produced by several companies (such as Google, Samsung, and ASUS) whereas iPhones are only made by Apple.

Can you use an Apple Watch with an Android phone?

You can technically use an Apple Watch with Android, but you'll need an iPhone to finish the setup phase. You'll also miss out on a ton of features that are exclusive to iPhone. In other words, it's not recommended.

Is an Android phone good for gaming?

Yes. Your mileage will vary based on the exact phone you're using, but Android devices are typically great for gaming due to their customizable and open-source nature. Along with games on the Play Store, you'll also be able to run emulators and access cloud streaming services.

How long will an Android phone last before I need to replace it?

There's no correct answer to this question, as it depends on your phone and how well you treat it. You can typically expect to go around two years before considering an upgrade, though its possible to go beyond five years if you pick a premium phone and take proper care of it.