Need to upgrade to the latest Android smartphone but don’t know where to start looking? This is the final word on the finest Android phones available today, with options for everyone from power users to budget shoppers to photography buffs.
Top 5 Android Phones of 2023
Basically, there are just two smartphone operating systems available: Android and iOS. In spite of the fact that the iPhone still dominates the market in terms of unit sales, Android is far superior due to its adaptability, variety, and cutting-edge capabilities.
List of the top Android phones currently available on the market, from top manufacturers like Samsung and Google to up-and-coming names like OnePlus and Asus.
1: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Best Android phone overall
Specs, gadgets, and whatnot: Specifications: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor; 6.8-inch screen; 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage space; 108-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 10-megapixel 10x optical zoom camera, and 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom camera; 40-megapixel front-facing camera; green, burgundy, phantom white, and black colour options; 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm and 228 grammes in weight; starting
Even though Samsung’s new Galaxy S23 Series is expected to be unveiled in the next weeks, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still among the top smartphones available and the best Samsung has to offer in terms of photography performance. The Note has been given new life in the S22 Ultra with the addition of the S Pen, making it the premier stylus-enabled smartphone.
The S22 Ultra is unrivalled in terms of telephoto capability and, more significantly, quality, making it the ideal device if your line of work necessitates you to zoom in on subjects from afar or if you simply aren’t adept at manoeuvring your way through crowds to get the shot. High-quality photographs are produced at up to 30x zoom, but there are still situations in which being able to make out finer details of your objects is useful.
If you want a smartphone that could do it all, go no further than the S22 Ultra, which has enough of space for your data, plenty of RAM to keep you working, and a powerful battery to keep you going all day. Also, it has a 6.8-inch OLED display, proving once again that Samsung is the undisputed king of screens.
2: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Best foldable Android phone
Specifications for the tech savvy: Display Size: 6.2″ (outer) and 7.6″ (inner) | Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB | Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra wide, 10MP telephoto | Front Camera: 10MP (outer) and 4MP (inner) | Colors: Graygreen, Beige, Burgundy, Phantom Black | Dimensions: 155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2mm (folded) | Weight: 263g | Starting Price: $1,7
Although foldables are yet to gain widespread popularity, this does not mean that you should wait to join the cutting edge. Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the most refined two-in-one smartphone to date.
The latest variant comes with up to 12 GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 engine, an expandable display (from 6.2 inches to 7.6 inches), and the benefits of Android 12L. To achieve a more unified, sturdy, and featherweight form factor, Samsung has also made certain changes to its industrial design.
3: Asus Zenfone 9
Best compact Android phone
Specifications for the tech savvy: Dimensions: 146.5 x 68.1 x 9.1mm / 169g / starting price: $699; display size: 5.9 inches; storage options: 128GB/256GB; rear cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide; front camera: 12MP; colours: Midnight Black, Moonlight White, Starry Blue, Sunset Red; processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1; display size: 5.9 inches;
Phones are getting bigger and bulkier as they get faster and more powerful. Because of this, the Asus Zenfone 9 stands out from the crowd of smartphones released in 2023. The phone may only have a 5.9-inch screen and weigh 169 kilos, but its premium internals, including a 120Hz refresh rate, a powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 engine, and 8GB of RAM, make up for its diminutive size and weight.
The Asus Zenfone 9 is an exception to the rule, a tiny phone that doesn’t skimp on important features like battery life or processing power.
4: Google Pixel 7 Pro
Best camera Android phone
Specifications for the tech savvy: Features: Google Tensor G2 processor; 6.7-inch screen; 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage; 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide, and 48-megapixel telephoto camera; 10.8-megapixel front-facing camera; Obsidian, Snow, and Hazel colour options; 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm; 212 grammes; $899 (starting) price;
Google’s newest flagship Pixel also happens to be the company’s most polished and powerful smartphone to yet. The 6.7-inch version has a refined glass-to-aluminum shell and a newer Google Tensor G2 chip. The Pixel 7 Pro’s new processor improves the device’s efficiency and performance, and it also enables a suite of useful new software functions, such as Unblur, Guided Frame, and the perennial favourite Magic Eraser.
Pixel’s computational prowess and the 7 Pro’s triple camera system set it apart from the competition. The camera technology in the flagship Pixel is more advanced than ever, with features including natural colour photo and video capture and a new 30x Super Res Zoom that can take sharp and astonishingly detailed close-up shots.
Compared to Samsung and Apple’s top models, the $899 price tag is the icing on the cake.
5: Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro
Best gaming Android phone
Specs and gadgets: Specifications: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor; 6.67-inch display; 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage space; 108-megapixel main camera, 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and 5-megapixel macro camera; 16-megapixel front-facing camera; Stellar Black and Nebula White colour options; 16-megapixel size and weight; 163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5-millimeter thickness; 220 grammes; $799 (USD) starting price.
One area where Android clearly wins out over iOS is in video games. Android makers have spent the last few years creating a new category of gaming-tailored smartphones, which can be used to play games downloaded from the Google Play Store or streamed from the cloud. The Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro is the finest option currently available. It’s not the priciest gaming phone available, but then again, it doesn’t need to be.
To begin, the phone supports up to 16GB of RAM, making it ideal for high-graphics gaming and streamlined app administration. Then, there’s the external hardware, like as the 144Hz refresh rate display that makes games look smooth as butter, the two side trigger buttons that can retract into the phone when not in use, and the RGB designs carved into the body of the phone, since Xiaomi wants you to game in style.