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    The perfect Android telephones for 2025

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    Selecting one of the best Android telephone can really feel overwhelming as there are such a lot of choices from so many manufacturers, it’s arduous to know the place to begin. In contrast to Apple, which sticks to its smooth lineup of iPhones, Android provides a world of selection. Whether or not you are eyeing the newest flagship from Samsung, a budget-friendly smartphone from Motorola or one thing distinctive with a foldable design, there’s an Android gadget on the market to fit your wants.

    The fantastic thing about Android is its flexibility. You’ll discover telephones with totally different display sizes, digicam setups, battery life and even quirky extras like stylus assist or rugged builds. Plus, Android permits you to customise your gadget to your coronary heart’s content material – one thing Apple followers would possibly envy. We’ve examined and researched the highest Android telephones that will help you discover the best one to your funds, life-style, and tech preferences.

    In terms of choosing our favourite Android telephones, the primary issues we search for are fairly easy: good efficiency (each compute and AI), a pleasant show, stable design, sharp cameras, lengthy battery life and a major dedication to ongoing software program assist. For efficiency, not solely can we take a look at benchmarks and different metrics, however we additionally consider telephones based mostly on responsiveness. No matter whether or not you’re studying, textual content messaging, scrolling by way of social media or enjoying a recreation, nobody needs a gadget that feels sluggish.

    Sam Rutherford/Engadget

    In terms of shows, we typically desire OLED panels that may produce wealthy, saturated colours with at the least 600 nits of brightness, although lots of our prime mid-range and high-end telephones can hit 1,000 nits or extra. And extra just lately, most of our favourite gadgets additionally assist screens with quick refresh charges of 90Hz or 120Hz, which provides an additional degree of smoothness and fluidity.

    Now we’ll admit there’s a little bit of subjectivity when deciding which telephones look one of the best, however there are different design facets like mud and water resistance or display sturdiness that may make an enormous distinction to long-term survival. It’s additionally vital to contemplate issues like assist for wi-fi charging, energy sharing (aka reverse wi-fi charging) and UWB connectivity, which might have an effect on how your telephone interacts along with your different gadgets.

    Clearly, for photographs we’re in search of sharp, colourful pictures in each vivid and low-light circumstances. And we would like video clips with excessive dynamic vary, wealthy audio and easy picture stabilization. Additional cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. The perfect cameras must also embrace options like devoted evening modes, assist for varied video recording resolutions, and extra picture modes like timelapse, sluggish movement and extra.

    Lastly, when it comes to longevity, we’re in search of all-day battery life on gadgets that additionally delivered nice outcomes on our native video rundown check (at the least 16 hours on a cost, however extra is clearly higher). Wi-fi charging capabilities have develop into nearly ubiquitous over the previous few years, and most of our prime picks have this further perk. Quick-charging is on the market on some Android telephones, too. Lastly, with individuals holding onto their telephones longer than ever, we prefer to see corporations decide to at the least three years of software program assist, upgrades and common safety updates.

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    Google

    Learn our full Google Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL evaluation

    Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 6.3-inch Tremendous Actua, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (50MP extensive, 48MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, 48MP 5x telephoto lens), 42MP twin PD selfie entrance digicam with autofocus | Battery: 4,700mAh

    Lastly, a smaller Pixel Professional. Google’s Pixel collection has lengthy been top-of-the-line Android telephones round, with the Professional mannequin being the superior model. But it surely was at all times just a little too large and too cumbersome for these of us who’ve smaller palms or need our telephones to slot in our pockets. Cue the Pixel 9 Professional, which is the littler model of the Pixel 9 Professional XL. As a substitute of a comparatively massive 6.8-inch display like that on its larger sibling, the usual Professional has a 6.3-inch show that’s simple to maneuver. No extra worrying about dropping your Pixel Professional simply since you fumbled whereas attempting to achieve the highest of the display!

    Higher but, with the Pixel 9 Professional, Google hasn’t sacrificed any key characteristic to get to the smaller measurement, which means you may discover the identical digicam setup and efficiency in each handsets. The one actual variations are the display measurement, battery and charging speeds, because the non-XL mannequin recharges at a barely slower price. However the Pixel 9 Professional can also be a lot longer-lasting than the XL, notching nearly 25 hours on our battery check.

    These distinctions apart, the Pixel 9 Professional lineup is our favourite Android telephone due to its top-notch digicam efficiency, intriguing AI options and a basic grown-up vibe. Whereas earlier Pixel flagships had a colourful, blocky design that felt contemporary, this 12 months’s gadgets really feel stable and refined. And, dare we are saying it, nearly like iPhones. With out the digicam bars, they might be fairly arduous to inform other than Apple’s telephones.

    Presumably as a result of it is grown up a lot over time, however the Pixel telephones now price the identical as iPhones. The Pixel 9 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional each begin at $999, and although a few of us have come to think about Google’s handsets because the extra competitively priced possibility, this 12 months’s mannequin could be adequate to justify a premium worth. In the event you nonetheless need one thing from the Pixel 9 household however do not need to pay $1,000, the bottom Pixel 9 remains to be a stable handset for most individuals. However because it stands, the Pixel 9 Professional is one of the best Android handset cash should buy. — Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor

    Professionals

    • Nice digicam options and improved telephoto digicam
    • A 12 months of Gemini Superior totally free
    • Unbelievable battery life
    • A ravishing, vivid display that’s simple to make use of open air
    • Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor
    Cons

    • Slower charging speeds than the XL
    • Not one of the best telephone for gaming

    $999 at Google

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    Photograph by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

    Learn our full Google Pixel 8a evaluation

    Processor: Google Tensor G3 | Show: 6.1-inch 1,080 x 2,400 OLED, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (64MP extensive, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP entrance digicam | Battery: 4,49mAh

    Google’s A-series Pixels have lengthy been among the finest midrange telephones available on the market. However now with the addition of a Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a helps the identical highly effective and versatile AI features you get on Google’s flagship telephones together with glorious cameras, a stunning 120Hz OLED show and nice battery life. The gadget additionally comes with creature comforts like IP67 mud and water resistance and handy (however sluggish) 7.5-watt Qi wi-fi charging. However most significantly, beginning at $499, it could be top-of-the-line offers available on the market. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

    Professionals

    • Colourful 120Hz OLED show
    • Sturdy battery life
    • Glorious cameras
    • Nice worth
    Cons

    • Sluggish wi-fi charging
    • Thick bezels

    $490 at Amazon

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    Photograph by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

    Learn our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely evaluation

    Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Show: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x QHD+, as much as 120Hz | Cameras: Rear array (200MP, Twin Pixel AF, Digital Zoom 100x, 50MP Macro, 50MP UW), 12MP entrance digicam | Battery: 5,000mAh

    The S25 Extremely is a do-anything telephone. It has a variety of cameras together with a 5x telephoto lens and a brand new 50-megapixel sensor for its ultra-wide shooter, a stunning 6.9-inch AMOLED show (which is 0.1 inches larger than final 12 months) and naturally, Samsung’s signature S Pen. That stated, for 2025, Samsung’s essential focus was on its improved Galaxy AI options similar to Now Transient, which creates a customized feed of stories, occasions and extra. There’s additionally Drawing Help that makes it simpler to create AI-generated artwork, or you possibly can flip to AI Choose for assist with taking screenshots, turning movies into GIFs or summarizing tales.

    Sadly, apart from a brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the S25 Extremely doesn’t include a ton of recent {hardware} in comparison with its predecessor (or the S23U for that matter). So whereas Samsung’s newest flagship is a superb telephone, it doesn’t really feel like a necessary improve for individuals with flagship gadgets which might be solely a 12 months or two previous. — S.R.

    Professionals

    • Glorious display
    • Nice efficiency and battery life
    • Anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2 panels
    • Slimmer bezels
    • New 50MP ultra-wide sensor
    Cons

    • S Pen not suppers Air actions
    • Identical essential and telephoto cameras as final 12 months
    • Not absolutely appropriate with magnetic Qi2 equipment
    • Costly

    $1,300 at Amazon

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    Google

    Learn our full Pixel 9 Professional Fold evaluation

    Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Show: 8-inch Tremendous Actua Flex LTPO full show, 6.3-inch Actua cowl show | Cameras: Rear array (48MP extensive, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto), 10MP entrance digicam | Battery: 4,650mAh

    The small however mighty enhancements Google dropped at its second-gen foldable have pushed it to the entrance of the pack. The Pixel 9 Professional Fold turns the considerably unfinished unique Pixel Fold right into a stable handset prepared for prime time. Google refined its design to have a facet ratio that mimics the usual Pixel 9 smartphones, with a well-known 6.3-inch, 20:9 exterior show, that’s each simpler to make use of and maintain. The interior show has a extra sq. side ratio as nicely with a bit extra display actual property than earlier than. The handset total has a extra premium really feel and positively a extra polished look due to its matte again and satin metallic body.

    Together with stable efficiency (and battery life) and an upgraded design to match, the Pixel 9 Professional Fold nonetheless has one of the best cameras out of any foldable handset we’ve tried, regardless of not having any {hardware} upgrades from the unique model. Plus, Google’s AI picture modifying instruments like Magic Editor offer you extra management over your photographs, and Pixel-only software program like Made You Look make Google’s handset a extra compelling foldable. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

    Professionals

    • Slick design
    • Higher cameras than the competitors
    • Thinner and lighter than earlier mannequin
    • Runs cooler than earlier than
    Cons

    • Nonetheless costly
    • Some software program quirks

    $1,799 at Google

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