There’s no doubt that the iPhone is the phone of the moment for most people. When they need to buy a new phone, many people don’t search for “which phone to buy,” but rather “which iPhone to buy.” But a lot of other people are clear that they like Android better.
Android gives you more choices because there are many brands of Android phones on the market right now that make phones that don’t have much (or anything) in common with the very popular iPhone.
Samsung is by far the most popular Android phone maker in the world. However, in Spain and Latin America, many other brands have been able to close the gap. We’re talking about Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, and OnePlus (among others).
Since Android is on so many phones, it’s easy to switch brands, so using a Samsung shouldn’t make you want to buy another Samsung. Even if you already have an iPhone, switching to Android is easier than ever, so don’t let that stop you.
In the same article, we’ve put together a list of what we think are the best Android phones on the market in 2023. On what grounds do we say that these phones are good? In our own testing. Each phone we recommend goes through weeks of thorough testing by our team, so you can be sure that the suggestions you’ll find here are good. On our website, you can find a more in-depth review of each of these phones, in which we share our own experiences.
The best Android phones 2023
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – The best model of all
Samsung’s new “ultra” phone that can do it all is the Galaxy S23 Ultra (including unique S Pen stylus support). When we say “everything,” we mean everything we could want from a cell phone in the year 2023.
One of its many strengths is the way the camera is set up, which makes it one of the best cameras on Android phones right now. It has a primary lens with 200 MP, plus two telephoto lenses with different zoom levels and an ultra-wide-angle lens. But the 12 MP selfie camera isn’t very good, especially compared to the primary camera lens.
The 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED screen has a high WQHD+ resolution and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The S-pen stylus easily fills the productivity niche that previous Note phones had.
Add to this the high performance of the custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a battery that lasts all day, and you have a great phone, literally. The only downside, other than its high price, is its huge size, which won’t be to everyone’s taste.
Pros
- extraordinarily fast
- very good cameras
- Beautiful design of very good quality
- Excellent battery life
cons
- slow charge
- Big
- Selfie camera disappoints
- Expensive
Google Pixel 7 Pro
Pixel phones have always been about having the best camera, and while the 7 Pro’s camera isn’t our favorite right now, it’s still great. It has an ultra photo lens and a periscope telephoto lens, which gives it a lot of options.
But the Google software is the best thing about the phone. The 7 Pro runs the best version of Android, with the clean simplicity of stock Android and all of Google’s great exclusive updates to the Pixel, which are now powered by the company’s second-generation Tensor chip.
You’ll have to deal with slow charging (and buy your own charger to start) and accept that this is a big phone with a controversial design that you may or may not like. The regular Pixel 7 is a little bit smaller and cheaper, but it doesn’t have that telephoto camera and its screen is a little less advanced.
Pros
- magnificent screen
- amazing cameras
- Long duration battery
cons
- improvable design
- big and heavy
- slow charge
OnePlus 11 – The best performance
The OnePlus 11 is a great choice if you want a top-of-the-line Android phone in 2023 that is made to run smoothly and has software support through 2028. Also, it’s one of the least expensive high-end phones that can do this.
Most users shouldn’t have any trouble with the lack of wireless charging. After all, this phone has a great screen, great cameras, a long-lasting battery, fast charging, and some of the best performance of any Android phone, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. We thought the worst thing about it was the water.
The OnePlus 11 is a good flagship phone and one of the best phones you can buy for less than many of its competitors.
Pros
- very fast performance
- Competitive price
- powerful cameras
- Five years of software support
cons
- No wireless charging
- Not fully waterproof
Also, Check Best The best OnePlus phones of 2023
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 – The best folding phone
Samsung’s first attempts at foldable seemed more like a way to show off that it was working on the popular foldable technology. But they were not phones that we would have suggested to anyone for everyday use. With the Galaxy Z Flip 4, this is no longer the case, because the Korean tech giant got it right.
The basic specs are great, with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, and the main 12 MP camera is as good as almost any other, but it doesn’t have a telephoto lens.
Even the battery life is great now. It can easily last a full day of use, which it couldn’t do before. You just have to be willing to take a chance that the folding screen will last as long as Samsung says it will.
If you want a similar but bigger model, the Z Fold 4 is also pretty good, but its higher price, camera under the screen, and software quirks make it less of a home run than its smaller sibling.
Pros
- spectacular design
- very good specs
- Waterproof
- Affordable (to be foldable)
cons
- no telephoto
- Durability remains a question
Read More: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Complete Review
Vivo X80 Pro – The best camera
If you haven’t heard of Vivo before, you should pay attention to it.
The company is a giant in the Chinese smartphone market, and it’s slowly expanding its reach around the world. This is good because it’s been known for a few years that Vivo phones have some of the best cameras on any phone.
The X80 Pro is no different; it has four great back cameras. The main 50Mp lens is great, but the 48Mp ultrawide lens blows the competition out of the water, and the two zoom lenses give you even more options. The technology works best in low light, and the night mode is the best you can find anywhere.
Aside from that, it’s a great phone with a great screen, fast charging, and great battery life. The biggest problem is that the company’s version of Android is a little hard to use, but if you care about the camera and can spend that much, it’s hard to do better.
Pros
- One of the best cameras
- Fast wired and wireless charging
- Waterproof
cons
- Expensive
- Without Gorilla Glass
- upgradeable software
Google Pixel 6a – The best mid-range
If you can’t afford the Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel 7, Google has something else for you: the Pixel 6a.
This phone in the middle price range has a Tensor chip like its more expensive siblings, and it looks the same. But the new phone is much smaller and made of plastic instead of glass.
There are, of course, cons. Even though the specs aren’t the same, it’s still a great camera. Also, it takes longer to charge, and the screen only updates at 60Hz. But if you don’t mind those problems, it’s a great deal for the price.
Pros
- Performance
- ideal size
- awesome camera
- Software updates
Cons
- Back plastic scratches easily
- Hot and slow charging 60Hz display only
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra – The best refresh rate
Some phones are great because of what they can do, while others are great because of how cheap they are.
The Motorola Edge 30 Ultra stands out because it has the best features of a flagship Android phone and costs much less than most of its rivals. The 144Hz OLED screen is almost never seen on phones that aren’t gaming phones. The 125W charging speed is one of the fastest, and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip is very fast. Oh, and the battery can easily last for two full days.
All of that, and it only costs €899, which makes it a great deal. You’ll have to settle for IP54 water resistance instead of IP68 and a good but not great camera, but for a phone as good as this, those seem like small sacrifices.
Pros
- 144Hz OLED display
- Performance
- Great value for the price
Cons
- The camera is good but not great
- Poor IP rating
Asus Zenfone 9 – The most compact model
The Zenfone 9 is a full-fledged flagship phone that fits in the palm of your hand.
It is one of the smallest phones on the market, especially among Android phones, with a 5.9-inch screen. It is also the smallest phone with such powerful specs.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and 16 GB of RAM make it a great-performing phone, but the power is slightly lower because of cooling problems. But the 8+ Gen 1 is also partly to blame for its battery life, which is so good that it makes other small smartphones look bad.
The main camera, which is stabilized by a gimbal, is impressive, especially at night. However, there are some visual glitches and problems in bright environments, which shows that Asus needs to work on the software. Some people might miss the variety that its competitors offer, especially since it doesn’t have a telephoto lens.
Since the phone is so good, it’s annoying that Asus only promises to support it for two years. This means it’s only good for people who know when to get updates. Overall, though, the experience is great, thanks to smart software and nice touches like the IP68 rating and headphone jack.
Pros
- Distinctive and compact design
- Battery duration
- Excellent photography
Cons
- overheating
- Only two Android updates have been promised
OnePlus Nord 2T – The best fast charge
The first T-branded phone from OnePlus, the Nord, is a good follow-up. It is powered by MediaTek’s 5G-capable Dimensity 1300 chipset.
The Nord 2T also has an AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz, a large 50Mp main camera, and fast charging with 80W.
In terms of software, the company’s OxygenOS user experience is also a standout. It has responsive interaction and a clean interface that add to the phone’s strong, high-quality feel. The only catch is that the company only promises to update Android two times and fix security problems for a third year.
Pros
- Value for money
- glass body
- 80W fast charging
Cons
- 90Hz display
- No wireless charging
- Only 2 Android updates
Asus ROG Phone 6 – The best mobile <em>gaming</em>
There are a lot of Android gaming phones to choose from, but the Asus ROG Phone 6 will be the best choice for most people.
It stands out in the basics, with great performance, a great screen, and a long battery life that gives you a lot of freedom. There are a lot of good things about this type of mobile gaming. It has good cameras, two USB-C ports, and even a headphone jack.
It’s not perfect, though. It doesn’t have wireless charging, and most importantly, only two years of software updates are promised ( remember that these updates offer improvements, protection, and bug fixes). If you want to play for a long time without it getting too hot, you will also need to connect a special fan.
But don’t let these two failures get you down, because it’s still a great phone and the best in its category. ROG Phone 6 is a great way to use a phone. This is the phone to buy if you like to play games on your phone and just want the best basic experience.
Your buying guide to choosing the best Android smartphone
Android phones have a large number of options. They come in different shapes, sizes, and colors, and each one has its pros and cons.
A high-end Android phone usually costs more than 700 euros. As you might expect, when you pay this much for a phone, you get the best build quality and the most up-to-date hardware and software specs.
Many times, the differences between different Android phones are very small, so it’s likely that your choice will come down to your own personal tastes and preferences.
We did our best to put the phones in order of preference, taking into account build quality, price, performance, and specs.
But make sure you get a phone that fits your needs, because it may not be as easy as picking the first one that comes up. For example, if you only use your phone for basic tasks like browsing the Internet, using WhatsApp, and making calls, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a very powerful (and very expensive) phone.
Please note that when the phones are very similar, like the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus, we chose the one we thought was best to put in the table. So the ten phones are very different and give you more options.
