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Apple’s iPhone is not the one alternative in case you’re out there for a brand new telephone. Android has a number of benefits over iOS, and one of many largest is the sheer number of gadgets you possibly can selected from. From the supersize Galaxy S23 Extremely to the extra modest and inexpensive Pixel 6A, Android telephones can be found in an enormous vary of sizes and costs. However this sprawling collection of telephones could make it tough to know which of them are price your hard-earned cash. For those who aren’t positive the place to start out, you are in the precise place: We have examined and researched all the perfect Android telephones you should buy in 2023.
An awesome telephone ought to have high-quality cameras, lengthy battery life, compelling software program options and 5G help. We thought-about these elements when placing collectively our checklist of the perfect Android telephones in 2023, which you’ll be able to try under. CNET’s group updates this checklist periodically as we evaluation new merchandise.
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Like:
- Quick efficiency
- Wonderful foremost digicam
- Vibrant display screen
- Included stylus
- Double the storage within the base mannequin
- 4 generations of Android OS updates
Don’t love:
- Excessive value
- Photographs do not all the time look pure
- No enhancements to quick charging
The Galaxy S23 is rather a lot, however in a great way. It is greater than most individuals want in a telephone, however that does not make it any much less spectacular. Samsung made enhancements to the digicam’s decision (200 megapixels in contrast with 108 megapixels), shade tones and dynamic vary, whereas retaining the identical edgy design and large 6.8-inch display screen as its predecessor. There’s additionally a brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that is been optimized particularly for Samsung’s telephones, which brings quicker efficiency in contrast with the Galaxy S22 Extremely.
It might be an understatement to name this telephone costly: It begins at $1,200. However individuals prepared to pay extra for an enormous display screen and a high-quality, versatile digicam will not be dissatisfied. Learn our full evaluation of the Galaxy S23 Extremely.
Like:
• Refreshed design appears to be like nice
• Excellent cameras
• Clear and gratifying interface
Don’t love:
• Battery life may very well be higher
Google’s newest flagship telephone, the Pixel 7 Professional, is not an enormous overhaul from the already wonderful Pixel 6 Professional Google launched final 12 months. But it surely’s taken that successful components and made some key tweaks to virtually each aspect, leading to an excellent telephone that is bliss to make use of. The refreshed digicam can take gorgeous photographs too, incomes its spot among the many greatest flagship telephones round. It usually sells for $899, however Google at the moment has it on sale for $150 off.
Learn our Google Pixel 7 Professional evaluation.
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Like:
• Glossy design
• Nice worth
• Major digicam is Google’s greatest
Don’t love:
• Battery life is sweet however not nice
• Not as a lot Android model help as Samsung
At round $600, the Google Pixel 7 provides a good way to place a few of Google’s greatest tech in your pocket with out emptying your financial institution stability within the course of. It undercuts the fully-specced 7 Professional mannequin by a way, however nonetheless packs the identical Tensor G2 processor, a wonderful display screen and an ideal foremost digicam.
Just like the 7 Professional, it is had a refreshed design which appears to be like stylish and classy, whereas its Android 13 software program is clutter-free and straightforward to make use of. The battery life may very well be higher, however with cautious use you may get by way of a day on a cost. It lacks the telephoto zoom and a few the opposite bells and whistles of the 7 Professional, however in case you’re after a stable on a regular basis telephone at a good value, then the bottom Pixel 7 is a superb possibility.
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Like:
- Longer battery life
- Engaging design
- 4 generations of Android OS updates
- Quick efficiency
Don’t love:
- Cameras are mainly the identical as final 12 months
- Costly
- No enhancements to quick charging
- No improve to base storage
Android followers on the lookout for a petite telephone do not have a lot to select from. However the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23 supplies a compelling possibility for individuals who desire a telephone that feels compact however nonetheless supplies sufficient display screen area. The Galaxy S23 comes with routine upgrades like a contemporary processor (a model of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that is been optimized for Samsung’s telephones), a barely new design and a higher-resolution selfie digicam. But it surely’s the Galaxy S23’s bigger battery that makes it price recommending. Learn our full evaluation of the Galaxy S23.
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Like:
• Good display screen
• Speedy efficiency
• IP67 waterproof
• Reasonably priced value
Don’t love:
• No wi-fi charging
The following-gen Pixel 6a is obtainable now, and if you need 5G on a budget the smartphone is a stable alternative. This Pixel telephone has a high-end chipset, nice rear cameras, show, and common battery life. It is likely one of the most cost-effective good 5G smartphones you should buy proper now.
Learn our Google Pixel 6A evaluation.
Like:
- Unbelievable efficiency for gaming
- Slick, refreshed design
- Hyper-fast charging
- 5 years of safety help
Don’t love:
- Cameras are good however not nice
- Higher waterproofing on rivals
The $700 OnePlus 11 is a robust telephone that is effectively outfitted to deal with gaming, video streaming and different frequent duties. In typical OnePlus trend, this telephone can be cheaper than the $800 Galaxy S23 and $900 Pixel 7 Professional. The cameras aren’t the perfect, however they’re superb for informal photographers who simply need to seize their subsequent trip or an evening out. What units the OnePlus 11 aside from lots of its rivals is its blazing 100-watt quick charging, which might replenish the battery in simply 25 minutes. (The US model solely helps 80-watt charging, however that is nonetheless an enchancment over the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s 45-watt charging). Total, the OnePlus 11 is right for individuals who desire a highly effective telephone that fees shortly and will not break the financial institution. Learn our full evaluation of the OnePlus 11.
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Like:
• 120Hz cowl display screen
• Water resistance
• Enhanced pill expertise
• Software program enhancements for multitasking and Flex Mode
Don’t love:
• $1,800 remains to be costly
Foldable telephones have not actually hit the mainstream, remaining as an alternative solely within the attain of these prepared to spend high greenback on the newest in cellular innovation. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the perfect folding telephone round, providing top-notch efficiency, an ideal digicam setup and a wide range of tweaks to its folding know-how that make this Android smartphone extra fascinating than its predecessor.
Samsung
Like:
- Higher battery life than earlier than
- Nonetheless the perfect flip telephone to get into foldables
- Water resistance
Don’t love:
- Identical cameras because the Galaxy Z Flip 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an iterative replace but it surely packs a punch for the $1,000 price ticket. With a greater battery life due to a extra energy environment friendly processor and a much bigger battery, the Flip is lastly price investing in as a flagship machine.
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Like:
- Skilled degree video monitor options
- Sturdy utilitarian construct
- Reside broadcast streaming over 5G
- As a telephone, it is primarily the Sony Xperia 1 II
Don’t love:
- Worth is excessive, limiting its slim attraction
- 2020 specs and Android 10
- Wished it recorded video through HDMI enter
At a whopping $1,800 checklist value, the Sony Xperia Professional is not for everybody. However in case you’re a photographer or videographer on the lookout for professional-level digicam telephone options, you possibly can’t go incorrect. The Xperia Professional is actually 4 merchandise in a single: a telephone, a digicam monitor, a speedy picture file switch machine and a 5G machine appropriate for broadcasting and livestreaming.
Learn our Sony Xperia Professional evaluation.
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Like:
• Flashing design
• Stable efficiency
• Reasonably priced value
Don’t love:
• Cameras are solely OK
• Not but obtainable within the US
The Nothing Cellphone 1’s inexpensive value, stable efficiency and good-enough digicam setup already make it a stable possibility to contemplate in case you’re on the lookout for an Android telephone on a price range. However this telephone takes the pizzazz up a notch with its suite of flashing LED lights on the rear, which definitely make it stand out in opposition to its opponents.
It is an ideal telephone, which we loved reviewing, however there’s a draw back: As of proper now, there are no plans to launch the telephone broadly within the US. You will get it unlocked on Amazon, but it surely’s GSM-only so it will not work on Verizon. The corporate’s subsequent telephone, the Nothing Cellphone 2, shall be coming to the US later this 12 months.
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How we check telephones
Each telephone that seems on this checklist has been completely examined by CNET’s knowledgeable evaluations group. Which means truly utilizing the telephone, testing the options, taking part in video games on it, and taking images with it. No advertising guarantees are taken at face worth, and if we discover one thing we do not like, be it battery life or construct high quality, we’ll let you know all about it.
Testing a telephone means testing each aspect of the machine. Is the show brilliant, sharp, vibrant? Does the design really feel good to carry? Is it heavy? Does it really feel effectively made? Is it water-proof? We check the processor efficiency utilizing standardized benchmark instruments like GeekBench and 3DMark, together with our personal anecdotal observations whereas navigating the interface or taking part in demanding video games.
All of the cameras (each back and front) are examined in a wide range of circumstances, from brilliant daylight by way of to darkish scenes (for any obtainable evening modes), and we examine our findings in opposition to equally priced fashions. We conduct battery assessments, operating them down from full to see how lengthy they’re more likely to preserve going on the market in the true world.
We consider further options like 5G, fingerprint or face scanners, styluses, quick charging, versatile shows, or different extras that may be helpful. And we in fact stability all this in opposition to the value, to provide the verdict on whether or not that telephone, no matter value it’s, truly represents good worth.
