We tested a lot of Android phones. We like the ones below, but you’ll be better off with one of the options above. If you haven’t already, check out our Guide to the best cheap phones for more.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE for $600: I used this phone for several weeks and found that it was more than enough to meet my needs. The cameras are surprisingly decent – you even get a usable 3X optical zoom, although their results are not. as Excellent like the ones on the Galaxy S23. Performance didn’t give me any problems and the battery often lasted a little more than a day with average use. The 6.4-inch screen is a pretty nice size, neither too big nor too small, and you still get perks like wireless charging and a 120Hz screen refresh rate. It’s down to $400 during Black Friday, so I recommend that you wait for an offer.
OnePlus opened for $1,699: He OnePlus open (7/10, WIRED recommends) is OnePlus’ first foldable smartphone and it’s actually really good. OnePlus has some clever software tricks to make multitasking on this foldable book simple and effective. The camera system delivers good results, the screens get very bright and the battery life is excellent. I just wish the water resistance was better and it had wireless charging.
Google Pixel 6A for $349: Google continues selling the Pixel 6A 2022 (8/10, WIRED recommends) at a discounted price (try not to pay more than $300). Still excellent value for money and a worthy purchase. It’s powered by Google’s first-generation Tensor chip, meaning you get the best performance for your money, and it supports all the great (and useful) features. software intelligence like the flagship Pixel Series 6. It has an OLED display, a decent camera system, and long software support. There is no wireless charging and it has a 60Hz screen.
Google Pixel 7 Pro for $649: The Pixel 7 Pro 2022 (8/10, WIRED recommends) is a good buy if you can find it at this price (or lower). You get a 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. There’s Face Unlock, but it’s not secure like the Pixel 8 version, so you’ll have to rely on the fingerprint sensor to access sensitive apps. . Cameras are a big part of Pixels, and the Pixel 7 Pro remains one of the best with an improved ultrawide with autofocus, allowing for a macro focus mode for close-ups. Its telephoto camera has also improved, with an excellent 5X optical zoom. You’ll get four more years of security updates, which is great, but only two more operating system updates, which isn’t as good as the latest models.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 for $1,499: The fold5 (7/10, WIRED recommends) is still an excellent large-screen foldable smartphone. The cameras can take great photos, the screens can get surprisingly bright, and Samsung promises long software support. But the introduction of the Pixel Fold has shown me how much more I prefer the wider front screen. The Fold5’s external screen feels too narrow and some apps feel squished (although it’s a little easier to grip when closed).
OnePlus 11 5G for $600: This OnePlus 11 (7/10, WIRED recommends) frequently sells at this price, so avoid the MSRP. It’s a speed demon, but it’s not my first or second choice of phone. It feels tremendously smooth and responsive, thanks to the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset inside (and all the other optimizations), and it recharges very quickly with the included adapter and cable: you can go from 0 to 100 in about 20 minutes. minutes. It has a stunning 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, nice stereo speakers, and a reliable battery that easily lasts more than a full day. Even Hasselblad-tuned cameras produce good results, and OnePlus now matches Samsung with the promise of four years of Android OS updates and five years of security updates (although they’re bimonthly rather than monthly). However, not everything is rosy. There’s no wireless charging, it doesn’t support millimeter wave 5G and the water resistance is only IP64 when almost all phones at this price have a IP67 rating (rated to survive dives). The overall interface of the software is also not my favorite. But hey, at least it’s pretty! Works on all three major US networks.
Sony Xperia 1V for $1,398: Sony’s latest flagship phone (7/10, Wired Review) it is very expensive. But it’s one of the few smartphones with a 4K OLED display and it’s rare to see a high-end phone with a headphone jack. There are plenty of toys for camera nerds, whether you want to capture a photo with manual adjustments or use Sony’s Cinema Pro app to capture cinematic images. You can even use your phone as an external monitor for your camera. It’s a shame that Sony has a short software update policy and that its camera system is still too clunky.
OnePlus 10 Pro for $419: OnePlus 2022 flagship phone is good but not great (7/10, WIRED recommends), although it is a smart purchase at this price. It’s stylish and has powerful hardware, including a 120Hz AMOLED display which offers brilliant, fast performance and some of the fastest wired and wireless charging you’ll find in the US (Yes, unlike the OnePlus 11, the older phone supports wireless charging). You will receive two more operating system updates and three years of security updates. You should know that there is no millimeter wave 5G here, only sub-6, which is strange for a flagship.
Motorola Edge+ 2023 for $800: A Motorola smartphone with support for contactless payments, 5G, wireless charging and the promise of three operating system updates and four years of security updates? Say it’s not like that! The Motorola Edge+ finally matches its peers in several aspects and surpasses them in some aspects. It has a bright 165Hz OLED display, is lightweight, and its 5,100mAh battery easily lasts two days. Does he lower it? The cameras are not as good as the cheaper Pixel 7A. Read our Guide to the best Motorola phones for more selections.
OnePlus Nord N30 5G for $300: This OnePlus phone (6/10, Wired Review) doesn’t break the mold, and if you can, you should shell out for a Pixel 6A or any of the phones above. But if your budget is really tight and this phone goes on sale, it does its job. Performance is good and the battery lasts two days.
