Need an Android phone, but not sure which to go for, or whether to buy new or refurbished? There is much to consider, so view me as your guide as you trek through the process of picking the best handset for you.
The latest Android smartphones come in various sizes, at different prices, and with assorted capabilities and software features, all powered by the fastest chips. Whether your priority is battery life, camera, screen size, software support or the best balance of top-tier features and price, there is more to choose from than ever. But if you’re thinking of buying Apple instead, we have a guide for iPhones too.
Replace or spruce up?
New models typically have faster chips and better cameras, but the differences between generations are shrinking with each year. That means the best Android phone may be the one already in your hand.
If your battery doesn’t last as long as it used to, replacements are often available from the manufacturer or third parties, and cost from about £50 depending on the make and model. If your Android is slow or apps won’t install, check you have enough free storage – ideally at least 2GB. Space can be freed up by clearing out unused apps or content, offloading photos and videos to the cloud and deleting music you no longer listen to.
When to replace your Android
If your phone is worn out, broken beyond repair or no longer receives crucial security updates, it’s time to upgrade. Most older Androids received only three years of software support from release date – not from purchase – with newer, better models getting five to seven years. Replacing a phone that has stopped receiving security updates is essential because it may be more vulnerable to hackers and cybercriminals.
At a glance
Best Android for most people:
Google Pixel 9
£899 at John Lewis
Best Android for camera:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
£999 at AO
Best value Android:
Google Pixel 8a
£499 at John Lewis
The best Android phones in 2024
Best Android for most people:
Google Pixel 9
It’s not the biggest, flashiest or most advanced of the top-tier phones available, but the Google Pixel 9 strikes the best balance between price, size, features and camera quality.
The device has a modern, premium look, IP68 water resistance and Google’s standout camera design on the back. A sharp and sufficiently sized 6.3in OLED screen makes content look great, and its 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling smooth. Unlocking the phone is easy with the fast ultrasonic fingerprint scanner under the display or improved 2D face unlock using the selfie camera.
The regular Pixel 9 has the same Tensor G4 chip as Google’s more expensive models. This chip is efficient on battery, and the phone manages about two days between charges with light use or at least a day of navigating, photos and media. It comes with a decent 128GB of storage, with a 256GB model available if you need more.
The phone runs some of the best software and will get the latest and, therefore, most secure versions of Android faster than its rivals, thanks to monthly updates until at least August 2031.
Most of Google’s AI features come as standard on the Pixel 9. That includes free access to the impressive Gemini Live assistant, the handy Pixel Screenshots app, and various writing and summarisation tools. It also has advanced AI image editing in Google Photos, and the popular Best Take and Add Me group-shot features.
The dual rear camera is among the best in the business, making the most of shots with little effort. Super closeups are a breeze for its microphotography mode and there’s 2x magnification on the main sensor. But the Pixel 9 lacks a real telephoto camera, which is its biggest downside – along with the price creeping up from previous versions.
Why should you buy it?
The Pixel 9 is the sweet spot for premium build, performance, AI features and longevity – plus, it costs less than other models with more cameras or bigger screens.
Buy if: you want the premium, AI-packed Android experience with top-tier speed and features.
Don’t buy if: you want the best camera zoom or a massive screen.
Read the full review: Google Pixel 9: a good phone overshadowed by great ones
£799 at Google Store
£899 at John Lewis
Cheaper alternative:
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung’s smallest Galaxy S24 may be almost a year old now, but it still packs a punch. It has a good 6.2in screen, a solid camera with a 3x zoom, decent battery life, Android 14 with at least six years of support remaining, and a good helping of AI features.
Released in January 2024, it should be available for far less than its original RRP from third-party retailers or refurbished if you want to make a more sustainable choice and save money.
£799 at Samsung
£487.13 refurbished at Back Market
Best Android for camera:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
If money is no object and you want the very best camera on a superphone with all the bells and whistles, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is it.
It has the most powerful and adaptable camera system on the market with not one, but two telephoto cameras at 3x and 5x magnification. An additional in-sensor zoom stretches to 10x magnification, offering meaningful reach to distant objects without having to resort to digital zoom. Its ultrawide and main cameras are excellent too, for things closer to you.
The Ultra lives up to its moniker in every other department, too. It has 2024’s fastest Android chip, long battery life, a big super-high-quality screen and Samsung’s S Pen stylus that slots in the bottom of the handset.
The phone also ships with a good range of AI tools from Samsung and Google – some useful, some gimmicks – including the excellent Circle to Search and Gemini. It will even work as an Android desktop computer when plugged into a monitor and keyboard if so required.
Samsung will support the software on the Ultra until 2031, meaning its original eye-watering price has come down a bit since launch. Look out for refurbished deals.
Why should you buy it?
The S24 Ultra is Samsung’s superphone, with the most powerful camera and all the high-end features you should expect. But the Swiss Army knife of phones comes at a high cost and large size.
Buy if: you want the most powerful camera on a massive phone.
Don’t buy if: you don’t want an enormous screen.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: the Swiss army knife of phones, now with AI
£1,249 at Samsung
£999 at AO
Camera alternative:
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Google’s excellent Pixel 9 Pro comes in smaller or supersized options, packing a camera that’s almost as powerful as Samsung’s S24 Ultra, just without the 3x telephoto option. The main, ultrawide and 5x telephoto cameras – which hit up to 10x optical magnification – are just as good as or slightly better than those on the Samsung.
They also benefit from Google’s fantastic software and clever AI features, as seen on the Pixel 9. Other features include video boost and night sight for video, plus a year of the Gemini Advanced subscription with 2TB of cloud storage.
If you don’t want a massive screen, the Pixel 9 Pro is the best camera on a smaller phone by some margin. Its screen is big enough for most people and the battery life is solid. The Pixel 9 Pro XL adds a huge screen that’s almost as big as the Samsung.
Read the full reviews: Pixel 9 Pro: a real contender for the best small phone
Pixel 9 Pro XL: Google’s AI-packed superphone to rival the best
£999 at Google Store
£999 at John Lewis
Best value Android:
Google Pixel 8a
For those wanting a top-tier phone without the high-end price, the Pixel 8a is the one to get.
It squeezes almost everything that’s great about the high-end Pixels into a smaller, cheaper package. That includes 2023’s top-tier Google Tensor G3 chip, a quality 6.1in screen and the latest Android 15 with many of Google’s advanced AI tools.
The phone comes with seven years of software support from release – safe to use until at least May 2031 – which is unheard of for under £500. The camera may lack a macro mode or telephoto zoom, but it’s otherwise excellent and includes Google’s popular Best Take.
A few corners have been cut on the Pixel 8a compared with its more expensive rivals: the screen is less scratch resistant and has slightly bigger bezels and the phone is less water resistant (but still fine for accidental dunks to depths of 1m). The back is plastic, not glass, and it doesn’t support Android’s built-in spatial audio system for headphones.
Why should you buy it?
The Pixel 8a offers more bang for your buck than any other Android, thanks to its top-tier experience and mid-range price.
Buy if: you want the best value Android with a flagship chip, camera and experience.
Don’t buy if: you want optical zoom on your camera.
Read the full review: Google Pixel 8a: new Android mid-range champion
£499 at Google Store
£499 at John Lewis
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The best of the rest
Best book-style foldable Android:
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Book-style foldables offer a tablet and regular phone screen in one pocketable device. They come in various shapes and sizes, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold marries the two forms better than any other.
When closed, its 6.3in outside screen and relatively narrow body feel like a normal phone – if slightly heavier – for messaging, calls and anything you might do with the standard Pixel 9. Open it like a book to reveal the high-quality 8in tablet screen ready for big-screen browsing, media consumption and multitasking.
The Fold has Google’s top Tensor G4 chip, at least 256GB of storage and up to two days of battery life with light use, or one with heavy use. It has five cameras, including a selfie camera in each screen and a 48MP main, 10.5MP ultrawide and 10.8MP 5x telephoto camera on the back. Those are the best you’ll find on a foldable, even if not quite as good as the regular Pixel 9 Pro. Smart features – such as Made You Look, which attracts kids’ attention to the camera with animated characters on the screen – only add to the experience.
The phone has the same software as the regular Pixel 9 Pro, the latest Android version with updates until August 2031 and all of Google’s cutting-edge AI features. You can run only two apps side by side for multitasking, but the software is simpler to navigate than more powerful rivals.
The Fold is heavier and more fragile than a regular phone, with a softer internal screen material and a crease down its centre that allows it to fold. It’s water but not dust resistant, so keeping it clean will be crucial. And it comes at high cost, with expensive repairs for any accidents, so insurance may be wise.
Why should you buy it?
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is both a regular phone when closed and a quality small tablet when open, putting two devices in your pocket with fewer compromises than rivals.
Buy if: you want the best combination of form and function in a book-style foldable.
Don’t buy if: you want the most powerful multitasking software.
Read the full review: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: the ideal foldable phone design
£1,749 at Google Store (256GB)
£1,749 at John Lewis (512GB)
Alternative:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Samsung invented the book-style foldable phone with the original Galaxy Fold, and it still makes one of the best on the market with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. This phone has a narrower closed form than Google’s folder, which makes it more cramped when using it as a phone, particularly when typing. It’s also thicker, though lighter, when folded.
The cameras are not quite as good as its Google counterparts, but it features Samsung’s powerful One UI Android software, which allows it to run up to eight apps on screen at once. It can also be connected to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse to be used as an Android desktop computer.
The Fold 6 has many AI features, including Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini assistant, and will receive updates until at least July 2031. It’s water resistant, but shares the same downsides of weight, fragility and expense as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: the best folder going is only minor upgrade
£1,799 at Samsung (256GB)
£1,799 at Amazon
Best flip-style foldable Android:
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Folding flip phones take a big-screen phone and fold it in half for a more pocketable package.
Samsung’s Z Flip 6 is the best on the market, offering a quality clamshell design, a fairly large outside screen and dual cameras that allow tricks such as selfies shot by the main cameras. But the cameras aren’t quite as good as those on Samsung’s regular Galaxy S24+ equivalent device, lacking a telephoto lens, and the outside screen is more limited in capability than some rivals unless you install extra tools. Its cool factor makes it a bit more interesting than a dull slab phone, though.
The Flip 6 has the top Android chip and a solid battery life of about two days with light use or at least a full day with heavier use. The phone has many AI features include Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini assistant, and it will receive software updates until at least July 2031.
Like other folding devices, it’s water but not dust resistant and more fragile than a regular phone – I’d recommend careful handling and accidental damage insurance.
Why should you buy it?
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 puts a big screen in a cool, compact folding clamshell design that works better than its rivals.
Buy if: you want a big screen in something pocketable that’s a bit more interesting.
Don’t buy if: you are rough with your phone or want the best camera.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: faster, longer-lasting flip phone
£1,049 at Samsung
£949 at John Lewis
Others Androids to consider
OnePlus 12: great hardware, but missing a few high-end features, particularly on the AI front, and falls short on software updates.
Google Pixel 8 Pro: last year’s top Pixel was great, with updates until at least October 2030 making it worth looking at on a deal or refurbished.
Samsung Galaxy S23: solid all-rounder from 2023, but with updates only until 2027. It may be worth buying if you can find a good refurb deal.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: still one of the best phone cameras you can get, but again with updates only until 2027, so look for refurbished deals.
Honor Magic6 Pro: good hardware, but it’s let down by average software that also falls short on updates.
OnePlus Open: great folding design, but bettered by Google, and inadequate software updates.
Honor Magic V2: excellent folding-phone hardware, but underdeveloped software and poor updates.
Buying a refurbished Android phone
Buying refurbished is better for the planet and your wallet than buying new, but Android phones are typically limited in their useful life by software updates rather than the hardware wearing out. That means the newer the phone from release, the better the buy.
Broadly, there are two types of refurbished Android: those that manufacturers, such as Samsung, refurb and sell almost as new and those refurbished by third parties that come in various grades or conditions (see our guide below).
Do not buy:
-
any model older than 24-36 months old, because you’ll get only a few years of software support before you’ll have to replace it. Older Android phones get less than five years of support from when they were first released, not when you bought them.
-
any phone without access to the Google Play Store and Google’s services, which are needed for most mainstream apps in the UK.
Quick Guide
A buyer’s guide to refurbished phones
Show
Several third-party retailers offer refurbished phones, including the UK high street chains CeX and Game and online stores such as musicMagpie and Envirofone. Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay and refurb specialist Back Market also have a wide range. And some phone operators, including O2, giffgaff, EE and Vodafone, sell refurbished iPhones.
The condition of the phone is among the most important things to consider before parting with any cash. This is graded as follows:
Grade A – virtually identical to a new phone on the outside, usually with the original box and accessories. These are often customer returns rather than trade-ins, and are the most expensive.
Grade B – in full working order but typically with light scratches, dents or nicks, and may come with original accessories.
Grade C – in full working order but visibly worn and typically sold without original accessories.
Grade D – also known as “for spares and repairs” or similar. These are broken devices sold for people to fix or gut for parts.
Once you’re satisfied with the condition of the phone, be sure to also size up the device’s:
Battery health – batteries wear out, typically only maintaining up to 80% of their original capacity after 500 full-charge cycles (about two to three years of nightly charging). Has it been replaced?
Charging port – check for signs of damage, as these are among the first parts to break.
Buttons – do they all work without pressing too hard? Broken buttons make phones difficult to use and can be expensive to fix.
Fingerprint scanner – is the fingerprint reader functioning as it should? Scratches or repairs can cause them to be faulty.
Network locks – check the phone works with the provider of your choice, as some are originally sold locked to certain networks and must be unlocked before being used on another.
Unauthorised parts – not all repairs are done by the manufacturer or using certified parts, which can affect performance.
Check it isn’t stolen – check the phone’s 15-digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number against a database of stolen devices through a service such as CheckMEND or similar.
Warranty – what kind of warranty does the retailer offer on its refurbished phones?
How we picked
Flagship phones come at a premium, so you should expect the very best technology and performance throughout years of use. When I selected the phones to test, I considered:
Performance – a top-tier chip and snappy performance are essential to keep a phone fast throughout its useful life.
Software – should be up to date and come with a minimum of five years of Android updates from release, ideally longer.
Great displays – you should expect quality displays with high brightness for outdoor use, high pixel density to keep things crisp and high refresh rates to keep scrolling smooth.
Cameras – are the main battleground for the flagship phone manufacturers, so expect the best with multiple lenses and plenty of features.
Battery life – should stand up to hard use, at least lasting when used all day.
Build quality – top-tier phones are not cheap, so they should be made to last with high quality, ideally recycled materials, scratch-resistant glass and proper water resistance.
Sustainability – accidents happen and even the longest-lasting batteries do wear out, so phones should be repairable with real options for replacement batteries, screens and other parts.
Quick Guide
How I tested
Show
We combine real-world testing with various tools, such as benchmarking systems that perform standardised tasks. These help us to evaluate a phone, measure its performance, confirm that it performs as expected and compare it with its competition and predecessors.
We use the phones across a range of times and environments, from firing off emails on packed commuter trains to weekends spent shooting photos in national parks, and everything in between. We do all the things a typical smartphone user would, such as messaging, browsing, using apps, listening to music, watching videos, playing games and navigating the real world. That gives us a good impression of how a smartphone handles the rigours of day-to-day life – plus, it shows us how long the battery lasts and the strength of its wireless performance.
The findings from our general use of the phones are combined with the results from specific tests for things such as the camera zoom, video playback and charging, to inform the reviews and help us rank the devices.
Why you should trust me
I’ve been reviewing consumer electronics for 16 years, with more than a decade spent as the Guardian’s gadget expert. In that time I’ve seen all manner of tech fads come and go, smartphone giants rise and fall, the cutting edge morph into the mainstream, and have poked, prodded and evaluated more than 1,000 devices – sometimes to destruction.
Samuel Gibbs is the Guardian’s consumer technology editor
