Best Android Phones (February 2017)

With Android thoroughly dominating the mobile industry, picking the best Android smartphones is almost synonymous with choosing the best sm...

With Android thoroughly dominating the mobile industry, picking the best Android smartphones is almost synonymous with choosing the best smartphones, period. But while Android phones have few real opponents on other platforms, internal competition is incredibly fierce.

From sleek devices that impress with premium design, to powerhouses brimming with features, to all-around great devices, and affordable phones that punch above their weight, the Android ecosystem is populated by a staggering variety of attractive phones.

But “greatness” is subjective, and sometimes spec sheets and feature lists are not enough to make an idea of how good a phone really is. In this roundup, we’re looking at the absolute best – the Android phones you can’t go wrong with.

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Google Pixel and Pixel XL

Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL are here, and they truly are some amazing smartphones.

Not only are they the first phones to ship with the Google Assistant on board, they also come with plenty of exclusive software features and some of the best smartphone cameras in existence.

Under the hood, they sport some killer specs, too. Both devices have an AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of on-board storage and long-lasting batteries. The overall design of these phones may not be the most unique, but they do feel like premium phones through and through.

There are a few things about these phones that will turn some people away, though. For starters, they only sport an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning they’re not nearly as waterproof as the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. There are ways around that, but none that will make the devices truly waterproof. Plus, if you buy the Verizon model, you’ll have to deal with a small amount of bloatware (though you will be able to uninstall it), you won’t be able to unlock the bootloader, and Verizon will be handling all Pixel and Pixel XL software updates (though the company swears it won’t delay them).

If you’re in the market for a new flagship Android phone and don’t mind spending over $650, you should buy the Pixel or Pixel XL… these are two of the best Android phones out there.

Specs

Google Pixel

• 5.0-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441ppi
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 32/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
• 12.3MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
• Non-removable 2,770mAh battery
• Android 7.1 Nougat
• 143.8 x 69.5 x 8.6mm, 143g

Google Pixel XL

• 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534ppi
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 32/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
• 12.3MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,450mAh battery
• Android 7.1 Nougat

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Samsung did a killer job with their 2015 flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Design-wise, many would say those two phones were close to perfect. The company forwent a plastic design and instead included glass front and back panels with an aluminum frame. They weren’t without their flaws, though. The S6 and S6 Edge didn’t offer expandable storage or removable batteries — two features Samsung has been known to include in all its smartphones for years.

Now the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have made their way to the masses, and they fix many of the problems the S6 line introduced last year. While they don’t offer removable batteries, Samsung included expandable storage on both handsets in case the 32 GB of on-board storage isn’t enough. Samsung mostly stuck to the same design this time around, though they did shrink down the camera bumps on the back and made the devices a little thicker to make room for larger batteries.

In terms of specs, these are top-of-the-line smartphones. They come with Quad HD Super AMOLED displays, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processors, 4 GB of RAM, great 12 MP rear-facing cameras and run the latest version of Android. Instead of featuring the same screen sizes this time around though, Samsung kept the S7 at a smaller 5.1 inches, while the S7 Edge has been bumped up to a larger 5.5-inch panel.

Seriously, these are some incredible smartphones. They are a little pricey, but all in all, we think the high asking price is worth it.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S7

• 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 577 ppi
• Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4 GB of RAM
• 32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
• 12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
• Non-removable 3000 mAh battery
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm, 152 g

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

• 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534 ppi
• Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4 GB of RAM
• 32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
• 12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
• Non-removable 3600 mAh battery
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm, 157 g

OnePlus 3T

We weren’t expecting OnePlus to release another new flagship in 2016, but it happened. If you were a fan of the OnePlus 3, you’ll certainly love the OnePlus 3T.

With its powerful Snapdragon 821 processor backed by 6GB of RAM, the 3T absolutely flies through web browsing, gaming and most other everyday tasks. It also has a bigger battery this time around (3,400mAh to be exact), which is more than enough to get you through a full day of use on a single charge. In addition, the 3T now sports 16MP rear and front-facing camera sensors, a dual-SIM card slot, plenty of on-board storage, and a fast front-facing fingerprint sensor on the front.

Basically the OnePlus 3T is a better OnePlus 3, and we’re certainly not complaining. You can buy it from OnePlus’ website in Gunmetal and Soft Gold color options.

Specs

• 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 401ppi
• 2.35GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
• 6GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD card expansion
• 16MP rear camera, 16MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,400mAh battery
• Android 7.0 Nougat
• 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35mm, 158g

Huawei Mate 9

Huawei has done a great job at making its way to the mainstream over the past few years – first with the Huawei P9, and now with the Mate 9.

With a big 5.9-inch display, powerful Kirin 960 processor, dual-SIM capabilities, and an impressive camera setup, the Mate 9 may be one of the best big phones of the year. While its display is ‘only’ 1080p and its software is a bit odd sometimes, we still think the high price tag is worth it. If you’re after a smartphone that offers exceptional battery life and incredible performance, the standard Mate 9 delivers in spades. If money is no object and you want a smartphone that is unattainable to most customers, the Porsche Design Mate 9 might be worth your while.

Specs

• 5.9-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 373ppi
• Octa-core Hisilicon Kirin 960 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
• Dual 20 and 12MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
• Non-removable 4,000mAh battery
• Android 7.0 Nougat
• 156.9 x 78.9 x 7.9mm, 190g

LG V20

The V20 is basically the phone for power users. It has a a big Quad HD display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor, plenty of RAM and on-board storage, dual 16MP rear-facing cameras, and a removable 3,200mAh battery. Of course, the unique Second Screen makes a return this year, along with the addition of Quad DAC, military standard durability, and it’s already running Android 7.0 Nougat.

If top-of-the-line specs and an impressive feature set is what you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong with the V20.

Specs

• 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 513ppi
• Secondary display: 2.1-inch IPS LCD display with 160 x 1040 resolution, 513 ppi
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
• Dual 16 and 8MP rear cameras, 5MP front camera
• Removable 3,200mAh battery
• Android 7.0 Nougat
• 159.7 x 78.1 x 7.6mm, 174g

Moto Z and Moto Z Force

Motorola (well, Lenovo actually) is doing something different with their flagship phones this year. Instead of releasing just one flagship under the Moto X moniker, they’ve decided to release two new smartphones that do things a bit out of the ordinary. The Moto Z and Moto Z Force not only bring flagship-level specs, but also support for modules.

These modules, called Moto Mods, attach to the back of both phones via magnets. There are only a few available right now, but they actually bring some handy features to the phones. You can purchase an external battery module, a powerful speaker, and even a projector!

They both have killer specs, too. Both devices come with a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of on-board storage, expandable memory, and run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. You might be wondering – what’s the difference between these two phones? The standard Moto Z is super thin at only 5.2mm in thickness, but it only comes with a 2600mAh battery. The Moto Z Force is thicker, has a 3500mAh battery, and also has a shatterproof display.

These aren’t the cheapest phones on the market, but they’re certainly some of the best.

Specs

Moto Z

• 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 535ppi
• Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
• 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
• Non-removable 2600mAh battery
• Android 7.0 Nougat (Verizon model) / Android 6.0 Marshmallow (unlocked model)
• 153.3 x 75.3 x 5.2mm, 136g

Moto Z Force

• 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 535ppi
• Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
• 21MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
• Non-removable 3500mAh battery
• Android 7.0 Nougat (Verizon model) / Android 6.0 Marshmallow (unlocked model)
• 155.9 x 75.8 x 7mm, 163g

ZTE Axon 7

ZTE’s Axon Pro from 2015 was a good phone, but it fell short in a few key areas. It came to market with only one storage option, no expandable memory, and the dual camera setup on the back of the device felt a bit gimmicky. Not only does the company’s latest flagship fix all of those problems, it brings much more to the table.

It has a big 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, the latest Snapdragon processor, plenty of RAM, multiple storage options, and yes, expandable memory up to 256GB. It also sports some killer front-facing speakers, all-day battery life, a great camera, and a sleek, attractive design. While certain parts of the software could use a little more polish, the ZTE Axon 7 goes toe-to-toe with the best in the Android market. It’s also inexpensive at only $400, making this an even more attractive option for folks looking to score a solid flagship device.

Specs

• 5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 538ppi
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4/6GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
• 20MP front camera, 8MP rear camera
• Non-removable 3250mAh battery
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• 151.7 x 75 x 7.9mm, 175g

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