The best Android phones (October 2020)

One of the great things about the Android market is the diversity of features, prices, and even software. There are a ton of Android phones out there, but what’s the best available in 2020 so far?

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Spec sheets and feature lists aren’t always enough to get an idea of how good a phone really is. In this roundup, we’re looking at the absolute best — the Android phones of 2019 and 2020 you can’t go wrong with. We picked based on a combination of internal testing and subjective reviewing. Without further delay, here are the best Android phones!

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Update – October 2020: No changes, but you can expect changes next month. Once we’ve fully reviewed the Pixel 5 we will likely add it to the list. 

Best Android phones:

Wondering why each of these Android phones made it onto the list? Read on.

Editor’s note: We will update this list of the best Android phones regularly as new devices launch.

Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus

What makes it “the best”

• The S20 Plus is a total powerhouse thanks to a compelling blend of features, performance, and that crazy camera system.
• It’s also a battery life champ with its massive 4,500mAh power cell that’s able to keep the phone up and running.

Samsung’s Galaxy S line side-steps perfection with the polarizing Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. The S20 phones are super powerful, but also super expensive. There’s little the S20 Plus can’t do. Featuring the Snapdragon 865, a massive 12GB of RAM, and a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel with an Infinity-O punch hole, this is a powerhouse, though some argue it isn’t exactly attractive. This high-performance machine packs only the best of the best, including a variety of storage options, a 4,500mAh battery that’s more than capable of making it through the day, and rapid wired and wireless charging.

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More importantly, Samsung overhauled the camera system in a way that’s exciting and appealing. The new camera has a feature called Space Zoom that allows you to zoom in up to 30x. It also has bokeh video shooting, 8K video capture, and all the other bells and whistles to keep people creating. Once the focusing bug is sorted out via software update, it should be the camera to beat.

If you don’t need a giant phone and still want a similar Galaxy S20 Plus experience, you should absolutely check out the Samsung Galaxy S20. It’s smaller, cheaper, and easier to use. Conversely, if you want it all, the biggest of the best, then be sure to take a look at the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

What makes it “the best”

• The Note 20 Ultra is one of the best Android phones overall thanks to a great mix of features and performance.

Although the Galaxy S family is the most popular line of Samsung devices, the Galaxy Note line takes the power and versatility of the S line a few steps further. This is especially true with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

While both the Galaxy Note 20 and 20 Ultra are both aimed at demanding users, the Ultra model offers more. It has a larger display with a higher resolution, more RAM, a larger battery, and a big 108MP main camera sensor. It also supports expandable storage. The display on the Ultra is also the first one that’s protected with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus.

Featuring the Snapdragon 865 Plus (or the Exynos 990, depending on market), 12GB of RAM, and a 6.9-inch AMOLED panel with the Infinity-O punch hole, this is a powerful phone. On the downside, Note 20 Ultra doesn’t offer a 1TB option, but the 128GB and 512GB options should be more than enough for most, especially with the expandable storage option

The phone is also IP68 rated and comes with the embedded S Pen stylus. The design is also pretty impressive, with a case made of both metal and glass material and a curved screen. It is a very pricey phone, but that’s expected with a handset that has pretty much all the bells and whistles.

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Google Pixel 4 and Google Pixel 4 XL

What makes it “the best”

• One of the best Android camera phones thanks to a combination of great camera software and a quality camera sensor. That’s even more impressive considering its one of the few single-camera setups left on the market.

The Pixel 4 family pack high-end specs like the Snapdragon 855 (paired with 6GB of RAM), but that’s not what makes these phones stand out. The Pixel series has always been great at photography and this continues with the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. The Pixel 4/XL camera captures more detail than the Pixel 3 series, handles white balance even better, and improves on HDR, portrait mode, and selfies.

Night Sight (Google’s name for night mode) is also better this time around than it was in the Pixel 3 series, and Google now offers a killer feature called astrophotography mode.

The Google Pixel 4 XL takes stunning photos, even if you’re a novice

When in Night Mode, if the Pixel 4 detects the light is low enough and the sky is visible it will enter astrophotography mode automatically. It then takes up to sixteen 15-second-long exposures, aligns and tweaks them in the background and pops out the kind of astrophotography you normally only get from a fancy DSLR and a lot of editing. The results speak for themselves and are truly incredible.

On the downside, there’s no ultra-wide sensor, unlike the iPhone 11 series and many flagship Android devices. Google also doesn’t prioritize video. While the iPhone 11 has 4K at 60fps on its front-facing camera, the Pixel 4 still doesn’t even support it on its primary camera. The Pixel 4/XL shoots decent looking 1080p video at 30, 60, and 120fps but you can only shoot 4K at 30fps. Bottom-line, if video is important to you, the Pixel 4 XL might not be the best option.

As for the rest of the experience? The Pixel 4 and 4 XL would be nearly perfect but suffer from well below-average battery life.

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Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro

What makes it “the best”

• One of the better Android phones overall thanks to powerful hardware, solid cameras, and a long-lasting battery.
• The quadruple-camera setup is very, very good.

The Mi 10 Pro is a flagship phone that competes with the Oppo Find X2, Huawei P40 Pro, and Samsung S20 family. It’s a heavy hitter designed to appeal to those who want the whole package: good looks and top performance.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro sees the company focusing on four major tentpoles: the display, processor performance, battery life, and the camera. If these are the core features that might get you to part with your cash, Xiaomi has them in spades.

Xiaomi kept its design chops in check with the Mi 10 Pro, an unassuming, stealthy flagship that under promises and over delivers. The 90Hz display, fast battery, and quad-camera array make the Mi 10 Pro a serious contender in the premium space.

This $999 flagship seemingly has it all. Moreover, everyday usability is great thanks to the comfortable hardware, and the quality is top-notch. Of course those in the US won’t be able to officially get this phone, though it’s easy enough to find an imported version online.

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OnePlus 8/8 Pro

What makes them “the best”

• One of the better value Android phone series thanks to competitive price tags and a big step up in overall features and quality.

OnePlus went for broke. Rather than bring new flagship killers to market, it made some killer flagships. The OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are formidable handsets thanks to a bevy of features. The metal-and-glass designs are classy and the Snapdragon 865 processor means they have plenty of power to push through all the apps you can throw at them.

The three-camera system is capable, perhaps the most capable from OnePlus to date. It’s not quite up to the level of the Google Pixel 4 series, but the camera is close to the S20 and V60. Battery life on both handsets is excellent. Speaking of the battery, the OnePlus 8 Pro adopts wireless charging for the first time. Moreover, both phones introduce waterproof chassis for the first time.

These did, however, raise the prices a bit compared to previous generations. Where the OnePlus 7T series cost in the $600 – $800 range, the OnePlus 8 series costs in the $700 – $1,000 range. Budget flagships no more, but flagships nonetheless.

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The Google Pixel 4a may be the best all-around phone Google has released in years. It gets rid of the huge bezels found on the Pixel 3a for a nearly bezel-free 5.81-inch display. You are also getting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor, along with a boost in memory and storage, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

While the Pixel 4a still has the same 12.2MP rear camera and 8MP front camera that the Pixel 3a had, there are improvements in both processing and software that allow the phone to take slightly better pictures. You are also getting Android 10 out of the box, with updates for at least three more years, and a 3,140mAh battery

Best of all, the Google Pixel 4a comes with a price tag of just $349.99, which is $50 lower than the starting price of the 3a when it first launched. You get a terrific phone for not a lot or money with the Pixel 4a

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That’s it for our list of the best Android phones you can buy, but it’s only a fraction of what’s out there. We also want to give an honorable mention to the OnePlus Nord. While it’s not available in the US, it’s a great alternative to the Pixel 4a if you’re a OnePlus fan or just looking for a solid second option. 

If you’re a gamer you might want to consider a gaming phone. Budget shoppers will want to check out our guide to the best cheap Android phones. Want to know what your carrier is offering? Check out our guides to the best Verizon phones, best AT&T phones, best Sprint, and best T-Mobile Android phones. Or, if you’re in the market for a new tablet, check out our list of best Android tablets.

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