The Best Android Phones
- September 10, 2026
- 0
Android phones are available in a variety of sizes and at a variety of prices. They can be inexpensive handsets with small screens or expensive foldable models that can turn into phones from tablets. We have determined that the Google Pixel 11 is the best Android phone for most people after testing it for hundreds of hours. It has a bright screen, a long battery life, one of the best cameras we’ve ever seen on an Android phone (along with some useful AI photography features), and software updates are guaranteed for seven years. The Google Pixel 11 has many of the same features as its pro-level siblings, but it costs less, just like other flagship phone manufacturers, like Samsung, have increased prices across their entire lineup. It has a bright, 120 Hz OLED display of 6.3 inches and a triple-lens camera system with a 30x telephoto lens. It also has a larger battery, plus a new Tensor G6 chip that powers new on-device AI features, such as a voice-to-text dictation feature we love. Google guarantees software and security updates until 2033.
Choose an upgrade Upgrade pick,A higher-end Android phoneGoogle Pixel 11 Pro
Google Pixel 11 Pro
With a brighter display, a more advanced camera system, and excellent battery life, the Pixel 11 Pro is a more advanced version of the Pixel 11. Although it costs more than the standard Pixel and the model from last year, the improvements are well worth the extra money. It too will receive software and security updates until 2033.

You can buy it for $1,099 from the Google Store, which opens in a new tab. From Best Buy, $1,099; opens in a new window or tab The Google Pixel 11 Pro represents the next step up from the Pixel 11. It has a brighter 6.3-inch display (the brightest of the phones in this guide), an upgraded triple-camera system with an improved telephoto lens, and camera features such as an improved Pro Zoom that can shoot up to 120x and Instant Night Sight for capturing photos more quickly in low light. Though it’s powered by the same custom Tensor G6 chip as the Pixel 11, it also has a vapor-cooling system to help dissipate heat when you’re using it for heavy-duty tasks. Google raised the price of this year’s Pro by $100, making it $200 more than the standard Pixel 11, but it’s the better option for power users.
The Google Pixel 10a is Google’s latest “budget” phone, but it feels more high-end to use than its price suggests. It has many of the same features as the top-of-the-line Pixel models, such as a bright display with a fast refresh rate, excellent cameras that produce sharp images, facial recognition and an in-display fingerprint reader for unlocking, and a long battery life. But it’s much cheaper. In addition, the most recent version has improved durability and a few new AI features. Like the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro XL, the Pixel 10a will receive seven years of software and security updates.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has the same large 6.9-inch OLED screen as its predecessor, an S Pen stylus, and a 200-megapixel main camera that is almost as good as the Pixel 11 Pro. However, it does have a few new features that set it apart, like a privacy display built in to hide your screen from others and access to useful AI features like Gemini’s Task Automation, which can order food delivery or rideshares on your behalf. If you’re coming from an older device and want a Galaxy phone with no compromises, this is a great option. However, it doesn’t offer enough to justify an upgrade from the S25 Ultra. We recommend waiting until it goes on sale or taking advantage of trade-in deals because of its high price.




















