Best Android phones 2024

You're never hurting for choice when it comes to finding the best Android phones. From mighty flagships to surprisingly feature-rich budget devices, there's a top Android handset out there for every budget and personal taste.

We think the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra stands head-and-shoulders above other Android phones thanks to its AI powered features, excellent cameras, and best-in-case performance. But if the S24 Ultra's $1,299 starting price is too much for you, there are plenty of other top Android devices we'd recommend.

The key to finding the best Android phone for your needs is to identify what you want in a handset. If that winds up being a wide array of premium features from fast refreshing displays to top performing cameras, be prepared to pay up for a flagship. Are capabilities like a telephoto lens or lots of built-in storage less important to you? Then you can turn to a midrange or budget Android phone instead.

Whatever you're looking for, we can help you find it among our picks for the best Android phone. Although, there are other highly anticipated Android phones that should be released later this year — like the Motorola Edge Plus (2024), Google Pixel 9 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 to name a few.

The Quick List

Best Android phone overall

Best Android phone overall

Specifications

Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED (3120 x 1440; 1-120Hz)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM: 12GB
Storage / Expandable: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB/ No
Rear camera: 200MP main (f/1.7), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 50MP 5x telephoto f/3.4), 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4)
Front camera: 12MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 8.2 oz
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 16:45

Reasons to buy

+
Longest-lasting battery in a Galaxy phone
+
Outstanding performance
+
Helpful AI features

Reasons to avoid

-
Zoom lens is a step back
-
$100 price hike over predecessor

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra doesn’t make major hardware changes from past Samsung flagships, instead putting most of its focus on new AI-powered features. These Galaxy AI capabilities are both practical and easy to use, allowing you to do things like get real-time translations on phone calls where someone speaks another language; automatically summarize and organize your notes; and search for things just by circling them.

The hardware changes may be modest, but they’re welcome — the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset powering the phone delivers performance that actually beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max on some speed tests. (That’s the first time we’ve seen that happen.) Power management features on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 also contribute to the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s epic battery life, with the phone last nearly 17 hours on one charge in our testing.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra swaps out one of its telephoto lenses for a higher resolution sensor with less of an optical zoom, and that feels like a step back — so much so that we feel like it loses out the best camera phone title to Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max. Still, the cameras continue to produce excellent photos overall. 

The bigger consideration is the $100 price hike Samsung instituted. Not everyone is going to be able to afford a $1,299 smartphone, but those that pay up for the Galaxy S24 Ultra will get a premium device in return. With seven years of software and security support provided by Samsung, this is a device clearly built to last a long time.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.

Best alternative Android phone

Best alternative Android phone

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch OLED (2992 x 1344; 1-120Hz)
CPU: Tensor G3
RAM: 12GB
Storage / Expandable:&: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No
Rear camera: 500MP wide (f/1.65), 48MP ultra wide (ƒ/1.95), 48MP telephoto (5x zoom, f/2.8)
Front camera: 10.5MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 7.5 oz
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:03

Reasons to buy

+
Brighter Super Actua Display
+
7 years of software updates
+
Excellent AI-powered features

Reasons to avoid

-
Tensor performance lags other top chipsets

Before the Galaxy S24 Ultra made AI a focus, the Google Pixel 8 Pro was showing how AI could be integrated into your daily smartphone experience to make everyday tasks run smoother. Call screening features now feature a more realistic sounding assistant who takes incoming calls and even lets you know what the call is about so you can decide whether to answer after all. Proofreading and summary tools also benefit from the expanded machine learning powered by the Pixel 8 Pro's new Tensor G3 silicon.

But the AI is on full display in an area where Pixel phones have always thrived — the cameras. A Magic Editor lets you change everything about your shot — lighting composition, even where the subject of the photo appears — with just a few taps. A face-swapping Best Take feature ensures you'll never have someone blinking in a group shot again. And Magic Audio Eraser keeps unwanted background noise out of the videos you capture. Combine those AI features with new camera hardware — every rear lens on the Pixel 8 Pro gets an upgrade — and this is a formidable camera phone.

The Pixel 8 Pro costs more than its predecessor, eliminating Google's pricing advantage. And overall performance still lags the best Android phones powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 silicon. But overall, the Pixel 8 Pro is one of the best phones Google has ever belt and a worthwhile alternative if you're looking beyond Samsung for your next device, especially with Google providing seven years of software support for the Pixel 8 lineup.

Read our full Google Pixel 8 Pro review.

Best Android phone value

A great camera phone for the money

Specifications

Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2400 x 1080; 90Hz)
CPU: Tensor G2
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB / No
Rear cameras: 64MP main (f/1.89), 13MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
Front camera: 13MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 6.8 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:05

Reasons to buy

+
Great Tensor G2-powered experiences
+
Outstanding camera output
+
90Hz display is very bright

Reasons to avoid

-
Only three years of Android updates
-
Noticeable bezels around display

The Google Pixel 7a is a great device to get if you're on a limited budget. For just $499, you can get a phone that still packs in some premium features like a 90Hz display, wireless charging support and the same Tensor G2 processor found in the Pixel 7 flagships. In many ways, it's impossible to tell the budget Pixel 7a from the more premium Pixel 7, though Google's flagship phones now get seven years of support to the three years provided to the Pixel 7a.

We're particularly impressed with the changes to the Pixel 7a's camera setup, which now features a 64MP main shooter and a 13MP ultrawide lens. These cameras take excellent photos for the price, and they can hold their own against any of the top camera phones out there. We also like that the battery life on the Pixel 7a is much improved over its predecessor, albeit with the fast-refreshing display feature disabled.

Samsung's Galaxy A54 is $50 cheaper and comes close to matching the Pixel 7a in many areas. But the superior cameras on this Pixel phone make all the difference.

Read our full Google Pixel 7a review.

Fast-charging Android phone

Fast-charging Android phone

Specifications

Display: 6.82-inch AMOLED (3168 x 1440; 120Hz)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM: 12GB. 16GB
Storage / Expandable: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB/ No
Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.6), 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 64MP 3x telephoto (f/2.6)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.4)
Weight: 7.8 oz
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): Testing in progress

Reasons to buy

+
Improved telephoto lens
+
Bright, high-contrast display
+
Wireless charging is back

Reasons to avoid

-
Low-light photos look underexposed
-
No AI features at launch 

It’s time to start including OnePlus in the same breath as Samsung and Google when talking about top Android phone makers, and the OnePlus 12 is a good example why. This phone has everything its rivals offer — a top performing processor, a distinct design and top-performing cameras. That last bit comes after years of improvements and a team-up with lens specialist Hasselblad to improve hat had been the weakest area of OnePlus flagships. With the OnePlus 12, cameras are now a strength.

It’s power management where the OnePlus 12 continues to excel. Our battery tests are ongoing, but we expect impressive numbers thanks to the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a massive 5,400 mAh battery. The OnePlus 12 continues to benefit from fast-charging technology, with support for 80W wired charging in the U.S. (It’s even faster elsewhere.) Wireless charging support returns to this model — a sign OnePlus listens to customer feedback.

The OnePlus 12 is more expensive than its predecessor by $100, but you can eliminate that extra cost through a trade-in program at OnePlus. With those savings, the OnePlus joins the Pixel 8 as an attractively priced flagship — and OnePlus offers a telephoto lens on its entry-level flagship. We just wish OnePlus could match the seven years of support Samsung and Google offer with their flagships, as the OnePlus 12 comes with a more limited four years of support.

Read our full OnePlus 12 review.

Most affordable Android flagship phone

Affordable flagship with AI powers

Specifications

Display: 6.2-inch OLED (2400 x 1080; 60-120Hz)
CPU: Tensor G3
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable:&: 128GB, 256GB/ No
Rear camera: 500MP wide (f/1.65), 12MP ultra wide (ƒ/2.2)
Front camera: 10.5MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 6.6 oz
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:50

Reasons to buy

+
Awesome AI camera feature
+
Brighter 120Hz display
+
More compact design

Reasons to avoid

-
Performance and battery life lag other flagships
-
$100 price increase

All the AI features found on the $999 Pixel Pro 8 are also available on the $699 Pixel 8, including the impressive photo-editing tools like Magic Editor and Best Take. Then again, that's not a surprise, as the Tensor G3 chip inside of Google's premium flagship also powers the Pixel 8.

You get more than just a smarter phone with the Pixel 8. Google swapped in a new display that's brighter than before, and the main camera has a wider aperture, improving performance in low-light settings. Even the battery life is much improved from the Pixel 7, though the Pixel 8 doesn't last as long as other phones in its price range. For all its AI powers, the Tensor chip lags behind top-of-the-line Snapdragon silicon for performance, so the Pixel 8 is not going to out-muscle other top Android phones.

Speaking of price, Google did raise the price on all its Pixel by $100. That said, the Pixel 8 continues to cost less than the Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15, and it offers seven years of software support to boot.

Read our full Google Pixel 8 review.

Best budget Android phone alternative

Best Android phone on a budget

Specifications

Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED (2780x1264 )
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 8GB, 16GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.8), 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 2MP macro
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.4)
Weight: 7.3 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 18:42

Reasons to buy

+
Unbelievably long battery life
+
Impressive processing performance
+
Vivid looking display

Reasons to avoid

-
Shorter software support
-
Lacks wireless charging

You don't have to pay flagship prices to get a top Android phone. For $499, the OnePlus 12R reaches new heights where no other sub-$500 priced Android has gone with its epic battery life. Paired with a bright display and cameras that are the surprisingly decent in a budget phone, the OnePlus 12R is every bit worth of being one of the best Android phones on a budget.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside the OnePlus 12R isn't exactly a powerhouse, but it can handle most mobile apps with aplomb. You'll also appreciate the colorful 6.78-inch panel on the OnePlus 12R and its ability to ramp up its refresh rate to 120Hz when on-screen activity would benefit from smoother scrolling. That's an awful lot of impressive features for a phone that won't put too big of a dent in your wallet. The only minor scratch in its otherwise pristine value is the rather short 3 years of software and security updates that OnePlus promises with the phone.

Read our full OnePlus 12R review.

Most affordable Samsung flagship

Samsung’s most affordable flagship

Specifications

Display: 6.2-inch AMOLED (2340x1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.8), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 10MP telephoto (f/2.4) with 3x optical zoom
Front camera: 12MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 5.93 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 13:28

Reasons to buy

+
Handy AI-assisted features
+
Significantly improved battery life than Galaxy S23
+
Supports 7 years of updates

Reasons to avoid

-
No major camera hardware change
-
Snapdragon chip in North American models only

Despite being overshadowed by its bigger, more expensive siblings, the best things about the Galaxy S24 is that it packs a lot of muscle power in such a compact design. 

Specifically, the Galaxy S24 runs on the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset that powers more expensive S24 models. That not only means a performance boost over previous Galaxy S phones, it also helps the S24 turn in a time on our battery test that tops the average smartphone.

The Galaxy S24 offers a telephoto lens — not something you always find on a phone at this price. And all the cameras on the Galaxy S24 impress, as they benefit from Samsung's effort to improve low-light photography. However, the biggest incentive to get the S24 over other phones is its handful of Galaxy AI features. Some of them are practical and intuitive to use, saving you time to do other stuff.  Aside from that, the Galaxy S24 delivers the best of Samsung's flagship lineup in a more affordable package.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 review.

Best foldable

Best foldable Android phone

Specifications

Display: 7.8-inch OLED (2440 x 2268) inner, 6.3-inch OLED (2484 x 1116) outer
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage / Expandable: 512GB / No
Rear cameras: 48MP (f/1.7), 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 64MP telephoto (3x optical zoom, f/2.6)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.4) front, 20MP (f/2.2) interior
Weight: 8.4 ounces
Battery life: 11:45

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding thin and light design
+
Dynamic Open Canvas multitasking
+
Long battery life paired with fast charging

Reasons to avoid

-
Subpar low-light images
-
No wireless charging

Competition is heating up in the world of foldable phones, but the OnePlus Open emerges from the crowd by going big. Its cover display and interior screen are the largest out there for notebook-style foldables, and it boasts the best battery life of any foldable, too. Even the built-in storage — 512GB — is more than you may be used to. Cameras are the weakest part of the phone, especially when stacked up against the superior camera output produced by the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

About the only thing OnePlus didn't supersize is the price of the Open. AT $1,699, it's $100 less than the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold. Maybe that's not a big difference, but it gives the OnePlus Open an edge that its impressive specs and feature set take advantage of. Four years of software support plus another year of security updates should help your OnePlus Open stay current.

Read our full OnePlus Open review.

Long-lasting Android phone

A long-lasting flagship alternative

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch pOLED (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 512GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.8) main; 50MP (f/2.2) ultrawide; 12MP (f/1.6) portrait
Front camera: 60MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 7.1 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 15:47 (auto), 13:18 (165Hz)

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding multi-day battery life
+
Expansive screen
+
Matches performance of other top Android flagships

Reasons to avoid

-
Inconsistent camera performance
-
Curved edges of screen prone to accidental touches

Recent Motorola flagship phones haven't been able to compete with devices from the likes of Samsung, Google and OnePlus, so imagine our pleasant surprise when the 2023 edition of the Motorola Edge Plus turned out to be a pretty impressive alternative to other premium Android devices. Motorola gets a whole lot of things right here, starting with the price — the Edge Plus costs $200 less than the Galaxy S23 Plus while comparing very favorably to Samsung's big-screen phone.

A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset means the Motorola Edge Plus can match any Android phone for performance, and the phone's 5,100 mAh battery helped it turn in one of the top times on our battery test. (The Galaxy S24 Ultra has since topped it.) The Motorola Edge Plus even lasts a long time on a charge when you've got the 6.7-inch display's 165Hz refresh rate activated, which makes the Motorola Edge Plus a good option for mobile gamers.

If the cameras performed just a little more consistently, we'd rate the Motorola Edge Plus even higher. But as it stands, this phone offers a tempting blend of premium features at a more affordable price, making it a good choice if you're looking beyond the usual suspects for your next handset. Just be warned that three years of software updates from Motorola is pretty limited, given how Samsung and Google have expanded their support. 

Read our full Motorola Edge Plus (2023) review.

Best flip-phone foldable

Best flip-phone foldable

Specifications

Display: 6.9-inch pOLED (2640 x 1080) inner, 3.6-inch pOLED (1066 x 1056) outer
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 256GB / No
Rear cameras: 12MP main (f/1.5), 13MP ultrawide (f/2,2)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.4)
Weight: 6.6 ounces
Battery life: 9:58 (high); 9:55 (standard)

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous design
+
Speedy battery recharging
+
Detailed external display

Reasons to avoid

-
Underwhelming low-light camera performance
-
Not every app scales well on the outer display

After a couple previous attempts didn't quite pan out, Motorola is back with a flip phone-style foldable that finally takes its place among the best foldable phones. What makes the Motorola Razr+ stand out isn't necessarily the interior 6.9-inch screen — though we like its 165Hz refresh rate and bright appearance — but the 3.6-inch cover display. That's a whole lot larger than the 1.9-inch strip on the similarly designed Galaxy Z Flip 4, and it means you can run a lot of apps on the outer screen without ever having to open up the Razr+.

When you do open the phone, you get a screen that sits flush, thanks to a solid hinge mechanism. When it's time to head out, you can easily fold up the Razr+ and fit the 3.48 x 2.9 x 0.59-inch handset in your pocket. While its Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip isn't the newest silicon available, it still delivers solid performance, and the $999 price puts this foldable in reach for more shoppers, though you'll have to live with just three years of software suport.

Read our full Motorola Razr+ review.

Best small Android phone

The best small Android phone

Specifications

Display: 5.9-inch AMOLED (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 8GB, 12GB, 16GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.56) main, 13MP (f/3.06) ultrawide
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.5)
Weight: 6 ounces
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 12:34

Reasons to buy

+
Compact body
+
Excellent and efficient performance
+
Productive additions to Android

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor software update plan
-
Limited cameras

Asus is one of the only Android phone makers still producing phones under 6 inches in size, and the Zenfone 10 is the latest and greatest. While a fair bit smaller than equivalently priced phones, it's got a fantastic battery life and equivalent power thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. We really like what Asus did with the software too, which takes Android and gives you faster access to important settings and apps.

The problems you'll need to face if you buy a Zenfone 10 are that it's only going to get two years of Android updates, giving it a potentially shorter life than other flagship Android phones. We also wish it had a telephoto camera, but considering what you already get, and how well-priced it all is, we still think the Zenfone 10 is excellent as-is.

Read our full Asus Zenfone 10 review.

How to choose the best Android phone for you

The first place to start when shopping for the best Android phone for you is your budget. And there are essentially a few tiers. The cheapest Android phones cost under $200 and offer mostly the basics for using apps, taking pictures and staying connected. We chart the best cheap phones under $300, though honestly, you'll make a lot of compromises to get a phone priced that low.

As you move up to under $450, you'll find more compelling handsets, touting better processors, higher-grade materials and more camera lenses. Right now, the best value phones on our list are the Pixel 7a and Galaxy A54, with very little separating these two devices. (The Galaxy is the cheaper of the two, at $449.) Our main guide to the best cheap phones for less than $500 goes into greater depth on these devices.

Jump into the $700-and-up range, and the best phones offer flagship-caliber performance along with cutting-edge computational photography and special features. You'll start to see features like telephoto lenses appear at this level of phone.

The most premium Android phones offer foldable designs and big price tags. The Motorola Razr+ joins the Galaxy Z Flip 5 on the cheap end of foldable phones with a $999 starting price. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold sport identical $,1799 prices as the battle for the best foldable phones heats up.

What you look for in the best Android phone also depends on what you plan to use your handset for. To that end:

  • For mobile gaming: Make sure you're getting a phone with a top-performing processor. As of this writing, that would be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, though any recent Snapdragon 8 series system-on-chip would do the trick. Good gaming phones also have lots of RAM — at least 8GB — and a display that ramps up the refresh rate to at least 120Hz for smoother graphics. A phone with a long battery life won't conk out when you're gaming, either.
  • For mobile productivity: As with gaming, a fast processor is helpful, and you'll want a phone with lots of storage capacity. Bigger screens are usually more helpful for performing tasks on the go, which is why foldable phones and their extended screens are of interest here. Foldable phones also have unique multitasking features that let you run multiple apps at once.
  • For mobile photograhy: Nearly every phone will offer a main camera plus an ultrawide shooter, but more expensive models tend to include telephoto lenses. Just as an important as the camera hardware is the software — check out what kind of computational photography features a phone might have. (Google's Pixels excel in this area.)

How we test the best Android phones

The same method we use to test the best phones applies to the dozen or so Android phones we evaluate each year. Every smartphone Tom’s Guide evaluates is tested for several days in real-world use cases and benchmarked with a gamut of performance-measuring apps. In terms of performance, we used Geekbench 5 to measure overall speed and 3DMark Wild Life to measure graphics performance.

We also use our own video editing test in the Adobe Premiere Rush app to see how long it takes to transcode a clip, which we run on both Android phones and iPhone to compare performance. (This test is not always available for all phones we test due to app compatibility issues.)

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Performance benchmarks
Row 0 - Cell 0 Geekbench 5 (single-core / multicore)3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (FPS)
Galaxy S24 Ultra2300 / 7249123.5
Google Pixel 8 Pro1699 / 366652
Pixel 7a1018/306541.1
OnePlus 12943/4859117.2
Google Pixel 81569 / 374454
OnePlus 12R1553/513584.4
Galaxy S242235 / 6922120.4
OnePlus Open1087 / 420384.8
Motorola Edge Plus (2023)1484 / 494184.5
Motorola Razr+1320/413466.8
Zenfone 101451 / 502784.4

To measure the quality of a phone's display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is (DCI-P3 color gamut). In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and score of 0 is perfect.

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Display benchmarks
Row 0 - Cell 0 sRGB (%)DCI-P3 (%)Delta-E
Galaxy S24 Ultra139 (Vivid) / 119 (Natural)98.5 (Vivid) / 84.9 (Natural)0.25 (Vivid) / 0.23 (Natural)
Google Pixel 8 Pro127.7 (Adaptive), 110.7 (Natural)90.4 (Adaptive), 78.4 (Natural)0.23 (Adaptive), 0.16 (Natural)
Pixel 7a129.8 (Adaptive) / 111.7 (Natural)91.9 (Adaptive) / 79.1 (Natural)0.05 (Adaptive) / 0.11 (Natural)
OnePlus 12111.3 (Natural)78.9 (Natural)0.20 (Natural)
Google Pixel 8126.7 (Adaptive) /108.3 (Natural)89.7 (Adaptive) / 76.7 (Natural)0.26 (Adaptive) / 0.15 (Natural)
OnePlus 12R113.2 (Natural) / 160.7 (Vivid)80.2 (Natural) / 113.8 (Vivid)0.21 (Natural) / 0.39 (Vivid)
Galaxy S24137.5 (Vivid) / 120.8 (Natural)97.4 (Vivid) / 85.5 (Natural) 0.22 (Vivid) / 0.24 (Natural)
OnePlus Open111.8 (Natural) / 169.7 (Vivid)79.2 (Natural) / 120.2 (Vivid) 0.14 (Natural) / 0.29 (Vivid)
Motorola Edge Plus (2023)193.8 (Saturated); 105.3 (Natural)137.3 (Saturated); 74.6 (Natural)0.39 (Saturated); 0.18 (Natural)
Motorola Razr+218.9 (Saturated); 101.5 (Natural)155.1 (Saturated); 71.9 (Natural)0.35 (Saturated); 0.22 (Natural)
Zenfone 10148.8 (Optimal) / 175.4 (Natural)105.4 (Optimal) / 124.2 (Natural)0.35 (Optimal / 0.39 (Natural)

One of the most important tests we run is the Tom's Guide battery test. We run a web surfing test over 5G (or 4G if the phone doesn't have 5G support) at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out. In general, a phone that lasts 10 hours or more is good, and anything above 11 hours makes our list of the best phone battery life.

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Battery life benchmark
Row 0 - Cell 0 Battery life (Hrs:Mins)
Galaxy S24 Ultra16:45 (adaptive)
Google Pixel 8 Pro10:03 (60Hz)
Pixel 7a10:05 (60Hz)
OnePlus 12TBD
Google Pixel 89:50 (60Hz)
OnePlus 12R18:42
Galaxy S2413:28
OnePlus Open11:45
Motorola Edge Plus (2023)15:47 (Auto); 13:18 (165Hz)
Motorola Razr+9:58 (high); 9:55 (standard)
Zenfone 1012:34 (Auto)

Last but not least, we take the best phones out in the field to take photos outdoors, indoors and at night in low light to see how they perform versus their closest competitors. We take shots of landscapes, food, portraits and more, and also allow you to be the judge with side-by-side comparisons in our reviews. 

For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.

Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.