The best Android phones in 2023

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in front of bush showing cameras
(Image credit: Future)

The best Android phones are those able to fight to the top of a hugely varied market to provide the best possible value to potential users. Whether that's a $1,000-plus flagship phone or a budget handset, these are our top picks for you.

Some of these brands, such as Samsung, are huge companies you're likely familiar with already. Others like Realme or Oppo are relative newcomers but are still worthy of your attention, particularly if you want top-rate specs for less.

Below, we present to you our shortlist of the best Android phones you can buy right now. We hope that whatever your priorities: the best camera, best display, the most powerful chipset or the longest battery life — or something else entirely — these are the phones you need to shortlist.

The best Android phones in the U.K. you can buy today

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in green

(Image credit: Future)
The best Android phone in the U.K. overall

Specifications

Display: 6.8-inch QHD OLED (3088x1440; 1 to 120Hz)
Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM: 8GB/12GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
Rear cameras: Rear camera: 200MP wide (f/1.7), 12MP ultra wide (ƒ/2.2), 10MP telephoto (3x zoom, f/2.4), 10MP telephoto (10x zoom, f/4.9)
Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2)
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Operating System: Android 13 with OneUI 5.1

Reasons to buy

+
200MP camera system
+
Awesome display
+
Powerful custom Snapdragon chipset

Reasons to avoid

-
Still expensive compared to rivals
-
Slow charging

Once again, the top Android phone in the U.K. is Samsung's latest Ultra flagship. The Galaxy S23 Ultra's upgrades to its cameras and chipset in particular make it a considerable upgrade to last year's model, and a deserving occupant of the top spot.

The 200MP main camera is fantastic, as are the returning ultrawide and dual telephoto snappers and the updated selfie camera. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip not only beats other Snapdragon phones but also the iPhone 14 Pro Max on certain benchmarks. Samsung's usual excellent display and battery life are here too.

You still have to pay a lot for the privilege of all of this hardware, and it's still unfortunate that Samsung hasn't introduced a faster charging standard. These are only minor quibbles though. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is well worth the money if you buy it and will last you a good long time thanks to a generous number of scheduled updates.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review.

The OnePlus Nord 2T, held in hand with the back facing the camerabest value

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best Android phone in the U.K. for smaller budgets

Specifications

Display: 6.43-inch FHD AMOLED (1080 x 2400, 60,90Hz)
Chipset: Dimensity 1300
RAM: 8GB/12GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.88), 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 2MP mono (f/2.2)
Front camera: 32MP selfie (f2.4)
Battery: 4,500 mAh
Operating System: Android 11 with OxygenOS 11.3

Reasons to buy

+
Great performance for asking price
+
80W wired charging
+
Generous overall specs

Reasons to avoid

-
Fixed refresh rates
-
Short software support

If you've got only £400 to spend on a phone, the best place to spend them as far as we're concerned is into the Nord 2T. OnePlus' revised version of the OnePlus Nord 2, itself a reworked version of the original Nord, is a well-rounded phone for the cost, excelling in charging speed and performance in particular.

What we like less is that you only get two years of guaranteed Android updates, which is quite low in comparison to rival phones. There's also the matter of the display refresh rate, which is a below-average and static 90Hz. Overall though, this is a great phone to go for if your budget is limited or you don't see the appeal of the advanced features found on more expensive phones.

Read our full OnePlus Nord 2T review.

OnePlus 11 camera

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best value Android flagship

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3216 x 1440)
Android version: 13, OxygenOS 12
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 8GB, 62GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.8) main, 48MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 32MP (f/2.0) 2x telephoto
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 7.2 ounces
Battery: 5,000 mAh

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent battery life and charging
+
Generous update schedule
+
More camera upgrades
+
Beautiful display

Reasons to avoid

-
2x telephoto is less powerful than rivals
-
Wireless charging is gone

The OnePlus 11 is one of the best deals in Android phones right now. After reviewing it, we were thoroughly impressed with its upgrades, even though it's no longer got a Pro title.

Now starting at an appealing £729, you get one of the best displays on any phone - a 6.7-inch QHD panel with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. Its 100W wired charging is also one of the fastest we've tried, and the cameras are worthy of the best camera phones on the market.

The 11 telephoto isn't quite up to the standard of the other cameras at only 2x magnification, plus OnePlus has removed the wireless charging ability found on previous flagship OnePlus phones, but those are two minor complaints overall. It's still very hard to argue against the value that this phone provides in hardware and software quality.

Read our full OnePlus 11 review. 

Google Pixel 7 review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best Android phone for photography

Specifications

Display: 6.3-inch FHD OLED (2400 x 1080); 90Hz
Chipset: Google Tensor
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Rear cameras: 50MP wide (ƒ/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2)
Front camera: 8MP (ƒ/2.0)
Battery: 4,355 mAh
Operating System: Android 13

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent photos backed up with smart editing features
+
Incredibly well-priced
+
Awesome display
+
Tensor G2 chip-enhanced AI

Reasons to avoid

-
Disappointing battery life
-
Unreliable fingerprint sensor
-
Weaker performance than rivals

The wonderful Pixel 7 continues Google's recent hot streak for great value phones. While this spot could easily belong to the Pixel 7 Pro, which offers an extra camera, a larger, more detailed display with a higher refresh rate, and superior computing performance, the £599 price of the Pixel 7 makes it the better choice for the majority of buyers. Just watch out for the minor snags of a short battery life and the weaker CPU performance if you go for either Pixel 7 model.

Just like on previous Pixels, the photography is the standout feature. You may not have a telephoto camera, but between the initial quality of the images and clever editing features like Photo Unblur and Magic Eraser, you have the best photo-taking experience around.

Read our full Google Pixel 7 review.

The Realme GT 2 Pro from the back, focussed on the cameras

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best Android phone performance for your money

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3216 x 1440, 120Hz)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB
Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.8), 50MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 3MP microscope (f/3.3)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.45)
Weight: 199g
Battery: 5,000 mAh

Reasons to buy

+
Below average price for specs
+
Good performance
+
65W charging

Reasons to avoid

-
Photo quality can be unreliable

For your money, it's hard to find a better deal than with the GT 2 Pro. Realme's stuffed its unique bio-polymer body with all the stuff you'd expect from a flagship Android but it's kept the price generously low.

It's also a great phone if you're a fan of strange features. You can take microscope-style close-ups, fish-eye and 150-degree ultra-wide shots with the rear cameras, and you can use NFC features from any side of the phone. 

Beyond the gimmicks, the quality of the photos doesn't match up with other phones on this list though. Everywhere else though, you're not missing out on much, if anything at all, by saving some cash and picking the Realme.

Read our Realme GT 2 Pro review.

Samsung Galaxy S22 review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best Android flagship for most people

Specifications

Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2340x1080; 48-120Hz)
CPU: Exynos 2200
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Rear camera: 12MP (ƒ/1.8) wide; 12MP (ƒ/2.2) ultrawide; 10MP (ƒ/2.4) telephoto with 3x optical zoom
Front camera: 10MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 167 grams
Battery: 3,700 mAh

Reasons to buy

+
Compact for a flagship phone
+
Attractive and smooth display
+
Big improvements to telephoto and night photography

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor battery life
-
No 45W charging

The Galaxy S22 has taken the S21's approach to Samsung flagships and refined it into something much easier to recommend. While you could go for the Galaxy S22 Plus if you like a bigger display or access to a larger battery or 45W charging (all things the S22 lacks), this smaller model provides the best value.

Besides, perhaps you're after a smaller than average phone given how hard those are to find in the Android market. Also the smaller size hasn't deprived the S22 of all of the improvements, like a glass back, improved cameras and an excellent display.

The Galaxy S23 range is now available, but Samsung's still selling the S22 as a cheaper option, which is why it's keeping its spot on this list.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 review.

Oppo Find X5 Pro review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best alternative Android phone in the U.K.

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch OLED (3216 x 1440, 1 to 120Hz)
Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB
Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.7); 50MP ultra wide (f/2.2); 13MP telephoto (f/2.4)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.4)
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Operating System: Android 12 with ColorOS 12.1

Reasons to buy

+
Top-quality display
+
Better low-light photos
+
Powerful chipset/RAM combination

Reasons to avoid

-
Inconsistent photos
-
Expensive

We found the Oppo Find X5, while still a well-put-together flagship phone, didn't quite capture us the way that the Oppo Find X3 Pro did last year. While the price has dropped, it's still more expensive than equivalent phones without offering the extra abilities that would justify that cost.

Highlights here include the large and smooth display, the improved low-light photography enhanced by Oppo's new MariSilicon X NPU, plus the unique unibody design of the back. The rest of the photography doesn't quite stack up so well though, meaning unless you really care about avoiding Google, Samsung or Apple, there's not really much to push you Oppo's way.

Read our full Oppo Find X5 Pro review.

The back of the Xiaomi 12 Pro, showing the camera block

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The fastest charging phone around

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3200 x 1440, 120Hz)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB/12GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.9), 50MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 50MP 2x telephoto (f/1.9)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.45)
Weight: 205g
Battery: 4,500 mAh

Reasons to buy

+
Fastest charging we've tested
+
Top quality display
+
Competitive price

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than Mi 11
-
Poor speakers

If you don't like waiting around for your phone to charge, then we present to you the Xiaomi 12 Pro - a phone that can go from 0 - 100% full in only 22 minutes.

There's more to the phone than just its super-powered charger though. We really like the detailed and smooth display, the triple 50MP camera array on the back, and how you get all this for less than an S22 Ultra, with the charger included in the box.

For limitations, we'd point to the tinny speaker quality, and the fact that the price, while below Samsung, is a big bump compared to last year. So while it's no longer quite as good a value buy, it's still got its unique attractions to rely on.

Note that now we also have the Xiaomi 12T Pro. It's cheaper, has the same 120W charging system, and uses a crazy-detailed 200MP main camera, but it has an inferior display and no telephoto camera. It offers a good alternative to the Xiaomi 12 Pro, but we still prefer the original overall.

Read our full Xiaomi 12 Pro review.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is one of the best android phones in the UK

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The most 'Ultra' Android phone you can buy in the U.K.

Specifications

Display: 6.81-inch QHD AMOLED (3200 x 1440; 30, 60, 90, 120Hz); 1.1-inch AMOLED (126 x 294)
Chipset: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB
Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.95), 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 48MP telephoto (5x optical zoom, 120x max zoom, f/4.1)
Front camera: 20MP (f/2.2)
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Operating System: Android 11 with MIUI 12

Reasons to buy

+
Unique rear secondary display
+
Fast wired and wireless charging
+
Powerful selection of cameras

Reasons to avoid

-
Needs charging often
-
Expensive

Most Ultra phones are happy just stuffing their backs with cameras, but Xiaomi went a step further and added a secondary display to the camera block, letting you take selfies with any of the three 50MP sensors, which includes top quality main and ultrawide sensors, plus a 5x telephoto camera for extreme close-ups. The phone can also charge at 67W, wired or wireless.

This phone costs a lot though, even for an ultra-grade flagship. Plus with two screens needing power, the battery life is understandably poor. If you don't mind these impracticalities, this is a phone that feels really special to use and own, and will catch the eye of basically everyone who sees you with it.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra review.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G display

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best cheap Android phone in the U.K.

Specifications

Display: 6.67-inch AMOLED FHD (2400 x 1080, 60, 120Hz)
Chipset: Snapdragon 695
RAM: 6GB/
Storage: 64GB (microSD slot available)
Rear cameras: 108MP main (f/1.9), 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 2MP telemacro (f/2.4),
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.4)
Battery: 5,000 mAh
Operating System: Android 11 with MIUI 13

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent display for a phone in this price range
+
Above-average charging speed and battery life
+
Great value

Reasons to avoid

-
Sluggish performance
-
Uses older version of Android

For users with smaller amounts to spend on a phone, the Redmi Note 11 Pro offers a taste of the premium device life without much compromise. It's equipped with a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate similar to phones way higher up on this list of the best U.K. Android phones. It also charges quite a bit faster and offers excellent battery life, making it a great workhorse of a phone for your daily usage needs.

Where the cheapness of the phone is revealed is in the performance department. Its chipset noticeably lacks power, and for some reason Redmi's shipping the phone with Android 11 rather than Android 12 like most phones this year. If you don't use demanding games and apps and aren't fussed about having the latest and greatest Android features though, the Redmi is a great choice for its cost.

Read our full Redmi Note 11 Pro review.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 open on its home screen

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best foldable phone in the U.K.

Specifications

Display: 6.2 inches external (2316 x 904; 120Hz), 7.6 inches internal (2176 x 1812; 120Hz)
Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 128GB/512GB/1TB
Rear cameras: 50MP wide (f/1.8); 12MP ultrawide (f.2.2, 123-degree FOV); 12MP telephoto (f/2.4, 3x optical zoom, 10x digital zoom)
Front cameras: 10MP cover (f/2.2), 4MP internal (f/1.8)
Battery: 4,400 mAh
Operating System: Android 12 with One UI 4.1

Reasons to buy

+
Amazing multitasking potential with taskbar
+
Improved aspect ratio
+
Upgraded cameras

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Bulky design when closed
-
Low-quality inner camera

Do you have £1,600 and want to spend all of it on a phone? Why not throw caution to the wind and buy the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the most advanced phone currently on sale in the U.K. 

The flexible phone has been adjusted to have a more comfortable aspect ratio, making the outer display more usable. You'll still want to spend plenty of time with the phone open though, as the new taskbar makes swapping between apps and opening several at once super easy, and the brighter display makes all your content really pop. The upgraded rear cameras and brighter displays make a big difference to the Z Fold 4's general usability too.

The main limitation here is the Z Fold 4’s price, as it still costs far more than other, excellent phones. It remains a heavy, tricky to use device in its folded form too, while on the inside, the 4MP under-display camera still takes underwhelming selfies. These don't detract from the phone's main appeal though, which is its tablet-like productivity experience that fits in your pocket.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review.

How to choose the best Android phone for you

To start off on making your Android phone shortlist, have a budget in mind. The price of a mid-range phone is around £400, with cheaper phones costing less than that, and the most expensive phones clearing £1,000 or more. Figure out what you can afford and stick to it.

Next, decide which features you want to prioritise. Even on phones that in theory do it all, there are some big differences in how well they handle things like photography, charging speed or performance. Whichever phones do these better should be your first port of call when looking for more information or prices.

The final bit of advice we'll give is to keep in mind how large the phones are. If you don't mind using your phone with two hands, then this won’t matter so much. But if you like to be able to swipe around, type messages and browse through your apps with one hand, then you might be better off going for a more compact device, which we'd class as phones around 6 - 6.3 inches in size.

How we test smartphones

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 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.

We use a light meter to ascertain display quality data, like brightness and color accuracy, and our proprietary battery test determines longevity on a charge by continuously loading live web pages over a 4G or 5G network. We set each phone to 150 nits of screen brightness and try to use T-Mobile's network each time in order to achieve comparable results across phones.

Lastly, we explore the software, test gaming performance and conduct live camera comparisons with rival handsets — and each of these factors play a part in our comprehensive verdict.

Richard Priday
Senior Writer

Richard is a Tom's Guide senior writer based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.

  • Drewtiger13
    admin said:
    Whether it’s a long-lasting battery you need or a headphone jack, there’s bound to be an Android phone that will satisfy your needs. Here are our favorites.

    The 10 Best Android Phones : Read more
    i'll say they should satisfy! has anyone else noticed that most of these phones have significantly more RAM than your average computer !?!?
    Reply
  • rgd1101
    Drewtiger13 said:
    significantly
    not that I see. one at 16, some at 12, 8. well you are looking at the "best" phone, not budget

    unless you getting cheap computer. 8 is min for daily stuff, 16 min for gaming
    Reply
  • Markyballer
    Hi, the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4a 5G have different chipset . For this reason I would choose the 5g version and put it on 2nd place.
    Reply
  • OleLongKnocker
    Out of curiosity, how is the Fold number 10 on the best Android phone list but number 9 on the general best phone list?
    Reply
  • BBSTL
    admin said:
    Whether it’s a long-lasting battery you need or a headphone jack, there’s bound to be an Android phone that will satisfy your needs. Here are our favorites.

    The 10 Best Android Phones : Read more
    Is usability factoring into any evaluations or is this just a plain technical play review? I find my Samsung Ultra Note 20 to be even less friendly and usable than an iPhone. I sure do miss my Huawei phone. Fast, incredible battery, no bloatware. Too bad the US government targeted them for exclusion, it really was an awesome phone.
    Reply