Best Android phone 2019
1). Google Pixel 3
- ·
Reviewed on: 7
December 2018
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RRP: From $799
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Buy from Google
The Pixel 3 is the best phone you can buy right now. It has the
best performance of any Android phone, the best camera on a smartphone ever and
a newly premium design.
Google has paid special
attention to the display, which is much better than the previous two
generations of Pixels, and the Android 9 Pie software is best with this
hardware. The all-glass back now allows for wireless charging, and Google
bundles USB-C headphones in the box.
2). Samsung Galaxy S9
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Reviewed on: 22
November 2018
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RRP: US$719
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Buy from Samsung
There's no doubt that the Galaxy S9 is one of the best phones
of the year. It offers an excellent all-round experience with Samsung
expertly blending design, hardware and software to make a phone that will
appeal to all kinds of users.
You only need to spend extra on the Galaxy S9+ if
you really want the extra camera, bigger screen and other internal upgrades -
more RAM, storage and a bigger battery aren't as noticeable.
3). OnePlus 6T
·
- Reviewed on: 13
December 2018
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RRP: 6/128GB $549 |
8/128GB $579 | 8/256GB $629
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Buy from OnePlus
This is one of the best phones you can buy even if it is the first
OnePlus phone without a headphone jack. An in-screen fingerprint sensor,
better speaker and more battery is the pay-off, and it's worth it.
The large display is
excellent, the dual cameras are more capable than ever and performance is the
best you can get on Android right now along with the Pixel 3.
·
- Reviewed on: 25
January 2019
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RRP: TBC
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Buy from Huawei
The Mate 20 Pro is an outstanding phone. The cameras will be the
highlight for many people, but it really is a fantastic all-rounder with a
top-quality screen, super-fast charging, wireless charging and excellent
battery life.
It isn't perfect, but
the small niggles shouldn't be deal-breakers for most people.
- ·
Reviewed on: 23
January 2019
- ·
RRP: To be
confirmed
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Buy from Honor
The Honor View 20 is stunning to look at - from just about any
angle, thanks to the one-two punch of the pinhole camera on the front and the
genuinely unique holographic V effect on the glass rear. The photos look great,
but don't really do this thing justice - it's properly gorgeous.
- ·
Reviewed on: 23
November 2018
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RRP: $699
In the P20 Pro Huawei has delivered a stunning phone which should
be on your shortlist along with the Galaxy S9 and iPhone X. Sure, there
are some niggles such as the lack of stabilisation for 4K video, no
headphone jack and no wireless charging,but if your priority is photography
then the P20 Pro does not disappoint.
- ·
Reviewed on: 23
January 2019
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RRP: $575
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Buy from Xiaomi
At £499 the Mi 8 Pro is an incredible buy, undercutting
every rival flagship phone in the UK - and now that Xiaomi phones are
easily available in the UK, there's no reason not to consider it.
·
- Reviewed on: 22
November 2018
- ·
RRP: From $999.99
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Buy from Samsung
If you want an Android phone with every feature under the sun, the
Galaxy Note 9 is it. With premium design, amazing battery life and the unique
S-Pen, it's pretty much the most you can spend on a phone right now.
·
- Reviewed on: 14
November 2018
- ·
RRP: From $900
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Buy from LG
This is the best LG phone you can buy. It's got sleek design,
versatile cameras, an outstanding headphone jack DAC and full waterproofing.
- ·
Reviewed on: 5
October 2018
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RRP: $899
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Buy from Sony
This is the best Sony phone you can buy right now, but you'd
expect that from its latest flagship.
- ·
Reviewed on: 7
December 2018
- ·
RRP: From $799
- ·
Buy from Google
The Pixel 3 is the best phone you can buy right now. It has the
best performance of any Android phone, the best camera on a smartphone ever and
a newly premium design.
Google has paid special
attention to the display, which is much better than the previous two
generations of Pixels, and the Android 9 Pie software is best with this
hardware. The all-glass back now allows for wireless charging, and Google
bundles USB-C headphones in the box.
The Pixel 3 XL is exactly the same experience
save for the larger notched display and larger battery.
2). Samsung Galaxy S9
- ·
Reviewed on: 22
November 2018
- ·
RRP: US$719
- ·
Buy from Samsung
There's no doubt that the Galaxy S9 is one of the best phones
of the year. It offers an excellent all-round experience with Samsung
expertly blending design, hardware and software to make a phone that will
appeal to all kinds of users.
You only need to spend extra on the Galaxy S9+ if
you really want the extra camera, bigger screen and other internal upgrades -
more RAM, storage and a bigger battery aren't as noticeable.
However, we can't avoid the fact that the improvements -
namely the camera and biometrics - are minor and in many ways the S9 is the
same as the S8 but with a higher price tag. Those on last year's model
will unlikely be able to justify the upgrade and those on an S7 or earlier
might want to grab the S8 at a now much lower price.
3). OnePlus 6T
·
- Reviewed on: 13 December 2018
- ·
RRP: 6/128GB $549 |
8/128GB $579 | 8/256GB $629
- ·
Buy from OnePlus
The large display is
excellent, the dual cameras are more capable than ever and performance is the
best you can get on Android right now along with the Pixel 3.
You'll need to like the
colour black, but OnePlus continues - just - to undercut industry prices enough
to stand out.
4). Huawei Mate 20 Pro
·
- Reviewed on: 25 January 2019
- ·
RRP: TBC
- ·
Buy from Huawei
The Mate 20 Pro is an outstanding phone. The cameras will be the
highlight for many people, but it really is a fantastic all-rounder with a
top-quality screen, super-fast charging, wireless charging and excellent
battery life.
It isn't perfect, but
the small niggles shouldn't be deal-breakers for most people.
5). Honor View 20
- ·
Reviewed on: 23
January 2019
- ·
RRP: To be
confirmed
- ·
Buy from Honor
The Honor View 20 is stunning to look at - from just about any
angle, thanks to the one-two punch of the pinhole camera on the front and the
genuinely unique holographic V effect on the glass rear. The photos look great,
but don't really do this thing justice - it's properly gorgeous.
With a Kirin 980 and
6/8GB RAM the specs are plenty powerful to match, and comfortably rival
much more expensive flagship phones (including Huawei's own Mate 20 Pro). And
perhaps for the first time, Honor deserves to be in the same conversation as
the big names when it comes to camera quality. Touting a 48MP lens is
meaningless, but it's hard to argue with the results, especially from the AI
Ultra Clarity mode.
At just £499 for the base model, and £579 for one with extra RAM and storage, this is genuinely
affordable too. Honor's flagships have always offered serious specs and slick
design while undercutting rivals on price, but it usually feels like there are
a couple of compromises along the way.
For perhaps the first
time, the View 20 doesn't feel that way. Sure, premium features like wireless
charging and waterproofing are still missing, but for most people those remain
nice-to-haves - whereas with the core features here Honor is firing on all
cylinders.
6). Huawei P20 Pro
- ·
Reviewed on: 23
November 2018
- ·
RRP: $699
In the P20 Pro Huawei has delivered a stunning phone which should
be on your shortlist along with the Galaxy S9 and iPhone X. Sure, there
are some niggles such as the lack of stabilisation for 4K video, no
headphone jack and no wireless charging,but if your priority is photography
then the P20 Pro does not disappoint.
Add in the long battery life, dual SIM slots and great screen and
you've got the complete package: this is one of the best phones of 2018.
It's a fair amount more than the regular model so save yourself £200
on the regular P20 if you don't mind 'only' dual rear cameras,
no waterproofing and an LCD screen vs OLED.
7). Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro
- ·
Reviewed on: 23
January 2019
- ·
RRP: $575
- ·
Buy from Xiaomi
At £499 the Mi 8 Pro is an incredible buy, undercutting
every rival flagship phone in the UK - and now that Xiaomi phones are
easily available in the UK, there's no reason not to consider it.
With powerful
performance, decent cameras, some genuinely useful software, a fancy in-display
fingerprint sensor and a cool transparent back cover, this is a great
all-rounder at a fantastic price.
8). Samsung Galaxy Note 9
·
- Reviewed on: 22 November 2018
- ·
RRP: From $999.99
- ·
Buy from Samsung
If you want an Android phone with every feature under the sun, the
Galaxy Note 9 is it. With premium design, amazing battery life and the unique
S-Pen, it's pretty much the most you can spend on a phone right now.
That said, its features
aren't for everyone and it will be too big and expensive for many. The regular
S9 has similar design and most of the features and costs less (and will fit in
most pockets to boot).
But the Note 9 has the
best display on a smartphone on its release and the 4000mAh battery has
incredible stamina. It even has liquid cooling and can run the most demanding
mobile games.
If it's up your street,
it's the only choice.
9). LG V40 ThinQ
·
- Reviewed on: 14 November 2018
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RRP: From $900
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Buy from LG
This is the best LG phone you can buy. It's got sleek design,
versatile cameras, an outstanding headphone jack DAC and full waterproofing.
The display is the best
on an LG phone to date too and it has wireless charging. Performance is slick
and LG's Android skin is at its most reserved even if it's not our favourite.
But you can only buy it
in the US and Korea and it's very expensive, which might put some people off.
10). LG V40 ThinQ
- ·
Reviewed on: 5
October 2018
- ·
RRP: $899
- ·
Buy from Sony
This is the best Sony phone you can buy right now, but you'd
expect that from its latest flagship.
The design in an
improvement on the XZ2 and the OLED display means it can go shoulder to
shoulder with the Galaxy S9 and OnePlus 6, finally.
Some software niggles
let it down a bit, and side sense is a waste of time. The camera is the best on
a Sony (if not the best on a phone) and it's a well rounded package of a phone
at a decent price.
