Best Android phone 2019

                   Best Android phone 2019

1).  Google Pixel 3

• ·         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

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•        Reviewed on: 13 December 2018
• ·         RRP: 6/128GB $549 | 8/128GB $579 | 8/256GB $629
• ·         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.

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

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•        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

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•        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

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•        Reviewed on: 14 November 2018
• ·         RRP: From $900
• ·         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.