© Provided by What Hi-Fi?Best Android phones 2021: budget to premium
Best Android phones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s round-up of the best Android phones you can buy in 2021.
Android phones come in all shapes and sizes. The software is less universal, thanks to updates slipping out at different times for different manufacturers, but many people prefer it to Apple's iOS. It's more open, for one thing, allowing manufacturers to put their own spin on the operating system's look and feel. And Google is less picky about which apps it allows on its Play Store, meaning a greater variety of apps to download (though the quality varies massively).
So what should you look for in a best Android phone?
A headphone port can still be a deal-breaker for many. While most modern Android phones don't have one, some do, including high-end models like the Sony Xperia 1 II. So make sure you check before you buy. Otherwise, you might have to buy a dongle or a pair of wireless headphones.
Screen size is also a major consideration. Most of our best Android phones - like most iPhones - are pretty big nowadays, so make sure you're happy with the bulk. The upside is that films and TV shows look much better on a big screen - it won't rival your local Odeon, but it makes for a much more immersive mobile viewing experience. There's also more room for on-screen gaming controls. Some of our best Android phones even support 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos which makes them perfect for consuming content on the move.
We've rounded up the best Android phones available right here, with the focus squarely on picture and sound quality. So read on, you could be about to meet your next handset.
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OS agnostic? Check out our guide to the best smartphones for music and movies
This Sony has a real focus on audio and video quality, which makes it right up our street. Setting it apart from the rest of the Android wannabes is its screen - not only is the 6.5in display 4K, it also has a 21:9 aspect ratio. This long, thin design makes it ideal for showing widescreen content in full screen.
It's a doozy of a display, and takes Android phone video performance to a new level. The picture matches the design of the phone: sleek, smooth, premium. You'll enjoy pin sharp images, beautifully realistic and full of detail. Sony has no time for lurid colours and over-cooked contrast and instead simply peels back a previously invisible film, revealing an apparent extra layer of realism and insight compared with even the best Android smartphones.
Sony's TVs are some of the best in the business at handling motion, and so is this phone. Unusually for a high-end handset, it has a 3.5mm headphone jack, too. Tick. And the sound is typically Sony: agile, clear, rhythmical.
If you're serious about watching and listening on the move, the Xperia 1 II is the best Android choice around right now.
Read the full Sony Xperia 1 II review
The new Samsung Galaxy S21 is more of a refinement of its predecessor than a revamp. But its predecessor did bring plenty new to the party, including 5G and a 120Hz refresh rate, so the S21 already has a lot to work with. Its launch price is also lower than the S20's, which is unheard of in this day and age.
It doesn't support the S Pen stylus (you'll need the S21 Ultra for that), and the microSD card slot has been dropped. But there are improvements across the board, including a new processor and higher screen resolution.
The screen has a punchy colour palette, with a picture that's crisply sharp. And the sound packs plenty of clarity and detail. Though it's beaten in terms of picture and sound by the Sony Xperia 1 II above.
Still, it's another fine effort from Samsung, with bags of features and top-notch cameras. Maybe not worth an upgrade from the S20, but owners of older handsets looking for an all-new shiny device can't go far wrong here.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy S21 review
The S20 actually follows the Galaxy S10 - Samsung changed the naming convention to make it sound more modern. It looks familiar, feels familiar and has a largely predictable list of specifications and features. But considering the S10 was one of 2019's standout handsets, that's no bad thing.
Indeed, we're in the business of marginal gains here. The S20 might not have enough to justify an upgrade from an S10, but it is an absolutely stunning handset, and one of the best Android phones going.
Why? The screen is superb, being large, colourful and packed with detail while managing to look effortlessly natural at the same time. The audio performance is solid, especially when paired with a decent pair of headphones, and the battery life very healthy indeed. The interface zips along, and 5G and a 120Hz screen refresh rate give it the edge over the S10.
Sometimes you just need to beat the competition, not blow them away, and the Galaxy S20 certainly does that.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy S20 review
OnePlus has come a long way in just a few short years. It started as a niche, invite-only internet brand, but now it sits alongside some of the biggest players in the market.
Its phones also pack in more tech than before and are still around half the price of their competitors. Few brands offer as much for the money.
And that's never been truer than with the 7T. It's a great value mid-market marvel with a superb camera and screen and includes features you wouldn't expect on a handset at this price, such as ultra-fast charging and an in-screen fingerprint scanner. All of these aspects combined make it one of the best Android phones going. Sadly there's no 3.5mm headphone jack, but that's really the only bugbear we have with it.
This is another hugely accomplished mid-market Android phone from the in-form Chinese brand. Ignore it at your peril.
Read the full OnePlus 7T review
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has superior spec to the smaller Note 20. There's a bigger, higher resolution screen, a glass back as opposed to plastic, a better camera, an SD card slot, more RAM and a larger storage option. Of course, it costs more too.
But it's worth it. The chassis feels suitably premium for a Samsung flagship, and it's mighty hardwearing too. The S Pen has been upgraded, becoming faster and gaining some new Air Gesture features that let you control the phone without any physical contact with the screen. All very Yoda.
It has plenty of power in the photography department, too. Namely the same 108MP wide lens as seen on the S20 Ultra, along with a 12MP telephoto, with 5x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide. There's also a 10MP front camera with dual pixel autofocus.
The screen is detailed and bright, and sonically it delivers good detail, solid bass and natural, open treble. Music is entertaining and dynamic, with a level of fidelity worthy of a flagship phone. A fine buy.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review
Google's latest Pixel phone is a lot more wallet-friendly than the Pixel 4. A canny change of strategy in these cash-strapped times? Or an admittance that Apple and Samsung have the high-end sewn up?
Either way, this is a very fine phone, and no mistakes about it. Despite its less impressive spec sheet, it still has 5G for super speedy internet speeds, a decent-sized battery and Qi-certified wireless charging. It also sees the return of the back-panel fingerprint scanner, which was sorely missing from the Pixel 4.
It's waterproof too, and has a superb camera.
The Pixel 5's OLED screen renders reds deep and blacks true, with plenty in the way of clarity and cleanliness. That 90Hz rate steps up to keep things smooth, too. All in all, it's pleasantly watchable - you could even say surprisingly so for the price.
The sound could do with more body, but that's one of the compromises made to make the phone more affordable.
Read the full Google Pixel 5 review
For many, a Google Pixel handset is the best Android phone money can buy. Because it's made by Google (who created Android), the hardware and software are seamlessly integrated, with the Pixel range always first in line when it comes to software updates. Those with third-party handsets are often left waiting months.
But the Pixel 4XL is much more than a mere queue jumper. It's one of Google's biggest phones, and as such, a great offering for movies and TV shows. The 6.3in OLED screen is a sight to behold, with an impressive 90Hz refresh rate (though the Samsung Galaxy S20 and S21 top that with 120Hz). Crucially, HDR support comes as standard, making for great black levels and contrast.
We're also big fans of the camera and gesture controls, which let you swipe the air above the phone to control the music. They even work when the phone is locked, which is very useful indeed.
The audio lacks a little drive and dynamism, which is our only gripe. Otherwise, this is one of the best Android phones for not much money.
Read the full Google Pixel 4 XL review
Samsung's Note smartphones have always been right up there with Apple's big-screen numbers as the cognoscenti's weapon of choice. That's great, but is it actually any good for music and movies?
On the whole, the answer is yes. The 6.8in screen feels massive, especially because it cascades over the sides of the device. It's an OLED panel, so colours and contrast are excellent, and its corners are less rounded off, making content appear more cinematic.
But that camera notch can be distracting, especially when watching full-screen. The curved screen tends to catch more reflections, and colours run a little hot, even in 'natural' mode.
There's no headphone jack (a first for the Note range), and no adapter in the box. The bundled AKG headphones are better than average but we'd still suggest upgrading if this will be your main music player. But the speakers are well situated, so your fingers don't block them while gaming, and they also present an impressively broad soundstage.
The Galaxy Note 10 Plus might not be the very best mobile music and movie machine around, but it does a good enough job to warrant a closer look.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus review
If you find all these Pixel models a bit confusing, we don't blame you. The Pixel 3a XL is a 2019 model, around the mid-tier of Google's phone line-up, as indicated by the 'a'. And that 'XL' means it has a big screen.
It has a number of flagship features, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a very tempting price. The OLED screen produces a crisp and punchy picture - and you get a big battery and plenty of power at your disposal.
Its plastic body feels a little cheap compared to high-end alternatives, but for this money that's to be expected.
The camera gives great results and is a cinch to use. Google has always struck a good balance between offering plenty of modes without overwhelming the user, and that's certainly the case here.
Audio-wise, it sounds clean and balanced, with a respectable amount of detail. It's not quite as exciting or refined-sounding as the high-end iPhone 11 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S20 model, but it's still not a bad listen.
For bargain hunters, it's definitely worth considering.
Read the full Google Pixel 3a XL review
If shelling out four figures for a smartphone isn't on the cards, then the OnePlus 7 Pro could be for you. It isn't quite as cutting edge as some more modern rivals, but still has plenty going for it.
In fact, apart from the lack of a headphone jack or waterproof rating, the 7 Pro is a force to be reckoned with.
With an appealing screen, detailed, lively sound and a cracking camera, as well as a cool in-screen fingerprint scanner and pop-up selfie camera module, there's plenty to like here.
The 7 Pro has since been usurped by the slightly modified 7T Pro (OnePlus has a tendency to launch new phones every six months), but if you're on a tight budget this older phone is very attractively priced right now. Snap it up while you can.
Read the full OnePlus 7 Pro review
2019 saw the 10th anniversary of the Samsung Galaxy range, and Samsung marked the occasion by launching not one, but three versions of the Samsung Galaxy S10 handset.
The Galaxy S10 Plus is the biggest, most powerful and - inevitably - the most expensive. It comes complete with a 6.4in screen, an "Infinity-O" OLED display, HDR10+ video support, Dolby Atmos audio, an Ultrasonic Fingerprint sensor underneath the screen, a triple-lens rear camera, a hefty 4100 mAh battery, the option of a 1TB memory, a microSD card slot - and even a trusty old 3.5mm headphone jack.
It's not perfect - the biometric sensor, edge design and that Bixby button all need some fine-tuning - but if you're in the market for a flagship Android phone with a slim but big-screen design, and prize audio and video quality above all else, this really is one to consider. Unless that is, you can afford a more recent flagship like the Samsung Galaxy S20 or even S21.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review
The Moto G6 might be a budget phone on paper, but it doesn't perform like one. If you're familiar with Motorola's G-series handsets, that won't come as a surprise: they have always been great value for money, and the G6 continues that legacy.
So what's so good? It has all the features you would expect from a pricier handset, including a fingerprint scanner, a headphone jack and a USB-C port for charging the 3000mAh battery.
Inside is a Snapdragon 1.8GHz octa-core processor, which, combined with its Android operating system, keep this phone running pretty smoothly. It even has a pretty good picture and decent sound, considering the price.
Overall, this is an ideal choice for anyone wanting a cheap phone that does the basics well. It wasn't exactly pricey when it launched, so now, some years later, you can pick up an absolute bargain if you're prepared to look.
Read the full Motorola Moto G6 review