Which Smartphone should you buy......

Best Android phones 2020: which Google-powered phone should you buy?

If you want a new smartphone, BEST SMARTPHONES, and don't want it to be an iPhone, you're looking for an Android phone, and luckily there are many notable handsets out there running the Android operating system that you can choose from.

In fact, basically all non-iPhone smartphones run on Android, so this list has a lot of crossover with our list of the best smartphones altogether.

And at the time of writing an Android phone (the Samsung Galaxy S20 / Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus) takes the number one spot in our best smartphones list, with other Android handsets taking up all but three of the other 14 slots.

So there are loads of great Android phones to choose from, and that list keeps getting longer all the time. However the best Android phone for you won’t necessarily be the best for everyone, since budgets and other needs will play a role.

BEST SMARTPHONES......Our selection below mostly consists of fairly pricey Android phones, since they tend to have the best specs and features, but we’ve included all of the Android world’s big hitters like Samsung and Google, as well as newer contenders like OnePlus and Xiaomi, with the Sony Xperia 1 II, OnePlus 8 Pro, Xiaomi Mi Note 10, and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra being among the biggest additions.

And yet more new entries could be added soon, with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Google Pixel 5 on the horizon, while even further afield the Sony Xperia 5 II and Samsung Galaxy S30 are likely coming too.

For now though, these are the ten greatest Android phones you can buy right now.

(Image credit: Samsung) 1. Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus

These are the very best Android phones

The best screen around

Excellent cameras

High price

Iterative improvements

The Samsung Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus are – along with the Galaxy S20 Ultra – Samsung’s latest and greatest flagship phones, so it’s no wonder they top this list.

While the S20 Plus has a slight specs edge, thanks to a larger 6.7-inch screen, a bigger 4,500mAh battery, a fourth camera lens (for depth-sensing) and optionally more storage, they’re largely very similar phones, BEST SMARTPHONES, so they’re fit to share the top spot.

Both have a highly capable camera array, with 12MP standard, 12MP ultra-wide, and 64MP telephoto sensors, and both also have top-end power, thanks to a Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 chipset (depending on where in the world you are) and up to 12GB of RAM.

They also both have a stunning 1440 x 3200 display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. At the time of writing this is arguably the best screen you’ll find on any smartphone.

The design is premium too, and they’re both packed full of features, like reverse wireless charging, 5G, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and water resistance. They might not quite be the very best at everything, but they’re certainly the best Android phones overall.

6 surprising reasons you should buy an iPhone instead of Android

We have heard the same arguments from the Android ,,......BEST SMART PHONES.....faithful for so long that they have become accepted wisdom. If you want a cheap phone, you need an Android. If you want to make a phone personally yours, you need Android. If you want the coolest new features, you need Android.

I question these pillars of the pro-Android argument. What if an iPhone actually costs less than an Android? What if customization is also possible on the iPhone? And what if all that Android hardware bragging is just hot air?

The iPhone is a better budget device

You can easily find a great phone on either side for $1,000, but what if you only have $300 to spend, or less? Common wisdom says buy an Android, and big brands like Samsung, Motorola, and LG offer fine phones in that range. At Apple, the cheapest new phone is a $399 iPhone SE.

But what if you expand your search to older phones? Now the balance changes considerably. On Swappa, a “Mint” iPhone 8 costs around $300, the same price as a new Samsung Galaxy A50. The iPhone 8 may be 3 years old, but it still feels like an expensive flagship phone.

With the iPhone, you’ll even be treated like a flagship customer. You’ll get the same software updates as the brand new phones, you’ll have access to Apple support and Apple Store Genii, and you’ll be treated to a universe of cases and accessories.

With an inexpensive Android like the Motorola Moto G Power, you’ll get a few unpredictable updates, phone support, and few cases are available. The bottom line? You’ll have a better experience if you buy Apple’s device.

The iPhone offers more choice in hardware

Every iPhone is made by Apple. If you want an Android, however, you have an incredible variety to choose from. Android owners love to talk about the different hardware options. The long list of options supposedly means you can always find a phone for your needs.

Except that is no longer true.

Phones need to be water-resistant, which means a slim and sealed design with few ports or seams. Buyers want a big display, and stylistically prefer when the scant bezel is as black as an inactive screen. Thus, all phones are a black slab on the front, and if you’re wise, a case is blocking your view of the back.

Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends

For the first few years of Android, phones used to have more buttons, for making and ending calls, for opening menus and returning home. Those are all part of the software now. Phones used to have keyboards, and trackballs, and removable batteries. No more.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note series set a template for what Android phones should be, and everyone now emulates it. Even budget devices try their best to follow its lead, wrapping low-end hardware in surprisingly large, and glossy, exteriors.

The best evidence? Apple’s iPhone SE. Android doesn’t have a good alternative for people who want a small phone. It’s the iPhone, not Android, that offers the best range of display size and price to choose from.

You can customize the iPhone (enough)

Android users love customization, and it’s usually the first reason why they say iPhone owners should switch. On Android you can add widgets to your home screen, you can place app icons where you like, and you can tweak and adjust the look of the interface in myriad ways. You can even load an entirely new skin to completely change how your phone looks and behaves.

The problem is that customization adds more complexity than value, and not just for the user. Every manufacturer uses its own customized version of Android, which means that every software update needs to go through two or more levels of development. First at Google, then at Samsung, or Huawei, or Motorola.

Greg Mombert/Digital Trends

With so much complexity, it’s more likely that a new user will screw up than it is they will create a Google Maps navigation shortcut. I know this is true because most advanced Android users I talk to don’t even know the navigation homepage shortcut exists.

And it’s not as if you can’t customize an iPhone. To most users, customization means two things: Changing the look and changing the function. While there are more limits to iPhone than to Android, the possibilities available are more than enough for most users — and they’re more likely to work properly.

Apple is even adding home screen widgets to the iPhone with iOS 14, though Apple’s widgets are far less ambitious than Google’s concept. Taking so long to teach the user base means less complexity and more customers.

The iPhone’s performance is outstanding

The first iPhone did not include GPS or 3G networking, which was standard on all other flagship smartphones. That set a narrative that continues today. Android phones have a reputation for being more experimental, trying new designs and new features years before Apple takes notice.

Android phone makers also like to brag about hardware. Qualcomm throws a party when it launches a new mobile processor, a piece of hardware no consumer will ever see. Android makers beef up the RAM to laptop levels while Apple has never publicly revealed how much RAM is inside an iPhone. Ditto the battery, as others brag about how many mAh they achieve, while Apple stays quiet.

Apple’s silicon is so quick, in fact, that Apple will be transitioning Mac computers to it over the next several years.

When performance is measured, however, Apple’s iPhone often takes the lead. Apple creates its own mobile chip designs, and they perform flawlessly when paired with Apple’s software. Apple’s silicon is so quick, in fact, that Apple will be transitioning Mac computers to it over the next several years, abandoning its long-running partnership with Intel.

Apple owners also don’t complain about a lack of RAM. It’s an open secret that Apple uses less RAM in its phones, only 4GB in the premiere iPhone 11 Pro Max. The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has four times as much RAM, 16GB, but doesn’t feel any more responsive — which says more about Android’s problems than Android performance.

The iPhone is better for gamers

Asus makes a ROG phone just for its Republic Of Gaming faithful. Razer made a couple of slick gaming phones, but a third-generation looks doubtful. Budget gamers can buy Xiaomi’s Black Shark phone that is widely praised, and every top-performing Android phone will have the processing power and sharp screen to create an awesome gaming experience.

But then you have to play games on Android. There’s a solid library of games available, but no great games on Android that are not also on iPhone (usually first). Plus, Apple’s Arcade offers a plethora of unique games and a curated experience. The wild west nature of the Android app marketplace makes game shopping a pain, with so many spammy adware games, pay-to-play games, and plain uncooked meals being served to gamers.

Woman holds the new iphone in landscape mode and subscribes to apple arcade with pink background

Konstantin Savusia/Shutterstock

Is Apple’s iPhone a gaming device? Like you wouldn’t believe. You can use your Xbox or Playstation controller with simple pairing. All iPhones are powerful enough to run games smoothly, and the screens are sharp and colorful. Best of all, older and cheaper iPhones get to run the same games as the newest phones, since Apple keeps them up-to-date on system software.

Lightning is what USB C should have been

I can use the same cord for my Macbook Pro, my Nintendo Switch, my Galaxy Tab S5, and my Jabra Elite 75t headphones. All of those devices charge using USB-C, an industry standard that Apple has used since the beginning — just not on iPhones. The iPad Pro line finally got a USB C port, but the rest of the iPads, and even accessories like the Airpods and the Apple Mouse, use Lightning.

This is often brought up as a problem with the iPhone, but in practice, Lightning was born to be the easier, more compact port that USB wanted to be. By the time Android phones caught up to Lightning by adding USB-C, the Lightning accessory market was so mature that prices for cords and chargers had dropped to USB price levels.

USB charging standards are also inconsistent, a problem that USB-C hasn’t solved. The only real standard is Power Delivery, which basically means ‘don’t worry, your charger will do its best,’ but you may not receive the fastest charge possible.

On the other hand, all Lightning is Lightning. The newer iPhones can take advantage of a higher-watt charger, but all Lightning devices will charge to the full potential of the charger and the phone together.

So, what should you buy?

If you don’t have much to spend (hello, everybody), and you’ve been avoiding iPhones because they cost too much, or the accessories are expensive, or you don’t think you get enough bang for your buck, it’s time to think again. You can find fun phones on both sides, but some of the assumptions that benefit Android the most are actually reasons to check out Apple.

Editors' Recommendations........BEST SMARTPHONES

How Not to Break the Bank as You Upgrade Your Smartphone

Costumers visit the newly renovated Apple Store at Fifth Avenue on September 20, 2019 in New York City.

KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images

To upgrade or not to upgrade, that is the question many a smartphone owner has mulled.

After all, an older device may struggle to run the latest apps optimized for newer hardware. Or you might find your phone doesn't keep its battery charge as long as it used to. Or perhaps your screen has cracked, and you keep putting off fixing it.

Regardless of the reason, if your smartphone has seen better days and it's something you rely on daily, perhaps now is the time to invest in something shiny and new. The good news is you don't need to pay upwards of $1,400 for a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G or up to $1,500 for an Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max.

BEST SMARTPHONES.................

You can score a great device for less than a third of that or even less if you're willing to trade in your old smartphone, as many carriers and retailers offer. Just remember to properly delete your data first. Sure, you may be sacrificing a few features for the less expensive models, but you just might be surprised at what you can get without taking out a second mortgage on your home.

'Planned obsolescence'?

Before we discuss a few smartphone options that won't break the bank, some conspiracy theorists claim smartphone manufacturers purposely make your old devices stop working so you'll be forced to buy a new one.

This isn't true. Companies such as Samsung, the largest smartphone maker in the world, and Apple, No. 3 last year behind Chinese manufacturer Huawei, wouldn't benefit from a practice that would taint its brand by crippling their users’ experiences. Not only could this lead to bad press and negative comments on social media, but unhappy customers might switch brands.

That said, in late 2017 Apple admitted it used software updates to slow down older iPhones because the devices, which have older lithium-ion batteries, could randomly and suddenly shut down. Consider slower performance the lesser of two evils, if you will.

Still, Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million to owners of the iPhones as part of a class-action lawsuit. Plus the company offered battery replacements for $29 instead of $79 each. Apple also has set up a support page with tips to maximizing the battery performance of your iPhone.

Samsung also maintains that “planned obsolescence” is not part of its design philosophy and that its upgrade cycle is becoming longer and longer; therefore, people don't need to upgrade as often as they used to. Like Apple, Samsung says it continues to support older phones with regular operating system updates and monthly security patches.

OK, so what to buy?.................................BEST SMARTPHONES................

We're assuming that you've already determined your favorite operating system: Android or Apple.

If you don't have a lot of money to spend on Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone 11 family, the iPhone SE is a desirable alternative for as low as $399. The iPhone SE borrows many of the iPhone 11's features, including a stellar camera that also can shoot well in low light; 4K video at a smooth 60 frames per second; the A13 Bionic chip, billed as the fastest chip in a smartphone; and access to Apple services such as Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV and countless apps.

Also worth noting are the myriad accessibility features with iOS, Apple's mobile operating system, including a built-in screen magnifier, text to voice that reads content to you and support for iPhone-certified hearing aids.

What you sacrifice is screen size. iPhone SE is a smaller device at 4.7 inches with an LCD screen instead of the iPhone 11 Pro's superior OLED display. It also still has a physical Home button with Touch ID like older iPhones. The Pro and Pro Max have 5.8- and 6.5-inch displays respectively.

Samsung has three main families of Galaxy-branded phones: the A Series, which offers core features at a lower price; the flagship S Series and Galaxy Note that include a stylus pen; and advanced, cutting-edge devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip Z, both of which feature foldable screens.

Samsung says its mid-tier Samsung Galaxy A50, now on sale for $179, was one of the best-selling phones in the world last year, followed by the improved Galaxy A51, from $229, and Galaxy A71 5G, $479. Photography fans who pick up a Galaxy A51 or A71 still can benefit from sought-after camera features found in the pricier S20, such as Single Take, which automatically captures up to 10 seconds of footage with a wide range of capture modes like Boomerang, Smart Crop, video and AI filter. Then you can revisit the clips in the Gallery app and choose the ones you like best.

Galaxy S51 and S71 users also have access to the same smart search bar in the app tray of the S20, which gives you many predictive options while typing a word or two, such as relevant Apps, Settings, Quick Panel and Contacts search results.

Running the Android operating system from Google, Galaxy devices offer many accessibility features tied to challenges in dexterity, hearing and sight.

Marc Saltzman has been a freelance technology journalist for 25 years. His podcast, Tech It Out , aims to break down geek speak into street speak.

How to properly remove your data from your old phone

Before you donate, recycle or trade in your old phone, it's absolutely critical to properly wipe your data clean. Simply choosing to “restore” or “factory reset” your device will work — if it's encrypted.

For Android users, if your existing phone runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or newer, your data will already be encrypted by default. So, you're good there.

If you have an older Android operating system, you'll want to add encryption that will require a PIN or password to access your data. In most cases, go to Settings | Security & privacy | Encrypt phone.

This process can take a while to complete, so be sure to have your phone plugged into an outlet. On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll go to Settings | Lock screen and security | Protect encrypted data.

You'll have the option to encrypt the SD memory card as well if your phone takes one and you have it installed. But you should remove this external storage anyway if you're giving away your phone. Be sure to also sign out and then delete your accounts, such as Google and Samsung on a Galaxy device, just to be safe.

Now go ahead and do the factory reset, which is usually found in the Reset tab in your Settings section. Or do a search for the word “reset” and it should take you to the correct section.

For an iPhone, iOS 5 or later also includes hardware encryption when you set a passcode. This makes it difficult for anyone who tries to recover your data.

First, be sure to turn off all services, starting with Find My iPhone — Settings | [Account Name] | Find My, and then signing out of iCloud completely. Now choose Delete Account. Sign out of other services, such as Apple ID and iMessage.

BEST SMARTPHONES Now start the wipeout process by going to Settings | General | Reset | Erase All Content and Settings.BEST SMARTPHONES

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