Jump straight to our full best Android phones chart
What\u2019s the best Android phone 2017? Our money is on the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge , but what’s your money on? We round up 20 of the finest Android phones available to buy in the UK in our list of the best Android phones of 2017, which covers everything from the HTC 10 and Nexus 6P to the Google Pixel , LG G5 , Sony Xperia Z5 , Xiaomi Mi 5s and OnePlus 3T. Android phone buying advice and best Android phone reviews.
Also see: Best Phone Deals
We have removed the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 from our smartphone chart due to the ongoing battery issues which, in some cases, are catching on fire. It has been discontinued so if you have one, stop using it and return it for a refund.
Android has the largest market share in the smartphone world, but whereas Apple\u2019s share is divided between just a few iPhones with obvious differences between them there are hundreds of Android phones available to buy. And the choice gets even more confusing when you consider that each Android phone manufacturer has multiple Android phone product lines, each with its own features and benefits. Also see: Best smartphones 2017 UK
In our best Android phones chart we focus primarily on flagship devices, with the exception of where a phone lower down the range stands out for its excellent value (see the OnePlus X and Moto G4 ), feature set or performance. The phones in this group are those most likely to be bought on a contract, however, and their initial cost will be largely irrelevant. If you are buying them SIM-free you should check out our best SIM-only deals , but if budget is a primary consideration for you, also see our round-up of the best budget phones.
When we talk about flagship smartphones, we really just mean the top model in a company\u2019s phone line-up. You\u2019d usually expect to pay between \u00a3500- and \u00a3600 for it SIM-free, or around \u00a340- to \u00a350 a month on a contract. But cheaper phones can have flagship specs – and especially when you consider some of the surprisingly affordable Chinese phones we review.
In 2017 a flagship Android phone specification will look something like this:
\u2022 Android 6.0 Marshmallow (Android Nougat will increasingly be available on new Android phones soon)
\u2022 Slim, lightweight metal frame
\u2022 5-5.5in Quad-HD IPS display with Gorilla Glass 4
\u2022 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820\/821 quad-core processor or comparable octa-core chip
\u2022 4GB+ of RAM
\u2022 32GB of storage, plus microSD support
\u2022 Fingerprint scanner
\u2022 12Mp-plus primary camera with dual-tone flash, optical image stabilisation, laser autofocus and large apertures, plus support for 4K video recording
\u2022 5Mp selfie camera
\u2022 4G LTE Cat.9
\u2022 Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi
\u2022 Bluetooth 4.2
\u2022 NFC, GPS, GLONASS, OTG
\u2022 Circa-3000mAh battery with fast charging
We\u2019ve placed the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge at the top of our list because it is the fastest Android phone in our benchmarks, with the longest battery life, the best camera quality , and it has a load of extra features such as the dual-curved-edge screen, heart-rate scanner and new always-on display (also seen in the standard Galaxy S7 and LG G5). We love its premium metal-and-glass, waterproof build, and although there isn\u2019t a huge amount new in this year\u2019s model Samsung really didn\u2019t need to make any huge improvements to retain its crown for best Android phone. Also see: Best kids‘ phones 2017.
But that\u2019s not to say the other phones in our list are not worth a second look, and especially now that we get closer to the point where it\u2019s impossible for phone makers to differentiate their devices on traditional grounds such as performance (all are excellent). The LG G5, for example, has a cool new modular design that lets you bolt-on accessories to expand its functionality, and it\u2019s one of few flagship phones to feature a removable battery. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has a large screen with stylus support for enhanced productivity, while the HTC 10 supports Hi-Res audio, and the Sony Xperia Z5 ties into PS4 Remote Play. For the ultimate in screen quality, the Premium variant of the Xperia Z5 has a crazy-high-resolution 4K screen.
The Xiaomi Mi 5s is significantly cheaper than the competition here, but offers many of the same features. This is the International Edition, which ships with Google Play support and, as such, most users will quickly find themselves in its MIUI 8.0 UI.
For a pure Android experience there can be no better than Google\u2019s own Nexus 6P, Pixel and Pixel XL, and as Google devices they will always be first to receive new operating system updates.
(Also see: What’s the fastest smartphone 2017 for comparison with more Android phones.)
Of course, with all the best Android phones on a similar level of awesomeness, your choice may come down purely to how it looks – and that\u2019s something we can\u2019t help you with, other than to point out the build quality information not visible from the PR shots and offer our own opinion on how they look. Click on any phone in our list of the best Android phones to read our full reviews.
Read on for our expert opinion of what our the 20 best Android phones money can buy. Also see: Best new phones coming in 2017.<\/p>\n