Best Android Phones Not Made by Samsung
Looking for a smartphone with premium features? Models from Google, Motorola, OnePlus, and Sony have a lot to offer, too.
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Though Samsung is the global leader in smartphone sales, you don’t have to buy one of its devices to get top performance. Other companies make great Android phones, too.
Models from Google, Motorola, OnePlus, and Sony might not rise to the very top of our ratings, but they come close, says Rich Fisco, Consumer Reports’ head of electronics testing.
“The scores are so close that as long as you know what the phones have and what they may be missing, and you’re okay with that, then go ahead, save your money, and get one,” he says.
You won’t have to give up high-end features, such as a wide-angle camera or state-of-the-art OLED display. And these days, many of the phones come with great battery life, wireless charging, and 5G capability, too.
Here are the Android phones that perform best in our tests, even without a “Galaxy” in their name. For a list of top-flight Samsung phones, check out our article on the best smartphones of the year. CR members can also consult our full smartphone ratings.
Overall Score: 80
Typical price: $900
The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is not only the company’s best-performing smartphone but also the first to break into the top 10 in our rankings. That makes it the only phone in that top tier not made by Apple or Samsung.
Tied overall with the iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy S22+, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G has similar features—and a similar price tag, too.
The 6.7-inch OLED display earns an Excellent rating from our testers, and the display has a 120-hertz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and animations.
The triple rear camera system (48-megapixel main camera, plus zoom and ultrawide) and 32-megapixel front camera are also impressive, garnering Very Good ratings for still and selfie image quality, as well as video quality. OnePlus has partnered with professional camera and lens maker Hasselblad to develop the phone’s cameras.
The 30.5-hour battery life is modest, but the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G has 65-watt fast charging (wired), which the company says could give you a day’s power in 15 minutes. Models sold outside the U.S. and Canada support 80-watt charging for even quicker sessions.
Overall Score: 76
Typical price: $600
With zippy performance, a 6.6-inch display that earns an Excellent rating, and above-average battery life (33 hours), the OnePlus 9 is another fine choice.
The image quality on the rear camera has improved since the OnePlus 8 was released, though the video quality and image quality on the selfie cam are just okay. And like its more expensive siblings, the OnePlus 9 also offers wireless charging and water resistance.
If you’re willing to pay a bit more for a slightly larger display (6.7 inches) and better selfie image quality, the OnePlus 9 Pro is another option. Just know that the battery life is near the bottom of the pack at 25 hours.
Overall Score: 75
Typical price: $400
The lowest-priced Android phone on this list, the OnePlus 8T has a lot going for it. The phone earns Excellent ratings for performance and the quality of its 6.6-inch display.
It offers four cameras on the back (48-megapixel main, plus ultrawide, zoom, and monochrome lenses), which perform very well in our tests for video quality. The still and selfie image quality receive Good ratings.
The battery delivers 23.5 hours on a single charge, but that’s below average for phones these days.
One neat feature if you use your phone for both work and play: The OnePlus 8T has dual-SIM slots to support two phone numbers.
Overall Score: 74
Typical price: $600
The Pixel 6 features a sharp 6.4-inch display and impressive processing speed. The still image and video quality rate Very Good, too. However, the 34-hour battery life is just average.
The 6.7-inch Pixel 6 Pro offers an upgrade in not just size but also selfie image quality. In addition to costing more, however, the 6 Pro has a slightly shorter 31.5-hour battery life.
Overall Score: 73
Typical price: $450
The Pixel 5a 5G is a powerhouse among Android smartphones, with a battery that lasts an impressive 43.5 hours in our labs. Our testers admire the 6.3-inch display, too.
The phone comes with both wide and ultrawide rear cameras, and the still and selfie image quality receive Very Good ratings. The video quality earns only a Good rating, though.
Overall Score: 72
Typical price: $450
Google’s latest budget-oriented “A”-series phone features a bright 6.1-inch OLED display, and not one but two rear cameras, which is rare for a model in this price range.
The rear cameras (one with a wide lens, the other with an ultrawide lens) receive Very Good ratings from CR’s testers for image and video quality. The image quality on the front, selfie camera rates Very Good, as well. The phone’s 30.5-hour battery life is shorter than the Pixel 5a’s.
Some Pixel 6a phones may have a bug with the fingerprint sensor, but we have a fix for the issue and still recommend the model for its overall performance.
Overall Score: 71
Typical price: $1,000
The Xperia 1 III is Sony’s best option. The phone earns Excellent ratings for performance, sound, and the quality of its 6.5-inch display.
The model has a memory card slot that’s lacking in the OnePlus and Google Pixel phones above, and it supports wireless charging.
Still image and selfie image quality receive Very Good ratings, but video quality receives just a Good rating. The 33.5-hour battery life is decent but shorter than other phones at this premium price level.
Overall Score: 68
Typical price: $870
The Motorola Edge+ features a 6.7-inch OLED display that wraps around the sides of the device almost 90 degrees (hence the name “Edge”). The display earns a Very Good rating from our testers and has an impressively high 90-hertz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations.
The three-camera system on the back of the phone gets high marks for still image and high-definition video quality, although the front camera’s selfie image quality is about average.
Battery life is also on the short side, reaching 28.5 hours in our labs.
This is a phone you’ll want to put in a sturdy case: The durability rates just Fair, because the model failed our drop test, with the glass on the back breaking during a strenuous 100 drops in our tumbler.
