Phones are so powerful nowadays, you need to dig deeper than just specs and and hardware.

You need to look at the camera tech, the additional features, and the smarter, lesser noted capabilities like latent AI features and built-in machine learning smarts.

For us, the best Android phone to buy right now (for the money) would be the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL or the Google 9 Pixel Pro; it’s a beast in terms of performance, the camera is phenomenal, and its AI features are genuinely really useful.

Add in things like 7 years’ worth of Android updates (that you get right away; not several months later as you do with Samsung phones) and Google’s latest Pixel phones are easily the best option for most power users.

Samsung’s high-end Galaxy S and Galaxy Z phones do have certain capabilities that Pixel phones don’t have.

But it’s tricky to split hairs; both are extremely powerful, come with professional-grade camera systems, and run large, long-lasting batteries.

And they’re both expensive, though Samsung’s are pricier.

All things being equal, I’d argue Google’s Pixel phones have a few slight edges over Samsung’s flagship phones:

1) Pixel phones are cheaper (not by much, but enough to make a difference), 2) Pixel phones get Android updates as soon as they’re released, while Samsung phones can take months to get it, and 3) Google’s built-in AI features are the best on the market and are actually useful.

These are the main reasons why we recommend Pixel phones over Samsung phones.

Google and Samsung offer the best support when it comes to Android updates.

You’ll get 7 years worth of support with the brands flagship models.

But with Google’s Pixel phones you’ll get the latest version of Android as soon as it’s released.

With Samsung phones, you’ll be waiting months and months for the update to rollout. Don’t like waiting? Go with a Pixel phone.

The Android phone with the best battery life right now is the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, delivering over 20 hours of use on a single charge.

Close behind is the OnePlus 13, which lasts just under 20 hours. The OnePlus 13R and Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro also perform extremely well, both pushing close to 19 hours.

If you’re after a more affordable option, the Moto G (2025) still manages over 18 hours of battery life, making it one of the longest-lasting budget phones available. These phones stand out for their efficiency, larger batteries, and optimized power management.

The Android phone with the best camera right now is the Google Pixel 9 Pro (and the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL, which shares the same camera hardware).

Google has mastered point-and-shoot photography, and the Pixel consistently delivers sharp, vibrant photos with zero fuss.

Whether you’re taking a quick snap of your kids mid-action or zooming in from the back of a concert hall, the Pixel 9 Pro handles it all without missing a beat.

It features a 50MP main sensor, an ultrawide lens for group shots or landscapes, and a 5x periscope zoom that stretches all the way to 30x.

What really sets it apart, though, is Google’s image processing—it nails exposure, detail, and color accuracy in nearly every shot.

If you want the best all-around Android camera without needing to mess with settings, the Pixel 9 Pro is the one to beat.

Again, it’d be Google’s Pixel 9 series of smartphones. Google has basically gone all-in on AI, for better or worse.

Gemini and Google’s built-in AI systems inside Android on Pixel are orders of magnetude more advanced than anything else on the markey right now.

From advanced search functionality inside the phone to image and video processing, AI permeates every aspect of Google’s latest Pixel phones and in most cases, once you get used to it, it is actually really bloody useful too.