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Best Android phones (August 2018): Our picks, plus a giveaway

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Android Authority

With Android thoroughly dominating the mobile industry, picking the best Android smartphones is almost synonymous with choosing the best smartphones, period. While Android phones have few real opponents on other platforms, internal competition is incredibly fierce. From sleek devices that impress with premium design, to powerhouses brimming with features, to all-around great devices, and affordable phones that punch above their weight, the Android ecosystem is populated by a staggering variety of attractive phones. But which of them are the best smartphones of 2018?

Related: Refurbished phone guide | Best Android tablets | Best Android watches

“Greatness” is subjective, and sometimes spec sheets and feature lists are not enough to make an idea of how good a phone really is. In this roundup, we’re looking at the absolute best — the Android phones of 2018 you can’t go wrong with.

Updates:August 1, 11:30 a.m. ET
We made no changes to our list this month.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

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The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are Google’s latest and best flagship smartphones, and they’re great at just about everything. They don’t have as many bells or whistles as some of the other entries on this list, but if you’re in the market for a simple Android phone, the Pixel 2 and 2 XL are great options.

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL have 5- and 6-inch OLED displays, front-facing speakers, and top-of-the-line specs under the hood — a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of LPDDR4x RAM, as well as 64 or 128GB of on board storage.

They also have two of the best Android smartphone cameras available. Not only have these phones been named two of the best smartphone cameras on the market according to DxOMark, we found the Pixel 2’s main camera to be incredibly impressive in most situations. There’s even a portrait mode on the front and back cameras, even though the phone doesn’t have a dual-camera setup.

Despite the handful of issues with the Pixel 2 XL’s display, we’d still happily recommend either phone to anyone looking for the best Android phones of 2018 out there.

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Buy now from the Google Store
Buy now from Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus

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The Galaxy S9 is all about refinement. Design, display, photography, and performance were all strong areas for the Galaxy S8 line, and the S9 does all of them better.

The biggest improvements in the Galaxy S9 have to do with the camera. The S9 sports a single Dual Pixel 12MP autofocus sensor with OIS, along with support for two apertures at f/1.5 and f/2.4. This mechanical iris lens is able to switch between apertures depending on the lighting conditions. If you need something even more powerful, the Galaxy S9 comes with a dual-camera setup on the back.

Samsung also included its own creepier version of Apple’s Animoji, called AR Emoji, allowing you to make GIFs and send cartoony videos to your friends.

These are new Samsung smartphone flagships, so it’s no surprise that they feature the most top-of-the-line specs currently available. They come with 5.8- and 6.2-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED displays, 4 and 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and both are powered by either the Exynos 9810 or Snapdragon 845 SoC depending on your region.

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Buy Galaxy S9 from Samsung

Huawei P20 Pro

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Huawei’s new P20 and P20 Pro are finally here, and they’re both huge steps up from their predecessors. They are the best Android phones coming from China.

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For starters, these are some of the most eye-catching devices we’ve see so far. Both models are available in a few different colors, but the P20 Pro comes in a unique twilight edition that features a glossy blue-to-purple gradient that changes tone depending on the lighting condition. That’s not the only reason the P20 Pro will be a head-turner, either. The higher-end model comes with three rear-facing cameras at 20, 8, and 40MP. The 20 and 40MP cameras do lack OIS, but Huawei says its AI-assisted stabilization will make up for users’ shaky hands.

These are Huawei’s first 2018 flagships, so both phones have some killer under-the-hood specifications, too. The P20 comes with a 5.8-inch Full HD+ LCD display, 4GB of RAM, and a 3,400mAh battery, while the P20 Pro sports a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display, 6GB of RAM, and a 4,000mAh battery. Both devices are powered by Huawei’s Kirin 970 SoC, which can also be found in the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro.

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Buy Huawei P20 Pro from Clove

OnePlus 6

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The OnePlus 5T is still a solid smartphone by today’s standards, but that’s not stopping OnePlus from pushing the smartphone boundaries even further. The OnePlus 6 is all about refinement.

OnePlus introduced an all-new, all-glass design with the OnePlus 6. The back is sleek — almost resembling the Galaxy S9 — and the front houses the 6.28-inch AMOLED display. Yes, there’s a notch, but you can basically turn it off in the settings menu.

This phone also has the latest and greatest specs available: a Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6 or 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. The cameras have been improved this time around too. It comes with dual 16 and 20MP sensors around back with f/1.7 apertures, along with a 19-percent larger pixel size than the 5T. There are also slow-motion video modes that allow for 720p footage at 480fps and 1080p at 240fps. You can also shoot 4K video at 60fps.

Also, this is probably one of the first devices that will receive Android P when it launches. For all you folks who aren’t a fan of the Pixel but still want quick updates, the OnePlus 6 may be just for you.

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Buy OnePlus 6

LG G7 ThinQ

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The new LG G7 ThinQ is an amalgamation of last year’s V30 and G6… with a little iPhone X thrown in.

On top of that super bright 6.1-inch display, you’ll find the oh-so-2018 notch cutout. If you aren’t a fan, you can “turn off” the notch in the settings menu.

LG phones have always provided a solid audio experience, and the G7 ThinQ is no different. The phone actually uses its inner space as a resonance chamber to boost bass and deliver all-around louder audio. It also comes with a 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC and DTS:X 3D Surround Sound support.

This phone also comes with some of the best specs you can find on any smartphone out there: a Snapdragon 845 SoC, dual 16MP wide-angle cameras, as well as IP68 and MIL-STD 810G certifications. As an added bonus, there’s also a dedicated Google Assistant button that lets you talk to the voice assistant like a walkie-talkie. It’s pretty neat.

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Buy LG G7 ThinQ from Best Buy

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

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After a controversial 2016, Samsung’s Galaxy Note line is back in full force. With top-of-the-line specs, a stunning design, a dual-camera setup, and new software features, the Galaxy Note 8 is still one of the best Android phones you can buy right now.

Editor's Pick

Best Samsung phones you can buy right now – flagship, mid-range and budget models

Samsung is without a doubt the biggest name in the Android world, and so if you are considering purchasing a new phone, logic dictates you may be looking to pick up a phone made by the …

The Note 8’s near-bezel-less 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Infinity Display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio is one of our favorite parts about this phone. DisplayMate agrees with us too. It’s big — maybe too big for some people — but at least the company puts that screen to good use. There’s a new App Pairing feature that allows you to open up two favorited apps in multi-window at the same time, and there are a few new S Pen features that will satisfy the stylus users out there.

What’s more, the dual-camera setup on the back performs incredibly well. While picture quality isn’t a huge step up from what we saw on the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, the extra 12MP sensor with OIS allows you to take clear, concise photos and impressive bokeh shots in just about any situation.

No, it’s not perfect, but no phone is. Samsung’s fingerprint sensor placement on the Note 8 is still super annoying (luckily it’s been fixed with the S9), and this phone is expensive. If those things don’t matter to you though, the Note 8 might be the right phone for you. Check out our full review below!

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Buy now from Verizon

Cast your vote, and participate in our giveaway!

There you have it — our picks from the best Android phones of 2018. Out of those listed, which do you feel is the very best smartphone of 2018? Be sure to sound off in the poll below. Each month we will also be conducting a giveaway, giving our readers a chance to win the phone with the most votes.

Winner, July 2018: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (4,292 total votes)
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Congratulations to Ridhu C. (India), winner of our July 2018 giveaway!

Best Android phones (August 2018) Giveaway

More: Android Authority international giveaway FAQs

Looking for something more specific than just the best phone of 2018? Maybe the best cheap phone, a dual-SIM phone, or something specific to your carrier? No matter what you’re looking for, we have you covered:

The BEST from each category


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