Technologies
Best Android Phones to Buy in 2023
From Samsung’s new Galaxy S23 devices to the Pixel 7, here are our top picks.
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas.
Android’s biggest advantage over iOS and the iPhone is its sprawling selection of devices to choose from. From the supersize Galaxy S23 Ultra to the more modest and affordable Pixel 6A, Android phones are available in a variety of sizes and prices. But having that many options to choose from can also make for a difficult buying decision. If you aren’t sure where to start, you’re in the right place: We’ve tested and researched all the best Android phones you can buy in 2023.
A great phone should have high-quality cameras, long battery life, compelling software features and 5G support. We considered these factors when putting together our list of the best Android phones in 2023, which you can check out below. CNET’s team updates this list periodically as we review new products.
James Martin/CNET
Like:
- Fast performance
- Excellent main camera
- Bright screen
- Included stylus
- Double the storage in the base model
- Four generations of Android OS updates
Don’t like:
- High price
- Photos don’t always look natural
- No improvements to fast charging
The Galaxy S23 is a lot, but in a good way. It’s more than most people need in a phone, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. Samsung made improvements to the camera’s resolution (200 megapixels compared with 108 megapixels), color tones and dynamic range, while retaining the same edgy design and massive 6.8-inch screen as its predecessor. There’s also a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that’s been optimized specifically for Samsung’s phones, which brings faster performance compared with the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
It may be an understatement to call this phone expensive: It starts at $1,200. But people willing to pay more for a giant screen and a high-quality, versatile camera won’t be disappointed. Read our full review of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Like:
• Refreshed design looks great
• Superb cameras
• Clean and enjoyable interface
Don’t like:
• Battery life could be better
Google’s latest flagship phone, the Pixel 7 Pro, isn’t a huge overhaul from the already excellent Pixel 6 Pro Google launched last year. But it’s taken that winning formula and made some key tweaks to almost every element, resulting in a superb phone that’s bliss to use. The refreshed camera can take stunning images too, earning its spot among the best flagship phones around. It typically sells for $899, but Google currently has it on sale for $150 off.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Like:
• Sleek design
• Great value
• Main camera is Google’s best
Don’t like:
• Battery life is good but not great
• Not as much Android version support as Samsung
At around $600, the Google Pixel 7 offers a great way to put some of Google’s best tech in your pocket without emptying your bank balance in the process. It undercuts the fully-specced 7 Pro model by some way, but still packs the same Tensor G2 processor, a glorious screen and a great main camera.
Like the 7 Pro, it’s had a refreshed design which looks classy and stylish, while its Android 13 software is clutter-free and easy to use. The battery life could be better, but with careful use you’ll get through a day on a charge. It lacks the telephoto zoom and a couple of the other bells and whistles of the 7 Pro, but if you’re after a solid everyday phone at a decent price, then the base Pixel 7 is a great option.
James Martin/CNET
Like:
- Longer battery life
- Attractive design
- Four generations of Android OS updates
- Fast performance
Don’t like:
- Cameras are basically the same as last year
- Expensive
- No improvements to fast charging
- No upgrade to base storage
Android fans looking for a petite phone don’t have much to choose from. But the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23 provides a compelling option for those who want a phone that feels compact but still provides enough screen space. The Galaxy S23 comes with routine upgrades like a fresh processor (a version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that’s been optimized for Samsung’s phones), a slightly new design and a higher-resolution selfie camera. But it’s the Galaxy S23’s larger battery that makes it worth recommending. Read our full review of the Galaxy S23.
Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Like:
• Nice screen
• Speedy performance
• IP67 water-resistant
• Affordable price
Don’t like:
• No wireless charging
The next-gen Pixel 6a is available now, and if you want 5G on the cheap the smartphone is a solid choice. This Pixel phone has a high-end chipset, great rear cameras, a good display, and average battery life. It is one of the cheapest good 5G smartphones you can buy right now.
Like:
- Incredible performance for gaming
- Slick, refreshed design
- Hyper-fast charging
- Five years of security support
Don’t like:
- Cameras are good but not great
- Better waterproofing on rivals
The $700 OnePlus 11 is a powerful phone that’s well equipped to handle gaming, video streaming and other common tasks. In typical OnePlus fashion, this phone is also cheaper than the $800 Galaxy S23 and $900 Pixel 7 Pro. The cameras aren’t the best, but they’re fine for casual photographers who just want to capture their next vacation or a night out. What sets the OnePlus 11 apart from many of its rivals is its blazing 100-watt fast charging, which can replenish the battery in just 25 minutes. (The US version only supports 80-watt charging, but that’s still an improvement over the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 45-watt charging). Overall, the OnePlus 11 is ideal for people who want a powerful phone that charges quickly and won’t break the bank. Read our full review of the OnePlus 11.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Like:
• 120Hz cover screen
• Water resistance
• Enhanced tablet experience
• Software improvements for multitasking and Flex Mode
Don’t like:
• $1,800 is still expensive
Foldable phones haven’t really hit the mainstream, remaining instead only in the reach of those willing to spend top dollar on the latest in mobile innovation. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the best folding phone around, offering top-notch performance, a great camera setup and a variety of tweaks to its folding technology that make this Android smartphone more desirable than its predecessor.
Samsung
Like:
- Better battery life than before
- Still the best flip phone to get into foldables
- Water resistance
Don’t like:
- Same cameras as the Galaxy Z Flip 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an iterative update but it packs a punch for the $1,000 price tag. With a better battery life thanks to a more power efficient processor and a bigger battery, the Flip is finally worth investing in as a flagship device.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Like:
- Professional level video monitor features
- Robust utilitarian build
- Live broadcast streaming over 5G
- As a phone, it’s essentially the Sony Xperia 1 II
Don’t like:
- Price is high, limiting its narrow appeal
- 2020 specs and Android 10
- Wished it recorded video via HDMI input
At a whopping $1,800 list price, the Sony Xperia Pro isn’t for everyone. But if you’re a photographer or videographer looking for professional-level camera phone features, you can’t go wrong. The Xperia Pro is essentially four products in one: a phone, a camera monitor, a speedy photo file transfer device and a 5G machine suitable for broadcasting and livestreaming.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
Like:
• Flashing design
• Solid performance
• Affordable price
Don’t like:
• Cameras are only OK
• Not yet available in the US
The Nothing Phone 1’s affordable price, solid performance and good-enough camera setup already make it a solid option to consider if you’re looking for an Android phone on a budget. But this phone takes the pizzazz up a notch with its suite of flashing LED lights on the rear, which certainly make it stand out against its competitors.
It’s a great phone, which we enjoyed reviewing, but there is a downside: As of right now, there aren’t any plans to launch the phone in the United States. The phone was previously available as part of a beta program in the US, but orders have closed. UK shoppers can pick it up right now, but those of you in the states will simply have to keep your fingers crossed. Luckily, the company’s next phone, the Nothing Phone 2, will be coming to the US later this year.
How we test phones
Every phone that appears on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. That means actually using the phone, testing the features, playing games on it, and taking photos with it. No marketing promises are taken at face value, and if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we’ll tell you all about it.
Testing a phone means testing every element of the device. Is the display bright, sharp, vibrant? Does the design feel good to hold? Is it heavy? Does it feel well made? Is it water resistant? We test the processor performance using standardized benchmark tools like GeekBench and 3DMark, along with our own anecdotal observations while navigating the interface or playing demanding games.
All the cameras (both front and back) are tested in a variety of conditions, from bright sunlight through to dark scenes (for any available night modes), and we compare our findings against similarly priced models. We conduct battery tests, running them down from full to see how long they’re likely to keep going out there in the real world.
We take into account additional features like 5G, fingerprint or face scanners, styluses, fast charging, flexible displays, or other extras that can be useful. And we of course balance all this against the price, to give you the verdict on whether that phone, whatever price it is, actually represents good value.
More phone and Android recommendations
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, June 28
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 28.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s Saturday, so it’s extra-long, and might take you a while. Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Detachable parts of a dress form
Answer: ARMS
5A clue: Catering container containing caffeine
Answer: TEARUN
8A clue: Climbing structure offered in pet stores
Answer: CATTREE
9A clue: Gets into town
Answer: ARRIVES
10A clue: Frédéric Chopin or Ray Charles, notably
Answer: PIANIST
11A clue: They don’t hold water
Answer: SIEVES
12A clue: ___-jerk reaction
Answer: KNEE
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: With some chance of failure
Answer: ATARISK
2D clue: Prepare for a new job, maybe
Answer: RETRAIN
3D clue: Midday Broadway showing
Answer: MATINEE
4D clue: Goal of a noted reality show set on an island
Answer: SURVIVE
6D clue: Witherspoon who portrayed June Carter in «Walk the Line»
Answer: REESE
7D clue: Lodgings for larks
Answer: NESTS
8D clue: Souvenir from a baseball game
Answer: CAP
Technologies
Facing Billions in DMA Fines, Apple Lets EU iPhone Users Install Apps Outside the App Store
A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.
In a scramble to sidestep penalties that could soar into the billions, and with Brussels regulators watching closely, Apple has agreed to let Europeans download iPhone apps from outside its own App Store.
With just hours left before an EU compliance deadline, the company said residents of the 27-nation bloc will soon be able to grab apps from rival marketplaces or straight off a developer’s website. The change rolls out later this year with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, and also lets users set a different browser engine and choose a third-party wallet at checkout.
For everyday EU iPhone owners, that means the download button could pop up in more places than just Apple’s storefront. After you select the new setting, iOS shows a one-time permission sheet confirming you’re leaving Apple’s marketplace. The app then passes a quick notarization scan meant to weed out malware. Apple notes that off-store downloads work only inside the EU, and disappear if you stay outside the bloc for more than 30 days.
Cost to developers
Developers do gain fresh distribution freedom, but there’s a price tag. A new two-tier Store Services fee asks for 5% of outside sales in exchange for basic services like app reviews and support in what’s called Tier 1, or 13% for the full bundle of perks, including automatic updates and App Store promotions in Tier 2.
Apple will take a 5% «Core Technology Commission» on any purchase made outside its own payment system. That new cut will phase out the current €0.50-per-download fee and become the sole charge across the EU when a unified pricing model arrives on Jan. 1, 2026.
Apple insists «more than 99%» of devs will pay the same or less under the revamped math.
Why now?
In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.
Throughout the back-and-forth, Apple has accused the commission of «moving the goalposts» on what counts as compliance, with a spokesperson saying the company has invested «hundreds of thousands of hours» to meet the EU’s evolving demands.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney blasted the 5% tier as a «malicious compliance scheme» that «makes a mockery of fair competition.»
If regulators decide Apple still hasn’t gone far enough, the iPhone maker could face steeper sanctions, or even be forced to separate its App Store business.
Technologies
Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 27, #1469
Here are hints — and the answer — for today’s Wordle No. 1,469 for June 27. Some players need a new starter word now.
Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t too tough, but somehow, it has a starting letter I never seem to guess. Some posters on Reddit say it was one of their starter words, so now they’re in the market for a new way to begin the game. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.
Today’s Wordle hints
Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.
Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats
Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.
Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels
There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.
Wordle hint No. 3: First letter
Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.
Wordle hint No. 4: Placement
The two vowels are next to each other.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is not decorated and is simple.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Today’s Wordle answer is PLAIN.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 26, No. 1468 was OFFER.
Recent Wordle answers
June 22, No. 1464: THRUM
June 23, No. 1465: ODDLY
June 24, No. 1466: ELITE
June 25, No. 1467: COMFY
Will Wordle run out of words?
When Wordle began, creator Josh Wardle used a list of five-letter words he’d shared with his partner, picking only the words they recognized. While that’s more than 2,000 words, more than half of them have already been used.
Wordle editor Tracy Bennett admitted that the game will eventually have to come to grips with the fact that the word list is not eternal.
«One possibility is that we could recycle old words at some point, like when we get close to the end,» Bennett told a Wordle player on TikTok.
She also said the editors might throw all the words back in and reuse them, or allow plurals, or past tense, something that’s not done now.
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