The best Android phones in the UK right now

Best Android phones at a glance

Best overall: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung’s best phone. It features a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, built-in S Pen, and a 200MP main camera with a wider f/1.4 aperture than its predecessor. The 5,000mAh battery is built for a full day, and Super Fast Charging 3.0 gets it back up quickly.

Key specs (from Samsung):

• Screen: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, Privacy Display
• Camera: 200MP main (f/1.4), 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x telephoto
• Battery: 5,000mAh, Super Fast Charging 3.0
• Chip: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy
• Storage: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB

Price: From £925.56 (256GB)

Cheapest Galaxy S26 Ultra contract on our panel today: £29.99 a month with £159 upfront on iD Mobile (10GB, 24-month), £925.56 over the whole contract for the 256GB model.

Best for camera and AI: Google Pixel 10 Pro

Google builds its own chip (Tensor G5) specifically around AI and photography. The Pixel 10 Pro has a 50MP triple camera system with Night Sight, 8K video, and up to 100x zoom. It also includes seven years of Android updates, which ties for the longest software commitment of any Android phone.

Key specs (from Google):

• Screen: 6.3-inch, 1280 x 2856, Gorilla Glass Victus 2
• Camera: 50MP main (OIS), ultrawide, telephoto, up to 100x zoom, 8K video
• Front camera: 42MP
• Battery: 4,870mAh, Google quotes over 24 hours of battery life
• RAM/storage: 16GB RAM, 128GB to 1TB
• Software: Android 16, 7 years of updates
• Water resistance: IP68

Price: From £601.80 (128GB)

Cheapest Pixel 10 Pro contract on our panel today: £11.95 a month with £315 upfront on TalkMobile (15GB, 24-month), £601.80 over the whole contract for the 128GB model.

Best camera and battery combo: OPPO Find X9 Pro

OPPO’s flagship doesn’t get the attention it deserves in the UK. A 200MP telephoto lens, Hasselblad camera tuning and a 7,500mAh silicon-carbon battery in an 8.3mm body. No US release means most people haven’t heard of it, which is exactly why it’s worth knowing about.

Key specs (from OPPO):

• Screen: 6.78-inch AMOLED LTPO, 120Hz, 3,600 nit peak brightness
• Camera: 50MP main, 200MP telephoto (3x optical), 50MP ultrawide, Hasselblad tuned, 50MP front
• Battery: 7,500mAh, 80W wired charging, 50W wireless
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9500
• Storage: 16GB RAM, 512GB
• Water resistance: IP69
• Video: 4K at up to 120fps

Price: £955.56 (512GB)

Cheapest Find X9 Pro contract on our panel today: £29.99 a month with £189 upfront on iD Mobile (500GB, 24-month), £955.56 over the whole contract for the 512GB model.

Best mid-range: Samsung Galaxy A57

The Galaxy A57 hits the sweet spot for most people. A 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display, 45W fast charging and a slimmer 6.9mm body, all for £599 SIM-free on Samsung’s own site. Six years of software updates means you won’t need to replace it quickly. The camera hardware is the same as the A56 but with improved low-light processing, and the step up to Exynos 1680 brings a noticeable performance bump. IP68 water resistance at this price is a genuine bonus.

Key specs (from Samsung):

• Screen: 6.7-inch OLED, 120Hz, FHD+ (1080 x 2340)
• Camera: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, 12MP selfie
• Battery: 5,000mAh, 45W wired charging (no wireless)
• Chip: Exynos 1680
• Storage: 8GB RAM, 256GB or 512GB
• Software: Android, One UI 8.5, 6 years of updates
• Water resistance: IP68

Price: From £465.80 (256GB)

Cheapest Galaxy A57 contract on our panel today: £11.95 a month with £179 upfront on TalkMobile (15GB, 24-month), £465.80 over the whole contract for the 256GB model.

Best battery life: Motorola Edge 70 Pro

The Edge 70 Pro packs a 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery which is a larger battery than most flagships, combined with 90W wired charging and 15W wireless. That combination means a full charge in well under an hour and enough capacity to comfortably run two days between plugs for moderate users.

Screen: 6.8-inch AMOLED, 144Hz refresh rate, 5,000 nits peak brightness. HDR10+ supported.

Camera: Three 50MP cameras, main with OIS, ultrawide, and 3.5x optical telephoto. 50MP selfie camera. Covers every focal length without the compromise of a low-resolution filler lens.

Build: IP69 rated (submersion and high-pressure water jets) and MIL-STD-810H certified for drops and temperature. The kind of protection rating you’d expect at twice the price.

Performance: 12GB RAM, 512GB storage on the top configuration. Reverse wireless charging also included, so you can top up earbuds or another phone from the Edge 70 Pro itself.

Best for: Anyone who wants the longest battery life on the market at a mid-range price point, without giving up a genuinely good camera system.

Price: From £747.56 (512GB)

Cheapest Edge 70 Pro contract on our panel today: £27.99 a month with £29 upfront on iD Mobile (500GB, 24-month), £747.56 over the whole contract for the 512GB model.

Best budget Android: TCL K70

At about £130 SIM-free, the TCL K70 is one of the cheapest ways to get a large-screen Android with a usable camera and 120Hz display. It’s not trying to compete with mid-range phones. It’s for the drawer phone, the first smartphone, or anyone who needs something functional without spending more than a week’s shopping.

Screen: 6.8-inch IPS LCD, 120Hz refresh rate, 750 nits brightness. The 720p resolution (256 ppi) is the clearest sign of where the budget went, but at this price it’s expected.

Camera: 50MP main camera (f/1.8). The front camera is 8MP. Fine for everyday snaps and video calls however it is not a camera focused phone.

Battery: 5,200mAh.

Storage: 128GB with microSDXC expansion (note: shares the SIM tray slot, so using a memory card means giving up a SIM).

Performance: MediaTek Helio G100 (6nm), 4GB RAM. Handles social media, streaming and messaging without issue. Demanding games will show its limits.

What you give up vs the mid-range picks: 720p screen, no 5G, no wireless charging, no IP rating, single rear camera beyond the token macro lens. All expected at the price.

Best for: A solid first Android, a backup handset, or anyone with a hard budget of under £200 who still wants 120Hz and a large screen.

Price: From £286.80 (128GB)

Cheapest TCL K70 contract on our panel today: £11.95 a month with £0 upfront on TalkMobile (15GB, 24-month), £286.80 over the whole contract for the 128GB model.

How to choose an Android phone

Set a budget first. The biggest performance jumps happen when you move from budget (under £200) to mid-range (£300–£500), not from mid-range to flagship. If you’re spending over £800, you’re mostly paying for the camera system and premium materials, which won’t affect the day-to-day use of the phone.

Check the software update commitment. Google offers 7 years on the Pixel 10 Pro. Samsung offers 6 years on the A57. Motorola has been improving but varies by model. A phone with 3 years of updates is worth less over time and may mean you need to upgrade sooner.

Battery capacity matters, but so does charging speed. A 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging is slower to top up than a 4,500mAh battery with 90W charging. It is worth checking both numbers based on your own needs.

5G is standard across this list, bar the TCL K70. You don’t need to specifically seek it out at mid-range and above as it’s included.