The best Android smartphones in January 2025: top 5

Choosing the best Android smartphone is always difficult, as the market offers a wide range of models for every taste and budget. Based on many years of testing experience, experts have selected the best devices since the beginning of 2025.

Experts from Tom's Guide note that in January, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra became the "undisputed leader" among Android smartphones. This stands out due to innovations based on artificial intelligence, an excellent camera, and high performance.

And for those looking for a more affordable option, OnePlus 13R or Google Pixel 8a will be a great choice. Fans of premium features are advised to check out the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which impresses with its power and mobile photography capabilities.

The best Android smartphones in January 2025:

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

The phone has a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display (3120 x 1440; 1-120 Hz), 12 GB of RAM, and the possibility of expansion: 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB. The smartphone's main camera is 200 MP, and the front camera is 12 MP. The battery can last up to 16 hours without recharging.

In addition, the smartphone focuses on new features powered by artificial intelligence. These Galaxy AI capabilities are practical and easy to use, allowing you to translate in real-time during phone calls when someone speaks another language; automatically summarize and organize your notes; and search for things by simply circling them.

The only drawback of this smartphone is its high price, namely $1299 (almost 55 thousand hryvnias).

Google Pixel 8a

This $499 smartphone (21 thousand hryvnias) offers a 6.1-inch OLED display (2400 x 1080; 120 Hz), 8 GB of RAM (expandable up to 128 GB, 256 GB), a 64 MP main camera and a 13 MP front camera. Its battery can last for 11 hours. Among the disadvantages is that the battery charges slowly.

Experts add that the Google Pixel 8a is a great device that contains "some premium features," including a 120Hz display, wireless charging support, and the same Tensor G3 processor found in the Pixel 8 flagships. It has Magic Editor and Best Take features.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Experts described this smartphone as "the best with artificial intelligence."

It has a 6.8-inch OLED display (1344 x 2992; 120 Hz), 16 GB of RAM, expandable up to 128, 256, 512 GB, and even 1 TB. The main camera has 50 MP, and the front camera has 42 MP. The battery can last up to 14 hours. The Pixel 9 Pro XL is an AI phone that can be beaten with its several useful AI-based features.

"The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the best Android phone that showcases the incredible power of artificial intelligence, from amazingly fast image creation with features like Pixel Studio and Reimagine to easy note-taking and summarizing with Note Assist," Tom's Guide added.

The cost of the smartphone ranges from 36 to 44 thousand hryvnias.

OnePlus 13

This is a powerful Android smartphone that attracts attention with ultra-fast wired charging. Thanks to its 6000 mAh battery, the phone charges 92% in just half an hour, making it an ideal choice for intensive users. It also offers one of the longest battery lives of any phone on the market today.

The smartphone is equipped with a 6.82-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 3168 x 1440 and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The screen is not only bright but also features technologies that provide comfort even in adverse conditions, such as wearing gloves.

OnePlus 13 offers high-quality cameras consisting of three 50-megapixel modules: main, ultra-wide-angle, and telephoto, which are already comparable in quality to the flagships from Samsung and Google. The 32-megapixel front-facing camera also provides excellent selfie shots.

The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and has 12GB or 16GB of RAM with 256GB or 512GB of internal storage.

Despite all the advantages, it is worth paying attention to the limitations: OnePlus promises only four years of full software updates, while competitors offer more. In addition, the price, although lower than Samsung or Google, is slightly higher than previous OnePlus models.

All in all, the OnePlus 13 is an ideal choice for those looking for the best combination of performance, battery life, and price, which ranges from 37 to 44 thousand hryvnias.

Google Pixel 9

This phone is described as "the best affordable flagship in the Pixel series," offering premium features at a starting price of $799 (almost 34 thousand hryvnias). The phone retains the benefits of the more expensive "Pro" models, including innovative AI features such as Add Me, Pixel Studio, and Call Assist, making it attractive to users.

The smartphone is equipped with a 6.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2424, a refresh rate of 60-120 Hz, and improved brightness. This screen is ideal for multimedia viewing and everyday use. The performance is powered by a Tensor G4 processor, which provides better energy efficiency and long battery life.

The Pixel 9 delivers an impressive 13 hours and 18 minutes of battery life, a significant improvement over the Pixel 8. This makes it convenient for those who spend a lot of time without the ability to charge.

The camera system has also been updated. The 50MP (f/1.68) main camera and 48MP (f/1.7) ultra-wide camera provide high-quality images, complemented by advanced processing algorithms. The 10.5 MP front-facing camera is ideal for selfies and video calls.

Google guarantees Pixel 9 with seven years of major Android and security updates, making it a long-term and reliable choice.

Despite all the advantages, the phone has some drawbacks. Its performance in tests is slightly inferior to competitors, and the device comes with Android 14, which may disappoint some users.

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