Best Android phones (December 2016): our picks, plus a giveaway

With Android thoroughly dominating the mobile industry, picking the best Android smartphones is almost synonymous with choosing the best smartphones, period. But 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 “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 you can’t go wrong with.

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Editor’s note: We will be updating this list regularly as new devices launch.

Update, December 2016: We made no changes to our list this month.

Google Pixel and Pixel XL

Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL are here, and they truly are some amazing smartphones.

Not only are they the first phones to ship with the Google Assistant on board, they also come with plenty of exclusive software features and some of the best smartphone cameras in existence.

Under the hood, they sport some killer specs, too. Both devices have an AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of on-board storage and long-lasting batteries. The overall design of these phones may not be the most unique, but they do feel like premium phones through and through.

There are a few things about these phones that will turn some people away, though. For starters, they only sport an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning they’re not nearly as waterproof as the Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. There are ways around that, but none that will make the devices truly waterproof. Plus, if you buy the Verizon model, you’ll have to deal with a small amount of bloatware (though you will be able to uninstall it), you won’t be able to unlock the bootloader, and Verizon will be handling all Pixel and Pixel XL software updates (though the company swears it won’t delay them).

If you’re in the market for a new flagship Android phone and don’t mind spending over $650, you should buy the Pixel or Pixel XL… these are two of the best Android phones out there.

Specs

Google Pixel

5.0-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
4GB of RAM
32/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
12.3MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 2,770mAh battery
Android 7.1 Nougat
143.8 x 69.5 x 8.6mm, 143g

Google Pixel XL

5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor
4GB of RAM
32/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
12.3MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
Non-removable 3,450mAh battery
Android 7.1 Nougat
154.7 x 75.7 x 8.6mm, 168g

Buy now from the Google Store

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Samsung did a killer job with their 2015 flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Design-wise, many would say those two phones were close to perfect. The company forwent a plastic design and instead included glass front and back panels with an aluminum frame. They weren’t without their flaws, though. The S6 and S6 Edge didn’t offer expandable storage or removable batteries — two features Samsung has been known to include in all its smartphones for years.

Now the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have made their way to the masses, and they fix many of the problems the S6 line introduced last year. While they don’t offer removable batteries, Samsung included expandable storage on both handsets in case the 32 GB of on-board storage isn’t enough. Samsung mostly stuck to the same design this time around, though they did shrink down the camera bumps on the back and made the devices a little thicker to make room for larger batteries.

In terms of specs, these are top-of-the-line smartphones. They come with Quad HD Super AMOLED displays, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processors, 4 GB of RAM, great 12 MP rear-facing cameras and run the latest version of Android. Instead of featuring the same screen sizes this time around though, Samsung kept the S7 at a smaller 5.1 inches, while the S7 Edge has been bumped up to a larger 5.5-inch panel.

Seriously, these are some incredible smartphones. They are a little pricey, but all in all, we think the high asking price is worth it.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S7

5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 577 ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4 GB of RAM
32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3000 mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm, 152 g

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534 ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4 GB of RAM
32 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200 GB
12 MP rear camera, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3600 mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm, 157 g

Buy Galaxy S7 at Amazon Buy Galaxy S7 edge at Amazon

LG V20

The V20 is basically the phone for power users. It has a a big Quad HD display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor, plenty of RAM and on-board storage, dual 16MP rear-facing cameras, and a removable 3,200mAh battery. Of course, the unique Second Screen makes a return this year, along with the addition of Quad DAC, military standard durability, and it’s already running Android 7.0 Nougat.

If top-of-the-line specs and an impressive feature set is what you’re looking for, you can’t go wrong with the V20.

Specs

5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 513ppi
- Secondary display: 2.1-inch IPS LCD display with 160 x 1040 resolution, 513 ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
Dual 16 and 8MP rear cameras, 5MP front camera
Removable 3,200mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
159.7 x 78.1 x 7.6mm, 174g

Buy now from Amazon

Moto Z and Moto Z Force

Motorola (well, Lenovo actually) is doing something different with their flagship phones this year. Instead of releasing just one flagship under the Moto X moniker, they’ve decided to release two new smartphones that do things a bit out of the ordinary. The Moto Z and Moto Z Force not only bring flagship-level specs, but also support for modules.

These modules, called Moto Mods, attach to the back of both phones via magnets. There are only a few available right now, but they actually bring some handy features to the phones. You can purchase an external battery module, a powerful speaker, and even a projector!

They both have killer specs, too. Both devices come with a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of on-board storage, expandable memory, and run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. You might be wondering – what’s the difference between these two phones? The standard Moto Z is super thin at only 5.2mm in thickness, but it only comes with a 2600mAh battery. The Moto Z Force is thicker, has a 3500mAh battery, and also has a shatterproof display.

These aren’t the cheapest phones on the market, but they’re certainly some of the best.

Specs

Moto Z

5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 535ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 2600mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
153.3 x 75.3 x 5.2mm, 136g

Moto Z Force

5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 535ppi
Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
21MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 3500mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
155.9 x 75.8 x 7mm, 163g

Buy the Moto Z from Amazon Buy the Moto Z Force from Amazon

ZTE Axon 7

ZTE’s Axon Pro from 2015 was a good phone, but it fell short in a few key areas. It came to market with only one storage option, no expandable memory, and the dual camera setup on the back of the device felt a bit gimmicky. Not only does the company’s latest flagship fix all of those problems, it brings much more to the table.

It has a big 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display, the latest Snapdragon processor, plenty of RAM, multiple storage options, and yes, expandable memory up to 256GB. It also sports some killer front-facing speakers, all-day battery life, a great camera, and a sleek, attractive design. While certain parts of the software could use a little more polish, the ZTE Axon 7 goes toe-to-toe with the best in the Android market. It’s also inexpensive at only $400, making this an even more attractive option for folks looking to score a solid flagship device.

Specs

5.5-inch AMOLED display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 538ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4/6GB of RAM
64/128GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256GB
20MP front camera, 8MP rear camera
Non-removable 3250mAh battery
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
151.7 x 75 x 7.9mm, 175g

Buy at Amazon

HTC 10

HTC needed a saving grace this year, and the 10 just may be it. The Taiwanese company finally designed a phone that’s different enough from its predecessor yet still sports a familiar design language. With an all-metal chassis, front-mounted fingerprint sensor and a new-and-improved speaker setup, the HTC 10 easily made its way to our best Android phones list.

Under the hood, the 10 comes with some killer specs. A 5.2-inch Quad HD display, Snapdragon 820 processor and 4 GB of RAM are in line with most other flagships this year, and it also comes with expandable storage up to 200 GB and a 3000 mAh battery that will have no problems lasting an entire day on a single charge. HTC also improved the camera this time around, which was a big flaw in last year’s One M9 flagship.

All in all, the HTC 10 is an awesome device. Great specs and a solid build quality are what you’ll get here… what more could you ask for?

Specs

5.2-inch Super LCD5 display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 565ppi
2.15GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32/64GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200GB
12MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
Non-removable 3000mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
145.9 x 71.9 x 9mm, 161g

Buy now from Amazon

LG G5

While the Galaxy S7 series is a minor refresh in terms of design, the LG G5 sees a massive departure from the design language used in the G series, ditching the rear volume/power setup that first debuted with the LG G2. The G5 also adopts a unibody metallic design that has a removable cap for access to the removable battery and a port for modules that allow users to expand the phone’s capabilities by adding a camera grip and other special accessories.

The distinctly different design of the LG G5 may not be for everyone, but there’s little denying that LG has went out of its way to try and innovate in a market where big changes like this aren’t all that common.

Spec wise, we’re looking at a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 with 4 GB RAM, a 5.3-inch display, and 32 GB storage with microSD for expansion. The specs here are certainly impressive all across the board. It’s also worth mentioning that LG has revamped its software, making it faster and less bloated. One controversial move with the software, however, is the removal of the app drawer in favor of what LG says is a “simplified experience.”

Specs

5.3-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 554ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
4GB of RAM
32GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 200GB
16 and 8MP dual rear cameras, 8MP front camera
Removable 2800mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7mm, 159g

Buy at Amazon

Cast your vote, and participate in our giveaway!

There you have it – our picks from the best Android has to offer right now. Out of those listed, which do you feel is the very best? 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, November 2016: Google Pixel XL (14,067 total votes)

Congratulations to Mart L. from the Netherlands, the winner of our November 2016 giveaway!

Best Android Phone (December 2016)

Check out our related best lists:

Google Pixel and Pixel XL

Specs

Read more

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Specs

Read more

LG V20

Specs

Read more

Moto Z and Moto Z Force

Specs

Read more

ZTE Axon 7

Specs

Read more

HTC 10

Specs

Read more

LG G5

Specs

Read more

Cast your vote, and participate in our giveaway!

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