Best Android smartphones in India

Best Android phones in India

If you’re in the market for the best smartphone in India and are not going the iPhone way (pretty much why you’re here), you’d still need to make the decision amongst the best Android phones in India, each offering one or two marquee features while offering a well-rounded Android experience. There are some gorgeous looking devices, several powerhouses brimming with features, and few with incredible camera optics leading to a staggering variety of attractive phones.

However, form and function are subjective, and often the specifications sheet or the marketing pitch doesn’t tell you the complete picture. In this roundup, we’re looking at the absolute best Android phones in India right now, and the ones you can’t go wrong with.

Editor’s note: We will update this list regularly as new Android phones in India launch.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus

Samsung took the wraps off of their 2018 flagship offerings at MWC a few days ago. While the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus appear to be quite similar to their predecessors on the surface, there are actually quite a few upgrades and improvements across the board.

While the overall design language remains the same, Samsung has further refined the design and made some much needed changes. By reducing the bezels above and below the display, Samsung has managed to shave 1.2 mm off the height of the Galaxy S9 and 1.4 mm off the Galaxy S9 Plus. The fingerprint sensor is finally at the place where it should have always been below the camera, so you don’t require as much a stretch to unlock the device anymore.

Samsung has also finally decided to focus on an area that has been sorely lacking in the past – audio. The Galaxy S9 devices are the first Samsung smartphones to feature stereo speakers that are tuned by AKG. Samsung also partnered with Dolby to add the Atmos codec to the Galaxy S9 to provide an enhanced, immersive experience.

The Galaxy S9 camera features the same hardware as the Galaxy S8 with a 12 MP super speed dual pixel sensor with OIS. The Galaxy S9 Plus also features the secondary camera found on the Galaxy Note 8, a 12 MP telephoto lens with OIS and f/2.4 aperture. There are a bunch of new features to complement the camera hardware like dual aperture, multi-frame image processing, and 960 fps slo-mo video capture.

This is the first time that there are key differences between the S-series siblings apart from just the screen size. The larger device comes with a dual camera setup on the rear. You also get 6 GB of RAM with the Galaxy S9 Plus, compared to the 4 GB of RAM of the Galaxy S9.

The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are priced at Rs 57,900 and Rs 64,900 respectively for the 64 GB version, while the 256 GB version of the phones are priced at Rs 65,900 and Rs 72,900. Samsung decided to not release the 128 GB iteration in India. However, the phones are still among the best Android phones in India right now.

Specs

5.8-inch (Galaxy S9) and 6.2-inch (Galaxy S9 Plus) Super AMOLED display, 2960 x 1440 resolution
2.8 GHz octa-core Samsung Exynos 8910 Octa processor
Mali-G72 MP18 GPU
4 GB (Galaxy S9) / 6 GB (Galaxy S9 Plus) RAM
64/128/256 GB built-in storage, further expandable via microSD card up to 400 GB
12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front-facing camera (Galaxy S9)
Dual 12 MP + 12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front-facing camera (Galaxy S9 Plus)
3,000 mAh (Galaxy S9) / 3,500 mAh (Galaxy S9 Plus) battery
Android 8.0 Oreo
147.7 x 68.7 x 8.5 mm, 163 grams (Galaxy S9)
158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm, 189 grams (Galaxy S9 Plus)

Buy the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus now

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

After a controversial 2016, Samsung needed something special to re-establish its Galaxy Note line as the powerhouse it previously was. With top-of-the-line specs, a stunning design, an all-new dual-camera setup, and new software features, the Galaxy Note 8 certainly delivered, and is one of the best Android phones you can buy right now.

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. Samsung puts that huge display to good use as well, with a new App Pairing feature that allows you to open up two favorited apps in multi-window at the same time.

Many consider the Galaxy Note 8 to be nothing more than an Galaxy S8 Plus with a S-Pen, but that stylus does make all the difference. There are a few new S Pen features added to its already robust list of capabilities, and anyone who has gotten accustomed to using stylus will consider the Galaxy Note 8 to be a must buy only because of the inclusion of the S-Pen.

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

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is available in Maple Gold and Midnight Black from Amazon, with a price point of Rs 67,900. It is without a doubt one of the best Android phones in India.

Specs

6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 resolution
2.3 GHz octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa processor
Mali-G71 M20 GPU
6 GB RAM
64/128/256 GB built-in storage, further expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB
12 MP + 12 MP dual rear cameras, 8 MP front-facing camera
3,300 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 Nougat, upgradable to Android 8.0 Oreo
162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm, 195 grams

Buy the Galaxy Note 8 now

LG V30 Plus

The LG V30, released as the V30 Plus in India, is one of the most underrated smartphones of 2017. The phone offers everything you’d expect from last year’s flagships and more, like a large display with a 18:9 aspect ratio, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 under the hood, and excellent audio and camera features.

LG managed to further refine the design of their V-series smartphones to provide a great looking device without any compromise in protection. The LG V30 Plus retains the MIL-STD 810G rating for shock resistance while not looking like a rugged phone, and the you also get an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

The LG V30 Plus earns its moniker because of the fact that it comes with 128 GB of built-in storage, double what is available with the regular V30, and there are no other differences between the two phones.

The phone comes with a dual rear camera setup that is loaded with features. You get a manual mode that is one of the best around, and the slew of video recording features makes it a joy to capture video with this phone. Audiophiles should also be happy with the LG V30, as it has support for Hi-Fi Quad DAC tuned by B&O Play. It is also the first smartphone to support MQA, which is supposed to let users stream high-res audio, but with a smaller file size and no loss in quality.

The LG V30 Plus is also one of the more affordable options on this list and definitely worth considering. Available color options include black, silver, blue, and violet, and the phone is priced at Rs 44,990. It’s a worthy choice for one of the best Android phones in India.

Specs

6-inch P-OLED display with 2880 x 1440 resolution
2.45 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
Adreno 540 GPU
4 GB RAM
128 GB built-in storage, further expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB
16 MP + 13 MP dual rear cameras, 5 MP front-facing camera
3,300 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
151.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm, 158 grams

Buy the LG V30 Plus now

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are Google’s latest flagship smartphones and they are great at just about everything. These phones don’t have as many bells or whistles as devices like the Galaxy Note 8 or LG V30 Plus, but if you’re in the market for a simple Android phone, the Pixel 2’s are a great option.

The smaller Pixel 2 comes with a 5-inch OLED 1080p display with a pixel density of 441 ppi. If you’re looking for a larger screen, higher resolution display, and the 18:9 aspect ratio that is increasingly commonplace now, you’ll have to opt for the Pixel 2 XL instead. Everything under the hood remains the same between the two smartphones though, with the battery capacity the exception.

If you like taking photos with your phone, you’ll be very pleased with the Pixel 2’s 12.2 MP camera. Not only has it been named the smartphone camera 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.

The Pixel 2 XL is a really good phone too, but it has unfortunately been plagued with issues since the launch, mainly with regards to the display. It isn’t bad by any means and Google is continuously addressing these issues with software updates. You may not get the vibrancy of the Galaxy Note 8, but for everything else, these phones are great. The software experience is excellent, the dual front-facing stereo speakers shine, and everything runs as smoothly as you’d expect. Plus, the promise of timely software updates and the availability of the latest Android versions are a huge positive.

If you want a Pixel phone with a larger battery and can live with a mediocre display, we’d recommend going for the Pixel 2 XL—you’ll be very happy. But if you can live with a smaller battery and a smaller screen (that doesn’t have any issues), we’d recommend the Pixel 2. These phones are expensive though, with the Pixel 2 priced starting at Rs 52,999, while the Pixel 2 XL starts at Rs 61,999. Both are among the best Android phones in India.

Specs

5-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution (Pixel 2)
6-inch P-OLED display with 2880 x 1440 resolution (Pixel 2 XL)
2.35 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
Adreno 540 GPU
4 GB RAM
64/128 GB built-in storage, not expandable
12.2 MP rear camera, 8 MP front-facing camera
2,700 mAh battery (Pixel 2)
3,520 mAh battery (Pixel 2 XL)
Android 8.0 Oreo
145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm, 143 grams (Pixel 2)
157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm, 175 grams (Pixel 2 XL)

Buy the PIxel 2 and Pixel 2 XL now

HTC U11 Plus

The U11 is a good phone, but HTC takes things to a whole new level with the HTC U11 Plus that the company launched late last year in India. Like the LG V30 Plus, the HTC U11 Plus deserves a lot more attention that it has received and is one of the most underrated smartphones of 2017.

HTC got with the times to offer a beautiful 6-inch display with a Quad HD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. You get everything you’d expect from a 2017 flagship, like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 under the hood, backed by 6 GB of RAM, and a large 3,930 mAh battery that provides an impressive battery life.

Of course, beyond the standard flagship specifications, the U11 Plus also brings it with everything that HTC is known for. HTC has worked hard to get their camera up to the mark and the 12 MP rear shooter of the U11 Plus gives other flagship smartphones a run for their money. The audio experience is unmatched, either via the stereo BoomSound speakers or through the excellent HTC USonic USB-C earbuds.

The Edge Sense feature, that lets you squeeze the phone to launch an app or perform certain functions, definitely grows on you and it quickly becomes second nature to squeeze the device to get something done. The U11 Plus also goes all out as far as on-board assistants are concerned, with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa supported.

The HTC U11 Plus is available exclusively on Flipkart and is currently priced at Rs 56,900 and is a excellent choice for our best Android phones in India list.

Specs

6-inch SuperLCD 6 display with 2880 x 1440 resolution
2.45 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
Adreno 540 GPU
6 GB RAM
128 GB built-in storage, further expandable via microSD card up to 256 GB
12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front-facing camera
3,930 mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo
158.5 x 74.9 x 8.5 mm, 186 grams

Buy the HTC U11 Plus now

OnePlus 5T

OnePlus is becoming one of the best values in smartphones, and the OnePlus 5T exemplifies that trend. In terms of sheer bang for the buck, the OnePlus 5T has it all – 18:9 aspect ratio on the 6.01-inch screen, Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 64 GB of onboard storage. If you want even more out of your phone, there is also a version which gives you a whopping 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage.

The cameras, front and back, will give you incredible shots. You can capture smooth video in 4K and get great low light shots. The phone also includes dash charging, which gives you a day’s power in just 30 minutes of charging.

Add all that up and you have a phone that is worth every bit of its price while still managing to undercut all of its flagship competition. The OnePlus 5T is priced at just Rs 32,999, while the version with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB storage will set you back an additional Rs 5,000. It’s still one of the best Android phones in India.

Specs

6.01-inch AMOLED display with 1080 x 2160 resolution
Snapdragon 835 processor
Adreno 540 GPU
6/8 GB RAM
64/128 GB built-in storage
Dual SIM (dual standby)
20 MP + 16 MP rear camera, 16 MP front-facing cameras
3,300 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 upgradable to 8.0
156.1 x 75 x 7.3 mm, 162 grams

Buy the OnePlus 5T now

Best Android phones in India – Even more options!

We’re just scratching the surface! Whether you’re looking specifically for Indian phone brands, phones under RS 10,000, under RS 30,000, and anything in between — we have a guide for you.

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