Mobile Technology

The best Android phones you can buy today

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Gizmag takes a look at the best Android smartphones you can buy in early 2015
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The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
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Nexus 6
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Galaxy Note 4
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Moto X (2014)
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Moto G (2014)
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LG G3
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HTC One M9
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LG G Flex 2
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Gizmag takes a look at the best Android smartphones you can buy in early 2015
Will Shanklin/Gizmag
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With Google I/O coming up this week, perhaps you have Android on the brain and are thinking about snagging a new handset? Let's take a quick look at some of the top Android phones you can buy today.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge

The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
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The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge have an Apple-like level of premium craftsmanship, along with cutting-edge specs across the board. Their razor-sharp displays are the best we've seen, performance is unusually snappy and their cameras fire up incredibly fast.

There are phones with bigger screens (some much bigger), but if you're shopping for an Android phone in the 5-inch range, these are by far your best bets.

Galaxy S6 review

Galaxy S6 edge review

Google/Motorola Nexus 6

Nexus 6
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Android is a versatile operating system that OEMs can shape to their liking, but Nexus devices are where you get Google's purest version. The Nexus 6 gives you an enormous 5.96-in display, sharp Quad HD resolution and stock Lollipop with no manufacturer skins in sight.

Nexus 6 review

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Galaxy Note 4
Will Shanklin/Gizmag

Though the Note 4 is nearly nine months old, it's still one of the best all-around handsets you can buy, with its big (but not absurdly big) 5.7-in screen – along with Samsung's S Pen to give it more of a PDA feel.

Galaxy Note 4 review

Moto X (2nd-generation)

Moto X (2014)
Eric Mack/Gizmag

If you want a stock Android experience with a more middle-of-the-road screen size, then the 5.2-in Moto X is a great choice. Motorola's customizations to Lollipop are minimal (and generally useful), and you can order the phone in a variety of colors and build materials – including natural leather and wood finishes.

Moto X (2014) review

Moto G (2nd-generation)

Moto G (2014)
Eric Mack/Gizmag

The Moto G is less about being "the best" and more about being a terrific value. For US$180 full retail, you get a (nearly) stock Android phone with decent enough specs to provide a rock-solid user experience.

Moto G (2014) review

LG G3

LG G3
Will Shanklin/Gizmag

The LG G3 is about to be replaced by the improved G4, but since that model isn't yet available in the US, we found room on our list for last year's model. The G3 was the first major flagship with a Quad HD display (which still looks outstanding by today's standards) and has a great camera with laser-based autofocusing.

The best part is that, due to its age, you can now buy the LG G3 unlocked and off-contract on Amazon for $340. Considering some of the phones on this list will cost nearly twice that, this is an aging phone that's still worth considering.

LG G3 review

HTC One M9

HTC One M9
Will Shanklin/Gizmag

In years past, HTC's flagships would have been near the top of this list, but the company disappointed us with its latest minor update, the One M9. While it's a beautiful phone with the most aggressive smartphone warranty we've seen, it stood pat in too many areas to keep up with its more aggressive competitors.

HTC One M9 review

LG G Flex 2

LG G Flex 2
Will Shanklin/Gizmag

We weren't enamored with the G Flex 2's banana-shaped curve, but it's still a solid all-around phone that feels comfortable in hand. Its somewhat cheap-feeling plastic build and last-gen pixel density hold it back a bit, but if you're looking for something different, it can make for a solid purchase.

LG G Flex 2 review

If you want to break down the features specs of many of these phones (and add a few more to the mix) you can check out Gizmag's latest Smartphone Comparison Guide.

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7 comments
Volodymyr Lisivka
No hardware keyboard. :-(
I bought Moto G, but I still use Motorola Droid4.
iperov
no thx, China's phone on MTK are best
Bob Flint
Fricken Lolipop OS
overbyte
The Samsung Galaxy S6 doesn't have a user-removable battery. The S5 does, which is important to me because I may be "off-grid" on camping trips so having an extra battery to swap in will extend the usable time between re-chargings. I went with the S5. It works great and has very low battery drain while on standby. I added a microSD card, so it has plenty of storage.
Dave Andrews
Ironically, it's the "Apple-like level of premium craftsmanship" that will keep me from upgrading to a G6. My G5 has a removable back so I can remove/replace the battery as needed and a slot for a Micro SD card, with which I quadruple the memory very inexpensively.
For these reasons, I did not upgrade my G5 to a G6 when they came out (after having owned the G2 - G5) and will not be continuing with the line.
charlieFreak
Me too, Volodymyr! I'm still using a Motorola Pro Plus. Can't believe no manufacturer now makes an Android with a keyboard. There must be a lot of us out there who would buy one if we could.
Chanoch
I can't believe you haven't mentioned any Sony phones. High quality, high performance, good camera, look great and they keep updating the OS on devices that I've had for a couple of years. Can't be beaten