Best Android phones (February 2017): our picks, plus a giveaway

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

source:androidauthority.com/