If you're in the market for a flagship smartphone in India and are not going the iPhone way, you'd still need to make the decision amongst the bunch of top-of-the-line smartphones, 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 smartphones that you can buy in India right now, and the ones you can't go wrong with.
I debated if I should include the OnePlus 3T in this list. It's loaded in the specs department, offers a fantastic Android experience, and doesn't look too bad. And since it does all that at a fraction of the cost of others on the list, it's hard not to recommend the 3T. However, it does not amaze you with anything particular – except the cost – and once that is taken out of the consideration, like we do for the absolute best, flagship smartphones, the others on this list fare better. As they say in such roundups, the OnePlus 3T is my honorable mention.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL
The Pixel and Pixel XL came out of nowhere and established themselves as the best Android smartphones of 2016.
The design didn't impress many on the first glance, there was only IP53 rating for dust and water resistance – so not as waterproof as Samsung's flagships – and the compulsive high price to position it against the iPhones didn't make a good recipe.
But it was the first phone to ship with Google Assistant, unlimited storage for photos and videos on Google Photos, and Android Nougat out of the box. And then there was the camera – the best smartphone camera in the market at the moment. Under the hood too, it packed a punch with a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, plenty of on-board storage, and long-lasting battery – all in all making for the smoothest, pure Android experience.
If you're in the market for a new flagship Android phone in India and don't mind spending over ₹57,000 ($840) for one, the Pixel or Pixel XL are two of the best Android phones out there. Despite not being perfect, they've got a lot going for them. Did I mention they have the best camera out there?
Specifications
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
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Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
It's not hyperbole to suggest that Samsung brought respect to flagship Android smartphones when the Android smartphones were merely chasing iPhones, the 'best' smartphone for most people back in the day. With the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge in 2015 (and the Galaxy Note 5), Samsung flagships put behind their days of catching up, and stood out on their own.
With the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge now, Samsung brought gorgeous design, arguably the best camera in the business at the time, wireless charging, and dust and waterproof protection. All that with top-of-the-line specifications – Quad HD Super AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, and expandable storage. What else do you want?
The Galaxy S7 Edge looks sexy with the dual edge display and has a definite flaunt value. With a 5.5-inch display, it's also bigger than the Galaxy S7 which sports a 5.1-inch display. If you think that deserves the premium, the Galaxy S7 Edge at ₹50,990 ($750) is an incredible smartphone. If you prefer the compact variant and aren't buying into the edge display gimmick, you really can't go wrong with the Galaxy S7 at ₹43,400 ($640). Great smartphones, not outlandishly expensive now.
Specifications
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
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LG V20
The LG V20 is almost a jack of all trades. Just when you are about to dismiss the plain jane looks, you'll notice the unique Second Screen and the versatility of the smartphone.
It's got everything going for it under the hood like the 5.7-inch Quad HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, as well as plenty of RAM and on-board storage and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Then there's also dual camera, superior audio performance with a Quad DAC and military grade durability that can take random drops without breaking a sweat.
The V20 does a lot of things successfully, yet since there's no marquee highlight, the ₹54,990 ($810) price might keep away a lot of potential customers. However, there's a pair of premium B&O headphones bundled in the box and the slew of features it offers doesn't make it a bad deal at all.
Specifications
- 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
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HTC 10
A lot of people root for HTC, but the last couple of iterations of their flagship smartphones were only hit-and-miss. With the HTC 10, the Taiwanese company has got its groove back.
Sporting the familiar design language, yet uniquely stylish sporting an all-metal chassis, the HTC 10 made its way to this list for being a well-rounded, compact package that after a price-drop is a fine purchase, especially for HTC fans. The 5.2-inch Quad HD display, Snapdragon 820 processor, and 4 GB of RAM match the other flagship smartphones, and the improved camera after the sloppy effort with the HTC One M9 is a welcome amendment.
At ₹47,990 ($705) – and even lower at several retailers, the HTC 10 is a great device with top-of-the-line specs and solid build quality… that's really all that most people are looking for.
Specifications
- 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
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And that's a wrap! What do you think of our list of best smartphones in India? Let us know your favorite device!
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