Best Android One phones: What are your options?

Android One is Google’s platform designed to bring affordable Android phones to the masses, but which are the best Android One phones you can buy?

Originally launched in 2014, with the goal of offering cheap smartphones to emerging markets, Google announced a revamp of the program in 2017. Now, it has expanded worldwide to all markets, including the U.S., with the new goal of third-party OEMs selling Android One phones with a stock version of Android, and the promise of regular OS updates that will span at least two years.

With so many options emerging, it is hard to find the right one, so we have created a list of the Android One phones that are worth your cash.

Best Android One phones:

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best Android One phones regularly as new devices launch.

1. Nokia 9 Pureview

HMD Global has been dedicated in its efforts to make all of its Nokia devices part of the Android One phones program. That includes its newest and most ambitious phone, the Nokia 9 PureView. What makes it unique is its five camera array. All shooters have Carl ZEISS optics and 12MP sensors.

Two of the sensors capture full color photos, while the other three are monochrome sensors that aid with depth, contrast, detail, and exposure. It also uses technology from another partner, Light, so that all five of these sensors can work together to help create some great images with adjustable exposure, and many degrees of adjustable bokeh.

The Nokia 9 PureView has a 5.99 inch OLED display with an in-screen fingerprint sensor. It also has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage, along with a 3,320mAh battery that supports wireless charging. It’s the most expensive Android One phone on the list, but it’s also the most powerful and featured-packed one too.

Nokia 9 Pureview specs:

2. Nokia 7.1

The Nokia 9 Pureview is a bit expensive. For affordability and value we prefer the Nokia 7.1, which currently goes for $299. It has a 5.84-inch display with a 1,080 x 2,280 resolution, along with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, either 3GB or 4GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage.

The device has two rear cameras, with 12MP and 5MP, a single 8MP front-facing camera and a 3,600mAh battery. It launched with Android 8.1 Oreo, but has since been updated to Android 9 Pie.

Nokia 7.1 specs:

3. Motorola One Vision

While the Motorola One and One Power were important for the Android One program, the new Motorola One Vision brings things to another level, especially in terms of design and build. It looks much more refined, and even sports the increasingly common “punch-hole” front camera design.

Specs include an Exynos 9609 processor, 4GB of RAM, 1258GB of storage, and a 3,500mAh battery. It is no powerhouse, but is a capable device with a reasonable mid-range price tag.

Motorola One Vision specs:

4. LG G7 One

The LG G7 One has the same 6.1-inch display as the standard LG G7 ThinQ, and the same 3,000mAh battery, but inside it’s very different.

The LG G7 One has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage — all lower than what you get with the LG G7. You also only get one 16MP camera in the back, and one 8MP front-facing camera. Unfortunately, the phone is tricky to get hold of in many regions, but it is widely available in Canada.

LG G7 One specs:

5. Xiaomi Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite

The Mi A2 has a 6-inch Full HD+ LCD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset inside. It comes in three versions; two with 4GB of RAM with either 32 or 64GB of storage; and one with 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. The phone also comes with 12MP and 20MP dual rear cameras and a 20MP front shooter, and a 3,000mAh battery.

Read more: Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite specs

Meanwhile, the cheaper Mi A2 Lite has a 5.84-inch Full HD+ LCD panel with a 19:9 aspect ratio, with a notch design. Inside there’s a Snapdragon 625 chipset. It comes with either 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage, or 4GB of RAM with 64GB storage. It also has a much bigger 4,000mAh battery, along with a 12MP and 5MP dual rear camera setu, a 5MP front shooter and, unfortunately, a microUSB port for charging.

Xiaomi Mi A2 specs:

Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite specs:

6. Nokia 8.1

The Nokia 8.1 sits pretty between the mid-range smartphone segment and the “flagship killers.” It’s a well-rounded smartphone that tries to punch above the specifications sheet thanks to Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor that aces the performance bit.

The cohesive Android One experience and slick design of the Nokia 8.1 makes it the best Nokia phone since HMD Global brought the brand home. You’d have to look hard to find an issue with this one, really.

Nokia 8.1 specs:

That’s is our look at the current devices that are a part of the Android One phones program. As always, we will update this list when new Android One phones are announced and/or released.

Read more:

• Android One vs stock Android vs Android Go
• Best Android Phones
• Your guide to Android One