The best Snapdragon 855 phones you can still get

The Snapdragon 855 isn’t the latest or greatest chipset in Qualcomm’s lineup and hasn’t been for a while, but it is still a powerful one. Because these devices are now older, they come with a much friendlier price tag. If you’re in the market for a Snapdragon 855 phone, this is the post for you — you’ll find the best ones below.

The best Snapdragon 855 phones:

Editor’s note: We will update this list of the best Snapdragon 855 phones regularly as new devices launch.

Samsung Galaxy S10 series

The Galaxy S10 phones were aimed at demanding users, packing the Snapdragon 855 chipset under the hood (Exynos 9820 Octa in some regions), with up to 12GB of RAM. The Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus offer almost identical specs, with a few differences. The Plus model has a larger display, a bigger battery, and two cameras on the front (instead of one).

Both sport a triple-camera setup at the back, with an IP68 rating, expandable storage, and wireless charging. There’s even a headphone jack on board. They also feature an in-display fingerprint scanner and a punch-hole display with curved edges.

Also read: The best Samsung phones for all types of users

The Galaxy S10e offers the least of the trio, sporting the smallest display at 5.8-inches with Full HD+ resolution instead of the QHD+ you get with its bigger brothers. The phone has two cameras at the back and sports a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It’s the cheapest Galaxy S10 phone you can get — check out the prices via the button below.

Samsung Galaxy S10e specs:

Samsung Galaxy S10 specs:

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus specs:

ASUS Zenfone 6

There are a couple of reasons that make the ASUS Zenfone 6 a great device. The handset offered flagship specs at a mid-range price tag. It also packs a large 5,000mAh battery and runs a near-stock version of Android.

Another interesting feature is its flip-up camera. This design approach allowed ASUS to create a phone without a notch or a punch-hole for the camera, giving the Zenfone 6 a high screen-to-body ratio.

Of course, the low price tag means ASUS had to cut a few corners. The phone doesn’t support wireless charging, has an LCD screen instead of the OLED one found on most high-end phones, and isn’t resistant to water. Yet, it’s still one of the best Snapdragon 855 phones you can currently buy.

ASUS Zenfone 6 specs:

OnePlus 7 series

The OnePlus 7 Pro features high-end specs, a fantastic 90Hz OLED display, and even a pop-up selfie camera in place of a display notch. Not only is it a big step up from the OnePlus 6T and the vanilla OnePlus 7, it even had some of us thinking of ditching the Pixel for it.

We shouldn’t discount the OnePlus 7 either. It offers excellent value for money if you can overlook the notch. Its specs are almost as impressive as those of its Pro counterpart. However, it’s hard to get it new, since it’s a bit older. Used models are readily available, though.

More: These are the best budget phones currently available

All in all, the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro are great phones, but it’s worth noting that they aren’t the latest ones in OnePlus’ lineup. That title goes to the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, or the OnePlus 10 Pro if you’re in China. Of course, those didn’t make this list since they are powered by newer chipsets.

OnePlus 7 specs:

OnePlus 7 Pro specs:

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series

The Galaxy Note 10 phones not only have a premium design, but they also pack powerful specs. The Note 10 offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the Galaxy Note 10 Plus has a whopping 12GB of RAM and 256 or 512GB of storage. In the US and China, they also sport Qualcomm’s older high-end processor — the Snapdragon 855.

Both phones feature powerful triple rear cameras (the Plus model also has a ToF sensor) with impressive quality, along with large batteries, wireless and reverse wireless charging, IP68 water resistance, and more. Even the S Pen has some new and improved features like gesture controls and converting handwriting into text. These features combined make the Note 10 series one of the top contenders for the best Snapdragon 855 phones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 specs:

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus specs:

Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro

The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, also known as the Redmi K20 Pro in some regions, is undoubtedly one of Xiaomi’s best phones released to date. It is an affordable handset with top-notch specs.

Also: Check out these gaming phones if you want true performance

The Mi 9T Pro sports not only the Snapdragon 855, but also 6GB or 8GB of RAM and either 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of storage. It comes with a triple rear camera setup, with wide, ultrawide, and telephoto sensors. But its highlight feature is the motorized pop-up selfie camera, which eliminates the need for pesky notches or punch holes in the display.

Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro specs:

ZTE Axon 10 Pro

ZTE might not be a big name in Western markets, but that doesn’t mean it makes bad phones. The Axon 10 Pro has plenty to offer, including an eye-catching design and high-end specs. You get the Snapdragon 855 chipset, three rear cameras, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

The base version of ZTE’s flagship comes with 128GB of storage, but a 256GB model is also available, and that one can have either 8GB or 12GB of RAM. The microSD card slot allows you to expand the storage for an additional 1TB, which is more than enough for most users.

The phone has a large 6.47-inch display with curved edges and offers a near-stock Android experience. The battery life is great thanks to its 4,000mAh cell, which also supports wireless charging. All these things combined make the Axon 10 Pro one of the best phones with a Snapdragon 855 chipset on the market.

ZTE Axon 10 Pro specs:

OPPO Reno 10x Zoom

What do you do when everyone starts to go the pop-up selfie camera route? You start to play around with cool new implementations. OPPO is no stranger to the pop-up camera, and the unique shark fin design certainly stands out in an ever-growing crowd.

Related: The best phones for selfies

It’s not just about aesthetics, either. The OPPO Reno 10x Zoom is a powerhouse in its own right, featuring all the specs we’ve come to expect from a 2019 flagship. Not to be outdone in the camera department, you also get a triple rear camera with the OPPO Reno 10x Zoom, including a telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and up to 10x hybrid zoom that gives the phone its name. Housed in the shark fin pop-up is the front-facing camera.

The OPPO Reno 10x Zoom also found its place on the affordable flagship list and took on the likes of OnePlus and ASUS with a great price-performance ratio.

OPPO Reno 10x Zoom specs:

LG G8X ThinQ

The next model on our list of the best Snapdragon 855 phones is the LG G8X ThinQ. It’s a great choice for music lovers, as it sports a headphone jack and a Hi-Fi Quad DAC for an improved audio experience.

One of the things that make it stand out is the Dual Screen accessory, which adds a secondary screen to the device. It’s the same as the main display, meaning it measures 6.4 inches and offers Full HD+ resolution. It even has a notch, although it’s just for looks, as it lacks a selfie camera.

Next: A whole new breed of foldable and dual-screen phones

Other specs and features of the LG G8X include an in-display fingerprint scanner, wireless charging, and an IP68 rating for protection against water and dust. The phone also has stereo speakers and a 4,000mAh battery.

LG G8X ThinQ specs:

Sony Xperia 1 and 5

The Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 are very similar phones, both packing the Snapdragon 855 chipset under the hood. The latter is the more recent of the two and comes with a 6.1-inch Full HD+ display, 6GB of RAM, and three 12MP cameras at the back. It’s IP68 rated for protection against water and dust and supports expandable storage. There’s also a side-mounted fingerprint scanner on board.

The Sony Xperia 1 sports a larger display at 6.5 inches with 4K resolution. Due to its bigger footprint, it also has a slightly larger battery (3,330mAh vs. 3,140mAh). Most of the other specs and features, including the RAM and cameras, are the same as those of the Xperia 5.

Sony Xperia 1 specs:

Sony Xperia 5 specs:

Are you not convinced by these Snapdragon 855 phones? They are great, but are getting old by now. Maybe you want something newer, in which case you’re better off taking a look at our list of the best overall Android phones.