10 Of The Best Android Phones You've Never Heard Of

When it comes to the very best Android phones ever made, a few names will jump out a lot more than others. Brands such as Samsung, HTC, Pixel, and LG have dominated the Android market and found a huge amount of success with their various lines and models. Of course, they are not the only players in town. Unlike Apple's iPhone, Android has an entire array of manufacturers producing smartphones that run on the Android operating system, and many of them aren't names that will necessarily be familiar to customers.

Whether it is because they tend to market their smartphones in specific parts of the world or are simply not as big as some of the major brands, these companies have struggled to reach widespread name recognition. That means the devices that they release may well not be as identifiable — even if they are fully capable of rivaling Samsung when it comes to features and raw power. 

Here's some of the best Android smartphones that you've probably never heard of.

Although folding flip phones were popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they largely fell out of fashion after the candy bar style smartphone became the de facto form factor. However, technology has advanced to the point that touchscreens can now bend without damage, leading to the reintroduction of folding phones. For a while now, Samsung has largely dominated this specific market but other brands have now released decent alternatives. One of the best is the OPPO Find N2 Flip, a little known smartphone manufacturer based in China that has a small but persistent presence in the U.S. flip phone market.

OPPO has already released several folding devices but the OPPO Find N2 Flip is the company's most advanced flip smartphone. Our review of the OPPO Find N2 Flip found that the crease in the screen is hardly noticeable and the hinge seems sturdy, with the manufacturer claiming that it should work for over 400,000 folds and still function correctly. When using the screen while the device is unfolded, the crease is also hard to feel when touching the screen.

With a main 6.8-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, the OPPO Find N2 Flip is comparable with the best folding smartphones on the market in terms of raw specs. It also comes equipped with a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 32MP front camera.

iQoo is another Chinese brand that produces everything from earphones and charging equipment to smartphones. Ultimately, the company is controlled by BBK Electronics, the same corporation that owns Vivo, OPPO, and OnePlus, which means there's plenty of expertise in the group when it comes to creating good Android smartphones.

The iQoo Neo 6 is a smartphone currently priced at around $450 that has many features and pieces of technology you'd expect to find on the most expensive premium smartphones. This includes a 64MP Samsung ISOCELL GW1, which includes an f/1.9 aperture lens and optical image stabilization. There's also a 16MP ultra-wide camera, a 2MP macro lens, and a 16PM selfie camera. Our review of the iQoo Neo 6 noted that it has a rather basic design, something that might appeal to those who want an unobtrusive device.

It also has a IP67 rating, meaning that it is water and dust resistant up to a depth of three feet for 30 minutes. The iQoo Neo 6 only comes equipped with a Snapdragon 870 processor, although this handles the operating system and apps fairly well for the most part. It also lacks the battery life of some other similar smartphones, although the fast charging can mitigate that to some extent.

While Xiaomi has developed a less-than-stellar reputation among some security experts, the company has demonstrated that it is capable of producing great smartphones that are often a fraction of the price of its rivals. The company has released a wide variety of devices but its most famous is the Android-based Xiaomi range, with the 2021 model — the Xiaomi 12 — garnering a positive reception from critics.

The Xiaomi 12 Pro is essentially a larger and more advanced version of the original Xiaomi 12. It has a 6.73 inch AMOLED screen. The SlashGear review of the Xiaomi 12 Pro found that the display works well, with beautifully crisp images that showcases a good contrast between darks and lights even in direct sunlight. In terms of cameras, the device is equipped with a 50MP Sony IMX707 as well as two additional rear 50MP sensors and a front-facing 32MP lens.

The Xiaomi 12 Pro also features four Harman Kardon stereo speakers, a USB-C connection, and an optical fingerprint scanner under the display. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and up to 12GB of RAM and 3GB of virtual memory means that the smartphone is fast and powerful, while a super-fast 120W charging speed means that it can be fully charged in just 20 minutes.

When it comes to the best high-end Android smartphones, people tend to think of the likes of Samsung, Pixel, and Motorola. However, there are plenty of great alternatives, especially for those looking to spend a little less than they would on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The OPPO F11 Pro, launched in 2019, features a 6.5 inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2340. In terms of raw specs, it comes in versions featuring 64GB and 128GB of internal storage and between 4GB and 6GB of RAM. There's a 48MP main rear camera, an additional 5MP lens for wide and added depth, and a 16MP selfie camera.

In SlashGear's review of the OPPO F11 Pro, we felt that the design of the phone rivals that of the very best in the market, looking like anything but a mid-range device. It also comes with some interesting features, such as the front-facing camera that hides away into the smartphone's case when not in use. It also works efficiently, with stable performance and a long-lasting battery.

There are some gripes with the OPPO F11 Pro that might put some people off. For instance, it has no USB-C port and instead uses a micro USB connection for charging. In addition, the camera is only able to record video in 1080p at 30 frames per second. It also is not officially supported in the U.S. as it didn't have a launch in the country. However, if you are able to ignore these issues, then the smartphone is more than worth the price.

Nothing Technology Limited is a rather new player in the consumer electronics market. Set up in the U.K. in 2020 by former OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, the company has since released a number of products. These range from the Ear headphones to its original Nothing Phone. Since then, it has launched the Nothing Phone 2 in 2023 and, in 2024, the company released a budget version of the smartphone in the form of the Nothing Phone (2a).

This smartphone will be very familiar to anyone who has already seen or used one of Nothing's previous models, including the semi-transparent back case that shows off some of the internal workings of the device. As far as specs go, the Nothing Phone (2a) has a 6.7 inch flexible AMOLED screen with 1,300 nits of peak brightness and a variable refresh rate that can be set anywhere from 30Hz to 120Hz. There's also a 5000 mAh battery and a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro processor powering everything, supplemented with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

The SlashGear review of the Nothing Phone (2a) points out that the dual 50MP sensors on the rear of the device, which include a main camera and ultra-wide camera as well as a front-facing 32MP lens, produce decent photographs with plenty of detail and color. The Nothing Phone (2a) also runs on Nothing OS 2.5, essentially a stock build of Android 14 that contains some useful additions such as monochromatic icons and useful folder options.

The Moto G Stylus 5G is an Android device that may well be able to get in the ring with the big guns and manage to hold its own — a fine achievement given it costs less than $400.

Featuring a 6.8 inch FHD LCD display, the screen has a resolution of 2400 x 1080. It also has up to 6GB of RAM, internal storage of up to 256GB and a Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G processor. All of that combines to create a smooth experience without too many hiccups, as noted in the SlashGear review of the Moto G Stylus 5G. For capturing images, the smartphone has four separate sensors, including a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide lens.

Unlike many smartphone styluses, the one that comes with the Moto G Stylus 5G fits snuggly into the case of the device. That means you don't risk losing it or have to carry it separately, all while keeping the stylus in an unobtrusive spot where it won't get in the way. Removing the stylus from the phone automatically launches the note-taking app, allowing you to draw or write, and there is also a quick-select menu that contains apps that are compatible with the stylus. Our review model also has a vegan leather finish, which was pleasantly different from the typical smooth glass or metal surfaces on other smartphones.

Tecno Mobile is not a brand that many people will likely be aware of. The China-based company largely concentrates on producing smartphones and other consumer electronics for emerging markets in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. That means it has not released many of its devices directly to the U.S. or other Western countries. The Tecno Pova 6 Pro 5G is one of the latest devices from the company and is another example of a smartphone that won't have an official U.S. launch, yet it is also an interesting and promising alternative to the main Android manufacturers.

Unlike Tecno's main lineup, the Tecno Pova 6 Pro 5G is not quite a budget phone. It has many features you'd associate more with high-end devices, including up to 12GB of RAM and a 108MP main camera and a 2MP depth sensor, as well as the 32MP front camera. All of these can take relatively decent photographs, with good overall image quality. In terms of its display, the Tecno Pova 6 Pro 5G features a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 2436x1080-pixel resolution.

Other specs include a 6,000 mAh battery that can reach half of its full charge in just 20 minutes of charging. It also has a USB-C port, support for FM radio, a 3.5mm audio jack, and stereo speakers. There's also support for Dolby Atmos and HiRes Audio, as well as a unique gaming-inspired cooling system that uses thermal gel and a heatsink to prevent overheating.

ASUS is a company that is most closely associated with computer equipment, laptops, and PCs, but the brand has dabbled in the smartphone market in recent years and has found some success. That said, ASUS still has a long way to go before it will be able to rival the likes of Samsung in terms of sheer numbers and popularity. That might have changed somewhat with the release of the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro, an Android smartphone developed specifically for mobile gaming.

As you'd expect from this type of device, raw power is important. That's why it comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, an Octa-core CPU, and up to 24GB of RAM. The specs of the smartphone also include between 512GB and 1TB of internal storage and support for NTFS formatted external storage. It also has a LTPO AMOLED 6.78 inch screen that supports HDR10 and has a refresh rate of up to 165Hz in addition to custom LED profiles for the back of the phone through the Armory Crate software.

Still, the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro is not just a gaming phone. As part of ASUS' efforts to appeal to a wide audience, this smartphone is more well-rounded. A triple sensor system on the back of the device includes a 50MP main camera as well as a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 32-megapixel lens with an optical zoom. There's also IP68 dust and water resistance to help ensure it won't come to any harm during normal use.

Outside of the main players in the Android market, the vast majority of alternatives come from Chinese brands such as OnePlus. Established in 2013, OnePlus is a subsidiary of Oppo and that is best known for its flagship smartphones. Starting with the OnePlus One, the company has since released more than a dozen iterations, culminating in the recent OnePlus 12R.

Launched in February 2024, the OnePlus 12R does pretty much everything well. It has a stylish, distinctive design backed up by a solid build quality. Under the hood is a 5,500 mAh battery that can charge with up to 100W, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and up to 256GB of internal storage and 16GB of RAM depending on the model. Combined with a LTPO 129Hz Pro XDR Display and 120Hz refresh, the OnePlus 12R might well be a flagship killer.

The only real drawbacks to this particular model are a lack of wireless charging and limited video recording quality. While these could be deal breakers for some, they'll likely only be minor gripes for the vast majority of users.

Oppo isn't the only game in town when it comes to budget-friendly folding phones, as Honor also has its very own range of folding smartphones. The best of them is undoubtedly the Honor Magic V2 –- a smartphone that was already ultra thin and well-received. Now, Honor has teamed up in a collaboration with luxury car manufacturer Porsche for the Honor Magic V2 Porsche Design Edition.

As you'd expect from a smartphone that takes design cues from Porsche cars, it certainly looks the part and our review of the Honor Magic V2 Porsche Design Edition praised the look and style of the device. What's particularly impressive, though, is that this version of the V2 doesn't feel particularly large despite the fact that it unfolds into quite a large screen and feels very much like a standard smartphone. The display is 7.92 inches with a resolution of 2344x2156, with a LTPO OLED screen and refresh rate of 120Hz.

The impressive specs of the smartphone don't end there. It boasts a 5,000 mAh battery that can be charged at a maximum rate of 66W. Inside, there's a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a staggering 1TB of internal storage. Throw in its light weight and an innovative stylus that allows you to take notes or operate the device hands-free and the Honor V2 is easy to recommend — to anyone who can afford it.