Best Android phones in the Middle East for 2019: which should you buy?

If you're looking out for the best Android phone you can buy, this is the place to be, as we've put all the biggest and best Google-powered handsets through their paces to come up with this rundown of all the best Android smartphones.

If you're an Android fan, you'll certainly appreciate the key way in which Android is hugely different from its Apple-branded smartphone competition – the sheer number of devices out there running Google's mobile operating system (OS).

Best smartphone: the top phones we've tested
Best affordable phones: head here if don't want to spend thousands

The big names are all here. The many variations in screen size, processor power, software features and design makes finding the best Android phone for you extremely tough.

If you're keen to part your money on a new phone, though, it may be worth holding on to your cash for just a tiny while longer. With 2019 over soon, this could end up being our list of the best Android phones of the year, unless there are new surprises in store.

So which of these Android phones give the new iPhone a run for its money, or even top it? Will the new Android phones of 2020, like the Samsung Galaxy S11, Huawei P40 and more, work their way into the list? Only time will tell.

To help find the most fitting Android phone for you, we've rounded up the best Android handsets out there today, rating the phones on hardware performance, OS upgrade potential and, of course, how shiny and nice they are to have and boast about to work colleagues.

So here they are - the best Android phones money can buy today.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus is the best that Samsung currently has to offer and is on top our list of the best Android phones, even with its huge price tag.

There's a lot to love in Samsung's Note phablet, from its beautiful 6.8-inch screen to the powerful selfie camera and the S Pen stylus which transforms your smartphone experience.

Sure, the cameras aren't as good as the Huawei P30 Pro, and the body leaves a bit to be desired with its huge frame and slippery design, but this is still a great smartphone if you can stomach the price.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus review

If the Galaxy Note 10 is too expensive for you, the Samsung Galaxy S10 and the S10 Plus are the next best Android phones you can buy right now, packing the best of what Samsung has to offer.

The Plus, in particular, is a big phone that's designed for big hands - and it takes the very best of what's on the smartphone market and puts it together in a compelling package that we've loved testing.

The Super AMOLED display has been measured as the very best around, with super colours, plus there's a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display.

Battery life is an improvement over the S9 Plus, thanks to the larger battery inside, and you also get Samsung's new Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to wirelessly charge other devices on the rear of the handset.

The trio of cameras on the rear of the Galaxy S10 Plus are among the best on the market, offering more features, shooting modes and overall clarity.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 review
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review

The Huawei P30 Pro could be the best Android phone we've used when it comes to photography. Its 5x and 10x zoom capabilities are staggeringly good. It also performs fantastically well in low light.

For those who really want to get up close to their subject, the P30 Pro also offers a 50x digital zoom, and although quality is reduced it's still impressive.

You also get plenty of power under the hood, an in-display fingerprint scanner, premium design and wireless charging with the ability to wireless charge other devices from the back of the P30 Pro.

It's a top, top Android phone and only narrowly misses out on top spot due to the Galaxy S10 Plus' overall slicker and more rounded smartphone experience.

Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review

Many of the top Android phones on this list are plus-sized versions, or premium handsets, but the OnePlus 7T is neither; it's just a great Android phone that's made its way onto this list because of its great features and a fantastic price.

There are three powerful rear cameras, a beautiful AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate (which is almost unheard of at its price point) and you get an all-around impressive user experience when you're using it.

It's not going to blow you away when you put it head-to-head against any of the other smartphones on this list, except in one regard: price. The OnePlus 7T is supremely affordable, and so it's worth picking up if you want a phone on this list yet can't afford the huge monsters that precede it.

Read more: OnePlus 7T review

While the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is beaten in many ways by the Note 10 Plus, earlier on this list, the Note 10 Plus does have a way higher price too.

The 'basic' Galaxy Note 10 loses a rear camera from its bigger sibling, and has a lower res display less RAM so it's not exactly as powerful in a few ways. Neither of those puts a significant dent to the Note experience but the lower battery capacity doesn't make the Note last all day.

At its core though, the Galaxy Note 10 is the same device as the one sitting at our third slot on this list, with an S Pen stylus, good-looking design, and all of Samsung's software, so if the price of the Note 10 Plus puts you off, this is a great alternative.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 review

What's this? Another Huawei phone in the top ten? Your eyes do not deceive you, the Huawei P30 really is one of the best Android phone rundown.

It has a smaller screen than the P30 Pro, and makes do with just the three rear cameras (rather than four) and a maximum zoom of 30x, but it's still a great Android phone.

There's heaps of power, a handy headphone jack (something the Pro can't boast) and a more manageable form factor for one-handed use. And of course, it's a little cheaper too.

Read our full Huawei P30 review

Like the look of the new S10 and S10 Plus, but not a fan of their lofty price tags? Well fear not, as Samsung has catered for you with the Galaxy S10e, which is our favorite one-handed Android phone.

The Galaxy S10e has many of the flagship features of its pricier siblings, while offering a more palm-friendly size and a few compromises to help keep the cost down.

It’s hard not to recommend the S10e to anyone who prefers a smaller phone. This smartphone is for folks who want to text and browse apps one-handed without compromising performance.

Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10e review

This is the first time a smartphone from Oppo has made the cut for our best Android phones list – but the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom deserves its place, with a phone that's as powerful as it is novel.

With three powerful cameras that facilitate up to 10x hybrid zoom and 60x digital zoom, as well as a range of fantastic modes to enhance your photography, the Reno 10x Zoom is one of the best non-Huawei phones for photography. It also has a great design, and it stands out from other Android devices.

The pop-up selfie camera is one of the most intriguing features though, as it's a novel solution to the front-facing-camera problem that pops up in a 'shark-fin' form. It's a unique look that means the Reno 10x Zoom stands out from the crowd.

The handset isn't higher on this list because there are a few issues with it, like the heavy weight, questionable UI and because the name is a little misleading (as it suggests there's 10x optical zoom, not hybrid). Still the device should be one of your first inquiries if you're looking for a great camera phone without breaking the bank.

Read more: Oppo Reno 10x Zoom review

OnePlus is a Chinese manufacturer that's been making better and better phones, and this is its second handset that's got into our top Android phones list, after the OnePlus 7 Pro. The 7T Pro is a small step up over that handset, but a small step up over a great handset is still a good thing.

The OnePlus 7T Pro has an impressive rear camera array and a front snapper housed in a pop-up section. It also has a beautiful 90Hz display, that makes gaming and scrolling through social media that much more enjoyable.

Sure, OnePlus have yet to introduce useful technologies into its phones like wireless charging, and the camera isn't as good as some of the others higher on this list, but it's still one of the best Android phones you can buy without breaking the bank.

Read more: OnePlus 7T Pro review

Best Android phones 2018

After years of threatening the top players in the smartphone game without really worrying them, 2018 has seen a significant uptick from the Chinese firm and the beautiful P20 Pro.

The triple camera setup on the rear of the P20 Pro provides great flexibility - and an excellent low-light mode - while the battery life comfortably gets through a day.

Then there's the eye-catching, two-tone finish on the rear which really sets the P20 Pro apart from the competition.

Read our full review: Huawei P20 Pro