Android phones didn’t just break the bank in 2019, they also broke speed, photography, and display records. Samsung and OnePlus delivered handsets that were as groundbreaking as they were gorgeous; Google pushed the limits of smartphone photography; and LG continued to march to its own drum, crafting some truly unique beats along the way.
But for all their strengths, there’s no perfect Android phone. So this year, I decided to build one. Well, on paper. Without further ado, here’s the 2019 Android Frankenphone, built using the best parts of the best phones of the year.
Rob Schultz/IDGYou can build a killer Android phone with a piece of every great handset released in 2019.
Display: OnePlus 7 Pro
You can’t have a great phone without a great display, and the OnePlus 7 Pro had it this year—even better than the the Galaxy S10+ and Note 10+. Samsung might supply the display OnePlus uses, but the 7 Pro does it better. Why? Because of its 90Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling super speedy. It’s not just that the 7 Pro is one of only a handful of phones that offer a refresh rate higher that 60Hz, it’s that OnePlus has delivered it in a display that’s so perfect, it’s like a cherry on top. And now it’s Samsung that needs to do the catching up.
Display size: Galaxy S10+
Christopher Hebert/IDGThe Galaxy S10+ (center) hits the sweet spot when it comes to screen size.
While the OnePlus 7 Pro has the best display, it’s a little too big for my tastes. At 6.7 inches, it’s one of the biggest phones ever made and pretty much impossible to use with one hand. But at 6.4 inches, the Galaxy S10+, is basically the Baby Bear of phones: just right. It’s smaller than the Note 10+ and the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and easily fits in my pocket, yet it’s still big enough to get serious work done.
Front design: Note 10+
The biggest story of 2019 was the ever-shrinking bezel, and the race to the first full-screen phone is truly underway. But until we get there, the Note 10+ is the phone that does itty-bitty bezels best. Its camera cutout is centered (unlike in the Galaxy S10+) and its receiver is the tiniest of holes along the top edge. The rounded corners of the display match the rounded corners of the phone, the chin is nearly as thin as the forehead, and the side bezels are nonexistent thanks to the infinity display. Lots of phones claim to have all-screen designs, but the Note 10+ is the only one that’s actually almost there.
Rear design: LG G8X
As the fronts of our phones have become overtaken by screens, it’s become easier to distinguish them from the backs of phones, from the Pixel 4’s square camera to the OnePlus 7T’s circular bump. But LG made the prettiest one of all, with a camera that’s entirely encased under glass. It’s the only phone with a rear case that’s completely smooth and flat, and if feels downright luxurious to hold. And it’s not too shabby to look at either. I’ve become so accustomed…
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