TechJunkie Expert Recommendations
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While many will agree that Apple iPhones are among the most popular smartphones on the market, you can’t deny the fact that Android devices put up a good fight. Android phones have evolved tremendously over the years and often come with even more advanced specs than Apple devices. Displays have become virtually bezel-less, fingerprint sensors have moved underneath the display, and powerful processors and high refresh rates make hardcore mobile gaming a reality. When purchasing a new phone, you can either pick an unlocked phone or get one tied to a carrier. AT&T has been among the top carriers in the United States, and one of the best parts of being an AT&T customer is the ability to use almost any unlocked device on the market. AT&T does a great job offering some of the best phones on the market, and they’ll always ensure you have enough credits for texting, calling, and browsing the internet. With so many different models and devices on the market, it can be tough to choose the right phone for you. Do you want a phone with advanced cameras? Do you want a phone that comes with a stylus? It will all depend on your preferences at the end of the day. You must also ensure that a particular device’s price tag fits your budget. We at TechJunkie want to make your life easier, so here are the best Android phones you can get from AT&T in 2022.
The S22 lineup from Samsung is among their most premium offers, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 is the best Android phone for most people. It might not have the most advanced specs in the entire lineup, but its specs are already enough for anyone who needs a phone that can text, call, take photos/videos, and browse the internet. AT&T’s most affordable offer for the phone is the 128GB model, which is available in a $22.23/month installment plan or a one-time purchase of $799.99. You can also spend an extra $50 to get the 256GB model. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and features 8GB RAM. Its 6.1-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X doesn’t feel too large nor too small, which is perfect for using social media apps or watching different Youtube videos. You’ll also love its screen quality because of its 1,300-nit peak brightness, HDR10+ support, and 120Hz refresh rate. Millions of people use their smartphones as their personal cameras, and you will love the S22’s excellent camera system. It has a 50MP wide camera, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera featuring 30x Space Zoom. What’s fantastic about the phone is that it can already record crystal-clear 8K videos at 24 fps. You also get a 10MP front-facing camera for random selfies or urgent video calls. The S22 has a 3,700 mAh battery, and you can expect to get around 7.5 hours of video streaming or 12 hours of browsing per charge. The phone’s 120Hz refresh rate significantly impacts the device’s battery performance, so you’ll have to turn it off if you want your phone to last longer. The device won’t disappoint you with its network speed because it’s 5G-enabled and supports Wi-Fi 6. AT&T offers the phone in Pink Gold, Phantom White, Phantom Black, and Green.
For those who want to spend on the best of the best and have no limits on their budget, you can get Samsung’s most premium option: the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Its design is unique compared to the other two members of the S22 lineup, and it features an embedded S Pen you can use for writing, sketching, etc. It has a large 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display that would be great for scrolling through Tiktok, Instagram, or Youtube. You can expect it to have similar speeds to the cheaper S22 since it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. The 128GB model, which is the most affordable, comes with 8GB RAM, while the 256GB and 512GB models have 12GB RAM. An area where the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra undoubtedly excels is its camera system. You get a 108MP wide camera, a 10MP telephoto camera, a 10MP periscope telephoto camera, and 12MP ultra-wide camera with 100x Space Zoom. You will also get to take the most breathtaking selfies with its 40MP front-facing camera. The S22 Ultra’s cameras can record 8K footage at 60 fps. Users can expect a decent battery life from the device because you can stream HD video over Wi-Fi for around 12 hours on a single charge. Users also have the opportunity to achieve incredible charging speeds because the phone supports 45W fast charging. The phone is future-proof because it supports 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and has a USB Type-C 3.2 port. It comes with a fingerprint reader under the display and is compatible with Samsung Pay, Bixby, and Samsung DeX. Customers can get the S22 Ultra from AT&T in four color options: Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green, and Burgundy.
It was only a matter of time before Google entered the smartphone market, and their Pixel 6 is an excellent mid-range Android phone. Its 6.4-inch FHD+ Smooth display is enough for you to enjoy all apps you download, and its Google Tensor processor ensures everything runs smoothly. Those who love playing games on their phone will love how the screen of this device has a 90Hz refresh rate. Sadly, AT&T doesn’t give you many options when it comes to RAM and storage because they only offer the phone in the 128GB/8GB RAM model. It doesn’t have a microSD slot, so you won’t get to expand its storage, so you’ll have to turn to cloud storage if you need more space. Customers also won’t have many color options because you can only get it in black. The Google Pixel 6 can be the tool you need to step your social media game up because it has a 50MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide camera that can record videos with a maximum resolution of 4K at 60 fps. Its 8MP front camera is less impressive because it can only record 1080p video at 30 fps. The phone features a 4,614 mAh battery, and when using 5G on a 90Hz refresh rate, you will only get around eight hours of usage per charge. Users can get up to 10 hours per charge if they settle for LTE connectivity instead. The Google Pixel 6 is equipped with the Titan M2 security chip, so you can rest assured that all your crucial data is safe 24/7.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G proves how much Android devices have evolved over the years. You can immediately tell that this device is unique because of its foldable display. Its main Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen measures 7.6 inches and features a 1,200-nit peak brightness, HDR10+, and a 120Hz refresh rate. When you fold the phone, you will get to use its 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover display, which also has a refresh rate of 120Hz. You can confidently bring the device with you outdoors because it’s IPX8 water resistant, and its armour aluminum frame keeps it safe from scratches and drops. The device is excellent for multitasking because, aside from a big screen, you get a snappy performance from its Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G processor and 12GB RAM. There are two options for storage capacity when you get the device from AT&T: 256GB and 512GB. The camera system of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G isn’t as advanced as the S22 lineup because it only has a 12MP wide camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 12MP telephoto camera, a 4MP selfie camera, and a 10MP wide camera on the cover display. All the cameras are only capable of recording 4K video. The phone’s audio performance is pretty impressive because you get stereo speakers tuned by AKG and support 32-bit/384kHz audio. The Z Fold3 5G guarantees fast internet connections because of its Wi-Fi 6E support and 5G connectivity. It also supports Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX HD compatibility. Its fingerprint reader is side-mounted rather than hidden under the display, which some might see as outdated. The device has a 4,400 mAh battery, and you might not be satisfied with its performance because you only get around 6.5 hours of usage using the adaptive refresh rate. You get a minor improvement when you downgrade to a 60Hz refresh rate because you get close to 8 hours of usage. You won’t get the fastest charging speeds because the phone only supports up to 25W fast charging. Customers will get a free USB-C cable, but you’ll still need to purchase a power adapter separately.
For those with a limited budget but still want a phone that’s already 5G-capable, the Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G would be an excellent option. It stands out compared to its rivals because it’s one of the few Android phones that come with a stylus. The phone features a 6.8-inch IPS LCD screen and has Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G processor, but its performance might disappoint you because it only comes with 4GB RAM. You can only get the 128GB variant from AT&T at the moment, but the good thing is that the device has a microSD slot that allows you to expand its storage. Motorola still has a lot to improve on when it comes to designing smartphone cameras, so you can’t expect a lot from the Moto G Stylus 5G’s camera system. It has a 48MP wide camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth camera. Its 16MP wide selfie camera is the small dot on your display, which is a minor distraction compared to having a full-on notch. The device can only record videos with a maximum resolution of 1080p at 60 fps. It comes with a 3.5mm audio jack, rarely found on newer devices, and it has a USB Type-C 2.0 port. Users can expect a decent battery performance from the phone because you will get close to 11 hours of browsing per charge. Unfortunately, the device only supports up to 10W charging, so you’ll have to be patient whenever you need to get some juice back.
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