I am currently working on my Master’s degree dissertation which looks at how LLM-powered “AI Overviews” like the ones from Google may change consumer behaviour.
In a petty gesture of resistance against the slop I found myself in, I actually wanted to research and answer this question myself. No AI answer, no affiliate link site, no vested-interest influencing.
What phone would I recommend to a friend?
Google 🔍: best phone
“The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the best phone overall, […]”
Google 🔍: best phone 2026
“The best phone depends on your ecosystem and budget, but the top overall flagships are the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra for Android and the Apple iPhone 17 Pro for iOS. […]”
So the most well-known and well-marketed ones? Well, both affiliate link websites (for credibility) and LLMs[paper] tend to gravitate towards big brands.
What makes a good phone?
Lets start with extremely basic criteria to start whittling down the list.
- Battery: It should last at least the day
- Compatibility: It should be able to run common apps, including apps with safety-first security checks like banking apps
- Ownership: You should be able to run whatever you need to on your device if push came to shove (including apps not approved by Apple or Google)
- Reliability: You should be able to be able to rely on ~5+ years of software updates
- Value: It represents good value over the product’s lifetime - from purchase to resale, repairs
Testing this with the three recommended above:
| Phone | Battery | Compat | Ownership | Reliability | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 10 Pro XL | ✅ | ✅ | ✅/❌ | ✅ | ✅/❌ £620 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | ✅ | ✅ | ✅/❌ | ✅ | ❌ £820 |
| Apple iPhone 17 Pro | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ £950 |
The long list
All have the essentials: fingerprint, WiFi, 5G, NFC (excl. CMF Phone 1).
They can also all have their OS replaced with LineageOS, allowing them to extend the life of the phone and bypass Google’s attempts to block installing third-party apps.
Only those marked /e/OS are easy enough for a normal non-technical person to set up, others require at least some elbow grease.
Bonus features listed with each product.
Small phones
| Price | Phone | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| £88 | Motorola edge 30 neo | Qi Charging |
| £105 | Google Pixel 4a 5G | audio jack, eSIM |
| £115 | Google Pixel 5a | audio jack, eSIM |
| £120 | Google Pixel 5 | /e/OS, eSIM, Qi Charging |
| £130 | Sony Xperia 10 IV | audio jack, eSIM, microSD |
| £130 | Sony Xperia 5 II | audio jack, microSD, WiFi6 |
| £140 | Google Pixel 6a | eSIM, WiFi6 |
| £145 | Google Pixel 6 | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £150 | Sony Xperia 5 III | audio jack, microSD, WiFi6 |
| £160 | Sony Xperia 10 V | audio jack, eSIM, microSD |
| £175 | Google Pixel 7a | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £180 | Google Pixel 7 | /e/OS, eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £220 | Google Pixel 8a | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7, new |
| £240 | Google Pixel 8 | /e/OS, eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7 |
| £265 | Sony Xperia 5 IV | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, Qi Charging, WiFi7 |
| £295 | Google Pixel 9a | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7, v.new |
| £305 | Sony Xperia 10 VII | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, WiFi6, v.new |
| £330 | Google Pixel 9 | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7, new |
| £380 | Sony Xperia 5 V | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, Qi Charging, WiFi7 |
| £395 | Google Pixel 9 Pro | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7, new |
| £585 | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7, new |
Mid-size phones
| Price | Phone | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| £62 | Motorola moto g50 | audio jack, microSD |
| £75 | Motorola moto g 5G - 2024 | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, new |
| £80 | Motorola moto g34 5G | audio jack, eSIM, microSD |
| £95 | Motorola edge 30 fusion | WiFi6 |
| £95 | OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G | audio jack, microSD |
| £105 | Motorola moto g82 5G | audio jack, microSD |
| £110 | OnePlus 8 | WiFi6 |
| £115 | Motorola edge 30 | WiFi6 |
| £115 | Motorola edge 40 pro | eSIM, WiFi7 |
| £115 | OnePlus 8T | WiFi6 |
| £125 | Motorola moto g84 5G | audio jack, eSIM, microSD |
| £125 | Nothing CMF Phone 1 | /e/OS, WiFi6, NO NFC :( |
| £130 | OnePlus 9R | WiFi6 |
| £140 | Nothing Phone (1) | Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £140 | OnePlus 9RT | WiFi6 |
| £145 | OnePlus 9 | Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £150 | Sony Xperia 1 II | audio jack, microSD, WiFi6 |
| £185 | Motorola ThinkPhone | WiFi6 |
| £230 | Sony Xperia 1 III | audio jack, microSD, Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £310 | Sony Xperia 1 IV | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, Qi Charging, WiFi6e |
| £425 | The Fairphone (Gen. 6) | /e/OS, eSIM, microSD, WiFi6, v.new |
| £500 | Sony Xperia 1 V | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, Qi Charging, WiFi7 |
| £650 | Sony Xperia 1 VI | audio jack, eSIM, microSD, Qi Charging, WiFi7, new |
Large phones
| Price | Phone | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| £75 | Motorola moto g 5G plus | audio jack, microSD |
| £75 | Motorola moto g 5G | audio jack, microSD |
| £88 | Motorola edge 20 | WiFi6 |
| £95 | Motorola moto g stylus 5G (2022) | audio jack, microSD |
| £100 | Motorola edge | audio jack, microSD |
| £120 | Motorola edge 20 pro | WiFi6 |
| £125 | Motorola moto g200 5G | WiFi6 |
| £125 | OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G | audio jack, microSD |
| £150 | OnePlus 9 Pro | Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £165 | Google Pixel 6 Pro | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £165 | OnePlus 8 Pro | Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £210 | Google Pixel 7 Pro | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £230 | Nothing Phone (2) | Qi Charging, WiFi6 |
| £260 | OnePlus Nord 4 | IR Remote, WiFi6, new |
| £270 | OnePlus 11 5G | eSIM, WiFi6 |
| £275 | Google Pixel 8 Pro | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7 |
| £310 | OnePlus Nord 5 | IR Remote, WiFi6, v.new |
| £315 | OnePlus 12R | eSIM, IR Remote, WiFi6, new |
| £360 | OnePlus 13R | eSIM, IR Remote, WiFi7, v.new |
| £415 | OnePlus 12 | eSIM, IR Remote, WiFi7 |
| £445 | Google Pixel 9 Pro XL | eSIM, Qi Charging, WiFi7, new |
| £530 | OnePlus 13 | eSIM, IR Remote, WiFi7, v.new |
”I don’t mind ‘not owning’ my phone”
If you want a phone and are willing to accept the risk of having your device become a paperweight, consider the following:
| Price | Phone | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| £435 | Apple iPhone 16e | iOS with USB-C |
| £310 | Samsung Galaxy S24 FE | Software updates until 2031 |
| ~£350 | Xiaomi 13 Pro | Best phone for price |
| £610 | OnePlus Open | Unfolds to tablet |
I’d not encourage buying a phone for more than ~£500, since secondhand phone values depreciate fast above that threshold. Depreciation is especially bad for phones with official software updates approaching their end and no community long-term support (e.g. via LineageOS).
The short list
While all the above phones mostly fulfil the minimum criteria, these are the three I’d most strongly recommend. These phones support eSIM, are water resistant, and have a good camera by modern standards.
Cheap and cheerful: Google Pixel 5
My phone at time of writing. There are no major features missing in this phone, released 6 years ago. While Google no longer provides software updates, the community does via /e/OS and LineageOS. This was an extremely refined phone in 2020, and in 2026 that view remains unchanged.
The camera was its strength in 2020 and it more than holds up in 2026.
Expect to pay about £120 secondhand. If battery is showing its age, local phone repair shops will often be able to replace it for a reasonable price. eSIM and Qi Charging.
Maybe its biggest strength is that it just works, gets out of the way, and will continue to work for many years to come.
Compatibility and longevity: Fairphone 6
This phone, by contrast, was released in 2025. It is user repairable (and enhanceable through attachments). Previous Fairphones were often underpowered and unwieldy to maintain repairability and a low price, while preserving its ethical supply chain.
The most low environmental impact phone is a secondhand phone, not a new one. But if it is a new phone you seek, responsible supply chain, 5 years of warranty and reasonable price should make this the one. This would be the phone I’d expect to work in 2040.
Phonemaxxing: Sony Xperia 1 IV
This phone is - inexplicably - available secondhand for £310.
This phone has everything:
- WiFi 6e
- 2022’s fastest chip
- Excellent battery life
- 4K screen
- Great speakers
- Excellent camera, with pro settings
- microSD slot (on some models)
- Reverse wireless charging
- Headphone jack (!)
It does not have /e/OS support and is no longer receiving official updates.
However, LineageOS is available and works well. Expect unofficial software updates from Lineage for years to come, albeit with a bit of extra effort.