Apple is having a big week, having announced new iPads, and prepping to announce new members of the Mac family.
Also included in the Tuesday reveals was the Apple iPhone 17e, the successor to the iPhone 16e, and Apple’s play for the popular midrange market.
This new iPhone is likely to be a powerful phone with a lot to recommend it. But as ever, there are a number of Android phones that have just as good, if not better, features that rival Apple’s phone. Here are five of the best ones.
OnePlus 15R
OnePlus is best known for its flagship phones, but it’s the OnePlus 15R that seems purpose-built to take on the iPhone 17e.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 may not be as powerful as the Elite version, but it’s still a match for the Apple A19 processor.
Both phones have similar amounts of storage, but the OnePlus has a massive advantage in screen size, refresh rate, and peak brightness.
Battery sizes are a complete wash for the OnePlus phone too, with that phone sporting an enormous 7,400mAh that’s leagues larger than the iPhone’s 4,005mAh cell.
OnePlus also has much faster 80W charging, though it’s worth keeping in mind that the OnePlus 15R does not have wireless charging, unlike the iPhone.
iPhone cameras are rarely bad, but the OnePlus phone again has an advantage here, thanks to the additional ultrawide lens. The iPhone’s single lens has a larger aperture, so it may have better low-light performance.
In terms of price, the Apple iPhone is $100 less, so if your budget is rigidly stuck below $600, the iPhone wins out here. However, it’s more common to find sales for OnePlus’s phones than Apple’s, so if you’re willing to wait for sales, you could get the OnePlus 15R for a lower price.
- SoC
-
Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
- Display type
-
AMOLED
- Display dimensions
-
6.83-inches
- RAM
-
12GB
Google Pixel 10a (or 9a)
Google is the closest thing Apple has to a direct competitor in terms of operating system dominance, so it makes sense it would find itself here.
The Pixel 10a isn’t much different from last year’s Pixel 9a, so really, you can pick between either of these. However, both are solid competitors to the iPhone 17e.
The Tensor G4 processor isn’t a match for Apple’s silicon, but it is still a good flagship chip. You’re not going to experience any slowdown using either of these Pixels, and the 120Hz refresh rate means it’ll feel super-smooth.
Again, the Pixel sports two camera lenses instead of the iPhone’s one, and given Google’s very strong track record with cameras, we suspect it’ll end up the stronger of the two in any showdown. The extra lens is just showing off, really.
The Android phone again gets an advantage in battery size, with 1,000mAh more than the iPhone 17e. However, the way iPhones and Android phones use battery is rather different, so that may not equate to much of a difference.
Apple also doesn’t publish its charging speeds, so we can’t be sure whether the Pixel’s 30W charging is stronger or not. The likelihood is, it is, but only by a small amount.
The price is definitely right though. If you’re buying the Pixel 10a, prices start from $499, which means you can spend an extra $100 to get the Pixel 10a with 256GB of storage. That matches the iPhone, making this a bit of a no-brainer upgrade.
The Pixel 9a, though, is so similar to the Pixel 10a that you could even consider buying that instead. And while that started for similar pricing last year, the Pixel 10a’s launch means prices for the 9a will have dropped significantly, making that an even bigger bargain.
-
- SoC
-
Google Tensor G4
- Display type
-
Actua display
- Display dimensions
-
6.3-inches
- RAM
-
8GB
- Storage
-
128 or 256GB
- Dimensions
-
6.1 in (height) x 2.9 in (width) x 0.4 in (depth)
-
- SoC
-
Google Tensor G4
- Display type
-
pOLED, 120Hz
- Display dimensions
-
6.3 inches
- RAM
-
8GB
- Storage
-
128GB, 256GB
Google’s Pixel 9a takes everything that was great about the Pixel 8a and looks to modernize it. With an all-new Pixel 9-inspired look and no camera bump, this might be the best $500 smartphone we’ve seen yet.
Moto Razr 2025
Why would you buy a normal, boring phone, when you could have a folding phone instead? There are many reasons, but the Moto Razr 2025 is a strong option regardless.
To be absolutely fair, the iPhone 17e has Motorola’s midrange foldable absolutely beaten in specs.
The MediaTek 7400 is good, but it won’t beat the A19, and while they both start at 256GB of storage with 8GB of RAM, there’s still a big power gulf there.
But who cares about that when you have such an amazing piece of technology?
The Moto Razr’s main display is a massive 6.9-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s gorgeous, and since it folds down, it won’t stretch your pocket to fit it in.
The outer display is only 3.6-inches in size, but it’s surprisingly capable. You can use it for casual browsing or replying to messages, and while you’ll want the inner display for anything more intensive, the outer display is definitely not just for notifications.
What about the price? Sticker against sticker, the iPhone is definitely the winner, being available for $100 less. However, Motorola’s phones get discounts seemingly every other day, so it’s likely it won’t be hard to find the Moto Razr 2025 at a discount if you’re willing to be patient.
9/10
- SoC
-
MediaTek Dimensity 7400X
- Display type
-
AMOLED, pOLED
- Display dimensions
-
6.9″ main, 3.6″ external
- Display resolution
-
FHD+
Samsung Galaxy A56
You might have assumed the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE would be the best choice here, given it’s almost tailor-made to take on the iPhone 17e.
Like the 17e, the FE is the discounted version of a flagship range, and it’s available for just $50 more than the iPhone.
So why haven’t we picked it? Unsurprisingly, it’s because the Galaxy A56 is the better pick.
The Galaxy S25 FE feels a little directionless, and like it doesn’t have a real place to thrive. On the flip side, the Galaxy A56 absolutely rules its roost.
This is another pick that won’t win any prizes for its specs, but they are certainly good enough for the vast majority of people.
The basic version coming with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage isn’t ideal, but it’s balanced out by the 5,000mAh battery and 45W charging.
It even has two camera lenses — not three. Macro lenses shouldn’t count, they’re a travesty. The A56 technically has three, I guess, but you’ll use the macro lens so rarely that it essentially only has two.
The price is still a little bit awkward, as $500 is a bit too close to be comfortable. But, it’s harder to turn down when sale prices often drop to $400, making it a real bargain.
This is the phone to get if you want a Samsung phone at around the same price as the iPhone 17e, as it does everything you want for potentially hundreds less.
- SoC
-
Exynos 1580
- Display type
-
AMOLED
- Display dimensions
-
6.7-inches
- RAM
-
8GB
Moto G Stylus (2025)
Motorola has been on something of a renaissance in recent years, after something of a slump.
The Moto G range is no longer the king of the budget and midrange phones like it used to be, but the Moto G Stylus 2025 is still a phone that’s worth your attention.
This is very much the phone you get if you want a stylus on a budget, and there’s no shame in that.
While the specs aren’t something to rival the iPhone 17e, they stand up well enough and won’t disappoint for normal everyday use. Some 3D games will definitely be more sluggish on the Moto G Stylus, but if you’re not a gamer, it shouldn’t worry you.
The Moto’s battery is absolutely a reason to buy it, though. Thanks to the power-sipping hardware, the Moto G Stylus will often make it two days on a single charge of its 5,000mAh battery, and it’s quick to recharge thanks to the 68W charging rate and 15W wireless charging.
It lacks a lot of the polish you’ll find on more expensive phones, but the underlying hardware and software is still functional and good enough for the price.
However, keep in mind that Motorola’s update policy isn’t the best, and so, the Stylus only gets two major operating system updates. That’s pretty terrible by the standards of a decade ago, never mind these days.
Still, for $400, you’re getting a very solid phone with an integrated pokey-stick for hundreds less than the iPhone. And that’s a strong draw in itself.
8.5/10
- SoC
-
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3
- Display type
-
120Hz pOLED
- Display dimensions
-
6.7″
