Your Next Upgrade
Now that you’ve got chosen AT&T as your service, it is time to choose a phone. Choices are broader than ever, as AT&T has largely gotten rid of cellphone subsidies. Most folks nonetheless purchase their telephones from their service, with the assistance of month-to-month cost plans or fast-upgrade plans like AT&T Next. But there isn’t any general value penalty to purchasing an unlocked cellphone anymore, and AT&T helps extra unlocked units than another US service. That places a whole lot of selections at your fingertips, so we’re right here to assist slim them down.
In phrases of community efficiency, AT&T tends to run in the midst of the pack in impartial assessments, together with our personal Fastest Mobile Networks survey. The service has stable nationwide protection and first rate speeds, nevertheless it has just lately been outmatched on protection by Verizon and on pace by T-Mobile.
AT&T’s power has at all times been its globally suitable GSM community. That has let the service nab many unique telephones through the years, from the primary iPhone to numerous Windows telephones. You can just about at all times assume that the newest sizzling, buzzy machine will likely be obtainable on AT&T, although increasingly more, you might not be shopping for it from AT&T. And keep in mind, our listing of The Best Unlocked Phones all work on AT&T.
The service has just lately been turning on gigabit LTE, which it service calls “5G evolution” (though it is not 5G), and the expertise is spreading slowly across the nation. All the telephones that value $500 or extra on this listing help 5G Evolution.
If you are on the lookout for bleeding edge 5G speeds, AT&T has a two-stage 5G plan that will have an effect on your cellphone alternative. The service is launching millimeter wave 5G, which has very quick speeds however restricted protection, by the tip of 2018 and it’ll observe with low-band 5G, which has decrease speeds however a lot broader protection, within the second half of 2019.
AT&T’s first 5G flagship cellphone, most likely the Samsung Galaxy S10, will possible come out in March however won’t help the later low-band 5G community. For that, you would want to attend for a distinct cellphone popping out later within the 12 months. In any case, 5G telephones subsequent 12 months will likely be for excessive early adopters prepared to work out the kinks in a brand new community. If that does not sound such as you, plunge forward with a 4G cellphone; they will work simply superb.
We’ve put one voice cellphone on this listing, which isn’t technically from AT&T. It’s the Doro 7050 from Consumer Cellular, a digital operator that makes use of the AT&T community. If you are all in favour of a flip or voice phone, try to be shopping for one which helps voice over AT&T’s 4G community, because the service will likely be lowering 3G service later in 2019. Right now, AT&T doesn’t have any good voice telephones for 4G. The Doro 7050 makes use of AT&T’s 4G community albeit with completely different service plans.
If you want extra assist shopping for a mobile phone, take a look at our cell phone product guide for the newest critiques. While you are at it, check out our lists for the perfect telephones on Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
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Pros: Huge, superior display screen. Fastest processor obtainable. Excellent digital camera. Long battery life.
Cons: Expensive.
Bottom Line: The iPhone XS Max is the perfect expression of Apple’s smartphone philosophy to this point, with a large, attractive display screen connecting you to every part.
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Pros: Compact. Fast efficiency. Beautiful OLED display screen. Sharp entrance and rear digital camera with spectacular low-light, zoom, and bokeh capabilities. Useful Google Assistant performance. Highly optimized software program with assured updates.
Cons: No headphone jack or reminiscence card slot.
Bottom Line: The Google Pixel 3 is the perfect small Android cellphone you should buy with the newest specs, spectacular digital camera capabilities, and genuinely progressive AI options.
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Pros: Big battery. Lots of storage. Excellent S Pen stylus. Class-leading processor and modem.
Cons: Expensive. Heavy.
Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a pretty pen-enabled phablet with a quick processor, a terrific modem, and an enormous battery.
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Pros: Gorgeous display screen. Beautiful physique. Spectacular community efficiency. Dual principal cameras with glorious low-light seize. Loud audio.
Cons: Camera software program oversharpens photographs. AR Emoji and Bixby disappoint.
Bottom Line: It’s not revolutionary, however the Samsung Galaxy S9+ units the bar for smartphones in 2018, with the perfect options you will get.
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Pros: Affordable. Support for all main US carriers. Solid specs and general efficiency. Long battery life.
Cons: Average digital camera. Still makes use of micro USB.
Bottom Line: The Motorola Moto G6 Play is a extra reasonably priced tackle the usual G6 that trades some energy for battery life, putting an excellent steadiness of value and efficiency.
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Pros: Amazing value for the ability. Huge display screen for the scale. Fast, clean software program.
Cons: Camera does not fairly lead the pack. No headphone jack.
Bottom Line: The $549 OnePlus 6T is the perfect worth on your Android smartphone greenback at this time.
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Pros: Water-resistant design. Faster processor, brighter display screen, and higher cameras than final 12 months’s mannequin.
Cons: The absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack is a giant problem, a minimum of for just a few months. Not all fashions are suitable with all carriers. Lacks twin cameras.
Bottom Line: Apple’s iPhone 7 is best than final 12 months’s mannequin in nearly each approach, nevertheless it is not fairly nearly as good as its larger sibling, the iPhone 7 Plus.
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Pros: Sharp OLED display screen. Relatively compact design. Three rear cameras can concurrently take footage with three completely different angles. Dual entrance cameras for wide-angle selfies. Strong audio options.
Cons: Doesn’t run the lastest model of Android. Non-remappable Google Assistant button.
Bottom Line: The LG V40 ThinQ has a pointy 6.4-inch OLED display screen, spectacular audio capabilities, and a complete of 5 cameras for a first-class multimedia expertise.
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Pros: Excellent battery life. Bright show. Solid general efficiency. Minimal Android pores and skin.
Cons: Overpriced. Hefty. Average digital camera.
Bottom Line: The Motorola Moto E5 Plus is a hefty Sprint phablet with a large 5,000mAh battery that may hold it going for days, nevertheless it’s too costly for the specs it provides.
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Pros: Combines 3G and 4G for max voice protection. HD voice calling. Great keypad. Very easy UI. Bold fonts. Inexpensive.
Cons: No contact or calendar syncing. Poor digital camera. Doesn’t reap the benefits of OS’s potential.
Bottom Line: The Doro 7050 for Consumer Cellular is a uncommon affordable-yet-future-proof LTE voice cellphone. Its capabilities are very fundamental, nevertheless it’ll keep related for years to come back.