When it comes to your choice of wireless carriers here in the U.S., the magenta-clad T-Mobile is a strong contender for many people, even though it’s a bit smaller than Verizon or AT&T. However, since merging with Sprint, T-Mobile has been doing a lot of work on expanding its 5G network, which is now the largest in the country.
If you’ve decided on T-Mobile as your wireless service provider, you may wonder what phones are best for the service. The good news is that T-Mobile works with many of the best Android phones available today, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
Best phones to use with T-Mobile 5G
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google’s best on T-Mobile
The Pixel 8 Pro is one of the best Android phones you can get, mostly thanks to the software that comes directly from Google. The Pixel 8 Pro has some of the best cameras of any smartphone and, thanks to Google’s AI tech, it can even enhance your photos in the background. You can get it for $0 with a 24-month plan, a new line, and either the Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan.
- Excellent camera performance
- Improved battery life over the Pixel 7 Pro
- A massive 7 years of software updates
- Phone can get quite warm
- Expensive for a Pixel
Google’s Pixel phones have become some of the best devices to experience Android, and the Pixel 8 Pro is the best yet. This is a large phone with a 6.7-inch OLED panel running at 120Hz, but that space gives it room for a large 5050mAh battery and three rear cameras. It’s powered by the Tensor G3 SoC paired with 12GB of RAM so you can run pretty much anything on the Play Store with ease, including demanding 3D games.
Pixels are known for their camera performance and the Pixel 8 Pro is no different with a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto camera hidden under the bump on the rear. With Google’s camera app, these cameras can produce some of the best pictures taken by a phone, and even shine with low-light photography.
Google Pixel 8 Pro review: Living up to its name
If you want to see the future of Google, the Pixel 8 Pro is the phone to buy
Like other Pixel phones before it, the Pixel 8 Pro is first in line for Android updates and will continue to receive updates for seven years. That means you can keep using this phone for years without worrying about it becoming outdated. It’s nice to know that your phone will continue to receive updates as long as you realistically want to keep using it.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Top performance with a smart stylus
With incredible camera hardware, one of the best displays we’ve ever seen, and excellent 5G support on T-Mobile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the best premium Android phones you can get. The S Pen is included with convenient storage inside the phone, and you can keep using it for days with a massive 5,000mAh battery and fast 45W charging.
- One of the best displays every put on a phone
- Some of the best cameras in the right conditions
- Excellent performance with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC
- Very expensive
- Cameras can struggle with fast motion
If you’re looking for a big screen and a powerful processor, you’ve got a few options on Android, but the Galaxy S24 Ultra nails the whole package better than any other phone. It’s impossible to ignore the gorgeous 6.8-inch AMOLED display running at up to 120Hz with 2600 nites of peak brightness, keeping the screen usable even in bright lighting, such as outside on a sunny day.
Inside you’ll find a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC paired with 12GB of RAM, which has plenty of power to keep up with just about any app, including 3D games. It’s powered by a large 5,000mAh battery that can last multiple days on a charge and can be recharged reasonably quickly at 45W wired and 15W wireless. This extra capacity can go a long way for phone photographers that want to make the most of the primary 200MP camera, 10MP 3x telephoto camera, 50MP 5x telephoto camera, and 12MP ultrawide camera.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: Still the best, unless you take photos
Without any meaningful changes, Samsung’s latest phablet feels like a do-over for last year’s smartphone
Support on T-Mobile is excellent with full support for the carrier’s LTE and 5G bands including 5G carrier aggregation. As for longevity, Samsung has committed to seven years of updates to keep the phone secure and to maintain support with newer apps. For the most part, that means the phone will still be running modern software when you’ve reached the end of your two-year payment plan with T-Mobile, making it an excellent hand-me-down or worth more on the second-hand market.
T-Mobile REVVL 6x Pro
Get it free with a new line!
The T-Mobile Revvl 6x Pro is a budget phone with a lot of appeals for T-Mobile users thanks to its massive display, large battery, and low price. It supports T-Mobile’s most important 5G bands as well, so you can be sure you’ll get strong 5G performance. The phone shipped with Android 12 but already has an Android 13 update ready to download.
- Large 6.82-inch display
- Comes with a headphone jack
- Excellent battery life
- No water resistance rating
- Weak performance
- Display resolution and quality isn’t great
The T-Mobile Revvl 6x Pro isn’t blowing anyone’s socks off on any metric, except maybe in its price. This $230 T-Mobile exclusive comes with a large 6.82-inch display using an IPS panel and a fairly low 720×1640 resolution. Compared to a flagship phone, this display will be blurrier, dimmer, and less vibrant, but some people will still be drawn to its large size. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC, which is a bit slow, but serviceable if you’re not used to flagship performance.
Battery life is excellent with a large 5,000mAh battery that, when paired with this low-power SoC, can easily last two days on a charge. While charging isn’t terribly fast at 15W, the inclusion of wireless charging is very welcome at this price. The camera performance leaves a lot to be desired with its 50MP main cameras, 5MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro cameras. If you’ve used a high-end phone camera before, you’ll likely come away disappointed. At least the storage is solid with 256GB built-in and microSD expansion. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can still use wired headphones.
T-Mobile REVVL 6x Pro review: A not-so-terrible network exclusive for only $230
There are definitely better budget phones out there, but you could worse than this T-Mobile phablet.
Luckily, T-Mobile network support is strong, as expected, with support for all of T-Mobile’s mid-band and low-band frequencies. If you’re switching to T-Mobile or adding a new line, you can get this phone for free with 24 bill credits and an eligible plan.
OnePlus 12
High-end performance and ultra-fast charging
The OnePlus 12 is one of our favorite flagship phones with a powerful SoC, a large battery, and some of the fastest charging on any phone at 80W. It has a large 6.82-inch AMOLED display that looks sharp and vibrant with up to 4500 nits of peak brightness. While it’s not sold by T-Mobile, it’s still a great option with support for T-Mobile 5G.
- Top-notch performance
- Excellent display
- Strong battery life with ultra-fast charging
- Software has some inconsistencies
- Optical fingerprint sensor isn’t great
- Not available directly from T-Mobile
The OnePlus 12 is an impressive phone overall with a big beautiful display, fast charging, and one of the fastest processors you can fit inside a phone. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC in this phone is paired with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM depending on which model you get, though both will perform very well. The 6.82-inch AMOLED display looks great in dark and bright environments with up to 4500 nits of Perak brightness.
If you take a lot of photos, you’ll more than likely be happy with the performance elf the 50MP main camera, 48 ultrawide, and 64MP 3x telephoto camera. While not as impressive as Samsung’s S24 Ultra in terms of hardware, the resulting photos are still great. The battery on this phone should easily make it a day to two with normal usage, but if you want to stay out taking hundreds of photos, you’ll be happy to recharge the phone at up to 80W with the included charger.
OnePlus 12 review: All flagship, no AI
This phone leaves nothing on the table, making for a truly complete package
Android 14 is installed out of the box with four major updates guaranteed by OnePlus with five years of security updates. Along with excellent support for T-Mobile’s 5G bands including low-band and mid-band 5G, this phone should last any users for years.
Google Pixel 8
Nearly as good as the Pro
The Google Pixel 8, like its bigger sibling, is one of the most capable Android phones you can get with the same powerful Tensor G3 SoC onboard. This phone has a large 6.2-inch OLED display running up to 120Hz. With a 24-month payment plan and a new line on either the Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan, you can get it for $0.
- Excellent software experience
- Fantastic camera performance
- Can struggle in low-service areas
The Google Pixel 8 is one of the most sensible choices you can get for a new phone with a long update window and powerful hardware. This phone has the same powerful Tensor G3 SoC as the Pro paired with a slightly smaller, though thoroughly adequate, 8GB of RAM. The 6.2-inch OLED display runs at up to 120Hz and down to 60Hz to save battery. Speaking of battery, this phone can easily make it to the end of the day on a charge with a 4575mAh battery.
Under a raised bar on the back, you’ll find a 50MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera. Working with Google’s camera app, this phone takes sharp and vibrant pictures in a wide range of lighting conditions, including low light.
Google Pixel 8 review: The Pixel for the masses
The Pixel 8 doesn’t need every feature the 8 Pro offers, it’s packing more than enough
Like the Pro model, the Pixel 8 will receive seven years of Pixel updates, so you can be sure your phone will still be up-to-date and secure for longer than most people keep their phones. It also means you’ll be able to pass it down or sell it when you’re ready for an upgrade without worrying about security issues. With full support for T-Mobile’s 5G bands, this phone is a great choice for the network.
OnePlus 12R
Cheaper than it looks
If you like the look of the OnePlus 12 but not the price, the OnePlus 12R is an excellent second choice. This phone is powerful with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, and has a large AMOLED display running at 120Hz. It also comes with one of the OnePlus 12’s best features, ultra-fast 80W wired charging.
- Excellent performances
- Large and vibrant AMOLED display
- Long-lasting battery with fast charging
- Camera quality isn’t flagship tier
- The curved display feels outdated
The OnePlus 12 looks great with its large camera array on the back and gorgeous display, but since it’s not offered directly by T-Mobile, its $900 starting price is a bit steep. For just under $500, however, the OnePlus 12R is an excellent second choice. It has last year’s top chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is still plenty fast for modern Android and the latest 3D games. The 6.78-inch AMOLED display also looks great with a 120Hz refresh rate, though the curved edges won’t be to everyone’s taste. The 5,500mAh battery will keep you going for a day or two and charges fast at up to 80W, which blows the competition out of the water.
The camera system gets a downgrade compared to the OnePlus 12, but is still strong for the price. While the results from the main 50MP sensor, 8MP ultrawide sensor, and 2MP macro sensor won’t hold up compared to something like the Pixel 7a, the results are still strong compared to something like the Galaxy A54 5G. Even so, most people will still be happy with the results.
OnePlus 12R review: A real flagship killer for $500
A phone that packs all the power you need for the price you want to pay
This phone ships with Android 14 out of the box with OnePlus guaranteeing three OS updates and four years of security updates. With support for T-Mobile’s low-band and mid-band 5G frequencies, this phone should stay fast for years to come.
Google Pixel 7a
Get Pixel features for less
The Google Pixel 7a is one of the best midrange phones you can get with plenty of power on tap thanks to the Tensor G2 SoC and frequent updates directly from Google. It also has a vibrant OLED display and support for 5G on T-Mobile.
- Excellent camera performance
- Quick hardware with the Tensor G2
- Vibrant 90Hz OLED display
- Battery life isn’t great
- Expensive for a Pixel A-series phone
If you were looking for Pixel features but didn’t want to spend a ton, the Pixel 7a is a great choice. This phone runs the same Tensor G2 SoC from the Pixel 7 paired with 8GB of RAM. That also means this phone holds on to some of the Pixel 7’s more advanced networking features, like 5G support with mmWave and Wi-Fi 6E support. The battery life isn’t great with just the 4385mAh battery pack, but it could still make it to the end of the day with some care. Charging is similarly unimpressive at 18W, but wireless charging is available, making it easier to stay topped up during the day.
The Pixel 7a has a 64MP main camera that produces impressive images compared to even some flagship models thanks to Google’s software. There’s also a 13MP ultrawide camera for photos in tighter spaces. While this isn’t the same sensor as the main Pixel 7, the images still look great, even in low-light scenes. It’s all easy to see on the 6.1-inch OLED display with up to a 90Hz refresh rate.
Google Pixel 7a review: If déjà vu were a smartphone
This year’s A-series is more like its flagship counterpart than ever before — for better and for worse
Like all Pixels, this phone will be among the first to get new Android updates. This phone gets five years of Pixel security and OS updates, which isn’t as long as the main Pixel line, but longer than a lot of other budget phones. If you’re looking to try the Pixel experience without burning too much cash, the Pixel 7a is an excellent options with full support for the T-Mobile network.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
T-Mobile has some great deals on the best foldable phone
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 continues to refine Samsung’s foldable design with the elimination of the hinge gap when folded. While its other improvements are minor, it’s still one of the best large foldable phones you can buy with full 5G support in the U.S. It also offers four Android version updates with five years of security updates.
- Reduced thickness compared to the Fold 4
- Strong battery life
- OneUI foldable enhancements are strong
- Very expensive
- Slow charging at 25W
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the best large folding phones you can get in the U.S., with a refined design and excellent software to make the most of the screen real estate. On the outside of this phone, you get a tall 6.2-inch AMOLED display with a 904×2316 resolution at 120Hz. On this outer screen, you can access all of your apps just like on any other Galaxy smartphone. But if you want a little more space, the internal 7.6-inch display offers a lot more space with a 1812×2176 resolution.
The internal screen not only lets you view your apps on a larger display, but it also enables multitasking with multiple apps. If that’s not enough multitasking for you, the DeX feature enables desktop-like usage with an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard. This flexibility means that, for some people, the Z Fold 5 can really do the job of a phone, tablet, and laptop. However, you’ll need to keep a charger handy with a 4400mAh battery and relatively slow 25W charging. At least wireless charging is included at up to 15W.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review: Polished to a sheen
With more competition than ever before, Samsung chooses to coast
One of Samsung’s biggest advantages when it comes to folding phones isn’t its hardware — it’s the software. Samsung’s OneUI 5.1 will feel very familiar to someone coming from another Samsung foldable, but it’s still one of the best for navigating the OS and using multiple apps simultaneously. Of course, with the lightning-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, the phone can handle any task you throw at it.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best option for Apple fans
If you or someone on your plan prefers an iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro is the best you can get. This phone is powerful with the A17 SoC under the hood, and is more versatile than ever with USB-C replacing Lightning for power and data transfer. Besides that, the new titanium finish gives it unique premium look.
- Powerful and fast
- Excellent software support
- Support USB-C for charging
- Better if you’re invested in the Apple ecosystem
The iPhone 15 Pro is Apple’s most powerful phone yet, with the impressive A17 Pro SoC under the hood and a USB-C port replacing Lightning. Not only has Apple upgraded to USB-C charging, but it’s also increased the data transfer speed to 10Gbps with USB 3. That’s more important than ever with the phone’s excellent camera system producing some of the best video quality ever seen on a phone, and the massive files to go with it. That’s enabled by the three cameras on the back, starting with the 48MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto cameras.
The phone has a new titanium finish on the rails, giving it a unique brushed look with gently rounded edges flanking the 6.1-inch OLED display. Naturally, it supports all of T-Mobile’s 5G bands and even gets Wi-Fi 6E support. Finally, Apple’s iOS software is frequently updated with an excellent record of keeping older phones up to date. If you were looking to make the switch to iPhone, the 15 Pro is about as good as it gets.
Motorola Razr+ (2023)
Motorola’s best folding phone yet
Motorola might have taken some time off from launching its foldables in the US, but it’s back with a bang with the Moto Razr+. This year, the focus is all on the 3.6-inch outer display, which promises to let you do virtually anything without opening the phone – and even wraps right around the cameras. And when you need a larger screen, the 6.9-inch display inside feels just like the company’s other smartphones.
- Large exterior screen improves closed usability
- Solid battery life with quick 30W charging
- Small and thin (15.1mm folded)
- Mediocre camera performance
While Moto Razr helped kick off the folding phone market, buyers in the U.S. have had to look for Samsung for the past couple of years. That changed with the Moto Razr+, a clamshell folding phone with a large outer display, and a lovely design. There’s even a striking Viva Magenta color that’s the perfect vibe for T-Mobile.
The outer display is the real showstopper with a 3.6-inch OLED panel running at 120Hz. It feels great to use and is more useful than ever with a selection of shortcuts and apps, so you don’t need to flip it open for every notification. The inner screen is large and vibrant with a 6.9-inch OLED panel at 120Hz and performance is excellent with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 under the hood.
Motorola Razr+ review: My new favorite foldable
The GOAT of flip phones can finally reclaim its throne
The 3,800mAh battery isn’t winning any awards for longevity, but it’s solid for a folding phone, and it can be quickly topped up with 30W fast charging support. Network support is strong with all of T-Mobile’s low and mid-band 5G bands supported and Wi-Fi 6E for home. It ships with Android 13 and is set to receive three OS updates and four years of security updates.
Excellent phones work well on T-Mobile
With T-Mobile being one of the big three carriers in the U.S., it’s not hard to find a great phone that works on its network. Plus, with an extra focus on building out its 5G network, it’s bound to get even better for the best 5G phones now and in the future.
It’s hard to beat the entire package that comes with the Google Pixel 8 Pro; it’s just a great phone. With all the power and performance you expect from a flagship, plus a superb camera system that continues to impress with each tweak Google makes, it’s hard not to view the Pixel 8 Pro as the best T-Mobile smartphone for most people.
If you prefer Android, it doesn’t get much better than the Google Pixel 8 Pro. Google has crammed in AI features to enhance your photos and make phone calls more convenient while continuing to improve the power and performance of the phone. The Tensor G3 is powerful enough for just about any game you can get on Android and the battery life is good thanks to a large battery and the move to an LTPO display with a frequency range of 1-120Hz. With a 24-month promotion from T-Mobile and seven years of updates from Google, this is a great phone to use with T-Mobile for years to come.
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google’s best on T-Mobile
The Pixel 8 Pro is one of the best Android phones you can get, mostly thanks to the software which comes directly from Google. The Pixel 8 Pro has some of the best cameras of any smartphone and, thanks to Google’s AI tech, it can even enhance your photos in the background. You can get it for $0 with a 24-month plan, a new line, and either the Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan.
