T-Mobile is one of the biggest wireless carriers in the United States and it offers an impressive lineup of smartphones across different price points. From the latest foldable phones to some of the most feature-rich 5G phones, T-Mobile subscribers have a variety of options to choose from. Having to pick one from a laundry list of phones can be challenging though. Well, that’s exactly why we decided to comb through the best T-Mobile phones and highlight the ones that are worth considering. Let’s dive in!
Navigate this article:
- Best overall phone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
- Best Android experience: Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Best value for money: Google Pixel 6a
- Best foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Best overall phone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra sits on the top of this particular collection as one of the best T-Mobile phones overall. It combines the best of both the Galaxy S as well as the Galaxy Note series to offer a power-packed device with the best specs and features. It also comes with the S Pen to unlock a plethora of productivity tools that are unmatched in the Android space.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra borrows its design elements from some existing Samsung phones. It has the basic fit and finish of the Galaxy Note 20 but it also looks a lot like the Galaxy S21 Ultra from last year. It’s a massive metal and glass slab phone but the rounded side edges make it easier to hold. It’s built like a tank and Samsung has left no stones unturned when it comes to durability. The Galaxy S22 Ultra comes with Gorilla Glass Victus Plus and uses Armor Aluminum metal frames to hold everything together.
This particular phone sports a rather big 6.8-inch 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED panel and it’s easily one of the highlight features. It doesn’t get as bright as the iPhone 14 Pro’s display, but it gets brighter than most other smartphone screens on the market right now. It’s also one of the best AMOLED panels out there with vibrant colors and crisp visuals.
Moving on to the optics, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is known to have the most versatile camera system out there right now. The main 108MP camera sensor runs the show alongside a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom, and a 10MP telephoto periscope lens with 10X optical zoom. You also get a 40MP front camera for selfies and video calling. All these camera sensors come together to capture some impressive photos and videos. You can check out all the camera samples and also learn more about these cameras in our Galaxy S22 Ultra review.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset in the US and it can connect to T-Mobile’s 5G network without a hitch. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 isn’t the most powerful chipset out there right now, but it’s capable of handling all the day-to-day workloads without any issues. Some other noteworthy features of the phone include an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, a massive 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging, and more.
T-Mobile is currently offering some good deals for the Galaxy S22 Ultra. You can get up to $800 off with a new line on Magenta MAX. Additionally, you can also get up to $400 when you trade in an eligible device on a qualifying rate plan. It’s available to purchase in Phantom Black, Burgundy, and Green colors and you can choose between 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage variants. You can also choose to pay for the phone in full or finance it for 24 months to get up to $800 off with a new Magenta MAX line.
- The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is simply the most complete smartphone offering the best screen, most versatile camera system, best SoC in Android, and a stylus too.
Alternate best: Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Apple’s new iPhone 14 Pro is easily one of the best smartphones we’ve seen this year. It may not look a lot different from its predecessor but there are quite a few changes this year. In fact, the Pro models are packed with some awesome features this year, making them stand out from the regular iPhone 14 models. From an updated SoC to an improved “Pro” camera system, there’s a lot to like about the iPhone 14 Pro and we think it deserves a spot in this collection as one of the best T-Mobile phones you can buy right now.
One of the biggest changes to the Pro models this year is the cutout. The notch on top of the display has been replaced by a pill-shaped cutout. Apple is using some software tricks to turn this particular cutout into an interactive element on the screen. It’s called Dynamic Island, and it’s exclusive to just the Pro models for now. This particular cutout/interactive software element isn’t going to change the way you use the iPhone, but it brings a nice flair of useful glanceable info to the main screen.
Also new to the iPhone 14 Pro is the new “Pro” camera system. The main camera now has a larger sensor and a faster aperture. It’s also a higher 48MP sensor that uses pixel binning to produce 12MP shots. We’ve already tested the new camera and added a bunch of samples to our iPhone 14 Pro Max review, so be sure to check it out. Apple has also improved the video recording capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro. In addition to an improved cinematic mode, there’s also a new Action mode that helps you capture stabilized footage of moving objects.
On the silicon side, Apple is using an A16 Bionic chip to power the new Pro models. It’s currently the most powerful mobile chipset on the market and we think it outperforms anything available on the Android side. Some other noteworthy features of the iPhone 14 Pro include a new always-on display feature, peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits outdoors, and more. There are some mixed opinions when it comes to the battery life of the smaller iPhone 14 Pro model, so you might want to spend an additional $100 to get the Pro Max model for better battery life.
Apple hasn’t increased the charging speed to catch up with Android phone makers. This means you’re still limited to a maximum of just 25W charging speed. It supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging too, but you’ll have to bring your own chargers in each case.
T-Mobile is carrying all four colors of the iPhone 14 Pro and you can choose between 128GB, 256GB, 521GB, and 1TB storage. The carrier is offering a couple of interesting deals with the iPhone 14 Pro including up to $500 off a trade-in deal. You can also get up to $700 off a second iPhone 14 or iPhone 13 series device via 24 monthly bill credits.
- The iPhone 14 Pro brings a new front design, upgraded cameras, and a new all powerful Apple silicon for the most premium iPhone yet.
Best Android experience: Google Pixel 6 Pro
The Pixel 6 Pro is getting replaced by the new Pixel 7 Pro very soon, but this is the best Pixel device out there, and we wanted to include it in our post. It also works well with T-Mobile’s network in the United States, making it a solid addition to this collection. It may be getting a successor very soon but we think the Pixel 6 Pro will remain one of the best Google phones that’ll be first in line to get the latest Android updates.
One of the best things about the Google Pixel 6 Pro is its design. Both Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro look decidedly different from the previous generation Pixel phones. The highlight of the design is obviously the camera visor at the back which houses the triple camera setup. The phone also comes with a bunch of fun colorways like Stormy Black, Cloudy White, and Sorta Sunny. Google is using Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front as well as the back, and it’s finished with a metallic frame on the sides.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro also comes with the biggest camera updates we’ve seen from Google in years. Google finally upgraded the main camera sensor on a Pixel phone and we now have the 50MP, 1/1.31-inch sensor which can pull in a lot more light. The Pixel 6 Pro also comes with a Periscope zoom lens with support for up to 4X optical zoom. Notably, there’s also a 12MP ultra-wide shooter to capture some stunning wide-angle shots.
Also new to the Pixel lineup is Google’s new Tensor chip. It’s one of the best-performing chips we saw last year and it puts up some respectable scores against the best chips from the likes of Apple and Qualcomm. It’s not the most technically-capable chipset on the market, but it’s designed to prioritize Google’s machine learning and it’s quite smart. It comes with some incredibly smart features such as Magic Eraser which can intelligently highlight and remove unwanted objects and even humans from images.
The battery life of the Pixel 6 Pro is also quite commendable. The 5,000mAh battery unit inside this phone can last for a long time between charges. It doesn’t support the fastest charging speeds, but it keeps up with other modern flagships on the market. There’s also the software, which comes directly from Google. The Pixel 6 Pro also ships with a handful of software features that are enabled by Google’s Tensor chip. All things considered, we think the Pixel 6 Pro is a well-rounded smartphone that brings a lot of value to the table.
And if those aren’t enough reasons to purchase the Pixel 6 Pro, then it’s currently down to just $400 at Best Buy, meaning you can save as much as $500 on your purchase. You can choose to pay for the phone upfront or get it financed for 24 months with T-Mobile Monthly installments. Best Buy is also bundling the phone with three months of YouTube Premium, so we think it’s a pretty sweet deal.
- The Pixel 6 Pro will remain one of the best Android phones with the first in line to receive new OS updates.
Best value for money: Google Pixel 6a
If you end up missing the incredible, limited-time deal on the Pixel 6 Pro on Best Buy and don’t want to spend $899 on it, then we think you should consider the Pixel 6a. You can literally get a free unit of Pixel 6a from T-Mobile by opting for a new line, which is a fantastic deal if you don’t mind sticking with T-Mobile for 24 months. The phone itself offers great value, even at its full $449 asking price in the US.
One of the best things about the Google Pixel 6a is that it brings a lot of great features Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro features at an affordable price. The Pixel 6a, for instance, is powered by the same Google Tensor SoC as the other two phones in the series. It’s a highly capable chipset that can keep up with more powerful silicon from the likes of Qualcomm, Apple, and more. Google’s Tensor chip also prioritizes machine learning and AI to offer some smart features.
The Google Pixel 6a, as you can see, also brings the same design as the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. It features the same camera visor at the back that runs across the body of the phone. You can also have a two-tone finish with some fun colorways like Charcoal, Sage, and Chalk. All these interesting design elements make the Pixel 6a stand out in the sea of mid-range phones on the market. It’s definitely a more premium-looking device that we would recommend in a heartbeat over a bunch of similar-looking budget phones.
Google has cut some corners on the Pixel 6a to keep the price low though. The lack of a high refresh rate panel is probably the one that sticks out the most. The Pixel 6a only features a 60Hz display, which makes it a little less exciting than some other phones that come with 90Hz or even 120Hz refresh rate in the budget space. It has some redeeming qualities for being an OLED panel like accurate colors, higher peak brightness, and more, so it’s not necessarily a terrible smartphone display.
The camera on the Google Pixel 6a also makes it arguably the best camera phone in its segment. Google is using a relatively old sensor on the Pixel 6a, but it has managed to do wonders with its software prowess. It definitely captures better photos than almost all the other phones at its price point. It also packs a relatively big 4,410 mAh battery which we think should be enough to last you through an entire day with moderate usage. Some other noteworthy features of the phone include an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Google’s best-in-class software support, and more.
The Google Pixel 6a, as we mentioned earlier in this section, can be had for free if you choose to get a new line from T-Mobile for 24 months. But even at its full $449 asking price, we think the Pixel 6a stands as a better option overall compared to a lot of other similarly priced phones.
- The Google Pixel 6a keeps many of what made the Pixel 6 so great, at a lower price point.
Alternate best value: Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has earned our recommendation many times in the past and rightfully so. It’s easily one of the best mid-range phones in the US that offers a lot of value for your money. It costs the same as Google’s affordable Pixel and we think it’s a solid alternative that, in fact, fixes a lot of issues that we have with the Pixel 6a. The Galaxy A53 5G also works well with the T-Mobile network in the US, meaning it’s good to be a part of this collection too.
One of the best things about the Galaxy A53 5G is its display. We’re looking at a 6.5-inch 120Hz Samsung Super AMOLED panel, which is clearly better than the Pixel 6a’s 60Hz OLED panel. And as we mentioned in our Galaxy A53 5G review, it’s a typical Samsung AMOLED panel with vibrant colors, inky blacks, and high peak brightness. Also, the 120Hz refresh rate makes it a superior option in a market that’s flooded with budget phones with a basic display.
Another thing we like about the Galaxy A53 5G is its design. The phone looks very basic overall but we like how the camera bump looks at the back. The camera island, as you can see, eases and melts into the rest of the phone’s back. It looks very similar to the back design of the OPPO Find X5 Pro. The overall fit and finish of the Galaxy A53 5G are also great for the price. It’s also worth highlighting that the Galaxy A53 5G comes with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance along with a microSD card slot for expandable storage.
Moving over to the optics, the Galaxy A53 sports a triple camera setup which includes a 64MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide, and a pair of 5MP sensors for macro and depth in the main system. These may not be the best camera sensors to work with, but we managed to capture some pretty good shots. You can learn more about the camera and find more samples in our review (linked earlier in this section), so be sure to check it out. The selfies are handled by a 32MP front camera, which is pretty good for selfies and video calling.
Lastly, it’s also worth noting that the Galaxy A53 5G comes with Samsung’s incredible software support. The company is promising up to four years of Android updates and up to five years of security updates for the Galaxy A53 5G, making it better than a lot of other phones in this segment. So if you want to buy a phone that’ll continue to stay relevant for a long time with the latest software then you definitely buy the Galaxy A53 5G.
This particular phone works well with the T-Mobile network in the US and it’s also readily available to purchase right now. You can either choose to pay the full price for it or get it financed for 24 months with T-Mobile’s monthly finance service.
- The Galaxy A53 offers a modern design, large screen and battery at an affordable price
Also great: TCL Stylus 5G
The TCL Stylus 5G is one of the more exciting phones on this list. It’s a budget phone that costs the cheapest in this collection, yet it brings a stylus to the mix to help you do more things on a smartphone. As we mentioned in our TCL Stylus 5G review, it’s a good budget phone that offers a great value for its $258 asking price in the US. It works very well on T-Mobile, which means it’s also a good addition to this collection of the best T-Mobile phones.
One of the best things about the TCL Stylus 5G is obviously the stylus. The phone also has a space to store the stylus in it, unlike some other phones that make you carry them separately like an accessory. It’s a passive stylus though, meaning it doesn’t have a battery and it doesn’t rely on Bluetooth to function. We found that it works well with the phone and has minimal latency while writing and taking notes. And just like the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the TCL Stylus 5G also lets you start a quick note without first unlocking the phone.
We also like how TCL built some custom apps that let you take advantage of the stylus on the device. The phone is bundled with Nebo for TCL and MyScript Calculator 2. Nebo, in case you don’t know, is a handwriting recognition tool that can transcribe your notes into copyable text. MyScript Calculator 2 is an app that takes your handwritten calculations and computes them for you. Both of these apps worked well during our time with the device.
The TCL Stylus 5G also comes with a 6.81-inch display. It’s a simple-looking display with a notch towards the top and a sizable bezel at the bottom. You don’t get the darkest blacks, super contrasty colors, or even features like an always-on display with this one, but it’s a decent-looking display that’s suitable for day-to-day usage. We just wish it was a bit brighter as the 500 nits brightness makes it hard to read in direct sunlight.
As for the internals, the TCL Stylus 5G comes with a Mediatek Dimensity 700 SoC and 4GB of RAM. The performance of the phone is on par with what you’d expect from other phones in this price range. It’s not going to win any awards but it’ll get the job done without any issues. The 4,000mAh battery should also comfortably last you for a day without any issues. The phone also comes with four camera sensors at the back which include a 50MP PDAF sensor, 5MP wide-angle sensor, 2MP macro sensor, and 2MP depth sensor.
All things considered, the TCL Stylus 5G is a great phone to consider if you don’t mind sticking with T-Mobile. The carrier is literally handing out a free unit of TCL Stylus 5G if you get a new line and stay locked in for 24 months. It’s only available in black color and has a single storage option, so keep that in mind.
- The TCL Stylus 5G is a budget smartphone with a garaged stylus. It also has a nice screen, great software, and a decent camera. It is exactly $258 of smartphone.
Best foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is currently the only folding phone that’s readily available in the US, which is why it gets our recommendation for the best foldable phone. It also works well with all the major carriers in the US including T-Mobile, so it’s a solid addition to this collection of the best T-Mobile phones. T-Mobile also seems to be offering the best deals for this phone in the US right now, which is great because the phone can be quite expensive otherwise.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is largely similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from last year and that’s mainly because the overall chassis remains more or less the same. Even while holding both phones side-by-side, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two unless you look at the minute details. Even the small changes, however, make the Galaxy Z Fold 4 significantly better to hold and use in real life. The new and upgraded hinge also makes the device feels more premium. It’s still not going to be as durable as a traditional phone, but Samsung’s foldables have come a long way.
Samsung has also improved the camera system on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to bring it more in line with other flagship phones on the market. The company has borrowed the main 50MP shooter and the 10MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom from its Galaxy S22. It’s still using the same 12MP ultra-wide sensor from the Galaxy Z Fold 3, but they all work well together to deliver some really good-looking results overall. We have a lot more camera details and samples in our Galaxy Z Fold 4 review, so be sure to check it out before making a purchase decision.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 also comes with upgraded internals for better performance overall. You get the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor that’s backed by 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Samsung has also put more effort to improve the overall software experience of the phone. There’s now a persistent taskbar at the bottom of the screen to help you multitask better. The new OneUI software on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is packed with some great features like Flex mode to improve your productivity. You can also use an S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it’s worth mentioning that there’s no place to store the stylus within the device. You’ll have to carry it separately or buy one of those fancy cases to secure it in place.
T-Mobile is also offering some incredible deals for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in the US. You can get up to $800 off with a new line on Magenta MAX. If not, you can also get up to $400 off when you bring an eligible device to trade in for a new Galaxy Z Fold 4. T-Mobile is carrying the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in Phantom Black, Beige, and Graygreen colors, and you also get to choose between 256GB and 512GB storage variants.
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is at once a smartphone and a mini tablet, and Samsung's polished the hardware and software enough that transition is seamless. If you want to flex with your personal device -- this is the phone to get.
Closing Thoughts
There’s no shortage of phones that work with T-Mobile in the US, but these are the only ones that we think are worth considering in 2022. From the most expensive Galaxy Z Fold 4 to more budget options like the TCL Stylus 5G, we’ve managed to put together a healthy list of phones that work with T-Mobile in the US. This is an ever-evolving list that we’ll update frequently to add more options that are relevant, so be sure to check back for newer and potentially better phones.
So which T-Mobile phone are you planning to buy? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments below.
The post These are the best T-Mobile phones you can buy in 2022 appeared first on XDA.
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