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AT&T is one of the nation's oldest wireless carriers, and we've been covering it for several decades. The company's 5G network faces stiff competition from Verizon and T-Mobile, but many of today's top phones work well on its frequencies. You can explore all of the compatible Editors' Choice winners below, but the long-lasting Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, the artist-friendly Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and the AI-enhanced Google Pixel 9 stand out on the list. All of the phones we selected are worth getting for AT&T customers, however, so make sure to click through to our in-depth reviews of each for all the pros and cons. We also provide some additional details below our picks that you should keep in mind while you shop for your next AT&T phone.
Our Top Tested Picks
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Apple iPhone 15
The Best Phone Deals This Week*
- Save up to $1,000 at AT&T on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra With Trade-in and Unlimited Plan
- Free Apple iPhone 15 Pro at AT&T With Trade-in and Qualifying Unlimited Plan
- Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G 256GB Unlocked Phone (2023 Model) — $229.99 (List Price $399.99)
- Samsung Galaxy S23 5G 128GB (Verified Refurbished by Back Market) — From $390
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 512GB Unlocked Phone — $2,019.99
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
- RELATED:
- Best Phones
- Best 5G Phones
- Best Cheap Phones
- Best T-Mobile Phones
- Best Verizon Phones
- Best Folding Phones
Best for Content Creators
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- Fast, smooth performance
- Excellent cameras
- Long battery life
- Useful Action button
- USB-C connectivity opens up new features
- Lighter than previous Pro Max
- Expensive
- Big
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is Apple's most capable phone thanks to its fast A17 Pro processor, large display, superb cameras, and excellent battery life. It's also quite rugged, with a titanium frame, Ceramic Shield panel, and IP68 rating. Pro Res support and the ability to record over USB-C to an external drive make it particularly suitable for video capture, too.
Content creators, this is the phone for you. Apple's priciest iPhone is for those who don't want to compromise on any advanced features.
Best for Artists and Note-Takers
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Speedy performance
- Beautiful screen
- Terrific cameras
- Useful AI features
- Comes with S Pen stylus
- Long support commitment
- Big
- Expensive
The S24 Ultra is one of the most powerful Android smartphones available. It offers a large, pixel-rich display, outstanding battery life, top-tier performance, and a flexible camera setup for capturing photos near and far. Furthermore, it's the only phone to ship with Samsung's S Pen Stylus for jotting notes and drawing pictures. Its fun and useful Galaxy AI features are additional highlights.
If you want the most capable Android phone—and want or need a stylus—the Galaxy S24 Ultra is by far your best option. Samsung's seven-year support commitment also means you can remain productive for years to come.
Best Folding Phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
- Improved, more durable design
- Wider cover screen
- Excellent cameras
- Blazing performance
- Bright displays
- Long software support window
- Very expensive
- Lagging charging speeds
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the ultimate phone for productivity. Its massive inner screen allows you to comfortably run multiple apps at a time, while its DeX software lets you pair it with a display for a desktop-like experience. Additionally, support for Samsung's S Pen stylus (not included) means you can write notes or scribble drawings with ease. On the entertainment front, the inner screen is an ideal canvas for watching movies and shows. Galaxy AI enhancements and an IP48 rating round out the impressive package.
If you want the biggest possible screen in a still-pocketable device, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is for you. It's equally adept for work and play.
Best Midrange Android Phone
Google Pixel 8a
- Excellent cameras
- Powerful performance
- Useful AI features
- Long battery life
- Seven-year software support
- Older protective glass on the front
- Relatively slow charging
Google's software is the choice of the techno-elite for its speed, elegance, and simplicity. The Pixel 8a brings you that experience—along with seven years of Android updates and many AI features—at an affordable price. Its cameras are excellent, too.
For those who don't want to pay for a full-on flagship phone, the Google Pixel 8a offers plenty of power and commendable cameras at a reasonable price.
Best Android Phone for Most People
Google Pixel 9
- Excellent cameras
- Useful and fun AI features
- Good performance
- Competitively priced
- Limited storage
- Doesn't include Gemini Live subscription
The Pixel 9 provides nearly all the features of its more powerful siblings for hundreds of dollars less. You get a quality screen, outstanding cameras, an IP68 rating, and Google Gemini features to make your life easier. It also uses Google's version of Android, which is chock full of software tricks, and will receive system updates earlier and for longer than most other phones.
Buyers who want the best all-around Android phone at a reasonable price should go for the Pixel 9 thanks to its excellent performance, appealing design, and easy-to-use software.
Best Affordable Android Phone
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
- Affordable
- Long battery life
- Competent cameras
- Excellent software upgrade policy
- No IP rating
- Plastic build
Samsung's Galaxy A15 5G has a pleasingly large display, a decent processor, a serviceable set of cameras, and all the battery life you need to get through the day. Moreover, Samsung plans to support it with security updates for five years, meaning you can hold onto it for a long time.
The Galaxy A15 is the perfect pick for anyone who wants a competent, low-cost smartphone. It doesn't make you feel like you're giving anything up.
Best iPhone for Most People
Apple iPhone 15
- Good size and weight
- Solid performance
- Capable cameras
- USB-C port
- Dynamic Island
- No always-on display
- No telephoto camera
- Shorter battery life than other iPhones
Although it's the least expensive model in Apple's iPhone 15 lineup, the base iPhone 15 features a durable, waterproof design and is a comfortable size for all-day use. Its A16 Bionic processor delivers plenty of speed, its dual-camera arrangement takes sharp photos, and Apple's iOS platform provides access to literally millions of apps.
If you want a phone that covers the basics and then some, the colorful Apple iPhone 15 has an appealing mix of features and specs. It's the most affordable way to get all of the most recent iPhone features.
Best Flip Phone
TCL Flip 2
- Affordable
- Long battery life
- Clear earpiece and speakerphone
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Email access
- Can't download additional apps
- Poor cameras
The TCL Flip 2 is the best affordable flip phone. It handles calls without issue, doesn't cost much, and has longer battery life than most modern smartphones. As a bonus, it includes Wi-Fi and a useful cover display.
If you yearn for the days of phones with a clamshell design, the TCL Flip 2 will satisfy your nostalgia itch. It's also a great value at well under $100.
Is AT&T's 5G Network Good?
AT&T typically ranks third in national network surveys, but it still offers excellent LTE performance nationwide. Although the carrier once confusingly sold its 4G network as 5G Evolution (or 5G E), it has since dropped that name from ads.
AT&T has been slower in its 5G expansion than Verizon and T-Mobile. It currently runs a "nationwide 5G" network that sometimes is no faster than its 4G network. AT&T uses a mix of low-band, mid-band, and mmWave/high-band frequencies for its 5G networks. Low-band frequencies are capable of reaching far-away devices, but the trade-off is lower speeds. If your device connects to AT&T's low-band frequencies for 5G, it will display "5G" on the screen. You could see speeds below 100Mbps in this scenario.
Mid-band frequencies range from 2 to 10GHz, and this is where you find C-band. In the US, C-band refers to frequencies between 3.7 and 3.98GHz. These allow for good range and better-than-LTE speeds, so it's important that your 5G phone supports them. Signals can reach about half a mile away from their towers, and connection speeds can exceed 1Gbps.
Meanwhile, mmWave/high-band frequencies are very short-range and can offer speeds of over 3Gbps. However, physical objects can block or reflect these frequencies, thus interfering with connections and speeds more so than with low-band or mid-band frequencies. AT&T labels its mid-band and mmWave network as "5G+."
What Should You Look for in an AT&T Phone?
Many people get their phones with the help of a monthly plan (typically over 36 months with AT&T), so even premium models are viable choices for many subscribers. It's not difficult to get the latest and greatest devices either if you pay a few extra dollars per month for a fast-upgrade plan such as AT&T Next Up Anytime.
Unlocked phones are also an option, of course, though their high upfront costs might not be feasible for all. Just make sure to check that AT&T officially supports (link opens a PDF) the unlocked phone you want before you buy it. That linked list might not always be up-to-date, but any new Apple, Google, and Samsung phones are reasonably safe bets for compatibility. Devices from Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, and Oppo might not be.
If you want your phone to be a long-term investment, the most important spec to consider is support for C-band. Devices in the current Galaxy S24 and Z 6 foldable, Google Pixel 9, and the iPhone 15 lineups all take advantage of AT&T's C-band. If you look into a phone on AT&T's site, you can open up the Features & Specs section and then go to the Wireless Technology portion. Look for either the words "C-band" or n77 to see if the device supports the right spectrum.
More generally, if you are weighing several different options for your AT&T phone, make sure you check for any deals that may get you a better device for a lower cost.
Recommended by Our Editors
The Best Flip Phone for AT&T
If you're interested in a flip or voice phone, you should buy one that supports voice over AT&T's 4G or 5G network, as the carrier finally turned off its 3G service in 2022.
What Is 5G?
If you need more help buying a cell phone, check out our story on the best cheap phones. While you're at it, take a look at our lists of the best phones for T-Mobile and Verizon.
Dave LeClair contributed to this report.
