![\"Motorola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Motorola-Moto-G-5G-2025-home-screen.jpg\"\/ "\\"Motorola")
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Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
Here at\u00a0Android Authority, we spend a lot of time talking about the best Android phones<\/a> you can buy at any given time. Want a phone with great cameras? Long battery life? Something at a low price? We know exactly the right phone for you.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s another side to that coin: the Android phones you shouldn\u2019t buy. Which phones are you better off skipping? As someone who\u2019s been reviewing and writing about Android phones for a decade, that\u2019s what I\u2019m here to answer.<\/p>\n While there are endless Android phones from unknown brands on Amazon and other online retailers that you should always avoid, I\u2019m focusing this list on major Android phones that you\u2019re likely already considering. Also, while some of the phones here are ones we\u2019ve previously recommended, they\u2019re not necessarily the best purchase in August 2025.<\/p>\n Got it? Great. Without further ado, here are seven Android phones I don\u2019t recommend buying right now.<\/p>\n What do you think is the worst Android phone to buy in August 2025?<\/p>\n 520 votes<\/p>\n Google Pixel 9<\/p>\n 16%<\/p>\n Google Pixel 9 Pro\/9 Pro XL\/9 Pro Fold<\/p>\n 19%<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge<\/p>\n 23%<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy A36 5G<\/p>\n 15%<\/p>\n Motorola Moto G (2025)<\/p>\n 22%<\/p>\n Other (let us know in the comments)<\/p>\n 6%<\/p>\n Google Pixel 9<\/p>\n C. Scott Brown \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Pixel 9<\/p>\n My first couple of picks may seem contradictory, as they\u2019re some of the highest-rated phones from last year, but there\u2019s a good reason for their inclusion on this list. It starts with the base model Google Pixel 9<\/a>.<\/p>\n The main reason not to buy the Pixel 9 is that the Pixel 10 is set to be announced on August 20, and it\u2019s shaping up to be a significant upgrade. The Pixel 10 is expected to feature a new 5x telephoto camera (something the Pixel 9 doesn\u2019t have), Qi2 wireless charging with built-in magnets, a larger battery, and slightly faster wired charging.<\/p>\n Perhaps more important is the Tensor G5 chip that\u2019ll be inside the Pixel 10. It\u2019s widely believed that the G5 will not only be Google\u2019s first 3nm chip, but it will also be the first one manufactured by TSMC. Nothing is confirmed until we get our hands on the phone, but this could result in substantial performance and efficiency upgrades even compared to the Pixel 9\u2019s Tensor G4 chipset.<\/p>\n Given how significant an upgrade we expect the Pixel 10 to be<\/a>, buying a Pixel 9 less than two weeks before the new model gets here isn\u2019t the best idea. I\u2019d recommend waiting to buy the Pixel 10 if it\u2019s as good as we suspect, and if not, you should be able to get the Pixel 9 at a heavily discounted price once its successor arrives.<\/p>\n Google Pixel 9 Pro\/9 Pro XL\/9 Pro Fold<\/p>\n Ryan Whitwam \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Left: Pixel 9 Pro, Right: Pixel 9 Pro Fold<\/p>\n My next few phones to avoid are grouped together in one section, as my buying advice is the same for all three of them. I\u2019m talking about the Google Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. In addition to the regular Pixel 10, we also expect Google to announce new Pro phones at its August 20 event \u2014 including the Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.<\/p>\n Unlike the Pixel 10, none of the Pixel 10 Pro models are reported to get new camera hardware. However, other upgrades \u2014 such as Qi2 magnetic charging, larger batteries, faster wired charging, and the Tensor G5 chip \u2014 are all on the table.<\/p>\n It’s worth waiting just a little while longer for the Pixel 10 Pro to get here.<\/p>\n While the reasons to wait are slightly different, the same logic applies as it does to the base Pixel 9. If you\u2019re debating buying a Pixel 9 Pro model, it\u2019s worth waiting just a little while longer for the Pixel 10 Pro<\/a>\u00a0to get here. At that point, you can decide if the new phones are worth buying, or if you\u2019d rather get last year\u2019s models at a (likely) discounted price.<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge<\/p>\n Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Google isn\u2019t the only company with Android phones that you should avoid buying right now. Looking at Samsung, I find it pretty hard to recommend anyone purchase the Galaxy S25 Edge<\/a>.<\/p>\n My colleague Ryan Haines gave the Galaxy S25 Edge a tepid 3 out of 5 in his review, criticizing the Edge\u2019s poor thermals, lack of a telephoto camera, weak battery life, and slow charging. For a phone that costs $1,100, the Galaxy S25 Edge just isn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n The Galaxy S25 Edge has been a difficult recommendation since its launch in May, but recent Galaxy S26 Edge rumors have further reinforced that point. One rumor claims that the S26 Edge will be 0.3mm thinner than the S25 Edge while simultaneously packing a larger 4,400mAh battery<\/a> \u2014 potentially fixing one of our biggest issues with the current Edge.<\/p>\n Even more noteworthy is an exclusive report that Android Authority\u00a0published in July, where we found evidence that Samsung will discontinue the Galaxy S26 Plus next year and replace it with the Galaxy S26 Edge<\/a>. This means we could see the S26 Edge released much earlier in the year than previously expected. It also means that the Galaxy S25 Edge may be outdated in just a few months, so buying it right now isn\u2019t the best idea.<\/p>\n Samsung Galaxy A36 5G<\/p>\n Rushil Agrawal \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Sticking with Samsung, the company has another ho-hum phone on its hands with the Galaxy A36 5G. The A36 is a $400 handset that, at least on the surface, doesn\u2019t look too bad. With a big AMOLED panel, solid hardware, and good battery life, what\u2019s not to like?<\/p>\n As it turns out, a fair amount. In our Galaxy A36 5G review<\/a>, my colleague Rushil found numerous issues with the phone \u2014 one of the most damning being poor performance. Not only does the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset not perform well in benchmarks, but it\u2019s also sluggish for tasks as simple as scrolling through apps or opening the camera. Paired with a super\u00a0slow fingerprint sensor, the A36 is a phone that\u2019ll test your patience, and not in a good way.<\/p>\n The good news is that there are far better smartphones available at a similar price. The Google Pixel 9a<\/a> is one of the best phones we\u2019ve reviewed this year, touting great cameras, excellent software updates, reliable battery life, and good performance. It also has a much better fingerprint sensor. The Pixel 9a is more expensive at $499, but at the time of publication, it\u2019s on sale for just $399.<\/p>\n The $400 Moto G Stylus (2025)<\/a> is another good alternative. And if you\u2019re okay with some possible carrier quirks, the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro<\/a> are better buys, too. There are lots of great Android phones available in the ~$400 range, but the Galaxy A36 5G isn\u2019t one of them.<\/p>\n Motorola Moto G (2025)<\/p>\n Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Speaking of Moto G phones, there\u2019s another one in Motorola\u2019s current portfolio that\u2019s better left untouched. The Moto G (2025) features a nice design and a decent display, and at just $200, it appears to be an incredible bargain. However, this is one of those cases where appearances can be deceiving.<\/p>\n Ryan didn\u2019t beat around the bush in our Moto G (2025) review<\/a>, simply saying that he doesn\u2019t think you should buy the phone \u2014 and I fully agree with him. The Moto G (2025) is plagued with slow performance, disappointing cameras, weak water resistance, and a terrible software update policy. (Motorola promises just two years of Android OS updates.)<\/p>\n You may be willing to overlook a few compromises with a phone as cheap as the Moto G (2025), but the fact is that you can do a lot better for your money. The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G<\/a> has the same $200 price tag, but it\u2019s a better phone overall. If you live outside of the US or are okay with some possible carrier issues, the CMF Phone 2 Pro<\/a> is an unbelievable bargain for just $279.<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Google-Pixel-9-in-Wintergreen-color-held-in-persons-left-hand-showing-back.jpg\"\/ "\\"Google")
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<\/p>\n![\"Samsung](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Samsung-Galaxy-A36-5G-review-image-4.jpg\"\/ "\\"Samsung")
<\/p>\n![\"Motorola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Motorola-Moto-G-5G-2025-rear-hero.jpg\"\/ "\\"Motorola")
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