The smartphone skirmish between iPhone and Android is getting tired. Honestly, just let the Apple users have their pedestal—it’s not worth it. If you own an Android phone, be it a Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Motorola Edge, or Oppo Find, you know how valuable it is—gotta trust your gut. iPhone, with its lineup of iOS, Retina display, squared-or-rounded-off edges, and cost, isn’t the sun around which we all revolve.
But Android phones and iPhones do share something in common: They’re not complete until they’re encircled with accessories. Apple launches new accessories for seemingly every iOS device release. But for Android, phones or tablets, different brands manufacture different accessories for different models, so it’s hard to choose one that can encompass all. And some second-rate accessories made by third parties are just, ew.
Let us be your guide. We’ve dug up the finest accessories for your Android smartphone, and quite a few of them are compatible with Android tablets. Gadgets for music, photography, charging, and everything in between, as well as specifics like timepieces and gaming tech, are awaiting your nod. Some electronic accessories will differ in performance based on the Android device, but for the most part, they’ll harmonize with every Android phone and tablet on the market for a smart experience that might just put Apple to shame.
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Best Wireless Charger for Android
BoostCharge 15W Wireless Charger Pad
The good thing about owning an Android is that, unlike Apple, which limits wireless charging speed on all third-party chargers to only 7.5 watts, you’ll actually get fast charging for your Galaxy, Pixel, or LG Velvet. And Belkin’s BoostCharger goes up to 15 watts. It also comes in a stand version.
Best Portable Charger for Android
PowerCore III Wireless Portable Charger
A portable charger is pretty much a must-have for smartphone users. A portable charger that provides wireless charging, however, is quite ahead of its time. But it is seriously worth considering. Anker’s PowerCore III, for instance. Charging on the go while using your phone in your hand, no messy cable, no drama.
Best Phone Charger for Android
25W USB-C Fast Charger
What is a smartphone experience but the connection between your phone and your charger? And this one charges really fast, at 25 watts. Set it up, plug it in, and zoom, your Android is fully reinvigorated in just an hour.
Best Stand for Android
Adjustable Stand for Tablets and Phones
This sturdy, angle-adjustable stand for your Android phones and tablets looks sleek enough to be part of your office décor. If it’s not ergonomic, it won’t do.
Best Stylus for Android
Universal Stylus Touchscreen Pen
A genuine nightmare for humankind will be when handwriting becomes obsolete, earning itself the Darwin natural selection treatment. So stop clicking and start taking notes on your phones or tablets with precision. Start drawing and playing mobile games with this stylus pen, too.
Best Unexpected Android Accessory
Portable UV Light Sterilizer
A cool, gifty upgrade to any Android phone that will also twang the heartstrings of every germaphobe. Powered by your phone itself, this UV light dongle will zap and sterilize wherever the light shines.
CleanTray To-Go UV Sterilization Case
Now, in lieu of sterilizing with your phone, give the device itself a 30-second daily cleanse. This case is portable and rechargeable for your office to car to home, for anyone who sees constant sanitization as the most debonair personality trait to have nowadays.
Pro Bluetooth Tracker
This is Android’s answer to Apple’s AirTag: a Bluetooth lighthouse to help you find lost items. Attach it to your belongings, like your wallet or keys, and prompt it to play a sound from the Tile app so you can locate whatever you’ve lost instead of delaying 10 minutes to panic-search before you leave your home.
Best Keyboard for Android
K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard
Got brawny fingers? Clumsy letters on your screen making you want to super smash? Then get a keyboard—not just any keyboard, but a multi-device wireless keyboard for your Android phone and tablet that also props them up at ideal viewing angles. You can seamlessly switch between devices and type it out fluidly.
Best Earbuds for Android
Galaxy Buds
Whether it’s the space-age-looking Galaxy Buds Pro, bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live, or lighter Galaxy Buds2, Samsung’s earbud line will douse Android phone users in studio-quality music, podcasts, or video streaming.
Best Headphones for Android
QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Your Android device might be cheaper than its iOS counterpart, but it still deserves the best noise-cancelling headphones money can buy. And Bose presented comfort, style, and ease-of-use in one. That translates to 24 hours of battery, quiet and aware modes, balanced sound, and a fair price.
Best Android Accessory for Gaming
Kishi Mobile Game Controller
Touchscreen gaming is just not it, chief. The best handheld gameplay is still helmed by controllers. Which is why every Android gamer needs to clip Razer’s handy Kishi controller to their smartphone for a portable game console makeover.
Best Android Accessory for Photography
Pro Lens Kit
Samsung Galaxy S21, OnePlus 9, and Google Pixel 6 are no joke when it comes to resolution and performance in dimmed places. But for professional smartphone photographers, there’s always room for growth, and this lens kit bestows 45 percent more picture capture, magnified close-ups, and an LED fill light.
Best Smartwatch for Android
Galaxy Watch 4 (46mm, Silver)
A premium smartwatch that actually looks like a premium timepiece. Sorry Apple Watch, but you clunky. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch will be your next workout buddy, with accurate monitoring for pretty much every beat, breath, and flow. And you can slap compatible phone features like calling, texting, notifications, and music on your wrist, and tap into them with, well, a tap. Check out the less pricey and smaller version, too.
Best Android Accessory for Car
Auto Sense Wireless Charging Phone Mount
One sudden brake while driving will thwart your sweet ride and jolt your phone, which you’re charging or using to navigate, to the backseat. Hence, a car phone mount that provides Qi-charging while clamping your phone tightly.
Selfie LED Circle Ring Light
If you’re an Android smartphone owner and sick of the condescending, unsubstantiated takes on your phone’s selfie-taking quality, prove those punks wrong with this clip-on ring light.
Best Practical Android Accessory
PopGrip with Swappable Top
Do we even need to explain why you need a PopGrip? You just need a PopGrip. How else will you text with one hand in comfort, stop your phone from falling, and watch videos on a convenient stand while showing off your style?
Maverick Li
Maverick Li is the Assistant eCommerce Editor at Esquire, where he covers tech, home, and all things related to lifestyle.
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