Here are the best phones with 4GB RAM

In the past year or so, we have seen new flagship smartphones come on the market with 6 GB, and even 8 GB, of RAM inside. However, for the vast majority of handset owners, phones with 4GB RAM should be more than enough to not only handle all of your apps, but offer solid performance for them as well.

Best of all, these phones typically cost much less than the current flagships that may have more memory, but offer little in the way of better performance overall. In this article, we take a look at the current phones with 4GB RAM that we consider to be the best you can buy right now.

Google Pixel 2

The Pixel 2 is Google’s latest flagship smartphone, and it’s great at just about everything. If you’re in the market for a simple Android phone, the Pixel 2 is a great option and one of the best phones with 4GB of RAM.

This device has a 5-inch OLED 1080p display with a pixel density of 441 ppi. It doesn’t have a fancy 18:9 aspect ratio screen or a bezel-less design, though it does have front-facing speakers above and below the display. Inside, it comes with a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. You can buy the phone with either 64 GB or 128 GB of on board storage, but there’s no microSD card to add additional storage.

If you like taking photos with your phone, you’ll be very pleased with the Pixel 2’s 12.2 MP camera. Not only has it been named the smartphone camera on the market according to DxOMark, we found the Pixel 2’s main camera to be incredibly impressive in most situations. There’s even a portrait mode on the front and back cameras, even though the phone doesn’t have a dual-camera setup.

You might be wondering why we haven’t mentioned the Pixel 2 XL. It’s a great phone—don’t get us wrong—but just know that the XL’s display has had its fair share of issues since launch. The LG-made pOLED 6.0-inch display on the 2 XL shows off a blue tint when the phone is tilted, it’s not tuned to be as vibrant as other OLED panels, and many early adopters have already been noticing burn-in issues. Google says it will continue to combat these issues with software updates, and it’s also extended the warranty to two years.

If you want a Pixel phone with a larger battery and can live with a mediocre display, we’d recommend going for the Pixel 2 XL—you’ll be very happy. But if you can live with a smaller battery and a smaller screen (that doesn’t have any issues), we’d recommend the Pixel 2.

Specs

5.0-inch OLED 16:9 display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 441 ppi (Pixel 2)
- 6.0-inch pOLED 18:9 display with 2,880 x 1,440 resolution, 538 ppi (Pixel 2 XL)
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
4 GB of RAM
64/128GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
12.2 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
Non-removable 2,700 mAh battery (Pixel 2)
- Non-removable 3,520 mAh battery (Pixel 2 XL)
Android 8.0 Oreo
145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm, 143 g (Pixel 2)
- 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm, 175 g (Pixel 2 XL)

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus

If you are looking for phones with 4GB RAM, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus should be near the top of the list if you want to get phones with some of the latest hardware and software out of the box. Both the S8 and the S8 Plus come with either a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 processor (depending on the market), with 64 GB of storage, a 12 MP rear camera and 8 MP front-facing camera. The Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,960 x 1,440 resolution, and a 3,000 mAh battery, while the S8 Plus comes with a larger 6.2-inch display with the same resolution, and a larger 3,500 mAh battery (be aware that you can also get the S8 Plus in some markets, including India, with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage). Amazon is selling the unlocked version for the S8 for $665, while the S8 Plus goes for $725.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S8

5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 resolution, 570 ppi
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 processor (depending on region)
4 GB of RAM
64 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256 GB
12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
Non-removable 3,000 mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm, 155 g

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus

6.2-inch Super AMOLED display with 2960 x 1440 resolution, 529 ppi
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 processor (depending on region)
4 GB of RAM
64 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256 GB
12 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera
Non-removable 3,500 mAh battery
Android 7.0 Nougat
159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm, 173 g

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Motorola Moto Z2 Force

The Motorola Moto Z2 Force is the most recently released handset on this list of phones with 4GB RAM. It also has a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with a 5.5-inch POLED display with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440. Inside there’s 64 GB of onboard storage, along with two 12 MP rear camers (one color, one monochrome), a 5 MP front-facing camera and a 2,730 mAh battery.

Perhaps the biggest difference with the Moto Z2 Force compared to all the other devices on this phones with 4GB RAM list is the support for Moto Mods. Motorola has a number of first and third-party accessories for the Moto Z family, including the Z2 Force, that attach to the back of the phone via magnets that can add new features. Some of the mods include adding more battery power, along with a more powerful speaker, a more advanced camera, and even a gamepad. You can purchase the phone directly from Motorola right now for $720.

Specs

5.5-inch OLED display with 2,560 x 1440 resolution, 564 ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
4 GB of RAM
32 GB of on-board storage
Dual 12 MP rear cameras, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 2,730 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
155.8 x 76 x 6.1 mm, 143 g

Essential Phone

This phone has received a ton of media attention, thanks in large part to the fact that Andy Rubin, the co-creator of the Android OS, founded the company that created the Essential Phone. It also helps that the phone itself has some solid hardware inside. The first thing people notice about it is the near bezel-free display, with a small amount on the bottom and nothing on top; the screen wraps around its front-facing camera. The screen itself is 5.7 inches and is a QHD display with a 19:10 aspect ratio.

Inside, the Essential Phone is one of the best phones with 4GB RAM, and it has the fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, and 128 GB of onboard storage. It also contains dual 13 MP rear cameras, an 8 MP front facing camera and a 3,040 mAh battery. The phone also has some magnetic connectors on the back that are designed to connect to extra accessories, such as an upcoming 360 degree camera and a charging station. Even the chassis of the phone is made of premium materials, with a titanium main body and a ceramic back.

While this phone launched just a few months ago for $699.99, you can get the unlocked version of the Essential phone from Amazon right now for just $449.99. It will work with all four major US wireless carriers.

Specs

5.7-inch display with 2,560 x 1,312 resolution, 19:10 ratio
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 mobile platform
4 GB of RAM
128 GB of on-board storage, no microSD expansion
Dual 13 MP rear cameras, 8 MP front camera
Non-removable 3,040 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
2.8 x 0.3 x 5.6 inches, 6.6 ounces

LG V30

The V30 is the latest flagship phone from LG, which has been struggling to compete, at least in sales, with its biggest Android rival Samsung. It is also the successor to 2016’s LG V20, which included a secondary 2.1-inch screen on top for showing app shortcuts, media controls, and more. The V30 does away with that secondary display, and instead has one nearly bezel-free 6-inch screen, using LG’s new Plastic OLED (pOLED) panel. LG offers a slide-out menu on the phone’s display (called the Floating Bar) that floats around the screen as a substitute (sort for) for folks who might miss the secondary display.

In terms of hardware specs, the LG V30 has everything you would expect from a flagship phon. In addition to being one of the best phones with 4GB RAM, it has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 , along with 64 GB of onboard storage, a 3,300 mAh battery, and a IP68 dust and water resistance rating. LG is heavily promoting the advanced camera and photography features on the V30m too. It has a dual rear camera that includes a 16 MP sensor with a f/1.6 aperture, along with a 13 MP sensor with a f/1.9 aperture. The rear camera has a Crystal Clear Lens instead of plastic, which should mean you should get more realistic looking photos with the V30. Video creators should have fun with software features like Cine Video, which allows users to quickly put in video effects, along with Point Zoom, which will let owners zoom into any point in a video.

Audiophiles should also be happy with the LG V30, as it has support for Hi-Fi Quad DAC tuned by B&O Play. It is also the first smartphone to support MQA, which is supposed to let users stream high-res audio, but with a smaller file size and no loss in quality. It’s priced at $829.99 and should be one of the best unlocked Android phones you can get.

Specs

6.0-inch P-OLED FullVision display 2,880 x 1,440 resolution, 538 ppi
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform
4 GB of RAM
64 (V30) / 128 (V30 Plus) GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 2 TB
Dual 16 and 13 MP rear cameras, 5 MP front camera
Non-removable 3,300 mAh battery
Android 7.1.2 Nougat
151.7 x 75.4 x 7.3 mm, 158 g

HTC U11

The HTC 10 was one of our best unlocked Android phones of 2016, and for good reason. The Taiwanese company absolutely nailed the design of the 10, and it worked hard at scaling back the software to make it feel like the bare-bones Android experience we all know and love. And while it didn’t have a bunch of gimmicky extras, that was okay. The HTC10 was a solid Android phone that nailed the basics.

Now HTCis back with the 10’s successor, the HTCU11, and is one of the best phones with 4GB RAM. With an eye-catching, glossy design, all-day battery life, and a smooth and snappy software experience, the U11 competes toe-to-toe with the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 when it comes to performance. It also has one of the best smartphone cameras on the market, according to DxOMark.

The standout feature on the U11 is something HTCcalls Edge Sense. The sides of the phone are pressure sensitive, and this allows you to physically squeeze the phone to activate a specific function or open an app like the camera or web browser. Having to squeeze your phone to make it do something does sound a bit odd, but we’ve really found this feature to come in handy.

Before you go out and spend $650 on this baby, there are a few things you should know. For starters, this phone doesn’t have a 3.5 mm headphone jack, meaning you’ll either need to use Bluetooth headphones or carry around the included headphone adapter everywhere you go. Also, while HTC’s Sense is one of our favorite Android skins out there, it is feeling a bit dated at this point.

If you can get past those few caveats, though, the U11 will certainly not disappoint.

Specs

5.5-inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440 resolution, 534 ppi
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor
4/6 GB of RAM
64/128 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 256 GB
12 MP rear camera, 16 MP front camera
3,000 mAh battery
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9 mm, 169 g

Phones with 4GB RAM – Conclusion

As more and more Android flagship smartphones add 6 GB of RAM inside, it’s easy for some people to forget that phones with 4GB RAM can still perform almost nearly as well. What do you think of this list, and are you willing to save a few bucks to get onees of these phones with 4GB RAM? Let us know what your opinion is in the comments!

Here are the best phones with 4GB RAM

Google Pixel 2

Specs

Read more

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus

Motorola Moto Z2 Force

Essential Phone

Specs

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LG V30

Specs

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HTC U11

Specs

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Phones with 4GB RAM – Conclusion