Best Mint Mobile phones 2023

The best Mint Mobile phones are the devices that can best take advantage of the carrier's vast 5G network (powered by T-Mobile). Luckily, with Mint, compatibility is rarely an issue as long as you have an unlocked phone. 

Mint Mobile is a unique carrier in a few ways. For one, you have to buy your wireless service in 3, 6, or 12-month increments of time, with additional savings the more you buy. Secondly, Mint Mobile carries (and is compatible with) a wide selection of outstanding smartphones. Below you can find all of the best phones that work with Mint Mobile. Our overall favorite pick is the Google Pixel 7 Pro, thanks to its strong 5G support, solid internal hardware, and an elegant, timeless design.  

At a glance

Best overall

From a checklist, the Google Pixel 7 Pro looks like it could be the best Android phone ever made, but it's not all perfect. The Tensor G2 CPU powering the phone isn't the fastest and face unlock isn't quite where it should be, but according to our Google Pixel 7 Pro review, Google's relentless refinement has still created one of the best overall packages you can get.

The CPU is fast enough for just about anything you can do on your phone today but may start to show some cracks over the next few years as new apps take advantage of faster CPUs. The CPU does, however, enable Google's AI for photography and puts the Google Assistant at your fingertips at all times. Of course, the phone is running the latest version of Android, Android 13, and is set to receive years of updates from Google.

The camera system is likely the Pixel 7 Pro's finest achievement, with a standard wide and ultra-wide camera alongside a new 5x telephoto camera. This allows you to get in closer to your subject to get the best picture possible. Features like Photo Unblur and Magic Eraser also help you get the image you want even if the shot wasn't perfect.

Best balance

 Of the three phones available in the new Samsung Galaxy S23 series, the S23 Plus is by far the most balanced. The phone comes complete with a vibrant 6.6-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, and an upgraded selfie camera. Sure, it’s not a massive upgrade over its predecessor, the S22 Plus, but that phone topped our list of the best Android phones for many months, so we’re glad that Samsung chose refinement over transformation here.

In addition to the specs above, the Galaxy S23 Plus also features a large 4,700mAh battery with wireless charging capabilities, Wi-Fi 6E support, and a durable Gorilla Glass Victus 2 construction. It may not be as ridiculously powerful as its big sibling, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but it’s an excellent choice if you value good old-fashioned bang for the buck. That being said, if you are interested in the other S23 devices, Mint Mobile has you covered. 

Best midrange option

The Google Pixel 7a is one of the best values you can get in Android with the powerful Google Tensor CPU, excellent 5G and Wi-Fi support, and plenty of Android updates in the pipeline. As we found in our Google Pixel 7a review, there is no better value Android phone at this price. On the back, you get a familiar camera design delivering great photos thanks to Google's image processing. 

You give up a few comforts of the main Pixel 7a for the price tag such as wireless charging beyond 5W, a bit of camera performance, and the high refresh rate display, but many people will be more than happy to with these downgrades. Even so, the 6.1-inch AMOLED display is still sharp and vibrant with HDR10+ support. If you're looking to save some money on your next phone but still want some of the best cameras and great performance, the Pixel 7a may be the right choice.

Best on a budget

The OnePlus Nord N30 5G is a good Android phone with an almost unbelievable price, even when you buy it unlocked.  As the name implies, you get 5G support including mid-band 5G on Mint Mobile. The design has a premium look and feel with its two large camera lenses on the back. Our OnePlus Nord N30 review found that the phone also offers great battery life with some impressively fast charging speeds, especially in this price range.

On the software side, things aren't as bright with the phone shipping with Android 13 and only planned OS update on the books. Even so, not everyone will care about having the absolute latest version of Android so this phone is still a solid option. The 6.72-inch AMOLED display looks great, and even at 120Hz, the Snapdragon 695 in this phone has no trouble keeping up with most apps.

Best small phone

ASUS has been making Android phones for years with the gaming ROG Phones stealing most of the spotlight, but the Zenfone line has been slowly improving in the background. The Zenfone 9 is easily one of the best Android phones money can buy with powerful specs, a unique look, and a restrained size that makes one-handed use a reality. In fact, our Zenfone 9 review called it the best small Android phone you could buy.

This phone comes with one of the fastest CPUs available, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and a minimum of 8GB of RAM with a 16GB model available. If you're fine with the 8GB version, as most people should be, you can also pick from four colors: white, black, red, and blue. The phone shipped with Android 12L and is expected to get the update to Android 13 soon with a beta already in progress. There is a main 50MP wide camera and a 12MP ultra-wide which both deliver strong results during the day. Low-light shots are also strong with accurate colors and plenty of detail. The main camera also has gimbal stabilization giving this phone a distinct advantage while taking video.

Best for gaming

The latest flagship OnePlus 10 Pro 5G works great on the T-Mobile network with 5G support including mid-band 5G. That means you'll get the full Mint Mobile network and will have plenty of options if you want to change carriers later on. Just make sure to get the U.S. version for the best network compatibility.

Like most other flagships you get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU to power the phone's 6.7-inch AMOLED display at 120Hz. There's a large 5,000mAh battery that's configured as two 2,500mAh batteries allowing for incredible 65-watt SUPERVOOC charging with the included power supply. The phone runs OxygenOS 12 running atop Android 12 and is promised to get 3 Android version updates, which is competitive with other flagships. Speaking of software, OnePlus boasts about its camera partnership with Hasselblad for the color work on its cameras, and as we found in our OnePlus 10 Pro review, the photo quality was great, with natural colors and tons of versatile filters.

• Back to the top ^

Find a phone with plenty of performance for your needs

If you're using Mint Mobile, you're likely focused on getting great service for less money — and you want a phone that follows the same philosophy. Mint Mobile lets you bring any unlocked phone to its network, so your options are wide open. For the best results on T-Mobile's network, the carrier that owns Mint, you'll want a 5G phone that supports bands n71 and n41. That gives you the best of both worlds for coverage and speed, and luckily, most of the best Android phones you can buy support this network.

The Google Pixel 7 Pro takes all of these requirements to heart with fantastic support for 5G including T-Mobile's fastest 5G bands. Not only that but if it turns out you don't love Mint's service, the Pixel 7 Pro supports the other major carriers as well including C-band 5G. You get Android 13 out of the box and years of software updates so you'll be on the latest builds for years to come.

• More phone deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Samsung | Amazon | Verizon | AT&T