Every smartphone company tries to outdo itself – and its rivals – every year by releasing new models with better looks, better specs, better features, and better price tags. 2019 has seen many new models released in the market: from the stunning Galaxy Note 10 Plus, Pixel 4 and OnePlus 7 Pro, to the expensively ambitious Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X.

With that said, here's a quick look at the best Android smartphones this year. Those who are looking for the best Google-powered smartphone to give to themselves or to others as a Christmas gift have these as the best options.

Top performer: Galaxy Note 10 Plus

Samsung's latest and greatest non-foldable smartphone is the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, a powerhouse designed for productivity, PCWorld noted. This handset features a stunning display, almost non-existent bezels, long battery life, and the added productivity features using the S Pen.

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus starts at $839.99 for the 256GB storage configuration. Samsung currently gives a free unlocked Galaxy A50 with every Galaxy Note 10 purchase.

Value for money: OnePlus 7T

OnePlus is known for its top-tier smartphones that don't cost as much as other top-tiers do, and this is why its smartphones are always considered as one of the best choices in the market. One of the company's more recent releases, the OnePlus 7T, is clearly one of the best out there.

The OnePlus 7T boasts of a Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC backed by 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM. It has a stunning 90HZ HDR10+ display, a huge 3,800 mAh battery with OnePlus' signature fast charging tech, and a 48MP ultra wide triple camera. Best of all, it's available for only $599.

Low budget: Google Pixel 3a

Looking for an affordable handset that can compete with other more expensive players in many aspects, including photography? Look no further than Google's Pixel 3a. This handset might be older or weaker compared to the other two on this list, but it definitely doesn't cost as much as them as well.

The Pixel 3a features a Snapdragon 670 chipset, a meager 4GB of RAM, and a small 64GB of storage. It does, however, feature great camera capabilities, and sells for only $399.

Google Pixel 3
Picture: The new Google Pixel 3 XL smartphone is displayed during a Google product release event, October 9, 2018 in New York City. Getty Images/Drew Angerer