Whether you carry your media library with you, shoot a lot of 4K (or even 8K) video, or you’re looking to download a few movies ahead of a long commute, expandable storage is essential for a lot of users. Thankfully, even in 2020, you still have plenty of options available, ranging from the high end with endless features packed in, to budget options if you don’t want to spend upwards of $1,000 on a phone. These are the best Android phones with expandable storage.
Best overall
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Staff pick
The headphone jack may be dead in modern Samsung phones, but the MicroSD slot is alive and well in the Note 20 Ultra. You already get pretty sizeable storage internally, with options for 256GB or 512GB, but if even that’s not enough, you can add up to 1TB with a microSD card. You’ll also get a 6.9-inch 120Hz display, a 108MP primary camera, a telephoto with up to 50X zoom, and a 4500mAh battery.
$1,100 at Amazon
$1,100 at Best Buy
$1,100 at B&H
Great for one-handed use
Samsung Galaxy S20
Samsung’s Galaxy S20 is perfect if you want a more compact phone with high-end hardware. Its 6.2-inch display may not sound small, but thanks to ultra-thin bezels, the phone is tiny by today’s standards. It has most of the same specs and features as the Note 20 Ultra, albeit with a smaller 4000mAh battery and no 108MP camera.
$800 at Amazon
$800 at Best Buy
$800 at B&H
Dual screens
LG G8X ThinQ
The G8X is excellent for content consumption and creation. The dual cameras benefit from a myriad of manual controls for both photo and video capture, and you even get a secondary screen in the box that you can attach to create a larger space for media editing. Best of all, along with the micoSD slot, LG’s signature Quad DAC is here in all its high-fidelity glory for wired audio.
$495 at Amazon
$600 at Best Buy
$650 at B&H
Maximum productivity
Sony Xperia 1 II
The Xperia 1 II is an incredible device for media consumption. Not only does it shoot terrific-looking 4K video at up to 60fps, it even has a 4K display, allowing you to watch UHD content in its native resolution. The 21:9 aspect ratio is perfect for watching movies on. Sony’s Cinema Pro app gives you outstanding manual video controls, including focus peaking, adjustable frame rates and resolutions, and various LUTs.
$1,198 at Amazon
$1,200 at Best Buy
$1,198 at B&H
5G for cheap
Motorola Edge
The Motorola Edge is a fantastic “value flagship,” with a gorgeous 90Hz display and excellent battery life. Despite its low price, you get 5G support, along with a headphone jack, expandable storage, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and a stunning hardware design. The cameras aren’t as good as what you’ll find on higher-end devices (including Moto’s Edge+), but the Edge offers a lot of bang for your buck.
$500 at Amazon
$500 at Best Buy
$500 at B&H
Best budget phone
Nokia 7.2
The Nokia 7.2 epitomizes HMD Global’s efforts as of late. The phone combines Nokia’s classic industrial design with robust hardware in the form of a Snapdragon 660 chipset, a 6.3-inch FHD+ display with always-on HDR, impressive rear cameras, and a MicroSD slot for up to 512GB of expandable storage. With the phone running Android One, you can be assured that it’ll be one of the first to receive major software updates.
$349 at Amazon
$350 at Best Buy
MicroSD isn’t dead yet
With more flagship phones moving away from expandable storage (and some brands like Huawei switching from microSD to their own standards), you might think the format is becoming a dying breed, but don’t panic just yet. There are still plenty of great phones with microSD support, ranging from budget offerings to top-tier flagships.
If you want the absolute best of the best with expandable storage, look no further than the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. With it, you get nearly every spec under the sun, including 5G support for any compatible U.S. carrier, and that gorgeous 6.9-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display coupled with stereo speakers is ideal for multimedia consumption. The enormous new camera array is also incredibly versatile, allowing you to get as close with the telephoto or as far away with the ultra-wide as you desire.
If you’re interested in dabbling in dual-screened devices, though, the LG G8X is another exciting option to consider. The specs aren’t quite as powerful, but the dual cameras are good performers, and you get a suite of powerful manual video controls to get granular with your shooting. You can use the Dual Screen accessory to expand your canvas for photo and video editing, or just use it to multitask!
