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Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
You can scribble a note without opening a keyboard app if you pick a phone with a stylus. The short answer: buy a Samsung with a built-in S Pen (Samsung’s pen that slides inside the phone), or buy a Motorola Moto G Stylus if you want the pen at the lowest cost. Everything else in this roundup is a big foldable screen that pairs with a pen rather than storing one inside. That difference decides most of your purchase.
This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
Here you will see which pen lives inside the phone, which screens survive daily folding, and how battery size changes your day. My breakdown of the phones with stylus pen covers real owner patterns so you can pick with confidence.
Top Picks
How To Choose The Best Phones With Stylus Pen
The pen question is the one that splits this whole category. Some phones in this list hide a full-size stylus inside the frame, and some are big folding screens that work with a pen you supply yourself. Decide which of those you are actually buying before anything else, because it changes how you carry the phone every day.
Does the pen live inside the phone?
A built-in stylus means you always have it — nothing to remember, nothing to lose in a bag. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra ships with its stylus in the box and stores it in the body, and the Motorola Moto G stylus does the same at a far lower tier. Foldable screens in this list give you a much larger canvas for sketching and note-taking, but you are carrying a separate pen and a much thicker device.
Battery capacity versus real screen-on time
Battery is measured in mAh (milliamp-hours — the size of the fuel tank). A bigger number usually means more hours, but a large, bright screen drinks more. A 5000mAh cell in the S25 Ultra pairs with a 37-hour talk-time rating, while the Moto G stylus pairs a 4000mAh cell with an advertised 2-day runtime. Treat both as the manufacturer’s estimate and expect a shorter day if you game or stream video.
The screen matters more than the pen for most buyers
You will look at this display far more than you will write on it. Refresh rate in Hz (how many times per second the screen redraws) and pixel density in PPI (how tightly packed the pixels are) decide whether scrolling feels smooth and text looks crisp. The S25 Ultra, the S23 Ultra and the Note 20 Ultra all use high-refresh AMOLED panels, which is why these three feel snappy next to cheaper LCD phones.
Check carrier support before you fall in love
An open up phone is only as good as the bands it supports where you live. Some international versions in this list work on GSM networks like T-Mobile but not on Verizon. Read the network line on the listing before you buy, and if you are on a CDMA-first carrier, confirm compatibility in writing.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Model | Best For | Built-In Stylus | Battery | Display | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra★ Best Overall | Do-everything flagship with the pen inside | Yes, S Pen included | 5000mAh | 6.9-inch class flat AMOLED | Amazon |
| Google Pixel FoldMost Imaginative Screen | First-gen folding canvas on a budget tier | No | 4821mAh | Foldable inner display | Amazon |
| Motorola Moto G stylus (2021)Budget Stylus Entry | Cheapest way into a real stylus phone | Yes, stylus included | 4000mAh | 6.8-inch LCD | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (Renewed) | Big Note screen and S Pen on a renewed budget | Yes, S Pen | 4500mAh | 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Renewed) | Last-gen flagship with a Bluetooth S Pen | Yes, S Pen | 5000mAh | 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz | Amazon |
| Nothing Phone (3) | Glyph-light design and near-stock Android | No | 5150mAh | 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 120Hz | Amazon |
| Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold | Largest foldable screen for multitasking | No | 5015mAh | 8-inch Super Actua Flex | Amazon |
| HONOR Magic V5 | Thin foldable with flagship silicon | No | 5820mAh | 7.95-inch foldable OLED | Amazon |
| HONOR Magic V2 | Lightest-feeling big foldable for note-heavy days | No | 5000mAh | Foldable OLED | Amazon |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold | Google AI with a folding display | No | 4650mAh | Foldable inner display | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews
1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, 256GB, open up, Titanium Black
Our pick — 4.5+★ from 3,500+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The S Pen stores inside the frame, so there is no separate pen to carry.
This is the phone to buy if the pen is the reason you are shopping. The S Pen sits inside the body and comes in the box, and you can pull it out to sign a document without hunting through a bag. Owners point to the writing and sketching as a genuine daily tool rather than a gadget, and the quality of the build is the thing that wins the most people over.
Photography is the other headline. The rear camera pulls in far more detail than older Notes at a distance — buyers upgrading from a Note 10+ describe being able to read zoomed text that used to be unreadable. A 200MP sensor (200 million pixels — a very high detail count) keeps cropping room generous, and the low-light shots come out clean. Battery is a 5000mAh cell rated at 37 hours of talk time, and one upgrade buyer reports finishing heavy days with 20-30% left.
Here is the honest catch. This is a large, heavy, expensive slab, and owners say so even while praising it. Some buyers also reported the battery dipping to roughly 16% at day’s end after forced software updates while capping their own charge at 85% — a reminder that a software update can change your runtime. If your pockets are small or you want a phone you can pocket easily, this is a handful.
What Owners Keep Talking About
- The S Pen lives inside the body — never misplaced, always charged and ready
- 200MP camera with clean low-light output and strong long-range zoom
- 5000mAh battery rated for 37 hours of talk time
- Snapdragon 8 Elite processor with no reported lag under heavy app loads
Where It Gives Ground
- Large and heavy in the hand and in a pocket
- Some owners saw battery endurance drop after software updates
- Priced as a premium flagship, not an entry point
Buy this if: you want one phone that does notes, signatures, photos, and full-day work without a separate pen.
Think twice if: you want a small screen or a light phone — this is a big, heavy slab.
2. Google Pixel Fold, 5G, Obsidian, 512GB
A phone that folds out into a tablet-sized canvas for sketching and split-screen notes.
If the pen matters to you because you want a bigger canvas, this is your machine. The outer screen runs like a normal phone and unfolds into a large inner display for drawing, split-screen notes, and two apps side by side. Build quality is the aspect owners bring up most, and the aluminium frame with matte glass feels like a premium object in the hand.
The chip is Google’s Tensor G2, paired with a triple rear camera system and image processing tuned by Google. One buyer happily reports that the phone handles everything thrown at it, and the camera output is a real reason people choose a Pixel over a Samsung. Battery is a 4821mAh cell with a 24-hour rating, and owners describe it as very good for a large-screen foldable. Splashes and spills are covered by IPX8 water resistance, a rating for submersion, and the stainless steel hinge is built to take daily folding.
The catch sits in durability. The inner screen is the fragile part — one owner’s unit had the inner display fail quickly and was only sorted by warranty. That is not every unit, and it did not stop that buyer praising the phone, but it is the honest trade-off with any first-generation foldable. Treat the inner glass with care and you get a genuinely usable tablet in your pocket.
The tablet-in-pocket case: 512GB of storage, a triple rear camera, and a foldable inner display make this the best fit for someone who wants one device for reading, sketching, and split-screen work on the go.
The real caveat: the inner display is the part to protect — it is the most delicate component on the phone.
Reach for it if: a big inner screen for notes and side-by-side apps is worth carrying a slightly thicker phone.
Look elsewhere if: you need a pen that stores inside the phone — this one has no silo.
3. Motorola Moto G stylus (2021), 4GB/128GB, open up
The lowest-cost phone here with a stylus included in the box.
Motorola’s 2021 model is where most first-time stylus buyers start. You get a 6.8-inch screen, a 4000mAh battery advertised at 2 days of runtime, and a 48MP quad camera system that covers wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto shots. The stylus is included in the box, which is the whole point — no extra purchase, no missing accessory on arrival.
Value is what owners praise most, and it is easy to see why: buyers moving off premium brands describe the phone doing 95% of what a flagship does for a fraction of the outlay. Daylight photos are genuinely good with 4K/30fps video, and the Moto app hides a stack of stylus shortcuts worth learning. The 128GB of internal storage is generous at this tier, and a MicroSD slot lets you add more.
The honest limit is speed and refinement. Heavy multitasking makes it sluggish, low-light photos are weak, and there is no wireless charging or Miracast casting. The plastic body is slick and needs a case. Battery life splits opinion — some owners see 2 days, others closer to 14 hours of heavy use, so plan around a mid-day top-up if you are a heavy user.
Why It Earns Its Slot
- Stylus included and housed in the phone
- 6.8-inch screen with 128GB storage plus MicroSD expansion
- 4000mAh battery advertised at 2 days
The Compromises
- Sluggish under heavy multitasking
- Weak low-light photos
- No wireless charging and no Miracast casting
Best starting point for: students and note-takers who want a real stylus without spending flagship money.
Step up if: you game or juggle many apps — the processor is the bottleneck.
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, 128GB, Mystic Black (Renewed)
A 6.9-inch Note with the S Pen and the last SD card slot in the line.
The Note 20 Ultra still has one thing newer Notes lost: a microSD card slot, which owners describe as the reason they hunted this model down. The 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display runs at a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, so scrolling and pen strokes feel smooth, and the Quad HD+ resolution keeps text sharp. The S Pen works as responsively here as on newer models, and buyers who came from a Note 10 Plus report it feels more accurate.
Calls, camera, and stylus all work on arrival according to happy renewed buyers, and several describe their units as physically pristine with no visible scratches. Keep the case honest, though: many cases block the stylus port, so pick a case that leaves the silo open.
Battery is the sore point. The 4500mAh cell is rated at 17 hours of average use, and the note owners most often raise is that it does not comfortably make a full heavy day. Screen durability is the other watch-out — the curved edge glass leaves the sides exposed, and at least one drop onto gravel cracked a unit inside a protective case. Buy a good case and a screen protector, and budget for the battery being the weakest part of an otherwise lovely phone.
The screen and pen are the draw: a 6.9-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel plus a responsive S Pen makes this a note-taker’s phone — and the microSD slot makes it easy to expand storage.
Plan around the battery: at 17 hours of average use, this is not the phone for a 14-hour day with heavy screen time.
Worth it for: Note fans who want the big AMOLED screen, the S Pen, and expandable storage in one package.
Choose something newer if: you need long battery endurance or you would rather not manage a curved-edge screen.
5. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G, 512GB, Phantom Black (Renewed)
The last Ultra with a Bluetooth S Pen that still clicks as a remote shutter.
You get flagship power and a real S Pen without paying new-flagship money. The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen (a high-contrast display type) runs at 1–120Hz adaptive refresh (it slows down to save battery and speeds up for smooth scrolling) and reaches up to around 1750 nits of brightness (a measure of screen brightness), so sunlight is not a problem. The 500dpi-tight pixel density (dots per inch, a measure of sharpness) keeps text crisp, and a 200MP main camera (200 megapixels) gives you clean low-light shots and zooms that remain usable far out.
Battery is a 5000mAh cell rated at 18 hours of average use, and the 57-minute charge time means a coffee break puts a lot back in. One owner on a 9-hour shift with gaming still had 30% left, which says a lot about the endurance here compared to the older Note 20 Ultra above. The S Pen is the standout for practical work: it writes, it sketches, and on this generation it still acts as a Bluetooth remote for the camera.
Renewed means refurbished, and the condition you receive varies. Most units arrive clean and work perfectly, but some buyers find small marks or a missing cable, and the S Pen on a refurb may be a replacement rather than the original. Check the listing for what is included, and treat cosmetic condition as the lottery of buying renewed.
Standout Specs
- 6.8-inch AMOLED at 1–120Hz with up to ~1750 nits brightness
- 5000mAh battery with a 57-minute charge time
- Bluetooth S Pen — writing, sketching, and remote shutter control
- 200MP camera with usable long-range zoom
Renewed Reality
- Condition varies unit to unit; some arrive with small marks
- Accessories like the USB cable or original S Pen may be missing
- Heavy and bulky in a pocket
The pen-power pick: a refurbished Ultra with the Bluetooth S Pen and a 5000mAh battery for buyers who want flagship feel at a mid tier.
Skip if: you will not accept any cosmetic imperfection — buy new instead.
6. Nothing Phone (3), 5G, 256GB, Black
Lights on the back that flash with notifications, and a clean Android underneath.
Nothing’s fourth-generation design is the phone to buy if you are bored of black slabs with a logo. The Glyph Matrix on the back lights up for notifications, timers, and tools, which is either the reason you want this phone or the reason you do not. Owners call the Glyph Matrix a head-turner, and the 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen runs at a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate with 460 PPI and a 4500-nit peak brightness rating.
Inside sits a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip built on 4nm (nanometre — a smaller number means more transistors packed onto the silicon), paired with 24GB of LPDDR5X memory and UFS 4.0 storage. In practice that means apps open instantly and the phone stays smooth through 5G, games, and photo editing. The 5150mAh battery is the largest among the non-flagship picks here, and buyers report all-day endurance with some to spare. The quad 50MP camera system includes a periscope lens for real optical zoom.
The real catch is network support. AT&T and T-Mobile are fully supported, but the listing says to check with Verizon support before using it, and Verizon compatibility is limited. If you are on Verizon, that is a deal-shaping question to settle before you buy. Camera output trails the Pixel on pure image quality, too, though updates have closed the gap.
Where it shines: 460 PPI sharpness, 120Hz refresh, IP68 dust and water resistance, and a 5150mAh battery make this a surprisingly complete package for the tier.
The one phone call to make first: confirm your carrier — the listing is clear that Verizon needs extra work before this phone will run properly.
Pick it for: a bold-looking Android with near-stock software, fast silicon, and a big battery.
Pass on it if: you are on Verizon or you want the outright best camera at this tier.
7. Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, open up, Jade, 512GB
An 8-inch inner display that turns into a laptop-free workspace for typists.
This is the foldable to buy if you work on your phone more than you talk on it. The 8-inch Super Actua Flex inner screen is Pixel’s largest to date and gives you a real canvas for split-screen documents, drag-and-drop images, and two apps side by side. Owners describe typing on the split keyboard as faster than on an iPhone, and the foldable form means you can leave a laptop behind on short trips.
Google rates the gearless hinge for roughly 10 years of folding, and the phone carries an IP68 dust and water rating. That combination is the most protective spec set in this group. Battery is a 5015mAh cell rated at 24 hours, with owners reporting over 7 hours of screen-on time mostly on the big inner screen. Cameras are good, though even fans call them “not pro” — better than the Samsung Fold, but below a dedicated camera flagship.
Two honest notes. It is heavy and thick enough to bulge a front pocket, and charging is slow relative to flagship competitors. Some buyers also hit occasional software crashes after days without a restart, which is worth knowing if you never reboot.
Built for Desk-Free Work
- 8-inch inner display — the largest folding screen here
- Gearless hinge rated for roughly 10 years of folding
- IP68 dust and water resistance
- 5015mAh battery with 24-hour rating
Trade-Offs to Accept
- Heavy and thick in a pocket
- Charging is slow compared to flagship rivals
- Cameras are good but not “pro” level
Made for: people who read, write, and manage documents on a phone and want the biggest screen that still folds.
Not for: anyone wanting a slim, light everyday phone — this one is a workhorse.
8. HONOR Magic V5 5G, 512GB, 16GB RAM, Black
A 5820mAh cell — the largest battery in this roundup — inside a folding frame.
HONOR packs a 5820mAh battery into this foldable — the largest cell on this list — and pairs it with the Snapdragon 8 Elite platform and an Adreno 830 GPU. For a pen user who wants a big screen for notes and a battery that lasts the whole day, that combination is as good as foldables get here. Storage is 512GB with 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough for heavy multitasking.
The screens are the headline. The inner panel is 7.95 inches of foldable OLED at 2352×2172 pixels, and the outer display is a 6.43-inch OLED at 2376×1060. Both render 1.07 billion colours, both run at 120Hz, and both stay smooth enough that switching between them feels natural. The camera stack is a 50MP + 50MP + 64MP rear array with 20MP + 20MP up front, and the phone covers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0.
The catch is carrier support. This is the international version, and the listing says it is open up for GSM carriers like T-Mobile but not compatible with Verizon, Sprint, or US Cellular. Buyers in the US who grabbed the international model without checking have regretted it. Confirm your carrier before ordering, and you get one of the highest-spec foldables in this group.
Battery and display lead: 5820mAh is the biggest cell here, and dual 120Hz OLED panels at 1.07 billion colours make both screens a pleasure to use.
Carrier is the deciding line: GSM only in the US — check that your network is on the supported list before you buy.
Made for: GSM-carrier users who want the biggest battery and best screen in a folding form.
Avoid if: you are on Verizon, Sprint, or US Cellular — this model will not connect there.
9. HONOR Magic V2, 512GB, 16GB RAM, Phantom Purple
At 231g, it feels more like a normal phone than a folding tablet.
Weight is what separates the Magic V2 from the foldable pack. It measures 231g (roughly the heft of a large slab phone), and it is 9.9mm thick folded and 4.7mm unfolded — the slimmest silhouette in this roundup. The dual 5000mAh silicon-carbon battery with a dual battery management system delivers all-day endurance, and the screen runs at 120Hz with 3840Hz dimming rated for eye comfort.
Inside is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform paired with HONOR’s Boost engines, and a titanium hinge designed to unfold to a flat, crease-free screen at multiple hover angles. The multi-scale split screen supports top-and-bottom ratios beyond the usual half-and-half, which is genuinely useful when you are reading a document while taking notes in another window.
The honest limits are the international version and the fragile inner panel. It supports AT&T and T-Mobile-level GSM networks but connectivity can be fiddly to set up, and some owners describe the inner screen as super fragile — buy a case and treat the inner fold delicately. HONOR’s support is also thinner in the US than Samsung’s.
Why The Weight Wins
- 231g, 9.9mm folded, 4.7mm unfolded
- 5000mAh silicon-carbon dual battery with all-day endurance
- Multi-scale split screen for real multitasking
What To Know First
- International version — US carrier setup can be fiddly
- Inner screen is the most fragile part of the phone
The lightweight pick: for GSM users who want a pocketable big-screen foldable and can live with careful handling.
Not for: Verizon customers or anyone who refuses to baby a folding screen.
10. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Obsidian, 256GB
Google’s AI-first foldable, with a full year of Gemini built in.
Buy this if you want the Pixel camera and Google’s AI in a folding frame, and you value polish over specs. The advanced triple rear camera takes brilliant group and astro shots, the inner display opens to a tablet canvas, and the phone supports hands-free tabletop mode for photos and video calls. Owners consistently praise the quality of the hardware and the simple, clean Pixel software.
Battery is a 4650mAh cell rated at 24 hours of talk time, which puts it on the smaller end of the foldables here. Charging is slow, and that is one of the recurring gripes. The 256GB storage is enough for most buyers but there is no microSD expansion. The build is the thinnest foldable Google has made, and the scratch-resistant display holds up to daily handling if you keep it away from grit.
Durability is the honest trade-off. Foldable inner screens in general are delicate, and some Pixel Fold owners have seen the inner panel fail within a year. Do not treat that as every unit — the majority run fine — but do buy a case, and if you are hard on phones consider the S25 Ultra above instead.
Google’s ecosystem and camera: the triple rear camera with Pixel image processing and a full year of Gemini Advanced make this a natural fit for someone already living inside Google’s apps.
The fragility caveat: the inner fold is the part to protect — treat the screen gently and keep grit away.
For Pixel fans: a folding Pixel with the camera and AI people love about the brand.
Think hard if: long battery life and fast charging top your list — those are the weak spots.
Know the Specs
Battery capacity (mAh)
Milliamp-hours measures the size of the battery’s tank. A 5000mAh cell typically lasts longer than a 4000mAh cell in the same phone class, but a large bright screen drains faster than a small dim one. The Moto G stylus pairs a 4000mAh cell with an advertised 2-day runtime, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra pairs a 5000mAh cell with a 37-hour talk-time rating. Treat these as the manufacturer’s estimate — heavy video and gaming shrink both.
Refresh rate (Hz)
Hertz measures how many times per second the screen redraws. A 120Hz panel updates twice as often as a 60Hz one, which makes scrolling and pen strokes look smoother. The Note 20 Ultra, S23 Ultra, and HONOR foldables all use 120Hz panels, which is a big part of why they feel more premium than budget LCD phones.
IP water and dust ratings
An IP rating combines two numbers: the first is dust protection and the second is water protection. IP68 means the phone is sealed against dust and rated for sustained water immersion. IPX8 means the phone is water-rated but not officially dust-rated — the “X” is a placeholder for the missing dust number. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold carries IP68; the older Pixel Fold carries IPX8.
Carrier bands and international models
An open up phone still has to match the bands your carrier uses. GSM networks like T-Mobile and AT&T usually work with international models. Verizon and other CDMA-first carriers often do not. Check the network line on the listing before you buy an international version — the spec sheet is the fastest way to avoid a phone that cannot make calls.
Common Questions
Does the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra come with the S Pen in the box?
Can I use my own stylus on a foldable like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold?
Will the HONOR Magic V5 work on Verizon?
Is a renewed Note 20 Ultra safe to buy?
How long does the battery last on a foldable compared to a slab phone?
Which phone here is best for note-taking at work?
What does IP68 mean on a foldable?
Does the Motorola Moto G stylus support dual SIM cards?
Is the Nothing Phone (3) compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile?
Do foldable phones break easily with daily use?
Which stylus phone should I buy if I am on a tighter budget?
The Bottom Line
For most people, the phones with stylus pen winner is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra because it puts the S Pen inside the body and backs it with a 5000mAh battery (a measure of battery capacity), a 200MP camera, and a rated 37 hours of talk time. If you want the biggest canvas and don’t mind carrying a separate pen, grab the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold with its 8-inch inner display. And for note-taking on a budget, the Motorola Moto G stylus is the one to reach for.
How we choose
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of October 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
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