While the year is still young, we’ve already tested several handsets from Samsung, Apple, OnePlus, and more that are worthy of being top contenders.
2025 is shaping up to be a momentous year for smartphones. We kicked things off with the OnePlus 13, and followed it up with Samsung’s latest Galaxy S25 series of handsets, which offer notable improvements over their predecessors. There’s also a lot more AI to come as manufacturers showcase new innovations at the Mobile World Congress in March. We’ll be rigorously testing and reviewing every new phone to give you the best, most relevant buying advice.
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What is the best smartphone right now?
After extensive testing of dozens of devices, our pick for the best phone overall is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, thanks to its immersive and vibrant display, reliable battery life, and wealth of special features, some of which are powered by the company’s latest generative AI model. The flagship iPhone 16 Pro Max is a close second, with a thinner and larger design, a Camera Control key for precision capturing, and a suite of Apple Intelligence features that continue to improve.
Of course, our pick for the best phone overall may not be the best for you. But no matter which option on this list you decide to invest in, expect it to be high-performing, have a display that gets bright enough to use outdoors, and field a camera system that will fulfill most, if not all, your photography needs.
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Best phones of 2025
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Best phone overall
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the most premium of the three flagship S phones of 2025, is the best handset you can buy from the brand. The new Galaxy AI model embedded in the device brings a bevy of generative AI capabilities, including real-time phone call translations, multi-app AI voice prompts, enhanced photo and video editing, and a new AI Select tool that offers contextual shortcuts based on what you hover over.
Like its predecessor, the S24 Ultra, the S25 Ultra is built with a large 6.9-inch AMOLED and a reliable 5,000mAh battery. Although the price is still fairly inaccessible at $1,299, the phone’s upgrades make it well worth it for users holding onto three to four-year-old devices. It helps that the S25 Ultra is made of a lightweight yet durable titanium frame and features Corning’s new Gorilla Armor 2.
The S25 Ultra retains last year’s anti-reflection screen which, when paired with the larger cooling chamber, makes it a fantastic multimedia device — whether gaming or watching movies. Under the hood, the S25 Ultra includes an upgraded Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset for improved graphics and AI features and 12GB of RAM.
As for the new camera system, the big upgrade comes in the form of a 50MP ultrawide lens that produces greater detail and vividness when capturing both landscape and macro shots. You’ll just have to live with the fact that the S Pen no longer supports Bluetooth gestures, which previously allowed users to snap with a click of the stylus key.
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Display size: 6.9 inches | Storage options: Up to 1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto with 5x zoom, 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom | Front camera: 12MP | Battery: 5,000mAh
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Best iPhone overall
The latest iPhone 16 Pro Max offers everything a premium flagship smartphone should, including a brilliant 6.9-inch AMOLED display for all the media consumption — and mobile productivity, of course. The 2024 model also looks and feels different than any prior Pro Max devices due to its thinner bezels, larger screen, and addition of the Camera Control button, a physical switch that lets you quickly open the camera and snap photos without ever touching the screen.
ZDNET Editor-in-Chief Jason Hiner tried the touch-capacitive feature and suggested that “it’s going to be super handy for people who take a ton of photos with the iPhone.” Another major feature of the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the new A18 Pro chip, which Apple claims should yield significantly faster and more efficient AI processing.
With the upcoming public release of Apple Intelligence, the brand’s suite of AI tools and features that includes image generation, a more capable Siri, and notification summaries, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the most future-proof device yet.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max also features two new camera features: the ability to record 4K at 120 frames per second, which allows you to edit and produce slow-motion video without losing much detail, and Audio Mix, which distinguishes and amplifies specific waveforms to make voices sound clearer.
An improved battery life, which Apple rates at 33 hours of video playback versus last year’s 29 hours, rounds out the phone’s biggest upgrades. The iPhone 16 Pro Max also supports 25W wireless charging now via a compatible MagSafe adapter. Given all the upgrades, Apple continues to charge $1,199 for its most premium iPhone model, with 256GB of storage at the base level.
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iPhone 16 Pro Max tech specs: Processor: A18 Pro | Display size: 6.9 inches | Storage options: Up to 1TB | Rear cameras: 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto (2x), 12MP telephoto (5x) | Front camera: 12MP
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Best camera phone
When it comes to camera performance, you really can’t go wrong with any of the flagship devices from the big three (Apple, Samsung, and Google). Depending on your preference for color temperature and feature set, you may lean towards one manufacturer over the other.
But more often than not, Google’s Pixel camera system satisfies most users, and the latest Pixel 9 Pro (and Pro XL) remains a champion for instant capturing and post-processing.
But more often than not, Google’s Pixel camera system satisfies most users, and the latest Pixel 9 Pro (and Pro XL) remains a champion for instant capturing and post-processing.
Both sizes of the latest model feature a reliable triple lens setup, with a 50MP primary lens, a 48MP ultrawide, and a 48MP 5x telephoto lens for far-distance shots. They’re backed by numerous software features like Google’s Super Res Zoom (for up to 30x zoom photos), 8K video upscaling, and a new Add Me feature that lets you snap and merge two photos so everyone can be in the same shot.
There’s also a new 42MP selfie camera that’s both sharper and captures a wider FOV than last year’s 10.8MP sensor. That should play well with group selfies and scenic shots.
Again, real-time capturing is only half the battle with mobile photography; there’s also post-processing and the flexibility of devices with editing and tweaking subjects around. In that regard, the Pixel 9 Pro, powered by a new Tensor G4 chipset, may just have the most flexible and creative photo toolbox on the market, with AI features like Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, and Best Take that can turn any bad photo into a good one.
All in all, the Pixel 9 Pro has one of the most versatile camera systems on the market, with an output that’s balanced in color and generally satisfying to look at.
Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL tech specs: Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Display size: 6.3 and 6.7 inches | Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB | Rear cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto | Front camera: 42MP | Battery: 4,700/5,060mAh
CMF Phone 1 by Nothing
Best budget phone
The best cheap phone you can buy today is the CMF Phone 1. Starting at $239, the Phone 1 has several features going for it that put it above devices that cost hundreds of dollars more, such as the ability to manually replace the back cover, screw in accessories (including a kickstand, wallet slot, and more), and insert a MicroSD card for expanded storage.
You would think that a $200 phone would settle on essential specs like display quality, battery life, and software, but those exact three aspects score high marks for the Phone 1. The 2,000-nit display gets bright enough to use comfortably outdoors, the 5,000mAh battery will hold up for most users, and Nothing’s interpretation of Android is thoughtful, short on bloatware, and full of unique widgets.
Of course, you’ll have to settle with something when you’re paying around $200 for a phone. In the case of the Phone 1, that comes in the form of a Dimensity 7300 5G processor that’s just good enough for browsing and social media but less so for extended gaming, a camera system that’s not as capable in low-light environments, and a lack of network band support that makes the phone unusable if you’re on Verizon.
CMF Phone 1 by Nothing tech specs: Display size: 6.67 inches | Display type: AMOLED | Resolution: 2780 x 1264 | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Battery life: 5,500mAh | RAM: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 256GB | Rear camera: 50MP Sony IMX890 main, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro | Front camera: 16MP | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
OnePlus 13
Best fast-charging phone
OnePlus has had its ups and downs over the past four years, pivoting from value-driven smartphones to ultra-premium and back. In 2025, the company is doubling-down on the high-end market with the OnePlus 13, all while undercutting the likes of Apple and Samsung.
The OnePlus 13 starts at $899, which is cheaper than its closest (current) competitors, the $999 Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and Google Pixel 9 Pro. Here’s everything you get for the price: a large 6.8-inch, 120Hz AMOLED, a 6,000mAh battery, a triple camera setup with a competent 50MP main lens at the helm, the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and more. Again: $899, and that’s before the $100 discount when you trade in any phone in any condition to OnePlus. Take advantage of that.
Putting the value aspect aside, the OnePlus 13 shines with its charging speed, something you’ll quickly take for granted once you realize that phones don’t have to sit by an outlet for two hours every day. The phone’s 80W wired charging can power it from 0% to 50% within 10 minutes. A full charge takes less than 30 minutes.
Just as impressive is the OnePlus 13’s IP69 rating, which laps its predecessor, the OnePlus 12, in water resistance. By IP69 standards, the new phone can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets and humidity changes. In other words, leaving the device in a washer and dryer, or even dropping it in a pot of boiling soup, won’t damage it.
OnePlus 13 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Display size: 6.8 inches | Storage options: Up to 512GB | Rear cameras: 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto | Front camera: 32MP | Battery: 6,000mAh
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Best flip-style foldable phone
The Galaxy Z Flip 6, unveiled at Samsung Unpacked last July, packs a ton of character and features into a tiny clamshell that pays homage to flip phones of the past.
Shape-shifting displays aside, the Z Flip 6 is very similar to the standard Samsung Galaxy S-series flagship, with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that’s crisp and bright, up to 512GB of storage for those high-resolution pictures and videos, and a healthy 4,000mAh battery powering it all — an upgrade from the Z Flip 5. There’s also now a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and the first vapor cooling chamber ever on a Z Flip device, both of which should make the phone run more efficiently, reducing battery drainage. The phone is thinner and lighter than previous models, too.
The Z Flip 6’s camera system gets a nice boost, too, with an improved 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultra-wide. You’ll also find a new AI-powered Auto Zoom feature, which automatically detects how many people are in a frame, as well as potential background objects the user may want to be kept in the shot, and repositions digitally.
The Z Flip 6 also includes some fun new features for the Flex Window, or outer display of the flip phone, including interactive wallpapers, suggested replies to text messages, and a new Interpreter Mode for live translations.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Main display: 6.7 inches | Cover display: 3.4 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB internal options | Cameras: 50MP wide angle, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP selfie | Battery: 4,000mAh
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Best tablet-style foldable phone
While the OnePlus Open is arguably the better-equipped device, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the best foldable phone going into the rest of 2025, thanks to its user-friendly form factor and market-leading camera system. Google took the traditional smartphone route when refining the outer display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, opting for a shorter and wider panel than Samsung’s taller approach.
Naturally, all the content you’re used to consuming, like video streaming and social media, is portrayed in a familiar manner; nothing feels disorienting or cropped out. While the foldable doesn’t match its Pixel Pro sibling spec-for-spec, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold truly shines and more than makes up for the “inferior” camera system in long exposure shots and selfies, thanks to its self-standing nature.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold also succeeds the previous model with a more capable Google Tensor G4 chipset; Google AI features like Pixel Screenshots, Reimagine, and Gemini Live; and a lighter form factor for a more comfortable user experience. All in all, Google modified nearly all the right places with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, enough to make it a sleeper hit that is now at the top of our ranking list.
Google Pixel 9 Fold tech specs: Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Display sizes: 6.3-inch exterior and 8-inch interior | Storage options: 256GB or 512GB | Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 10.8MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto | Front cameras: 10MP front | Battery: 4,650mAh
