The best smartphones of 2025
By ForGeeks
The best smartphones of 2025 are the flagships, foldable models and successful “middlers” from Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus that came out in the last 12 months and showed the best balance of specs, battery life and user experience.
The smartphone market in 2025 has been unusually saturated. The major manufacturers unveiled a slew of new devices, and not every one of them was flawless. Some models were disappointing in terms of features or price. Still, consumers had a wide range of choices, from powerful mid-range devices to advanced foldable smartphones.
This list includes the best 2025 smartphones unveiled over the past twelve months. Each of them stood out in their own way and deserved the attention.
OnePlus 15
OnePlus has been steadily releasing flagship smartphones at competitive prices in recent years. The OnePlus 15 continues that line and is aimed at those who want to move beyond the Apple, Google, and Samsung ecosystems without sacrificing quality and performance.
The smartphone looks fairly neutral, without flashy design experiments, but offers strong specs. For $899, users get three quality rear cameras, a large display with a 165Hz refresh rate, and a 7,300mAh battery. The battery offers exceptionally long battery life, and the OnePlus 15 itself competes confidently with other 2025 flagships.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
One of the key problems with foldable book-format smartphones has long been their thickness when folded. Most of these devices have felt bulky and not very comfortable when using the external screen.
The company has made the device extremely thin, and when folded, it feels like a regular smartphone. The Fold 7’s design is one of the most impressive among all the 2025 models. This device is a real breakthrough and, according to the editors’ impressions, is the best foldable smartphone we’ve ever seen.
Motorola Razr Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 was the main focus of foldable smartphone fans in 2025, but the premium Motorola Razr Ultra has proven to be an equally interesting option.
The Razr Ultra demonstrates outstanding battery life and lasted more than 24 hours in tests. The smartphone comes with 512GB of storage already in the base version and uses a Snapdragon processor, unlike its rival from Samsung. As a result, the Razr Ultra feels like a full-fledged flagship. Earlier versions of the Razr had a number of problems, but the 2025 model gets rid of them and makes a compelling argument that foldable smartphones are ready for the mass market.
Google Pixel 10 Pro
The Pixel lineup has traditionally been considered the benchmark for “pure” Android. Google is the first to introduce new features of the operating system into these smartphones and is actively developing computational photography.
The smartphone takes great daytime photos, and new AI features, including the Daily Hub, can be useful for everyday use.
iPhone 16e
For years, the role of the affordable iPhone was filled by the iPhone SE lineup. These models were prized for their compact size and physical home button, but Apple released them sporadically and eventually abandoned the series.
iPhone 16e was Apple’s latest attempt to gain a foothold in the conventionally affordable smartphone segment. With a starting price of $599, the device can’t be called cheap, but for that money the buyer gets an A18 chip, high performance, excellent battery life and a full set of Apple Intelligence features. The iPhone e series is expected to become an annual series.
Google Pixel 9a
The Pixel A series has remained Google’s budget benchmark for years. The Pixel 9a continues that tradition and offers a balanced set of specs for $499.
Despite the rather understated redesign, the smartphone is almost as good as the regular Pixel 9. All the key AI features are in place, the cameras perform decently, the battery is long-lasting, and the body is available in pink. There aren’t many new features, but the minimal compromises compared to the more expensive model make the Pixel 9a a good choice.
iPhone 17 Pro Max
It’s impossible to imagine a list of the best smartphones of 2025 without the flagship iPhone. The iPhone 17 Pro Max was one of the most powerful devices of the year.
The smartphone is available with up to 2TB of storage, comes equipped with some of the best cameras on the market, and has no performance issues. In video playback tests, the device showed up to 39 hours of battery life. The price remains high, but for those willing to invest in a top-of-the-line smartphone, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is well worth the price tag.
