The year is about to end and as always it’s time to take stock. The world of smartphones in 2025 has certainly not been full of new features, but some changes have still been noticed. The world of foldable smartphones has become more “solid”, carbon silicon batteries have increased the capacity and autonomy of a good part of smartphones and some brands have stood out for their photographic capabilities.
Let’s find out what they are anyway best smartphones of 2025. Because as we said: there is no shortage of surprises and excellence.
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Best compact smartphone
???? Xiaomi 15
Xiaomi was clearly, even for 2025, the only company to have really believed in the compact market.
Xiaomi 15 is a real top of the range: top display, good build quality, fast charging, top of the range processor and also Leica cameras.
Xiaomi 15 review
Miglior “flagship killer”
???? POCO F8 Pro
At the end of the year, Xiaomi’s POCO brand made a really good impression. In fact, this POCO F8 Pro is offered at the right price and with respectable hardware, also combining a design finally worthy of a top of the range and above all a specification where other devices do not shine: top audio thanks to the collaboration with Bose.
POCO F8 Pro review
Honorable Mention: Realme GT 7
Realme GT 8 Pro was undoubtedly an excellent premium smartphone, but given the price it certainly cannot be defined as a “flagship killer”. Which we can instead say about GT 7. The processor is a powerful Dimensity 9400e, associated with other notable specifications, good connectivity and above-average cameras.
GT 7 review
Best camera smartphone
???? Vivo X300 Pro
It’s not just the Zeiss brand that looks great next to the cameras that makes this smartphone the best for taking photos in 2025. But it’s the lenses and the software management. The same reasons that made it win our 2025 photographic comparison. An amazing zoom is what makes the difference, even without taking advantage of the incredible (but certainly not for everyone) optional teleconverter.
Vivo X300 Pro review
Honorable mention: OPPO Find X9 Pro
It shares part of the photographic sector with this year’s winner and overall offers almost equal quality, so much so that it certainly deserves at least a mention.
OPPO Find X9 Pro review
Honorable mention: Xiaomi 15 Ultra
It was launched at the beginning of the year and is still one of the best smartphones for taking photos. It is then practically almost the only one left with a dual zoom camera solution, guaranteeing greater flexibility.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra review
Best news
???? Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
The Z Fold series is certainly nothing new and has been around for many years now. This seventh version, however, was truly the surprise of the year and perhaps the biggest leap forward compared to the previous generation. The company gave the public what it wanted: a unique but much thinner design and a new display format, offering a complete, powerful, but also beautiful and truly functional smartphone.
Recensione Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Best alternative
???? Motorola Edge 70
This year the unconventional smartphone arrived at the end of the year, just in time for this classic. In the year in which the big names (and even some “small ones”) tried to ride the trend of thin smartphones, the only one to have really succeeded was Motorola, with a smartphone that was even thinner than in the past (we thought theirs were thick) but still concrete and complete.
Recensione Motorola Edge 70
Best foldable
???? Honor Magic V5
Honor has certainly made the most complete folding smartphone of the year. In fact, inside we have a large battery (thanks to carbon silicon technology), lightning-fast charging, good cameras and excellent displays. In an even thinner body and at a lower price than its direct competitor.
Review Honor Magic V5
Honorable Mention: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
We have already mentioned it and yet we mention it again. In fact, Samsung’s booklet is thinner and has a more “classic” format, thus significantly improving an already excellent product. Especially on the software side.
Recensione Galaxy Z Fold 7
Best design
???? OnePlus 15
OnePlus didn’t “invent” anything with this smartphone in terms of design, but it put together what we found good in many different devices over the year. It has a clean, modern design, embellished with a well-made selection of pleasant-to-touch materials.
Furthermore, the camera block is harmonious (especially in the black version) but not too bulky.
OnePlus 15 review
Honorable Mention: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Let’s go back to mentioning the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 again, which with its materials that are very pleasant to the touch and its squared design have made it one of the most elegant and pleasant devices we have tried during the year.
Recesione Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Best budget smartphone
???? CMF Phone (2) Pro
CMF, Nothing’s budget brand, wins again this year. With its second smartphone it has created a product that beats the competition in its price range. Modern design, finally NFC and clean and up-to-date software for a long time. What others in the same range cannot guarantee
CMF Phone (2) Pro review
Honorable Mention: Motorola Edge 60 Neo
It’s not as cheap as the winner and that’s one of the reasons why it didn’t take the category crown. But it has improved so much in the battery that in its price range it is difficult to recommend very high.
It is one of the best smartphones for value for money.
Motorola Edge 60 Neo review
Best smartphone
???? OPPO Find X9 Pro
OPPO has delivered the best smartphone of the year this year. It offers virtually everything in a balanced and powerful package. Hardware, cameras and also software, now truly mature and complete. The design is clean and has a battery premium most capacious on the market, without giving up lightning-fast charging systems.
OPPO Find X9 Pro review
Honorable Mention: Apple iPhone 17
There’s little to say: it’s not perfect, but the iPhone 17 has improved so much this year that the brand’s detractors will certainly find themselves in great difficulty. Extremely well built, with a high refresh rate display, software loved by millions of users and a hardware package that includes one of the most powerful processors ever.
Apple iPhone 17 review
