You may have already got a good suggestion of which smartphone you wish to be your subsequent one. However there are extra stable choices obtainable now than ever earlier than, making the choice not as cut-and-dry because it was. Whereas the choice is a bit simpler if you realize you need an iPhone, there’s even sufficient variation between these new fashions that you will have to consider it longer than you anticipated. In the event you’re an Android particular person, you’ve gotten much more choices to select from — together with foldables — and extra inquiries to reply earlier than you spend any cash.
At Engadget, we overview telephones repeatedly and have examined dozens through the years. Whether or not you’ve had your eye on certainly one of our present high picks, certainly one of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 telephones, a low-cost telephone or one other gadget, we’re right here that will help you determine which is the very best telephone to purchase this yr.
Android or iOS?
If you’re trying to find the very best smartphone, it turns into clear that every OS has its execs and cons. Apple’s tight-knit ecosystem makes it tremendous straightforward to share knowledge between iPhones, iPads and Macs or seamlessly hand-off telephone calls or music from one gadget to a different. On the identical time, you’re successfully locked in, as providers like Apple Messages aren’t obtainable on different platforms.
As for Android, there’s a a lot wider vary of handsets from firms like Google, Samsung, Sony and extra. Nevertheless, Android telephones don’t get pleasure from that very same size of software program assist and infrequently have decrease trade-in values. In brief, there’s no incorrect reply. Nevertheless, you’ll want to take into account how your telephone will slot in with the remainder of your gadgets. So except you’re actually fed up with one OS and keen to study one other, it in all probability doesn’t make a number of sense to modify from an iPhone to an Android telephone (or vice versa) – particularly if everybody else in your family is utilizing the identical platform.
Cameras
Since your mobile phone usually pulls double obligation as your major digital camera, determining what sort of photograph instruments you need is vital. These days, virtually each cell phone can take an important image in vibrant gentle. However if you would like a protracted optical zoom, you’ll in all probability should improve to a costlier gadget.
Mid-range telephones usually solely have two rear cameras (a major wide-angle lens and a secondary ultra-wide digital camera) and may generally wrestle in low-light conditions. Every telephone maker additionally has numerous options that could be a greater match in your model, with Apple providing 4 totally different shade presets on the most recent iPhones, whereas Google’s Pixel 9 Professional comes with neat instruments like devoted lengthy publicity and Motion Pan modes.
Will you get mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7?
The excellent news is that in 2025, most telephones have at the very least Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6e and assist for some type of 5G connectivity. Nevertheless, if you would like the quickest wi-fi speeds attainable, it’s going to price you a bit of additional. For instance, on sure networks, mmWave 5G affords as much as gigabit obtain speeds, much less latency and higher bandwidth. However mmWave 5G additionally requires extra refined (and pricier) modems, which suggests assist for it’s usually lacking on cheaper gadgets.
On the intense facet, mmWave 5G isn’t as extensively obtainable as different variations of 5G, so relying on the place you reside and what community you’re on, you is probably not lacking out on a lot proper now should you purchase a telephone that doesn’t assist it. It’s an analogous scenario for Wi-Fi 7, which is on the market on some high-end handsets just like the Galaxy S25, however tougher to search out on cheaper gadgets. Wi-Fi 7 additionally requires you to have a appropriate router, so except you realize you want it or have a particular use case in thoughts, the dearth of assist for mmWave 5G or Wi-Fi 7 shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when on the lookout for a brand new telephone.
Different options to think about
As a result of not everybody agrees on what makes the very best telephone, it’s best to take into consideration another specs that could be additional vital for you. Cell avid gamers will nearly actually respect the 120Hz refresh charges you get on telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S25 or the Apple iPhone 16 Professional. Alternatively, if lengthy battery life is vital, you’ll in all probability wish to go together with a bigger iPhone or an Android telephone with a battery that’s between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh in measurement. In the meantime, if you end up juggling a number of gadgets, it may be very nice to have a telephone that helps reverse wi-fi charging, which on Samsung telephones even enables you to recharge the corporate’s Galaxy Watches.
Picture by Cherlynn Low / Engadget
Learn our full iPhone 16 Professional and iPhone 16 Professional Max overview
Display screen measurement: 6.3-inch | Storage capability: As much as 1TB | SIM assist: Twin eSim | Battery Life: About someday
Identical to final yr, if you would like the very best iPhone expertise, it’s best to get an iPhone 16 Professional or iPhone 16 Professional Max. Not solely is there not a lot of a leap between the 2 in relation to digital camera array or basic efficiency, however these handsets will get all the advantages of Apple Intelligence — on high of the helpful customizations that comes with iOS 18.
The iPhone 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max have barely totally different sizes this time round: 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. Apart from that which means you’ll should shell out cash for a brand new case should you improve, it received’t make an excessive amount of of a distinction in common use. The most important {hardware} variations that you simply’ll completely discover are the Digital camera Management button and the Fusion Digital camera. The previous is a brand new facet button that has contact and stress sensors, making it simpler to not solely launch the Digital camera app however management issues like publicity once you’re truly taking photographs. As we found in our testing for the iPhone 16 Professional overview, it’ll take a little bit of getting used to at first. However total, the Digital camera Management button is a internet optimistic that shutterbugs will respect.
The brand new Fusion Digital camera sports activities a quicker quad-pixel sensor, amongst different enhancements, and permits for 4K video at 120 fps in Dolby Imaginative and prescient and “zero shutter lag.” The latter means you’ll be capable of truly seize the second once you press the button, relatively than the second proper after it. The Fusion Digital camera additionally helps new options like Photographic Types, that are enjoyable enhancements which can be much more customizable than common filters.
Elsewhere, the brand new A18 Professional chipset supplies glorious efficiency for each the iPhone 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max, plus assist for Apple Intelligence. Whereas in years previous, there would have been a big distinction within the Professional and Professional Max digital camera arrays, this yr that hole isn’t as noticeable. The place you will notice main beneficial properties with the Professional Max is battery life — it’ll final two days (like its 15 predecessor), whereas the usual 16 Professional has simply full-day battery life. Solely you possibly can determine if that’s price ponying up the additional $200 for the Max, however regardless, each the Professional and Professional Max handsets provide stellar efficiency, glorious pictures chops, enhanced customization with iOS 18 and (quickly) the total host of Apple Intelligence options. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
- Quick digital camera with top quality video seize
- Photographic kinds are efficient and fairly
- Good customizations obtainable all through
- Comparatively quick battery life
- Digital camera Management is not excellent
Learn our full Google Pixel 9 Professional and Pixel 9 Professional XL overview
(Pixel 9 Professional) Display screen measurement: 6.3-inch | Storage capability: As much as 1TB | SIM assist: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery Life: 24+ hours
Lastly, a smaller Pixel Professional. Google’s Pixel sequence has lengthy been among the best Android telephones round, with the Professional mannequin being the superior model. But it surely was all the time a bit of too large and too cumbersome for these of us who’ve smaller palms or need our telephones to slot in our pockets. Cue the Pixel 9 Professional, which is the littler model of the Pixel 9 Professional XL. As a substitute of a comparatively giant 6.8-inch display screen like that on its larger sibling, the usual Professional has a 6.3-inch show that’s straightforward to maneuver. No extra worrying about dropping your Pixel Professional simply since you fumbled whereas making an attempt to achieve the highest of the display screen!
Higher but, with the Pixel 9 Professional, Google hasn’t sacrificed any key characteristic to get to the smaller measurement, which means you will discover the identical digital camera setup and efficiency in each handsets. The one actual variations are the display screen measurement, battery and charging speeds, because the non-XL mannequin recharges at a barely slower price. However the Pixel 9 Professional can also be a lot longer-lasting than the XL, notching nearly 25 hours on our battery check.
These distinctions apart, the Pixel 9 Professional lineup is our favourite Android telephone due to its top-notch digital camera efficiency, intriguing AI options and a basic grown-up vibe. Whereas earlier Pixel flagships had a colourful, blocky design that felt contemporary, this yr’s gadgets really feel stable and refined. And, dare we are saying it, nearly like iPhones. With out the digital camera bars, they’d be fairly exhausting to inform aside from Apple’s telephones.
Probably as a result of it is grown up a lot through the years, however the Pixel telephones now price the identical as iPhones. The Pixel 9 Professional and iPhone 15 Professional each begin at $999, and although a few of us have come to think about Google’s handsets because the extra competitively priced possibility, this yr’s mannequin could be ok to justify a premium value. In the event you nonetheless need one thing from the Pixel 9 household however do not wish to pay $1,000, the bottom Pixel 9 continues to be a stable handset for most individuals. However because it stands, the Pixel 9 Professional is the very best Android handset cash should buy. — Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor
- Nice digital camera options and improved telephoto digital camera
- A yr of Gemini Superior at no cost
- Unbelievable battery life
- A stupendous, vibrant display screen that’s straightforward to make use of outside
- Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor
- Slower charging speeds than the XL
- Not the very best telephone for gaming
Picture by Billy Steele / Engadget
Learn our full iPhone 15 overview
Display screen measurement: 6.1-inch | Storage capability: As much as 512GB | SIM assist: Twin eSim | Battery Life: As much as someday
Our earlier choose right here was the iPhone 13, however that mannequin is not being offered at Apple. Now, should you’re seeking to save a bit of (just a bit) money and nonetheless get an iPhone, your finest guess is the iPhone 15. Sure, the iPhone 14 continues to be hanging on within the lineup, but it surely depends on a Lightning port for wired charging. It’s 2025, and we advocate your subsequent telephone — no matter how a lot you spend — have a USB-C port.
We known as the iPhone 15 the “most substantial update to the regular iPhone in years” in our iPhone 15 overview. Whereas the general design and show have been acquainted, the largest upgrades got here within the digital camera array and the adoption of the Dynamic Island. You’ll get a 48-megapixel essential shooter with a quad-pixel sensor that’s able to taking higher pictures in dim lighting. You may as well apply portrait mode settings after taking photographs with this method, as a substitute of getting to decide on it earlier than taking a shot. We noticed noticeable enhancements in photographs taken on the iPhone 15 when in comparison with these taken on the iPhone 14, notably in low-lighting situations, so that you’re getting a greater digital camera system total. As for the Dynamic Island, it’s a carry-over characteristic from Professional-level iPhones that’s genuinely helpful right here.
The iPhone 15 runs on Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset, and efficiency is as we anticipated — stable, with only a few situations of operating heat throughout each day use. The smartphone has Apple’s signature “all day” battery life, and we’ve seen it final a bit of longer than that in our testing. Whereas we perceive that $700 isn’t precisely a “midrange” value, we consider the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE, which are available in at $600 and $429, respectively, current too many compromises to be price the associated fee. In the event you’re dead-set on getting an iPhone however wish to spend as little as attainable, future you can be grateful that you simply spent the additional cash on the iPhone 15. — V.P.
- Upgraded digital camera
- Stable efficiency
- Dynamic Island is helpful
- USB-C charging
- General design is getting stale
- No high-refresh price show
- USB-C is restricted
- Colours are underwhelming
Picture by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Learn our full Google Pixel 8a overview
Display screen measurement: 6.1-inch | Storage capability: As much as 256GB | SIM assist: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery Life: Shut to twenty.5 hours
Google’s A-series Pixels have lengthy been among the finest midrange telephones in the marketplace. However now with the addition of a Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a helps the identical highly effective and versatile AI features you get on Google’s flagship telephones together with glorious cameras, a stunning 120Hz OLED show and nice battery life. The gadget additionally comes with creature comforts like IP67 mud and water resistance and handy (however sluggish) 7.5-watt Qi wi-fi charging. However most significantly, beginning at $499, it could be among the best offers in the marketplace. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter
- Colourful 120Hz OLED show
- Sturdy battery life
- Wonderful cameras
- Nice worth
- Sluggish wi-fi charging
- Thick bezels
Picture by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 overview
Display screen measurement: 7.6-inch (essential) 6.3-inch (folded) | Storage capability: As much as 1TB | SIM assist: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery life: As much as 23 hours
Whereas we might have favored to see some extra drastic design modifications, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 stays one of the vital versatile and well-rounded examples of a giant, premium foldable telephone. Its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip delivers sturdy efficiency and improved vitality effectivity whereas its Enhanced Armor Aluminum chassis is noticeably lighter than earlier than (and a bit extra sturdy too). There’s additionally a brand new ultra-wide angle digital camera sensor and a boatload of AI-powered options scattered all through the telephone. Plus, the Z Fold 6 stays one of many few foldables with native stylus assist, although you’ll have to pay additional for certainly one of Samsung’s S Pens. Maybe the largest draw back is that Samsung’s newest flagship now prices $100 greater than its predecessor.
In the event you do not want issues like stylus assist and care extra about “standard” options like digital camera high quality, take into account the brand new Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold. We take into account it to be the finest foldable telephone total in the marketplace proper now, due to its refined design that is simpler to carry and use, its stable efficiency, exceptional battery life and glorious digital camera chops. — S.R.
- Tremendous vibrant and colourful show
- Even lighter chassis
- Nice battery life
- Native stylus assist
- Much more costly than earlier than
- Similar essential digital camera because the earlier two Z Folds
- S Pen not included
- Charging speeds could possibly be quicker
Picture by Mat Smith / Engadget
Learn our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 overview
Display screen measurement: 6.7-inch (essential) 3.4-inch (entrance) | Storage capability: As much as 1TB | SIM assist: 1x nano SIM, 1x eSim | Battery life: As much as 23 hours
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 has an upgraded digital camera and a bigger battery than its predecessor. These two specs alone make the most recent Galaxy flip-phone a extra tempting possibility, within the face of rival flagship telephones. The leap from a 12-megapixel to 50MP digital camera means you possibly can select to seize extra element, or crop in for, successfully, a digital zoom. The entrance display screen has loads of house for framing your selfie pictures, and a brand new Auto-Zoom characteristic means it may even body unsupervised group pictures for you. Pictures is augmented by Samsung’s improved AI photograph modifying instruments, which is far simpler to make use of.
The Z Flip 6 now has a strong Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, so it’s simply as highly effective because the S24 Extremely and Z Fold 6. Unfold the principle display screen and also you’ll discover one which’s brighter than ever (as much as 2,600 nits). Samsung says that is its brightest foldable show but, making it simpler to make use of and skim outside.
The design hasn’t modified a lot and a give attention to new AI software program and methods comes at the price of restricted cowl display screen utility, but it surely’s nonetheless as pocketable as ever and continues to be essentially the most mainstream foldable but. — Mat Smith, Editor, UK Bureau Chief, Publication
- Higher cameras
- Longer battery life
- Enjoyable generative AI methods
- Costlier than its predecessor
- Design is nearly equivalent to final yr
- Restricted front-screen utility
- Sluggish charging
Different smartphones we have examined
Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely
Like its predecessor, the S25 Extremely is an extremely versatile telephone. It’s one of many few handsets that include an included stylus and premium options like a stunning 6.9-inch AMOLED show, titanium body and a 5x telephoto digital camera. It additionally has glorious efficiency and powerful battery life. The problem is that, except for improved AI, this yr’s telephone doesn’t provide that rather more than the earlier mannequin (or the one earlier than that), and with costs beginning at $1,300, we really feel it must do extra to earn a high choose spot.
OnePlus 12
Whereas the OnePlus 12 wasn’t capable of unseat the most recent Pixel, it’s price mentioning as a result of it affords highly effective specs for the cash. It contains a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, a giant and vibrant 6.8-inch, 120Hz OLED display screen and the very best battery life we’ve seen on any telephone thus far. OnePlus additionally introduced again assist for wi-fi charging for the primary time in a number of generations, together with a superb (however not nice) IP65 score for mud and water resistance. And though its enormous digital camera module seems a bit ungainly, its photographs are surprisingly sharp. However the very best factor is that, with a beginning value of $800, the OnePlus 12 prices $200 lower than its largest rivals.
FAQs
How do I do know which smartphone is the very best for me?
Whereas selecting the very best smartphone will be difficult, it largely comes all the way down to how you intend on utilizing the gadget. All the finest telephones obtainable now get the fundamentals proper — you’ll be capable of make calls, textual content and entry the web with out many hiccups. In case your smartphone is your most used gadget, chances are you’ll wish to take into account paying for a tool on the upper finish of the value spectrum. That can get you higher total efficiency, higher-quality cameras and a telephone that may final for a few years. In the event you don’t use your telephone for every thing, you could possibly compromise on efficiency and additional perks and spend much less on a still-capable handset.
How a lot is a smartphone?
Smartphones vary in value from $300 to over $1,500. One of the best price range telephones obtainable now will normally compromise on total efficiency, design, digital camera prowess and additional options to maintain prices down. On the flip facet, the most costly telephones can have highly effective processors, triple-camera arrays and even flip or fold designs. Most individuals will discover a telephone that matches their wants someplace in the course of that huge value vary — we’ve discovered that a lot of the finest smartphones obtainable proper now price between $500 and $1,000.
What are you able to do on a smartphone?
Smartphones are basically small, transportable computer systems that allow you to do issues like test e mail, browse social media, comply with map instructions, make contactless funds and extra. That is all on high of the fundamentals like making telephone calls and texting, which we’ve come to count on in all fashionable cell telephones. Smartphones have additionally largely changed compact cameras due to their high-quality, built-in shooters, and the truth that most smartphones right now as simply as transportable, if no more so, as compact cameras.
How lengthy do smartphones final?
Smartphones can final years and persons are holding on to their telephones longer now than ever earlier than. Software program updates and battery life are two of the largest elements that may have an effect on telephone longevity. Apple guarantees 5 years price of software program updates for its newest iPhones, and Google guarantees the identical for its Pixel telephones. Samsung telephones will get 4 years price of Android updates from the time they launch. As for charging speeds and battery life, your telephone can deteriorate over time as you employ and recharge your telephone regularly.
Latest updates
January 2025: Up to date to incorporate particulars about Samsung’s newest Galaxy S-series telephones.
September 2024: Up to date to incorporate the most recent iPhone 16 fashions and a brand new midrange iPhone high choose.
September 2024: Up to date to incorporate an editor’s be aware concerning the newest iPhones and to say the Google Pixel 9 Professional Fold within the “best foldable phone for multitasking” part.
