It's a new year and there are new phones already! The best phone in 2025 is going to be a powerhouse, with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite processor leading the way in performance on the latest Android phones. I just reviewed the OnePlus 13 and it blew me away - it was the fastest phone I've ever tested, with the best battery life. We have new expectations for a smartphone this year.
Of course, there is still room for improvement, and I expect Samsung, Google, and Apple to come out swinging, or let their AI do the swinging for them. Samsung has sent invitations for its Galaxy Unpacked event on January 22, so we'll be waiting for the Galaxy S25 family there, and any other surprises Samsung may have in store.
Otherwise, expect big performance, big AI features, and big surprises this year. The phone industry is coming off a tough 2024, filled with flops and errors. I hope these phone makers can finally bounce back.
This isn't our only phone list, of course. If you want a phone that doubles as a tablet, literally, check out our list of the best foldable phones. If you need to save money, you can find the best budget phones, and we've reviewed them all. We're constantly following price drops and deals, so we'll keep that list updated regularly.
📱Phil Berne is a pre-eminent voice in smartphone reviews, a professional reviewer since the Palm Treo 700 and BlackBerry Pearl days. He has used and reviewed hundreds of smartphones, including all of the best iPhone, Galaxy, and Pixel phones. Phil is TechRadar's Senior Editor for Mobile Reviews and Buying Guides.
The Best Phones
The iPhone 16 Pro Max gives you the best of everything Apple offers, and it's everything I want in a smartphone. The new Camera Control is useful and getting better, and Apple Intelligence is just over the horizon. Plus, it performs like a champion.
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The OnePlus 13 simply blew me away with its fast performance, incredible battery, and stellar cameras. It also looks snazzy and feels amazing to use. It's not quite as polished as the big iPhone, but it's much cheaper, and it beats Apple's phone in many ways.
The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have identical cameras, at last. Both give you 5x optical zoom, Camera Controls, and more fine tuning than ever before on an iPhone.
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The Google Pixel 9 Pro is our phone of the year, with a fantastic design and AI features that work so well, they can be scary. It has great cameras and it's more durable than any previous Pixel. Plus, it gets seven years of Android updates, starting with the new Android 15 that just arrived.
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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is like having a full camera bag in your pocket. No other phone camera is so versatile, and you'll be amazed by this phone's moon photos and food pics. Of course, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will probably arrive by the end of this month, but this phone remains a stellar pick.
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The iPhone 16 Plus had the longest battery life of almost any iPhone I've tested in Future Labs. The Pro Max may last a bit longer, but for hundreds less the Plus is the right choice if longevity is your concern.
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The Pixel 8a is a bargain phone with a premium processor, photos that look almost good enough to fool a pro, and a sleek design that matches the best Pixel phones. Google also keeps this phone up to date, and it just got the latest Android 15.
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The Apple iPhone 15 is a fantastic phone all around, with software that is intuitive and fun to use and great cameras. It won't get Apple Intelligence features, and maybe that's for the best when it comes to your teenager's smartphone.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 6 gives you more of literally everything, including a foldable inner screen that is as big as a tablet, and performance that will blow away the competition. This is the best of everything Samsung makes.
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The best phone in 2024
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Below, you'll find in-depth details about each of the best phones on our list. I've tested each model extensively, so you can be sure to trust our recommendations.
The best iPhone overall
✅ You want the biggest and best: The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the biggest, fastest, longest-lasting iPhone I've ever tested.
✅ You want Apple Intelligence ... eventually: Sometime in the next month this phone will get AI features, then more after that, then more...
❌ You want an affordable big screen: If you want to save hundreds, and have more AI features today, check out the Pixel 9 Pro XL instead.
❌ You want a smaller screen, actually: The iPhone 16 Pro has all the same cameras this year, so you aren't missing out by picking the smaller phone.
📱 The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the ultimate iPhone, with all of Apple's newest features inside, including the cool Camera Control and the superfast Apple A18 Pro chipset. Apple Intelligence is on the way, so this phone might get better over time, but it's a powerful, durable, stylish smartphone, if you can afford Apple's best. ★★★★½
Apple's iPhone 15 marks the most significant step up for a base iPhone in several years, earning its place as the best value phone money can buy today.
Design: This year's iPhone 16 Pro Max is recognizably an iPhone, of course, but the antenna gap is now a Camera Control that offers many new features. There's also a cool desert titanium, which is probably the best color and not just because it's the one I got.
Display: The iPhone 16 Pro Max has the biggest, brightest display ever on an iPhone, and it's a pleasure to use in any lighting conditions, even shooting photos outside under bright sunlight.
Camera: This is a big year for Apple cameras thanks to Camera Control, but Apple is also giving the iPhone 16 Pro Max more fine tuned tweaks over the tone and look of your photos, and early reviews say the results are fantastic. The high-speed video recording that enables more fluid slow motion may also be a game-changer for cinematic videos.
Performance: I couldn't find any way to slow down the iPhone 16 Pro Max, with its Apple A18 Pro chipset inside. I'll see how it handles Apple Intelligence, but in my tests with everything it can do today, the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivered all of the features with no problems.
Battery life: Our Future Labs battery test rank the iPhone 16 Pro Max as the longest lasting iPhone you can buy today. It lasted just a bit longer than the iPhone 16 Plus, but both offer incredible battery life.
Value for money: The iPhone 16 Pro Max isn't a cheap phone, but at least Apple didn't raise the price this year, even though this year's Pro Max inarguably offers more hardware and more value than before.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | A bigger phone with even more power and intelligence that holds the line on pricing | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Iconic design with excellent materials and a brand-new hardware feature | 5 / 5 |
| Display | Larger display but the resolution is unchanged. Still one of the best in the smartphone game | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software | iOS 18 full of useful updates and a handful of really big changes to digest. Apple Intelligence is an exciting addition that has yet to reach its full potential | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | Solid sensor updates but a lot ofbig changes on image processing and control. The Camera Control might be a game changer | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | A18 Pro is more power than most need but you will never be disappointed in performance | 5 / 5 |
| Battery | Excellent battery life and a weclome upgrade on wireless charge speed | 4.5 / 5 |
The best Android overall
✅ You want the best battery life: On top of everything else it does well, the OnePlus 13 tops our charts in battery life testing. It lasts for days.
✅ You want to switch from iPhone to Android: This is the most polished and fun Android phone, with fewer foibles than most. This is the one for switchers.
❌ You want this phone for free: You won't get a deal on this phone from your carrier, but OnePlus offers discounts and bonuses.
❌ You want the best camera phone: The OnePlus 13 is one of the best camera phones, but the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra have it beat.
📱 The OnePlus 13 took every concern I had about OnePlus and turned them into strengths, with a phone that is durable, long-lasting, and incredibly attractive. There was nothing I didn't like about this phone, and I'm excited to see how it develops in the years ahead with more advanced AI features. ★★★★½
OnePlus used to be a flagship-killer phone maker, but now it just makes flagships like the OnePlus 13, one of the best phones you can buy, even if you haven't heard of it. You won't find them at your mobile phone store, but it's worth seeking them out.
Design: This is a classy phone with an amazing vegan microfiber finish that is soft to the touch and more welcoming than hard glass. I highly recommend a OnePlus case, too, since it opens the world of MagSafe accessories. Oh, and did I mention this phone is IP69 water resistant? You can clean it in the dishwasher.
Display: One of the best displays ever on a mobile phone, this big screen is great for everything you want to do. It's also incredibly responsive, even if you get it wet.
Camera: Amazing cameras excel at action shots by freezing motion to a standstill. The colors and details get a lot of help from AI, and I still prefer the iPhone 16 Pro just a bit, but this is an enjoyable camera that produces fantastic pics you'll love to share.
Performance: In lab tests and the real world, the OnePlus 13 was the fastest phone I've ever seen, and it beats even the iPhone 16 Pro in many important processor tests, like multi-core performance. What can you do with all that power? The future will tell.
Battery life: This is the battery life winner, lasting nearly 20 hours in our battery rundown test. The big iPhone above died two hours earlier. The OnePlus 13 also charges faster than any other phone on this list. Even wirelessly, it charges faster than an iPhone.
Value for money: Don't let the sticker price scare you, OnePlus offers perpetual deals that drop the price on the OnePlus 13, and you'll get a trade-in bonus even if your old phone is broken (or connected to a wire). This is a premium flagship that will cost what you'd pay for the base model.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Don’t let sticker shock scare you away, OnePlus offers discounts and trade-in bonuses to help. You just can’t get one at the Verizon store (try Best Buy). | 4 / 5 |
| Design | A more professional look and an incredible feel with the new vegan microfiber. Every color is unique and outstanding, but the blue is the one to get, and definitely get a OnePlus case. | 5 / 5 |
| Display | The best display on any smartphone in terms of color, and it also looks great with the curving edges sloping down to the frame. It could be brighter, but it’s a winner. | 5 / 5 |
| Software | The best Android interface software, but I wish there was more to take advantage of all that power. Eventually AI may come along, but for now OnePlus isn’t pushing AI tools too hard. This phone is refreshing to use all around. | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | The best cameras for action photos, even at night, and great pics all around. It does more with 3x zoom than some phones managed with 10x zoom. | 4 / 5 |
| Performance | You won’t find a faster phone, according to our benchmarks. In the real world, it was harder to find the fast lane, but the interface was incredibly snappy and responsive. | 5 / 5 |
| Battery | The longest battery life, thanks to a larger battery and the efficient Snapdragon processor, though OnePlus has managed to fit more battery inside without making the phone thicker. Oh, and it charges stupidly fast. | 5 / 5 |
The best iPhone cameras
✅ You want Pro performance in a smaller size: Finally, the iPhone 16 Pro doesn't compromise on performance or features vs. Apple's larger iPhone.
✅ You want Apple Intelligence ASAP: There are some new features available, but when Apple Intelligence launches with iOS 18.1, the iPhone 16 Pro will be ready.
❌ You want the biggest and best screen: The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a bigger display that packs more pixels, and other small phones might be more sharp.
❌ You want more AI now: If AI is your jam, check out what the Android phone makers are doing, especially Google and Samsung, because they tend to offer more features right away.
📱 With the latest camera features and the new Camera Control, the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max give you the best iPhone camera experience ever, and it's only going to get more interesting as Apple Intelligence rolls out with new photo features and much more. ★★★★½
The iPhone 16 Pro is the pint-sized powerhouse in Apple's latest iPhone lineup. It features all the same camera capabilities as its Pro Max sibling, but at a smaller size and weight. I wish it had more than 128GB to start, because those cameras produce great images you'll want to keep shooting. Otherwise, there are no big complaints about this year's iPhone.
Design: The iPhone 16 Pro looks exactly like last year's iPhone. It's a bit heavier, but you won't notice unless you put the two on a scale. The iPhone looks sleek in the new desert titanium color, and make sure to get a case that works with the Camera Control button on the side.
Display: The iPhone 16 Pro features a 6.1-inch OLED display that can remain always-on and can refresh up to 120Hz. For folks complaining about the refresh rate on the iPhone, just go Pro, it's where the best displays can be found.
Camera: The iPhone 16 Pro has the same 5X zoom lens as the Pro Max iPhone, but its really the improved quality thanks to the A18 chip that will have folks talking. I especially like the slow motion video that looks extra smooth thanks to higher recording speeds.
Performance: The A18 Pro chipset is the most powerful mobile platform I've tested, and there was nothing I could throw at this iPhone to slow it down.
Battery life: Battery life was very good on the iPhone 16 Pro, it always lasted a day of use. The Pro Max lasts much longer, thanks to its bigger battery inside, but the iPhone 16 Pro won't let you down early. Still, buy the faster charger just in case.
Value for money: The iPhone 16 Pro is a good value for a powerhouse phone in a compact package. Apple hasn't raised the price this year, though I wish it came with more than 128GB storage standard, so upgrade if you can.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | The price holds on this lovely and slightly larger phone but the value would be better with more storage | 4 / 5 |
| Design | Iconic design with excellent materials and a brand-new hardware feature | 4.5 / 5 |
| Display | Slightly larger display but the resolution is unchanged. Still excellent | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software | iOS 18 full of useful updates and a handful of really big changes to digest. Apple Intelligence is an exciting addition that has yet to reach its full potential | 4 / 5 |
| Camera | Solid sensor updates, 5x zoom is so welcome, and the Camera Control is an exciting addition | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | A18 Pro is more power than most need but you will never be disappointed in performance | 4.5 / 5 |
| Battery | Excellent battery life and a weclome upgrade on wireless charge speed | 4.5 / 5 |
