If 2024 was the year the tech industry promised us an AI future, 2025 was the year it actually started to deliver.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve reviewed hundreds of products. We’ve seen smartphones turn into genuine pocket assistants, foldables finally become durable enough for the real world, and silicon from Apple’s M5 to Qualcomm’s Elite tier become powerful enough to make us question why we still need desktops.
But awards aren’t just about specs. They are about the devices that fit into our lives, the ones that justify their price tags, and the ones that are simply fun to use. After tallying over eight lakh of reader votes and debating endlessly in our editorial Slack channels, we have our winners.
The Biggest Takeaways of 2025
Looking at the Smartprix People’s Choice Awards winners’ podium, here are things and trands that define the tech industry in 2025:
Smartphones
The most competitive category of the year saw a surprising upset as OPPO claimed the top prize. The OPPO Find X9 Pro was crowned Phone of the Year, largely due to its balanced approach to performance and longevity, which also earned it the award for Best Battery Life.
However, Samsung remains the undisputed king of software intelligence and form factor. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra took home AI Phone of the Year, cementing its status as the smartest pocket companion available. Samsung also locked down the foldable market, with the Galaxy Z Fold7 winning Foldable of the Year and the Z Flip7 taking Best Design.
Other notable winners in the mobile space include:
- Camera Supremacy: The vivo X300 Pro edged out competitors to win Camera Phone of the Year, setting a new benchmark for mobile photography.
- Performance & Gaming: The OnePlus 15 is the Gaming Phone of the Year, while the iQOO 15 proved to be a powerhouse, winning both Best Display and Best Flagship Killer.
- Durability & Size: In a twist, Apple’s iPhone Air won Most Durable Phone, while Xiaomi catered to small-phone lovers with the Xiaomi 15 winning Best Compact Phone.
- In the tablet arena, the Samsung Tab S11 Ultra is the Tablet of the Year, proving that Android tablets have finally caught up in the pro-workflow department.
Computing
In the computing world, the story remains consistent: Apple’s silicon is hard to beat. The Apple MacBook Pro M5 has been named Laptop of the Year, continuing its legacy of efficiency and power.
However, for specialized users, Windows machines shined:
- Gaming: The massive Dell Alienware 18 Area‑51 is the Best Gaming Laptop.
- Creatives: The ASUS ProArt P16 won Best Creator Laptop.
- Budget: The ASUS Vivobook 15 remains the champion for the price-conscious.
Audio, Wearables & TV
Sony continues to defend its fortress in the audio space. The Sony WH-1000XM6 retained the title of Headphones of the Year, while Apple took the TWS crown with the AirPods Pro 3.
For the living room, OLED technology and Mini LEDs are still the gold standards. The Samsung S95F OLED won Best OLED TV, offering deep blacks and vibrant colors that mini-LEDs are still chasing though the Sony Bravia 5 (XR55A) put up a strong fight to win Best Mini LED TV.
- Smartwatch of the Year: Apple Watch Series 11
- Home Audio: Sonos Arc Ultra
Silicon
The chips powering these devices have seen massive leaps in NPU (Neural Processing Unit) capabilities.
- Flagship King: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the engine behind almost every top-tier Android phone this year.
- Mid-Range Master: Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
- Budget Hero: MediaTek Dimensity 7400.
Smart Home
The “Smart Home” is no longer just about connectivity; it is about automation. The Samsung Bespoke AI washing machine won Washing Machine of the Year for its ability to auto-dose and optimize cycles based on fabric type without user input.
- Refrigerator of the Year: Haier Lumiere HRB-700KGU1
- Air Conditioner of the Year: Haier Gravity Series
Here are the winners of the Smartprix People’s Choice Awards 2025.
The Full Winners List
Here is the complete breakdown of every winner in every category for 2025.
Mobile
- Phone of the Year: OPPO Find X9 Pro
- Camera Phone of the Year: vivo X300 Pro
- AI Phone of the Year: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
- Gaming Phone of the Year: OnePlus 15
- Foldable of the Year: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
- Best Design: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
- Best Compact Phone: Xiaomi 15
- Most Durable Phone: Apple iPhone Air
- Best Display: iQOO 15
- Best Battery Life: OPPO Find X9 Pro
- Best Mid-Range Phone: CMF Phone 2 Pro
- Best Flagship Killer: iQOO 15
Computing
- Laptop of the Year: Apple MacBook Pro M5
- Best Gaming Laptop: Dell Alienware 18 Area‑51
- Best Creator Laptop: ASUS ProArt P16
- Best Budget Laptop: ASUS Vivobook 15
- Tablet of the Year: Samsung Tab S11 Ultra
- Budget Tablet: OnePlus Pad Lite
TVs
- Best OLED TV: Samsung S95F OLED
- Best Mini LED TV: Sony Bravia 5 (XR55A)
- Best Smart TV (Budget): Lumio Vision 9
- Home Audio System: Sonos Arc Ultra
Audio & Wearables
- Headphones of the Year: Sony WH-1000XM6
- TWS of the Year: Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Best Budget TWS: realme Buds Air 7
- Smartwatch of the Year: Apple Watch Series 11
Silicon
- Best Flagship SoC: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Best Mid-Range SoC: Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
- Best Budget SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 7400
Smart Home
- Refrigerator of the Year: Haier Lumiere HRB-700KGU1
- Washing Machine of the Year: Samsung Bespoke AI
- Air Conditioner of the Year: Haier Gravity Series
A Note of Gratitude to Our Community
Finally, the Smartprix Awards are, at their core, a celebration of the voices that truly shape the technology landscape—yours. None of this would be possible without YOU i.e., tech enthusiasts who participated, debated, and cast their votes this year.
We are deeply humbled by your overwhelming support and the trust you place in us to recognize excellence in the industry. Thank you for sharing your voice and for being the heartbeat of this platform. Here is to another year of innovation, discovery, and the community that makes it all worthwhile.
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