Over the year 2025, we reviewed more than 150 smartphones. These included everything from budget options and mid-rangers to flagship killers, premium flagships, ultra-flagships, and even compact flagships. It felt like a year where every category delivered something exciting.
We tested iPhones, compact devices, pro and ultra models, and a wide range of Android phones across every major brand. This was also a year when compact phones made a proper comeback. It genuinely felt like a year packed with innovation and consistency.
We even ran the SmartPrix People’s Choice Awards, where the audience voted for their favorites. Interestingly, our personal experiences lined up with many of those results. However, this list is a little different. These are the smartphones that impressed us the most based on our review experience.
There were launches across every segment from Samsung, vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, realme, Redmi, POCO, OnePlus, CMF, Nothing, Apple, Google, and many others. After reviewing them all, these are our top picks, and here is why they stood out.
Our Pick for the Budget Smartphone of 2025
The CMF Phone 2 Pro (review) feels like the internet’s collective pick for the best purchase of 2025. It arrived at ₹18,999 and still felt like a “Pro” device. The price later dropped to ₹16,999 and even hovered near ₹16,000 at times. At that price, the value was just unmatched.
You got a clean software experience with a solid long-term promise of 3 OS updates and 6 years of security patches. The main camera was decent, the addition of a 2X telephoto felt almost unreal at this price, and the selfie camera did a good job.
The design had personality and identity, plus the extra modular accessory angle added to the appeal. Nothing even included a 33W charger in the box, which caught everyone off guard. A case was included, too. Battery life from the 5,000 mAh cell consistently delivered close to 9 hours of screen time.
It was not perfect. The charging speeds felt a bit slow, the single speaker wasn’t good, and the Dimensity 7300 was good but not class-leading. Still, the performance stayed stable, and it was among the first in the segment to support 120 FPS in select titles. Overall, it felt like the safest recommendation.
The OPPO K13 (review) came close. UFS 3.1 storage at this price gave it a performance edge, but the camera setup was underwhelming in comparison.
The realme P4 also made sense for many. At ₹17,999, you get a 7,000 mAh battery, 80W charging, Dimensity 7400 Ultra, 50 plus 8 MP cameras on the rear, a 144 Hz panel, and an extra chip that helps with gaming stability.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro still takes the top spot.
Our Pick for the Mid-Range Smartphone of 2025
The OnePlus Nord 5 (review) felt like the sweet spot at ₹30,000. With offers, it sat at that price for a while, and even after the jump to ₹34,000, it still manages to feel worth the money. The 6,800 mAh battery delivered some of the best endurance we saw in 2025 mid-range phones.
The camera setup held up really well for the price. The rear camera was good, and the 50 MP selfie camera ended up being one of the biggest upgrades. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 handled everything without struggle.
All of this made it an easy pick for the best mid-range phone of the year. On the software side, OxygenOS 15 was already in a good place and OxygenOS 16 made it even better. You also get 4 years of OS updates and 6 years of security patches, which adds confidence to the purchase.
Our Pick for the Value Smartphone of 2025
For the best value pick, the Nord CE5 (review) makes more sense. It stayed at ₹22,999 even after all the price hikes going on in the market right now. It delivered a lot for the price. You get a 6.77-inch 1080p 120 Hz display, Dimensity 8350, which performs really well, and UFS 3.1 storage, which is rare in this range.
The LYT 600 main camera did a solid job, and the selfie camera was decent. The 7,100 mAh battery is one of the biggest in this segment, and 80W wired charging topped it up quickly.
It also gets 4 years of OS updates, 6 years of security patches, and OxygenOS 15, which feels polished. The single speaker is the only clear drawback, but the rest of the experience is strong enough that it does not hold it back. This makes the Nord CE 5 our pick for the value smartphone this year.
Our Pick for the Camera Smartphone of 2025
For cameras, the vivo X300 Pro (review) and the OPPO Find X9 Pro (review) stand out immediately. The X300 Pro feels like a complete package. The selfie camera finally stepped up in a big way. The X200 Pro (review) struggled here, but this time the front camera performs like a flagship should. The main camera is strong and the 85 mm periscope is great for zoom shots, bird photography, and macro.
The OPPO Find X9 Pro also marks a major jump. Compared to the X8 Pro (review), the difference is noticeable. The telephoto uses a 200 MP sensor just like X300 Pro. Both phones handle video extremely well too. And the teleconverter support on each device makes them feel like tools built for photography rather than just smartphones with good sensors.
These two remain the clearest picks for the best camera smartphones of 2025.
Our Pick for the Smartphone of 2025
For the best smartphone of 2025, the OPPO Find X9 Pro feels like the obvious choice. The software experience is really good. The display sits among the best we’ve used this year. The camera system consistently performs at a level where it can challenge any flagship.
Performance is top tier. The 7,500 mAh battery delivers outstanding battery life. The speakers, haptics, and overall build quality all reach a point where there is very little to complain about. It gets so close to perfect that nothing else feels as complete.
The X300 Pro comes close. Its cameras and overall hardware make it a strong runner-up, but battery life and the software experience give the Find X9 Pro the edge.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra (review) with One UI 8 holds its own. It would have been a contender, but with the S26 Ultra approaching and its camera system not matching the Find X9 Pro or X300 Pro, it slipped behind.
The iPhone 17 Pro would usually feel like an automatic nominee, but iOS 26 has been inconsistent. Bugs made the experience frustrating at times. The battery life on the 17 Pro Max falls short of what the Find X9 Pro and X300 Pro deliver. The cameras also do not challenge either of those two.
The OPPO Find X9 Pro stands at the top for 2025.
Our Pick for the Value iPhone of 2025
The best iPhone to buy right now feels like the iPhone 17 (review). It stands out as the most meaningful upgrade in a long time. The iPhone 11 and 12 series were good steps forward, and the 17 feels like the biggest jump since then. You get a 120 Hz display, which finally makes the experience feel modern. The camera setup includes the 48 MP ultrawide and an improved selfie camera.
The battery is slightly larger, and the new 40W charging actually feels fast for the first time on an iPhone. The feature set is also very close to what the Pro models offer. You only miss out on the telephoto lens and a few other Pro features. Everything else is pretty much on the table.
This makes the iPhone 17 the best all-around iPhone for most users in 2025.
Our Pick for the Battery Smartphone of 2025
For the best battery life, the Find X9 (review) and Find X9 Pro sit at the top. These two deliver outstanding endurance and prove that large batteries can last long with the right optimization. They consistently pushed through heavy days with ease.
The OnePlus 15 (review) also surprised us. With a 7,300 mAh battery and the Snapdragon Elite Gen 5, the efficiency numbers were exceptional. The realme GT 8 Pro (review) and the iQOO 15 (review) also held their ground with good battery life.
Overall, the Find X9 Pro, Find X9, and the OnePlus 15 set the standard this year. If battery life is your priority, these are the phones that feel like the benchmark. Next year might take things even further with 10,000 mAh batteries, so the battery race is only getting more interesting.
Our Pick for the Foldable Smartphone of 2025
For foldables, the list felt shorter this year in India. OnePlus did not bring the Open 2. OPPO’s launches stayed limited. vivo went ahead with the X Fold3 Pro. Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold7, and Google introduced the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
Among these, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 (review) felt like the strongest overall package. The changes over the Z Fold6 were huge. It became thinner and noticeably lighter. The jump to a 200 MP main camera and the new front camera definitely made the camera experience better.
The crease was also reduced, and it’s actually the best crease we’ve seen on a foldable smartphone till date. The software experience remains the key advantage. One UI still feels like the best foldable software, mainly because Samsung has been refining it for years.
The biggest challenger is the vivo X Fold3 Pro. It brings better cameras. It arguably takes better photos than the Z Fold7. The downside comes down to software, thinness, and creasing. It still needs more refinement and consistency to compete on that level. Until that gap closes, the Z Fold7 is the better foldable device.
Conclusion
Overall, 2025 turned out to be a great year for smartphones. Budget phones delivered serious value, mid-rangers felt close to flagships, and premium devices pushed things even further. We saw better cameras, better designs, smoother software, and even bigger batteries. Hopefully, this is the direction the industry continues in 2026.
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