I've been testing and reviewing phones for nearly two decades now, and in that time, I've never seen stiffer competition among the best phones. And remember — the big fall phone releases of 2025 are still to come.
1. Galaxy S25 Ultra: Best overall
2. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Best iPhone
3. Pixel 9a: Best under $500
4. Pixel 9 Pro: Smartest phone
5. OnePlus 13: Best Android flagship value
6. iPhone 16: Best iPhone value
7. Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Best alternative value
8. Galaxy S25: Most affordable Samsung flagship
9. Motorola Razr Ultra (2025): Best foldable
10. Galaxy S25 Edge: Best thin phone
But you don't have to wait until then to get your hands on a great phone. The devices listed here bring powerful performance, great cameras and long-lasting batteries, and no handset has impressed the phones review team at Tom's Guide more than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
You can't go wrong with any of the new Galaxy S25 models, but the S25 Ultra is the best of the bunch by far. It's the longest-lasting Samsung phone we've tested, with a big, bright screen and an impressive bath of Galaxy AI features, some of which are exclusive to Samsung's latest flagships.
Of course, those Galaxy AI features are available on all of the S25 models, which is why you're not missing a step should you opt for the cheaper Samsung Galaxy S25. You'll also find great AI capabilities on the Galaxy S25 Edge, which also happens to offer an almost-impossibly thin design.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Edge are two of the more expensive entries on our best phone list, but getting a top device doesn't mean you have to shell out big bucks. The Pixel 9a stands out for cameras that outperform the ones on much more expensive phones, while still sporting the same sub-$500 cost as past budget models from Google.
And the cost of phones is definitely a consideration these days, given all the talk around tariffs and the impact they could have on how much you pay for your next device. We have more to say on tariffs below, but you can beat the high-cost of smartphones by opting for devices like the iPhone 16, which matches the Apple Intelligence features of the more expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max. The top iPhone has outstanding cameras and epic battery life. It also offers AI tricks of its own via Apple Intelligence.
I've reviewed many of these phones first-hand, with other Tom's Guide phone experts adding their thoughts and insights for an in-depth look at which devices you should consider. Between every one of our phone reviewers, we've got nearly five decades of experience evaluating phones from every possible angle.
Our best phone picks are based on our lab tests and real-world use of each phone we get our hands on. Here are the 10 phones you should consider if you're looking to get a new handset right now.
The best phones — quick list
When it comes to giving you the best performance and the most features, you can't top the Galaxy S25 Ultra with its quadruple camera system, the utility of its S Pen, useful Galaxy AI features, and the desktop PC-like experience of Samsung DeX.
The biggest iPhone comes with the best performance as well. If you're after that best in class experience, look no farther than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is packed with Apple Intelligence features, obscenely long battery life, and excellent cameras.
With a Tensor G4 chip offering most — though not all — of the AI features found on the Pixel 9 flagships, the Pixel 9a is a great low-cost flagship alternative. And its cameras perform much better than the ones on many more expensive devices.
I'm the managing editor for mobile at Tom's Guide, where I've been working since 2015. In total, I've covered technology for 25 years now — I was even there when Steve Jobs showed off the original iPhone back in 2007. I've been looking at and testing phones since that day, and if you visit my Northern California home, you can marvel at the stacks of phones I keep handy for head-to-head testing.
The best phone overall
Don't look for big hardware changes with the Galaxy S25 Ultra compared to last year's model. instead, Samsung has put the focus on building out its Galaxy AI features to excellent effect. In fact, it's fair to say, that mobile AI gets to the next level with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
That's because Samsung has added important features like cross app actions, where you can use the on-board digital assistant to interact with apps on your phone — both Samsung and Google apps, initially, along with Whatsapp and Spotify. Even better, you can give one command that triggers multiple actions, like looking up the date of an event, adding it to your calendar and texting the info to a friend.
A Personal Data Engine on board the phone learns your preferences, interests and activities and fills a new Now Brief screen with relevant information about upcoming appointments, weather forecasts or more. Now Brief felt pretty bare bones during our initial Galaxy S25 Ultra testing, but the promise is that it's going to learn more about you over time and adjust its recommendations accordingly. Now that the S25 Ultra's been out a few months, we'll circle back to see if the feature has come into its own.
Other AI favorites like Circle to Search gain new powers and new features like the Now Bar serve as Samsung's version of Live Activities on the iPhone, helping you track ongoing notifications from your lock-screen. None of this is to diminish the hardware changes that are present on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but AI takes the starring role here. And it's quite a star turn at that.
Price and value: If there's one blemish to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it's that the phone continues to cost more than rival flagships. At $1,299, this phone costs $100 more than the most expensive flagships from Apple and Google. But at least Samsung managed to avoid price increases this year, and the base model of the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers 256GB of storage. Galaxy S25 Ultra deals let you whack down the price of this phone a bit.
Camera performance: The biggest hardware change to the Galaxy S25 Ultra's camera setup involves an upgraded ultrawide sensor — it's now 50MP for more detailed shots and sharper macros. But upgrades to the ProVisual Engine that processes photos have paid off big for this year's Galaxy devices, and the S25 Ultra reaps the rewards.
When my colleague Mark Spoonauer put the S25 Ultra up against the iPhone 16 Pro Max in an 11-round photo face-off, the Galaxy S25 Ultra wound up winning more rounds. In particular, Samsung's phone excels at zooms, selfies and low-light shots. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also won our 200 macro photo face-off with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
There are still some areas where the iPhone 16 Pro Max takes better shots, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra photo output has improved enough to make me conclude that this is the best camera phone you can buy right now.
Battery and charging: Samsung didn't increase the battery size from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but even so, this year's model outlasted its predecessor on our battery test by 45 minutes. The Galaxy S25 Ultra was able to surf the web over cellular for 17 hours and 14 minutes, the longest time we've recorded for a Samsung device. Credit the Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the phone for improving power efficiency.
Charging speeds are unchanged from the previous few Ultra models, though Samsung has nominally added Qi2 wireless charging support. However, since the phone doesn't feature magnets on its back for a more secure fit with Qi2 charging pads, you're losing many of the benefits of the new charging standard unless you buy a Qi2-ready case.
Overall performance: The Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra does more than just help the new phone last longer on a charge. It also delivers some of the best performance we've seen on an Android device, especially since Samsung is using an overclocked version of the silicon. That helps the Galaxy S25 Ultra produce better benchmark numbers than the OnePlus 13, which also has a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. But the gaming-focused Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro can lay claim to the speed king title, thanks to its numbers on some tests.
The neural engine on the Snapdragon 8 Elite coupled with 12GB of RAM on the base model give the Galaxy s25 Ultra enough processing muscle to handle more AI tasks on device. And the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a bigger, brighter display than last year's model so everything from gaming to streaming looks better on this new device.
Verdict: The Galaxy S25 Ultra proves that big hardware changes aren't necessary to make a splash in the smartphone world. The Galaxy AI features debuting on this year's premium Samsung phone are reason enough to upgrade, especially if you've got an older phone. And the improved cameras, longer battery life and brighter screen add to the value, even if you find the Galaxy S25 Ultra's high price a little hard to swallow.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | As great a phone as the Galaxy S25 Ultra is, $1,299 is a lot to pay for a handset, especially when you can get an iPhone 16 Pro Max or Galaxy 9 Pro XL for $100 less. | ★★☆☆☆ |
Cameras | The camera competition between the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro is a tight one. But based on the head-to-head shots we've taken so far, the better zooms and low-light images help the S25 Ultra edge out the iPhone 16 Pro Max. | ★★★★★ |
Power | The days of Android phones playing second fiddle to Apple on performance are over. The Galaxy S25 Ultra excels in graphics testing and even beats the best iPhones in some CPU speed tests. A vapor chamber helps keep the phone cool | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | The longest-lasting Samsung phone ever manages to outlast the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which was no slouch in the battery department, even with the same sized battery. Credit the Snapdragon 8 Elite for top power management features. | ★★★★★ |
More on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
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The best iPhone
The iPhone 16 Pro Max no longer holds down the top spot among the best phones we've tested, but that's more of a reflection of the advanced AI on board the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It's a situation Apple could eventually address, with more Apple Intelligence features coming as part of this year's iOS 26 update, even if promised Siri improvements may not be ready this year.
Regardless, there's still plenty to love about the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This model offers a bigger screen (without increasing its overall size too much from the iPhone 15 Pro Max), an upgraded ultrawide camera and a faster processor.
You won't have to ditch your iPhone 15 Pro Max if you upgraded in 2023, But owners of older iPhones will appreciate the boosts in performance, photo processing and smarter features that the iPhone 16 Pro Max brings to the table.
Price and value: While this model commands the same $1,199 cost as its predecessor, a larger 6.9-inch screen and bigger battery means you're getting more for your money. That's particularly true now that the Ultra model of Samsung's Galaxy S flagships costs $100 more than Apple's top model.
"Less expensive" is relative, though, as the iPhone 16 Pro Max's $1,199 starting price is a lot for some people to pay.
Camera performance: iPhones live and die by their cameras, and the telephoto lens on the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers some notable improvements to both its main camera and its ultrawide lens. These complement the 5x telephoto lens that returns from the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Because the iPhone 16 Pro features the same camera setup for $200 less, we'd steer more people toward that phone, but you won't be disappointed with what the iPhone 16 Pro Max cameras produce.
We've even put it through a 200 photo face-off against the Galaxy S24 Ultra to crown an undisputed champion, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max came out on top on the strength of its superior dynamic range and low-light shooting capabilities. For now, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has regained the lead, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max remains an outstanding camera phone option.
Battery and charging: The battery on the iPhone 16 Pro Max lasts more than 17.5 hours on our battery test, where we have a phone surf the web until its battery gives out. The average phone barely makes it past 10 hours, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max was just getting warmed up at that point. No other iPhone has ever lasted that long, with the iPhone 16 Plus coming the closest with an average result of around 16.5 hours.
If only the iPhone 16 Pro Max could charge quickly, but at least MagSafe charging is improved to 25W speed.
Overall performance: Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite is giving the iPhone all it can handle, but the A18 Pro chipset powering the iPhone 16 Pro Max turns out to be a very fast chip on its own.
We noticed the extra oomph when using the iPhone 16 Pro Max to perform everyday tasks and switch between apps. When we used the iPhone 16 Pro Max to transcode a video, the task took half as long as it did on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it bests the Galaxy S25 Ultra in that test, too.
Verdict: The iPhone 16 Pro Max wins top marks for design, photography and performance. Charging speed and digital zoom features could be further refined, and it's very expensive relative to some of the other phones on this list, but you definitely get a lot of power and polish for your money. Now it's just a matter of Apple delivering on the Siri improvements it promised.
Read the full review: iPhone 16 Pro Max
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | This is the most expensive iPhone Apple sells. You can save $200 with the iPhone 16 Pro, if you don't mind the smaller screen and less battery life. | ★★★☆☆ |
Cameras | The iPhone 16 Pro Max is one of the best camera phones we've tested, though both the Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra beat it on zoomed shots. | ★★★★☆ |
Power | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phones may have caught up to Apple's silicon, but the A18 Pro continues to be a top performer, particularly when it comes to overall speed and daily tasks. | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | You won't need to charge your phone up during the day. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the second longest-lasting iPhone we've ever tested, finishing ahead of the iPhone 16 Plus. | ★★★★★ |
More on the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Best under $500
Everyone was fretting on how Google was planning to price the Pixel 9a ahead of the phone's spring launch, but the company's decision to keep its midrange phone at the same $499 price as the Pixel 8a is a welcome relief. The cost of the Pixel 9a looks even better now that Apple is charging $599 for its cheapest phone, the iPhone 16e.
Looking at this best cheap phone contender, I can tell you that it's upgraded in every way, including its design. You can't help but appreciate how the Pixel 9a brings back a long forgotten phone design with its nearly flush camera design on the back of the phone. I admit to being a fan of the horizontal camera bar on other Google phones, but the Pixel 9a's look has its advantages, too.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 9a makes for a compelling option with its Tensor G4 chip, larger 6.3-inch Actua display, bigger battery, and more AI features. After my colleague John Velasco reviewed the Pixel 9a, I can agree that it's the budget phone to beat with the most value.
Price and value: In addition to sparing your budget with its $499 price, the Pixel 9a should last you a very long time. Google provides the same seven years of software and security updates as the pricier Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL models.
If the price isn't enough to convince you, just know that there are Pixel 9a deals that discount the phone even more from its normal price, while also throwing in freebies.
Camera performance: While the somewhat flush camera design on the back of the phone is a stark change over the previous camera bar designs we've seen from Google, the Pixel 9a also gets its share of hardware upgrades. There's now a 48MP main camera that pairs with a 13MP ultrawide. While the main camera is down from the Pixel 8a's 64MP one, it features a wider f/1.7 aperture that allows it to better capture photos under low light.
John Velasco put this to this test in his Pixel 9a review and it definitely shows big improvements across the board, including closeups because the Pixel 9a finally gets a proper macro mode — along with a new astrophotography mode. The Pixel 9a beat the iPhone 16e in our camera face-off that pitted the top two midrange camera phones against one another.
Battery and charging: Like the Pixel 9 Pro we also rate among the best phones — see below — the Pixel 9a beats the average smartphone's performance on our battery test. The Pixel 9a was able to surf the web for 13 hours and 8 minutes before tapping out, which is an improvement over the Pixel 8a's time of 11 hours and 21 minutes.
Improving battery life by more than 2 hours over its predecessor shows that Google is on the right track when it comes to bolstering the battery life of its phones. In this case, credit goes to the Pixel 9a's larger 5,100 mAh battery and power efficient Tensor G4 chip.
Overall performance: Speaking of performance, AI features continue to be a big part of the Pixel 9a's story because of how it's equipped to handle them with the Tensor G4 running the show. This effectively matches the feature set found on Pixel 9 flagships, with Pixel Studio and Add Me photo-editing features stealing the show.
But don't sleep on the phone's call management features, either, as I think they're some of the best AI features on the Pixel and unique to Google's phones. John says in his review how he loves the Call Screen feature to have Google Assistant take phone calls on his behalf, complete with contextual responses he can choose.
Just be aware that some Pixel 9 AI features are missing here — notably the Pixel Screenshot app for retrieving screenshot info saved on your phone and auto-generated notes for recorded phone calls. These require more RAM and a more robust version of Gemini Nano than what the Pixel 9a offers.
Forget about blazing speeds, though, as that's not in the Tensor chips' locker. That said, the Pixel 9a does handily out-perform the $399 Galaxy A36, which uses a lower-powered Snapdragon chipset. However, it trails the A18's performance with the iPhone 16e.
Verdict: The Pixel 9a is a superb contender that continues to prove how budget phones can rival flagship models. Every aspect of the phone has been improved over its predecessor. From its much bright (and larger) screen, to its longer battery life, and better camera performance, it's a fantastic option for anyone. Best of all, it gets nearly all of the AI features found with the more expensive Pixel 9 models.
Read the full review: Google Pixel 9a
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Google keeps its midrange phone under $500, making the Pixel 9a one of the better values you can find if you don't want to pay flagship prices. | ★★★★☆ |
Cameras | With an updated 48MP main camera paired with a 13MP ultrawide, the Pixel 9a not only take better photos, but it also gets proper macro and astrophotography modes. | ★★★★☆ |
Power | The Pixel 9a uses the most recent Tensor G4, which effectively gives it nearly the same AI features found with the rest of the Pixel 9 series. | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | You'll get better than average battery life with the Pixel 9a, lasting nearly as long as the pricier Pixel 9. | ★★★★☆ |
More on the Google Pixel 9a
- The best cheap phones
- Google Pixel 9a performance tested — here's how it compares to the best cheap phones
Smartest phone
AI is the feature of the moment right now with smartphones, as both Apple and Samsung spent the past year adding AI-powered features to their phones. Google's an old hand at this, though, having switched to the AI-focused Tensor chipset with the Pixel 6.
Now, we're up to Tensor G4 on the Google Pixel 9 Pro, and having used Apple Intelligence, Galaxy AI and Google's AI tools, I think Google has the most capable AI of them all. The Pixel 9 phones — including the 9 Pro — certainly had several of my favorite AI phone features introduced in the last year.
Google says customers wanted a more compact version of the Pro to go with the big-screen model. If you prefer more screen real estate, consider the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which has the exact same features as the regular Pro, but a 6.7-inch display and bigger battery, instead. It's also harder to use with one hand in my experience.
Price and Value: The Pixel 9 Pro costs the same $999 that Google charged for the Pixel 8 Pro. But that older phone had a larger screen, which makes me feel like I'm being asked to pay more for less phone. Then again, with the improvements to battery life and display brightness — not to mention the latest AI features — you can't really claim that Google is shortchanging you on anything other than size.
Bargain hunters may want to consider the Pixel 9a since it shares most (though not all) of the Pixel 9 flagships' AI features. You won't get a telephoto lens with the 9a or with the $799 Pixel 9, so if that's a non-starter, read on.
Camera performance: Actual Pixel 9 Pro camera improvements are modest — a new ultrawide sensor adds a Macro mode that performed very well when I tried it out. That said, I think the iPhone 16's macro photos are a little sharper. (They're different phones, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL photo face-off John Velasco did illustrates the superiority of Apple's macro images.)
As for the Pixel 9 Pro's front camera, it gets an upgraded sensor, too, though I think Google needs to dial back the camera's tendency to make faces look too smooth.
Really, though, the Pixel 9 Pro's camera performance lives on the strength of its photo processing, and that remains strong, the cameras producing well-composed shots that showed off fine details when I tested them.
Battery and charging: Battery life hasn't been a strong suit for recent Google phones, but the Pixel 9 Pro breaks that losing streak. With a 4,700 mAh battery and a more efficient Tensor G4 chipset, the Pixel 9 Pro lasted an average of 13 hours and 30 minutes in our web surfing test — behind the comparably sized iPhone 16 and Galaxy S24 models, sure, but well, ahead of that 10-hour average for other smartphones. Other Pixels struggled to reach even that threshold so I like what I've seen from the Pixel 9 Pro's ability to get through the day on a charge.
Overall performance: The Tensor G4 that powers the Pixel 9 Pro can't keep pace with other top Android phones in benchmark testing, and it trails the iPhone 16, too. But that's not the focus of Tensor.
Instead, it powers a number of helpful AI features, including Pixel Screenshots for easy searches of content within screenshots, Add Me for inserting people into group shots and Call Notes for transcriptions and summaries of phone calls. Potentially, the best addition is Gemini Live, a smarter version of the Google Assistant. Pixel 9 Pro owners get a year of Gemini Advanced for supporting for complex features.
Some of the AI tools need some more polish, though they're still further along than Apple Intelligence features at the moment. Right now Pixel Screenshots has been the most useful addition for me since I take a lot of screenshots to remember important details. Using Pixel Screenshots, I'm able to search for those images by their content, and the Pixel 9 Pro is smart enough to show relevant results.
If you're more into producing images from nothing, the Pixel Studio generative AI tool lets you create things with nothing more than text prompts, and a feature update finally brings the ability to create images of people. Pixel Studio beats out the iPhone's Image Playground app in this area, too.
Verdict: If you're willing to bet that the Pixel 9 Pro's AI features will improve over time, the camera performance, longer battery life and bright display should be enough to give you a great device right now.
Read the full review: Google Pixel 9 Pro
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | On the bright side, the Pixel 9 Pro costs the same $999 as the Pixel 8 Pro. But you're paying the same for a smaller screen. | ★★★☆☆ |
Cameras | You'll find few hardware changes outside an improved ultrawide sensor and higher-resolution selfie cam, but the Pixel 9 Pro still takes great shots. And the AI features are second to none. | ★★★★☆ |
Power | The Tensor G4 enables a bunch of new AI-powered features that make the Pixel 9 Pro standout. But it badly lags behind Samsung and Apple phones in terms of speed. | ★★★☆☆ |
Battery life | We've finally got a series of Pixels that outlasts the average smartphone, with the Pixel 9 Pro beating the average result on our test by 3 hours. | ★★★★☆ |
More on the Google Pixel 9 Pro
Best Android flagship value
Before the Galaxy S25 models came along, you could make the case that the OnePlus 13 was the best choice for Android phone fans — my colleague Richard Priday certainly did in his review. But even though Samsung offers a more complete model with the S25 Ultra, the OnePlus 13 remains a top alternative, especially in light of its cheaper price.
Name an area that's important to you, and the OnePlus 13 delivers, from strong performance to a long-lasting battery. Even camera performance, long the Achilles heel of OnePlus phones, measures up well to top camera phones. Simply put, the OnePlus 13 delivers a total package for less than what you'd pay for most flagships, even after a price hike by OnePlus.
Price and value: Let's talk about that price hike. The OnePlus 13 starts at $899, which is $100 more than what the OnePlus 12 cost when it debuted. (You can knock that price down by trading in a phone when you buy the OnePlus 13 directly from the phone maker.)
If you compare that to the starting price of entry-level flagships, it doesn't reflect well on the OnePlus 13, though many of those $799 models have smaller displays than the 6.78-inch panel on OnePlus' phone. Compare it to similarly sized phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the OnePlus 13 still costs substantially less while delivering equivalent features.
Camera performance: Teaming up with lens specialist Hasselblad continues to pay dividends for OnePlus, as the OnePlus 13 cameras perform better than anything we've seen from the phone maker.
Testing produced photos that were very bright and colorful, and I'm particularly impressed with how the OnePlus 13 balances external light sources. Shots in low light turned out well, and the OnePlus 13 clearly has a knack for portrait shots, especially if your subject wears glasses.
In some situations, photos shot by the OnePlus 13 can be a little too bright, robbing the final image of warmth and depth. But overall, I think the OnePlus 13 cameras hold up well against the competition.
Battery and charging: There's not much to complain about here. A 6,000 mAh battery and the power management features found in the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset powering the OnePlus 13 produced the second-best result we've ever seen in our phone battery test. The new OnePlus flagship lasted 19 hours and 45 minutes, which is nearly 10 hours better than the average smartphone. Only the gaming-focused ROG Phone 9 Pro lasts longer on a charge.
You won't have to wait long to top off that battery either, thanks to 80W charging speeds in the U.S. (It's 100W elsewhere.) With an 80W charger, we got the OnePlus 13 to a 92% charge in half-an-hour after draining its battery.
Overall performance: The top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside the OnePlus 13 means the phone can keep pace with just about any flagship, though we've heard that Samsung is optimizing the Snapdragon 8 Elite in its Galaxy S25 phones for better performance. Certainly, the performance-focused ROG Phone 9 Pro churns out better results than the OnePlus 13 with Qualcomm's new chip, but that's not stopping the OnePlus 13 from topping the latest iPhones in graphics testing as well as in some CPU tests.
Just as importantly, OnePlus doesn't turn its back on AI features with this edition of its flagship. AI photo-editing tool take some of the guesswork out of removing blur and reflections from shots while an Intelligent Search tool makes it easier to find what you're looking for on the phone.
Verdict: It's time to start thinking about OnePlus in the same way you'd consider Samsung or Google when mulling over which Android phone to get. The OnePlus 13 belongs in the same conversation as any leading Android device, thanks to its strong performance, long-lasting battery and surprisingly strong cameras. Software support can't quite match what those other phone makers offer, but overall, the OnePlus 13 gives you a top Android experience.
By the way, you may have heard about a more compact OnePlus 13T that the company is releasing, but that device really should impact your decision to buy a OnePlus 13: OnePlus won't sell the 13T in Europe or North America. Consider the OnePlus 13R as a low-cost alternative instead.
Read the full review: OnePlus 13
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | You'll pay more for the OnePlus 13 than you did for last year's flagship. However, at $899, the OnePlus 13 still costs anywhere from $100 to $400 less than the premium big-screen phones it competes against. | ★★★☆☆ |
Cameras | A Hasselblad partnership continues to pay dividends for OnePlus, as the OnePlus 13 cameras perform better than any of their predecessors. In our testing, images compared favorably to ones shot by leading camera phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max. | ★★★★☆ |
Power | The best Qualcomm chip you can buy powers the OnePlus 13, and the benchmarks results we tallied show why that's important. The OnePlus 13 thrives at playing graphically intense games, and it can speedily handle any tasks you throw at it. | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | Only one other phone posts a better time on our battery test than the nearly 20 hours that the OnePlus 13 lasted. In terms of real-world use that translates to multi-day battery life before you need to charge the phone. | ★★★★★ |
More on the OnePlus 13
- Best phone battery life: Where the OnePlus 13 ranks
- OnePlus 13 vs. iPhone 16 Pro Max
- Best OnePlus phones
Best iPhone value
The iPhone 16e may be cheaper, but it doesn't deliver as many features as the iPhone 16. This entry-level Apple flagship also offers incredible value against the pricier iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, thanks to all the things it has in common with those pricier models.
In fact, my colleague John Velasco argues that the iPhone 16 is a Pro model in disguise, reversing the recent trend of Apple giving all its attention to the Pro phones. Certainly, no one would claim the iPhone 16 is an afterthought, given all the new additions.
Price and value: The $799 starting price of the iPhone 16 remains a lot to pay for most people. But it's cheaper than the $899 iPhone 16 Plus, not to mention those iPhone 16 Pro models., which start at $999 and only climb upward from there. Whether it's the Galaxy S25 or Pixel 9, you're going to pay $799 for an entry-level smartphone, so at least Apple's not charging you more.
The iPhone 16e costs $200 less and also supports Apple Intelligence features. But that phone comes with a single rear camera and lacks features like MagSafe support and the Dynamic Island. I think that's an awful lot to give up unless price is absolutely paramount among your concerns.
Camera performance: The 48MP main camera unlocks a lot of photography potential in the iPhone 16, but its ultrawide camera gets an even better upgrade with a wider f/2.2 aperture that allows it to gather in more light than previous iPhones. That also enables a new macro mode on the iPhone 16, which produces more striking close-ups than I've seen from other phones.
The iPhone 16 continues to offer lossless 2x zoom without the need of a telephoto camera too, which helps bridge the gap between itself and the Pro models. I've tested that feature against phones like the Galaxy S24 that have a dedicated zoom lens, and the iPhone holds its own when comparing 2x zooms. Zooming in further, though, will make the differences more apparent.
Battery and charging: Apple's larger iPhones have more room for bigger batteries but the iPhone 16 still lasts more than 12 hours on a single charge — that's well ahead of the average smartphone, but not the Galaxy S24. I remain frustrated by Apple's 20W wired charging speeds, even after the company switched to USB connectivity with the iPhone 15. USB was supposed to be faster than Apple's Lightning standard, so where's the innovation? At least Apple improves wireless MagSafe charging to 25W.
Overall performance: The A18 chipset within the iPhone 16 is potent, proving just as capable as the A18 Pro. (Apple's Pro chipset has a little more muscle when it comes to graphics, thanks to an extra core in its GPU.) Even more impressive is how it puts up better scores in GeekBench than most Android phones running the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.
This boosted chipset allows the iPhone 16 to support AI-powered Apple Intelligence features just like Apple's Pro models, though as we've noted it's very early days for Apple Intelligence. (And as with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 won't be getting the delayed Siri improvements until Apple is good and ready to release them, but it is in line for an iOS 26 upgrade this fall.)
Verdict: The iPhone 16 is a better value than the iPhone 15 that came before it, thanks in part to its significantly longer battery life, stronger A18 performance, and how it now carries similar features found on the 16 Pro models — like Camera Control, Action Button, and support for spatial photos and videos.
If you prefer a bigger screen and a longer-lasting battery, it may be worth an extra $100 for the iPhone 16 Plus, but Apple's standard iPhone remains a compelling option in its own right.
Read the full review: iPhone 16
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | Sporting the same $799 as before, the iPhone 16 is a better value than ever mainly because of how it has more in common with the Pro models than ever before. | ★★★★☆ |
Cameras | The 48MP main camera does a lot, but it still can't beat a Pro iPhone due to the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens. | ★★★☆☆ |
Power | Apple uses a variant of its latest chipset, but the A18 manages to deliver outstanding results that narrows the gap against the A18 Pro. | ★★★☆☆ |
Battery life | As a compact phone, the iPhone 16 offers all-day battery. | ★★★★☆ |
More on the iPhone 16
Best alternative value phone
Budget phones tend to have compromises, but the Nothing Phone 3a Pro offers more for less. Considering how it costs $459 and packs features that are usually reserved for much more expensive flagship models, my colleague John Velasco says that the Nothing Phone 3a Pro redefines that it takes to be a budget phone. The Pixel 9a is a better bargain, but if you're looking for a low-cost device that also has a telephoto lens, this Nothing phone should be at the top of your list.
While its strengths continue to be around its unique design, Nothing OS, and Glyph Interface, Nothing adds a robust set of triple cameras on the back of the phone — complete with a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Phones under $500 don't get this sort of treatment with their cameras.
If that's not enough to convince you about its utility, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro also offers all-day battery life with its 5,000 mAh battery and fast charging with its 50W speed. Over on the software side, Nothing OS 3.1 sports the same minimalist design that the software is known for, while also diving into the world of AI with the Essential Space.
Price and value: You really can't beat its $459 starting cost, which is a fraction of the cost of your typical flagship — and $40 less than the Pixel 9a. The Nothing Phone is also accompanied with 12GB of RAM and an even more generous 256GB of storage. Throw in its triple cameras, neat Glyph Interface, and long lasting battery, it's hard to deny its value.
Camera performance: What's clear here that budget phones can have triple camera systems. Yet the Nothing Phone 3a Pro takes it one step further because of how it consists of a main, ultrawide, and telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The latter's important because budget phones often have less optical zoom, or none at all because they're transformed into portrait or macro cameras. The Pixel 9a, for example, has no dedicated telephoto lens while the iPhone 16e only features a single main camera.
For a budget phone, the camera performance is outstanding, especially under low light where it's much improved over its predecessor in the Nothing Phone 2a. There's also a dedicated macro mode than leverages the main camera instead of the ultrawide, to get sharper, more detailed images.
Battery life and charging: There's a 5,000 mAh battery inside of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, which is enough to propel it to an average of 14 hours and 33 minutes on Tom's Guide's battery benchmark test. That actually beats many of its main rivals, like the iPhone 16e and Pixel 9a.
You can also tap into its 50W wired charging to get it charged in no time at all. In fact, 15 minutes of charging gets it up to 39% capacity — while 30 minutes moves it up to 70%. The only thing missing is wireless charging, which is probably the biggest compromise to getting this phone.
Overall performance: Ditching MediaTek in favor of Qualcomm this time around, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip. Benchmark scores don't make it as formidable, but it can still handle everyday tasks. Beyond that, it struggles to keep up smooth frame rates with games, which can often come off as choppy even when its dedicated Game Mode is enabled.
Verdict: If you're looking for a feature rich phone without the bloated cost, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro fits the bill. Few phones have such an intriguing design like this, plus it's pared with a versatile triple camera system that covers all the range from near, far, and everything in between. You'll just have to live without wireless charging and less than ideal gaming performance.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | For the amount it's going for, the $459 almost feels criminal in this day and age because few phones are priced at this without being stripped away of features. | ★★★★★ |
Cameras | Camera improvements on successive phones are often minor, but they're night and day with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. Not only does it get upgraded to a robust triple camera system, but the performance is better than expected for a value phone. | ★★★☆☆ |
Power | This is one of the biggest drawbacks about being a value phone because the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 isn't equipped to handle intense graphics processing. | ★★☆☆☆ |
Battery life | The 5,000 mAh battery carries the phone for all-day use, while also outlasting its main rivals. | ★★★★☆ |
More on the Nothing Phone 3a Pro
Best Samsung flagship for most people
As with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, AI improvements are the big draw for the Galaxy S25. Samsung once again offers the same Galaxy AI features across its flagship lineup, so anything the S25 Ultra can do, so can the standard S25.
Considering the Galaxy S25 costs $500 less than Samsung's premium device, this entry-level flagship will be the way most people experience the lastest AI features from Samsung. And if they wind up buying the Galaxy S25, they'll be very pleased with the experience, despite some minimal hardware changes from previous additions.
Price and value: That $799 starting price is what's going to attract people to the Galaxy S25, especially if they balk at paying $1,000 and up for smartphones. If you find the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra too expensive, the Galaxy S25 provides a less expensive way to enjoy Samsung's latest devices, especially since the AI features Samsung is emphasizing with this lineup are identical from phone to phone.
Camera performance: The Galaxy S25 uses the same camera setup found on the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23, though the new phone does offer an update ProVisual Engine for better photo processing. Even with that change — which does have a very positive effect on the S25's camera output — owners of recent Galaxy S models may not find much of a reason to upgrade on camera performance alone.
That said, our camera testing revealed that the Galaxy S25 is less prone to over-saturating photos the way recent models did, so colors look a lot more natural in Galaxy S25 shots. Night shots also look livelier on the Galaxy S25 thanks to improvements aimed at low-light photography. The Galaxy S25 remains one of the few $799 phones to offer a telephoto lens, though the 3x optical zoom trails the 5x you'd get by paying up for Pro models from Apple or Google.
Battery life and charging: As Samsung's most compact Galaxy S model, the entry-level version doesn't have a lot of room inside for a big battery. To that end, the Galaxy S25 features a 4,000 mAh battery, just like its predecessor did. But that doesn't stop the s25 from dramatically improving upon battery life.
When we had the Galaxy S25 surf the web continuously as part of our standard battery test, the new phone held out for 15 hours and 43 minutes, which almost 2.5 hours longer than the Galaxy S24's battery test result. Clearly, the S25 is getting a lot of power management help from its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, as that system-on-chip is supposed to offer better power management.
Charging speeds remain at a disappointing tepid 25W for wired charging. Like the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup, this standard version supports Qi2 wireless charging, though you'll need a special case to take advantage of that support.
Overall performance: For the Galaxy S25, Samsung stopped using different chipsets for phones released in different regions like it did with the S24. Instead, everyone who buys a Galaxy S25 gets a Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered device — and that's good news if you want the best performance in an Android phone.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the S25 is optimized for Samsung's phones, enabling the Galaxy S25 to pull ahead of the OnePlus 13 in CPU testing. (The two match up fairly well in graphics tests we've run.) And Samsung equips its entry-level flagships with a generous 12GB of RAM.
That combination of chipset and memory also helps power the new Galaxy AI features, highlighted by the ability to perform actions across multiple apps via the phone's digital assistant. The Now Brief feature the surfaces relevant information on your phone screen is promising, though we'll not know how effective it truly is until it has time to learn from our actions and preferences.
Verdict: Not everyone cares for the Galaxy S25's compact size, preferring a bigger screen on their device. However, if you like a phone that's easy to use with one hand, and you want the very best Galaxy AI features without having to pay premium prices, the $799 Galaxy S25 delivers big value in its smaller size.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | The Galaxy S25's $799 starting price matches similar offerings from Apple and Google. But the big difference is the $500 gap with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, even though those two Samsung phones share AI features. | ★★★★☆ |
Cameras | There's no real change in hardware from recent Samsung models, so S24 and S23 owners may not feel compelled to upgrade. Photo processing improvements do make S25 photos look less saturated, though — a positive step. | ★★★☆☆ |
Power | Regardless of where you buy your Galaxy S25, you'll get a phone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite optimized for Samsung's phones. That means the best Android performance available — once again for less than what Samsung's pricier models cost. | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | No change in battery size? No problem. The Snapdragon 8 Elite's power management features help the Galaxy S25 improve upon its predecessor's time in our battery test by nearly 2.5 hours. | ★★★★☆ |
More on the Samsung Galaxy S25
Best foldable phone
Motorola's foldable flip phones have gotten better and better, and the Motorola Razr (2025) represents the culmination of those efforts to take the flip phones of old and soup them up for the modern era. A titanium-reinforced hinge improves on an already-impressive design by adding a snappier response than the 2024 model. You'll still see a crease where the Razr's display folds in two, but it's not as deep as it has been.
The real improvements to this year's Razr involve its more powerful processor, upgraded camera setup and jaw-dropping battery life. The Ultra version of the Razr really does provide the right mix of form and function, giving you a capable phone with an easy-to-pocket design.
By the way if you prefer book-style foldables that open to reveal a larger screen instead of flip phones, I'd still steer you toward the OnePlus Open, even if that 2023 release is starting to show its age. Keep an eye out for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which we're expecting to see next month.
But enough about those phones, let's dive into the Razr Ultra (which is sold as the Razr 60 Ultra outside of the U.S.).
Price and value: As I mentioned, the Razr Ultra makes some notable improvements, and you'll pay up for them — this phone costs $1,299 which is $200 more than what Samsung charges for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Ultra is the superior option based on battery life, performance and camera output, but you will pay more for this particular model.
That said, Motorola continues to offer standard and Plus versions of the Razr for $699 and $999, respectively. Stay tuned for our reviews of those models, but the biggest trade-off you make is the superior chipset, extra RAM and additional storage that comes with the Ultra. You also get a larger interior display with the Ultra, faster charging and a bigger battery. So it's clear where the extra money is going.
Camera performance: My colleague John Velasco is a big fan of a change that Motorola made to the Ultra version of the Razr, which goes back to featuring a main camera and ultrawide lens in its rear array. The ultrawide lens replaces a telephoto camera on the 2024 edition of the Razr Plus. (The 2025 Plus keeps that zoom camera.)
John feels the ultrawide lens provides greater flexibility, particular if you're a content creator capturing video with your flip phone. He also appreciates the different modes available on the Ultra, including a Group Shot feature that takes a burst of photos and blends them together to create the best output.
Photos captured by the Razr Ultra generally produce better colors with less saturation than the Razr Plus 2024. That said, night shots didn't look as good in head-to-head testing and the Ultra's front camera produced softer selfies with less-defined features.
Battery and charging: The Razr Ultra puts an end to the idea that foldable phones can't last a long time on a charge. With its screen set to a default refresh rate, the Motorola Razr lasted 15 hours and 42 minutes on our battery test — the best time we've recorded with a foldable phone.
When we switched the refresh rate to an energy-saving mode, the phone went nearly 19 hours before needing a charge. That's staggering good, considering there's only so much space inside a foldable phone for a battery, though Motorola did manage to include a 4,700 mAh power pack in the Ultra.
Overall performance: A lot of that battery performance comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset driving the Motorola Razr Ultra. That's the best silicon Qualcomm offers, so the Ultra also produce benchmark numbers that match top phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13.
I'm happy to see Motorola get more serious about AI features with the latest Razr phones with Pay Attention tool proving to be a very handy voice recorder with transcription and summary tools. In his review, John really liked the Smart Connect feature that wireless pairs the Razr with an external monitor, providing a productivity-boosting desktop experience. That said, it would be nice if Smart Connect also worked over a USB-C connection.
Verdict: If you've been reluctant to turn to foldable phones over concerns with durability, performance and battery life, the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) tackles each of those one-by-one. It's on the pricey end of the foldable flip phone spectrum, but you get a lot of value in return.
Read the full review: Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | There are cheaper foldable flip phones, including different variations on the Razr. But you get your money's worth from all the high-end features. | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | The Razr's design is stylish and sleek, and the 2025 version improves upon what's come before with a reinforced hinge that makes the new model feel a lot more durable. | ★★★★★ |
Power | Motorola doesn't compromise on the chipset in the Ultra model, turning to the Snapdragon 8 Elite — the silicon favored by top Android phones. | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | The Razr Ultra is the longest-lasting foldable we've ever tested, and that's before we turned off the fast refreshing display to extend battery life even further. | ★★★★★ |
More on the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)
Best thin phone
Rounding out the list is the Galaxy S25 Edge, which takes the best of Sammy's flagship model, but in a much thinner and lighter package. Its 5.8mm frame makes it an engineering marvel that sets the benchmark for all other flagships when it comes to a thin design, all while still accessing the same Galaxy AI features as the rest of the S25 series.
Price and value: This one's tough because a thin design does come with some trade-offs. For starters, you're paying a premium with its $1,099 starting cost, which isn't too far off from the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Two of the biggest trade offs include its smaller 3,900 mAh battery and the fact that it lacks a telephoto camera. It doesn't have as long as a battery charge, so charging it is a frequent occurrence you'll need to come to terms. Meanwhile, it lacks the dedicated telephoto cameras that come with all the other S25 flagship models — so you're not going to get as good results.
Despite these shortcomings, it's a powerhouse in every way with its flagship caliber Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12GB of RAM, 256GB starting storage, and large 6.7-inch AMOLED with an adaptive 120GHz refresh rate.
Camera performance: Aside from its telephoto performance, the Galaxy S25 Edge actually delivers excellent results from its dual camera setup, which is mainly driven by its 200MP main camera. In fact, it matches the Galaxy S25 Ultra's performance for just about every type of shot from the main shooter. Additionally, my colleague John Velasco tested out its hidden astrophotography mode with delightful results that look better than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Battery and charging: This is undoubtedly the weakest part about the Galaxy S25 Edge, as it's clearly at a disadvantage with its smaller 3,900 mAh battery. Even with the power efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, it pulls in a tepid 12 hours and 24 minutes in our battery benchmark test.
Yes, it's a shortcoming you'll need to accept in order to get a phone that's this thin, but it doesn't help that it doesn't get the same fast charging speeds as the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Instead, its 25W wired charging speed takes it a long longer to charge.
Overall performance: In John's review, he was satisfied by the Galaxy S25 Edge's performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12GB of RAM is sufficient for most tasks, which only helps when you get fluid animations and instant responses with its 120Hz refresh rate. Benchmark scores put it on par to those of the other Galaxy S25 phones.
Heat buildup isn't much of a problem here, despite having more components crammed so close together in the inside. Even with a lot of gaming, John didn't experience the phone heating up that much, which could be attributed to the newly configured vapor chamber it's incorporating.
Verdict: Although it's not a home run, the Galaxy S25 Edge gives us a small taste at what could end up being the biggest trend of the year: flagship phones with rail thin designs. It's solidly constructed too, complete with the same IP68 rating as the S25 Ultra.
If you're tired of having to carry around big phones that feel heavy, the Galaxy S25 Edge is your best choice for now — and this is despite some of its trade-offs. Not only do you have the same set of Galaxy AI features to try out as the S25 Ultra, but it still packs a bright display, excellent cameras, and 7 years of software support.
Read the full review: Galaxy S25 Edge
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Price | You're really paying a premium with the Galaxy S25 Edge. At $1,099, it's almost as expensive as the S25 Ultra, so you're ponying up most for its ultra-thin design and lightweight package. | ★★★☆☆ |
Cameras | Although it's only a dual-camera setup here, its main camera holds up to some of the best camera phones out there. | ★★★★☆ |
Power | Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it doesn't show any signs of weakness with its peppy response, solid benchmark scores, and smooth gaming experience. | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | With a time on our battery test that's around 2.5 hours better than the average phone, the Galaxy S25 Edge actually lags behind the flagship pack due to a much smaller battery capacity. | ★★☆☆☆ |
More on the Galaxy S25 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. Galaxy S25 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: 6 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip
Best phones: Key specs compared
Here's a closer look at how our best phones pick compare when it comes to display brightness and battery life test results.
Phone | Screen size | Brightness test results (nits) | Battery life test results (Hrs: Mins) |
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | 6.9 inches | 1,860 | 17:14 |
iPhone 16 Pro Max | 6.9 inches | 1,553 | 17:35 |
Google Pixel 9a | 6.3 inches | 2,076 | 13:08 |
Google Pixel 9 Pro | 6.3 inches | 1,880 | 13:30 |
OnePlus 13 | 6.82 inches | 1,104 | 19:45 |
iPhone 16 | 6.1 inches | 1,348 | 12:13 |
Nothing Phone 3a Pro | 6.77 inches | 1,259 | 14:33 |
Samsung Galaxy S25 | 6.2 inches | 1,789 | 15:43 |
Motorola Razr Ultra | 7 inches (interior display); 4 inches (exterior) | 1,835 | 15:42 |
Galaxy S25 Edge | 6.7 inches | 1,997 | 12:24 |
FAQ: Finding the best phones
How will tariffs impact phone prices this year?
So far, there's been no price hikes directly resulting from tariffs on products imported from other countries — which would include phones, given how they're assembled overseas. And while tariff policies seem to fluctuate on a whim, there's a definite risk that the cost of phones could go up at some point this year.
Let's take Apple, which could be one of the big players affected by the Trump administration's tariff policy. Apple says it's shifting production of phones sold in the U.S. to India and away from China in part to mitigate the impact of tariffs. Nevertheless, the company expects tariffs to add $900 million to its costs during the June quarter. Of course, that was before President Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff unless it moved phone production to the U.S. — something that would be very difficult to do.
Even with some trade deals being struck, rumors point to higher iPhone 17 prices this fall. To that end, we've got a look at whether it makes sense to buy a new iPhone now or hold out until the fall and risk paying more for your new device.
Should I get an Android device or iPhone?
Android phones give you more choice in terms of price, size and innovative designs. However, iPhones offer speedier software updates, better games and apps and better security and privacy. See our iPhone vs Android face-off for more on the strengths and weaknesses of the two mobile platforms.
When do new phones come out?
It helps to have some idea as to when new phones are on their way if for no other reason than you don't unwittingly buy a device that's about to be made obsolete. (There's an argument to be made for buying a phone as its successor is getting announced should the older model see a price drop.) Phone makers tend to keep launch dates close to the vest, but they also have a habit of releasing new models at the same time of the year. Here's out best guess as to what's coming next for the most anticipated phones of 2025:
- Galaxy Z Fold 7/Galaxy Z Flip 7: July 2025
- Pixel 10: August 2025
- iPhone 17: Fall 2025
In addition to hardware releases, there's also new software that promises to bring improved features to your favorite phones. Google is moving up the release of Android 16, which is already in its final beta stages and likely to come to Pixel phones in June before rolling out to other Android devices. iOS 26 — no, you didn't miss eight updates since iOS 18, Apple's just changing the naming convention for its software — arrives this fall, though you can download an iOS 26 developer beta right now.
Is it better to buy an unlocked phone?
Most shoppers in the U.S. buy new phones through their wireless carrier. But an unlocked phone gives you the freedom to buy the device without any sort of contract and then bring it to the provider you want to use. And these days, it's pretty easy to bring an unlocked phone to any phone carrier.
That said, some phones cost more when you buy them unlocked. For example, Apple tacks $30 on to the price of the iPhone 16 for an unlocked model. Best Buy typically takes money off the price of a phone when you activate it with a specific carrier at time of purchase.
How big of a phone should I get?
Fans of the best small phones will have a hard time finding devices with screens smaller than 6 inches today, though a few still exist. Thanks to shrinking bezels, most phones with screens around 6.1 inches are fairly compact. If you prefer a big phone, you'll want something with a screen that's 6.5 to 6.8 inches. Anything bigger, and you'll likely want to turn to a foldable phone, where the device opens up to reveal a larger display.
What should I consider when looking at camera features?
Most phones will come with at least two rear cameras — a main lens and an ultrawide shooter, usually. Telephoto lenses offering an optical zoom are often reserved for more expensive flagship phones. Don't pay attention to the megapixel count. Instead, look at camera face-offs between phones to see the photo quality and look for special features like Night Mode to get better quality in low light. Also see our best camera phone roundup for more on the devices that really excel when taking photos.
What do I need to know about smartphone battery life?
Generally, phones with larger batteries (measured in mAh) offer the longest battery life, but that's not always the case. That's why we run our own battery test, in which we make phones surf the web until they run out of power. The average phone runs out of juice in a little more than 10 hours in our test, while devices with the best phone battery life we've tested tend to reach the 15-hour mark with some phones lasting longer than 18 hours.
What about AI features?
Artificial intelligence is the talk of the tech world these days, and mobile phones are looking to capitalize on the buzz by adding AI-powered features that either simplify common tasks or help you create new images and documents on the go.
Google's phones — whether it's the flagship Pixel 9 models or even the budget Pixel 9a — have the most advanced AI, but Samsung has gotten very aggressive with adding Galaxy AI capabilities, whether it's introducing AI features in new phones or extending those features to older flagships; that said, it's unclear which Galaxy AI additions arriving with the Galaxy S25 will find their way to other Samsung devices.
Apple trails both its rivals, though it hopes the Apple Intelligence features currently rolling out to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models will close the gap somewhat. The arrival of the iPhone 16e makes those AI features available in a lower-cost model.
How we test smartphones
In order for a smartphone to make our best phone list, it needs to excel on several tests that we run on every handset. We perform some of these tests in our labs and some in the real world.
When it comes to performance, we rely on such synthetic benchmarks as Geekbench 5 and 3DMark's Wild Life Unlimited to measure graphics performance. These tests allow us to compare performance across iPhones and Android devices. We also run a real-world video transcoding test on each phone using the Adobe Premiere Rush app and time the result.
To measure the quality of a phone's display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is (DCI-P3 color gamut). In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and score of 0 is perfect.
One of the most important tests we run is the Tom's Guide battery test. We run a web surfing test over 5G or 4G at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out. As noted above, a phone that lasts more than 10 hour has good battery life, while phones that last around 12 hours or longer are among the longest-lasting phones we've tested.
Last but not least, we take the best phones out in the field to take photos outdoors, indoors and at night in low light to see how they perform versus their closest competitors. We take shots of landscapes, food, portraits and more, and also allow you to be the judge with side-by-side comparisons in our reviews.
For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.
