Best smartphones of 2025 - buyer’s guide

Last updated 23 February 2025


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Kangal, 27 Nov 2019Create your own company and design your own phone... Ultima... moreOh, forgot to mention!!

Stylish Phone:
Display Rounded Corners
Standard Headphone Jack and USB 3.1-TypeC
Limited Support for Video out, OTG, and Connections
Home Console via Xbox One controller connection (needs purse/backpack, not pocketable)

Practical Phone:
Display Square Corners
QuadDAC Headphone Jack and ThunderBolt-3 port
Wide Support for External Dock for Charging, HDMI, Ethernet, Aux, and Host-OTG
Handheld Console with JoyCon dedicated physical attachment (gamepad pocketable)

    The Voice of Reason, 23 Nov 2019The best smartphone of 2019 doesn't exist. It's a phone ... moreCreate your own company and design your own phone... Ultimately there are two dominant schools of thought for the "best phone". The question is, which would you prefer?

    Firstly is the Stylish and Futuristic:
    179 x 79 x 7.9mm
    179 grams
    7.49 inch 21:9 screen
    +1440p-Pentile SAM-OLED
    794 nits Mobile-HDR compatible
    144Hz Active Sync display
    Almost No Bezels (2mm each side)
    Underscreen dual selfie camera
    Vibrational Face Mono Speaker
    Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner
    Triple rear camera (ultrawide, regular, zoom)
    eSIM and microSD, no IrDa blaster
    Shiny exterior, styling and renders
    Thin (6mm) phone body (front to back), with thick (8mm) sideframe
    Backplate and Frontplate of transparent flat plastic (shockproof)
    Curved Tempered Glass for back and front
    Stainless Steel sideframe
    Submersible IP68 waterproofing
    4,179mAh non-removable battery
    Convenient Super Fast Charging (60W)
    Maximum Density Internals, monolithic design (non-refurbishable)
    Skinned Android OS (unlockable bootloader)
    Probably retails for USD $947 ??

    Secondly is the Rugged and Practical:
    150 x 80 x 8.0mm
    200 grams
    6.10 inch 16:9 screen
    1080p-RGBW LCD-IPS
    1,000 nits HDR10+ supported
    120Hz Refresh Rate
    Symmetrical Top-Bottom Slim Bezels (8mm)
    Sensors and Selfie embedded inside bezels
    Front-firing stereo loudspeakers
    Rear fingerprint scanner
    Single Main camera (large sensor)(attachable lenses for ultrawide, macro, zoom)
    DualSIM-microSD slot and IrDa blaster
    Matte and chamfered exterior, rugged photographs
    Thick (9mm) phone body (front, side, back)
    Backplate of Military Kevlar (non-fragile), Frontplate of Gorilla Glass 6
    Tempered Glass for front, optional bumper case for back
    Aluminium sideframe
    Non-submersible (IP66) Splash water resistance
    5,000mAh User Removable Battery
    Battery Healthy Charging (20W)
    High Density Internals, Modular Design (USB port, Headphone port, Speakers, Cameras)
    Stock AndroidOne OS (can flash Alternate OS like Jolla SailfishOS)
    Probably retails for USD $800 ??

      This guide is excellent and very well thought out. Thank you.

        Geric.770, 27 Nov 2019Most people are not geeks? Or you are just being fanboying ... more"Or you are just being fanboying on Sony?", where did that come from?
        It's hilarious how people on the internet know more about you than yourself.

        "more than ever before" that you're talking about is still insignificant. Get off the internet and maybe observe real people, how about that?

          Huawei Mate 30 Pro: Am I Joke to you?
          - Best camera in a Mobile Phone
          - Best in Slow Mo (720p @ 7680 fps)
          - Best in Night mode
          - DSLR grade noise reduction and Cine camera for Video Recording
          - Dual 40 MP Main cameras (40 MP RYB + 40 MP Cine)
          - Water fall display
          - 27 W Wireless Charging Tech & Improved Reverse Wireless Charging
          - 40 W fast charging
          - 4500 mAmp battery
          - First 7+nm processor by EUV technology ( Kirin 990)

            Sonu4678, 25 Nov 2019"Most people" are not geeks. They don't visit GSMA like us.... moreMost people are not geeks? Or you are just being fanboying on Sony?

            Grow up. People nowadays know GCam mods more than ever before because of Xiaomi's existence.

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              • Anonymous
              • T62
              • 27 Nov 2019

              Nicolas F, 26 Nov 2019I would love to; just give me a billion dollars xDWhy would anybody do that? You would just waste it producing a phone that nobody wants.

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                • parham
                • 86E
                • 27 Nov 2019

                1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9....................camera!!!!!!!
                I think it's better to come up with a new idea than extra lenses !!!!

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • KSu
                  • 26 Nov 2019

                  Sonu4678, 26 Nov 2019Well, very few have an IQ above room temperature. You might... moreWe use Celsius here not Fahrenheit
                  Room temperature meant around 25 degree Celsius.
                  Either ways, Doesn't take a genius to install an apk file.

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                    • Anonymous
                    • KSu
                    • 26 Nov 2019

                    patoka, 26 Nov 2019Do you actually have the rog 2 or oneplus? I can't stand pe... moreWhy go for global version or tencent version, you can flash different ROM on it and save a few bucks.
                    Used this on Mi phones as well. You can easily flash China Rom over global ROM and enjoy latest features which you get a little late on the Global version.

                    Besides I don't need to import this phone, in my country it is available for 38k which is the same as 7T, that is why OnePlus was destroyed. I am running Custom ROM though but every YouTuber confirmed that software experience of ZenUi is on par with Oxygen OS (lighter skin with cherry picked goodies).

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                      • Anonymous
                      • KSu
                      • 26 Nov 2019

                      patoka, 26 Nov 2019Do you actually have the rog 2 or oneplus? I can't stand pe... moreYes I have ROG 2 and S10 with ROG 2 being my daily driver. I hate the look of S10.

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                        • Anonymous
                        • KSu
                        • 26 Nov 2019

                        Rroszhan, 26 Nov 2019LMAO Samsung note 10+ for best flagship phone And mi note ... moreIPhone 11 is a joke
                        It is indeed the best iPhone and a worthy upgrade for Apple brand loyalist but nowhere close to beating Android flagships this year.

                        Mate 30 pro or Samsung s10/Note 10 is the flagship of the year. Gsmarena gave it to Samsung coz Huawei doesn't give Google services out of the box which I personally think is bullsh*t. Coming from an S10 user.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • KSu
                          • 26 Nov 2019

                          Anonymous, 26 Nov 2019Mate 30 pro has the best cameraWhy compare 108Mp mode pictures?
                          27MP pics are great in all conditions.

                          Only the 108mp pics take time to click, 27MP pics are instantaneous. Culprit here is the 730G CPU. This doesn't happen on the Mi Mix Alpha since it sports the same sensor but also has SD855 powering it.

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                            • Anonymous
                            • XFV
                            • 26 Nov 2019

                            Jake420, 26 Nov 2019Agree with most but best camera shouldn't be mi note 10 the... moreMate 30 pro has the best camera

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                              • Anonymous
                              • PE3
                              • 26 Nov 2019

                              Jake420, 26 Nov 2019Agree with most but best camera shouldn't be mi note 10 the... moreiphone 11 only have 2 camera........ it destroy no one

                                LMAO Samsung note 10+ for best flagship phone
                                And mi note 10 for best camera phone
                                Iphone 11 pro blast outs in both department and for camera huawei is top i guess gsmarena team went bias on here too

                                  Anonymous, 26 Nov 2019Create your own company.I would love to; just give me a billion dollars xD

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                                    • Anonymous
                                    • vx6
                                    • 26 Nov 2019

                                    Nicolas F, 25 Nov 2019My best smartphone doesn't exist. 1. Screen: FLAT, AMOLE... moreCreate your own company.

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                                      • patoka
                                      • ntk
                                      • 26 Nov 2019

                                      Anonymous, 26 Nov 2019TL;DR All YouTubers unanimously declared ROG 2 crushing ev... moreDo you actually have the rog 2 or oneplus? I can't stand people repeating what other people said. Within the last 2 months I replaced my Huawei P30 Pro with Rog 2 and now with 7T, so I surely have pretty good idea what I'm talking about. I'll also rather use the p30 pro over the Rog 2. The rog 2 destroys the other phones spec-wise and has some great features but the Tencent Edition in particular has a whole bunch of shortcomings, especially in the software department anf if you go for the better global version to alleviate this issues you'll be paying 1000 bucks, not 500. The 7t is a lot more enjoyable to use overall and that's why it deserves the All-rounder reward.

                                        Agree with most but best camera shouldn't be mi note 10 the iPhone 11 destroys it in low light and color exposure. The 108mp has details but xiaomi has horrible software check marques brownlee's videos and many more tech reviewers the mi note 10 isn't worth it.