The Best Phones of 2025: Ranked by Price!

Honorable mentions go to the iPhone Air for its lightweight design and the OnePlus 15 for its strong battery, performance, and UI, despite camera issues. The best phone of 2025 comes down to a tie: the iPhone 17 Pro Max for North America due to its incredible performance, amazing battery life, consistent experience, and camera/video capabilities. For worldwide users, the Oppo Find X9 Pro is recommended for its remarkable camera system, video capabilities, and improved UI, offering more features and fun.

The video introduces a ranking of the best phones of 2025 by price point, emphasizing getting the most value for money. For under $300, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is recommended for its unique, slightly modular design, clean Nothing OS, 120Hz AMOLED display, MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chip, 5000mAh battery, and a triple camera setup including a telephoto lens at $250.

The Pixel 9a is chosen for the under $400 category. Despite mixed reviews on its design, the speaker appreciates its flat back without a camera bump. It offers Google's AI features, frequent Pixel Drops, Pixel OS, a Tensor G4 chip, a 64MP main camera, and an improved 5100mAh battery.

For under $500, the Galaxy S25 FE is highlighted as a significant improvement over its predecessor. It now feels premium, similar to the S25 Plus, with faster charging, a larger battery, and the same main camera sensor as the S25 Plus.

In the under $600 segment, while the Samsung Galaxy S25 is a good option, the Pixel 10 stands out. It features the latest Tensor G5 chip (found in higher-end Pro models), which is cooler and more efficient, boasts an insane 30,000 nits peak brightness display identical to Pro models, and a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling.

The OnePlus 15R is recommended for under $700. It retains key features of the OnePlus 15, including a massive 7400mAh battery lasting up to two days, very fast wired charging (no wireless), a 6.8-inch display with up to 165Hz refresh rate (mostly 120Hz), and a fast Oxygen OS experience. Its camera system, though lacking a telephoto, offers a capable 50MP wide and ultrawide lens.

For under $800, the iPhone 17 is the top pick, noting its significant improvements. It finally includes a 120Hz high refresh rate, improved battery life, a gorgeous display with up to 300 nits peak brightness, and a slightly better video experience than the Pixel 10 Pro. It also introduces a new front-facing camera feature for horizontal filming in vertical mode.

The Z Flip 7 is named the best flip phone, largely due to its increased 4.1-inch cover screen which reduces the need to open the phone. It has a better battery life than previous generations, uses a capable Exynos 2400 chip, and adds Dex functionality. The crease is significantly reduced, and despite a camera that isn't flagship-level, its compact folding design and flex mode features are beneficial.

Among foldable phones, the Honor Magic V5 is chosen over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 7, especially for global users. It has a better aspect ratio for the front screen (feeling like a proper smartphone), significantly better battery life than the Z Fold 7, a slight anti-reflective coating on the inner display, and an equally good camera experience. It also includes a special case with a stand and pen support.