Choosing the right phone in 2025 involves more than just deciding between Android and iPhone. There are well-rounded options across various market segments, whether you are a budget-conscious buyer, a dedicated iPhone fan, or an Android enthusiast. We've structured our smartphone buying guide to reflect the most relevant categories for tech enthusiasts, with clear-cut recommendations if you're looking for top-tier performance, reliable midrange versatility, or affordable essentials. Additionally, upgrade cycles vary among consumers – some prefer to upgrade every year to keep up with the latest technology, while others may opt for longer intervals, prioritizing durability and value over cutting-edge features. Explore our top picks below to find the phone that best fits your needs. The Best Value Phones Google Pixel 9a | OnePlus 13R | iPhone 16e In numbers Price: $499 Google guarantees seven years of OS upgrades and security patches for its Pixel phones. As the brain behind Android, Google's updates are as prompt as Apple's iOS patches. The Google Pixel 9a has been hailed for being almost as good as the Pixel 9 at $300 less, but in reality the difference is often just $100. In this case, it helps to know what the other differences are. The 6.3-inch, 1080p, 120Hz display is almost identical, offering the same 20:9 aspect ratio. The Pixel 9a's battery is slightly bigger at a typical 5,100mAh versus 4,700mAh, but the Pixel 9 offers wireless charging that's twice as fast, and the ability to charge other devices wirelessly. The Pixel 9a's 48MP main camera (taking 12MP photos) sounds similar to the Pixel 9's 50MP, but the pixels are significantly smaller and capture less light. For the same reason, the Pixel 9a's 13MP front camera isn't better than the Pixel 9's 10.5MP, especially as it doesn't offer auto-focus. However, the biggest difference is the ultrawide camera, where the Pixel 9 uses a 48MP sensor to capture 12MP photos, and the Pixel 9a offers a much smaller 13MP sensor. Both phones include the Tensor G4 processor and 256GB of storage, but the Pixel 9 has 12GB of RAM rather than just 8GB, which allows for two extra AI features: Pixel Screenshots scans your screen captures for information you may need later, and Call Notes can transcribe and summarize your phone conversations. The Pixel 9 also supports Wi-Fi 7, and G5 mmWave. What makes the Pixel line stand out is the editing tools offered by the Tensor SoC. Audio Magic Eraser is useful for removing background noise from videos. Magic Editor allows to move, resize and remove people and objects in photos. 'Best Take' allows you to combine faces from different times into the same photo – a feature that was actually introduced by BlackBerry in 2013. Add Me does the same, but with people's entire body. Auto Frame can not only crop photos, but also expand them using AI, and Reimagine completely replaces the photo's background. All of this may sound unethical, but the era of photos being more reliable than drawings is over anyway. OnePlus 13R If you prefer raw horsepower and a bigger display over optimized software and AI photo features, then the OnePlus 13R is a good alternative. For $600 you get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The 6.8-inch display features a non-standard width of 1264p and a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone offers a large 6,000mAh battery and exceptional 80W wired charging (55W with the standard, included charger). Four years of OS updates and six years of security updates are long enough at this price point. The main camera can save 50MP photos, but those can look under-exposed compared to the default 12.5MP. The same is true for the telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The selfie camera takes 16MP photos. The 8MP ultrawide lens is functional, but nothing more. Other than that, the phone's main drawbacks are mediocre water resistance and lack of mmWave support. iPhone 16e In our previous phone buying guides, we'd recommend two-year-old iPhone models over the outdated iPhone SE as the cheapest option for most Apple fans. In 2025, Apple made things simpler, discontinuing both in favor of the iPhone 16e. The 16e is $200 cheaper than the iPhone 16 with the same storage (starting at 128GB), but how does it compare? It has the same display as the iPhone 14, with a bigger notch that's attached to the top of the 6.1-inch screen. The ring/silent switch has been replaced with the programmable Action button. The iPhone 16e has the same A18 processor with 8GB of RAM and Apple Intelligence support, but with four active graphics units instead of five. The most visible difference is the lack of the ultrawide lens. Other than that, it doesn't offer mmWave, and the iPhone 16e supports Qi wireless charging rather than the faster MagSafe. Back to top ▵ Best Phones for Most People iPhone 16 | OnePlus 13 | More Alternatives In numbers Price: $799 The iPhone 16 offers a newer and brighter display than the iPhone 16e. The notch is smaller and integrated into the "dynamic island," which is useful to display key information from apps running in the background. As an overall package, it delivers the full iPhone experience with a solid balance of well-built hardware and polished software features, except for the 60Hz screen, which is at a disadvantage compared to competing Android handsets in the same price range and even cheaper ones. With the touch-sensitive Camera Control button, you can finally focus on your subject while taking a photo. The main camera can capture 48MP images but defaults to 24MP for better dynamic range and faster shutter speed. The ultrawide lens offers 0.5x optical zoom and, like the front camera, captures 12MP photos. If you want a larger screen and battery, you can get the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus for an extra $100. OnePlus 13 With improvements across the board, the OnePlus 13 makes it hard to justify buying more expensive Android phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor rivals the Apple A18 in single-core performance, and beats it in multi-core. The OnePlus 13 has an IP68/IP69 rating, meaning it's resistant not only to immersion but also to high-temperature water jets – making it safe to use even if you work at a car wash. With a 6,000mAh battery, the OnePlus 13 provides great battery life despite the 1440p, 6.8-inch display. Unlike the OnePlus 13R, it's a dual-cell battery, so it will charge faster with the same charger. The main, ultrawide and telephoto (with 3x zoom) cameras all provide a 50MP resolution. The selfie camera shoots at 32MP, but its fixed focus makes it less optimal for usage with a selfie stick. The OnePlus 13 starts at $899 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and for another $100 you can increase that to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Many phones are cheaper, but none of them offer similar hardware specifications. Samsung Galaxy S25 At this point, the Samsung Galaxy S has remained mostly the same on the outside for several years, while competitors from OnePlus and Google have kept improving. So why do we recommend the Galaxy S25 for some? Because it's the only Android phone that's as powerful as the OnePlus 13 and as compact as the Pixel 9 with a 6.2-inch display. With the compact size comes a smaller 4,000mAh battery, but the smaller, 1080p display somewhat makes up for that in battery life. The 50MP main camera (saving 12MP photos by default) remains, and the rest of the setup is well-rounded but basic, with 12MP front and ultrawide lenses, and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The Galaxy S25 starts at $800 (although frequent discounts bring the price closer to $700) with 128GB of storage, and to match the OnePlus 13's 256GB you'll need to add $60. Samsung's advantage over OnePlus is the promise of seven years of OS and security updates. For those who favor larger screens, the Galaxy S25+ offers a 6.7-inch display (with a higher 1440p resolution), a bigger battery to compensate, and 45W wired charging compared to the base model's 25W. Additionally, it features ultra-wide band (UWB) support, ideal for pinpointing Bluetooth-linked items such as Galaxy SmartTags. The Galaxy S25+ starts at $1,000 (though it's often available for ~$850), providing 256GB of base storage, so if you were planning to get that amount anyway, it's only $140 more expensive than the S24. On the other hand, the Galaxy S25 Ultra adds too little for too much money, especially now that the S Pen no longer supports Bluetooth functionality. To fold, or not to fold? Foldable phones, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, might seem tempting. However, their design restricts battery and camera configurations. With a prev-gen SoC and a noticeable crease when unfolded, the Flip 6's $1,100 price point (often discounted to $900) is higher the Galaxy S25+, and it's more scratch-prone and less dust-resistant. If you really need the unique form factor, you should wait for the reviews of the Motorola Razr (2025), named after the legendary Razr V3 and promising a higher-quality external display that can fully replace the main one more often. Otherwise, you should probably look elsewhere. Back to top ▵ Best Budget Phones Samsung Galaxy A16 and A26 In numbers Price: $176 on Amazon If you're in the market for an affordable $200 device that can handle the tasks most users demand from their phones – albeit not always as proficiently – the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is a compelling option. Six years of Android and security updates are more than you are going to get anywhere else for this price. The 6.7-inch 1080p AMOLED display offers great contrast, and it also runs at 90Hz. Additionally, the phone supports NFC for contactless payments. The Galaxy A16 features a 13MP front-facing camera, and on the rear three cameras: a 50MP primary lens, along with a 5MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro sensor. The phone is available with 4GB, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of storage, which can be expanded with microSD. Thanks to the 5,000mAh battery, the phone features good battery life, and it also supports 25W charging. On the other hand, the mono speaker is as basic as you can imagine. For $100 more, the Galaxy A26 features Gorilla Glass on the front and back, IP67 dust/water resistance, an always-on 120Hz display and an upgraded 8MP ultrawide camera. Motorola Moto G Power (2024 model) If you replace your phone often, you can check out the Motorola Moto G Power. Just make sure you are getting the 2024 version, as the more expensive 2025 model has a slower CPU. The older phone won't receive OS updates beyond Android 15, but it will get security updates until 2027. The LCD display runs at 120Hz. The main and ultrawide cameras are similar to the Galaxy A26's, and the 16MP front camera is equivalent with slightly smaller pixels. The differentiating features are wireless charging, stereo speakers and a headphone jack. The main problem is the amount of bloatware that Lenovo installs on the phone. Back to top ▵ Best of the Best Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max In numbers Price: $1,199 The iPhone 16 Pro Max sports a 6.9-inch OLED display that supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The always-on display provides users with glanceable information without waking the device. The camera system includes a 48MP main sensor, a 48MP ultrawide lens with autofocus for improved macro photography, and a 12MP telephoto lens offering 5x optical zoom. The upgraded ultrawide sensor delivers enhanced detail and macro capabilities. Video recording is also enhanced with support for 4K at 120 frames per second, and the inclusion of four studio-quality microphones improves audio capture. The iPhone Pro line differentiates itself with the A18 Pro SoC (with six active graphical units and double the cache), and supporting USB 3.1 (or "3.2 gen 2") speeds via USB-C. On paper, Apple's top-tier smartphone may appear to offer similar features to those found in mainstream products from other companies. However, thanks to iOS and its finely-tuned apps, its performance is notably superior. The hardware is also top notch and more carefully built than most, using titanium instead of aluminum. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the only model that's not available with 128GB of storage. Starting at $1,200 with 256GB, it is steep, especially when contrasted with a $700 iPhone 16e with the same 256GB. If it plays any kind of factor in your equation, a well-preserved iPhone Pro Max can typically be traded in or sold for around $400 – $500 after two years. If you're inclined towards a more compact device, the regular iPhone 16 Pro will save you $100 though the Max is where its at for the most pixels and biggest battery. Back to top ▵ The Best ePaper Phone Bigme HiBreak Pro | Mudita Kompakt In numbers Price: $439 Until recently, if you wanted to remain available on a camping trip lasting several days, your main option was an outdated and limited feature phone. Now, you can also opt for a phone with an efficient monochrome e-paper display. These phones remain perfectly usable in direct sunlight, and utilize front light to work in the dark. Except for the 21Hz display, the Bigme HiBreak Pro is a fully modern smartphone, with Android 14 and 5G support. The 6.1-inch, 824p display may not be ideal for watching video, but for reading it's arguably better than any other. Combined with a 4,500mAh battery, it's built to last for days between charges. While it's not designed for media consumption, the HiBreak Pro can still shoot color photos and videos with its 20MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. For the price, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is solid. Unusually, it includes an infrared sensor, so it can double as a remote control. The main thing missing is an official IP rating. Mudita Kompakt If you don't want a full-featured smartphone, the Mudita Kompakt offers a de-Googled version of Android, with 13 apps optimized for its monochrome display (yes, including chess). It doesn't support 5G and lacks a front-facing camera to accompany the 8MP one on the back. The smaller 4.3-inch, 480p screen helps balance out the modest 3,300mAh battery. Due to its custom software, the Kompakt costs nearly as much as the HiBreak Pro. It only includes 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage but does offer a microSD card slot and a headphone jack. If you're buying a phone because you want just a phone, it may be your best option. Back to top ▵ Masthead credit: Amanz