00:00If you're looking for the best smartphone of early 2025, I've tested and ranked the top choices to
00:04help you decide which one is right for you. Whether you want the ultimate flagship, a killer budget
00:09option, or the best foldable, here are the top phones you can buy right now. The Galaxy S25 doesn't
00:15shake things up in terms of hardware, but Samsung has gone all in on Galaxy AI, making this one of
00:20the smartest phones yet. Cross-app actions let you trigger multiple tasks at once, like checking an
00:26event date, adding it to your calendar, and texting a friend, all with a single command. Now brief screen
00:31learns from your habits and provides relevant updates, and tools like Circle to Surge and the
00:36Now bar make multitasking smoother than ever. Samsung has also refined the hardware. The ultra-wide camera
00:42is now 50 megapixels, improving detail and macro shots, while the Pro Visual Engine enhances image
00:48processing. In our camera test, the S25 Ultra won more rounds than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, especially
00:54with zoom, selfies, and low-light photography. Battery life is also better, lasting over 17 hours
01:00in testing, Samsung's longest flagship yet. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12 gigabytes of RAM,
01:05and Qi 2 wireless charging support all help make this Samsung's most advanced phone to date,
01:10with meaningful upgrades over last year's model. At $1299, the S25 Ultra is $100 more than the iPhone 16 Pro
01:16Max and Pixel 9 Pro, but Samsung has at least avoided another price increase.
01:22The iPhone 16 Pro Max doesn't hold the overall top spot anymore, but that's more about Samsung's AI push
01:28than any flaws on Apple's side. This year's 6.9-inch display is bigger while keeping a similar
01:34footprint, and the A18 Pro chip delivers top-tier performance. Apple intelligence is still rolling
01:40out, but for right now, its AI features feel more like nice extras than essential tools. Battery life is
01:46where this phone truly shines, though. The iPhone 16 Pro Max lasted 17.5 hours in testing, longer than
01:53any previous iPhone, and even outlasting the S25 Ultra. The 48-megapixel main camera and wider
01:59ultrawide lens deliver stronger low-light and macro shots, while the 5x telephoto lens carries over from
02:05last year. While Apple's photo processing continues to set standard for dynamic range, Samsung's zoom
02:10capabilities have pulled ahead this year. At $1,199, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is $100 cheaper than
02:16the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and you still get MagSafe wireless charging at 25 watts, best-in-class video
02:22recording, and one of the longest-lasting batteries ever in an iPhone. It's still an absolute powerhouse,
02:28and if you're deep into Apple ecosystem, this is the one to get. Google has been leading the AI race
02:34for years, and the Pixel 9 Pro makes the case that it's still the smartest AI experience of any phone.
02:38Pixel Screenshots lets you search within images, Gemini Live takes Google Assistant to the next
02:44level with real-time conversational abilities, and Call Notes automatically transcribes and summarizes
02:49calls. Hardware upgrades include a 6.5-inch brighter display and a larger 4700 mAh battery, which finally
02:56gives the Pixel solid battery life at over 13.5 hours in testing. The ultrawide camera now supports
03:03macro mode, and Google's photo processing remains top-tier, producing crisp and detailed
03:08shots with excellent HDR. At $999, the Pixel 9 Pro cost the same as last year's model, but with better
03:14battery life, a brighter screen, and more advanced AI tools, it's one of the most capable Android phones
03:19that you can buy today. If you want Google's best advice, this is the phone to get. Google's decision
03:25to keep the mid-range phone at the same $499 price point while packing some serious upgrades makes the
03:31Pixel 9a, our best-value phone of 2025. The 9a goes bigger in every way with a larger 6.3-inch,
03:37120Hz actual display, a nearly flush back body that fits a massive 5100 mAh battery, delivering some of
03:45the best endurance of any Pixel phone and comparable performance to their flagships with a Tensor G4
03:50processor and 8GB of RAM. There's now a 48-megapixel camera that pairs well with a 13-megapixel
03:57ultra-wide. While the main camera is down from the Pixel 8a's 64-megapixel one, it features a wider
04:03f1.7 aperture that allows it to capture better photos under low-light conditions. The Pixel 9a gets
04:09nearly the same AI features found on the more expensive Pixel 9 models, with Pixel Studio and
04:15Admi photo editing features stealing the show. The 9a continues to prove how budget phones can rival
04:20flagship models, and you can see just how close it comes to beating the twice as expensive iPhone 16 Pro
04:26and my other video linked below. Motorola's foldable flip phones continue to get better
04:31each year, and the Motorola RAZR Ultra brings some serious upgrades, including a titanium-reinforced
04:37hinge that improves durability and reduces the screen crease. The top-end RAZR Ultra costs $12.99,
04:43but gives you a more powerful processor, upgraded camera setup, and a major battery life boost.
04:48The Ultra model also goes back to featuring a main camera and an ultra-wide lens in its rear array.
04:54The ultra-wide lens replaces the telephoto camera that we found on the 2024 edition of the RAZR+,
04:59which we feel this year gives you better flexibility, especially for capturing big group
05:04shots. With its massive 4700 mAh battery and screen set to its default refresh rate, the Motorola RAZR
05:10Ultra lasted about 15 hours and 42 minutes in our battery life test, the best time that we've
05:15recorded with any foldable phone. Its efficiency and power comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite, giving you
05:21comparable performance to the S25 Ultra and the OnePlus 13. If you've been on the edge about
05:26foldable phones because of concerns with durability, performance, or battery life, the Motorola RAZR
05:32Ultra 2025 puts those issues to bed. It is one of the priciest foldable flip phones that you can buy
05:37today, but it has the hardware to back it up. The OnePlus 13 is proof that you don't need to spend
05:43over $1,000 for a flagship experience. At $899, it costs $100 more than last year's model, but it still
05:49undercuts similarly-sized competitors like the S25 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, while delivering
05:55impressive specs and a gorgeous 6.82-inch OLED display. Its Hasselblad-tuned cameras are OnePlus's
06:01best yet, producing bright and well-balanced photos, strong portrait shots, and impressive low-light performance.
06:07The 6000 mAh battery is a standout feature, lasting nearly 20 hours in testing, one of the longest
06:13battery lives of any flagship phone, and nearly twice as long as some of the phones on this list.
06:18Add to that its ridiculous 80-watt fast charging or 100-watt internationally, and you get a 90% charge
06:24in just 30 minutes. With a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the OnePlus 13 offers comparable performance to other
06:31flagships on this list, while offering better battery life for less. If you want top-tier performance at a
06:36lower price, this is the best Android flagship value. The iPhone 16 keeps much of what makes
06:41the Pro models great, but at a more affordable $799. It shares the same A18 chip and 48-megapixel
06:49main camera as the iPhone 16 Pro, making it arguably the best-value iPhone you can buy today. Apple
06:55upgraded the ultrawide camera with a wider f2.2 aperture, which allows for better low-light shots
07:00and a new macro mode. While it lacks a telephoto lens, its sensor crop 2x digital zoom still holds
07:06up well against phones with a dedicated zoom camera. Battery life is solid at over 12 hours,
07:11though charging speeds remain capped at 20-watt wired. At least we still have 25-watt wireless
07:16charging with MagSafe. At $799, the iPhone 16 delivers much of the Pro experience for $200 less. Unless you
07:23need ProMotion or telephoto lenses, this is the best balance of price and features in the iPhone lineup.
07:30For $459, the NothingPhone 3A Pro redefines what budget phones can offer. It's one of the few sub-$500
07:38phones offering a triple camera system, including a telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, something
07:44rarely seen at this price point. The 5,000 milliamp hour battery lasted over 14 and a half hours in
07:49testing, beating competitors like the Pixel 8a and the iPhone 16e. 50-watt wired fast charging can get
07:56it to about 70% in just 30 minutes, though wireless charging is absent. Powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3,
08:03performance is decent for daily tasks, but more demanded gaming can feel choppy. If you want a
08:09cool-looking feature-rich phone with great battery life and versatile cameras, the NothingPhone 3A Pro is
08:14an unbeatable deal. The Galaxy S25 brings all of Samsung's latest AI tools to a more compact and
08:21affordable flagship. At $799, it's $500 cheaper than the S25 Ultra, making it the best way for most
08:28people to experience Samsung's AI features. Samsung kept the same camera setup as the S24,
08:34but the updated ProVisual engine improves photo processing, low-light performance, and color accuracy.
08:40It's one of the few $799 phones with a dedicated telephoto lens, though its 3x zoom falls short of
08:47the 5x lenses found on the Pro models from Apple and Google. Owners of recent Galaxy S models won't
08:53find much of a reason to upgrade here on camera performance alone. The 4,000 milliamp hour battery
08:58lasted over 15.5 hours in testing, a huge improvement over last year's model. However, charging remains at
09:0525 watt wired, and while T2 wireless charging is available, you're gonna need a supported case to take
09:11full advantage of it. With a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12 gigabytes of RAM, and Samsung's full AI suite,
09:17the Galaxy S25 is the best Samsung flagship for most people, especially if you prefer a more compact
09:24phone without the ultra price tag. Those are the best phones of early 2025. Whether you're after the best
09:30overall, top value, or killer foldable. If you found this video helpful, drop a comment below and let me
09:35know which phone you're thinking of picking up this year, or if there's another one that I should cover
09:39for the next time. You can find us everywhere at Tom's Guide, and you can follow me to see what other
09:43cool tech I'm testing, and until the next one, I'll catch you later.
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