The highest 10 telephones our readers purchased in 2025 (no. 1 caught us all off guard)

I all the time say that area of interest merchandise have area of interest audiences, and under no circumstances does that indicate that nobody’s shopping for them. The Blackview BV7300 is an ideal instance, as it is a funds Android telephone with a design that will doubtless scare away 95% of customers.

However the telephone’s cumbersome exterior, paired with a 15,000mAh battery (roughly 3 times most Android telephones), makes it a useful possibility for energy customers and out of doors vacationers. It even has a built-in tenting mild!

Evaluation: I went off-grid with this $200 Android phone, and the night vision superpowers came in clutch

Nothing actually struck a chord with its midrange telephones this 12 months, and the Cellphone 3a could also be the most effective of the bunch. It sits comfortably at a $380 worth level, however its function set would make anybody surprise why it would not value extra.

That listing features a 6.7-inch LTPO OLED show with 3,000nits of brightness, a triple digital camera system, Nothing’s ever-polarizing design, and software program that is stuffed with character and customizability.

Evaluation: I replaced my Pixel 9 Pro with this midrange Android phone – and don’t regret it

Impressively, Samsung’s A-series of telephones persistently performs nicely on this aggressive smartphone market. Whereas the A35 5G mannequin was launched final 12 months, it gained vital traction within the lead-up to the introduction of its successor later in 2025.

The draw? A giant display and battery that make all of its different caveats simpler to shoulder. That is clearly a recipe for fulfillment, as Samsung adopted an identical playbook with the A36 5G mannequin, which we now advocate over the A35 5G because of its extra modernized specs.

Evaluation: This $399 Samsung Galaxy is the mid-range phone most people should buy

Did you assume each telephone on this listing could be low cost and value-driven? It is about to get attention-grabbing. The Motorola Razr Extremely was launched this spring, and it was met with appreciable fanfare. In spite of everything, Motorola primarily took the flip-phone type issue and stuffed it with the most effective options and specs one can discover.

A lot in order that after reviewing its competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, I returned to the Moto for its useful outer show, uniquely textured again cowl, and helpful ultrawide digital camera. Benefit from all of the reductions you may get with this gadget.

Evaluation: Yes, Motorola’s $1,300 Razr Ultra competes with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 (and not just in price)

Deal: The Motorola Razr Extremely is at present 23% off at Amazon.

The second Motorola to make this listing is the Moto G Energy, which encompasses a new textured again cowl this 12 months for enhanced grip. It is also longer-lasting than ever, that includes a 5,000mAh battery paired with a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, which we discovered to run pretty effectively.

Evaluation: I found a $300 Motorola phone that offers flagship features at a fraction of the price

Deal: The Moto G Energy is at present 17% off at Amazon.

If there’s one ultra-slim telephone that is value celebrating in 2025, it is this one. The parents at RedMagic someway developed a gaming telephone with a close to bezel-less show, a 5,860mAh battery that places Samsung and Apple to disgrace, and 512GB of inner storage.

The $699 worth can be fairly aggressive. Simply do not look forward to finding one among these at your native provider retailer anytime quickly.

Evaluation: I replaced my Pixel 9 Pro with this $700 Android phone for weeks – and didn’t regret it

It truly should not shock anybody that final 12 months’s iPhone 16 Professional was one of the crucial well-liked merchandise on ZDNET in 2025, identical to the way it should not shock anybody when the iPhone 17 Professional makes it into subsequent 12 months’s listing.

This one’s quite bittersweet, if you concentrate on it. It is the final iPhone to function a singular digital camera bump on the rear nook, and Apple seems to be transferring away from titanium and different exhausting metals. It is also the final Professional iPhone to come back in black.

Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 16 Pro: I compared both models, and there’s a big difference

What offered greater than iPhones? The Moto G 2025. It is not flashy; the cameras will not even beat the most affordable iPhone that Apple sells, and you may’t actually matter on Motorola to supply the most effective software program help. Nevertheless, of all of the sub-$200 telephones available on the market, this one reigns supreme.

In the event you’re buying for a kid or an older member of the family, or just need a spare telephone with entry to the identical apps as costlier handsets, take into account this one.

Additionally: This $200 Motorola phone has no business being this good for the price

That is proper. The most well-liked telephone, as decided by the tens of millions of ZDNET readers who work together with our evaluations, shopping for guides, and different tales, is a $90 Nokia that is simply as scary because the Blackview BV7300 however within the reverse approach.

It is all about minimalism, dwelling life distraction-free, and appreciating the finer issues with the Nokia 2780 Flip, and that is a message that has clearly resonated with a lot of you. Dumb telephones are carving out a path in our ever-noisy digital world, and this Nokia is on the entrance of the pack.

Additionally: Gen Z is ditching iPhones for $100 ‘feature phones,’ and the numbers don’t lie