2 Minutes
2025 turned out to be one of the most exciting years for mobile tech. Chinese flagships closed the gap on traditional leaders, foldables matured, and camera and battery improvements became headline features. Popular YouTuber MKBHD (Marques Brownlee) has released his annual roundup of the year’s best phones, spanning ten categories from compact models to design and battery performance.
MKBHD's picks and notable winners
Brownlee's list highlights both well-known global devices and newer entrants that made waves in 2025. Some brands — Vivo, OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi — pushed aggressive innovation, bringing premium hardware to more markets faster than before. Here are the category winners he named:
- Best Large Phone: Xiaomi 17 Pro Max
- Best Compact Phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
- Best Camera: Oppo Find X9 Pro
- Best Value: Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro
- Best Battery: OnePlus 15
- Best Design: Apple iPhone Air
- Best Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
- Most Improved: Apple iPhone 17
- Most Disappointing: Apple iPhone 16e
- Phone of the Year: Apple iPhone 17
These selections underline how fast the market shifted in 2025. For the first time, many Chinese flagships reached European stores almost immediately after their China launches. Availability in the U.S. remained uneven for some models, which likely influenced Brownlee’s shortlist and sparked debate among viewers.
Not everyone will agree with every pick — tech fans on social media quickly pointed out alternative candidates for categories like camera, value and design. That’s part of what makes these annual lists useful: they’re a snapshot of industry momentum and a starting point for deeper reviews and comparisons.
If you’re shopping for a new phone, use this list as a quick guide to standout 2025 models. Look beyond the headlines: consider regional availability, software support and the features you use most — camera, battery life, or a compact form factor — before making a decision.
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