100 BEST PHONES in the world:

* TOP Protection * TOP Software * TOP Desktop replacement
EDITORIAL: (this is a pre-test listing based on reasonable expectations of processor, battery endurance and charging, screen and imaging performance) Edge is Motorola’s top line and Edge 70 is a better phone then it’s predecessor despite loosing the fast UFS memory, a periscope telephoto lens and the expandable memory slot. What it gained is more important: metal frame, a better processor, better main and ultrawide shooters, a better selfie and longer OS update support. Still there are excellent build, attractive design, great screen, top protection against the elements and excellent Android version with a full featured desktop replacement functionality.
PROs: great design and build, relatively compact at 74mm width, good SD 7 Gen 4 performance, fast sub-50min 68W wired (15W wireless) charging, >1400nits bright 450ppi P-OLED screen with HDR10+. IP69 protection with MIL-STD-810H build, reliable photos from 50MP 24mm OIS PDAF main + 50MP 12mm PDAF ultrawide back cameras, good imaging from 50MP selfie, up to 4 years of stable Moto OS updates and a full featured desktop replacement software.
CONs: slower UFS 3.1, barely-24hr battery endurance from a smallish 4800mAh Si-C diode battery, low frequency PWM dimming will bother some people’s eyes, no telephoto lens, no AF on selfie, average video recording, gone is the SDmemory (added Nov 6, 2025)

* TOP Selfie * TOP Software
EDITORIAL: Here is a downgrade of Pixel 9 but with the 1st telephoto camera on a plain Pixel. The chip (Tensor G5, 3nm) is a disappointing midrange performer, battery is still a Li-Ion (old tech) and with less endurance and charging that remains slow. Like Apple, Google is not innovating on the hardware front and while Pixels offer the most advanced AI tricks, Pixel phones that were known for excellent imaging are now falling behind the competition.
PROs: relatively compact and easy to use one-hand, very bright >1800nits 420ppi OLED screen with HDR10+ certification, IP68 protection, reliable pics from 48MP main + 10.8MP tele (both with OIS) + 13MP ultrawide (all 3 with PDAF) back setup, excellent 10.5MP PDAF selfie, the best AI and Gemini integration, up to 7 years of OS updates and a desktop replacement feature baked into Android 16
CONs: lack of hardware improvement, disappointing Tensor G5 performance and unusually poor endurance from the 4970mAh Li-Ion battery, slow >90min 30W wired charging (15W wireless), unreliable video recording, no expandable memory (updated Sep 6, 2025)

* TOP Performance * TOP Battery endurance
EDITORIAL: Less then a year later, ZTE brings an upgrade to it’s excellent Nubia 10 Pro gaming phone. Here we have the top performing chip, Si-C battery upgraded to 7500mAh, up to 144Hz refresh rate screen, a proper water submersion IPx8 rating and a top USB-C port. From last model, this phone carries over cool gaming design, super fast air cooling. amazing hardware & software gaming features that include shoulder triggers, notch-free screen, outstanding gaming customizations and industry leading wired and wireless big screen projection. Only the disappointing camera performance keep this amazing phone low in the rankings.
PROs: excellent built and very cool and understated design, excellent SD 8 Elite Gen 5 with UFS 4.1 Pro performance, 2+day endurance from a 7500mAh Si-C battery with sub-60min 80W (and 80W wireless) charging, >1600nits bright 430ppi AMOLED screen with well hidden 16MP under-display selfie, IPx8 protection, fast and feature packed USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and OTG tech, outstanding gaming performance and customisation options, shoulder triggers, earphone jack, very good stereo speakers and easy connection to big screens
CONs: no Dolby Vision or HDR10+ standard, disappointing imaging from 50MP OIS PDAF main + 50MP sans-AF ultrawide + 2MP macro cameras, poor video recording, no expandable memory, short OS update promise (updated Nov 23, 2025)

* TOP Software
EDITORIAL: This year the F Pro model lost it’s amazing screen in exchange for better battery endurance and a very mediocre telephoto camera. The package is still a competent flagship-killer that Poco phones have been so far. The build is more conservative and solid, body colors subdued. The screen has thin bazels but is now sub-500ppi and only 1100nits to allow better battery endurance.
PROs: attractive and well built, fast SnapDragon 8 Elite with UFS 4.1 performance, close to 36hr endurance from a 6210mAh battery with sub-60min 100W charging (no wireless). (non-LTPO, sub-1100nits) >400ppi AMOLED Dolby Vision screen with >2500Hz PWM, IP68 protection. up to 4 years of OS updates and screen casting to Android and iOS devices
CONs: limited market availability, last year’s processor, sub-1100nits sub-420ppi non-LTPO screen. mediocre imaging from 50MP 24mm OIS PDAF main + 50MP 60mm PDAF telephoto + 8MP 15mm non-AF ultrawide back camera setup, average 20MP non-AF selfie, average video recording, no expandable memory, no desktop replacement functionality (updated Jan 22, 2026)

* TOP Battery endurance EDITORIAL: Following this year’s tend, OnePlus is also releasing a “mini”. Their version is a mixed bag with great performance, large Silicone Carbon aided battery and fast charging, a great 6.3″ screen and excellent gaming setup. The body is only IP65 rated, has a slow USB-C 2.0 port but imaging is the real disappointment. The sound slider is replaced by a single button that can be assigned to different functions.
PROs: compact build with flagship quality, fast SD 8 Ellie with UFS4.0 performance, 36hr 6260mAh Si/C battery with sub-60min 80W wired (no wireless) charging, very good >1500nits bright 460ppi LTPO AMOLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP65 protection, 4 years of mature OS and excellent gaming setup and performance
CONs: poor performance from the back 50MP 24mm OIS main + 50MP 50mm tele (both PDAF), no ultrawide lense, unreliable 32MP 21mm AF selfie, poor video recording, USB-C2.0, no SDmemory, no desktop replacement functionality (updated Nov 23, 2025)

EDITORIAL: less then 6 months after Realme 15 Pro comes the upgrade. It features the same chip, battery, screen and selfie, brings a major upgrade to the back camera system, adds OTG and drops the military impact protection. 16 Pro+ is a great budget-phone if you can get it in your market.
PROs: solid build with plastic or silicone polymer back, reliable SD 7 Gen 4 with UFS3.1 performance, 36hr endurance from a 7000mAh Si-C diode battery with 60min 80W wired charging, 1800nits b bright 450ppi AMOLED screen with HDR10+, IP69 (down to 2m for 30min) protection. reliable 200MP 23mm main + 50MP 80mm periscope telephoto imaging, reliable 50MP selfie (no AF)
CONs: bigger then 15 Pro in every direction, unreliable 8MP 15mm ultrawide spoils overall photo and video performance, average video performance, no SD card slot, only 3 years of OS updates, no desktop replacement functionality, slow USBC 2.0 (but has OTG) (added Jan 19, 2026)

* TOP Selfie * TOP Software
EDITORIAL: A change in direction for the Nord line – gone is the all aluminium uni-body of Nord 4, the volume slider, UFS4.0 memory and excellent battery endurance and charging. Bring in a faster chip (with UFS3.1) and a bigger screen. (Oppo) OnePlus also brings in Plus Key and AI Plus Mind. The former replaces volume slider with a programmable key and the latter is a useful virtual space for all information you wish to keep and organize. Nord 5 comes in two versions with incredibly different battery sizes. One is 5200mAh and the other is whooping 6800mAh in the same body size! How is it possible to fit a battery that big or: why on Earth would you offer 5200mAh when you could do so much better!?…
PROs: good SD 8s Gen 3 with UFS3.1 performance, excellent battery life on the 6800mAh Indian version, great selfie camera with AF and 4 years of OS updates
CONs: all plastic build (except for screen), still only IP54, downgraded sub24hr battery endurance (on 5200mAh version) and 80W sub1hr charging speed, inconsistent photo and video performance from 50MP OIS PDAF main + 8MP ultrawide, no SDmemory, desktop replacement or video out from a slow USB-C 2.0 port (added Jul 14, 2025)

EDITORIAL: More than a year since the 13 Pro, Xiaomi is putting up an upgrade. The processor is a downgrade in terms of performance, battery endurance is still less then 24 hours with slower charging, IP want up to IP69 (full water immersion), same camera setup and no SDmemory or desktop replacement feature. There is no video-out either, Redmi Note sticks to the same formula of delivering a large, mediocre phone for a low price.
PROs: relatively compact and easy to hold one Hand, stable Dimensity 7300 Ultra chip with UFS2.2 performance, 65min 45W wired charging, IP69 and good day and night imaging from the 200MP OIS PDAF main camera
CONs: sub24hr 5110mAh Li battery endurance, unreliable 8MP ultrawide and mediocre 20MP selfie (neither has AF), a token 2MP macro lens, no SDmemory, no video out, slow USB-C 2.0 and just 3 years of OS updates (added Jul 24, 2025)

EDITORIAL: This super-thin 4G phone comes with a very bright 144Hz screen and a 5000mAh Si/C battery – a real competition for Apple and Samsung’s 2025 slim phones. And you can get it for just $150!…
PROs: 4D screen makes it feel even thinner then 5.9mm, okay Helio G200 (6nm) performance, >12hr endurance from a 5100mAh Silicone Carbon battery, 65min 45W wired charging, >1600nits AMOLED screen with Widevine L1 DRM certification, IP65 with 1.5m drop protection, reliable pics from a 50MP PDAF main shooter, very good 13MP (no AF) selfie, very light 155g plastic-frame fiberglass-back build, IR blaster
CONs: 1 back camera made to look like there are 3 lenses, only 4G, poor night video recording, no SDmemory slot, no desktop replacement feature, slow USB-C 2.0 port (with OTG) (added Sep 16, 2025)

EDITORIAL: 15 months after 10 VI comes a major change in Sony’s approach to what midrange phones should be like. Gone is the battery champion and unique and scroll super-friendly 21:9 aspect ratio. The phone retaines the headphone jack, SDmemory slot as well as notch-free display Xperias have been known for. There is now a (one-step) camera button – a 1st on a 10 series Xperia. Cameras have been upgraded but their imaging performance remains disappointing.
PROs: still compact and one-hand friendly 169g body, descent SD 6 Gen 3 performance, >1000nits OLED screen finally with 120Hz refresh rate, IP68 protection, SDmemory slot, well-balanced front-facing stereo speakers
CONs: plastic frame and back, sub-24hr 5000mAh battery endurance with slow >90min 30W wired charging. poorly optimized screen refresh rate is limited to 60 OR 120Hz needlessly draining the (old-tech) Lithium battery. unreliable imaging from a 50MP PDAF main + 13MP ultrawide, unreliable 8MP selfie (no AF), unreliable video recording front and back. less then 4 years of very clean version of Android updates, no desktop replacement feature or video out from a slow USB-C 2.0 port (added Sep 14, 2025)