The latest and the most advanced phones aren’t just for making calls and texting. They’re powerful communication, productivity, fitness, safety, and entertainment devices. As a result, smartphone shopping can be confusing, especially when there are so many great options out there.
Whether you’re an Apple iPhone user or an Android user, our in-house tech experts have rounded up the most popular models right now. No matter your budget or what features you want in a new phone, there’s something for everyone.
If you’re wondering why it makes sense to upgrade to the latest phone right now, it can be summed up in two words: artificial intelligence. The latest Android phones, now integrate advanced Google AI that’s changing the way everyday users interact with their phones.
AI simplifies many common tasks and expands what’s possible with your smartphone. Apple is set to introduce its own AI feature within its iOS 18 operating system upgrade this fall.
Let’s take a look at our picks for the best-advanced phones in the world you can buy right now. No matter which smartphone you’re interested in, you can always save money by buying your old phone, activating it with your carrier when you buy it, or buying it in instalments and getting a year or two of service from a specific provider.
Contents
- 1 Most Advanced Phones: Top 10 best phones in the world
- 2 1. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
- 3 2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- 4 3. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
- 5 4. Xiaomi 14 Ultra
- 6 5. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
- 7 6. Google Pixel 8 Pro
- 8 7. OnePlus Open
- 9 8. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
- 10 9. Vivo X Fold 3 Pro
- 11 1o. OnePlus 12
- 12 11. ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition
- 13 12. OPPO Find N3 Flip
- 14 13. Apple iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- 15 14. OnePlus 12R
- 16 15. Vivo X100 Pro
- 17 FAQs
- 17.1 What is the fastest phone?
- 17.2 Is Samsung better than Apple?
- 17.3 What is the best foldable phone?
- 17.4 What is the best phone for gaming?
- 17.5 What is the world’s best phone for photography?
- 17.6 Can I customize the phone’s interface and settings to suit my preferences?
- 17.7 What is the world’s best flip phone?
- 17.8 What is the best budget phone?
- 17.9 How much battery capacity should my next phone have?
- 17.10 How much storage should my phone have?
- 17.11 What are the differences between different operating systems, such as Android and iOS?
Most Advanced Phones: Top 10 best phones in the world
1. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is perfect for those who want the world’s most advanced phone of 2025 from Apple. It boasts the largest screen ever on an iPhone, with a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR panel and thin bezels. The phone is reinforced with 2nd Ceramic Shield glass and supports ProMotion for smooth scrolling at 120Hz.
Powered by the cutting-edge A18 Pro chipset, it delivers faster performance than ever and lets you play AAA titles with hardware-level ray tracing. Plus, it has Apple Intelligence features thanks to the 16-core Neural Engine.
Another upgrade is in the camera department, which features a new 48-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. There’s also a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x zoom, as well as a 48-megapixel primary camera with Sensor-Shift OIS.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max ships with iOS 18 and offers up to 1TB of NVMe storage. In addition to 15W Qi-2 wireless charging, you can also charge your devices using 45W wired charging or 25W wireless MagSafe charging.
2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a top-of-the-line smartphone that combines cutting-edge technology with a sleek design. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset at its core, ensuring faster performance than its predecessor, the S23 series.
This model introduces an improved cooling system and innovative Galaxy AI features that boost productivity. Photography enthusiasts will love the 200MP primary camera that delivers outstanding photo quality.
For those who multitask, Samsung DeX support transforms the phone’s interface into a desktop-like display, further enhanced by a flat, bright screen that’s ideal for using the S Pen. The audio experience is equally impressive, with speakers that deliver clear and loud sound.
In terms of durability and design, the Galaxy S24 Ultra features a premium titanium-coated body that’s both sturdy and stylish. It supports super-fast 45W charging, allowing you to fully charge the battery in just 70 minutes, and it offers long-lasting battery life with support for both reverse and wireless charging.
It also comes equipped with WiFi 7 for super-fast internet connectivity, and users can expect software updates for the next seven years.
Despite these advancements, the Galaxy S24 Ultra does have a few drawbacks. It’s noticeably heavier than many smartphones weighing over 200g, which could be a hassle for some users.
The Galaxy AI is useful, but it still needs optimization for smoother functionality. Potential buyers should also note that the charger is not included in the sales package, which may be inconvenient for some users.
3. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the most expensive phone from the Mountainview giant and offers the best of what Google has to offer. It offers a huge display, amazing AI capabilities, and 7 years of Android updates.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a new design and claims to be the thinnest foldable with the largest internal screen. It measures just 5.1mm when unfolded and 10.5mm when folded.
Despite featuring a larger 8-inch Super Actua AMOLED display with LTPO and a 120Hz refresh rate, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold weighs 257g. On the front, there’s a 6.3-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The new Tensor G4 chipset powers this phone, paired with 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. It ships with Android 14 and will receive OS updates for seven years. The phone has a bunch of AI features, including Circle To Search, MAgic Editor, Pixel Studio, Pixel Screenshots, and Google’s Gemini Live.
It also packs a fantastic triple-camera setup, consisting of a 48-megapixel primary camera, a 10.8-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x zoom, and a 10.5-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens.
There are also two 10-megapixel selfie cameras, one on the inner and one on the outer display. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a massive 4,650mAh battery that supports 21W wired and 7.5W wireless charging.
4. Xiaomi 14 Ultra
The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is the epitome of an ultra-premium flagship experience. Everything about this phone is top-notch, from the premium vegan leather finish to the quad camera setup. All of this makes it worthy of being added to our list of the 10 best phones in the world.
It features a stunning 6.73-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED curved screen with LTPO support and a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. This quad-curved display is one of a kind and boasts Xiaomi Shield Glass for protection. It also offers 12-bit color, Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ support, and an incredible peak brightness of 3000 nits.
But the camera is the main selling point of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. It features a Leica-branded quad camera setup with a massive 1-inch primary sensor. This primary camera offers an adjustable aperture similar to a premium DSLR, allowing you to control the amount of light it lets in. This means you can capture stunning photos that can easily compete with professional cameras.
Powering this latest flagship is the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 3, powered by 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM. It also offers 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, allowing you to open and close apps in an instant.
The phone uses Xiaomi’s latest HyperOS, which offers better interconnectivity between Xiaomi devices and a variety of customization options. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra also packs a massive 5,000 mAh battery with 90W HyperCharge and 80W wireless charging support, which can be charged in just 30 minutes.
The company also sells a photography kit for the Xiaomi 14 Utra, which includes a premium leather case with a dedicated shutter button and an additional 1,500 mAh battery.
5. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max is Apple’s flagship smartphone, packed with the latest technology and the most advanced camera setup in the line to date. Available in a beautiful, durable aerospace-grade titanium case in your choice of color.
A new feature in this version of the iPhone is the Action Button, which can be assigned to perform specific tasks, such as launching the Camera app or turning on the flashlight.
The phone itself is powered by Apple’s A17 Pro processor, which integrates a six-core GPU. That means everything you see on the Super Retina XDR touchscreenphotos, videos (including TV shows and movies), games, and more—look fantastic, with vibrant colors and rich detail.
We love the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s improved camera and its performance in a variety of shooting situations, including low light. For more on the camera setup and other features of the phone, check out our full-length hands-on review of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a USB Type-C port at the bottom, but it also supports wireless charging and MagSafe. It also has improved battery life over the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and access to all the latest features integrated into iOS 17.
Like all iPhone models, it comes with an impressive collection of pre-installed apps, including the new Journal app. If you’re already an Apple fan or considering switching to an iPhone, the iPhone 15 Pro Max offers some of the most powerful features and functionality of any iPhone model.
6. Google Pixel 8 Pro
According to DxOMark, the Google Pixel 8 Pro stands out as one of the most advanced camera phones with a telephoto camera that offers up to 5x optical zoom.
Both the main and selfie cameras support 4K video recording at 30 and 60FPS for high-quality footage. Powered by the advanced Google Tensor G3 chipset, the device delivers smooth performance, and with up to 1TB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM, it supports smooth multitasking.
The Pixel 8 Pro has an IP68-certified body, making it water and dust resistant in every way. The display is impressive and supports HDR10+ for an enhanced viewing experience.
The phone also comes with comprehensive sensors and connectivity options like WiFi 7 and NFC, as well as reverse wireless charging. The battery is durable enough for everyday use.
However, the main camera lacks 8K video recording capabilities and the device is on the heavy side. It also doesn’t support a microSD slot and doesn’t include an infrared blaster.
7. OnePlus Open
The OnePlus Open is the most expensive OnePlus phone in India, starting at Rs 1,39,999. This cutting-edge smartphone features a 7.82-inch AMOLED display and a secondary 6.31-inch Super Fluid AMOLED screen for multitasking. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, promising fast and efficient performance.
Featuring a 48-megapixel primary camera with Sony’s advanced sensor, the triple-camera setup ensures great photography. With a 4,800mAh battery, the OnePlus Open can last for long hours without compromising on performance.
The rear camera trio with OIS captures extremely stable and professionally crafted videos, enhancing night photography capabilities. With its impressive features and performance, this smartphone offers excellent value for money, making it a top choice for premium gaming.
8. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
For power users who want a larger display and more features than a typical smartphone, but don’t want to carry around a bulkier tablet, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the ideal hybrid. And this latest model is thinner and lighter than ever.
Unfolding it gives you access to a 7.6-inch touchscreen display that’s fully compatible with the included S Pen stylus. That means you can handwrite, draw, and annotate directly on the screen. But the biggest improvement over last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the addition of Google AI.
The phone weighs 8.43 ounces and is just 0.22 inches thick when unfolded. The Galaxy Fold 6 comes in five case colors and has up to 77 hours of battery life.
And it uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processors, which means 18 percent faster CPU performance, 19 percent faster GPU performance, and improved on-device AI performance compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Choose from 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of built-in storage.
9. Vivo X Fold 3 Pro
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is Vivo’s latest foldable phone, which recently made its debut in India. It is also the thinnest and lightest foldable phone in India, as well as the most powerful.
It is an all-round foldable phone that competes directly with the OnePlus Open and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, making it a contender for the title of best phone in the world.
The moment you hold the phone in your hand, you will be struck by its sharp 6.53-inch cover screen with 1.5K resolution. Furthermore, when you open the phone, a massive 8.03-inch display awaits you.
Both displays support LTPO and Dolby Vision, and the maximum brightness is 4500 nits. It has Armor Glass protection with SGS 5-star Glass drop protection.
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is currently the most popular phone in the world. In addition to the Vivo V3 chipset, it is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 along with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Despite its powerful specs, it weighs only 236g and is only 11.2mm thick when folded.
Plus, in terms of durability, the company claims that it can withstand 100 daily folds for 12 years. Thanks to the carbon fiber hinge and SGS 5-star certification, you don’t have to worry about it in the long run.
For optics, it offers complete versatility with ZEISS branded optics that feature a 50-megapixel primary, 64-megapixel periscope telephoto, and 50-megapixel ultra-wide lenses. It also offers two 32-megapixel selfie cameras, one on the inner screen and one on the cover screen.
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro features the largest battery ever in a foldable phone at 5,700mAh with support for 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. The phone also has IPX8 certification, in addition to dual ultrasonic fingerprint sensors and stereo speakers.
1o. OnePlus 12
The flagship OnePlus 12 smartphone has a 6.82-inch QHD+ resolution display with a high refresh rate that produces smooth graphics. It has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.
Excellent 2K 120Hz ProXDR display with a high refresh rate. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor for smooth functionality.
For those looking for a flagship smartphone experience, the OnePlus 12 is a fantastic option. A smartphone with a powerful processor, large screen, and sophisticated photography capabilities.
The OnePlus 12 boasts excellent battery life, making it a reliable companion throughout the day. The super fast charging feature is crucial for charging quickly when you need it.
11. ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition
The ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition has made it onto our list of the best phones in the world thanks to its top-of-the-line specs and gaming features. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, coupled with a whopping 24GB of LPDRR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage.
The phone also features an exclusive cooling system called Rapid Cooling Conductor that can keep the phone performing at its best during long gaming sessions. Plus, the phone features customizable air triggers that can be used in a variety of games.
Asus also bundles the X with an AeroActive Cooler to keep the phone cool while providing a few extra buttons in addition to the RGB logo. On the front, there’s a massive 6.78-inch Full-HD+ LTPO AMOLED screen with a 165Hz refresh rate. It also has a maximum brightness of 2500 nits and comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection.
For photography, it has a 50-megapixel primary camera with gimbal OIS, a 32-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide lens. On the front, there’s a 32-megapixel selfie shooter.
The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Ultimate Edition packs a 5,500mAh battery with 65W wired and 15W wireless charging. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, an IP68 rating, dual magnetic stereo speakers, a programmable Matrix LED on the back, and an aluminum frame. All these features make this the world’s best gaming phone!
12. OPPO Find N3 Flip
The Oppo Find N3 Flip is an underrated champion with unique features that challenge Samsung’s dominance in the flip phone segment. It’s more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, but it has the heft to back it up, making it the world’s best flip phone.
On the outside, there’s a small but useful 3.26-inch cover display that lets you watch your reels, take photos, or check the current prices of your favorite stocks.
Plus, when you open the phone, you’ll find a massive 6.8-inch AMOLED screen. This foldable screen has minimal bezels and supports LTPO, HDR 10+, making it perfect for consuming content.
A MediaTek Dimensity 9200 processor paired with 12GB of RAM powers the phone. You also get up to 512GB of storage and a massive 4,300mAh battery with 44W charging, which is the fastest charging speed available on a flip phone.
In terms of optics, the phone packs a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle, and a 32-megapixel telephoto lens with 2x zoom. The phone also comes with everything you need, including NFC support and stereo speakers.
With these impressive features, the Oppo Find N3 Flip offers everything you need. This flip definitely deserves a spot in our list of the best phones in the world.
13. Apple iPhone SE (3rd generation)
You might not need all the bells and whistles of an iPhone 15 Pro Max. No problem. Apple offers the affordable iPhone SE (3rd generation). It’s a smaller phone with a less powerful processor, but it runs the same Apple operating system as all other current iPhone models, iOS 17 (or later).
It also has access to a collection of pre-installed apps and about 2 million apps from the App Store. The iPhone SE is water-resistant, has a 4.7-inch touchscreen, and can easily handle all the basic tasks people need from a smartphone: voice and video calls, text messaging, and email.
You can also surf the web, view photos, and stream music or podcasts without any problems on this phone. The camera has a lower resolution than what you’ll find on other current iPhones, but you can still take decent photos and videos with the iPhone SE.
For the average user, we recommend at least 128GB of internal storage, but if you plan on storing a lot of content, the 256GB version is definitely the way to go.
The iPhone SE (3rd generation) is the perfect entry-level iPhone for kids ages 10 and up, or for adults who want a cheap, compact iPhone. Pric\es start at $430 (but they often go on sale for less). There are a number of ways to get one of these iPhones, but we recommend buying one through one of the carriers below.
14. OnePlus 12R
The new OnePlus 12R is certainly not the cheapest Android phone out there. We’ve seen models for under $100, but you won’t get the powerful features, functionality, and cutting-edge tech that’s packed into this stripped-down version of the OnePlus 12 smartphone.
Since this is a new model, OnePlus is offering a generous trade-in deal. Right now, you can trade in any phone in any condition and get an instant $100 credit toward the purchase price of the OnePlus 12R. If you have a higher-end phone to trade in, OnePlus is offering up to $400 in trade-in credit. There’s also an additional 10% discount for students.
The OnePlus 12R is guaranteed three major Android updates and four years of security updates, making it future-proof for the next few years. The phone is available in a choice of a gray or blue case.
The core configuration includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which can be upgraded to 16GB of RAM with 256GB of storage. The unlocked phone comes with a USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable and an 80W power adapter. For wireless connectivity, the phone supports 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC.
For streaming video, you can take advantage of support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+. The built-in dual stereo speakers support Dolby Atmos. This is one of the first smartphones to offer Wi-Fi 7 support.
It also has the brightest display and the highest battery capacity. Battery life is up to two days. If you’re looking for an Android phone that offers really good value and top-notch features, we’re very impressed with the OnePlus 12R, and we know you will be too.
15. Vivo X100 Pro
The Vivo X100 Pro has earned its place on our list of the best phones in the world for its beautiful design and fantastic imaging capabilities. It is also one of the few phones on this list that uses a MediaTek Dimensity processor instead of a Qualcomm Snapdragon.
Starting with the display, you get a stunning 6.78-inch curved 1.5K AMOLED screen with LTPO support and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display also has a maximum brightness of 3000 nits and a pixel density of 452ppi.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9300 is the star of the show. It offers great performance along with 16GB of RAM. It also comes with 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, so you can store all those amazing photos you take with the Zeiss camera lens.
The X100 Pro features a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. The primary lens uses a 1-inch camera sensor with an aperture of f/1.75 and ZEISS coating.
The phone runs on FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14 and will receive OS updates for 3 years. The Vivo X100 Pro also packs a 5,400mAh battery with support for 100W wired charging.
FAQs
What is the fastest phone?
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is the fastest phone on the market, with the best processor.
Is Samsung better than Apple?
Both Samsung and Apple produce high-quality smartphones. While Samsung is known for its customization features, Apple regularly improves its software to suit the preferences and needs of various customers in an integrated environment.
What is the best foldable phone?
The best foldable phone is the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which boasts a powerful chipset, an amazing Zeiss camera, and a large battery. Despite its top-of-the-line specs, it is the world’s thinnest and lightest foldable.
What is the best phone for gaming?
The ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition is the best phone for gaming thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, physical triggers, and dedicated cooling system. These features will help you stay on top of your games without any worries.
What is the world’s best phone for photography?
The world’s best phone for photography is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which features a large 1-inch camera sensor with Leica tuning, making it perfect for all types of photography.
Can I customize the phone’s interface and settings to suit my preferences?
Android allows you to fully customize the interface and settings, including system fonts, widgets, and app icons. Compared to Android, iOS has fewer customization options. The main options are rearranging app icons, changing the background, and selecting a few system settings.
What is the world’s best flip phone?
The world’s best flip phone is the Samsung Galaxy Flip6 which offers unique features like a notification slider, Hasselblad camera, all-day battery life, and super-fast charging.
What is the best budget phone?
The OnePlus 12 is the best budget phone, featuring the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. It also has a 5,400mAh battery and a Hasselblad camera that excels in all photography conditions.
How much battery capacity should my next phone have?
The battery of the world’s best phone should last around 7 hours on a full charge, which includes intensive use like scrolling through social media apps, watching YouTube videos, making a few phone calls, and taking the occasional selfie. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a powerful battery that won’t disappoint many users with its 45W charging support.
How much storage should my phone have?
Most users will be happy with 128GB of onboard storage, which gives them plenty of room to download apps and music, take photos, and shoot videos. However, power users or creative professionals will need at least 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage.
What are the differences between different operating systems, such as Android and iOS?
Many companies use the open-source Android operating system, which offers great flexibility and customization. Apple’s operating system, iOS, although less customizable, is known for its user-friendly design, smooth performance, and tight integration with the Apple ecosystem.