The smartphone landscape of 2025 delivered a sense of maturity across every tier. Foldables advanced through engineering that served real needs. High-end phones focused on precision and balance. Mid-range devices supplied practical performance for the broadest audience. Entry-level models extended modern connectivity to users who place value above volume. Across all categories, the standouts earned their place by elevating everyday use rather than relying on whistles, bells, and bull.
Based on a full year of reviews, testing and real-world impressions in the South African and global markets, these are my Smartphones of the Year for 2025.
Foldable of the Year: Huawei Mate XT
The Huawei Mate XT stands head and shoulders above the rest of the market as the most significant hardware release of the year. It introduces a tri-fold design, creating an entirely new category of mobile device. The Mate XT uses two hinges to transition through three natural states: a slim, pocket-friendly bar phone; an intermediate tablet for reading, browsing or travel; and a wide-format display suited to multitasking and productivity.
The Mate XT’s real achievement lies in the way each mode feels complete on its own. The hinge movement is steady and controlled. The unfolded display stays flat and uniform across its expanded area. The software reorganises itself seamlessly – a word that is used too easily, but applies readily in this case. It shifts layouts in a way that supports the work or content in front of the user, and the device operates as a flexible tool rather than a demonstration piece.
The tri-fold system offers broad utility. A small footprint during calls and messaging, a comfortable mid-sized tablet for reading, and a spacious canvas for side-by-side apps all emerge from one piece of hardware. The Mate XT marks a new chapter in smartphone design and becomes the natural winner in 2025’s foldable category.
Runner-up: Honor Magic V5
The Honor Magic V5 presents a distinct approach to foldable design through its exceptionally slim build. Foldable phones often take on added thickness as a result of hinge structures and layered displays. The V5 reduces this bulk and folds into a body that feels close to a conventional flagship smartphone. This thin profile leads to genuine comfort during one-handed use, extended reading sessions and full-screen work.
The hinge opens smoothly, offering a familiar book-style layout with a wide internal display that suits multitasking, video viewing and document handling. The outer display feels natural for everyday tasks, and the device maintains strong performance across communication, imaging and media. The Magic V5 provides a refined alternative within the foldable field, shaped around lightness, balance and comfort.
Runner-up: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers another year of refinement within the book-style foldable segment. Its materials, hinge resistance and thermal management show clear gains over previous generations. Samsung’s approach to multitasking remains one of the most polished in the field, and the Fold7 functions as a powerful mobile workspace for users invested in Samsung’s ecosystem. Its consistent performance and stable feel secure its place among the top foldables of the year.
High-End Phone of the Year: Huawei Pura 80 Pro
The Huawei Pura 80 Pro offers one of the most coherent flagship experiences released in 2025. Its 1-inch camera sensor supports rich detail, accurate colour and strong performance across a wide range of lighting scenarios. The device’s screen provides clarity and brightness without aggressive colour enhancements, and its battery supplies long, dependable usage across daily routines.
Performance remains steady during demanding tasks, and the device supports fast and practical charging. The software environment includes focused, task-oriented features that enhance imaging, organisation and hands-free interactions. The Pura 80 Pro achieves a premium feel through consistency, craft and attention to fundamentals.
Runners-up
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung’s flagship places emphasis on system intelligence and a cohesive workflow across communication, scheduling and media. The S25 Ultra is well-suited to users who manage large volumes of activity throughout the day.
Oppo Reno14 5G
The Reno14 5G continues Oppo’s commitment to expressive design, polished software and strong camera output. It blends sophisticated interface cues with balanced performance and represents a compelling alternative to traditional flagship pricing.
Honor Magic 7 Pro
The Honor Magic 7 Pro brings flagship-level display, fast performance and versatile imaging to the premium tier. Its telephoto system and strong battery support suit users who rely on photography and full-day productivity. A strong feature mix.
Mid-Range Phone of the Year: Honor X9c
The Honor X9c stands out through effective durability and well-rounded performance. Its reinforced curved screen provides resilience against drops and bumps while retaining the look and feel of a modern mid-range device. Battery endurance remains a strength, and the device keeps pace with the demands of active daily routines. Camera performance and general responsiveness support a wide range of usage patterns.
The X9c offers balanced capability without overcomplication. It supports a broad audience that values reliability and longevity over experimental features.
Runners-up
Oppo Reno13 5G
The Reno13 5G focuses on efficiency, strong battery life and rapid charging. Its availability throughout 2025 and its dependable behaviour across everyday tasks help it remain a central mid-range contender.
vivo Y29
The Y29 brings substantial battery endurance and steady system performance to users who depend heavily on their phones throughout the day. It offers predictability, comfort and long-term ease of use.
Entry-Level Phone of the Year: vivo V60 Lite 5G
The vivo V60 Lite 5G broadens access to modern connectivity and stable performance at a budget-conscious price. Its battery supports long days of activity, and its interface remains clear and manageable for entry-level users. The inclusion of 5G at this price point expands its appeal to students, first-time buyers and families seeking reliability on a tight budget.
Runner-up
Spectra J1 Pro
The J1 Pro offers responsive handling and a clean design that exceeds expectations for the entry-level bracket. Its overall feel positions it as a strong local alternative.
A year defined by engineering
The strongest smartphones of 2025 advanced through clarity of purpose. The Mate XT expanded the idea of what a mobile device can become. The Pura 80 Pro delivered refinement across every flagship fundamental. The Honor X9c reinforced the importance of real-world durability in the mid-range. At the entry level, strengthened battery life and expanded connectivity created meaningful improvements for everyday users.
Across all categories, 2025 rewarded innovative design, long-term value and focused innovation.
- Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx, editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za, and author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI – The African Edge.