I review phones for a living – here's why my 2025 pick isn't an iPhone

It's been a really great year for phones. Hot off the back of Apple's mega-launch last week, with the new iPhone Air incoming, it got me thinking about what I continue to see as the best phone of the moment.

I've been using Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for many weeks already, which is a stellar Android phone, no doubt, but I've been musing over whether now's the time to venture back into my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra once again.

Why? I still think it's the Phone of the Year, as backed up by the T3 Awards 2025. And my Google Pixel's glossier screen seems a little more prone to display scratch marks – very subtle, but its different surface can't seem to quite match up to the Samsung.

What are the best phones?

Now there's always a binary decision to be made in regards to whether you're on team Apple (with its iOS software) or team Android (with Google's operating system).

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If you're staunchly committed to one or the other already, then switching between could be quite the ordeal. This isn't "one is better than the other" piece, as you'll probably already knew where your allegiance lies.

However, among the mix of iPhones and Android devices, there's still plenty of great competition – and, especially in 2025, innovation. Samsung was swift out the gate with its Galaxy S25 Edge, which is super-slim – and ahead of Apple's iPhone Air in terms of timeline.

Even so, while the super-slim is inspirational, I'm not sure it's quite as practical as a larger, longer-lasting, and more feature-packed device. The S25 Ultra, for me, just does so much more that it's the pick.

Before I share any more, however, it's worth pointing out that I'm talking about flagship devices here. These aren't cheap handsets by any means – and if you have a more modest budget then check out T3's best cheap phones feature.

So why is the Samsung still best?

But back to the Ultra. One of the standout features about this phone is its integrated S Pen stylus, which many users rave about in particular. It opens up a new set of controls, with a pen-like control that's great for expediting tasks, sharing between apps, and taking notes.

If you don't want a large phone, however, then the sheer scale of the S25 Ultra – it's got a 6.9-inch display – might put it beyond your wants. For me, however, I struggle with anything much smaller these days.

Indeed, if money were no object at all, then there's an argument that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the phone worthy of your attention – it's elevated what the best folding phones can do. If you can accept the lack of S Pen support here, anyway.

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Re-reading my S25 Ultra review's verdict and it describes the handset as "showcasing the best Android has to offer". I still think that's true – and with a One UI 8 via Android 16 upgrade around the corner this month, it'll only get even better.

That is, arguably, one area where Google has the upper hand: inevitably, it's always steps ahead with its Android software rollout for Pixel. Other makers give their Android takes a bit of a twist, which I tend to find less preferable.

There are lots of encouraging options out there, though. Take the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, for example, with its insanely impressive camera setup. On balance, however, its software and sheer physical scale see it as a specialist product – whereas the Samsung feels just right.

And that's the thing: years after the fallout of HTC's Android market dominance, Samsung has swung in and been at the top of the tree for years. It's not by accident, it's thanks to never-ending commitment to progress, huge research and development budgets, and the results speak for themselves.

All of which actually gets me excited for the rumoured Galaxy S26 that, presumably, we'll see in four or five months' time, in January 2026. But until then, for me, it's the Galaxy S25 Ultra that remains a winner among the best phones – even with lots of interesting innovation happening since its launch.