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| YouTuber MKBHD has revealed his picks for the best smartphones of 2025. |
The smartphone landscape of 2025 has been nothing short of electrifying. While incremental updates have become the norm for some, the year ended with a seismic shift in momentum. Chinese manufacturers, in particular, turned up the heat in the final quarter, launching devices that not only captivated their home market but also made an unprecedented early dash for European shores. The arrival of the OnePlus 15, Oppo Find X9 Pro, and Vivo X300 Pro on the continent marks a pivotal change, giving us a clear glimpse into the aggressive global strategy that will define 2026.
This swift westward expansion is a first for Chinese flagships, challenging the traditional launch cadence and directly confronting the established Apple-Samsung duopoly on their home turf. The impact is being felt globally, even influencing awards beyond their immediate availability. In a telling sign of shifting perceptions, influential American tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) included several of these China-first phones in his prestigious annual “Best Smartphones” awards—despite them not being officially sold in the United States.
It’s a promising signal that the ceiling on the long-standing two-horse race might finally be cracking, even in the “land of endless possibilities.” If you want to hear his reasoning straight from the source, you can watch his full breakdown below before we dive into our analysis.
Watch MKBHD’s full 2025 Smartphone Awards video:
https://youtu.be/sfyL4BswUeE
MKBHD’s Best Smartphones of 2025: The Full List
Here’s a complete rundown of Marques Brownlee’s picks across all ten categories for 2025:
- Best Big Phone: Xiaomi 17 Pro Max
- Best Compact Phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
- Best Camera: Oppo Find X9 Pro
- Best Value: CMF Phone 2 Pro by Nothing
- Best Battery: OnePlus 15
- Best Design: Apple iPhone Air
- Best Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7
- Most Improved: Apple iPhone 17
- Most Disappointing: Apple iPhone 16e
- Smartphone of the Year: Apple iPhone 17
Beyond the List: A European Perspective
Of course, “best” lists are inherently subjective and shaped by context. After spending several weeks rigorously testing the Vivo X300 Pro’s revolutionary camera system in the challenging and beautiful light of Cyprus, we believe its omission from the ‘Best Camera’ shortlist is a notable oversight. Its low-light performance and portrait algorithms are, in our experience, class-leading.
Furthermore, crowning the iPhone 17 as the overall ‘Smartphone of the Year’ feels like a decision heavily influenced by the reviewer’s geographic location. For consumers in Europe and many global markets, the competitive landscape in 2025 is richer than ever. With stellar alternatives like the camera-centric Oppo Find X9 Pro, the blazing-fast and long-lasting OnePlus 15, and the design-forward Xiaomi 17 Pro Max readily available, the choice is no longer a binary one.
This discrepancy highlights a growing reality in the smartphone world: the market is fragmenting along regional lines. Aside from OnePlus and Nothing, powerhouse brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo—which command massive loyalty in Europe and Asia—remain largely absent from the US, creating a starkly different competitive environment.
The Takeaway: A More Competitive Future
The narrative of 2025 is clear. Chinese manufacturers are no longer playing catch-up; they are setting the pace in specific innovation categories like charging, camera versatility, and value. Their accelerated global rollout is a direct challenge to the status quo. While American awards may still reflect local availability, the global conversation is undeniably expanding.
As we look toward 2026, one thing is certain: the heat is on. The duopoly is facing its most serious challenge yet, and for consumers worldwide, that means more choice, more innovation, and better phones. The battlefield has truly gone global.