It’s time for your Best of Awards for 2025. We’ve already shared our own picks for all of these categories, which are not only smartphone-focused, but smartphones are the main attraction. The OPPO Find X9 Pro won our best smartphone of the year award, and that’s only one of the many categories in that article, in case you’re interested. In this article, we’ll focus on your choices, the choices of our readers, to find out what your ‘best of’ picks are for tech this year.
We’ve opened over a dozen polls on X, 13 to be exact, and gave you ample time to vote on them. There were 4 choices on each of those polls, as that’s the limit on X’s end. The voting ended, and you chose your winners, which we’ll talk about here. Here are the choices for the best tech of 2025 based on the readers of Android Headlines .
We’ll talk about one honorable mention, and then the winner after that. So, let’s get to it, starting with the most high-profile award, the very best smartphone of 2025.
- Best Smartphone of the Year
- Best Budget Phone of the Year
- Best Foldable Phone of 2025
- Best Camera Phone of 2025
- Best Small Phone of 2025
- Best Battery Life Phone of 2025
- Most Underrated Phone
- Most Innovative Phone of 2025
- Best Gaming Phone of 2025
- Best Tablet of 2025
- Best Smartwatch of 2025
- Best Earbuds of 2025
- Best Robot Vacuum of 2025
- Most Underwhelming Phone of 2025
Best Smartphone of the Year
The best smartphone of the year is, needlessly to say, the main pick out of all of these categories. It’s the phone that excels across the board. It may not be the best at everything, but when everything is considered, it’s the top choice. Here’s what you decided…
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the honorable mention in this category, as it was the second-placed device, according to you. It’s a considerable improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 6 , so it’s not difficult to see why you voted for it. We actually did the same, this was our pick for the honorable mention as well. It’s a lot thinner than its predecessor, and a lot lighter too, finally competing with others in terms of design. It’s hard to argue this is one of the best phones out there, and certainly one of the best foldables.
Pros
- Mindblowingly thin and light
- Bigger, Brighter Displays
- Better cameras
- Class-leading performance
Cons
- Another price increase, now $1,999
- Battery capacity and battery life need improvement
- S Pen Support removed
- Insane camera bump
You chose the OPPO Find X9 Pro as the best smartphone of 2025, which aligns with our pick! We’re completely in sync with our readers when it comes to the best phones, and that’s outstanding.
The OPPO Find X9 Pro simply excels at being a smartphone. This handset is the best of the best out there at the moment. Not only does it look great, but its specifications are outstanding.
The performance is blazing fast, and ColorOS 16 feels great to use. The cameras have been improved to be some of the best in the business. That 200MP periscope telephoto shooter is particularly impressive. It can take outstanding 10x shots.
There is also a huge 7,500mAh battery included on the inside, making sure that even the most heavy power-hungry users have plenty of juice. The charging is extremely fast as well, and that goes for both wired and wireless charging, and so on.
It offers the best balance and is basically great overall! It is, unfortunately, not available in the US.
Pros
- Incredible build quality and design
- Gorgeous display
- Excellent performance
- Massive 7,500mAh battery
- Great thermal management
- Smooth, refined software
Cons
- Not officially sold in the US
- No charger in the box (for EU)
- Minor software quirks
- No Alert Slider
- The best color is exclusive to China
Best Budget Phone of the Year
What about the best budget phone of the year? Just to be clear, that doesn’t mean just cheap. It means a phone that punches above its price tag, basically. A phone that is a great deal, the best bang for your buck, essentially.
We actually had two phones hit the same number of votes, so we decided to give the more expensive one the honorable mention, while the other one has been selected as the winner. Their launch prices are the same, but one is more affordable than the other at this very moment (on their official stores), so there you have it.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 is the company’s leading mid-ranger, in a way. Many would say that this is the best phone in the ‘Galaxy A’ series, and that’s easy to agree with. If you love Samsung and One UI, this is a good call at $499. Even better if you can grab a discount.
Pros
- Good build quality
- Solid performance & thermals
- Selfie camera is quite good
- Good software & software support
Cons
- Camera performance is not great
- Could be cheaper
The Google Pixel 9a is the budget phone of the year our readers chose. This phone’s base price tag is $499, though it’s often discounted. At the time of writing this article, it cost only $399. That, especially, is a great price tag for the Pixel 9a .
It has the same chip that the Google Pixel 9 , Pixel 9 Pro , and Pixel 9 Pro XL have, which were the company’s flagships up until a couple of months ago. It also has a very capable display, and cameras too.
For a budget phone, the camera performance is especially impressive. If you like Google’s contrasty approach to photo processing, you’ll enjoy these cameras really well.
Its software is also what people seem to like. Google’s iteration of Android is one of the best out there, even though it does tend to buggy at times. The Pixel 9a did manage to avoid many of the bugs that plagued its siblings, though.
Pros
- Good camera performance, still a step down from the rest of the Pixel 9 series
- Impressive battery life
- The flat back is amazing
- Loads of color options
- The best haptics in its class
Cons
- Super slow charging
- Gets a tad warm, particularly on mobile data
- Huge bezels, even for a sub-$500 phone
Best Foldable Phone of 2025
We’ve seen quite a few great foldable smartphones in the market in 2025. Some Chinese OEMs really managed to impress in that category, while Samsung finally started catching up in terms of design. So let’s see your picks for this category, shall we?
The OPPO Find N5 is the phone of the year we chose, and it’s second-placed based on our readers. It’s a phone that is not available in the US, but a phone that impressed with design, performance, battery life, and in a number of other categories. The Find N5 easily one of the best foldable smartphones in the market at the moment.
Pros
- Incredible build quality and design
- Gorgeous display
- Excellent performance
- Massive 7,500mAh battery
- Great thermal management
- Smooth, refined software
Cons
- Not officially sold in the US
- No charger in the box (for EU)
- Minor software quirks
- No Alert Slider
- The best color is exclusive to China
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the foldable phone of the year, according to our readers. Samsung made a huge step forward with this device, in terms of design. It’s a lot thinner and lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 6, thus finally matching offerings from China in that regard.
If to that, you add Samsung’s very capable software, you do get a powerful and compelling combination for a foldable smartphone. This device can improve your productivity, if you let it.
The sad thing is that it doesn’t support the S Pen stylus anymore. That would make it even more impressive from the productivity standpoint, but One UI does offer plenty of features on its own.
Its displays are excellent too, and the same goes for its performance. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a complete package.
Pros
- Mindblowingly thin and light
- Bigger, Brighter Displays
- Better cameras
- Class-leading performance
Cons
- Another price increase, now $1,999
- Battery capacity and battery life need improvement
- S Pen Support removed
- Insane camera bump
Best Camera Phone of 2025
When it comes to the best camera phone of 2025, the choice of our readers does match our own. These are the two phones that really managed to impress when it comes to camera performance. Phones that stand above the rest in that category.
The OPPO Find X9 Pro was very close to claiming this title for itself, but one phone managed to beat it to it. The OPPO Find X9 Pro does offer outstanding camera performance, though. That goes for all three of its cameras. If you’re wondering if this phone is worth it from the camera standpoint, well, don’t… because it is! It’s a shame it’s not available in the US, though.
Pros
- Incredible build quality and design
- Gorgeous display
- Excellent performance
- Massive 7,500mAh battery
- Great thermal management
- Smooth, refined software
Cons
- Not officially sold in the US
- No charger in the box (for EU)
- Minor software quirks
- No Alert Slider
- The best color is exclusive to China
If you’re looking for the very best camera phone of 2025, the Vivo X300 Pro is it. That’s something both our readers and us agree on. The Vivo X300 Pro , thanks to the company’s hardware and processing, plus ZEISS optics and expertise, delivers outstanding results.
Regardless which of the three of its cameras you end up using, you can rest assured the images will be of the highest quality. The processing is unmatched, and thus the results themselves. ZEISS’ T* coating also helps a lot with reflections.
The phone’s cameras can produce very nice-looking photos with plenty of detail and outstanding dynamic range. They do end up looking quite vibrant, especially if you go for that mode in the settings.
The Vivo X300 Pro also shines in low light. It manages to balance out low-light shots like a champ, and that even goes for its periscope telephoto camera, actually. It’s also great for taking portraits, and so on. It’s simply a complete package when it comes to camera performance.
It is, unfortunately, not available in the US, though.
Pros
- Exceptional camera quality with ZEISS partnership, rivaling or exceeding competitors like OPPO Find X9 Pro
- Excellent thermal management—stays cool even during extended gaming sessions at max settings
- Nearly 13 hours of screen-on time with heavy camera use
- Fast charging at 90W with included charger (full charge in under 40 minutes)Fast charging at 90W with included charger (full charge in under 40 minutes)
- Dimensity 9500 delivers flagship performance with great efficiency
- OriginOS 6 is smooth, customizable, and includes useful features like estimated charging time
Cons
- Included charger uses USB-A instead of USB-C
- Software support trails Samsung and Google (5 years vs 7 years)
- Slightly behind Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 devices in raw benchmark scores
- Large camera bump causes phone to sit at an angle on flat surfaces
Best Small Phone of 2025
Many people still prefer more compact devices, and it’s hard to blame them. Smartphones have become very large over the years, and one-handed use is underestimated. If you’re looking for a comfortable, compact phone for one-handed use, these are some of the very best ones out there.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is easily one of the best-known compact flagship-level phones out there. It’s also the second-placed device based on the voting of our readers. Its battery life is not the best out there, but it’s better than it was last year.
This phone also does well in the camera department, especially if you like Samsung’s approach to photos. They do end up a bit more saturated than they should, but if that’s your thing, well, you go for it. The performance on the Galaxy S25 is also excellent.
Pros
- Improved Battery Life
- Cameras are solid, if not a bit saturated
- Good price, particularly on Galaxy S25
- Similar performance to the Galaxy S25 Ultra
- One of the few sub-$800 phones with a Telephoto lens
Cons
- Few hardware upgrades since Galaxy S22
- No charger in the box, still 25W charging on Galaxy S25
- Better cameras on other similarly priced phones
Apple managed to shock a lot of people when it announced the iPhone 17 . Why? Well, because it’s probably the biggest yearly upgrade of a base iPhone we’ve ever seen. The company improved the display, by a lot. From a meh 60Hz display, we not get a great 120Hz panel.
On top of that, the phone has a great dual 48MP camera setup on the back, along with some features that were not expected on the base model.
Its bezels are very thin, too, and they’re also uniform. The performance is great with the Apple A19 chip, and so much more. Apple really did a great job with the iPhone 17, and many people would say it’s the best iPhone to get this year.
It’s hard to disagree with that. If you’re looking for a compact phone with iOS on the inside, the Apple iPhone 17 is the phone to get. This is the year to upgrade your base iPhone, that’s for sure.
Pros
- The 120Hz display is finally here
- The camera system got a serious upgrade
- It’s thinner, lighter, and easier to live with
- The value proposition actually makes sense
Cons
- No telephoto lens
- It runs hot under pressure
- USB 2.0 speeds in 2025 are embarrassing
Best Battery Life Phone of 2025
Some smartphones ended up having truly high-capacity battery packs in 2025, mainly thanks to silicon-carbon technology. Thanks to that, and plenty of optimization, they ended up offering outstanding battery life. Well, here are the very best ones, based on the voting from our readers.
In addition to being the very best camera smartphone, the Vivo X300 Pro is also one of the best battery life devices out there. Despite the fact it has lower battery capacity than the OPPO Find X9 Pro, the Vivo X300 Pro managed to keep up, and deliver outstanding battery life. This phone can withstand even power users, with ease.
Pros
- Exceptional camera quality with ZEISS partnership, rivaling or exceeding competitors like OPPO Find X9 Pro
- Excellent thermal management—stays cool even during extended gaming sessions at max settings
- Nearly 13 hours of screen-on time with heavy camera use
- Fast charging at 90W with included charger (full charge in under 40 minutes)Fast charging at 90W with included charger (full charge in under 40 minutes)
- Dimensity 9500 delivers flagship performance with great efficiency
- OriginOS 6 is smooth, customizable, and includes useful features like estimated charging time
Cons
- Included charger uses USB-A instead of USB-C
- Software support trails Samsung and Google (5 years vs 7 years)
- Slightly behind Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 devices in raw benchmark scores
- Large camera bump causes phone to sit at an angle on flat surfaces
The OPPO Find X9 Pro is the very best smartphone of the year when it comes to battery life. That is something our readers and us agree on. This thing incorporates a huge 7,500mAh battery, which is even higher in capacity than what the OnePlus 15 offers.
That battery capacity, and OPPO’s optimization, will basically allow you to forget about the charger during your day. For some people, this phone will easily offer enough battery juice for multiple days.
Even if you’re a power user, and play games in the process, chances are you won’t be able to kill the battery in a single day. We’ve been putting the phone through hell in terms of usage, and it handled it like a champ.
On top of that, OPPO included 80W wired charging support here, along with 50W wireless charging support. The OPPO Find X9 Pro is a whole package in terms of battery life.
Pros
- Incredible build quality and design
- Gorgeous display
- Excellent performance
- Massive 7,500mAh battery
- Great thermal management
- Smooth, refined software
Cons
- Not officially sold in the US
- No charger in the box (for EU)
- Minor software quirks
- No Alert Slider
- The best color is exclusive to China
Most Underrated Phone
What’s the most underrated phone of the year? Well, our readers had a rather interesting pick that is hard to argue with. This category is here for an outstanding phone that flew under the radar for some reason, a phone that didn’t get the recognition it deserved.
The OnePlus 15 is second-placed on this list, according to our readers. That’s easy to understand, actually. The OnePlus 15 is an outstanding smartphone in basically every way, but people tend to hate on it due to camera hardware downgrades, most of all. That’s not completely fair, and it’s understandable why the OnePlus 15 also claimed the main prize. Check out our OnePlus 15 review for more information.
Pros
- Incredible battery life & charging speed
- Superb build quality & design
- Excellent price, stayed the same versus OnePlus 13
- Stunning 165Hz display
- OnePlus AI just works
- Best Gaming Experience that’s not on a dedicated Gaming Phone
- OxygenOS 16 is somehow even smoother than before!
Cons
- Cameras took a small step back, losing Hasselblad in favor of DetailMax Engine
- No more Alert Slider
- Ony 4 years of Android OS Updates (6 years for security updates)
- Stunning Ultra Violet color is super limited
Some of you may be surprised that the Vivo X200 Ultra is the winner here, but we’re not. The Vivo X200 Ultra mainly flew under the radar as it didn’t get a global variant, which the Vivo X300 Ultra will hopefully correct.
The Vivo X200 Ultra is a China-only phone that still has some of the best cameras out there. It has truly outstanding cameras sensors, plus ZEISS optics, and great processing by Vivo. It still has the most complete camera setup, as its ultrawide camera is not trailing behind.
This phone also includes a large 6,000mAh battery, which is plenty to keep it going through anything you put the phone through during your work day. Fast charging is here, as is wireless charging, plus a gorgeous display.
The Vivo X200 Ultra truly is a complete package, no matter what way you look at it. We’re hoping its successor will make it to global markets, as it would be a shame if it didn’t.
Pros
- Great design & buuild quality
- Simply outstanding triple camera setup
- Great video stabilization
- Selfie camera is great
- Good battery life
- Flagship performance
Cons
- China only, no global model
- no eSIM
Most Innovative Phone of 2025
When it comes to the most innovative smartphone of 2025, only two devices come to mind, and they’re both tri-folds. So, the battle ended up including Huawei and Samsung, while Samsung came out on top this time around.
The Huawei Mate XTs is the company’s second-gen tri-fold smartphone. It does have one advantage over the Galaxy Z TriFold, the ability to have three different screen sizes on offer, depending on your fold preferences. The Galaxy Z TriFold is limited to two. That comes with a drawback of a more exposed foldable display, though. Either way, the Mate XTs is a compelling phone, but it’s not a winner in this category.
Pros
- The tri-fold design is genuinely groundbreaking
- It’s impossibly thin when unfolded
- The display is stunning
- Build quality is impeccable
- The cameras outperform other foldables
- Battery life is surprisingly solid
Cons
- No Google Play Services
- Limited global availability
- The display is only 90Hz
- It’s thick and heavy when folded
The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold is the company’s first tri-fold smartphone, and the winner in the Most Innovative Phone category, based on the votes of our readers. It’s not difficult to see why.
Unlike the Huawei Mate XTs, this phone does come with Google services, and a much more powerful processor. It also protects the main display a lot better, despite the fact there are some tradeoffs included, like the fact you can’t get an 8-inch form factor here.
This phone also has a cover display on the back when you’re using the main panel, which is not the case with the Huawei Mate XTs. The Galaxy Z TriFold will certainly have a much wider availability than the Huawei Mate XTs.
This phone, despite its extremely high price tag, will likely be very difficult to get, though. Samsung is making limited quantities of it, so do take note, in case you’re planning to get one. It also won’t be available in Europe and a number of other markets, but it is coming to the US.
Pros
- The 10-inch display is genuinely impressive
- It’s shockingly thin when unfolded
- The build quality inspires confidence
- Full Google and One UI support
- The Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers
Cons
- You can’t use it half-open
- It’s thick and heavy when folded
- Fingerprint magnet nightmare
- DeX integration is confusing
- App optimization is still a work in progress
Best Gaming Phone of 2025
If you’re in the market for a gaming phone, two of them stood above the other in 2025. Both of these are absolutely outstanding gaming machines, but only one was chosen by our readers, the same one we chose for our editorial awards.
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro may be a more recognizable name here, but it’s only an honorable mention on this list. While the phone is great for gaming, it does not go the extra mile in some other ways. So don’t expect outstanding cameras, for example. It also doesn’t behave as well under stress as the device we’ll talk about in a second.
Pros
- Unmatched gaming performance
- Unmatched gaming performance
- Battery life is exceptional
Cons
- The cameras are just okay
- Only two years of Android updates
- It gets hot under sustained load without the cooler
- It’s slippery without a case
The RedMagic 11 Pro is the best gaming smartphone you can get at the moment. This thing not only provides an outstanding gaming experience, but it is the world’s first smartphone to offer liquid cooling system. That cooling does help, as this phone doesn’t stumble, no matter how hard you push it.
It is packed with gaming features, as you’d expect, and it’s price-to-performance ratio is unbeatable. When compared directly to ASUS’ offering, it’s not even close. We made the same choice for editorial awards for a reason, RedMagic really did it this time.
On top of all that, it also has an uninterrupted display, ideal for gaming. There is no display hole on it or anything like that. The fan can get quite loud, though, while the cameras are nothing to write home about. If you’re getting it for its gaming prowess, however, it’s a home run.
Pros
- World’s first liquid cooling system in a smartphone
- The biggest battery in any flagship phone
- Unbeatable price-to-performance ratio
- The display is completely uninterrupted
- The display is completely uninterrupted
- The shoulder triggers are excellent
Cons
- The cameras are disappointing
- The under-display selfie camera takes bad photos
- The software still needs work
- The fan can get loud
Best Tablet of 2025
If you’re on the lookout for the best tablet of 2025, and you’re not trying to get the cheapest one, there are two options that stand above the rest. It’s between Samsung and OnePlus, and here’s which one our readers chose.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 is the honorable mention here. It’s a great tablet that does a lot of things right, and it’s not difficult to see why our readers loved it. S Pen latency has been improved, DeX is finally where it should be, it has a great display, solid performance, and so on. The price is still a bit too aggressive, however, plus there’s a bit too much bloat for a device at this price range.
Pros
- The biggest, most gorgeous display on any tablet
- Impossibly thin for its size
- The Dimensity 9400+ delivers
- Battery life that actually lasts
Cons
- It’s almost too big to actually use
- The S Pen lost Bluetooth
- No haptic feedback anymore
The OnePlus Pad 3 is the go-to tablet in 2025. Our readers and us definitely agree on that. OnePlus did a great job here. Not only is the product top-notch, but its price tag is also exactly where it needs to be.
This thing has great build quality, and a gorgeous 13.3-inch 3.2K display with a 144Hz refresh rate. It’s a large device, and offers great performance thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip, still one of the best chips around.
There is no thermal throttling to talk about, the performance is as smooth as butter. OxygenOS makes sure of that as well, as OnePlus did a great job optimizing it. There are great accessories available for the tablet as well, and Open Canvas is better than ever. There’s not much to complain about here, really.
Pros
- Priced very competitively
- Best performance on an Android tablet (so far)
- Big, beautiful, and bright LCD display
- Plenty of accessories available
- Open Canvas remains one of the best multi-tasking experiences on the market
Cons
- LCD instead of OLED
- No fingerprint sensor, Facial Recognition is poor in low-light
- O+ Connect is only for Mac, no option for Windows (yet)
Best Smartwatch of 2025
We’ve seen quite a few compelling smartwatches in 2025. Out of all of them, our readers chose Google’s and Samsung’s as the top two. Let’s start with the honorable mention in this category.
Google announced a new Pixel Watch this year, the Pixel Watch 4 , and it’s one of the better watches on the market at the moment. It comes in two sizes, and it’s still minimalistic, and round. Its display is a lot brighter. Google also included a new haptic engine in the watch, and improved battery life as well.
Pros
- Charging is considerably faster
- The Actua 360 domed display is really nice
- Material 3 Expressive makes the UI more enjoyable
- Incredibly bright display
- The best battery life yet
- Gemini with Raise to Talk is super intuitive and convenient
- Improved haptics with richer, clearer sound from the speaker
Cons
- No wireless charging
- Smart replies requires a Pixel 8 Pro or later
- Starting price could be lower
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is the best smartwatch of the year, based on what our readers said. Its design is even more comfortable than before, and the watch looks a bit more polished.
Samsung brought plenty of AI improvements here, and Gemini integration is great to have. Sleep and fitness tracking has been improved as well. On top of all that, One UI 8 Watch feels really snappy and responsive, it feels great to use.
There are also two Galaxy Watch 8 sizes to choose from, 40mm and 44mm ones. That’s also great to have, as different people have different wrist sizes and hence prefer different watch sizes.
Pros
- Most comfortable smartwatch I’ve ever worn
- One UI 8 Watch feels incredibly snappy
- Gemini is a gamechanger on your wrist
Cons
- Notifications are incredibly easy to miss
- Oval tiles on a round display on a squircle body is a weird design choice
- Antioxidant Index is a good idea, but way to easy to fool
Best Earbuds of 2025
Plenty of earbuds were announced in 2025, but according to our readers, an offering from Bose stands above the rest. Technics’ earbuds also made the list, though.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 are one of the best earbuds on the market. They were our top pick for the best earbuds over $150, and they delivers top-tier transient response. There’s a single 10mm driver on the inside, but it sounds extremely clean, and separates different sound compartments with ease. These earbuds are tuned for ‘Reference Studio Sound’.
Pros
- Sound quality that embarrasses the competition
- Hi-Res Audio actually means something here
- Noise cancellation that rivals the best
- Three-device multipoint connectivity
Cons
- The price is still premium
- Call quality has mixed reviews
- They’re still chunky
- The case is functional but uninspiring
Bose is one of the best-known mainstream headphone and earphone makers. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) earbuds have been selected as the best earbuds by our readers, and that’s not surprising at all.
These earbuds have outstanding noise cancellation, especially if you take into account these are earbuds, not headphones. That’s not all, though, the sound quality and clarity is also on an extremely high level, they definitely punch above the earphone-level sound.
The CustomTune calibration tech will adapt the sound to your ears, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) earbuds also offer immersive audio and cinema mode. Multipoint connectivity is also on board, along with great battery life.
Pros
- Noise cancellation that sets the standard
- Sound quality that punches above typical earbuds
- CustomTune calibration adapts to your ears
- Immersive Audio and Cinema Mode
- Multipoint connectivity — finally
- Wireless charging added to the case
Cons
- Battery life is behind the competition
- They’re chunky
- Stability fins can be finicky
Best Robot Vacuum of 2025
Robot vacuums have become an irreplaceable piece of tech in some households, and if you’re looking for the best one on the market, well… here’s what our readers had to say.
The Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni robot vacuum ended up as the honorable mention on this list, a second-placed choice. It is quite expensive, but it does offer outstanding edge cleaning, an 18,000Pa suction, and handles wet spills and liquids like a champ, among other things. It’s not the best for pet hair, though.
Pros
- OZMO Roller mop system is genuinely innovative
- Best-in-class edge cleaning
- 18,000Pa suction punches above its spec
- Handles wet spills and liquids
Cons
- Expensive
- Mop struggles with plush carpet
- Pet hair performance merely average
The Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum stands above the rest. This robot vacuum shines in almost every way… well, except when it comes to its price, as it’s very expensive. That’s not surprising as it’s the best of the best.
The Roborock Saros 10R offers impressive suction control, not to mention that it’s thinner than you’d think. Thanks to that fact, it can reach some places that other robot vacuums can’t, like squeezing under some lower furniture, for example.
This robot vacuum is also outstanding when it comes to cleaning pet hair. The same goes for human hair, actually. Its dock is also very capable, it does a great job at emptying the vacuum, so that you don’t have to.y
Pros
- Impressive suction control
- Thinner profile means it can clean under furniture with ease
- Incredible at handling pet hair (and human hair)
- Capable dock that does well at emptying the vacuum
Cons
- Pricey
Most Underwhelming Phone of 2025
Not all phones that were hyped up in 2025 impressed, of course. Some of them were quite underwhelming… well, here are the ones that ended up being the most underwhelming of all, according to AH readers.
The Nothing Phone (3a) is the (dis)honorable mention here. The phone’s performance did not live up to expectations, while the camera quality is also not as consistent as you’d hope. Nothing also skimped out on storage (it uses UFS 2.2 here), and more. It’s simply not the phone that people were hoping to see.
Pros
- Standout design in a sea of sameness
- Glyph Interface LED lights are functional
- 50MP telephoto camera at this price is rare
- 50W fast charging
Cons
- 8MP ultrawide camera is genuinely bad
- Glyph lights remain a gimmick
- Limited US carrier support
- No eSIM support
The Apple iPhone 16e is the dishonorable winner in this category. Our readers believe this is the most underwhelming smartphone of 2025. It’s not that it doesn’t have its upsides, but at the price point Apple is asking, many other phones offer more.
The sheer fact this smartphone is stuck at a 60Hz display is just embarassing. Not to mention that its display is simply not bright enough. To make things even worse, it has a display notch, and no MagSafe support. On top of that, only one camera sits on the back.
The device does offer great performance, though, and it also has really good battery life for a 6.1-inch device. Apple’s first in-house modem also didn’t disappoint. So not everything is bad, but the phone, overall, ended up being quite underwhelming.
Pros
- A18 chip delivers flagship-class performance
- Best battery life in a 6.1″ iPhone ever
- Apple’s first in-house C1 modem debuts here
- 6.1″ Super Retina XDR OLED display
Cons
- 60Hz display in 2025 is embarrassing
- Display brightness is shockingly dim
- No MagSafe
