The Winners of the 2025 Techloy Readers’ Choice Smartphone Awards

For the first time this year, we invited our readers to vote for our first-ever Techloy Readers' Choice Smartphone Awards. After more than a week of voting, the polls are closed, and the results are finally in. We gave you the chance to crown your champions across every major smartphone category, and you definitely delivered.

So, based on your votes, here are the smartphones that defined 2025.

Best Camera Phone

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

If you really think about it, it shouldn't be all that surprising. For years, Samsung has arguably had a winning formula when it came to taking pictures or recording videos. The S25 Ultra carried over much of the camera hardware from last year's flagship, boasting a 200MP main camera, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto (5x optical zoom), and 10MP telephoto (3x optical zoom).

The refinement in its "Galaxy AI" post-processing is likely what sealed the deal for most people, offering cleaner low-light shots and more natural skin tones than ever before.

Best Budget Smartphone

Winner: Google Pixel 9a

The Pixel 9a is Google's latest budget offering, starting at $499. That's $300 less than the base Pixel 9 while still offering most of the same experience. This time around, it actually outperforms its pricier sibling in endurance, boasting a massive 5,100mAh battery compared to the standard Pixel 9's smaller cell.

Combined with the Tensor G4 chip and Google's renowned HDR algorithms, it still feels remarkably close to a flagship while costing significantly less. Plus, with Google regularly selling these at a discount price from what was announced, the device is truly a masterclass in value.

Best Flagship Killer / Upper Mid-Range

Winners: OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 takes the crown this year, dominating the “bang-for-buck” category with a flagship experience at a price that still undercuts the industry heavyweights.

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it delivers top-tier performance, but what really won people over is its stunning 2K 120Hz display and ridiculously fast 100W charging. It’s the kind of phone that feels premium without making your wallet cry, and clearly, that hit the sweet spot for a lot of voters.

Best Foldable Phone (Book-Style)

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

I’ll be honest, this was also a favourite of mine, so I’m kind of glad it won. For nearly 10 years, companies have been trying their hands at foldables, but it wasn’t until this year, with this phone, that it all actually made sense. The Z Fold 7 finally felt like a genuine buy for me, compared to previous editions. Thankfully, the fans agree with me.

The Z Fold 7 took home a landslide victory in the foldable space. This year, Samsung finally addressed the “bulk” issue, delivering a significantly thinner and lighter chassis that rivals traditional slabs. The addition of an anti-reflective internal screen coating and a more durable hinge mechanism made it the clear choice for productivity enthusiasts who want a tablet in their pocket.

Best Foldable Phone (Clamshell)

Winner: Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)

Motorola continues to hold the edge in the flip-phone world. The Razr Ultra 2025 stands out due to its industry-leading 4.0-inch cover display that supports nearly every app in the Play Store without needing to unfold the phone.

Its chic design and nearly invisible crease gave it the win over the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Best Gaming Phone

Winner: ZTE Nubia RedMagic 10S Pro

For the hardcore mobile gamers, there was only one choice. The RedMagic 10S Pro is a beast, featuring an active internal cooling fan that spins at 22,000 RPM and dedicated shoulder triggers.

With a completely notch-less display (thanks to the under-display camera) and a specialised gaming OS that allows for extreme overclocking, it's built for performance above all else.

Best Battery Life

Winner: OnePlus 15

The OnePlus 15 claimed the endurance title this year, largely due to its new silicon-carbon battery technology. By squeezing a 6,000mAh capacity into a slim frame, it easily pushes through two days of heavy use.

When it finally does die, the 100W SuperVOOC charging gets you back to 100% in under 30 minutes.

Most Innovative Phone

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

Innovation was at an all-time high this year, but nothing turned heads like the Galaxy Z TriFold Special Edition. As the world's first commercially available triple-folding phone, it transforms from a standard smartphone into a massive 10-inch workstation.

Though currently available only in South Korea (with global expansion planned for early 2026), it represents a leap in engineering, proving that the future of mobile tech is more flexible than we ever imagined.

Best AI Phone

Winner: Xiaomi 17 Pro Max & Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Tie)

When it came to AI features, Xiaomi didn’t hold back. The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max earned a ton of praise for its HyperOS AI, especially how effortlessly it connects your phone with the rest of your devices.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra continues to be the gold standard for all-around AI capabilities, from upgraded Circle to Search to its powerful generative editing tools.

Two phones, two very different strengths, but both clearly stood out to you as leaders in smartphone AI this year.

Best Overall Flagship

Winner: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max

Finally, taking the top spot as the Best Overall Flagship of 2025 is the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. This year felt like a turning point for Apple, driven heavily by the maturation of "Apple Intelligence." Built on the advanced 3nm A19 Pro chip with a record-breaking 12GB of RAM, the 17 Pro Max handles on-device AI tasks with unparalleled fluidity.

While others might beat it in specific niche specs, the combination of the improved 18MP front-facing camera, the slim "Air-inspired" titanium build, and an ecosystem that just works makes it the most well-rounded device on the market.