Samsung’s non-folding flagship phone is an outstanding piece of craftsmanship with top-of-the-line internals and software, including Qualcomm’s speedy Snapdragon chipset, AMOLED screen size and its own One UI software and Galaxy AI smarts.
Oppo’s photography-centric Find X8 Pro smartphone marks its debut Western flagship and boasts four 50MP rear cameras (two telephoto lenses). A formidable machine, it stands up well against Samsung and Google flagship phones in terms of photography capabilities.
Samsung Galaxy S25
The Galaxy S25 is an attractive upgrade from an older phone, though it doesn’t do much else to stand out from last year’s flagship lineup. Both the 6.2-inch S25 and 6.7-inch S25 Ultra are powered by M13 OLED displays with WQHD resolution and 120Hz refresh rates – similar to previous generations of phones from Samsung.
Samsung has made several upgrades under the hood with these models, such as upgrading their Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset for Galaxy models to provide a slight performance boost and all models featuring an improved vapor chamber to ensure efficient cooling during intensive tasks.
Samsung also showcased some minor upgrades to its cameras this year. While its 50MP wide and 10MP telephoto cameras with 3X zoom retain the same hardware from last year, its secondary 12MP ultrawide camera was updated. Furthermore, camera software updates included larger language models. Furthermore, there were various AI-enabled photo and video editing tools, including an Audio Eraser that can separate music, voices and ambient noise in videos clips.
Oppo Find X8 Pro
Oppo Find X8 Pro stands out as an exceptional Android smartphone with superb cameras, featuring premium design, impressive performance, four impressive cameras, 5.7-inch display, powerful battery and its only drawback: lack of brand recognition as opposed to other flagship phones.
The Find X8 Pro features the new MediaTek Dimensity 9400 system-on-chip for its processing power, outdoing many Android devices in Geekbench’s single-core tests. On its front panel sits a 6.78-inch display with relatively slim bezels measuring only 1.9mm on either side and featuring a punch hole selfie camera for better selfie photos.
Ergonomically, the phone fits comfortably in your hand despite its somewhat slippery surface. The rounded edges of its display mesh well with its flat-edged body for easy one-hand operation.
Google Pixel 9 Pro
The Pixel 9 Pro provides many of the same features found in the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL, but in a more manageable form factor for one-handed use. Both models come equipped with brighter OLED displays that feature power-saving 1 Hz refresh rates for improved battery life; powerful cameras capable of producing noticeably sharper selfies; as well as clever AI features like Google Real Tone technology for optimizing skin tones.
This superb flagship phone stands out from its competition thanks to its striking looks, long battery life and class-leading camera system. Unfortunately, two-handed operation may be required due to its large form factor; however, cutting-edge AI features like Gemini Live feature and Pixel Studio generative image maker make up for that drawback.
Xiaomi Mi 15 Ultra
Xiaomi’s Ultra series is often targeted towards photographers, and this latest iteration seems no exception. According to leaks, previous leaks show an 1″ type primary sensor coupled with a 200MP periscope telephoto lens for impressive zoom capability.
Noteworthy features also include a quad-curved OLED display and HyperOS 2.0. The former offers adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz to improve battery performance and overall usability while the latter promises a faster and smoother software experience.
Xiaomi Mi 15 Ultra stands out as an outstanding flagship phone for mobile photography enthusiasts thanks to its powerful processor, large battery and cutting-edge camera features. While its price may seem steep at first, those who value high-end technology will find its extra expense worth their while – not only is its sleek design appealing to techies and casual users alike but its high-quality camera capabilities truly distinguish it among premium phones such as Pixel 8, Galaxy S24 and Motorola Razr Plus 2024.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
The Galaxy A54 5G brings Samsung’s premium design to its budget smartphone line-up in an attractive package. Available in awesome-looking Awesome Violet or more subdued Awesome Graphite hues, its 5,000mAh battery can keep most people going throughout their day’s activities and it supports 25W wired charging; unfortunately wireless charging remains unavailable here.
The phone’s 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display appears similar to those found on flagship devices, boasting 120Hz refresh rate and Full HD+ resolution. Even its rounded side rails and front/back panels resemble features found on high-end phones.
That holds true even when it comes to color reproduction, which exceeds sRGB limits while covering 90% of DCI-P3 gamut. You’ll experience colors more vividly than on Pixel 6a or LCD iPhone SE; its Delta-E color accuracy rating of 0.06 makes this budget Android phone one of the finest we have seen so far.
Samsung Galaxy A70
Samsung Galaxy A70 is an impressive midrange phone that packs plenty of features for its price point, including top speeds and an expansive display.
It features an amazing 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-U display with a small waterdrop notch and no bottom bezel, one of the best displays found on any mid-range smartphone.
This smartphone marks Samsung’s second attempt at equipping their phone with an optical in-display fingerprint scanner to enhance one-handed use.
The Galaxy A70 is a premium midrange smartphone designed to compete against devices such as the Nokia 8.1 and POCO F1. Running Android 9.0 Pie with Samsung’s One UI on top, this device boasts some useful features like night mode or dual messenger support that distinguish it from stock Android. Furthermore, its triple camera system on the rear delivers stunning images.
