Best flagship smartphones in 2025

Smartphones have evolved from a slab to a foldable and flippable device, but when it comes to flagship smartphones, the slab form factor still rules the roost. The best flagship smartphones in 2025 are all about the best display, the best camera tech, the best battery life, or the best performance. These are the devices where cutting-edge design meets peak performance.

In 2025, the best flagship smartphones will be smarter, sleeker, and faster than ever. If you are into mobile photography, gaming, or productivity on the go, the flagship phones are the way to go, and here are the phones dominating the flagship smartphone scene this year.

Best flagship phones

Looking for the ultimate smartphone experience in 2025? Flagship phones are you. The best flagship phones offer ultra-smooth displays, cutting-edge processors, AI-enhanced cameras, and fast-charging tech. Here are the five best flagship phones in India in 2025.

1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

2. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

3. Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL

4. OnePlus 13

5. Xiaomi 15 Ultra

1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Galaxy S25 Ultra from Samsung is undoubtedly the best flagship smartphone money can buy right now. It is the crème de la crème of the smartphone world, featuring top specs and refined hardware for a flagship user experience.

It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with a 6.9-inch 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED LTPO display, 12GB RAM, and an option for up to 1TB storage. The S25 Ultra also packs a powerful camera system with a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and another 50MP telephoto camera for 5X zoom. 

There is also a 12MP selfie camera and the smartphone packs a 5,00mAh battery. With the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung has shifted its focus from big hardware changes to AI enhancements. While Circle to Search and Gemini Live seem useful, the Galaxy AI falls flat.

2. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is undoubtedly the best iPhone right now. It packs a larger 6.9-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate without significantly increasing the overall dimensions. With a titanium build, faster AI-driven Apple A18 Pro chip, and an upgraded camera, the iPhone 16 Pro Max screams flagship performance and experience.

While iPhones have always packed the best camera, the iPhone 16 Pro Max sees improvement in the main camera and ultrawide camera. It is still one of the best cameras for still photography and the best for videos. Despite all the performance, the iPhone 16 Pro Max delivers best-in-class battery life, but the only downside is that it doesn’t charge as fast as the competition.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is a winner in terms of design, performance, and photography, but the delayed AI features might want you to think before making the move.

3. Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is the smartest Android smartphone and proof that you don’t need top-shelf hardware to deliver a flagship experience. The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL feature 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch LTPO OLED displays, respectively and are powered by the Google Tensor G4 chip with 16GB RAM and 256GB/512GB storage. 

They both feature a triple rear camera system with a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 48MP telephoto camera with 5x zoom. They also deliver all-day battery life with a 4,700mAh battery on Pixel 9 Pro and a 5,060mAh battery on Pixel 9 Pro XL.

However, the refined Android experience with features like instant transcriptions, summaries of recordings and calls, and AI camera features like Reimagine that make Pixel the smartest smartphone.

4. OnePlus 13

OnePlus has always been known for speed and smoothness, and the OnePlus 13 not only delivers on that promise but is now the best flagship smartphone for long battery life and fast charging. 

It features a 6,000mAh battery with support for 100W SuperVOOC wired charging and 50W AirVOOC wireless charging. There is a 6.82-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED display and a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The triple 50MP rear camera setup is not in the same league as Pixels or Galaxies of the smartphone world, but it gets the job done.

5. Xiaomi 15 Ultra

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the flagship smartphone for serious mobile photographers. Xiaomi’s flagship device stuns with its Leica-branded quad rear camera system. It features a 50MP main camera with f/1.6 aperture, a 50MP ultrawide camera with 115-degree field of view, a 50MP telephoto camera for 3x optical zoom, and a 200MP periscope camera for 4.3x optical zoom.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra first impressions: What’s new with the new Ultra?

With the Leica photography kit, it is difficult to find a better camera smartphone and the smartphone is designed to behave like a camera. 

When you look past the camera, you will find top-shelf hardware, including a 6.73-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and a 5,410mAh battery with 90W fast charging.

Smartphones have gotten so good that it is difficult to buy a bad smartphone right now. However, in the world of flagship smartphones, there are so many great options that you will find it difficult to choose one. If you already have an iPhone, then it is a no-brainer to go for the iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max, but for an overall great smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro are equally great options.

If you have a specific need, like the best camera smartphone or the best battery life, there is a flagship that overwhelmingly delivers on that front. Your choice for the best flagship smartphones in 2025 will depend on your priorities, including the camera capabilities, user experience, design, and raw power.