ZDNET’s key takeaways The $1,300 Motorola Razr Ultra is a high-performance flip phone with a unique design.

Key upgrades make it a compelling option for foldable (and compact) phone enthusiasts, such as the 65W charging speed and 50MP ultrawide lens.

The 4,700mAh battery looks great on paper, but yields average endurance from our testing. View now at Amazon View now at Best Buy View now at Motorola more buying choices

The Motorola Razr Ultra is one of the most interesting phones I’ve tested this year. It’s not just because it folds in half and fits comfortably in my pocket, or that there’s a Retro Razr mode that transforms the UI into a nostalgia trip back to the Razr’s golden days.

Also: Android 16 totally changes how notifications work on your phone, thanks to two new features

Instead, it’s the fact that this is arguably one of the closest things we’ve gotten to a true flagship flip phone, with no obvious compromises to the performance, display, camera, and durability. At $1,300, you’ll really have to pay to play with the Razr Ultra, and I’m curious to see how customers will react now that they can finally take one home.

Until then, here’s my verdict after testing the handset over the past week, including where Motorola misses the mark, and where it wins big.

By appearances alone, the Razr Ultra doesn’t look all that different from the Razr Plus model of past years. It’s just as pocketable, flips open and close with a flick of the wrist, and comes in an assortment of Pantone-validated finishes. If none of that “moves you,” that’s because the Razr’s full-display outer screen is arguably the peak of flip phone design. So, most of the changes Motorola implemented are rooted in the internal structure and material choices.

Also: My first 24 hours with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 left me completely mesmerized

The most significant yet subtle change is the new titanium-reinforced hinge plate, which Motorola says is four times stronger than surgical-grade stainless steel and can withstand up to 35% more folds than last year’s models. The company isn’t lying here. Having flipped open dozens of foldable phones over the past few years, I can tell you that the Razr Ultra is noticeably sturdier than other models, with a confident thump when you snap it shut.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

The big question with any foldable phone is how it holds up over time — I write as my Motorola Razr Plus (2024) produces a gritty, brushing-sandpaper-like sound whenever I open and close it — so I’ll keep my eyes and ears out with the Razr Ultra.

On a brighter note, the Razr’s curved sides continue to be a welcome design choice and make the thumb-tucking unfolding experience much easier than Samsung’s flattened design.

Also: Your iPhone is getting a major upgrade – 10 best features I can’t wait to try in iOS 26

The crease on the inner display of the Razr Ultra — a constant area of improvement with foldable phones — is also a little less noticeable this time around. Even if the difference isn’t visually distinctive compared to previous Razrs, you can feel the change when gliding your finger across the screen; it’s now a gentle divot that reminds you just how far flip phones have come in the past few years.

Rotating the phone in the camera app automatically turns on camcorder mode. Kerry Wan/ZDNET

I have to tip my hat to Motorola’s continuous efforts in making phones feel less boring. The Pantone-validated finishes on this year’s Razrs (beyond the Ultra) are a breath of fresh air in a market full of black and white rectangles, and they remind me of the old Moto Maker days.

While you can’t necessarily customize the Razr Ultra the same as you would with a Moto X in 2013, you can choose from a variety of colors and material finishes, including Pantone Scarab in Alcantara, Pantone Mountain Trail in FSC-certified wood, Pantone Cabaret, and Pantone Rio Red.

Also: This $611 Android competes with my Pixel 9 Pro (and does a few things better)

Each finish carries a unique aesthetic, but again, I’m a bit concerned about how they’ll fare in the long run — when softer materials like Alcantara face the brunt of dust particles and finger grease. Throughout my week of usage, the Alcantara fabric on my Razr Ultra picked up unknown pieces of dirt and debris without me even trying. Just the motion of going in and out of my pants pocket was enough to fill the textured backing with white speckles.

The takeaway? Opt for one of the harder, more polished finishes for the Razr Ultra, and you won’t regret it.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

While companies like Apple have seemingly backpedaled on their AI integrations in smartphones, Motorola is confidently doubling down. With the Razr Ultra, the company has called on several AI partners, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Perplexity, to embed their agents and services into the devices.

If that sounds like the most chaotic buffet of AI helpers a phone user can have, it kind of is. While Motorola’s controlled chaos approach to AI sounds promising in theory, I found each offering, except for Google Gemini, to be too disruptive.

Also: I used every Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series model – and my favorite isn’t the Ultra

For example, Moto AI, a pop-up window prompted by a long press of the dedicated AI key (found on the left side of the phone), gives you several pathways to interact with its large language models, from asking Perplexity to explain something to recording audio for summarization. As a result, I often found myself pausing my train of thought just to decide which AI service to use.

There’s an added layer of complexity here, as tapping shortcuts like “Explain with Perplexity” takes you from the pop-up window to the actual full-screen app. Shouldn’t everything be kept in one floating window as your background task stays put?

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

I’m more enthusiastic about the Razr Ultra’s Look and Talk feature, which leverages its cameras to detect when you’re staring at it and automatically prompts an AI voice chat. This ambient feature works surprisingly well, whether I set the phone at an angle on my office desk or on the kitchen countertop for quick recipe searches. Its delayed responses can make for an awkward conversation, but the answers are often well-detailed and sourced properly.

The key here is intention, as you really have to face and stare at the phone screen to activate the feature. I find that to be a good thing, as the last thing I want is another voice assistant randomly activating itself in the middle of the night.

Also: My new favorite multi-port charging station is $50 off on Amazon right now

As I mentioned at the beginning, the Razr Ultra is a true flagship flip phone, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of base storage. Those specs, paired with a fairly polished Android skin, make for a snappy and reliable mobile experience. You’ll notice some throttling when playing graphics-intensive games or downloading larger files in the background, but the day-to-day performance has proven to be just as good as $1,000+ slab phones.

The Razr Ultra’s camera system is another high point, with the 50MP main camera having just enough optics to capture subjects in great detail and vivid colors. Even with Motorola opting for a 50MP ultrawide camera instead of last year’s telephoto, I didn’t find myself missing the far-distance shooter all that much. Instead, I was very impressed with the dynamic range, barrel distortion control, and sharpness of the ultrawide sensor.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

On the other hand, video recordings on the Razr still appear slightly choppy, with a noticeable jitter that’s produced by the electronic image stabilization. There’s also a noticeable difference in color tones when switching between the main and ultrawide sensors, which can be jarring for some users.

Also: I changed 12 settings on my Android phone to dramatically improve battery life

Motorola somehow fit a 4,700mAh battery capacity into the Razr Ultra, and while that looks great on paper — competing flip phones are closer to 4,000mAh — I’ve found the endurance to be just average. On a regular day, I’m looking at around 15% battery left by the time I’m resting after dinner. Your mileage will vary, but I just wouldn’t set too high an expectation with the Razr Ultra.

Fortunately, the phone does support 65W wired charging and 30W wireless charging, so long as you have the proper chargers. This puts the Motorola phone closer to the likes of OnePlus, which most people consider the fast-charging leader in the US, and further away from the likes of Samsung and Apple. That’s a big win for Motorola.

ZDNET’s buying advice

You have to respect Motorola for taking a big swing with the Razr Ultra. The $1,300 flip phone won’t appeal to the masses per se — it’s hard enough to be a flip phone — but it shows that the company is listening to what its core users want.

Who exactly should buy the Razr Ultra? Technology enthusiasts, fashion-forward consumers (especially if you fancy the Ultra-exclusive Alcantara and Wood finishes), and users who want the best compact phone right now.

That said, the Razr Ultra’s biggest competitor has yet to hit the market, with Samsung expected to launch its latest Z Flip model this summer. Until then, shoppers should mostly consider the less expensive Razr Plus (2025), which has similarly-sized displays, software features, and the same Android update commitment (three years of OS and four years of security patches).

Table of Contents Nailing the Hardware New Display Sizes and Shapes Ultra Cameras The Densest Circuit Board Gemini Live Takes Center Stage Pricing and Availability

NEW YORK—Samsung has revealed its latest family of folding phones, which increases from two models to three. In addition to expected yearly updates to the Z Fold and Z Flip lines, Samsung introduced a less expensive Fan Edition of the Z Flip 7 to lower the cost of entry. All three phones come with Android 16, One UI 8, and the latest in Galaxy AI. With prices that range from $900 to well over $2,000, there are no cheap options here, but I got a chance to see the new hardware firsthand, and these are clearly Samsung’s most refined folding phones yet. Here’s everything you need to know.

Nailing the Hardware

Each year since its 2019 debut, Samsung has refined the design of its folding phones. The original Galaxy Fold was a chunky brick that filled your pocket and weighed you down. Now in its seventh generation, the Z Fold 7 is something to behold.

The Z Fold 7 is 48% thinner than the original at 0.35 inches folded and 0.16 inches when opened. It’s also much lighter at 7.58 ounces. Samsung says it has a new Advanced Armor Aluminum frame to help reduce weight and add strength. The company redesigned the Armor FlexHinge to disperse stress, protect the display, move more smoothly, and last longer. It’s an incredibly thin device and is hardly larger than a standard slab phone. The reduced weight goes a long way toward making it more usable. Everything about the hardware feels top-notch, and it slips into your pocket far more comfortably than previous models.

Samsung applied these same upgrades to the Z Flip 7, which is a touch thinner (0.26 inches) and lighter (6.63 ounces) than its predecessor, the Z Flip 6. Notably, the phone is slightly wider and shorter to change the aspect ratio of both the outer and inner screens. With a broader width, each is easier to type on. The Flip 7 FE is more like a warmed-over version of the Z Flip 6 and is thicker and heavier than the Flip 7, but it’s still a fine device.

The hinges of all three phones feel strong and fluid in their movement. We’ve come a long way from the creaking hinges of Samsung’s first-generation foldables.

The glass is stronger all around. The Z Fold 7 adopts Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the rear to ward off scratches and breakage. The inner screen has a new Grade 4 titanium layer for protection and new adhesives to prevent the multi-layer display from delaminating over time. The Flip 7 features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front and back, but otherwise has the same upgrades.

Both the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 have the same IP48 rating as last year’s models, which means they are resistant to larger particles of dust and can handle immersion in about five feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Samsung didn’t say if the Flip 7 FE shares the same rating.

There are fewer color options than in previous years. The Z Fold 7 comes in black, blue, or silver, the Flip comes in black, blue, or coral red, and the FE comes in black or white. If you order the Fold 7 or Flip 7 online, you’ll have access to an exclusive mint (green) option. In person, the blue, coral red, and mint are the winners as far as making an impression is concerned.

New Display Sizes and Shapes

Once again, Samsung has tweaked the size and shape of its folding screens to make them easier to look at and use. It might be hard to believe, but the Z Fold 7 gets even bigger. The outer screen grows from 6.3 to 6.5 inches and is wider than before. It’s now the same size and shape display you’d find on any flagship phone (21:9 aspect ratio), rather than the tall and narrow one from older versions. The inner screen stretches from 7.6 inches on the Fold 6 to a massive 8.0 inches—the same size as many small tablets. Both have 120Hz adaptive refresh rates. These Dynamic AMOLED 2x displays are incredibly sharp and bright, and provide enough real estate to accomplish any task, watch any video, or run multiple apps side by side.

There’s one major drawback, though: The Fold loses compatibility with Samsung’s S Pen stylus. The Fold has supported the S Pen for most of its generations, even if the stylus isn’t embedded in the chassis. In order to develop a thinner phone, Samsung had to delete the layer that works with the stylus.

The Flip 7 has bigger screens, too. The outer display gets a huge upgrade, expanding from 3.6 inches to 4.1 inches. Narrow 0.05-inch bezels frame the display, which basically goes edge to edge, and seamlessly around the camera lenses. It includes what Samsung calls Vision Booster to make the outdoor experience better. The screen now reaches 2,600 nits of peak brightness and has a 120Hz refresh rate for brighter and smoother performance. I tested it under extra-bright lamps in an event space and found it a breeze to see, no matter how much light shone on it. The inner screen improves from 6.7 inches to 6.9 inches. Critically, Samsung has widened both screens to improve typing messages on the keyboard. It now has a common 21:9 aspect ratio. It was easy to feel the extra room when pecking out a few sample sentences in person.

The Flip 7 FE has screens similar to those of the Flip 6. Though Samsung didn’t share specs, in person, the phone’s displays looked almost as impressive as the Flip 7’s. Its smaller 3.6-inch Flex Window comes across as more cramped than the large one of the Flip 7.

Ultra Cameras

The Fold 7 adopts the same 200MP main camera found on the S25 Ultra and S25 Edge, as well as the latest ProVisual Engine to process photos and videos. Though the rest of the camera suite appears to be the same as the Fold 6, the improved main sensor should go a long way toward making Fold 7 users happy.

The 200MP main shooter can capture 200MP, 50MP, and 12MP images, with the 50MP option offering a macro mode for extremely sharp close-ups. This was great to test in person. The phone can take some really sharp macros. The rest of the package includes a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus, a 10MP cover screen camera, and a 10MP inner screen camera with a super-wide 100-degree field of view for those group selfies. The ProVisual engine reduces noise, supports 10-bit HDR+ by default, and helps clean up night video for sharper and brighter results.

The Flip 7 has a 50MP main camera similar to that of the Z Flip 6, but it uses the same ProVisual Engine to process images and make them look their best. The phone can take 2x optical zoom shots by using the central portion of the sensor. It also has a 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP selfie camera.

Samsung says it has improved the selfie-taking experience. There’s now an Auto Zoom function for hands-free shots. It can assess the scene and frame the short accordingly. Moreover, there’s a super-easy-to-use, one-handed Zoom Slider that lets you instantly set the right amount of zoom for your shots. The Flip 7 FE provides similar camera hardware but relies on a different processing engine.

The Densest Circuit Board

Yearly upgrades don’t hinge on design, displays, and cameras alone. Samsung has boosted the specs of each device to ensure it can deliver the best possible experiences.

As expected, the Z Fold 7 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen Elite for Galaxy processor, which also powers Samsung’s Galaxy S25 line. This chip is not only fast but also more efficient and better at AI calculations, and it does all that while drawing less power. The phone carries over the same storage options as last year, which include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The Z Flip 7 has “the latest 3nm chip for advanced performance,” which is the homegrown Exynos 2500 chip. The phone will come in 256GB and 512GB variants. Both phones come with 12GB of RAM across the board. Samsung didn’t say anything about the FE’s processor or RAM, but did say it will be available in 128GB and 256GB models.

Samsung says the circuit board of the Z Flip 7, in particular, is the most dense one it has ever designed for a phone. It spent extra time engineering a board to handle every possible feature in the phone’s small form factor. It also refined core components, like the camera module and battery, to squish everything inside.

Somewhat disappointingly, the batteries are the same year over year. The Z Fold 7 has a 4,400mAh battery, and the Z Flip 7 has a 4,300mAh battery. Both support the same 25W wired charging and 15W wireless charging specs as last year, too. Samsung claims both phones can charge to 50% in about 30 minutes with 25W adapters. Samsung said the Z Fold 7 can play video for 26 hours straight and the Z Flip 7 can play video for 31 hours straight. (That’s with the video stored on the device at 720p.) We test battery life by streaming 1080p video over Wi-Fi with the screen at full brightness.

Samsung has played it conservative with the charging capabilities of its top phones, settling on 25W as “fast enough” for most people. Competing phones from OnePlus, Oppo, Honor, and others can charge at speeds up to 120W. Motorola’s latest foldable, the Razr Ultra, supports 68W wired charging and 30W wireless charging.

The phones come with the latest Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7, as well as 5G. Samsung didn’t specify which versions of 5G. The Fold and Flip 7 likely support C-band, mmWave, and sub-6GHz, while the Flip 7 FE may be limited to C-band and sub-6GHz. The phones can handle one physical SIM card as well as an eSIM card.

Gemini Live Takes Center Stage

Google’s Gemini Live now plays an even bigger role in Samsung’s Galaxy AI experience and is more deeply ingrained in the One UI 8 platform. These are the first phones to ship with Android 16 out of the box, and they pack Samsung’s One UI 8 to start. One UI 8 focuses on improving the multitasking experience, optimizing content and controls for the new screens and floating windows, and making it more seamless than ever to drag content from one app into another.

Perhaps the Z Flip 7 gains the most significant upgrade. The outer screen, which Samsung calls the Flex Window, carries over all the Galaxy AI and Gemini tools from the Galaxy S25 line. This includes the Now Bar and the Now Brief, which are AI-driven notifications that feed you details about your day and that of the world around you. Moreover, the Flex Window supports natural voice search, where you can get answers and take actions directly without opening the phone. Gemini can look into apps to make suggestions, as well as proactively turn on Find My Device when you leave home, or check the weather for your destination ahead of upcoming trips. Gemini Live on the Flex Window includes using the camera for answers about what’s in front of you, or providing you with a fit check against the latest styles.

Circle to Search takes a step forward. AI Mode in Circle to Search lets you access advanced reasoning and multimodal capabilities to explore things when on the go. You can also ask follow-up questions to learn more without opening up the phone. Moreover, Circle to Search now works within games. You can snap a screenshot and learn about new characters, gain tips, get unstuck, or find a winning strategy. The demo I saw allowed a Samsung rep to seek out the answers to a puzzle by sending a Circle to Search result to Google.

Gemini Live also works natively with more apps on the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, including Samsung Calendar, Notes, and Reminders.

Galaxy AI gains pro-level photo editing. For example, Photo Assist now suggests what background items to erase from your photos, and Generative Edit performs the erasures with a single tap. In the demo I saw, the tool automatically highlighted all the people in the background of a shot taken in a forest. It then seamlessly deleted them with a tap. Galaxy AI powers side-by-side editing on the Z Fold 7 so you can see the original and new version in real time. The Audio Eraser tool can now instantly remove unwanted sounds, like wind, crowd noise, and traffic, from videos. Further, Audio Eraser now works in the Samsung Notes voice recorder app and with recorded phone calls.

Samsung continues to boost Knox, its enterprise security suite. All the new phones include KEEP (Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection), which locks everything down and prevents apps from accessing personal details without explicit permission. It can auto-detect threats and then automatically sign you out of your device to prevent personal information from being compromised. Samsung says this is all strengthened by quantum-resistant encryption.

As with its other recent flagships, Samsung is promising seven years of OS and security updates for its new foldables. Samsung also says it will not charge anyone for any Gemini AI feature that ships on the device. A year ago, the company suggested it may eventually charge people to use Gemini features after a set time, but it appears that Samsung is putting that plan on hold.

Pricing and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are available for preorder now and will hit store shelves on July 25. If you order directly from Samsung, you can score discounts on storage upgrades and accessories. Samsung is also offering $50 credits and generous trade-in deals.

The Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999.99 for the 256GB model, $100 more than last year’s phone. The Z Flip 7 starts at $1,099.99, the same as last year’s model. Considering the Z Flip 7 FE is supposed to be an affordable entry point into foldables, it starts at a surprisingly costly $899.99. Samsung didn’t immediately provide pricing for the higher-capacity models.

I plan to put all three phones to the test, so check back soon for my reviews. In the mean time, read about Samsung’s latest smartwatches.

Refresh

Best foldable face-off (Image credit: Future) The Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) currently holds the top spot in our best foldable phone rankings. But that position could be under threat now that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is here. We’ll do a full-scale face-off as part of our Galaxy Z Flip review process, but for now, John Velasco looks at the ways the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can beat the Motorola Razr Ultra.

A wake-up call for Apple (Image credit: Future) Apple doesn’t have a foldable phone — not yet anyhow. But some people are expecting that to change next year with the release of a rumored iPhone Fold. If that is the case, then Mark Spoonauer thinks the Galaxy Z Fold 7 gives Apple plenty to think about, since it illustrates how far ahead Samsung is in developing this kind of foldable device.

Does the Galaxy Z Fold 7 FE offer enough? (Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco) It’s always a step in the right direction when a company offers a lower-cost version of one of its devices. But is the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE a big enough step? Considering how close it is to last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 6 — and how that older phone can now be had for less, at least thanks to Prime Day sales — you could argue, as I do, that Samsung may have missed the mark with its midrange flip phone.

So about that G Fold… (Image credit: Samsung) There had been chatter about a Galaxy Unpacked appearance by the Galaxy G Fold — the name being bandied about for the triple-folding phone Samsung is said to be working on — but that didn’t pan out. Still, the absence of the Galaxy G Fold at the July 9 product event doesn’t mean it’s not in the works, or that it won’t be arriving sooner than you might think. That comes from no less an authority than Samsung boss TM Roh who says a triple-folding phone from his company could be ready by year’s end. Here’s what Roh told the Korea Times: “We are working hard on a tri-fold smartphone with the goal of launching it at the end of this year. We are now focusing on perfecting the product and its usability, but we have not decided its name. As the product nears completion, we are planning to make a final decision soon.”

Hands-on with the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) It’s the day after the Samsung Unpacked event and the early reaction to the new devices is positive — even with that noted price increase. If you haven’t yet, you can check out our hands-on impressions of both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the The Galaxy Z Flip 7 now that everything is official. The obvious question now is when — or if — Apple will respond with its own iPhone Fold next year. Here’s why this week’s Samsung news really puts Apple on notice. YouTube Watch On

Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders (Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco) Like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, preorders are now underway for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and we’re rounding up preorder deals for the foldable flip phone in advance of its July 25 release. Free storage upgrade offers seem to be the order of the day, as we’ve seen that available from Samsung, AT&T and Verizon on Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders. The Verizon deal strikes us as particularly, compelling, as you can essentially get the phone free depending on the phone you trade in. Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorder: up to $1,100 off w/ trade-in @ Verizon

Verizon is offering aggressive Galaxy Z Flip 7 preorders. Trade-in an old phone and you’ll get up to $1,100 off Samsung’s new foldable. Plus, you’ll get a free storage upgrade with your preorder.

In praise of the Classic (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) Dan Bracaglia has looked at all the watches Samsung showed off today and has a favorite — the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the one to get, he says, even if it costs more than the standard model. Credit the extra storage, bigger battery and better design.

Galaxy Watch specs compared (Image credit: Samsung) Trying to decide which Galaxy Watch is right for you? Check out this specs table comparing the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic announced today. We’ve also included the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which adds a new blue version with 64GB of storage. Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Galaxy Watch 8 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Galaxy Watch Ultra Starting price $349 $499 $649 Colors Graphite, Silver Black, White Titanium Blue, Titanium White, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silver Sizes 40mm, 44mm 46mm 47mm Dimensions 40mm: 42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6 mm / 44mm: 46 x 43.7 x 8.6 mm 46.4 x 46 x 10.6 mm 47.4 x 47. 1 x 12.1 mm Weight 40mm: 30.0 g / 44m: 34.0 g 63.5 g 60.5 g Display 40mm: 1.34″ (438×438) / 44mm: 1.47″ (480×480) 1.34″ (438×438) 1.5″ (480 x 480) Processor Exynos W1000 Exynos W1000 Exynos W1000 Battery capacity 40mm: 325mAh / 44mm: 435mAh 445mAh 590 mAh Durability 5ATM + IP68 5ATM + IP68 10 ATM + IP68 Storage 32GB 64GB 64GB Connectivity LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+ 5 GHz, NFC LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+ 5 GHz, NFC LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+ 5 GHz, NFC Compatibility Android 12 or higher Android 12 or higher Android 11 or higher

Hands-on with the Galaxy Watch 8 (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) Kate Kozuch takes the Galaxy Watch 8 out for an early spin, with a particular eye on examining the health and fitness tracking features. She’s also intrigued by the idea of having Gemini available on a wrist-worn device with no need to pair the watch with a nearby phone.

Let the pre-orders begin (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) After the launch event comes the pre-orders, and we’ve got a guide to all the early offers emerging on Samsung’s latest products, starting with Galaxy Z Fold 7 pre-orders. One of the most compelling deals so far, comes from Samsung itself, which will not only upgrade your storage at no extra cost but also take up to $1,150 off the cost of the phone depending on the device you trade-in. Galaxy Z Fold 7 preorder: up to $1,150 off w/ trade-in @ Samsung

Free storage upgrade! Samsung is knocking up to $1,150 off Galaxy Z Fold 7 preorders when you trade-in an older phone. Additionally, you’ll get a free storage upgrade with your preorder. The phone features an 8-inch AMOLED (2184 x 1968) 120Hz main display, 6.5-inch AMOLED (2520 x 1080) 120Hz cover display, Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. On the rear you get a 200MP f/1.7 main wide-angle lens, 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, and 10MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. Selfie cams include a 10MP f/2.2 main display and cover camera. In our Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on, we called it the first foldable we’d want to carry and use all day. As a reminder, pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are now live, and the phone itself arrives in stores July 25.

More on One UI 8 (Image credit: Samsung) As noted during the Galaxy Unpacked presentation, all the new foldable phones are shipping with Android 16 and One UI 8 preinstalled — impressive since it feels like One UI 7 just got here. Tom Pritchard has more details on the features One UI 8 is bringing to the mix.

No surprises (Image credit: Future) So all that talk about a Galaxy G Fold appearance didn’t pan out. And Project Moohan was a no-show, too, at least during the keyote.

Wrapping it up (Image credit: Samsung) After a video on Samsung’s sustainability efforts, TM Roh is back to recap things while also talking about the sustainable materials Samsung’s new products use. “Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 represent the pinnacle of our innovation,” Roh said. And with that, we’re all done.

Watch pricing (Image credit: Samsung) The Galaxy Watch 8 costs $349 for the 40mm version. That’s actually a $50 price hike from the Galaxy Watch 7. You’ll pay $499 for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Preorders start now, and you can pick up the watch in stores on July 25.

Screen brightness (Image credit: Samsung) Amid a very lengthy video showing off the Galaxy Watch 8 features, Samsung notes that the watch’s display is rated for 3,000 nits of brightness so its easy to see outdoors. It’s thinner than before, too. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is back with the rotating bezel. A 2025 version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra comes in a new blue shade. Otherwise features seem to be the same, save for an upgrade to 64GB of storage.

Gemini on your watch (Image credit: Samsung) The Galaxy Watch 8 will have Gemini on board, meaning you won’t need to pair your smartwatch with a phone. All you need is a Wi-Fi or LTE connection to access the assistant.

Meet Xealth (Image credit: Samsung) Samsung has bought Xealth, which is a healthcare integration platform. The move looks like it lets you more easily share data from Samsung’s wearables and health care providers. Samsung says it’s a cornerstone of advancing care at home.

Vascular Load (Image credit: Samsung) Another new feature of the Galaxy Watch measures Vascular Load as you sleep and gives you advice on developing heart healthy habits. A sensor on the watch measures antioxidant levels and makes recommendations on diet.

Up close with the Galaxy Watch 8 Want to learn more about the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic? We have a video on the latest Samsung smartwatches. YouTube Watch On

Galaxy Watch 8 (Image credit: Samsung) The Galaxy Watch 8 makes its debut, and among the new feature are a Running Coach tool to help you train and deliver real-time coaching. A Bedtime Reminders feature helps you optimize sleep, too.

A Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, too (Image credit: Samsung) Samsung also has a lower-cost version of the Flip available in the form of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. It’s $899, which is $100 less than the Motorola Razr Plus (2025). You can get it in black or white.

Price and availability (Image credit: Samsung) The Galaxy Z Flip 7 still costs $1,099. Pre-orders start today, with the phone shipping July 25. It’ comes in blue, black and red with a mint option exclusively at Samsung.

Flex cam (Image credit: Samsung) There’s a fairly lengthy video about using the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s flexible camera to capture video, which is probably a way to distract you from the fact that the camera specs haven’t changed year-to-year. However, it does sound like the ProVisual engine is getting a refresh for better photo processing

Bigger Flex Window (Image credit: Samsung) The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has a 4.1-inch cover display, up from 3.4 inches on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The bezels smaller, too. Now Brief summaries appear on the Flex Window, and you can customize the wallpaper to optimize it for the design, as the display incorporates the two exterior cameras.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 And now it’s time to talk Galaxy Z Flip 7. We’ve got a hand-on video for the flip phone. YouTube Watch On

Price and availability (Image credit: Samsung) Pre-orders start today. The phone costs $1,999, a $100 price increase from the Galaxy Z Fold 6. There are three colors — silver, black, blue — and Samsung is offering a mint version exclusively. Sounds like it’s hitting stores on July 25.

Camera details (Image credit: Samsung) We’re going over Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera changes now, led by that 200MP camera. But the ultrawide camera features a 100-degree field of view and autofocus. AI editing tools are getting smarter; for instance, you’ll be able to get suggestions on multiple people to remove from a photo at once. And of course, the expansive Fold display makes it easier to compare photo edits side-by-side or editing videos right on your device.

Galaxy AI on foldables (Image credit: Samsung) Samsung is showing off its Galaxy AI features, but the key here is that they’ve been optimized for the larger screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. There’s also a recap of the KEEP feature Samsung announced the other day that keeps personal data secure on your device.

Google AI Pro for foldables (Image credit: Samsung) You’ll get six free months of Google AI Pro with your Samsung foldable phone purchase. So that’s nice.

Android 16 on-board (Image credit: Samsung) The early release of Android 16 means the new Samsung phones will ship with the latest OS out of the box. Thats the fastest that’s ever happened. Google’s Rick Osterloh appears to talk about some of the AI improvements that Google has developed with Samsung, including Circle to Search and Gemini Live improvements. We’ve got the details in a report on Google’s new AI capabilities.

AI features (Image credit: Samsung) Samsung is touting the AI features on its phones, highlighted by multimodal AI support. That allows the phone to see what you’re seeing and share information around that. Another key AI factor is personalization, and this refers to the Now Brief feature that Samsung introduced earlier this year with the Galaxy S25 series. Its coming to the foldables, too. And everything’s protected from the Personal Data Engine to keep you information secure.

‘Wildly thin’ (Image credit: Samsung) Samsung is now explaining why it matters that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner than before. It’s because it makes the folded-up phone easier to carry around. Also because the cover screen is now larger, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels more like a conventional device, making it easier to use when the phone is closed shut.

200MP camera (Image credit: Samsung) As expected, Samsung is using a 200MP main camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. But it’s also restructured the other rear camers to fit the slender design.

‘Breakthroughs without compromise’ (Image credit: Samsung) We’re getting the rundown of what Samsung is delivering with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 — it’s slimmer, it’s smarter (with Galaxy AI) and it’s powerful. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is Samsung’s thinnest foldable phone, and it’s got a new hinge to keep that slim design durable. The hinge also helps the display be more resilient.

Meet the Galaxy Z Fold 7 Samsung is introducing the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but we’ve got a video hands-on of the new foldable. YouTube Watch On

Galaxy AI recap (Image credit: Samsung) TM Roh of Samsung kicks things off, with a quick recap of Samsung’s AI efforts, including the company’s push to bring AI to its smartwatches. (More on that in a bit, I’m sure). And now he’s talking about the new foldables, starting with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. “The Ultra era is ready to unfold,” he says.

Hands-on with the new products (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) With Samsung taking the stage at Unpacked, we can now pass along our hands-on impressions of some of the devices being launched today. Galaxy Z Fold 7 hands-on : A thinner design — and a bigger price

A thinner design — and a bigger price Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on : Bigger screens, plus a cheaper model

Bigger screens, plus a cheaper model Galaxy Watch 8 : Meet the watch with Gemini AI onboard We’ll have more details about each of those products and more as Unpacked continues.

It begins (Image credit: Samsung) After a quick hype video touting Samsung’s innovations — uplifting music included, naturally — Galaxy Unpacked is underway.

Here’s what the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 might look like (Image credit: Evan Blass) With less than 10 minutes before Unpacked starts, let’s take one last look at the possible Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 designs. We’ve got some last-minute leaks of renders that claim to show off the new devices. The renders come from Evan Blass, who has a solid reputation, and show off just how thin the two phones might actually be. Earlier reports claim the Z Fold 7 may be just 4.5mm when unfolded, alongside a larger 8.2-inch display panel. (Image credit: Evan Blass) As for the Z Flip 7, we’re looking at an all-new cover display that covers the entire front of the phone — similar to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. Not only does that mean there’s no cutout where the cameras should be, we’re likely getting a larger cover screen as well. Of course we’re only hours away from seeing both phones, and possibly the rumored Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, up close and personal.

A cheaper Galaxy foldable at last? (Image credit: Evan Blass / Android Headlines) While we haven’t seen a great many rumors or leaks about it, there is mounting evidence that this Galaxy Unpacked will feature three foldable devices. And that third device would finally deliver a cheaper foldable, currently dubbed the Galaxy Z fFip 7 FE. The most recent specs leak suggests the phone will have a pair of 4.1-inch and 6.98-inch displays, just like the Z Flip 7, while also being powered by the Exynos 2400e chipset, Inside we’re looking at 8GB of RAM, a choice of 128 or 256GB of storage and a 4,000 mAh battery. That’ll apparently come rocking a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultrawide shooter and a 12MP lens for selfies. There’s still a fair bit we don’t know about the phone, like pricing or display specs, but we should hear about that before Unpacked is over.

Is Samsung overhyping the Z Fold 7? (Image credit: Samsung) For years we’ve been hearing about the possibility of Samsung releasing a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra — something better and more advanced than the standard Z Fold flagship. This year it seems Samsung might follow through in a way, because it’s been hyping up the Z Fold 7 as an “Ultra” handset. Samsung even referred to the next foldable as “Galaxy Ultra” while simultaneously hyping up its abilities to offer ” “cutting-edge performance and seamless AI integration optimized for the foldable format.” If that wasn’t enough Samsung later came out to refer to the Z Fold 7 as the “thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet — meticulously crafted and built to last.” Those are some very bold promises, and we still don’t know if Samsung can actually deliver on them Needless to say, it’s going to be interesting to see if Samsung is being totally truthful or applying the usual layers of marketing hyperbole to try and sell more phones.

The view from London (Image credit: Future) While there’s a Tom’s Guide crew at the main Unpacked event in New York, Samsung’s holding gatherings elsewhere, too. And our own Richard Priday checks in from London with this photo, where the Galaxy Unpacked launch event is apparently full of stars — or at least stars made to look like the Galaxy AI logo.

The fight for the thinnest phone (Image credit: TheSinza | YouTube) To hear the rumors surrounding the Galaxy Z Fold 7, a major focus will be how thin the new phone is compared to other devices — foldable phones in particular. Assuming the latest Fold 7 is 4.2mm at its thinnest point when unfolded — and that’s the leading rumor right now — here’s how that compares to a few other noteworthy models. Galaxy Z Fold 6: 5.6mm

5.6mm Galaxy S25 Edge: 5.8mm

5.8mm Oppo Find N5: 4.2mm

4.2mm Honor Magic V5: 4.2mm

4.2mm iPhone 17 Air (rumored): 5.65mm

And we are in the door! Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Tom’s Guide is official inside at the Unpacked event in New York, which means it’s time to start counting down the minutes until the event actually starts. With word that we’ll see the new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, a range of new Galaxy Watches and the all-new Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, there’s an awful lot to look forward to.

Don’t expect to see another Galaxy Ring (Image credit: Future) While there are rumors that a Galaxy Ring 2 is in development , don’t expect to see it at Galaxy Unpacked later today. The original Galaxy Ring did launch last year, and it certainly wouldn’t be too early to get a follow-up, it isn’t likely to happen. The sheer lack of rumors and leaks is a big indicator that development isn’t very far along. On top of that I’d speculate that Samsung probably wanted to gauge the reception of the original Galaxy ring before getting serious about the sequel. Designing new gadgets takes several months if everything goes smoothly, and what we’ve heard suggests development is still in those early stages. That would put a potential launch in the calendar for sometime next year at the earliest.

Tom’s Guide is on the ground at Unpacked Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Unpacked starts in little over an hour, and the Tom’s Guide team is already on the ground — with Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer waiting in line for the show to begin. Unpacked itself starts at 10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. PT / 3 p.m. BST) and if you check back in here we’ll be covering all the news as it happens.

A durability downer (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) Historically, durability hasn’t been foldables’ strongest attribute. I’m sure a lot of you can remember the problems the original Galaxy Fold faced, to the point where Samsung had to cancel its launch and push release back by several months, Things have improved a lot in the past few years, thanks to new materials, better hinge design and the introduction of IP water and dust resistance testing. It had been hoped that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 would push that even further, exceeding the IP48 rating afforded to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. That isn’t particularly farfetched, considering we’re expecting some design changes on the phone. Sadly the latest rumors suggest this won’t be the case, and the Z Fold 7 will come with the exact same IP rating as its predecessor. IP48 isn’t particularly bad, since it means the phone can last at least 30 minutes in up to 1.5 meters of water. But it leaves the foldable with a serious weakness to dust particles. Which, as the original Galaxy Fold showed, can be a big problem.

All eyes on AI (Image credit: Future) Samsung did a lot of talking about AI features in its pre-launch teasers, raising the possibility of new AI capabilities debuting with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. That would certainly grab our attention, because we just completed an AI phone face-off with phones from Samsung, Google and Apple. And as good as Galaxy AI has proven to be, Google’s take on AI-based phone features won the majority of our contests. It wasn’t a total walkover for Google and Gemini. The Galaxy AI features power the digital assistant and image generation finished ahead of Google and Apple in those two contests. But Samsung has a lot of ground to gain in other categories, and the new foldable phones could show us what the company has in the works for AI.

Galaxy Z Fold compared (Image credit: Future) It’s helpful to see what changes in a phone model from one year to the next, not necessarily because you want to upgrade from last year’s phone, but because it helps illustrate just how significant the changes to the new model are. With that in mind, we have a Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 6 comparison based on the rumors swirling around the upcoming release. Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Galaxy Z Fold 7 (rumored) Galaxy Z Fold 6 Starting price $1,899 $1,899 Main display size 8 inches 7.6 inches Cover display size 6.5 inches 6.3 inches Chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Rear cameras 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto Selfie cams 10MP (outer), 4MP (inner) 10MP (outer), 4MP (inner) Battery size 4,400 mAh 4,400 mAh There’s the usual processor upgrade, of course — we’re expecting the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to run on a new Snapdragon 8 Elite system on chip. But the bigger changes look to involve design, as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 adopts bigger screens and a thinner design than its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is also supposed to adopt the 200MP main camera found on phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Edge; the Z Fold 6 made do with a 50MP shooter. As for things likely to stay the same, it doesn’t sound like there will be changes to battery size, so the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is really going to have to depend on the new Snapdragon silicon to help it last longer on a charge.

What’s happening with the S Pen? (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) As much as we like to think of new phones arriving packed with new features and hardware, that isn’t always the case. We do lose stuff quite regularly, and a bunch of rumors claim that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may be ditching the S Pen — just like the Galaxy Z Fold SE did last year. It’s speculated that Samsung is focussing on the thickness of the foldable this time, and since every millimeter counts it will be removing the digitizer layer from the foldable screen . The Z Fold 7 wouldn’t be able to detect stylus input without it, and that means no S Pen support. One leaker does claim the phone may have a brand new kind of S Pen , but other rumors seem to disagree. Roland Quandt, who posted a series of in-depth specs about the foldable, makes no mention of a new stylus.

Galaxy Z Flip compared If you’re wondering what’s likely to change with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, you might want to take a look at our Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 6 comparison, which tries to put the rumored updates in context of last year’s phone. Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 (rumored) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Main screen size 6.85 inches 6.7 inches Cover screen size 4 inches 3.4 inches Chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite / Exynos 2500 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 RAM 12GB 12GB Storage 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB Cameras 50MP main, 12MP ultawide, 10MP selfie 50MP main, 12MP ultawide, 10MP selfie Battery size 4,300 mAh 4,000 mAh The biggest change in the works will likely involve the screens on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which should be bigger than the comparable panels on last year’s model. Specifically, the Flip 7’s main display is supposed to be around 6.9 inches, while the cover display will grow to either 4 inches or 4.1 inches, depending on which rumor you’re following. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 had 6.7- and 3.4-inch screens inside and out. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 could also get a bigger battery and leaker Roland Quandt has the new model getting thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 6, even if the change won’t be as dramatic as the thinner Galaxy Z Fold 7. As for the cameras, they look to be staying the same unless Samsung has some AI-fueled photo capture and processing features it’s going to wow us with.

A new chip for the Galaxy Z Flip 7? (Image credit: OnLeaks / Android Headlines) Chipsets change almost every year in phones, and that’s likely to be the case with the Galaxy Z Flip 7. What’s less clear is what chip Samsung will use with the phone. Normally, you’d expect Samsung’s flip phone to get a Snapdragon 8 system-on-chip, matching the top-of-the-line silicon that the Galaxy Z Fold uses. But a persistent rumor has the Galaxy Z Flip 7 getting a new Exynos chipset — the Exynos 2500 , to be specific. Exynos chips are powerful and they can support Galaxy AI features, but they don’t always match Qualcomm’s comparable Snapdragon silicon for CPU and GPU speeds. So an Exynos 2500-powered Galaxy Z Flip 7 may not be a performance powerhouse. We’ll find out for certain once Samsung confirms what chip its new flip phone is using and when we get the phone in for benchmark testing.

Biggest questions ahead of Unpacked (Image credit: Samsung) I’ve been covering Samsung launch events regularly for a decade now, and before each one, it seems like we know all the key details about whatever it is that will appear at the show. And yet, I always have some key questions that I’m hoping Samsung will answer during the event itself. That’s certainly the case this time around, and a few days ago, I wrote about the burning questions ahead of Galaxy Unpacked 2025 . For the TLDR version, I’m wondering exactly what Samsung means with all this talk of the Galaxy Z Fold Ultra, how the Galaxy Z Flip will grab our attention and what kind of new health tracking features are in the works for the Galaxy Watch models. Oh, and there’s the not incidental question of what all this is going to cost.

Last-minute foldable rumors (Image credit: Android Headlines) Just because Unpacked is hours away from starting, the rumor machine isn’t about to stop cranking out new details about the upcoming product releases from Samsung. And if you’re interested in foldable phones, Roland Quandt of WinFuture.de has posted some last-minute specs for all three foldables that we’re expecting to see today. Yes, I said “three.” Along with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, which everyone probably expected, Quandt also believes we’re getting a Galaxy Z Flip FE, a cheaper model of Samsung’s flip phone. Certainly, there have been rumors that such a phone was on the way, though some people were expecting to see it later in the year. At any rate, most of the last-minute specs match what we’ve been hearing about all along, save for Quandt’s claim that the Z Flip 7 will have a 6.9-inch interior screen and a 4.1-inch cover display — previously rumors listed those sizes at 6.85 inches and 4 inches, respectively. See for yourself how the upcoming foldable phones are expected to compare. All of this in the last couple of posts is from official Samsung promo materials — @rquandt.bsky.social (@rquandt.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-07-09T08:34:09.760Z

The case for a cheaper flip (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) The Galaxy Z Flip has been Samsung’s more affordable foldable phone, but in this case, affordability is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, compared to the $1,899 Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 feels like a bargain at $1,099. But that’s still what you’d pay for a premium phone like Samsung’s own Galaxy S25 Edge. And the Galaxy Z Flip’s price tag reflects a $100 price hike from a year ago, as Samsung pushed the cost of a foldable phone back past the $1,000 mark. That’s not exactly going to encourage widespread adoption of foldable devices. So that’s why Samsung might be motivated to release a Galaxy Z Flip FE, which rumors say will strip back some of the regular Flip’s features for lower starting price. Samsung certainly has motivation to do so, as Motorola sells a pair of foldable phones — the Motorola Razr Plus and the standard Motorola Razr — that cost $999 and $699, respectively.

I wrote a little bit more on the case for Samsung making a cheaper foldable phone .

All about the watches @tomsguide ♬ News – yagobeats How many different watch models will Samsung show off at Unpacked? What kind of features will they have? And is the Galaxy Watch Classic finally coming back after a two-year absence from the smartwatch lineup? We’ll need to wait for Unpacked to get the definitive answers, but we can preview the various Galaxy Watch rumors right now.

One UI 8 (Image credit: Future) It’s very likely that the Galaxy foldable devices revealed at Galaxy Unpacked today are going to come with One UI 8 preinstalled. For starters, Samsung launched the beta program for One UI 8 back in May. For another, just ahead of Unpacked, Samsung detailed new security features for its phones that will be part of One UI 8 . Part of the announcement has to do with the Personal Data Engine that debuted as part of the Galaxy S25 series earlier this year and enables features like Now Brief. That’s the part of the phone that learns your preferences and routines over time, and surfaces those at key points in the day — weather reports and commute data before you leave for work as an example. Samsung already says that info is secure on your device, but to ensure further security, One UI 8 is introducing Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection, or KEEP. It’s billed as an on-device security layer for your most sensitive personal data. As explained by Samsung, features like KEEP are essential for making on-device AI even smarter about you without spilling all those secrets.

Could we get a triple-folding surprise? (Image credit: Samsung) Samsung’s gotten in the habit of including a surprise during recent Galaxy Unpacked events, usually in the form of a teaser for an upcoming product. In recent years, that’s how the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy S25 Edge made their initial debuts. If there’s a candidate for this year’s Surprise Guest at Unpacked, it could well be the Galaxy G Fold. That’s a rumored triple-folding device that Samsung has in the works. Certainly, the phone maker has shown off prototypes and now reports are circulating that the so-called G Fold could ship this year. Adding to that speculation is a report that surfaced at the end of last month claiming that the Galaxy G Fold would get a preview at Unpacked in July. That seems a curious decision, considering it’s not even clear what countries a triple-folding phone would ship in. Of course, we were saying the same thing about the Galaxy S25 Edge seven months ago.

Battery watch (Image credit: Future) Samsung’s foldable phones are not known for their record-setting battery life. Last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 lasted 11 hours and 13 minutes on our battery test where we have phones surf the web until they run out of power. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 finished a minute over 11 hours. Those results are better than the average smartphone, but only just, as phones tend to conk out around the 1.5 hour mark. Can the new foldables improve things? Based on rumors, if they do, it’s going to have to be on the back of the chipset that powers either the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 7. The new Fold is supposed to feature the same 4,400 mAh battery as the current model, while the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is tipped to get a modest increase in battery size (4,300 mAh instead of 4,000 mAh). Assuming those specs are correct, we won’t know what all that means until we get our hands on the new phones and test out their batteries. But it sounds like the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 will continue to set the pace for long-lasting foldables.

Other Samsung phones on sale (Image credit: Future) I don’t have to tell you that Unpacked is taking place at the same time as Amazon Prime Day, and that means a bunch of other Samsung phones are on sale — in some cases at very reduced prices. So if you’re not quite ready to commit to a foldable device like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can still pick up a premium model for a significant discount. Take this deal, spotted by my colleague Josh Render, where the Galaxy S25 Ultra is available for $934. That’s a $365 drop from the phone’s regular asking price. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 256GB Titanium Gray: was $1,299 now $934 at Amazon The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra features a 6.9-inch QHD+ display with an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, all powered by a 5,000 mAh battery. However, the real reason to grab this phone is the wealth of AI features that come as part of One UI 7, including Circle to Search and more.

Moohan’s time to shine? (Image credit: Future) To Moohan or not to Moohan? That could be the question Samsung is asking itself ahead of Unpacked. Specifically, Samsung has been talking up its Android XR=based headset since first revealing plans last year to release Project Moohan at some point in 2025. Since then there have been demos — I’ve even been to one myself — but not much in the way of actual details. And we certainly don’t have a price or release date. Could that data come during Unpacked today? Samsung would certainly have people’s attention. But on the other hand, when you want to talk foldable phones and smartwatches, an already-announced headset might be seen as a distraction. And nothing’s stopping Samsung from holding a Moohan-focused event later on this summer or in early fall.

New Galaxy Watch 8 health features (Image credit: Evan Blass) When it comes to smartwatch news, I usually defer to my colleague Dan Bracaglia, and he’s been looking at all the Galaxy Watch 8 rumors swirling about. Specifically, he’s found five rumored upgrades to the Galaxy Watch 8 that could prove significant. The ones grabbing my attention are the possible health improvements since that’s one area where Samsung has excelled in recent years. According to Dan’s report, Cardiovascular Load — a way to make sure you’re not putting too much stress on your heart — and one-touch nutrition tracking could be the highlights of this year’s update.

Early Galaxy Z Flip 7 unboxing Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 hasn’t garnered the same level of attention. But you can at least get an early look at the phone, assuming this YouTube video capturing since-deleted unboxing footage posted to X is the real deal. YouTube Watch On We were hipped to the video from X’s @andrei_eclynoh via Phone Arena. And our biggest takeway is that the Galaxy Z Flip seems more slender than its predecessor. That’s no accident. In his last-minute post of leaked marketing materials for Samsung’s foldables, Roland Quandt has the Galaxy Z Flip 7 measuring 6.5mm thin when unfolded. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 was 6.9mm. No, that’s not a big reduction, but I imagine it will be noticeable to anyone carrying the new Samsung flip phone around.

Could a classic look return? (Image credit: OnLeaks / Sammy Guru) The usual Galaxy Watch update could be joined by another model today to go with the Galaxy Watch 8. Multiple reports have the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic joining Samsung’s lineup. It would be the first Classic model since the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Based on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic renders that have emerged, the rotating bezel that people seemed to like about the last version will be back. Rumored specs claim there will be just a single 47mm model and the watch will run on a 435 mAh battery. The model size is the same as the Galaxy Watch Ultra; the battery is not.

Still time to save Samsung typically runs promotions ahead of its Unpacked events, and this time around, if you register your name and email address with the company, you can expect a $50 credit on any preorders you place for products announced during Wednesday’s launch. That promotion runs through the start of Unpacked, so time is ticking down on your chance to register. Last chance! Save $50 on Galaxy Unpacked purchases

Samsung will give you a $50 credit if you register your name and email address ahead of Galaxy Unpacked. You can then apply that credit to any device announced at the show when you pre-order. Samsung is also dangling savings of up to $1,150 on pre-order so it pays to register, though you will have to do so before Unpacked gets underway at 10 a.m. ET. There’s no obligation to order if you sign up, and in addition to that $50 credit, Samsung is dangling the prospect of up to $1,150 in additional savings for anyone who does preorder a new device unveiled at Unpacked.

Unpacked in 60 seconds If you want an even briefer rundown of what Samsung could have cooking for later today, please enjoy Mark Spoonauer’s TikTok-length recap of Galaxy Unpacked rumors. @tomsguide ♬ News – yagobeats

S Pen or no pen? (Image credit: Tom’s Guide) Last-minute leaks keep cropping up ahead of Unpacked, and there’s one that emerged today from what look to be leaked Samsung marketing materials that we kind of hope isn’t true. The materials are posted by Roland Quandt, a pretty reliable leaker, and when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 info, those materials go into a lot of detail. You’ll see information touting the new bigger screens, the thinner design, Galaxy AI features and the Snapdragon 8 chipset. What you won’t read about is any mention of the S Pen. #zfold7 all of it #1 — @rquandt.bsky.social (@rquandt.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-07-09T04:30:38.349Z We had previously heard some less-than-encouraging rumors regarding the status of the S Pen and the Galaxy Z Fold 7. To make the phone thinner, Samsung supposedly did away with the S Pen digitizer. That would necessitate some changes to the input device that works with the foldable phone. It seems like a trade-off we’d have a hard time making, so hopefully this is a case of rumors that don’t pan out in the end.

New One UI 8 feature (Image credit: Samsung) It’s very likely that the Galaxy foldable devices revealed at Galaxy Unpacked today are going to come with One UI 8 preinstalled. For starters, Samsung launched the beta program for One UI 8 back in May. For another, just ahead of Unpacked, Samsung detailed new security features for its phones that will be part of One UI 8 . Part of the announcement has to do with the Personal Data Engine that debuted as part of the Galaxy S25 series earlier this year and enables features like Now Brief. That’s the part of the phone that learns your preferences and routines over time, and surfaces those at key points in the day — weather reports and commute data before you leave for work as an example. Samsung already says that info is secure on your device, but to ensure further security, One UI 8 is introducing Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection, or KEEP. It’s billed as an on-device security layer for your most sensitive personal data. As explained by Samsung, features like KEEP are essential for making on-device AI even smarter about you without spilling all those secrets.

Galaxy Unpacked video preview Get prepped for the Unpacked event with this rundown of the biggest rumored announcements we could see at the show. YouTube Watch On

Who has the best flip phone – Samsung or Motorola?

Samsung today launched the Galaxy Z Flip 7 in Australia.

It’s a minor upgrade of the Z Flip 6, boasting redesigned AI software, longer battery life, a faster CPU and a bigger, brighter cover screen. (It’s also slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor for people who care about that sort of thing.)

If you’re in the market for a clamshell-style phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is a great choice – but it’s not the only new option on the fold-out table.

Today, Motorola released the Razr 60 smartphone. It takes most of its design cues from the Galaxy Flip range, including a miniature external screen, dual rear cameras and a vertically folding clamshell layout.

There’s also the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra to consider, which came out in July last year.

Let’s compare the pricing, cameras, battery and sturdiness to determine which phone comes out on top.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Razr 60 vs Razr 50 Ultra: Specifications

Before we get into the nitty gritty, here’s a quick snapshot of the major specs for each phone.

Specification Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Motorola Razr 50 Ultra Motorola Razr 60 Display (Main) 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 6.9-inch FHD+ LTPO AMOLED 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED Cover Display 4.1-inch Super AMOLED 4.0-inch pOLED AMOLED 3.6-inch pOLED Processor Exynos 2400 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 MediaTek Dimensity 7400X RAM 12GB 12GB 8GB Storage 256GB / 512GB 512GB 256GB Rear Cameras 50MP (wide) + 12MP (ultrawide) 50MP (wide) + 50MP (ultrawide) 50MP (wide) + 13MP (ultrawide) Front Camera 10MP 32MP 32MP Battery 4300mAh 4000mAh 4500mAh Operating System Android 15 (One UI 6.1.1) Android 15 (My UX) Android 15 (My UX) Build & Protection Gorilla Glass Victus 2, dust and water resistant (IP48) Gorilla Glass Victus, dust and water resistant (IP48) Gorilla Glass Victus, dust and water resistant (IP48) Dimensions Unfolded: 166.7 x 75.2 x 6.5mm | Folded: 85.5 x 75.2 x 13.7mm Unfolded: 73.99 x 171.42 x 7.09mm | Folded: 73.99 x 88.09x 15.32mm Unfolded: 73.99 x 171.42 x 7.09mm | Folded: 73.99 x 88.09 x 15.32mm Weight 188g 189g 188g Available Colours Blue Shadow, Jetblack, Coralred, Mint Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Peach Fuzz Gibraltar Sea, Parfait Pink Price From $1,799 (256GB) From $1,699 (512GB) From $1,199 (256GB)

There are a lot of similarities across the 3 phones, including the display size, main camera and IP rating. There are also some big differences, which we will get to below.

Price

The Motorola Razr 60 undercuts the Z Flip 7’s starting price by $700 – $1,199 vs $1,799.

The price disparity is even wider if you get the 512GB Flip 7, which has an RRP of $1,999.

The Razr 50 Ultra retails for $1,699, but it is often available at lower prices during sales events. (For instance, Motorola currently lists it for $1,399 on its online store.)

If you want to save a few hundred dollars, get the Razr 60 or Razr 50 Ultra.

Alternatively, you can score up to $500 off when you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 before 3 August 2025.

Camera

Samsung has long prided itself on making some of the best camera phones in the business. With the Flip 7 however, it has elected to stand still (which in the technology space, is the same as going backwards).

The Flip 7 comes with the same exact camera array as its predecessor. You get a 10MP selfie camera on the front and 2 lenses on the rear: a 50MP wide and 12MP ultra wide.

In our Flip 6 test shots, we weren’t a fan of the auto sharpening which can make images look too processed. But overall, it takes decent photos for a clamshell phone – especially in bright, sunny environments.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 camera array.

The Motorola Razr 60 has similar cameras in the rear – a 50MP wide and 12.6MP ultra wide – and a more powerful 32MP camera in the front.

The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra kicks things up a notch with not one, but two 50MP sensors and a 2x optical zoom. (The front camera is identical to the Razr 60.)

When judged purely on hardware, the Razr phones definitely take the crown.

However, if you’re a fan of Samsung’s advanced imaging software such as AI Zoom, Object Eraser and Auto-Framing, the Flip 7 arguably edges back in front.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s 4300mAh battery can provide up to 31 hours of continuous video playback. (This is around 8 hours more than the Galaxy Z Flip 6 which had a smaller battery.)

The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra comes with a 4000mAh battery. According to Moto, it provides “all-day battery life”, but this is based on mixed usage rather than continuous video playback. In other words, your mileage could vary wildly.

On the plus side, Razr 50 Ultra supports “TurboPower” 45W wireless charging with a compatible charging adaptor. This is signficantly faster than the Flip 7’s maximum of 25W and should see your phone fully charged in minutes.

The Razr 60 has a 4500mAh battery which is the biggest and longest-lasting out of the 3 phones. You also get the aforementioned TurboPower charging.

We’re giving this win to the Razr 60, but there’s not much in it. All 3 phones should comfortably see you through a full day of usage.

Durability

The first crop of folding smartphones were like delicate flowers – blowing on them the wrong way could cause irreparable damage (at least, that’s what it felt like).

Thankfully, the latest generation is made of hardier stuff.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Motorola Razr 60 and Motorola Razr 50 Ultra are all protected by Corning Gorilla Glass like most other flagships on the market.

However, Samsung uses the Victus 2 variant, which has slightly better drop resistance on hard surfaces.

All 3 phones are dust resistant and can be continuously immersed in water for 30 minutes at a depth of up to 1.5 metres.

Samsung and Motorola have conducted rigorous folding tests on their phones to ensure the hinges have a multi-year lifespan.

If you’re prone to accidentally dropping your phone, get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 for its sturdier glass covering.

Which phone should you buy?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is the most feature-packed flip phone on the market right now, especially when you factor in its bespoke software and bigger cover display.

The Motorola Razr 60 is a more cost-effective option that also happens to boast a bigger battery.

The Razr 50 Ultra, meanwhile, is a better option if you want a more versatile camera with true optical zoom.

For our money, the Razr 60 strikes the best balance between price and specifications.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: a cheaper alternative.

With that said, you might also want to consider the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE (AKA “Fan Edition”.) This is a cheaper version of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 that is set to retail for $1,499.

The FE model has a smaller cover screen (3.4 inches vs 4.1 inches), less RAM (8GB vs 12GB) and a less powerful battery (4000mAh vs 4300mAh).

Otherwise, it has very similar specs to its more expensive brother, including the same camera.

If your heart is set on Samsung, this is a sensible way to keep costs down.

I’ve been testing and reviewing phones for nearly two decades now, and in that time, I’ve never seen stiffer competition among the best phones. And many of the year’s biggest releases are still to come, starting with Samsung’s latest foldable phones arriving later this month followed by big releases in the coming months from Google and Apple.

But you don’t have to wait for those devices if you need a great phone now. With the help of the phone reviews team at Tom’s Guide, I’ve assembled a list of 10 top devices that tick all the boxes for performance, camera features and battery life. And none is better right now than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

You can’t go wrong with any of the new Galaxy S25 models, but the S25 Ultra is the best of the bunch by far. It’s the longest-lasting Samsung phone we’ve tested, with a big, bright screen and an impressive bath of Galaxy AI features, some of which are exclusive to Samsung’s latest flagships.

Of course, those Galaxy AI features are available on all of the S25 models, which is why you’re not missing a step should you opt for the cheaper Samsung Galaxy S25. You’ll also find great AI capabilities on the Galaxy S25 Edge, which also happens to offer an almost-impossibly thin design.

If you’re reluctant to pay $1,000 or more for a phone — and I can’t say I blame you — the Pixel 9a stands out for cameras that outperform the ones on much more expensive phones, while still sporting the same sub-$500 cost as past budget models from Google. You also can beat the high-cost of smartphones by opting for the iPhone 16, which matches the Apple Intelligence features of the more expensive iPhone 16 Pro Max.

I’ve reviewed many of these phones first-hand, with other Tom’s Guide phone experts adding their thoughts and insights for an in-depth look at which devices you should consider. Between every one of our phone reviewers, we’ve got nearly five decades of experience evaluating phones from every possible angle.

Our best phone picks are based on our lab tests and real-world use of each phone we get our hands on. Here are the 10 phones you should consider if you’re looking to get a new handset right now.

Recent updates

The best phones — quick list

Written by Written by Philip Michaels Social Links Navigation Managing Editor I’m the managing editor for mobile at Tom’s Guide, where I’ve been working since 2015. In total, I’ve covered technology for 25 years now — I was even there when Steve Jobs showed off the original iPhone back in 2007. I’ve been looking at and testing phones since that day, and if you visit my Northern California home, you can marvel at the stacks of phones I keep handy for head-to-head testing.

The best phone overall

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Don’t look for big hardware changes with the Galaxy S25 Ultra compared to last year’s model. instead, Samsung has put the focus on building out its Galaxy AI features to excellent effect. In fact, it’s fair to say, that mobile AI gets to the next level with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

That’s because Samsung has added important features like cross app actions, where you can use the on-board digital assistant to interact with apps on your phone — both Samsung and Google apps, initially, along with Whatsapp and Spotify. Even better, you can give one command that triggers multiple actions, like looking up the date of an event, adding it to your calendar and texting the info to a friend.

A Personal Data Engine on board the phone learns your preferences, interests and activities and fills a new Now Brief screen with relevant information about upcoming appointments, weather forecasts or more. Now Brief felt pretty bare bones during our initial Galaxy S25 Ultra testing, but the promise is that it’s going to learn more about you over time and adjust its recommendations accordingly. Now that the S25 Ultra’s been out a few months, we’ll circle back to see if the feature has come into its own.

Other AI favorites like Circle to Search gain new powers and new features like the Now Bar serve as Samsung’s version of Live Activities on the iPhone, helping you track ongoing notifications from your lock-screen. None of this is to diminish the hardware changes that are present on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but AI takes the starring role here. And it’s quite a star turn at that.

Price and value: If there’s one blemish to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, it’s that the phone continues to cost more than rival flagships. At $1,299, this phone costs $100 more than the most expensive flagships from Apple and Google. But at least Samsung managed to avoid price increases this year, and the base model of the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers 256GB of storage. Galaxy S25 Ultra deals let you whack down the price of this phone a bit.

Camera performance: The biggest hardware change to the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera setup involves an upgraded ultrawide sensor — it’s now 50MP for more detailed shots and sharper macros. But upgrades to the ProVisual Engine that processes photos have paid off big for this year’s Galaxy devices, and the S25 Ultra reaps the rewards.

When my colleague Mark Spoonauer put the S25 Ultra up against the iPhone 16 Pro Max in an 11-round photo face-off, the Galaxy S25 Ultra wound up winning more rounds. In particular, Samsung’s phone excels at zooms, selfies and low-light shots. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also won our 200 macro photo face-off with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

There are still some areas where the iPhone 16 Pro Max takes better shots, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra photo output has improved enough to make me conclude that this is the best camera phone you can buy right now.

Battery and charging: Samsung didn’t increase the battery size from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but even so, this year’s model outlasted its predecessor on our battery test by 45 minutes. The Galaxy S25 Ultra was able to surf the web over cellular for 17 hours and 14 minutes, the longest time we’ve recorded for a Samsung device. Credit the Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the phone for improving power efficiency.

Charging speeds are unchanged from the previous few Ultra models, though Samsung has nominally added Qi2 wireless charging support. However, since the phone doesn’t feature magnets on its back for a more secure fit with Qi2 charging pads, you’re losing many of the benefits of the new charging standard unless you buy a Qi2-ready case.

Overall performance: The Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra does more than just help the new phone last longer on a charge. It also delivers some of the best performance we’ve seen on an Android device, especially since Samsung is using an overclocked version of the silicon. That helps the Galaxy S25 Ultra produce better benchmark numbers than the OnePlus 13, which also has a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. But the gaming-focused Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro can lay claim to the speed king title, thanks to its numbers on some tests.

The neural engine on the Snapdragon 8 Elite coupled with 12GB of RAM on the base model give the Galaxy s25 Ultra enough processing muscle to handle more AI tasks on device. And the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a bigger, brighter display than last year’s model so everything from gaming to streaming looks better on this new device.

Verdict: The Galaxy S25 Ultra proves that big hardware changes aren’t necessary to make a splash in the smartphone world. The Galaxy AI features debuting on this year’s premium Samsung phone are reason enough to upgrade, especially if you’ve got an older phone. And the improved cameras, longer battery life and brighter screen add to the value, even if you find the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s high price a little hard to swallow.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Swipe to scroll horizontally Galaxy S25 Ultra breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price As great a phone as the Galaxy S25 Ultra is, $1,299 is a lot to pay for a handset, especially when you can get an iPhone 16 Pro Max or Galaxy 9 Pro XL for $100 less. ★★☆☆☆ Cameras The camera competition between the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the iPhone 16 Pro is a tight one. But based on the head-to-head shots we’ve taken so far, the better zooms and low-light images help the S25 Ultra edge out the iPhone 16 Pro Max. ★★★★★ Power The days of Android phones playing second fiddle to Apple on performance are over. The Galaxy S25 Ultra excels in graphics testing and even beats the best iPhones in some CPU speed tests. A vapor chamber helps keep the phone cool ★★★★★ Battery life The longest-lasting Samsung phone ever manages to outlast the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which was no slouch in the battery department, even with the same sized battery. Credit the Snapdragon 8 Elite for top power management features. ★★★★★

More on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

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The best iPhone

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The iPhone 16 Pro Max no longer holds down the top spot among the best phones we’ve tested, but that’s more of a reflection of the advanced AI on board the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Promised Siri improvements tapping into AI won’t arrive until 2026, but there are some additional Apple Intelligence features included with this year’s iOS 26 update, available in beta form now and coming as a full release in the fall.

Even without the software update, there’s still plenty to love about the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This model offers a bigger screen (without increasing its overall size too much from the iPhone 15 Pro Max), an upgraded ultrawide camera and a faster processor.

You won’t have to ditch your iPhone 15 Pro Max if you upgraded in 2023, But owners of older iPhones will appreciate the boosts in performance, photo processing and smarter features that the iPhone 16 Pro Max brings to the table.

Price and value: While this model commands the same $1,199 cost as its predecessor, a larger 6.9-inch screen and bigger battery means you’re getting more for your money. That’s particularly true now that the Ultra model of Samsung’s Galaxy S flagships costs $100 more than Apple’s top model.

“Less expensive” is relative, though, as the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s $1,199 starting price is a lot for some people to pay.

Camera performance: iPhones live and die by their cameras, and the telephoto lens on the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers some notable improvements to both its main camera and its ultrawide lens. These complement the 5x telephoto lens that returns from the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Because the iPhone 16 Pro features the same camera setup for $200 less, we’d steer more people toward that phone, but you won’t be disappointed with what the iPhone 16 Pro Max cameras produce.

We’ve even put it through a 200 photo face-off against the Galaxy S24 Ultra to crown an undisputed champion, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max came out on top on the strength of its superior dynamic range and low-light shooting capabilities. For now, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has regained the lead, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max remains an outstanding camera phone option.

Battery and charging: The battery on the iPhone 16 Pro Max lasts more than 17.5 hours on our battery test, where we have a phone surf the web until its battery gives out. The average phone barely makes it past 10 hours, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max was just getting warmed up at that point. No other iPhone has ever lasted that long, with the iPhone 16 Plus coming the closest with an average result of around 16.5 hours.

If only the iPhone 16 Pro Max could charge quickly, but at least MagSafe charging is improved to 25W speed.

Overall performance: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite is giving the iPhone all it can handle, but the A18 Pro chipset powering the iPhone 16 Pro Max turns out to be a very fast chip on its own.

We noticed the extra oomph when using the iPhone 16 Pro Max to perform everyday tasks and switch between apps. When we used the iPhone 16 Pro Max to transcode a video, the task took half as long as it did on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it bests the Galaxy S25 Ultra in that test, too.

Verdict: The iPhone 16 Pro Max wins top marks for design, photography and performance. Charging speed and digital zoom features could be further refined, and it’s very expensive relative to some of the other phones on this list, but you definitely get a lot of power and polish for your money. Now it’s just a matter of Apple delivering on the Siri improvements it promised.

Read the full review: iPhone 16 Pro Max

Swipe to scroll horizontally iPhone 16 Pro Max breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price This is the most expensive iPhone Apple sells. You can save $200 with the iPhone 16 Pro, if you don’t mind the smaller screen and less battery life. ★★★☆☆ Cameras The iPhone 16 Pro Max is one of the best camera phones we’ve tested, though both the Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S24 Ultra beat it on zoomed shots. ★★★★☆ Power Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered phones may have caught up to Apple’s silicon, but the A18 Pro continues to be a top performer, particularly when it comes to overall speed and daily tasks. ★★★★★ Battery life You won’t need to charge your phone up during the day. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is the second longest-lasting iPhone we’ve ever tested, finishing ahead of the iPhone 16 Plus. ★★★★★

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Best under $500

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Everyone was fretting on how Google was planning to price the Pixel 9a ahead of the phone’s spring launch, but the company’s decision to keep its midrange phone at the same $499 price as the Pixel 8a is a welcome relief. The cost of the Pixel 9a looks even better now that Apple is charging $599 for its cheapest phone, the iPhone 16e.

Looking at this best cheap phone contender, I can tell you that it’s upgraded in every way, including its design. You can’t help but appreciate how the Pixel 9a brings back a long forgotten phone design with its nearly flush camera design on the back of the phone. I admit to being a fan of the horizontal camera bar on other Google phones, but the Pixel 9a’s look has its advantages, too.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 9a makes for a compelling option with its Tensor G4 chip, larger 6.3-inch Actua display, bigger battery, and more AI features. After my colleague John Velasco reviewed the Pixel 9a, I can agree that it’s the budget phone to beat with the most value.

Price and value: In addition to sparing your budget with its $499 price, the Pixel 9a should last you a very long time. Google provides the same seven years of software and security updates as the pricier Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL models.

If the price isn’t enough to convince you, just know that there are Pixel 9a deals that discount the phone even more from its normal price, while also throwing in freebies.

Camera performance: While the somewhat flush camera design on the back of the phone is a stark change over the previous camera bar designs we’ve seen from Google, the Pixel 9a also gets its share of hardware upgrades. There’s now a 48MP main camera that pairs with a 13MP ultrawide. While the main camera is down from the Pixel 8a’s 64MP one, it features a wider f/1.7 aperture that allows it to better capture photos under low light.

John Velasco put this to this test in his Pixel 9a review and it definitely shows big improvements across the board, including closeups because the Pixel 9a finally gets a proper macro mode — along with a new astrophotography mode. The Pixel 9a beat the iPhone 16e in our camera face-off that pitted the top two midrange camera phones against one another.

Battery and charging: Like the Pixel 9 Pro we also rate among the best phones — see below — the Pixel 9a beats the average smartphone’s performance on our battery test. The Pixel 9a was able to surf the web for 13 hours and 8 minutes before tapping out, which is an improvement over the Pixel 8a’s time of 11 hours and 21 minutes.

Improving battery life by more than 2 hours over its predecessor shows that Google is on the right track when it comes to bolstering the battery life of its phones. In this case, credit goes to the Pixel 9a’s larger 5,100 mAh battery and power efficient Tensor G4 chip.

Overall performance: Speaking of performance, AI features continue to be a big part of the Pixel 9a’s story because of how it’s equipped to handle them with the Tensor G4 running the show. This effectively matches the feature set found on Pixel 9 flagships, with Pixel Studio and Add Me photo-editing features stealing the show.

But don’t sleep on the phone’s call management features, either, as I think they’re some of the best AI features on the Pixel and unique to Google’s phones. John says in his review how he loves the Call Screen feature to have Google Assistant take phone calls on his behalf, complete with contextual responses he can choose.

Just be aware that some Pixel 9 AI features are missing here — notably the Pixel Screenshot app for retrieving screenshot info saved on your phone and auto-generated notes for recorded phone calls. These require more RAM and a more robust version of Gemini Nano than what the Pixel 9a offers.

Forget about blazing speeds, though, as that’s not in the Tensor chips’ locker. That said, the Pixel 9a does handily out-perform the $399 Galaxy A36, which uses a lower-powered Snapdragon chipset. However, it trails the A18’s performance with the iPhone 16e.

Verdict: The Pixel 9a is a superb contender that continues to prove how budget phones can rival flagship models. Every aspect of the phone has been improved over its predecessor. From its much bright (and larger) screen, to its longer battery life, and better camera performance, it’s a fantastic option for anyone. Best of all, it gets nearly all of the AI features found with the more expensive Pixel 9 models.

Read the full review: Google Pixel 9a

Swipe to scroll horizontally Google Pixel 9a breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price Google keeps its midrange phone under $500, making the Pixel 9a one of the better values you can find if you don’t want to pay flagship prices. ★★★★☆ Cameras With an updated 48MP main camera paired with a 13MP ultrawide, the Pixel 9a not only take better photos, but it also gets proper macro and astrophotography modes. ★★★★☆ Power The Pixel 9a uses the most recent Tensor G4, which effectively gives it nearly the same AI features found with the rest of the Pixel 9 series. ★★★★☆ Battery life You’ll get better than average battery life with the Pixel 9a, lasting nearly as long as the pricier Pixel 9. ★★★★☆

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Smartest phone

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AI is the feature of the moment right now with smartphones, as both Apple and Samsung spent the past year adding AI-powered features to their phones. Google’s an old hand at this, though, having switched to the AI-focused Tensor chipset with the Pixel 6.

Now, we’re up to Tensor G4 on the Google Pixel 9 Pro, and having used Apple Intelligence, Galaxy AI and Google’s AI tools, I think Google has the most capable AI of them all. The Pixel 9 phones — including the 9 Pro — certainly had several of my favorite AI phone features introduced in the last year. In fact, Google’s phones finished tops overall when we tested AI phone features-head-to-head so don’t just take my word for it.

Google says customers wanted a more compact version of the Pro to go with the big-screen model. If you prefer more screen real estate, consider the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which has the exact same features as the regular Pro, but a 6.7-inch display and bigger battery, instead. It’s also harder to use with one hand in my experience.

Price and Value: The Pixel 9 Pro costs the same $999 that Google charged for the Pixel 8 Pro. But that older phone had a larger screen, which makes me feel like I’m being asked to pay more for less phone. Then again, with the improvements to battery life and display brightness — not to mention the latest AI features — you can’t really claim that Google is shortchanging you on anything other than size.

Bargain hunters may want to consider the Pixel 9a since it shares most (though not all) of the Pixel 9 flagships’ AI features. You won’t get a telephoto lens with the 9a or with the $799 Pixel 9, so if that’s a non-starter, read on.

Camera performance: Actual Pixel 9 Pro camera improvements are modest — a new ultrawide sensor adds a Macro mode that performed very well when I tried it out. That said, I think the iPhone 16’s macro photos are a little sharper. (They’re different phones, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL photo face-off John Velasco did illustrates the superiority of Apple’s macro images.)

As for the Pixel 9 Pro’s front camera, it gets an upgraded sensor, too, though I think Google needs to dial back the camera’s tendency to make faces look too smooth.

Really, though, the Pixel 9 Pro’s camera performance lives on the strength of its photo processing, and that remains strong, the cameras producing well-composed shots that showed off fine details when I tested them.

Battery and charging: Battery life hasn’t been a strong suit for recent Google phones, but the Pixel 9 Pro breaks that losing streak. With a 4,700 mAh battery and a more efficient Tensor G4 chipset, the Pixel 9 Pro lasted an average of 13 hours and 30 minutes in our web surfing test — behind the comparably sized iPhone 16 and Galaxy S24 models, sure, but well, ahead of that 10-hour average for other smartphones. Other Pixels struggled to reach even that threshold so I like what I’ve seen from the Pixel 9 Pro’s ability to get through the day on a charge.

Overall performance: The Tensor G4 that powers the Pixel 9 Pro can’t keep pace with other top Android phones in benchmark testing, and it trails the iPhone 16, too. But that’s not the focus of Tensor.

Instead, it powers a number of helpful AI features, including Pixel Screenshots for easy searches of content within screenshots, Add Me for inserting people into group shots and Call Notes for transcriptions and summaries of phone calls. Potentially, the best addition is Gemini Live, a smarter version of the Google Assistant. Pixel 9 Pro owners get a year of Gemini Advanced for supporting for complex features.

Some of the AI tools need some more polish, though they’re still further along than Apple Intelligence features at the moment. Right now Pixel Screenshots has been the most useful addition for me since I take a lot of screenshots to remember important details. Using Pixel Screenshots, I’m able to search for those images by their content, and the Pixel 9 Pro is smart enough to show relevant results.

If you’re more into producing images from nothing, the Pixel Studio generative AI tool lets you create things with nothing more than text prompts, and a feature update finally brings the ability to create images of people. Pixel Studio beats out the iPhone’s Image Playground app in this area, too.

Verdict: If you’re willing to bet that the Pixel 9 Pro’s AI features will improve over time, the camera performance, longer battery life and bright display should be enough to give you a great device right now. That said, we’re anticipating new phones from Google in August, which could mean a new batch of AI capabilities.

Read the full review: Google Pixel 9 Pro

Swipe to scroll horizontally Google Pixel 9 breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price On the bright side, the Pixel 9 Pro costs the same $999 as the Pixel 8 Pro. But you’re paying the same for a smaller screen. ★★★☆☆ Cameras You’ll find few hardware changes outside an improved ultrawide sensor and higher-resolution selfie cam, but the Pixel 9 Pro still takes great shots. And the AI features are second to none. ★★★★☆ Power The Tensor G4 enables a bunch of new AI-powered features that make the Pixel 9 Pro standout. But it badly lags behind Samsung and Apple phones in terms of speed. ★★★☆☆ Battery life We’ve finally got a series of Pixels that outlasts the average smartphone, with the Pixel 9 Pro beating the average result on our test by 3 hours. ★★★★☆

More on the Google Pixel 9 Pro

Best Android flagship value

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Before the Galaxy S25 models came along, you could make the case that the OnePlus 13 was the best choice for Android phone fans — my colleague Richard Priday certainly did in his review. But even though Samsung offers a more complete model with the S25 Ultra, the OnePlus 13 remains a top alternative, especially in light of its cheaper price.

Name an area that’s important to you, and the OnePlus 13 delivers, from strong performance to a long-lasting battery. Even camera performance, long the Achilles heel of OnePlus phones, measures up well to top camera phones. Simply put, the OnePlus 13 delivers a total package for less than what you’d pay for most flagships, even after a price hike by OnePlus.

Price and value: Let’s talk about that price hike. The OnePlus 13 starts at $899, which is $100 more than what the OnePlus 12 cost when it debuted. (You can knock that price down by trading in a phone when you buy the OnePlus 13 directly from the phone maker.)

If you compare that to the starting price of entry-level flagships, it doesn’t reflect well on the OnePlus 13, though many of those $799 models have smaller displays than the 6.78-inch panel on OnePlus’ phone. Compare it to similarly sized phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the OnePlus 13 still costs substantially less while delivering equivalent features.

Camera performance: Teaming up with lens specialist Hasselblad continues to pay dividends for OnePlus, as the OnePlus 13 cameras perform better than anything we’ve seen from the phone maker.

Testing produced photos that were very bright and colorful, and I’m particularly impressed with how the OnePlus 13 balances external light sources. Shots in low light turned out well, and the OnePlus 13 clearly has a knack for portrait shots, especially if your subject wears glasses.

In some situations, photos shot by the OnePlus 13 can be a little too bright, robbing the final image of warmth and depth. But overall, I think the OnePlus 13 cameras hold up well against the competition.

Battery and charging: There’s not much to complain about here. A 6,000 mAh battery and the power management features found in the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset powering the OnePlus 13 produced the second-best result we’ve ever seen in our phone battery test. The new OnePlus flagship lasted 19 hours and 45 minutes, which is nearly 10 hours better than the average smartphone. Only the gaming-focused ROG Phone 9 Pro lasts longer on a charge.

You won’t have to wait long to top off that battery either, thanks to 80W charging speeds in the U.S. (It’s 100W elsewhere.) With an 80W charger, we got the OnePlus 13 to a 92% charge in half-an-hour after draining its battery.

Overall performance: The top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside the OnePlus 13 means the phone can keep pace with just about any flagship, though we’ve heard that Samsung is optimizing the Snapdragon 8 Elite in its Galaxy S25 phones for better performance. Certainly, the performance-focused ROG Phone 9 Pro churns out better results than the OnePlus 13 with Qualcomm’s new chip, but that’s not stopping the OnePlus 13 from topping the latest iPhones in graphics testing as well as in some CPU tests.

Just as importantly, OnePlus doesn’t turn its back on AI features with this edition of its flagship. AI photo-editing tool take some of the guesswork out of removing blur and reflections from shots while an Intelligent Search tool makes it easier to find what you’re looking for on the phone.

Verdict: It’s time to start thinking about OnePlus in the same way you’d consider Samsung or Google when mulling over which Android phone to get. The OnePlus 13 belongs in the same conversation as any leading Android device, thanks to its strong performance, long-lasting battery and surprisingly strong cameras. Software support can’t quite match what those other phone makers offer, but overall, the OnePlus 13 gives you a top Android experience.

By the way, you may have heard about a more compact OnePlus 13T that the company is releasing, but that device really should impact your decision to buy a OnePlus 13: OnePlus won’t sell the 13T in Europe or North America. Consider the OnePlus 13R as a low-cost alternative instead.

Read the full review: OnePlus 13

Swipe to scroll horizontally OnePlus 13 breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price You’ll pay more for the OnePlus 13 than you did for last year’s flagship. However, at $899, the OnePlus 13 still costs anywhere from $100 to $400 less than the premium big-screen phones it competes against. ★★★☆☆ Cameras A Hasselblad partnership continues to pay dividends for OnePlus, as the OnePlus 13 cameras perform better than any of their predecessors. In our testing, images compared favorably to ones shot by leading camera phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max. ★★★★☆ Power The best Qualcomm chip you can buy powers the OnePlus 13, and the benchmarks results we tallied show why that’s important. The OnePlus 13 thrives at playing graphically intense games, and it can speedily handle any tasks you throw at it. ★★★★☆ Battery life Only one other phone posts a better time on our battery test than the nearly 20 hours that the OnePlus 13 lasted. In terms of real-world use that translates to multi-day battery life before you need to charge the phone. ★★★★★

More on the OnePlus 13

OnePlus 13: Price Comparison $999.99 $879.99 View Deal ends in 00h 40m 05s $999.99 $879.99 View Deal ends in 00h 40m 05s $899 View Show more

Best iPhone value

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6. iPhone 16 The best bang/buck ratio in Apple phones Our expert review: Specifications Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2556×1179; 60Hz) CPU: A18 RAM: N/A Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No Rear camera: 48MP wide (f/1.6) w/ 2x zoom, 12MP ultra wide (ƒ/2.2) Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/1.9) Weight: 6 oz Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 12:13 Today’s Best Deals View at AT&T (128GB) View at Apple View Prime Day at Amazon Reasons to buy + Vibrant color choices + Strong A18 performance + Refreshed ultrawide camera Reasons to avoid – Still stuck with 60Hz display – Apple Intelligence features are nothing too groundbreaking

The iPhone 16e may be cheaper, but it doesn’t deliver as many features as the iPhone 16. This entry-level Apple flagship also offers incredible value against the pricier iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, thanks to all the things it has in common with those pricier models.

In fact, my colleague John Velasco argues that the iPhone 16 is a Pro model in disguise, reversing the recent trend of Apple giving all its attention to the Pro phones. Certainly, no one would claim the iPhone 16 is an afterthought, given all the new additions.

Price and value: The $799 starting price of the iPhone 16 remains a lot to pay for most people. But it’s cheaper than the $899 iPhone 16 Plus, not to mention those iPhone 16 Pro models., which start at $999 and only climb upward from there. Whether it’s the Galaxy S25 or Pixel 9, you’re going to pay $799 for an entry-level smartphone, so at least Apple’s not charging you more.

The iPhone 16e costs $200 less and also supports Apple Intelligence features. But that phone comes with a single rear camera and lacks features like MagSafe support and the Dynamic Island. I think that’s an awful lot to give up unless price is absolutely paramount among your concerns.

Camera performance: The 48MP main camera unlocks a lot of photography potential in the iPhone 16, but its ultrawide camera gets an even better upgrade with a wider f/2.2 aperture that allows it to gather in more light than previous iPhones. That also enables a new macro mode on the iPhone 16, which produces more striking close-ups than I’ve seen from other phones.

The iPhone 16 continues to offer lossless 2x zoom without the need of a telephoto camera too, which helps bridge the gap between itself and the Pro models. I’ve tested that feature against phones like the Galaxy S24 that have a dedicated zoom lens, and the iPhone holds its own when comparing 2x zooms. Zooming in further, though, will make the differences more apparent.

Battery and charging: Apple’s larger iPhones have more room for bigger batteries but the iPhone 16 still lasts more than 12 hours on a single charge — that’s well ahead of the average smartphone, but not the Galaxy S24. I remain frustrated by Apple’s 20W wired charging speeds, even after the company switched to USB connectivity with the iPhone 15. USB was supposed to be faster than Apple’s Lightning standard, so where’s the innovation? At least Apple improves wireless MagSafe charging to 25W.

Overall performance: The A18 chipset within the iPhone 16 is potent, proving just as capable as the A18 Pro. (Apple’s Pro chipset has a little more muscle when it comes to graphics, thanks to an extra core in its GPU.) Even more impressive is how it puts up better scores in GeekBench than most Android phones running the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.

This boosted chipset allows the iPhone 16 to support AI-powered Apple Intelligence features just like Apple’s Pro models, though as we’ve noted it’s very early days for Apple Intelligence. (And as with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 won’t be getting the delayed Siri improvements until Apple is good and ready to release them, but it is in line for the iOS 26 upgrade coming this fall.)

Verdict: The iPhone 16 is a better value than the iPhone 15 that came before it, thanks in part to its significantly longer battery life, stronger A18 performance, and how it now carries similar features found on the 16 Pro models — like Camera Control, Action Button, and support for spatial photos and videos.

If you prefer a bigger screen and a longer-lasting battery, it may be worth an extra $100 for the iPhone 16 Plus, but Apple’s standard iPhone remains a compelling option in its own right.

Read the full review: iPhone 16

Swipe to scroll horizontally iPhone 16 breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price Sporting the same $799 as before, the iPhone 16 is a better value than ever mainly because of how it has more in common with the Pro models than ever before. ★★★★☆ Cameras The 48MP main camera does a lot, but it still can’t beat a Pro iPhone due to the lack of a dedicated telephoto lens. ★★★☆☆ Power Apple uses a variant of its latest chipset, but the A18 manages to deliver outstanding results that narrows the gap against the A18 Pro. ★★★☆☆ Battery life As a compact phone, the iPhone 16 offers all-day battery. ★★★★☆

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Best alternative value phone

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7. Nothing Phone 3a Pro Even cheaper than the Pixel 9a Our expert review: Specifications Display: 6.77-inch AMOLED (2392 x 1080); 30-120Hz CPU: Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 RAM: 12GB Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No Rear camera: 50MP (f/1.88) main, 8MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 50MP (f/2.55) telephoto 3x optical zoom Front camera: 50MP (f/2.2) Weight: 7.44 ounces Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 14:33 Today’s Best Deals View Prime Day at Amazon (256GB) View Prime Day at Amazon (Black) Reasons to buy + Outstanding value + Much improved camera performance + More customization with Nothing OS 3.1 + All-day battery life Reasons to avoid – Limited availability – Essential Space feature lacks polish – Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 underperforms

Budget phones tend to have compromises, but the Nothing Phone 3a Pro offers more for less. Considering how it costs $459 and packs features that are usually reserved for much more expensive flagship models, my colleague John Velasco says that the Nothing Phone 3a Pro redefines that it takes to be a budget phone. The Pixel 9a is a better bargain, but if you’re looking for a low-cost device that also has a telephoto lens, this Nothing phone should be at the top of your list.

While its strengths continue to be around its unique design, Nothing OS, and Glyph Interface, Nothing adds a robust set of triple cameras on the back of the phone — complete with a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Phones under $500 don’t get this sort of treatment with their cameras.

If that’s not enough to convince you about its utility, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro also offers all-day battery life with its 5,000 mAh battery and fast charging with its 50W speed. Over on the software side, Nothing OS 3.1 sports the same minimalist design that the software is known for, while also diving into the world of AI with the Essential Space.

Price and value: You really can’t beat its $459 starting cost, which is a fraction of the cost of your typical flagship — and $40 less than the Pixel 9a. The Nothing Phone is also accompanied with 12GB of RAM and an even more generous 256GB of storage. Throw in its triple cameras, neat Glyph Interface, and long lasting battery, it’s hard to deny its value.

To get the best price on the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, you’ll need to buy directly from Nothing. Amazon sells the phone, but at a markup that pushes the price above $500 at the moment.

Camera performance: What’s clear here that budget phones can have triple camera systems. Yet the Nothing Phone 3a Pro takes it one step further because of how it consists of a main, ultrawide, and telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The latter’s important because budget phones often have less optical zoom, or none at all because they’re transformed into portrait or macro cameras. The Pixel 9a, for example, has no dedicated telephoto lens while the iPhone 16e only features a single main camera.

For a budget phone, the camera performance is outstanding, especially under low light where it’s much improved over its predecessor in the Nothing Phone 2a. There’s also a dedicated macro mode than leverages the main camera instead of the ultrawide, to get sharper, more detailed images.

Battery life and charging: There’s a 5,000 mAh battery inside of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, which is enough to propel it to an average of 14 hours and 33 minutes on Tom’s Guide’s battery benchmark test. That actually beats many of its main rivals, like the iPhone 16e and Pixel 9a.

You can also tap into its 50W wired charging to get it charged in no time at all. In fact, 15 minutes of charging gets it up to 39% capacity — while 30 minutes moves it up to 70%. The only thing missing is wireless charging, which is probably the biggest compromise to getting this phone.

Overall performance: Ditching MediaTek in favor of Qualcomm this time around, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip. Benchmark scores don’t make it as formidable, but it can still handle everyday tasks. Beyond that, it struggles to keep up smooth frame rates with games, which can often come off as choppy even when its dedicated Game Mode is enabled.

Verdict: If you’re looking for a feature rich phone without the bloated cost, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro fits the bill. Few phones have such an intriguing design like this, plus it’s pared with a versatile triple camera system that covers all the range from near, far, and everything in between. You’ll just have to live without wireless charging and less than ideal gaming performance.

Swipe to scroll horizontally Nothing Phone 3a Pro breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price For the amount it’s going for, the $459 almost feels criminal in this day and age because few phones are priced at this without being stripped away of features. ★★★★★ Cameras Camera improvements on successive phones are often minor, but they’re night and day with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. Not only does it get upgraded to a robust triple camera system, but the performance is better than expected for a value phone. ★★★☆☆ Power This is one of the biggest drawbacks about being a value phone because the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 isn’t equipped to handle intense graphics processing. ★★☆☆☆ Battery life The 5,000 mAh battery carries the phone for all-day use, while also outlasting its main rivals. ★★★★☆

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Best Samsung flagship for most people

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8. Samsung Galaxy S25 The best price for a Galaxy flagship Our expert review: Specifications Display: 6.2-inch OLED (2340×1080; 1-120Hz) CPU: Snapdragon 8 Elite RAM: 12GB Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.8), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4) Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2) Weight: 5.7 oz Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 15:43 Today’s Best Deals View Prime Day at Amazon (128GB) View at Mint Mobile (Silver) Preorder at Samsung Reasons to buy + Improved and new AI features everywhere + Even better battery life + Cameras produce more grounded photos Reasons to avoid – Limited hardware upgrades from Galaxy S24 – 3x telephoto camera outdated for a pro-grade flagship

As with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, AI improvements are the big draw for the Galaxy S25. Samsung once again offers the same Galaxy AI features across its flagship lineup, so anything the S25 Ultra can do, so can the standard S25.

Considering the Galaxy S25 costs $500 less than Samsung’s premium device, this entry-level flagship will be the way most people experience the lastest AI features from Samsung. And if they wind up buying the Galaxy S25, they’ll be very pleased with the experience, despite some minimal hardware changes from previous additions.

Price and value: That $799 starting price is what’s going to attract people to the Galaxy S25, especially if they balk at paying $1,000 and up for smartphones. If you find the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra too expensive, the Galaxy S25 provides a less expensive way to enjoy Samsung’s latest devices, especially since the AI features Samsung is emphasizing with this lineup are identical from phone to phone.

Camera performance: The Galaxy S25 uses the same camera setup found on the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S23, though the new phone does offer an update ProVisual Engine for better photo processing. Even with that change — which does have a very positive effect on the S25’s camera output — owners of recent Galaxy S models may not find much of a reason to upgrade on camera performance alone.

That said, our camera testing revealed that the Galaxy S25 is less prone to over-saturating photos the way recent models did, so colors look a lot more natural in Galaxy S25 shots. Night shots also look livelier on the Galaxy S25 thanks to improvements aimed at low-light photography. The Galaxy S25 remains one of the few $799 phones to offer a telephoto lens, though the 3x optical zoom trails the 5x you’d get by paying up for Pro models from Apple or Google.

Battery life and charging: As Samsung’s most compact Galaxy S model, the entry-level version doesn’t have a lot of room inside for a big battery. To that end, the Galaxy S25 features a 4,000 mAh battery, just like its predecessor did. But that doesn’t stop the s25 from dramatically improving upon battery life.

When we had the Galaxy S25 surf the web continuously as part of our standard battery test, the new phone held out for 15 hours and 43 minutes, which almost 2.5 hours longer than the Galaxy S24’s battery test result. Clearly, the S25 is getting a lot of power management help from its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, as that system-on-chip is supposed to offer better power management.

Charging speeds remain at a disappointing tepid 25W for wired charging. Like the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup, this standard version supports Qi2 wireless charging, though you’ll need a special case to take advantage of that support.

Overall performance: For the Galaxy S25, Samsung stopped using different chipsets for phones released in different regions like it did with the S24. Instead, everyone who buys a Galaxy S25 gets a Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered device — and that’s good news if you want the best performance in an Android phone.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite inside the S25 is optimized for Samsung’s phones, enabling the Galaxy S25 to pull ahead of the OnePlus 13 in CPU testing. (The two match up fairly well in graphics tests we’ve run.) And Samsung equips its entry-level flagships with a generous 12GB of RAM.

That combination of chipset and memory also helps power the new Galaxy AI features, highlighted by the ability to perform actions across multiple apps via the phone’s digital assistant. The Now Brief feature the surfaces relevant information on your phone screen is promising, though we’ll not know how effective it truly is until it has time to learn from our actions and preferences.

Verdict: Not everyone cares for the Galaxy S25’s compact size, preferring a bigger screen on their device. However, if you like a phone that’s easy to use with one hand, and you want the very best Galaxy AI features without having to pay premium prices, the $799 Galaxy S25 delivers big value in its smaller size.

Swipe to scroll horizontally Samsung Galaxy S25 breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price The Galaxy S25’s $799 starting price matches similar offerings from Apple and Google. But the big difference is the $500 gap with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, even though those two Samsung phones share AI features. ★★★★☆ Cameras There’s no real change in hardware from recent Samsung models, so S24 and S23 owners may not feel compelled to upgrade. Photo processing improvements do make S25 photos look less saturated, though — a positive step. ★★★☆☆ Power Regardless of where you buy your Galaxy S25, you’ll get a phone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite optimized for Samsung’s phones. That means the best Android performance available — once again for less than what Samsung’s pricier models cost. ★★★★☆ Battery life No change in battery size? No problem. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s power management features help the Galaxy S25 improve upon its predecessor’s time in our battery test by nearly 2.5 hours. ★★★★☆

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Best foldable phone

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9. Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) The best foldable phone overall Our expert review: Specifications Display: Interior: 7 inch AMOLED (2912 x 1224) 165Hz; Exterior: 4 inch AMOLED (1272 x 1080) 165 Hz CPU: Snapdragon 8 Elite RAM: 16GB Storage / Expandable?: 512GB / No Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.8), 50MP ultrawide (f/2.0) Front camera: 50MP (f/2.0) Weight: 7 ounces Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 15:42 Today’s Best Deals View Prime Day at Amazon View at Best Buy (512GB) View at Motorola (1TB) Reasons to buy + Unbelievably long battery life + Class-leading chipset performance + More fun colors and finishes Reasons to avoid – Camera performance stalls under low light – Costs more than other flip phones

Motorola’s foldable flip phones have gotten better and better, and the Motorola Razr (2025) represents the culmination of those efforts to take the flip phones of old and soup them up for the modern era. A titanium-reinforced hinge improves on an already-impressive design by adding a snappier response than the 2024 model. You’ll still see a crease where the Razr’s display folds in two, but it’s not as deep as it has been.

The real improvements to this year’s Razr involve its more powerful processor, upgraded camera setup and jaw-dropping battery life. The Ultra version of the Razr really does provide the right mix of form and function, giving you a capable phone with an easy-to-pocket design.

By the way if you prefer book-style foldables that open to reveal a larger screen instead of flip phones, I’d still steer you toward the OnePlus Open, even if that 2023 release is starting to show its age. Keep an eye out for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which arrive in stores July 25.

But enough about those phones, let’s dive into the Razr Ultra (which is sold as the Razr 60 Ultra outside of the U.S.).

Price and value: As I mentioned, the Razr Ultra makes some notable improvements, and you’ll pay up for them — this phone costs $1,299 which is $200 more than what Samsung charges for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. The Ultra is the superior option based on battery life, performance and camera output, but you will pay more for this particular model.

That said, Motorola continues to offer standard and Plus versions of the Razr for $699 and $999, respectively. Stay tuned for our reviews of those models, but the biggest trade-off you make is the superior chipset, extra RAM and additional storage that comes with the Ultra. You also get a larger interior display with the Ultra, faster charging and a bigger battery. So it’s clear where the extra money is going.

Camera performance: My colleague John Velasco is a big fan of a change that Motorola made to the Ultra version of the Razr, which goes back to featuring a main camera and ultrawide lens in its rear array. The ultrawide lens replaces a telephoto camera on the 2024 edition of the Razr Plus. (The 2025 Plus keeps that zoom camera.)

John feels the ultrawide lens provides greater flexibility, particular if you’re a content creator capturing video with your flip phone. He also appreciates the different modes available on the Ultra, including a Group Shot feature that takes a burst of photos and blends them together to create the best output.

Photos captured by the Razr Ultra generally produce better colors with less saturation than the Razr Plus 2024. That said, night shots didn’t look as good in head-to-head testing and the Ultra’s front camera produced softer selfies with less-defined features.

Battery and charging: The Razr Ultra puts an end to the idea that foldable phones can’t last a long time on a charge. With its screen set to a default refresh rate, the Motorola Razr lasted 15 hours and 42 minutes on our battery test — the best time we’ve recorded with a foldable phone.

When we switched the refresh rate to an energy-saving mode, the phone went nearly 19 hours before needing a charge. That’s staggering good, considering there’s only so much space inside a foldable phone for a battery, though Motorola did manage to include a 4,700 mAh power pack in the Ultra.

Overall performance: A lot of that battery performance comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset driving the Motorola Razr Ultra. That’s the best silicon Qualcomm offers, so the Ultra also produce benchmark numbers that match top phones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13.

I’m happy to see Motorola get more serious about AI features with the latest Razr phones with Pay Attention tool proving to be a very handy voice recorder with transcription and summary tools. In his review, John really liked the Smart Connect feature that wireless pairs the Razr with an external monitor, providing a productivity-boosting desktop experience. That said, it would be nice if Smart Connect also worked over a USB-C connection.

Verdict: If you’ve been reluctant to turn to foldable phones over concerns with durability, performance and battery life, the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) tackles each of those one-by-one. It’s on the pricey end of the foldable flip phone spectrum, but you get a lot of value in return. Samsung is looking to challenge that with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and a lower-cost Galaxy Z Flip FE 7. You can see what Samsung’s new flip phone brings to the table in our Galaxy Z Flip 7 hands-on, as we continue to test this Razr rival ahead of our full review.

Read the full review: Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)

Swipe to scroll horizontally Motorola Razr Ultra breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price There are cheaper foldable flip phones, including different variations on the Razr. But you get your money’s worth from all the high-end features. ★★★☆☆ Design The Razr’s design is stylish and sleek, and the 2025 version improves upon what’s come before with a reinforced hinge that makes the new model feel a lot more durable. ★★★★★ Power Motorola doesn’t compromise on the chipset in the Ultra model, turning to the Snapdragon 8 Elite — the silicon favored by top Android phones. ★★★★☆ Battery life The Razr Ultra is the longest-lasting foldable we’ve ever tested, and that’s before we turned off the fast refreshing display to extend battery life even further. ★★★★★

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Best thin phone

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Rounding out the list is the Galaxy S25 Edge, which takes the best of Sammy’s flagship model, but in a much thinner and lighter package. Its 5.8mm frame makes it an engineering marvel that sets the benchmark for all other flagships when it comes to a thin design, all while still accessing the same Galaxy AI features as the rest of the S25 series.

Price and value: This one’s tough because a thin design does come with some trade-offs. For starters, you’re paying a premium with its $1,099 starting cost, which isn’t too far off from the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Two of the biggest trade offs include its smaller 3,900 mAh battery and the fact that it lacks a telephoto camera. It doesn’t have as long as a battery charge, so charging it is a frequent occurrence you’ll need to come to terms. Meanwhile, it lacks the dedicated telephoto cameras that come with all the other S25 flagship models — so you’re not going to get as good results.

Despite these shortcomings, it’s a powerhouse in every way with its flagship caliber Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12GB of RAM, 256GB starting storage, and large 6.7-inch AMOLED with an adaptive 120GHz refresh rate.

Camera performance: Aside from its telephoto performance, the Galaxy S25 Edge actually delivers excellent results from its dual camera setup, which is mainly driven by its 200MP main camera. In fact, it matches the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s performance for just about every type of shot from the main shooter. Additionally, my colleague John Velasco tested out its hidden astrophotography mode with delightful results that look better than the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Battery and charging: This is undoubtedly the weakest part about the Galaxy S25 Edge, as it’s clearly at a disadvantage with its smaller 3,900 mAh battery. Even with the power efficient Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, it pulls in a tepid 12 hours and 24 minutes in our battery benchmark test.

Yes, it’s a shortcoming you’ll need to accept in order to get a phone that’s this thin, but it doesn’t help that it doesn’t get the same fast charging speeds as the Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Instead, its 25W wired charging speed takes it a long longer to charge.

Overall performance: In John’s review, he was satisfied by the Galaxy S25 Edge’s performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12GB of RAM is sufficient for most tasks, which only helps when you get fluid animations and instant responses with its 120Hz refresh rate. Benchmark scores put it on par to those of the other Galaxy S25 phones.

Heat buildup isn’t much of a problem here, despite having more components crammed so close together in the inside. Even with a lot of gaming, John didn’t experience the phone heating up that much, which could be attributed to the newly configured vapor chamber it’s incorporating.

Verdict: Although it’s not a home run, the Galaxy S25 Edge gives us a small taste at what could end up being the biggest trend of the year: flagship phones with rail thin designs. It’s solidly constructed too, complete with the same IP68 rating as the S25 Ultra.

If you’re tired of having to carry around big phones that feel heavy, the Galaxy S25 Edge is your best choice for now — and this is despite some of its trade-offs. Not only do you have the same set of Galaxy AI features to try out as the S25 Ultra, but it still packs a bright display, excellent cameras, and 7 years of software support.

Read the full review: Galaxy S25 Edge

Swipe to scroll horizontally Galaxy S25 Edge breakdown Attributes Notes Rating Price You’re really paying a premium with the Galaxy S25 Edge. At $1,099, it’s almost as expensive as the S25 Ultra, so you’re ponying up most for its ultra-thin design and lightweight package. ★★★☆☆ Cameras Although it’s only a dual-camera setup here, its main camera holds up to some of the best camera phones out there. ★★★★☆ Power Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it doesn’t show any signs of weakness with its peppy response, solid benchmark scores, and smooth gaming experience. ★★★★☆ Battery life With a time on our battery test that’s around 2.5 hours better than the average phone, the Galaxy S25 Edge actually lags behind the flagship pack due to a much smaller battery capacity. ★★☆☆☆

More on the Galaxy S25 Edge

Galaxy S25 Edge: Price Comparison $1,099.99 $784.99 Preorder Deal ends in 00h 40m 05s $1,099 View $1,099.99 View Show more

Best phones: Key specs compared

Here’s a closer look at how our best phones pick compare when it comes to display brightness and battery life test results.

Swipe to scroll horizontally Phone Screen size Brightness test results (nits) Battery life test results (Hrs: Mins) Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra 6.9 inches 1,860 17:14 iPhone 16 Pro Max 6.9 inches 1,553 17:35 Google Pixel 9a 6.3 inches 2,076 13:08 Google Pixel 9 Pro 6.3 inches 1,880 13:30 OnePlus 13 6.82 inches 1,104 19:45 iPhone 16 6.1 inches 1,348 12:13 Nothing Phone 3a Pro 6.77 inches 1,259 14:33 Samsung Galaxy S25 6.2 inches 1,789 15:43 Motorola Razr Ultra 7 inches (interior display); 4 inches (exterior) 1,835 15:42 Galaxy S25 Edge 6.7 inches 1,997 12:24

FAQ: Finding the best phones

Should I get an Android device or iPhone? Android phones give you more choice in terms of price, size and innovative designs. However, iPhones offer speedier software updates, better games and apps and better security and privacy. See our iPhone vs Android face-off for more on the strengths and weaknesses of the two mobile platforms.

When do new phones come out? It helps to have some idea as to when new phones are on their way if for no other reason than you don’t unwittingly buy a device that’s about to be made obsolete. (There’s an argument to be made for buying a phone as its successor is getting announced should the older model see a price drop.) Phone makers tend to keep launch dates close to the vest, but they also have a habit of releasing new models at the same time of the year. Here’s out best guess as to what’s coming next for the most anticipated phones of 2025:

Galaxy Z Fold 7/Galaxy Z Flip 7: Announced July 9, shipping July 25

Announced July 9, shipping July 25 Pixel 10: August 2025

August 2025 iPhone 17: Fall 2025

In addition to hardware releases, there’s also new software that promises to bring improved features to your favorite phones. Google is moving up the release of Android 16, which is already in its final beta stages and likely to come to Pixel phones in June before rolling out to other Android devices. iOS 26 — no, you didn’t miss eight updates since iOS 18, Apple’s just changing the naming convention for its software — arrives this fall, though you can download an iOS 26 developer beta right now. A public beta for iOS 26 arrives this month and promises to be more stable than the developer beta.

Is it better to buy an unlocked phone? Most shoppers in the U.S. buy new phones through their wireless carrier. But an unlocked phone gives you the freedom to buy the device without any sort of contract and then bring it to the provider you want to use. And these days, it’s pretty easy to bring an unlocked phone to any phone carrier. That said, some phones cost more when you buy them unlocked. For example, Apple tacks $30 on to the price of the iPhone 16 for an unlocked model. Best Buy typically takes money off the price of a phone when you activate it with a specific carrier at time of purchase.

How big of a phone should I get? Fans of the best small phones will have a hard time finding devices with screens smaller than 6 inches today, though a few still exist. Thanks to shrinking bezels, most phones with screens around 6.1 inches are fairly compact. If you prefer a big phone, you’ll want something with a screen that’s 6.5 to 6.8 inches. Anything bigger, and you’ll likely want to turn to a foldable phone, where the device opens up to reveal a larger display.

What should I consider when looking at camera features? Most phones will come with at least two rear cameras — a main lens and an ultrawide shooter, usually. Telephoto lenses offering an optical zoom are often reserved for more expensive flagship phones. Don’t pay attention to the megapixel count. Instead, look at camera face-offs between phones to see the photo quality and look for special features like Night Mode to get better quality in low light. Also see our best camera phone roundup for more on the devices that really excel when taking photos.

What do I need to know about smartphone battery life? Generally, phones with larger batteries (measured in mAh) offer the longest battery life, but that’s not always the case. That’s why we run our own battery test, in which we make phones surf the web until they run out of power. The average phone runs out of juice in a little more than 10 hours in our test, while devices with the best phone battery life we’ve tested tend to reach the 15-hour mark with some phones lasting longer than 18 hours.

What about AI features? Artificial intelligence is the talk of the tech world these days, and mobile phones are looking to capitalize on the buzz by adding AI-powered features that either simplify common tasks or help you create new images and documents on the go. Google’s phones — whether it’s the flagship Pixel 9 models or even the budget Pixel 9a — have the most advanced AI, but Samsung has gotten very aggressive with adding Galaxy AI capabilities, whether it’s introducing AI features in new phones or extending those features to older flagships; that said, it’s unclear which Galaxy AI additions arriving with the Galaxy S25 will find their way to other Samsung devices. Apple trails both its rivals, though it hopes the Apple Intelligence features currently rolling out to the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models will close the gap somewhat. The arrival of the iPhone 16e makes those AI features available in a lower-cost model.

How we test smartphones

In order for a smartphone to make our best phone list, it needs to excel on several tests that we run on every handset. We perform some of these tests in our labs and some in the real world.

When it comes to performance, we rely on such synthetic benchmarks as Geekbench 5 and 3DMark’s Wild Life Unlimited to measure graphics performance. These tests allow us to compare performance across iPhones and Android devices. We also run a real-world video transcoding test on each phone using the Adobe Premiere Rush app and time the result.

To measure the quality of a phone’s display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is (DCI-P3 color gamut). In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and score of 0 is perfect.

One of the most important tests we run is the Tom’s Guide battery test. We run a web surfing test over 5G or 4G at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out. As noted above, a phone that lasts more than 10 hour has good battery life, while phones that last around 12 hours or longer are among the longest-lasting phones we’ve tested.

Last but not least, we take the best phones out in the field to take photos outdoors, indoors and at night in low light to see how they perform versus their closest competitors. We take shots of landscapes, food, portraits and more, and also allow you to be the judge with side-by-side comparisons in our reviews.

For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom’s Guide.