Winters are in full swing, Christmas celebrations have wrapped up around the globe, and the world has stepped into 2026 with new hopes, aspirations, and resolutions. And as the festive season gives way to a brand-new year, it also brings along one familiar tradition. Yes, it’s that time again when us Editors at GSMArena.com talk about our favorite smartphones of the year gone by. And mind you, these may not necessarily be the best smartphones we used during the year, but the ones we enjoyed using the most. In other words, these are our personal favorites. I, too, used a few smartphones in 2025 here in India, and as always, I’ve compiled this list from the devices I got to use myself for an extended duration. So, without further ado, these are my top phones of 2025, in no particular order.
Infinix GT 30 Pro
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The Dimensity 8350 Ultimate SoC-powered Infinix GT 30 Pro proved to be a nice all-around smartphone in our review. Aimed at gamers, the Infinix GT 30 Pro came with a 144Hz AMOLED screen and bypass charging. It also featured LED lights on the back cover and customizable capacitive touch shoulder buttons on the right frame, called GT Shoulder Triggers.
And it’s these GT Shoulder Triggers that turned the Infinix GT 30 Pro into my preferred smartphone for gaming, especially Call of Duty: Mobile, which many of us here at GSMArena.com play when reviewing smartphones.
The GT Shoulder Triggers can be used for non-gaming purposes as well, but I mostly used them when gaming, and they worked impressively. You just have to map them to in-game actions.
The GT Shoulder Triggers did what the Monster Touch on-screen controls on the iQOO 7 Legend did a few years ago: they improved the in-game experience as well as my gaming performance compared to other smartphones, including flagships, as these capacitive buttons reduced the response time when gaming while also giving you an option to create combos.
Infinix GT 30 Pro 5G
- 256GB 8GB RAM
₹ 24,999
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I’d really like to see the GT Shoulder Triggers on more gamer-centric smartphones and flagships, and I want Infinix to consider launching a smartphone with the GT Shoulder Triggers and a flagship SoC for an even better gaming experience. You can read our Infinix GT 30 hands-on to learn more about these GT Shoulder Triggers.
vivo X200 FE
If you read my top phones of 2023 list, you’d know that a more apt title for that article would’ve been “My top travel phones of 2023,” because all the phones I included in that list were the ones I preferred carrying with me the most when traveling. If the vivo X200 FE existed back then, it would’ve definitely made it to that list.
I say that because the vivo X200 FE (FE stands for “Fashionable Edition”) was my most preferred travel smartphone this year. And there are multiple reasons for that.
For starters, it’s the vivo X200 FE’s compact form factor. We are looking at a 6.31″ display smartphone with a sleek (about 8mm thick) and lightweight (weighs 186 g) design. Add the metal frame and rear panel with a matte finish to the mix, and we have a smartphone that’s very comfortable to hold and operate with one hand. This is very important for me when traveling as it reduces the chances of the phone slipping out of my hands when juggling between the luggage, coffee, answering calls, responding to texts and emails, and whatnot – especially when rushing through check-in and security check at the airport. More so when the phone doesn’t have a faux-leather back panel, which helps me with the grip.
vivo X200 FE 5G
- 512GB 16GB RAM
₹ 59,998
- 256GB 12GB RAM
$ 721.14
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Furthermore, the vivo X200 FE’s display had nice sunlight legibility, so using it outdoors wasn’t an issue. The smartphone’s 6,500 mAh battery had impressive endurance, lasting an entire day on moderate usage with ease, even with some heavy gaming, and with 5G mobile data and Wi-Fi hotspot enabled all the time. There were also times when the battery lasted for an entire day and then some on a single charge. When a power adapter was plugged into the vivo X200 FE, a full charge took less than an hour. A smartphone with fast charging support is equally important when traveling.
The vivo X200 FE’s camera system isn’t as good as the X200 Pro’s, which is expected considering the price difference. But hey, the X200 FE’s primary and periscope telephoto cameras did take some really nice pictures, which is important when you are on vacation. Isn’t it? We live in a world where many people capture the moment first and then enjoy it, and that applies to travels and some other occasions too, because “If it’s not on Instagram, did it even happen?”
The vivo X200 FE also checked the box on the performance front. The Dimensity 9300+ SoC under the hood delivered a snappy, lag-free experience, which is another thing I look for in a travel smartphone. I also had multiple hour-long sessions of playing games like Call of Duty: Mobile, and the experience was mostly smooth, with the smartphone remaining cool enough. Not that I play FPS games on compact phones like the X200 FE (except for review purposes), but I thought of mentioning it in case there’s anyone here who prefers small phones for FPS gaming. I’m not judging.
Another feature on the vivo X200 FE’s specs sheet that made it my preferred travel smartphone was eSIM support. This is very convenient when traveling internationally.
My only complaints with the vivo X200 FE are: 1) The ultrawide camera has a measly 8MP resolution (it’s 2026 now, vivo); 2) There’s no telephoto macro mode. It would be nice if vivo could address these with the vivo X300 FE.
Realme GT 8 Pro
Last year’s Realme GT 7 Pro was the first phone after the Realme X50 Pro launched in 2020 by Realme outside China that felt like a flagship to me, and it was one of my top phones of 2024. Its successor, the Realme GT 8 Pro, came with some upgrades and carried a specs sheet packed to the brim.
The Realme GT 8 Pro was one of the first smartphones in India to come with the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, which offered a smooth, lag-free experience. Gaming was fun, too, since there was rarely any significant performance drop when playing games such as Call of Duty: Mobile for over an hour. The phone also remained reasonably cool during these long gaming sessions.
The GT 8 Pro came with a bright AMOLED display, which ensured the content remained legible even under strong sunlight. The refresh rate went up from 120Hz to 144Hz, and so did the resolution and peak brightness. However, that high refresh rate could’ve been used more effectively. The panel is not an LTPO type either.
Realme GT8 Pro 5G (China)
- 256GB 12GB RAM
$ 1,519.00
- 512GB 16GB RAM
$ 1,199.00
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Realme also increased the battery capacity on the GT 8 Pro. It packed a 7,000 mAh Si/C battery, which is 500 mAh more than the GT 7 Pro’s global model, but 1,200 mAh more than the Indian model. I’m glad all regions got the same battery size this time.
As for battery endurance, the Realme GT 8 Pro got me through the day with ease, even under heavy usage, which included 1+ hour of gaming with 5G mobile data and Wi-Fi hotspot enabled all the time. There were times when the phone battery lasted till the next day on a single charge. And since the Realme GT 8 Pro supports 120W wired charging, a full charge didn’t take more than 45-50 minutes.
The GT 7 Pro also supported 120W wired charging, and I have to appreciate Realme for launching the GT 8 Pro with 120W charging despite an increase in battery capacity, which some brands use as an excuse to reduce charging speeds. Realme certainly deserves a pat on its back for not skimping in that department. Oh, and yes, this time you also get 50W wireless charging, 10W reverse wireless charging, and 5W reverse wired charging support in addition to bypass charging.
That said, two of the biggest highlights of the Realme GT 8 Pro are its design and camera system. The smartphone is well-built, and I preferred the Urban Blue version over the Diary White model. The latter felt more premium to hold, but the former features a back cover with a “paper-like leather” finish that improves grip. I don’t like this finish as much as the GT2 Pro’s Paper Design, which remains my all-time favorite, but I don’t mind Realme launching more phones with it.
The Realme GT 8 Pro comes with switchable camera islands, and while that won’t necessarily boost sales, it’s still unique, and it’s nice to have the option to change the look of the camera bump yourself. And if you have time and want to get creative, you can also 3D print some yourself with the designs you want for a more personalized look. If Realme plans to continue launching phones with switchable camera covers, I’d like the brand to consider making them magnetic so they are easier to switch.
Regarding the camera system, I’m glad Realme finally increased the ultrawide camera’s resolution from a measly 8MP on the GT 7 Pro to 50MP on the GT 8 Pro, while the selfie unit went from 16MP to 32MP, even though neither has auto-focus. However, the main attraction is the 200MP periscope telephoto camera and Ricoh GR partnership for the primary camera.
I personally didn’t find the Ricoh GR mode appealing; however, I did like the overall performance of the Realme GT 8 Pro’s camera system.
On the software front, you get the Realme GT 8 Pro with Android 16-based Realme UI 7.0 out of the box. Realme has promised four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates for the GT 8 Pro. It’s not the industry’s best, but it’s still better than what the GT 7 Pro got.
The software on the Realme GT 8 Pro didn’t feel polished enough. For starters, the notifications on the lock screen covered the fingerprint scanner and cannot be cleared all at once with a single tap from the lock screen. Besides, when you use the tap-and-hold gesture to pause an Instagram Story, an AI-based feature kicks in, opening the next story automatically, which is not ideal.
All things considered, after the vivo X200 FE, the Realme GT 8 Pro remained my preferred travel smartphone (it supports eSIMs). And if it wasn’t for its unpolished software experience, the Realme GT 8 Pro would’ve been my most favorite smartphone of the year.
iQOO 15
And that brings us to the last smartphone in the list, which is also my most favorite of 2025 – the iQOO 15.
The iQOO 15 looks similar to its predecessor, the iQOO 13, but it doesn’t carry the exact same design. The rear panel is now flat, and the metal frame of the Legend edition has a matte finish, which not only prevents smudges but also makes the phone look and feel more premium. I personally don’t prefer flat design because I don’t find it ergonomic and comfortable, but I was told that iQOO adopted this design language because its users demanded it.
While I don’t find the iQOO 15 as comfortable to hold as the iQOO 13, I do like how it looks. The Legend colorway remains my favorite, even after iQOO dropped the BMW branding. It has a clean, minimal look.
vivo iQOO 15 5G
- 256GB 12GB RAM
₹ 72,999
- 512GB 16GB RAM
₹ 79,999
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The iQOO 15 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, which delivered snappy, lag-free performance across all scenarios, including 1+ hours of gaming, while remaining reasonably cool. I belong to the group that didn’t have any major complaints with Funtouch OS, but I must say OriginOS 6 is certainly a breath of fresh air. It brings a new UI, sprinkled with some useful features. One of my favorites is the “Blank data authorization” feature, tucked away in the Settings > Security & privacy menu.
What this feature does is that “when apps access your call logs, SMS messages, contacts, and events, they can only access blank data.” If I remember correctly, the first time I saw a similar feature was on the Realme X2 Pro, but it was removed during the transition to Realme UI. Blank data authorization is one feature I’d really like to see on all smartphones.
The iQOO 15 also received upgrades in other areas. It now has a bigger, brighter screen with good outdoor legibility and Dolby Vision certification, supports eSIMs, and will receive five Android OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, which is fantastic. It was a pleasant surprise since I didn’t expect iQOO to offer that kind of software support.
The iQOO 13’s Indian model packed a 6,000 mAh battery, while the global version had a 6,150 mAh cell. The iQOO 15 comes with a 7,000 mAh battery, which is a very nice upgrade. It got me through the day easily with 5G mobile data and Wi-Fi hotspot turned on, even with heavy usage, including long gaming sessions on Call of Duty: Mobile. In some cases, the battery lasted a day and a half.
And once the battery drained out, it fully juiced up within an hour with the bundled power adapter. The iQOO 15 supports 100W charging, down from 120W on the iQOO 13, which is a bit of a bummer, but I’m fine with it since iQOO has increased the battery capacity, and it offers nice endurance. Moreover, the iQOO 15 supports 40W reverse wireless charging, unlike the iQOO 13. iQOO said they added this feature to make up for the lack of 120W wired charging. Fair enough, I guess.
Talking about photography, the iQOO 15’s primary and ultrawide cameras use the same sensors as the iQOO 13, but the smartphone marks the comeback of a 3x periscope telephoto unit, which was present on the iQOO 12 but not the iQOO 13. The iQOO 15’s primary and telephoto cameras took nice pictures, and while I liked the portraits the smartphone clicked at 85mm focal length – introduced by iQOO as the “sweet spot” between 50mm and 100mm focal lengths – I actually clicked more portraits with 100mm focal length since it better suited my use case.
Perhaps the only area I’d like iQOO to improve on with the iQOO 15’s successor is not restricting the 144Hz refresh rate to select use cases. A new finish for the back panel and some improvements to the selfie and ultrawide cameras would be nice, too. The brand might also want to consider introducing something like the GT Shoulder Triggers found on the Infinix GT 30 and GT 30 Pro.
The iQOO 15 and Realme GT 8 Pro are two phones on this list that are significantly more expensive than their predecessors, and I was told that’s because of higher BOM costs. Component prices are rising, and 2026 will see even more expensive smartphones across all segments in India and other markets. So those planning to buy a new smartphone might just want to purchase an older model or wait for the new model to go on sale at a discount if they are not willing to pay the full price for upcoming smartphones.
And that’s pretty much it. Thanks for reading through! In 2025, I used smartphones across different price segments, ranging from budget devices priced under INR15,000 to premium flagships like the vivo X Fold5, which costs around INR150,000. However, the phones included in this list are the ones I enjoyed using the most, which is why they make up my top phones of 2025.
If you, too, used any of the aforementioned smartphones, let me know how your experience was in the comments section below. Also, feel free to share your top phones of 2025 and what you expect from smartphones in 2026. I’ll see you again next time.
