The best phones of 2025 were also the most ridiculous

This was a A surprisingly interesting year for smartphones. I didn’t expect it to be like this; The category is often described as outdated or “static”. But as a WIRED resident Telephone referencesI’ve tested almost all of this year’s phone devices — devices like As cheap as $130 All the way to a staggering $2,000, I don’t think there’s ever been a year filled with so many diverse styles in some time.

It all started with None Phone Series (3A).which was launched by the British company in Mobile World Congress Early in the year. While I wasn’t a fan of the Pro model’s clunky camera module, the Electric Blue (3a) is a standout. It seems like no other smartphone on the market, with a transparent back panel, a range of colors from a small red square, and the company’s signature Glyph lights, which flash when you receive notifications. These LED lights may not be the most useful, but they are fun and quirky.

This whimsical design has been sorely missed for several years. Remember 2020 LG Pavilion? The five camera Nokia 9 Pure View From 2019? Strange Moto modification A decade ago, what added things like cameras and speakers to Motorola’s Moto Z? These phones may not have topped the charts, but they tried something different.

Smartphones have become a necessity in today’s world, and as with all goods, this means that good, fun designs are often sacrificed for the sake of manufacturing efficiency. When companies go for the bottom line, we end up with plain, simple-looking phones designed for the widest possible audience. That’s why the recent shift to more feature-packed devices seems important.

Nothing else has won this year with CMFhone 2 Proa sub-$300 phone that doesn’t look or feel anything like its budget price. Uniquely, you can unscrew the back of the phone and replace the back panel with a different color panel, or take off the accessory point unit and connect things like a lanyard. Sustainability-focused company Fairphone had a similar idea The Fair Telephone (Genesis 6)except this smartphone did all that while also achieving a 10/10 iFixit Repairability Score.

Phone None (3A).

Photo: Julian Chocato

Motorola Razr 2025 series.

Photo: Julian Chocato

Then came Motorola, which witnessed Lots of success In recent years with her Razr foldable phones. with Razr 2025 modelsThe company focused heavily on different materials and textures. You can buy the Razr with a back covered in Alcantara microfiber fabric, vegan leather, or black frosted Gorilla Glass. There is even a version with Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. It helps that Motorola remains one of the only manufacturers offering a foldable phone for under $700. (Until it happens As low as $600 During sales events.)

You may still be hesitant to invest in one of these hinge-based phones, given their specifications Intermittent history with durabilityBut they are harder than ever. I’ve dropped several Razers, a Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and even a Galaxy Z Flip7 this year, and other than minor scratches on the frame, none of them have cracked. Motorola introduced a titanium-reinforced hinge plate this year. Google promises More than 10 years of folding for the latest folding and It finally gets an IP68 rating for its foldable design. Samsung says the Galaxy Z Fold7 can withstand 500,000 folds, enough for more than a decade of typical use.

We should expect more from the look and feel of the gadgets in our lives. As is the case with A Good hourI find that I really enjoy using devices that put more care or effort into design and build quality. This year, I was thrilled with the sharp look Third phone light– Anti-smartphones that don’t run traditional apps – instead Minimum phonewhich was designed with the same goal of helping reduce time spent staring at a screen, had a disgusting-looking plastic design. Even with all this experimentation with looks, you don’t have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a nice-looking phone. Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G It has a stunning design and a beautiful leather-like texture, and often retails for $300.

Light Phone III.

Photo: Julian Chocato

Moto G Stylus 5G 2025.

Photo: Julian Chocato

Thinness, as always, was also very much present. Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and iPhone Air These may not be innovative ideas, but I’m not kidding, carrying an ultra-slim and lightweight phone is actually pretty cool. Unfortunately — but not surprisingly — Samsung’s design suffered from lackluster battery life, and while the iPhone Air delivered better-than-expected runtimes, the single-camera system and high price didn’t exactly scream good value in an economically turbulent year. (These flaws likely explain rumors that Samsung has them Plans for a successor were cancelled to its thinnest mobile phone and that Apple was suffering from the elements Lackluster sales off the air.)

But we’ve already seen the benefits of thinner phones. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 It’s one of the best foldable phones of the year, largely due to the significant reduction in size and weight compared to its predecessors. Apple is also rumored to be working on Foldable iPhoneand Lessons The iPhone Air would go a long way to making a device that isn’t cumbersome to hold.