The best tech of 2025: Android Authority's picks the top tablets, handhelds, foldables, and more!

Wear OS smartwatches haven’t reached their full potential in the years past, but in 2025, Google finally demonstrated what is possible with the Pixel Watch 4.

Battery life is now a highlight, not a weakness, while Google has buffed the device’s health tracking smarts with a skin temperature sensor and upgraded heart-rate tracking. Buyers also get an excellent voice assistant with Gemini, built-in SOS tracking for added safety, and a fully repairable device, which reduces e-waste.

The Pixel Watch 4 is by far the best Wear OS smartwatch you can buy, and our favorite overall wearable of 2025.

If fitness tracking is more important to you than mere smartwatch features, the Garmin Venu series has long been the best option. The Garmin Venu 4 pushes this watermark even higher.

We thoroughly enjoyed Garmin’s refined operating system, which makes the most of that large, bright display. As it’s a Garmin, you get full access to the broad suite of fitness and health tracking features that novices who want accurate data and more advanced training options will appreciate, as well as serious athletes.

Best of all, the Venu 4 still excels in battery life, making it a reliable daily smartwatch companion.

When it comes to crafting high-quality luxury smartwatches, HUAWEI is still head and shoulders above the pack. The HUAWEI Watch Ultimate 2 is the best example yet.

Not just a pretty face, the Watch Ultimate 2 packs several features you won’t find on many other smartwatches. For diving enthusiasts, the watch is rated to depths of 150m, and for terrestrial travelers, it packs dual-band GPS and offline maps support for accurate trail finding. Then there’s the X-Tap sensor, which samples real-time health data by holding a touchpad on the edge of the watch — a simple yet effective system.

The Watch Ultimate 2 may not be the most form-fitting or understated wearable, but it’s an excellent premium device that covers all the bases, and more.

Not everyone needs the trappings of a fully-fledged training watch. Often, users can save a significant amount of money and still enjoy an excellent, well-rounded health tracking experience. Garmin’s vivoactive 6 is the company’s latest device that forefronts this idea.

Buyers receive accurate GPS tracking, mostly reliable heart rate monitoring, and a range of advanced training features designed for novices to get started. We particularly like its minimalist design, which is both comfortable and packs oodles of battery for long, uninterrupted journeys.

The best feature of the Garmin vivoactive 6 is its price. It doesn’t demand too much from your wallet, but it’ll help you get the best out of your daily training sessions.

When it comes to affordability, few wearables can rival the Xiaomi Smart Band series. The latest device in the lineup, the Smart Band 10, is another great example of just how much you can cram into that minimal price.

Buyers will miss out on a few creature comforts, including built-in GPS and bulletproof health tracking accuracy, but the Smart Band 10 makes up for this with a gorgeous, large display and a battery that lasts and lasts. During our review, we could easily wait three weeks before topping it up again.

Smart rings no longer cost an arm and a leg (or a finger), and the RingConn Gen 2 Air is the proof. This excellent budget wearable impressed us this year with its surprisingly good battery life, its svelte and comfortable design, and its wide-reaching health tracking smarts.

At a time when manufacturers aren’t shy to hide their features behind subscriptions, RingConn doesn’t. All of the Gen 2 Air’s features are available from the get-go. Sure, it needs some polish and does sacrifice a few creature comforts to fit within its slim price, but it’s a stellar starter smart ring for budget buyers.

We saw some pretty incredible camera phones launch in 2025, but the most complete package is undoubtedly the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Google’s best phone so far also features Android’s best point-and-shoot camera system, yielding reliable results in various conditions and scenarios. The company has also refined the rougher areas of the Pixel experience, including increasing the battery capacity, further refining the Pixel software experience, and enhancing charging speeds both through the wire and over the air.

Sure, the Tensor G5 chipset isn’t the most sprightly option, and the limitation of eSIM-only models in the US makes for an awkward travel phone. Still, in the hand, few phones of 2025 offer a more complete user-centric experience than the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Seeking a more comprehensive imaging experience with your smartphone? The vivo X300 Pro packs camera hardware and software that few other devices can match.

The big draw of the X300 Pro is its zoom capabilities. In our review, the device pulled plenty of detail from a range of distant subjects, with and without its external zoom lens. That party piece unlocks even more of the device’s potential.

In terms of its smartphone chops, the vivo X300 Pro’s performance is admirable but not the pinnacle, while its battery capacity will take a considerable drop for buyers in Europe. It’ll also be challenging to find it in the US.

Nevertheless, if pushing the limits of smartphone photography is your thing, you really can’t go wrong with the vivo X300 Pro. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable camera phone worthy of that Pro label.

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to camera phones launched in 2025. Our resident pixel peeper Rob Triggs declared the Xiaomi 15 Ultra “the absolute best smartphone camera package money can buy, bar none” in his review. It’s difficult to refute that.

The phone’s cameras undoubtedly take center stage and can easily compete with the best mirrorless cameras on the market. It snaps great images in almost all scenarios, from low to highlight, zoom to macro. It’s a versatile pocket camera that may even tempt professionals.

As a smartphone, Xiaomi left no stone unturned. It packs incredible battery life, rapid charging, and a respectable software support window. Sure, its Snapdragon chipset may run a little warm, some aspects of its software would perturb some users, and it has an eye-wateringly high price tag. Overall, its camera muscle mitigates many of these flaws and overlooks them.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars for a great smartphone, and in 2025, the greatest example of this was the Google Pixel 9a.

This cheerful and affordable handset combines the best of Google’s software and imaging experience with one of the largest batteries ever fitted to a Pixel device, along with a visually pleasing design. As a Pixel, users are privy to many of the exclusive features that make Google’s smartphone range such an excellent digital companion.

When it comes to value, no other smartphone can hold a candle to the Pixel 9a. For that reason, it’s also the best-ever Pixel A device.

OnePlus has largely lost its roots as a flagship-killer, having launched high-end devices of its own; however, the OnePlus 13R marks a wonderful return to its past form.

This modestly priced handset delivers rapid performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, which effortlessly navigates mobile games. The phone backs this up with a roomy battery and quick charging, while the reliable primary camera makes it a reliable snapper when required.

While its direct follow-up, the OnePlus 15R, failed to impress, it’s still difficult to ignore the OnePlus 13R at its sub-$600 price.

Samsung’s FE, or Fan Edition, series has grown into the perfect entry point into the company’s smartphone ecosystem. The Galaxy S25 FE may not have the trimmings of more premium Galaxy handsets, but it covers the basics well.

While Samsung hasn’t upgraded the device’s performance over the previous model, it has upped the battery capacity and charging speed, and made the device far easier to handle.

Those who own previous FE models may not see the benefits of upgrading, but newcomers seeking a robust experience with years of software support ahead should consider the Galaxy S25 FE.

It’s remarkable just how much kit the CMF Phone 2 Pro crams into its sub-$300 price tag. If you can get your hands on one, it’s by far the best smartphone in its price bracket.

Its design is straight out of Nothing’s playbook, melding a minimalist shell with futuristic flourishes. One of its party pieces includes a modular system that allows the attachment of various accessories.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro features a rather impressive camera setup, especially considering its price point. More remarkable is the inclusion of a telephoto lens that more than carries its own weight.

The only drawback to the Phone 2 Pro is its limited availability, particularly for buyers in the US, where you can technically get your hands on one, but the carrier support will be extremely limited.

Budget phones are designed to provide the basics without frills or fuss, and the Galaxy A16 5G is a prime example of this. It’s been the best starter Android phone you could buy throughout 2025.

Samsung is well used to making bread-and-butter smartphones, but the Galaxy A16 5G packs plenty of flagship-level smarts. For one, it includes a lengthy software support period that would embarrass phones far pricier than it. Pair this with adequate cameras, a spacious display, acceptable battery life, and solid charging capabilities, and you have a competent budget handset.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) is among the most unique budget smartphones available. Its biggest draw is its built-in stylus, which makes drawing and notation on the device a breeze. But, beyond this single item, the phone’s a well-built, attractive sub-$400 handset.

It includes a peppy AMOLED display paired with a striking Pantone-colored plastic shell. It also introduces a competent camera system, quick wireless charging, and a software experience that lacks those annoying apps you were planning to uninstall anyway.

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) shows how focused Motorola devices can be, especially at the lower end of the price range.

The Motorola Razr Ultra is easily the best foldable phone of 2025. Granted, it chooses to flip rather than fold, but this combination of incredible specs, thoughtful design, and compact body makes it difficult to beat in this highly competitive genre.

The Razr Ultra makes full use of its dimensions, featuring a large 165Hz 4-inch external display that remains entirely usable when the device is folded. Unfold the phone to reveal its 6.9-inch, 165Hz internal screen, which is as vivid as it is quick.

All this is paired with flagship-level internals, lengthy battery life supported by rapid charging, and a competent camera setup.

It’s expensive, and Motorola really needs to work on its software commitment and development, but the Ultra easily overcomes these minor flaws.

If larger foldable phones are of interest to you, you can’t get better than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Seven generations in, Samsung has clearly mastered the art of making foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 displays all these learnings and refinements with a far thinner body, a more impressive foldable screen, and flagship-tier performance.

A large part of the foldable experience hinges on the software. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is ideal for multitasking, especially when considering Samsung’s DeX experience.

The vanilla Motorola Razr continues to set the standard for sub-flagship flip phones.

Despite its cut price, Motorola doesn’t skimp on too many features, giving the phone a usable cover display, a capable camera pairing, and a welcome chipset upgrade over its predecessor. It’s the perfect entry-level foldable.

The OnePlus Pad 3 is the overall best Android tablet we’ve used in 2025. Not only does it check important build quality and design boxes, but it also supports a plethora of accessories, comes with thoughtful software that enhances its multitasking potential, and features premium hardware to help make it all work.

We particularly appreciate its longevity and rapid charging capabilities, which are particularly useful when the battery eventually runs out. It might be pricier this time around, but it’s well worth it.

Samsung has a knack for making solid tablets, and the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is a great example that lives up to the FE brand pedgree of delivering quality at a more reasonable price.

It’s not flashy nor does it cram in the features of its premium siblings, but it offers solid build quality, Samsung’s lengthy software support window, and good endurance.

There are great Android tablets for even less cash, and the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro was the best of 2025 that fell under the $400 mark.

That relatively modest price tag buys you a well-built product that excels as an entertainment center. We really love its bright speakers and surprisingly good LCD panel.

Looking for an excellent value-for-money robot vacuum? You’d have been hard-pressed to find a better product than the Narwal Freo Z10 this year, and it’s still a great buy today.

This automated cleaner is a versatile solution, incorporating many of the company’s best features into a smart, maintenance-free cleaning system. It can mop, offers incredible suction power, and easily navigates obstacles with its LiDAR and laser sensors.

Usually, you’d have to spend well over $1,000 for a cleaning solution that doesn’t need babysitting; however, the Roborock Qrevo S5V bucked this trend.

Coming in at under $900, it offers a range of features that premium automated solutions often lack, including brilliant coverage, mopping capabilities, and self-cleaning programs. The only mark against it is its lack of auto-detergent, but that’s a minor blemish in an otherwise gleaming product.

If your abode has plenty of furniture legs, floor obstacles, and sharp corners, the Roborock Saros 10R is for you.

It’s by far the best robot vacuum we’ve tested for mapping and navigating busy spaces. It utilizes AI smarts for more intelligent pathing, easily creeps under most couches, and smartly avoids crashing into objects. It’s a little expensive, but considering its pros, we certainly don’t see that as a con.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a are the best bang for the buck earbuds you can buy for your Android phone, bar none.

Yes, they’re billed as the company’s more affordable audio solution, but they’re comfortable to wear, include ANC and transparency modes, and integrate with Gemini and Gemini Live.

The CMF Buds 2 Plus offer stellar value for money, especially if you’re looking for earbuds with broad feature coverage.

Although it might’ve ditched the Smart Dial on its predecessor, it still offers solid sound quality, includes ANC support, and comes with a price that even the fussiest buyer could stomach.

The HUAWEI FreeClip 2 solve plenty of those annoying earbud problems thanks to their unique design and comfortable fit.

As the name suggests, the FreeClip 2 are right-left agnostic, meaning that either bud will fit in either ear.

They’re also designed with all-day wear in mind, packing a comfort-first bridge-shaped design. These are great options for those who dislike cramming earbuds into their ear canals, and they still pack great sound, too.

Nothing’s unique smartphone aesthetics carry forward into the Headphone 1, the company’s rather excellent debut headphones.

They’re really comfortable, pack ANC, have a roomy battery, and have controls via their own dedicated app. While it’s clear that this is a first effort, Nothing got plenty right.

The Mate X7 is HUAWEI’s latest example of how to make a gorgeous yet practical foldable phone, featuring an attractive design (check out the Light-Woven Brocade colorway), a bright 6.49-inch external screen, and a spacious 8-inch internal panel.

The device also accommodates an impressive camera system, quick charging, and a large battery. Best of all, users get IP58/IP59 water and dust resistance ratings, making the Mate X7 a viable choice for more extreme users.

We saw plenty of quirky tech at CES 2025, but one of the standout products was TCL’s PlayCube. That initial concept is now a product you can buy, and it’s one of the most unique-looking portable projectors we’ve ever seen.

This adorable retro-futuristic device hides a projector system that runs Google TV and is powered by a built-in battery. This makes it both a capable and portable entertainment solution.

The AAWireless Two Plus is the perfect driving companion, allowing users of both Android and iPhone to switch between Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connections seamlessly.

We love how easy it is to use, with the most challenging part of it being plugging it in. It’s affordable, reliable, and is genuinely one of the best devices you can purchase for your car.

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8 is a fantastic smartphone gimbal built to turn your flagship smartphone into a complete videography solution.

It offers excellent stabilization, superb portability, and a multifunctional module that brings out the best in the entire system. Best of all, it’s seamlessly compatible with DJI accessories, making it a ready-made fit for those already part of the ecosystem.

Extended reality, or XR, appears to be gaining ever more traction, but it’s a technology you can gain access to right now. One of the companies leading the line is VITURE, and its Luma Ultra glasses are among the more impressive devices we’ve tested this year.

They’re a step up from the already capable Luma Pro models, and pack 6DoF for translational tracking, which ensures that windows projected onto the display don’t move around. It’s a brilliant experience.

If you need the power equivalent of a small nuclear power station, the UGREEN Nexode 500W charger is for you.

This six-port GaN charger is designed for desktop use, supporting a wide range of protocols, and is capable of charging multiple laptops simultaneously. It can supply up to 240W if required. That’s more than enough power for many of us (at least for now), but for those who do, the UGREEN Nexode is easily the best option.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Baseus Enercore CJ11 is among the more compact wall chargers you can snag for yourself.

It supports up to 67W and multiple protocols, allowing it to easily top up most of the world’s best Android smartphones. It also packs three ports and a retractable USB-C cable, making it the ideal multi-device travel companion.

Portable chargers often trade capacity for pocketability, but the CUKTECH 15 Ultra strikes this balance exceptionally well.

With 20,000mAh on tap and 165W maximum output, it covers just about every portable device’s power needs. We also really appreciate its solid physical design and practical elongated cube shape.

Every functional smart home needs a central hub, and the Homey Pro Mini is among the best options on the market.

It resembles an Android TV from days gone by, but it offers extensive support for standard smart home protocols and features Homey’s intuitive management software. It’s by no means a good solution for those craving complete and comprehensive control, but it is a good starter product for your smart home journey.

Lamps don’t have to restrict themselves to light. Joining forces with JBL, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro offers buyers exceptional sound quality for a secondary speaker system.

It also features battery power, making the package ideal for adventures, while Govee equips the lamp with numerous smart control and color selection options.

If you’re looking for a smart wet-dry vacuum cleaner, you can’t go wrong with the H15 Pro CarpetFlex from Dreame.

The product does kick up quite a fuss, but that noise also comes with a significant boost in battery life, ample suction pressure, and a self-cleaning system.

The XGIMI MoGo 4 is a compact, portable Google TV projector that’s perfect for the smaller rooms in your home.

Its design, which prioritizes compactness, also includes 1080p support, 450 ISO lumens for projecting images onto surfaces ranging from 40 to 120 inches, and offers all the app support you could ask for, thanks to its Android software platform.

The Epson Lifestudio Flex Plus is a stylish, minimalist Google TV projector that doesn’t skimp on picture quality.

It includes 3LCD smarts for minimizing rainbow effects, 1,000 lumens of brightness to cut through the brightest spaces, and support for 4K resolution.

The DBOX02 Pro is one of the best genuine TV replacements we’ve tested this year.

This projector costs a lot, but it makes up for it with easy setup, super-sharp 4K visuals, and picture reproduction that won’t be challenged by bright room lamps.

The Pocket FIT doesn’t reinvent the gaming handheld. Instead, AYANEO’s first ever handheld from its KONKR sub-brand sensibly scales down an already solid product, the Pocket S2, while being positioned at an irresistible price point.

This means buyers still get capable performance thanks to the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 chipset and a zippy display that’ll make full use of the available horsepower. However, you’ll lose out on an OLED screen. We still think this trade makes it the best value Android gaming handheld of 2025.

Handhelds, for me at least, are all about nostalgia, and the ANBERNIC RG 447M’s design supports this notion in its entirety.

With its 4:3 aspect ratio, it’s a great way to play classic games with CRT shaders. It’s not bad on the specs front either, packing a 120Hz display and a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 SoC.

Price is usually the most significant consideration when purchasing new tech, especially for gaming handhelds. Still, the Retroid Pocket Classic’s sub-$120 demand easily makes it the best value device in its genre.

With a design inspired by Nintendo’s Game Boy, the Pocket Classic packs a great AMOLED screen, decent performance, and solid battery life. It’s an all-round great package.

The first product by drone brand Antigravity is impressive to say the least. Its party piece is a 360-degree camera that can record 8K video at 60 frames per second.

Smartly, the drone can also erase itself from the video, providing users with a completely immersive, global view of its surroundings. This has practical benefits too. For beginners, the A1 makes framing the perfect shot as easy as flying.

The NXTPAPER 60 Ultra is one of those genuinely exciting out-of-the-box ideas that have come together to form a fantastic product. While it’s technically an Android smartphone, the 7-inch matte screen lends itself well to reading content, be it novels or comics.

Best of all, it’s lightweight, thin enough to pocket, and packs some surprisingly lofty specs — its camera system is a hidden highlight!

The Hypershell X Ultra is an exoskeleton designed to aid the wearer on hiking trails, running routes, and even the odd bicycle tour around the city.

It fastens to the wearer’s midsection and upper legs, assisting movement and minimizing strain. It’s the best augmented exercise experience available right now.

When it comes to an uncompromising power station solution, the Anker SOLIX F3000 is the perfect fit.

It offers a solid balance of specs for home and outdoor use. Its wheeled design makes it easy to cart around, while it can also top up an EV if needed. It also packs a UPS mode for power redundancy in the office.

The DJI Power 2000 is an excellent high-power solution for RVs, packing a capacity of 2,048Wh and a maximum output of 3,000W.

Its relatively compact design makes it somewhat portable, although we would’ve loved to see wheels in a similar vein to Anker’s solution above. Nevertheless, buyers get a plethora of ports and a 30-amp AC outlet for complete flexibility.

If you’re in the market for a power solution that’ll remain at home for most of its life, you can’t go wrong with Jackery’s HomePower 3000.

The HomePower 3000 includes a 3,072Wh battery, a 20ms UPS switchover, and a surge output of 7,200W. What’s remarkable is its relative portability. These specs would typically require a fixed footprint, but the HomePower 3000 could be used beyond the home if needed.