Best smartphones, ranked by critic score
82 ranked by critic score · 6 more not yet ranked · 569 professional reviews
Current flagship and mid-range phones.
Image: OppoThe critics' pick
Oppo Find X9 Ultra
94
Acclaimed
Average of 5 professional reviews
5 of 5 recommend it · critics agree
Where the 5 reviews landedRange 90–100
5060708010094 avg
5 professional reviewers tested the Oppo Find X9 Ultra, and 5 recommend it. Most praised: performance and battery life. Most common complaint: price.
The catch: It is very expensive, thick and heavy.
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- 1Oppo Find X9 UltraBest overall5 reviews94Image: Oppo
- 2Apple iPhone 18 Pro MaxBest for cameras and speed6 reviews91
Image: Apple - 3Apple iPhone 17Critics agree10 reviews90
Image: Apple - 4Apple iPhone 17 ProRunner-up10 reviews90
Image: Apple - 5Oppo Find X9 ProCritics agree4 reviews · early score90
Image: Oppo - 6Apple iPhone 18 ProBroad agreement9 reviews89
Image: Apple - 7Google Pixel 9aBest midrange battery life7 reviews89
Image: Google - 8Xiaomi 17 UltraBest for telephoto photography5 reviews89
Image: Xiaomi - 9Apple iPhone 17 Pro MaxBest for battery and cameras9 reviews88
Image: Apple - 10CMF Phone 2 ProBest budget phone value7 reviews88
Image: CMF - 11OnePlus 13Best flagship battery and speed7 reviews88
Image: OnePlus - 12Xiaomi 15T ProBest near-flagship value6 reviews88
Image: Xiaomi - 13Xiaomi 15 UltraBest for mobile photography5 reviews88
Image: Xiaomi - 14OnePlus 15Best for battery and gaming5 reviews88
Image: OnePlus - 15Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7Best foldable12 reviews87
Image: Samsung - 16Honor Magic V5Best slim foldable7 reviews87
Image: Honor - 17Oppo Find X8 ProBest zoom camera flagship6 reviews87
Image: Oppo - 18Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraBest all-round Android flagship8 reviews86
Image: Samsung - 19Samsung Galaxy S26 UltraBest camera range20 reviews86
Image: Samsung - 20Poco X8 Pro MaxBest for budget battery and gaming5 reviews86
Image: Poco - 21Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8Best compact wide foldable11 reviews85
Image: Samsung - 22Motorola Razr FoldBest for foldable stylus use8 reviews85
Image: Motorola - 23Google Pixel 9 ProBest compact flagship camera7 reviews85
Image: Google - 24Honor Magic V6Best foldable battery and camera7 reviews85
Image: Honor - 25Honor 600Best for mid-range display and battery6 reviews85
Image: Honor - 26Poco F8 UltraBest for gaming and media6 reviews85
Image: Poco - 27Poco F9 UltraBest for battery and speakers5 reviews85
Image: Poco - 28Xiaomi 17Best compact flagship power4 reviews · early score85
Image: Xiaomi - 29Redmagic 11 ProBest for mobile gaming performance with active cooling7 reviews84
Image: Redmagic - 30Honor 400Best for premium feel on a budget4 reviews · early score84
Image: Honor - 31Honor 400 ProBest near-flagship value4 reviews · early score84
Image: Honor - 32OnePlus 13RBest value flagship performance6 reviews83
Image: OnePlus - 33Motorola Edge 70 FusionBest for big battery value4 reviews · early score83
Image: Motorola - 34Oppo Find X10 Pro MaxBest camera flagship4 reviews · early score83
Image: Oppo - 35Xiaomi 17T ProBest for camera and battery6 reviews82
Image: Xiaomi - 36Apple iPhone DuoBest designed foldable8 reviews82
Image: Apple - 37Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 UltraBest for foldable battery and speed8 reviews82
Image: Samsung - 38Nothing Phone (4a)Best for design and clean software5 reviews82
Image: Nothing - 39Poco X6 ProBest budget gaming phone5 reviews82
Image: Poco - 40Google Pixel 10aBest for long Pixel support10 reviews81
Image: Google - 41Google Pixel 10Best value new Pixel7 reviews81
Image: Google - 42Nothing Phone (3a) ProBest budget triple camera6 reviews81
Image: Nothing - 43Poco F7Best mid-range performance and battery6 reviews81
Image: Poco - 44Samsung Galaxy S25 FEBest for seven years of updates4 reviews · early score81
Image: Samsung - 45Samsung Galaxy S25Best compact Android flagship6 reviews80
Image: Samsung - 46Samsung Galaxy S25+Best for display and software6 reviews80Image: Samsung
- 47Honor 600 ProBest for two-day battery5 reviews80
Image: Honor - 48Xiaomi 17TBest for 5x telephoto and battery5 reviews80
Image: Xiaomi - 49Honor Magic 7 ProBest for camera and battery4 reviews · early score80
Image: Honor - 50Motorola Edge 60 ProBest for style and battery4 reviews · early score80
Image: Motorola - 51Samsung Galaxy A56Best for battery and updates4 reviews · early score80
Image: Samsung - 52Google Pixel 11Critics split10 reviews80
Image: Google - 53Google Pixel 10 Pro XLBest for cameras and software6 reviews80
Image: Google - 54Poco X7 ProBest budget gaming phone6 reviews79
Image: Poco - 55Apple iPhone AirBest for slim design24 reviews79
Image: Apple - 56Poco F7 UltraBest flagship speed for the money4 reviews · early score79
Image: Poco - 57Nothing Phone (4a) ProBest for display and battery9 reviews79
Image: Nothing - 58Samsung Galaxy S26Critics agree9 reviews78
Image: Samsung - 59Fairphone 6 PlusBest repairable phone6 reviews78
Image: Fairphone - 60Google Pixel 10 ProOne critic disagrees9 reviews78
Image: Google - 61OnePlus Nord 5Best for fast midrange screen7 reviews78
Image: OnePlus - 62Google Pixel 11 ProBest compact Pixel camera5 reviews78
Image: Google - 63Honor Magic 8 LiteBest for tough, long-lasting battery5 reviews78
Image: Honor - 64Oppo Reno 13 ProBest for battery and telephoto4 reviews · early score78
Image: Oppo - 65Samsung Galaxy A57Best for light build and updates4 reviews · early score78
Image: Samsung - 66Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8Best for cover screen use4 reviews · early score78
Image: Samsung - 67Motorola Razr Ultra (2026)Best flip phone battery4 reviews · early score78
Image: Motorola - 68Honor Magic 8 ProBest for night photography8 reviews78
Image: Honor - 69Apple iPhone 17eBest entry-level iPhone6 reviews77
Image: Apple - 70Apple iPhone 16eBest for battery on a budget8 reviews77
Image: Apple - 71OnePlus 15RBest midrange battery life5 reviews77
Image: OnePlus - 72Google Pixel 11 Pro FoldBest Pixel foldable so far9 reviews76
Image: Google - 73Samsung Galaxy S26+Best for big-screen Galaxy9 reviews76Image: Samsung
- 74Nothing Phone (3)Best for distinctive style10 reviews75
Image: Nothing - 75Google Pixel 10 Pro FoldBest dust-proof foldable6 reviews73
Image: Google - 76Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FEBest for Flip 7 camera, less cash6 reviews73
Image: Samsung - 77Google Pixel 11 Pro XLBest for Pixel cameras and AI7 reviews72
Image: Google - 78Samsung Galaxy S25 EdgeBest for thin, light design6 reviews72
Image: Samsung - 79Photo comingMotorola Edge 70Best ultra-slim phone5 reviews72
- 80Photo comingPoco X7Best value when discounted4 reviews · early score72
- 81Motorola Moto G Stylus (2026)Best built-in stylus phone5 reviews69
Image: Motorola - 82Samsung Galaxy S26 FEBest cheaper Galaxy flagship feel8 reviews67
Image: Samsung
The short answer
The best smartphone, according to professional reviewers, is the Oppo Find X9 Ultra: critic score 94 out of 100 from 5 reviews, 5 of them positive. Most praised: performance and battery life. Most common complaint: price.
Early reads · 6 not yet ranked
Not ranked, listed A to Z. We publish a critic score once at least 4 professional reviews of the exact model exist; with 2 or 3 we show a provisional average.
- HMD Skyline · provisional 73 from 3 reviews
- Motorola Moto G Power (2026) · provisional 63 from 3 reviews
- Nothing Phone (3a) · provisional 87 from 3 reviews
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 · provisional 87 from 3 reviews
- Sony Xperia 1 VII · provisional 70 from 3 reviews
- Vivo V30 · 1 review so far (GSMArena: 84)
How we score →Only professional reviews, never shop or customer reviewsEvery score links to its sourceCommissions never change a score
Common questions
What is the best smartphone?
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra, with a critic score of 94 from 5 professional reviews. Most praised: performance and battery life. Most common complaint: price.
Oppo Find X9 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max: which is better?
Critics score the Oppo Find X9 Ultra 94 and the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max 91. We list the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max under “Best for cameras and speed”. Its main drawback: it is big, heavy and pricier than last year.
Which smartphones do critics disagree on?
The Google Pixel 11 (scores from 60 to 92); The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL (scores from 60 to 90); The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro (scores from 60 to 90); The Honor Magic 8 Pro (scores from 50 to 90).