Recommending foldables is still quite difficult for me. Most people take one look at the price and say “never mind,” and I totally get that.
Recommending foldables is still quite difficult for me. Most people take one look at the price and say “never mind,” and I totally get that.
The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL is a tried and true flagship masquerading as a series of incremental upgrades.
If you’ve been holding onto a Pixel 9 Pro or older, yes, the Pixel 11 Pro is worth the jump. The cooler thermals, better battery life, and faster modem fix the exact problems that made previous Pixels frustrating to live with day to day.
The HONOR Magic V6 is the kind of foldable that makes you wonder why you’ve been settling for less. The displays are stunning, the thermals are class-leading, battery life is genuinely a two-day affair, and the software has finally grown up.
I can recommend this phone if you know what you’re getting into with it. Most people, however, will probably want to look elsewhere.
It has one of the best and best-performing camera setups on the market.
The Vivo V70 seeks to capitalize on the ongoing scenario where flagship products are becoming increasingly expensive by offering a premium coating, solvent photographic system, excellent performance and all-day battery life at a more moderate price tag.
With a stacked setup that includes multiple high-resolution sensors and true long-range zoom, the Find X9 Ultra feels less like a smartphone camera and more like a dedicated camera you happen to carry in your pocket.
It’s one of the easiest smartphone recommendations I’ve ever made, in all honesty.
The Pixel 10a is really no different, providing a good user experience at a reasonable price for some solid value. That being said, even if I do think this is the best $500 phone available, it’s hard to recommend in certain situations.
It’s a great package for a flagship smartphone.
The OPPO Find X9 Pro takes everything we loved about last year’s model and turns it up a notch — with a sleek new flat design, a powerhouse Dimensity 9500 chip, and one of the best battery experiences you’ll find on any flagship.
The Xiaomi 15T Pro delivers flagship performance and premium design at a price that makes sense.
The Google Pixel 9a is pretty strange this year, and it’s hard for me to recommend.
The HONOR Magic6 Pro is a great phone, and if you’re in the market for a flagship-grade device, this one is definitely worth considering.
Battery life could be better, but it’s perfectly fine. And at this price, it’s likely going to be the cheapest flagship here in the US.
The foldable phone has come a long way, and the Vivo X Fold3 Pro is a testament to this. This phone shows just how far this form factor has come in the last five years.
HONOR has knocked it out of the park once again with Magic V3, proving why they are the leader in foldables.
If this is your first foldable, this is a great option. I actually prefer the hardware here over the Galaxy Z Fold 6, but it’s not perfect, and at $1,799 you probably want it to be close to perfect.
This is an appropriately priced phone that delivers on all fronts of the smartphone experience. The screen is gorgeous, the build quality is great, the speakers are amazing, the camera is nice, and the battery life is top-notch.
OnePlus also nailed just about everything this year, from the camera to performance, to battery life, to the display, and everything in between.
The Google Pixel 8a is another home run for Google in its Pixel a-series. Keeping the Pixel 8a at $499 instantly makes this the best $500 phone of the year.
I think depending on what you’re looking for, the X100 Pro could be an amazing phone choice. The only major issue for people in the US is that you really can’t get this phone officially.
Xiaomi has built one of the best cameras available today, and just so happened to put a phone on it.
