Smartphone Awards Est. 2014 · Archive 2025 Awards
Fan-made archive. Not affiliated with MKBHD or Marques Brownlee. Watch the originals on YouTube. Unofficial
2025
Edition № 1 of 12
Published December 2025

The Smartphone Awards.

2025: Apple's iPhone 17 won Phone of the Year after years out of the top spot, thanks to its 120Hz ProMotion upgrade and excellent value. Samsung won two major categories. Chinese brands dominated the premium segments with Xiaomi and Oppo.

Read the 2025 edition
2025 · Category winners

Six awards, six phones.

A snapshot of this year's category winners. The full set lives on the 2025 edition page.

№ 02 Best Battery

OnePlus 15

OnePlus
Runner-up · Xiaomi 17 Pro
№ 03 Best Design

iPhone Air

Apple
Runner-up · Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
Archive · 2014–2025

Phone of the Year, every year.

Twelve editions of the most important award MKBHD gives out. Scroll horizontally.

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By category.

Every award we track. Tap one to see all-time winners across twelve editions.

№ 01 Phone of the Year The ultimate award — MKBHD's pick for the best overall smartphone of the year across all price points and platforms. № 02 Best Camera Awarded to the smartphone with the best overall camera system — considering photo quality, video, night mode, and versatility. № 03 Best Battery Recognizes the phone that goes the longest on a single charge, factoring in both battery size and charging speed. № 04 Best Design Celebrates the most beautiful, innovative, or distinctive physical design in the smartphone industry that year. № 05 Best Value Awarded to the phone that delivers the most performance, features, and quality for its price. № 06 Best Big Phone The best large-screen smartphone of the year — for users who want maximum screen real estate. № 07 Best Small Phone The best compact smartphone — for users who prefer pocketable devices without sacrificing performance. № 08 Most Improved Awarded to the brand or phone that made the biggest leap forward year-over-year — whether that's fixing past mistakes or innovating boldly. № 09 Best Foldable The best folding smartphone — recognizing the most refined, practical, and well-executed foldable design. № 10 Bust of the Year The most disappointing phone launch of the year — overpriced, underdelivering, or failing to live up to its promise. № 11 Best Budget Phone The best smartphone under the mid-range price threshold — proof that you don't need to spend a fortune.