beautiful smartphones, powerful laptops, and much more

2025 is done, and the light is shining bright on 2026 and all the joy of the New Year. But before we start making resolutions we’ll never keep, there is just one small matter to take care of: MakeUseOf’s Best of 2025 awards

It’s been a jam-packed year of tech with some absolutely amazing new smartphones, laptops, and more. And while we don’t get our hands on every single gadget launched throughout the year, we’re confident the bits we did use are some of the best of all—and bits you’ll love, too.

iPhone 17 Pro

Best smartphone 2025

2025 marks the first year I’ve upgraded my phone before the previous one became completely unusable. I was using an iPhone 16 Pro, but after seeing the iPhone 17 Pro — and through a few unforeseen events — I just had to get my hands on it. While it might seem like the start of a brand-new design arc, to me, it feels more like the ultimate maturation of the cycle that began with the iPhone 14. It feels incredible to hold, the MagSafe remains absolute bliss, and the overall interface is super smooth to use and glorious to stare at.

Most of the significant upgrades were packed into the cameras this year, and those are the ones I’ve enjoyed the most. I’ve reached a point where I use my iPhone as my primary camera for almost every meeting now; the Center Stage implementation is exceptionally nice and fluid. Beyond the optics, the battery life is also noticeably better than the 16 Pro, which is a practical upgrade I feel every single day.

I understand that the iPhone is rarely the device with the most “bleeding edge” features or the highest megapixel count on a spec sheet. But, at the end of the day, I tend to think of iPhones as their own distinct category. They don’t need to win a spec war to be successful. The iPhone 17 Pro doesn’t need to be a better “AI phone” than its competitors; it just needs to excel at being an iPhone — and this year, it does exactly that.

Now, we also tried out Apple’s other big release, the iPhone 17 Air—but it was surprisingly flat and not what we expected at all.

Brand

Apple

SoC

A19 Pro chip (3nm); 6-core CPU, 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators

Display

6.3″ LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED; 120Hz ProMotion; 3000 nits peak brightness

RAM

12GB LPDDR5X

Storage

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

The iPhone 17 Pro excels at simply being an iPhone: refined, reliable, and glorious to stare at. It is a device that prioritizes your experience, from the bliss of MagSafe to a display that remains fluid and super smooth in every interaction.

Pros & Cons

• Top-tier cameras with buttery smooth Center Stage
• Significant runtime leap over the 16 Pro with great battery
• New anti-reflective coating makes it much easier to use in sunlight

• Native optical zoom was reduced from 5x on the previous model to 4x
• Noticeably heavier than the previous generations
• The entry-level Pro model saw a price increase this year

ASUS ROG Falcata

Best mechanical keyboard 2025

I’ve been using the ASUS ROG Falcata for a while now, and I have to say, what a keyboard. The Falcata isn’t like most other mechanical keyboards. It’s 75% board that splits down the middle to give you two halves that you can position to find the most comfortable spot for typing or gaming, and it makes a huge difference.

I’m a fan of an ergonomic keyboard. I use the Keychron Q8 “Alice-style” keyboard regularly, but the Falcata’s advanced HFX Magnetic Switch V2 switches, Rapid Trigger and customizable actuation points, 8K polling, and ability to position the halves how you want set it apart.

As my Steam 2025 Wrapped revealed to me, I’m no longer a huge gamer. But as a writer and editor, I spend a huge amount of time with a keyboard glued to my hands, and I find the Falcata so comfortable to type on. Having the option to adjust both halves of the keyboard is a level of customization that you don’t find anywhere else, while the wrist rests make my writing position feel natural and relaxed.

I’m not holding onto tension in my shoulders, and because I can adjust the width between the halves, my sitting position and arm angles are consistently comfortable.

The only issue with the ROG Falcata is the price. It’s an expensive bit of kit, coming in at $420, which will certainly put some folks off, but if you’re in the market for a smooth, customizable, and comfortable typing experience, this is what you need.

Form factor

75% split keyboard

Switch options

HFX Magnetic Switch V2

Backlight

Yes

Dampening

4 layers

Hot-swappable

Yes

Connectivity

USB-C, 2.4GHz, Bluetooth

The ASUS ROG Falcata is a 75% split gaming keyboard with cutting-edge ROG HFX V2 magnetic Hall effect switches and ultra-fast 8,000 Hz polling (wired/wireless). Its split design lets you position the keyboard however you want, while on-the-fly actuation, Rapid Trigger, and comprehensive RGB customisation make it ideal for competitive gamers and professionals alike.

Pros & Cons

• Ergonomic, split-keyboard design
• High-quality ROG HFX V2 magnetic switches, customizable actuation
• Great build quality

• High price
• Proprietary cable required to link halves

Baseus Inspire XH1

Best headphones 2025

Credit: Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf

Before September, I’d never really tried any Baseus headphones. I’d had the odd go at a tech show, but never spent serious time with them. That changed with the Bose-powered Baseus Inspire XH1 noise-cancelling headphones, launched at IFA 2025.

Baseus collaborated with Bose on its new line of headphones and earbuds, and the improvement in sound quality is immediately clear to see. They’re on the bass-forward side, but with some tweaks in the Baseus companion app, you can reduce this and find a sweet spot.

I also found the Baseus Inspire XH1 super comfortable for long listening sessions. Its earpads are thick and plush, and the earcups fit nicely around your ears, creating a good seal. It’s that seal that helps the Baseus Inspire XH1 headphones deliver where it matters: audio and ANC. On that, the ANC on these headphones is also really good, tested against various types of background noise, including trains and flights.

Finally, I’m impressed with the Baseus Inspire XH1 battery life, too, delivering up to 65 hours with ANC on, rising to 100 hours with it switched off.

Tying it all together is the price. The Baseus Inspire XH1 costs $150, which is impressive considering the quality and feature set.

Battery Life

Up to 100 hours

Brand

Baseus

Sensitivity

20Hz-40kHz

Transducer Size

35mm dynamic driver

Weight

275g

Noise Cancellation

Yes

The Baseus Inspire XH1 are over-ear Bluetooth headphones with adaptive ANC tuned by Bose, Dolby Audio, LDAC Hi-Res support, and up to 100 hours battery life (65h with ANC). Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint connectivity, and comfy padded ear cups make them ideal for travel, commuting, and everyday listening.

Pros & Cons

• Great sound tuned by Bose
• Excellent battery life, up to 100 hours
• Solid ANC performance

• Bass heavy default profile

ASUS Zenbook S14 (UX5406)

Best laptop 2025

I’ll add a slight note on this one before explaining why I like this laptop so much. The ASUS Zenbook S14 (UX5406) first launched in the US in September 2024, but didn’t make its way over the pond to the UK until 2025, which is when I bought mine. So, it’s on the cusp.

Either way, this is a great laptop that hits so many key performance areas. First up, it packs a powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 258V CPU, along with 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and an Intel NPU with up to 47 TOPS. It’s powerful enough to run most programs with juice to spare, but it is worth noting that its integrated Intel Arc Graphics mean this isn’t a gaming-focused portable.

Now, my favorite feature on this laptop isn’t the CPU or the amount of RAM. They’re important, no doubt, but the real killer feature is the 14-inch, 3K (2880 x 1800) Lumia OLED touchscreen, which looks sublime. It has a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut support, and it has made my 1080p monitors look like absolute garbage. It’s hard to go back to them!

Sweetening the deal is the all-day battery life, with 65W USB-C charging, plus a fantastic range of ports: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x Thunderbolt 4, and HDMI 2.1. Oh, and I should also mention it supports Wi-Fi 7, the latest Wi-Fi standard, and Bluetooth 5.4, the latest Bluetooth standard.

As you might expect, all of this comes at a price. The entry-level configuration starts at $1,400, while the Ultra Core 7 258V model I bought costs $1,600.

Operating System

Windows 11

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 5/7/9

GPU

Intel Arc

RAM

16GB/32GB

Storage

1TB

Display (Size, Resolution)

14-inch 3K 120 Hz OLED 2880 x 1800

The ASUS Zenbook S14 (UX5406) is a premium 14″ ultraportable laptop with a vivid 3K 120 Hz OLED display, Intel Core Ultra series processor, and integrated Arc graphics. It offers excellent battery life, a lightweight design, and strong AI performance, ideal for creators and professionals on the go.

Pros & Cons

• Wonderfully bright colour-rich 3K OLED with smooth 120Hz refresh
• All day battery life
• Powerful processor, plenty of RAM and storage
• Ultra-lightweight design

• Premium design comes at a price
• ASUS software is irritating

Redmagic 11 Pro

Best gaming smartphone 2025

I’ve played with some really excellent smartphones this year, which makes picking one from them all a really difficult task. But the one I’ve gone with was the last one I tested, and one that caught me by surprise with its power, screen quality, and truly unique smartphone feature you can’t find anywhere else: the Redmagic 11 Pro.

Now, Redmagic might not be a brand you’ve heard of, but they’ve spent years making progressively more impressive smartphones, but with a strong gaming focus. That’s where the Redmagic 11 Pro’s most unique feature comes in: it has the world’s fully integrated liquid cooling system on a smartphone.

The AquaCore Cooling System, as it’s known, is designed to keep the phone cool during long gaming sessions, while the transparent rear panel lets you see the tech in action. It also has an integrated fan that lights up with RGB and adds to the cooling effect (though I have to say, this can be noisy and switch on when you don’t want it to!).

Specs-wise, for the price, the Redmagic 11 Pro is hard to beat at the time of writing. It features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which is the most powerful smartphone chip currently available. It can come with up to 24GB RAM and 1TB of storage, has a wonderfully crisp 6.85-inch, 1216 x 2688 pixel screen, and best of all, shoulder triggers when you want to switch from regular use to gaming. Oh, and that’s not forgetting the Redmagic 11 Pro’s 7500mAh battery, too.

Brand

Redmagic

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Display

6.85 inch AMOLED 1216 x 2688 pixel

RAM

12GB/16GB/24GB

Storage

256GB/512GB/1TB

Battery

Si/C Li-Ion 7500 mAh

The Redmagic 11 Pro is a hardcore gaming-focused Android smartphone with a 6.85″ 144 Hz AMOLED display, top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance, up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage, and a massive 7,500 mAh battery with fast wired/wireless charging. Furthermore, the advanced active liquid cooling and gaming tools deliver sustained high-frame performance.

Pros & Cons

• Unrivaled performance from Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
• Wonderfully smooth 144Hz AMOLED screen
• Unique active cooling design
• Huge battery life

• Camera’s could be better
• Gaming-focused design won’t suit everyone

Soundcore Work

Best AI gadget 2025

I first tried the Soundcore Work at IFA 2025, where it picked one of our coveted Best in Show awards, and was amazed at how easy this tiny memory-saving gadget is to use.

The Soundcore Work is an AI note taker that you attach to say, the neckline on your top (like a lapel mic), where it sits, waiting for use. When you want to record something for later, you tap the Soundcore Work, and it records for as long as you want (well, within reason, as it only has 8GB onboard storage).

Once your recording finishes, you can access it in the Soundcore app. Tapping “Generate” transcribes the conversation using ChatGPT, delivering a summary of what was said, or you can access a longer, more detailed version. Interestingly, you can also set the Soundcore Work to figure out the best type of transcription automatically depending on the information it detects.

So, a short interaction when checking into a hotel may use a shorter format with brief bullet points, while a longer meeting will deliver more intensive notes.

It’s super handy for capturing information at important moments. Think about all of those times you forgot what the doctor said or the directions someone gave you on the fly. It captures those moments and keeps them stored, waiting for transcription.

The only real downside to the Soundcore Work is that the free Starter plan is limited to 300 minutes of transcription per month. It should be enough for most folks unless you’re diving straight in with multiple hour-long meetings. But should you need to upgrade, the Pro package allows up to 1,200 minutes per month for $16 per month, while the Unlimited package will set you back $240 for the year.

Brand

Anker Soundcore

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi, BLE

Color

White/Grey, Black

Battery

Up to 32 hours

Capacity

8GB

A tiny AI-powered voice recorder designed for meetings, interviews, and note-taking. It’s about the size of a coin, clips or hangs easily, and captures clear audio with dual mics. Built-in AI transcribes, summarises, and highlights key moments in 100+ languages, with long battery life and easy app syncing.

Pros & Cons

• Portable AI-powered voice recording
• Ultra-lightweight
• Up to 32 hours battery

• Subscription plan required for higher capacities
• Smartphones can basically do the same

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

Best Chromebook 2025

Another IFA 2025 winner? Oh, why not? The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 really caught my eye at the giant Berlin tech show, and for a good reason, as it really pushes the envelope for what we can expect from a Chromebook.

It packs in a powerful 3.62Ghz octa-core MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor, which also comes with about 50 TOPS of AI processing power (more than my shiny ASUS!). It also features an Arm Immortalis-G925 GPU to keep creative tasks like editing or rendering from dragging, plus 16GB RAM. The integrated AI processing allows the Chromebook Plus Spin 514 to use Google AI Pro on the device rather than constantly worrying about using cloud services, which is super handy.

Then, it has a really high-quality 16:10 WQXGA+ (2800×1800) touchscreen with up to 340 nits brightness, and a 17-hour battery life, which is really excellent, even for these devices that are known to be all-day workhorses.

What I liked most about this Chromebook is how snappy it feels compared to other models I’ve used. The specs seem to support that experience and should be expected given its price, but I’ve had such mixed experiences with Chromebooks over the years, it’s nice for one to feel so present, like you could replace your laptop with it and not blink.

You can pick up the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 for $800.

Operating System

Chrome OS

CPU

MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910

RAM

16GB

Storage

256GB

Battery

Up to 17 hours

Display (Size, Resolution)

14-inch WQXGA+ (2.8K)

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is a 14″ convertible with a 360° hinge, vibrant WQXGA+ touchscreen, and Google AI features built in. Powered by the MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor with up to 16GB RAM and long battery life, it’s designed for productivity, versatility, and all-day use.

Pros & Cons

• Powerful hardware for a Chromebook
• Good range of ports
• Strong battery life performance

• Chrome OS can be limiting
• Terrible speakers

Honor Magic V5

Best foldable 2025

Foldable phones have a very mixed reputation, and they divide opinion. For a long time, I wasn’t really bothered by them. I have a smartphone, laptop, and tablet, and didn’t think I needed yet another screen.

I was wrong.

I’ve previously used a Tecno Phantom V Fold and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, and I’ve also had a play with Huawei’s bonkers triple-screen Mate XT, but the Honor Magic V5 has been my favorite foldable to date.

First, it’s ridiculously slim, which I love. Honor touted the Magic V5 as the slimmest foldable, and it lives up to the billing at just 8.8mm folded (or 4.1mm unfolded—it’s really something). You’d think that some compromises would be needed to pack all the tech into such a slimline design, but Honor basically did the opposite, delivering upgraded battery life, processors, cameras, and more.

The Magic V5’s LTPO AMOLED screen folds out to 7.95 inches, with a maximum resolution of 2172 x 2352 pixels (for a density of 403 ppi) and looks sublime, though the fold is noticeable but not distracting. I like that the Magic V5’s external screen is also similarly high-quality, measuring 6.43 inches, with a resolution of 1060 x 2376 pixels (404ppi). It makes it so simple to use Magic V5 as a regular smartphone, only having to unfold it when you have a specific task.

I’ll tell you one thing, mind: the screen is an absolute fingerprint magnet, to a bonkers degree. Still, it doesn’t affect performance; it’s just surprising.

Specs-wise, it’s everything you’d expect from a flagship foldable: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and an Adreno 830 GPU. It’s a similar story with the Magic V5’s tripe camera array, which includes a 50MP wide, 64MP periscope telephoto, and a 50MP ultrawide, each coming with all the trimmings.

I’m mostly a fan of Honor’s take on Android, too. I’d prefer a little less in-house app focus, like the Honor AI Space and such, but Magic OS isn’t a particularly bloaty experience.

Now, the bit you’ve been waiting for: price. I’ll start off by saying that U.S. readers can rejoice, for at long last, Honor’s smartphones are starting to appear in the US more often than not. For a long time, as Honor was originally a Huawei sub-brand, it was barred state-side. But that freeze is slowly thawing, at long last.

But if you want to pick up the Honor Magic V5, which you should, you’ll be parting with the princely sum of $2,199.

Brand

Honor

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

Display

7.95 inch LTPO AMOLED

RAM

16GB

Storage

1TB

Battery

5820mAh

The Honor Magic V5 is a premium foldable smartphone with a sleek, ultra-thin design and powerful performance. It sports dual OLED displays (6.43″ outer, 7.95″ inner, both 120 Hz), a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a long-lasting 5820 mAh battery, and a versatile triple-lens camera system — all wrapped in a durable, water-resistant foldable body.

Pros & Cons

• Ultra-thin and lightweight
• Big 5,820 mAh battery with 66W wired and 50W wireless charging
• Snapdragon 8 Elite chip
• High quality cameras

• Raised camera module causes table wobble
• Some CPU throttling

CMF Watch Pro 3

Best smartwatch 2025

I was caught a little by surprise by the CMF Watch Pro 3. I’m not a huge wearer of smartwatches, especially ones that do all of the things. I typically wear a Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active because it’s limited, slimline, and doesn’t have heaps of features I’ll simply never use.

So, the CMF Watch Pro 3 was, to me, an actual upgrade in terms of specs and functionality. I know it’s not in the same ballpark as an Apple Watch Ultra 3 or a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, but as I said, I don’t want that.

I find that what the CMF Watch Pro 3 does, it does well. When using the Watch Pro 3 to track walks and runs, it managed it perfectly. My sleep tracking felt accurate and easy to upload to the app. There’s a built-in running coach you can use to get some training done, and there is dual-band GPS to track you while you do it.

But, and this is a downside, you won’t be taking the Watch Pro 3 in the pool, or even the shower, as its IP68 rating is only good for some light water exposure.

Style-wise, I like the orange watch strap the Watch Pro 3 comes with, which is interchangeable if you’d prefer something a little less bright. The brushed stainless steel bezel definitely makes the CMF Watch Pro 3 appear more expensive than it is, at least on the version I have. The Ash Grey and Light Green versions appear to have a more rounded edge, but I’ve not used those.

Its overall design is streamlined but clever, with some elements that catch your eye. In that, it’s not a huge unit like those aforementioned alternatives, and it looks more like a traditional watch.

If you’re considering a smartwatch but really don’t want heaps of extra features, or just don’t feel like parting with the best part of a thousand bucks to tell the time, the $99 CMF Watch Pro 3 is what you need.

Nintendo Switch 2

Best gaming handheld 2025

The Nintendo Switch 2 is a much-needed upgrade to the aged original Switch. It’s the most “sequel” console Nintendo has ever made, but with how good the Switch was, that was the right call. The Switch 2 and Joy-Con 2 are much more comfortable to hold, the bigger screen is better for playing on the go, and spec upgrades mean you can enjoy up to 4K or 120FPS on supported TVs.

In its first 6 months, the Switch 2’s game library has been good, but not great. Donkey Kong Bananza is a great time, but I found Mario Kart World had very little staying power. Several other titles, like Hades II and Metroid Prime 4, have been console exclusive to the Switch and Switch 2, so you aren’t missing many exclusive games yet without one.

I’m not a PC gamer; I prefer playing games on the TV while seated on the couch. Thus, rival handheld consoles like the Steam Deck have never appealed to me; I have no desire to play games on a big handheld device with a small screen when my TV is right there. I spent 95% of the time with my Switch docked to the TV, and expect to do the same with the Switch 2.

For now, I’m happy with the Switch 2. A lot of Nintendo’s decisions around it have been frustrating, but the console itself is solid and my favorite tech purchase of 2025.

Brand

Nintendo

Weight

1.18 lbs

Storage

256GB

Display

1920×1080

Output resolution

3840×2160

The Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades the original Switch without changing what still worked fine. Whether you prefer to play on the go or while connected to the TV, the Switch 2 is a great option. A huge back catalog of Switch 1 games, plus new first- and third-party games coming all the time, mean you’ll always have something to play.

Pros & Cons

• Upgrades the Switch experience without fixing what wasn’t broken
• A great library of games, including backward compatibility
• Enough storage to last a while, plus easy expansions

• First-party games and accessories are too expensive
• The Joy-Con 2 controllers still aren’t comfortable for long sessions
• Battery life is lousy

It’s been a great year, but what were your favorites?

It’s been really hard compressing our favorite picks of the year, and there are absolutely other devices that could have made the list. But there is something wonderful about taking stock of the year in tech, as it makes the whole MakeUseOf team start dreaming about what’s to come in the New Year. So, roll on 2026, and a whole new year of exciting tech.

But here’s the big question: what did we miss from our best tech of 2025 list that you loved?