Sure, you all love your iPhones and Galaxies, however this is why you should not sleep on the competitors

Regardless of being one of many greatest smartphone makers globally, Xiaomi landed on the very backside of the ballot. I did not see that coming. Possibly folks nonetheless see Xiaomi as a funds model or consider it as extra of a tech life-style firm due to all the opposite merchandise it makes – however belief me, this model is far more than that.Xiaomi constructed its title on excessive specs for low costs and it nonetheless sticks to that. Whether or not you’re looking at funds Redmi telephones or mid-range Poco fashions, you’re all the time getting killer worth. They always pack in far more {hardware} than opponents at comparable worth factors.

The corporate simply celebrated its fifteenth anniversary, and naturally, it launched some new stuff to mark the event – together with the Xiaomi 15S Professional and the Xiaomi Pad 7 Extremely. What makes them particular? They’re powered by Xiaomi’s personal chip, the Xring O1. The corporate is actually stepping up its sport these days and providing one thing for everybody – flagships, mid-rangers and funds gadgets.

Yeah, in our ballot, it took the crown for “least finest model,” however I nonetheless suppose Xiaomi shines in just a few key areas, particularly on the subject of cameras and charging – two issues that significantly matter for day by day use.

Take the Xiaomi 15 Extremely, for instance. It’s tied for the primary spot in our digital camera rankings proper alongside the Galaxy S25 Extremely. That’s no small feat. Lots of that digital camera magic comes from Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica – and in case you’ve ever been into images, you positively know that title.

Xiaomi’s digital camera app can also be loaded with options. It may be as easy or as superior as you need. The professional mode provides you full management over each pictures and movies, which is sensible given the cellphone’s camera-focused design.

And let’s not overlook: Xiaomi is likely one of the quickest manufacturers on the market on the subject of charging. If you’re all the time in a rush (and who is not?), this issues. Telephones just like the Xiaomi 14T Professional, the Redmi Notice 14 Professional+ 5G and even the Redmi Notice 12 Professional+ are crushing it in our charging exams. That alone makes them value contemplating.

Now, this one additionally caught me off guard. Motorola barely bought any votes and I actually do not suppose that is truthful. Yeah, the corporate’s software program replace coverage might use some enchancment, however that may’t be the one cause individuals are passing it over. The model has been round perpetually and nonetheless manages to crank out some actually distinctive and trendy telephones.

Motorola gadgets take a look – even the funds ones. Take the brand new Edge 60 Fusion, for instance. It stands out. And if you’re into foldables, Motorola’s Razr sequence is likely one of the best-looking on the market. The Razr Extremely (2025) blends retro vibes with cutting-edge show tech and it appears slick whereas doing it.

One other factor I like? Motorola does not mess an excessive amount of with Android. Its telephones run a near-stock model of the OS, which lots of people say they like. Our ballot really confirmed that clear Android remains to be a giant deal for customers, so it’s stunning that Motorola is not getting extra consideration for providing precisely that.The model is not flashy about it, however it’s quietly doing loads proper. I actually suppose Motorola deserves extra credit score than it’s getting proper now.

Vivo is a large title in Asia, but it surely nonetheless hasn’t damaged by in a giant manner elsewhere – and that confirmed within the ballot. However Vivo is not any slouch. It is likely one of the most progressive manufacturers within the images house and it’s doing a little actually cool stuff with cellphone design, too.

Due to its partnership with Zeiss – yeah, the identical legendary German optics firm – Vivo’s telephones are filled with pro-level digital camera tech. If taking nice pictures is your factor, the vivo X200 Professional ought to be in your radar.

However Vivo is not nearly cameras. Its telephones additionally look superb. The V and X sequence fashions particularly are slim, trendy and use premium supplies. The corporate experiments with textures, colours and finishes that make its telephones really feel somewhat extra particular than the typical glass slab. 

Huawei (4.19%) – nonetheless pushing boundaries regardless of the chances

Huawei’s struggles in Western markets are well-known, particularly after dropping entry to Google Cellular Companies. That hit arduous. However this is the factor – Huawei by no means stopped innovating. In actual fact, it may be one of many boldest manufacturers on the market proper now.

Living proof: the brand new Mate XT Final. It is the world’s first triple foldable cellphone. Not simply one other foldable – a tri-fold. Which means it will possibly unfold into an enormous display for work or watching content material, then fold again all the way down to pocket measurement. Huawei additionally simply launched a foldable laptop computer. That is next-level stuff.

Regardless of all of the challenges, Huawei retains displaying us what is feasible. It’s straightforward to miss them due to political and ecosystem limitations, however from a pure tech perspective, they’re nonetheless killing it.So yeah, there is a ton of innovation occurring simply exterior the highlight. So perhaps subsequent time, do not simply go for the plain decisions (that’s if you’re not locked in a sure ecosystem, in fact). You may discover your excellent cellphone in a spot you were not even trying.