Stuff TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING

NEW

Straight outta testing and into our rankings.

BARGAIN BUY

A proper steal, worth owning regardless of cashflow.

UPDATE

Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten entries.

Smartphones 82, 83

Headphones 84, 85

Smartwatches, 86

fitness tech Laptops 87

TVs 88 Soundbars, 89

streamers Tablets, consoles 90

Games 91

Speakers 92

E-bikes, 93

electric cars Smart home 94

VR headsets, 95

drones & action cams Cameras 96

Budget buys 97

ABOUT RATINGS

Always fair and accurate, our reviews are scored from 1 to 5 and might get one of these awards too:

For selected products that are rated with four stars but stand out from the pack.

A step up in approval, this can only be awarded to five-star products.

Our highest accolade is given out just a few times a year in each key category.

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10

TIPS & TRICKS

● Flick upwards in Control Centre to see the new layout; tap-hold and you can tweak controls.

● Lightly press the camera control button twice to change settings for the current mode.

● Tap-hold any icon then select ‘Require Face ID’ so you can stop open access to particular apps.

● Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

PREMIUM PHONES

1 Apple iPhone 16 from £699/go.stuff.tv/iPhone16

The question is, will one of the new iPhones tested on p29-32 jump straight into this No1 slot next issue? Until then, what we can say is that the 2024 lineup is a mighty fine selection, and it’s the standard model that does most to impress. The camera control button and 2x telephoto zoom are great to have… though the 6.1in screen’s refresh rate is fixed at 60Hz, which is one thing you won’t have to tolerate with the new 120Hz iPhones.

Stuff says ★★★★★

A pleasing update that’s much more appealing than spending more to go Pro

● NOW ADD THIS

Apple MagSafe Charger

The latest version of Apple’s wireless charger lets you fuel up your iPhone at up to 25W. from £39/apple.com

2 Google Pixel 10 from £799 /go.stuff.tv/Pixel10

This feels like the phone Google has been trying to make for years: a standard model that gives you almost everything the Pro does for less. With its refined design, zingy screen, stronger cameras and useful AI, it’s one of the most complete Androids around… albeit a little stingy on storage.

Stuff says ★★★★★

Almost makes the Pro redundant: a true flagship at a friendlier price

3 Xiaomi 15 Ultra from £1199 /go.stuff.tv/15Ultra

Xiaomi’s flagship has the most capable set of cameras ever squeezed into a single handset. There’s no need to spend this sort of money if you’re after more of an all-rounder, but no rival can match the 15 Ultra for photos guaranteed to put smiles on faces.

Stuff says ★★★★★

Heroic camera hardware earns this phone the photography crown

4 OnePlus 13

★★★★★ from £899 /go.stuff.tv/OnePlus13 A decent update to what was already great: not a revelation, just more of the brilliant same.

5 Samsung Galaxy S25

★★★★★ from £699 /go.stuff.tv/S25 Samsung’s sub-flagship still leads the way for small Androids, and is a better bet than the Ultra model.

6 Apple iPhone 16 Pro

★★★★★ from £899 /go.stuff.tv/iPhone16Pro Bigger and better than before, this is a smarter buy than the giant 16 Pro Max.

7 Google Pixel 10 Pro XL

★★★★★ from £1199 /go.stuff.tv/10ProXL Improved in all the right places, this is the go-to phone for anyone after Google’s best hardware.

8 Honor Magic7 Pro

★★★★★ £1100 /go.stuff.tv/Magic7Pro Combining the bizarre with the brilliant, the Magic7 Pro is a wonderfully capable camera phone.

9 Nubia Z70 Ultra

★★★★★ from £639 /go.stuff.tv/Z70Ultra This bold photographic powerhouse dares to be different, and is hard to top for sheer value.

10 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

★★★★✩ from £999 /go.stuff.tv/S25Edge The S25 Edge will surely usher in a new breed of skinny phones, but feeble battery life lets it down.

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES

FOLDABLE PHONES, BUDGET PHONES

1 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 from £1599 / go.stuff.tv/ZFold7

Cutting a few features has turned the Z Fold7 into the best of the current foldable breed. The lack of stylus support might sting a little for the small minority who used an S Pen on older Folds, and battery life is becoming a bit of a lead weight for Samsung phones in general. But the Z Fold7’s svelte form, expansive screens and capable rear cameras otherwise bring it up to par. Feature-packed software and swift performance then make it very easy to live with indeed.

Stuff says ★★★★★

Slim, speedy, and with superior snappers: Samsung has finally got a foldable right

2 Honor Magic V5

£1700 /go.stuff.tv/MV5 This is a genuine rival to the Z Fold7 in terms of its slinky dimensions, and Honor hasn’t skimped on specs to stay so slim: the eight-core Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is rapid and the cameras are excellent.

Stuff says ★★★★★

You’ll never want to go back to a flat phone

3 Motorola Razr 60 Ultra

£1000 /go.stuff.tv/Razr60Ultra Motorola has really nailed the flip phone experience. You can choose which apps appear on the outer screen, and needn’t open the phone to reply to messages. No other clamshell is as easy to use while closed.

Stuff says ★★★★★

Close to absolute clamshell perfection

4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7

★★★★★ £949 /go.stuff.tv/ZFlip7 A much-improved cover screen keeps the Z Flip7 in the clamshell contest.

5 OnePlus Open

★★★★★ from £1199 /go.stuff.tv/Open The best camera system of any folding phone, and a fantastically optimised UI.

1 Google Pixel 9a from £499 / go.stuff.tv/Pixel9a

This might be Google’s affordable model, but it looks and feels very grown-up. In no way does the Pixel 9a come across like a cut-price option, and a scan of the spec sheet shows there’s not a lot of breathing room between it and the Pixel 9: same Tensor G4 chipset, same Gemini-infused Android 15, same 6.3in size for the OLED display. The cameras are excellent for the cash, as usual, while the battery and performance punch above their weight.

Stuff says ★★★★★

Improved in all the ways that matter – a classy phone experience for less cash

2 Nothing Phone 3a

from £319 /go.stuff.tv/Phone3a

One of the most comprehensive affordable phones out there, with stand-out styling, unique features and slick software. Performance and battery life are consistently great… and there’s a Pro version that’s excellent too.

Stuff says ★★★★★

A superb all-round experience for the money

3 CMF Phone 2 Pro

from £219 /go.stuff.tv/CMF2Pro

The old Phone 1 nailed the budget basics, but its successor really takes things up a notch. The 6.67in AMOLED screen looks wonderfully crisp, and both the main and zoom cameras deliver vibrant colours with plenty of detail.

Stuff says ★★★★★

A fantastic, personality-packed affordable choice

4 Poco X7 Pro

★★★★✩ from £309 /go.stuff.tv/X7Pro

No gimmicks and no major compromises, just great value for money.

5 Motorola G86

★★★★✩ £270 /go.stuff.tv/G86

A budget phone with a flagship-level screen, rugged build and long battery life.

TIPS & TRICKS

● Sony’s eartips are great, as long as you use the right size. Be sure to try all four included in the box.

● 360 Reality Audio upmixing can add a sense of space to tunes, but not every track sounds better.

● Give personalised EQ a try in the app. Its A/B choices are far simpler than a multi-band equaliser.

IN-EAR HEADPHONES

1 Sony WF-1000XM5 £199 / go.stuff.tv/WFXM5

The WF-1000XM5 in-ears are significantly smaller than the XM4s, which were already a lot more compact than their predecessors. And yet Sony has still squeezed even larger drivers inside each earbud, along with the firm’s best noise-cancelling yet. The feature list is as extensive as ever, and they’re priced to compete with Bose’s best. Add in decent battery life and a strong app, and you won’t find anything more well-rounded for less.