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Welcome to ZDNET's Best of 2025 awards, our annual ceremony of the year's top-performing gadgets and gizmos, from 100-inch TVs to smart rings to AI chatbots that help you get more done.
Over the last 12 months, our team has unboxed, benchmarked, dropped, submerged, and doom-scrolled on hundreds of devices. We have worn dozens of smart glasses in an attempt to understand the next frontier of mobile technology -- while making face-worn geekery cool again. We have tested enough noise-canceling headphones to block out the sound of a jet engine (and, occasionally, our own editors arguing about nits of brightness). We have spoken to so many AI assistants that we remember each one by voice.
Also: 10 most popular gadgets this year, according to thousands of readers (including surprise picks)
But amidst the deluge of "Pro," "Ultra," and "Max" monikers, true innovation often sat quietly in the background. The winners listed below aren't just specs on a sheet; they are the devices that survived our gauntlet of real-world tests. They are the gadgets our writers and editors recommend with confidence.
Here's the full list of our 2025 winners:
Best smartphone
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
This year's selections address the most significant pain points of previous generations. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 distinguishes itself with a reimagined chassis; at just 4.2mm thin when unfolded, it offers a standard tablet experience without the bulk, while the upgraded 200MP main sensor finally brings flagship photography to the foldable form factor.
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