Every year-end we will publish articles and videos on the best smartphones and devices. This is a practice that has existed for decades with my earliest experience reading the best device listicles being over three decades ago in magazines like PC Gamers, Chips and Electronics Gaming Monthly.
The devices that make it to the best lists at the end of the year are usually the choice of users and therefore the process of finding the best by the editorial board is a time-consuming process. But two years ago I realized a fact that can no longer be denied, namely that the “best smartphone” actually does not exist.
I say this because each person has different desires and capabilities in the smartphone that they will use every day for several years. The first problem with technology writers like me is that we receive a new smartphone every week which we then use for 3-5 days before the review needs to be written.
This 3-5 day period is actually not enough to really use a smartphone to its fullest. So our opinion as people who review is not in line with the needs of users in the real world.
This is a new phenomenon and problem because when I first jumped into the smartphone review arena over 16 years ago, the smartphone landscape was different. At that time, smartphones were still new and the devices being reviewed were still phones and not multimedia supercomputers in the hand. This was an era that was easier and less stressful for tech writers than it is now.
Just 12 years ago, it was normal to use a phone for 2 weeks before writing a review. This long time was given because
a) There were still not many smartphones launched in Malaysia
b) Manufacturers provided review units well in advance of the launch date.
During this time, I was able to really test the battery life, camera capabilities and smoothness of the operating system in all situations. It was normal a decade ago that problems only appeared after more than a week (or problems were resolved after receiving a post-launch update) when the processor was truly tested in the real world and the device had lost its factory smell.
The best smartphone does not exist because what I think is important may not be important to you at all. The best example is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra which did not make the “best” list of the majority of YouTubers and technology sites because at the end of the year, the processor chip, camera performance, battery size and battery charging used were already quite behind compared to the flagship phone launched in November.
But in fact the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the best smartphone of 2025 because it is the only one that still has a built-in stylus. The S Pen stylus is the most important feature for me because it allows me to write notes during interviews, record important KSP of the device during the launch event and teach my children to answer math questions at home. I don’t care about the shortcomings of the S25 Ultra because it is the only smartphone with an S Pen.
The S Pen is important to me and is a “non-negotiable” but for you it may be just an accessory that is rarely used and only increases the cost of the screen panel.
The best smartphone also does not exist because not everyone wants all the components on the device to be the best, most powerful and latest. The best example is the iPhone 16. It only has two cameras, a small battery, a less powerful processor and a screen of only 6.3″. But according to Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 16 was the best-selling phone in Q3 2025. If last year's trends are taken into account, the iPhone 15 was the best-selling model in the world, not the Pro, Pro Max, or Ultra models.
The best for many tech reviewers is "all the best components". But for the masses, a powerful chip to run common applications and a price that does not require mortgaged land in the village is the best definition for them. The average tech reviewer is a little disconnected from the real world because they are used to exchanging phones for almost 5 figures every week.
Therefore, I will personally make a big change in writing my reviews this year. I will try to focus on what is good about the device being reviewed. Then I will look at who the device is compatible with. I will list more advantages and disadvantages so that you as a reader can make your own decision whether the device is good or not.
This is my new year's resolution for 2026. Let me explain more clearly. If you ask me "which phone is the best?". I will answer with a counter question "what do you want to use it for and what are the two most important things in a device for you?". Because once again I want to emphasize. Actually..Dragonball has 7 of them all, the best smartphone does not exist.
