The ultimate guide to buy a smartphone in 2025

How to choose a best smartphone according to your needs (Globally and in Pakistan)

Buying a smartphone in 2025 can be challenging due to the abundance of brands like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and dozens of more, new technologies are emerging every month. How do you make the right choice? Whether you live in USA, UK, Pakistan, India or anywhere else this ultimate smartphone guide is for you.

Let’s get started;

How to choose the best smartphone for your budget (2025 Guide)

Before diving into the specs and features the first thing that comes into your mind, the first thing to decide is the budget. Here is the breakdown to guide you:

Budget smartphones under ($200 PKR/ 60,000K)

This range features best budget smart phones, these are cheap phones with a good camera you can find good phones in this range globally and in Pakistan

Your Top picks:

Infinix hot series, techno spark series, Xiaomi Redmi A series, and you can find some phones from the Samsung’s A series as well.

Mid range smartphones ($200 to $600 / PKR 60,000K to 170,000K)

This is the range in which you can get slightly better cameras and a good performance best mid range smartphone 2025

Your Top picks:

Samsung Galaxy A54, OnePlus Nord 3, Xiaomi Redmi note 13 pro.

Flagship smartphones ($600+ / PKR 170K+)

Latest flagship smartphones with best camera and processor are featured in this range:

Your Top picks:

Apple iPhone 16 pro max, Samsung Galaxy S25 ultra, Google Pixel 9 pro.

Top smartphone features you must check before buying (Expert guide)

No matter what your budget is, these are must consider features:

Processor and Ram

Best processor smartphones 2025, look for snapdragon 8 gen 3, Apples A17 pro or equivalent, these are the best smartphone processors of the year.

Display

Look for The AMOLED displays or the OLED for better colours and contrast no matter the budget.

Camera

Best camera phones 2025, consider phones with OIS (Optical image stabilisation) and at least a 50MP main sensor which is important to take some good photos and videos

Battery

Look for long battery life smartphones with capabilities of the fast charging. there are many Fast-charging smartphones in the market look for 5000 mAh or above.

Software support

Go for the Android 14 or IOS 18 ensure at least 2 to 3 years of software support.

Where to buy smartphones safely (Online and offline stores globally)

Buy smartphones online and offline but be careful of fake and scam phones which are circulating in the market.

Online stores

Global:

Buy phones online from trusted sellers like Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, etc

Pakistan:

Daraz.pk PriceOye.pk, etc

India:

Flipkart, etc

Offline stores

Go for the official stores like Apple store the Galaxy store or the big markets around the country on which you can trust.

Grey market caution

Avoid buying from these markets or there can be legal consequences.

How to pay PTA tax and register your phone (Pakistan only)

If you buy a phone in Pakistan, you must pay some tax to the Pakistan telecommunication authority (PTA) to use the smartphone in Pakistan its must, or otherwise the phone will not work on Pakistani networks, you can get this registration through visiting PTA’s website. Pay the calculated tax online and your phone will be registered.

Pro Tip: Use PTA tax calculator on their website before buying an imported phone.

Android vs iPhone – which is right for you?

Android vs iPhone is a comparison which is done by many, iOS 18 is compared with the Android 15 let’s see which is good?

Android pros:

 You can find more variety of phones; They are more customizable than iPhones you can find a bunch of budget friendly options in it.

iPhone pros:

 You get seamless updates it has a strong ecosystem and who doesn’t know about the premium experience of an iPhone.

Choose Android if:

 You want more choices and flexibility

Choose iPhone if:

 You prefer simplicity and regular update with the premium feel.

5G smartphones – do you really need one in 2025?

• As the world is transforming day by day the technology is changing, 5G is becoming the next thing by replacing 4G.
• You can find best 5G phones in 2025 around the globe some of them are cheap while most of them are expensive.
• Most flagship and mid range phones now support 5G
• Check if your country or the city has widespread 5G coverage before buying a 5G phone
• Popular 5G phones are iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 series Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Poco X6 pro, etc.

Foldable smartphones – are they worth it?

• Foldable smartphones are great for multitasking and are mostly used by the elderly because of a good big screen
• They are expensive but innovative their prices are dropping gradually.
• Best foldable phones you can find in 2025 are Samsung Galaxy Z fold 6 and Google pixel fold 2
• Soon you will see a foldable iPhone as well, which Apple is working on.

Best smartphone brands to buy in 2025 (Global and Pakistan)

The top smartphone brands of 2025 are in number the Apple offering their premium phones along with the best Xiaomi phones OnePlus flagship killers. Brands from Apple to Infinix and techno down the hill.

Apple:

Offering their premium phones the iPhone 16 series featuring the best camera

Samsung:

Samsung offering their S series along with the budget a series with the best displays and balanced phones

Google:

Presenting their pixel 9 series Offering a premium Android experience

Xiaomi:

Xiaomi offers many devices from low budget devices to the flagship phones and has launched many devices in 2025.

OnePlus:

OnePlus offers the Nord series and their 13 series in this year.

Infinix / tecno:

These are the Budget friendly phones which are mainly sold in the Africa and Asia (Pakistan and India).

Common mistakes to avoid when buying a smartphone (Don’t waste your precious money)

There’s a huge market of fake smartphones in Asia which must be avoided while buying the smart phone avoid buying refurbished phones which eliminate grey market risks, and the main question arises

how to check original phone?

• Don’t buy a phone without a warranty
• Avoid fake / clone smartphones verify IMEI and packaging
• Don’t ignore software updates – older models may not get updates
• Be cautious of grey market phones, calculate the PTA tax first {Pakistan only}

Smartphone buying checklist:

Unique case checklist before buying a smartphone following are the things to cheque before buying mobile phone

1. Budget decided?
2. Processor and Ram?
3. Camera quality?
4. PTA tax checked {Pakistan only}
5. Warranty and original box?

Final thoughts

Choosing the best phone in 2025 doesn’t have to be confusing by setting a clear budget and marking the things in the above checklist you can easily decide a smartphone to buy, you can confidently buy a phone that suits your needs follow this smart phone buying guide and make an informed decision today.