MWC is the world’s largest smartphone-focused tech conference, bringing together many of the world’s big tech companies under one enormous roof in Barcelona, Spain. While there is other tech to check out at this show, these are the best new smartphones we found at MWC 2025.
Tecno Spark Slim Concept
Samsung and Apple are rumored to launch “slim” phones later in 2025—but Tecno may have beaten them to the punch with its Spark Slim Concept smartphone.
Tecno’s almost bewilderingly slim device measures just 5.75mm thick and weighs barely anything at 146g. Tecno told us they had to add components back into the design to add some weight, as they’d previously made it “too light.” For context, the iPhone 16 weighs a respectable 170g, while the Honor 200 Pro I use daily weighs 199g. I’m now wondering how I carry such a behemoth around with me.
The Tecno Spark Slim is showing Samsung and Apple the way when it comes to ultra-slim phones. Tecno’s concept features a wonderful 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1220p resolution. It’s also capable of up to 4,500 nits of brightness, which is astonishing for a device this slim. Its battery specs are equally excellent, somehow packing in a 5,200mAh battery measuring just 4.04mm thick. On top of that, it still manages to include 45W fast charging, so there is some serious heat dissipation tech hidden inside this concept smartphone.
While we don’t have the full spec sheet yet, the Tecno Spark Slim runs on an octa-core processor and features dual 50MP cameras on the back. More importantly, it feels stupidly lightweight in hand, making it an absolute joy to hold. Tecno calls it a concept phone, but the company also told us that it will have a “staggered launch” sometime this year—so there’s still hope we’ll see it hit the market soon.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro picked up a coveted award in MakeUseOf’s Best of MWC 2025, and it’s featuring on this list, too.
As I wrote in our best-in-show article, the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is Nothing’s best smartphone to date. The updated transparent design is slightly more sophisticated than previous versions, such as the Nothing Phone (2a), and the new circular camera housing is a fantastic addition. I’m also more of a fan of the new glyph interface, as the LED lights are less prominent and feel better integrated with the smartphone’s aesthetic.
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro is a tidy package. The 6.77-inch, 120Hz screen is accompanied by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and the option of 8GB or 12GB RAM. It also features a 5,000mAh battery with 50W fast charging. Its cameras are also a huge positive point, featuring a 50MP main camera (f/1.9, 1/1.57″, dual pixel PDAF, OIS), along with a periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Xiaomi is one of the leading phone manufacturers in the world, and its latest flagship model, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, shows how it plans to take on Apple and Samsung. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, delivering all the power you need in a handset while still giving you an astounding battery life of up to 25 hours.
In addition, it has a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a 3200 x 1440 resolution and a variable refresh rate that can be as low as 1Hz or as high as 120Hz. The screen brightness can be as high as 3,200 nits, allowing you to see the display clearly even in direct sunlight.
All these features are great (even expected) of a smartphone at this tier. But the one thing that makes the Xiaomi 15 Ultra stand out is its photography chops. The camera system on this high-end device has been co-developed with Leica, and you’re not just getting filters or software effects. Instead, you get a complete hardware package that makes this phone blow the competition out of the water.
The heart of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s camera system is its 1-inch main camera sensor paired with a 23mm lens and an f/1.62 large aperture. This is the biggest smartphone camera sensor so far, allowing the smartphone to get the best possible images, even in low-light situations.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra also takes on the Samsung S25 Ultra’s super-zoom camera with its own 200-megapixel 100mm ultra telephoto lens with a 1/1.4-inch large image sensor. This combination of lens, resolution, and sensor size has allowed Xiaomi to capture sharp images with better detail and quality at the extreme end of its zoom range.
So, if you’re into photography and want a phone that will allow you to maximize your skills and talent, you should consider the Xiaomi 15 Ultra if it’s available in your region.
Realme 14 Pro+ 5G
When I first heard about Realme’s color-changing phone, I immediately knew I wanted one. And at MWC 2025, the Realme 14 Pro+ 5G finally received its global launch, making it available worldwide for the first time.
The Realme 14 Pro+ 5 G’s headline feature is its color-changing rear panel, which morphs into a cool blue color when the temperature hits 61F (16C). The thermochromic pigments give the Realme phone one of the most unique smartphone features around.
But this 6.83-inch smartphone is more than just a fancy temperature sensor. It features a fantastic triple camera array in a circular housing, with a 50MP main camera (f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56″, multi-directional PDAF, OIS), 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom (f/2.7, 73mm, 1/1.95″, multi-directional PDAF, OIS), and a handy 8MP ultrawide camera (f/2.2, 16mm, 1/4.0″, 112˚).
The 14 Pro Plus has a decently powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, which can be paired with either 8GB or 12GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. Its battery is also very much worth a mention: 6,000 mAh with 80W fast charging is nothing to be sniffed at, especially at this price point.
Nubia Neo 3 GT 5G
Even if you’re on a budget, you deserve to have a great phone, and that’s where the Nubia Neo 3 GT 5G comes in. This entry-level phone doesn’t come with the usual Qualcomm or MediaTek SoC—instead, it uses a Unisoc T9100 chip, which has around the same performance as the Snapdragon 778G or Dimensity 6020 midrange chip.
Even though it doesn’t have the most powerful processor, its 6.8-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate delivers an excellent viewing experience and butter-smooth gaming. It even has shoulder triggers, similar to those on the high-end RedMagic 10 Pro, to give you an advantage in a competitive match.
Despite its relative affordability, the phone stands out from other entry-level handsets with its unique design. It comes in two unique colors—Interstellar Gray or Electro Yellow—to make you stand out from the crowd. We’re particularly partial to the bright yellow design!
Samsung Galaxy A56
After skipping the previous generation in the US, Samsung is bringing back its mid-range Galaxy A-series with the Galaxy A56, showcased at MWC 2025. This phone is exactly what you’d expect from a mid-range smartphone, offering a flagship-like design with a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and a clean, minimal back. However, on the Galaxy A56, the camera module features a vertical design instead of individual camera rings like on other Samsung flagship phones.
The Galaxy A56 is powered by the Exynos 1580, paired with a 5,000mAh battery—the same capacity as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra—so performance should be smooth without any hiccups. Samsung has also ensured durability with an IP67 rating, meaning you can confidently use it in the rain or near water.
The Samsung Galaxy A56 runs on One UI 7 based on Android 15, something that even some flagship Galaxy phones don’t have yet. And, of course, Galaxy AI is built-in, bringing features like Object Eraser and AI Select, just like on the Galaxy S25 series.
The Galaxy A56 will be priced at $499 in the US, but there is no exact release date yet. When it does arrive, it will surely heat up the competition against the OnePlus 13R and the upcoming Google Pixel 9a.
RedMagic 10 Pro
The RedMagic 10 Pro isn’t exactly a new phone, having arrived in late 2024. But it’s still a formidable gaming smartphone that the company is showcasing at MWC 2025, along with several new versions. Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite and a Red Core R3 chip, giving you the best possible performance for playing even the most demanding games on your phone.
More than that, this phone has a 6.85-inch AMOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. And for the ultimate in gaming immersion, the display has a 95.3% screen-to-body ratio with an under-display camera so that nothing breaks your screen.
The best thing about the RedMagic 10 Pro is that it comes in three different tiers, ensuring you can buy a gaming phone no matter your budget. The only major difference between these models is their RAM and storage capacity, so you’re not missing out on much even if you pick the base model.
The most affordable RedMagic 10 Pro starts at $649 with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, while the mid-tier option, with 16GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, goes for $799. At MWC 2025, RedMagic launched the most expensive 10 Pro model—named the Golden Saga—featuring 24GB RAM and 1TB of storage at an eye-watering $1,499. The regular top-of-the-line model also features 24GB RAM and 1TB but only costs $999, so it’s up to you if you want the extra glitz and glamour of the more expensive option.
Nubia Flip 2 5G
Nubia showcased its first foldable, the Flip 5G, at MWC 2024 last year, and now the company is back with its successor, the ZTE Nubia Flip 2. This year’s model brings some notable changes, replacing the circular OLED cover display with a 3-inch rectangular OLED panel. From the outside, the Nubia Flip 2 closely resembles the Oppo Find N2 Flip from 2023.
Unfolding the Nubia Flip 2 reveals a 6.9-inch OLED inner display with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it’s powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300X chipset coupled with 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. And, since it’s a 2025 phone, Nubia has packed in AI features, including integrated Google Gemini and real-time call translations, similar to the latest Samsung Galaxy flagships.
The Nubia Flip 2 is equipped with a 4,300 mAh battery, which isn’t the biggest but still larger than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 offers. Speaking of Samsung’s foldable, the Nubia Flip 2 undercuts its price, launching at €699 (around $750)—though it’s slightly pricier than its predecessor. The phone is expected to hit international markets later in 2025.
