By Igwe Patrick

Smartphones in 2025 are faster than ever; with new chips built to be smaller and more powerful, many of today’s phones can easily outperform laptops from just a few years ago.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite and Apple’s A18 have raised the bar, giving both Android and iPhone users serious speed.

In this article, we’re counting down the 10 fastest phones of 2025 based on those results.

ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro

This is the ultimate gaming beast. It dominates benchmark charts with wild consistency thanks to active cooling and pro-level hardware. Built for gamers, power users, and anyone who wants no-compromise speed.

ZTE Nubia RedMagic 10 Pro

The RedMagic 10 Pro is a performance beast, no two ways about it. It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with up to 24 GB of RAM, so it tears through games and heavy apps without blinking. What really makes it stand out is how it stays cool while pushing crazy frame rates, thanks to its built-in fan and advanced cooling setup. The screen is super responsive, the touch input is razor sharp, and it doesn’t slow down even after hours of use. If speed is what you’re after, this phone absolutely delivers.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung’s best yet, this phone is not just about looks. It’s lightning fast across apps, games, and AI features. The Samsung S25 Ultra is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip (in most global models), and Exynos 2500 (in select regions). Both are cutting-edge, built on advanced 3nm process tech. It also comes with an S Pen and one of the best displays around, making it a powerhouse with polish.

Oppo Find X8 Pro

The Oppo Find X8 Pro is built for speed, using the powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip based on a cutting-edge 3nm process. It runs on a unique setup of high-performance cores that deliver fast, responsive performance whether you’re gaming, multitasking, or handling demanding apps. In real-world use, it loads games like Genshin Impact at a steady 60 frames per second and scores impressively high on benchmark tests, often rivaling or even beating some of the best out there. Its Immortalis-G925 GPU handles graphics smoothly, and the phone stays cool thanks to an advanced cooling system.

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Apple A17 Pro)

The iPhone 16 series features the lightning-fast A18 chips with peak core speeds of up to 4.04 GHz, delivering around 30 percent faster CPU performance. Apple’s flagship continues to set the pace in single-core performance. It’s insanely fast, smooth, and reliable, especially for creative apps and gaming. Add in great optimization and you’ve got a speed machine wrapped in luxury.

OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 is built for speed, powered by the blazing-fast Snapdragon 8 Elite chip on a 3 nm process, paired with up to 24 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. The upgraded cooling and software tweaks keep everything fluid, from app launches to multi‑app workflows.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Xiaomi steps into elite territory with raw power and polished software. It’s fast, fluid, and packed with smart performance tricks that make everything feel effortless. Great for multitasking and gaming alike.

Vivo iQOO 13

The Vivo iQOO 13 delivers flagship-grade performance powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset, paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0/4.1 storage. It handles intensive tasks like high-frame-rate gaming, multitasking, and heavy app use with ease, maintaining stable 60fps performance in demanding titles like Genshin Impact. Thermal management is well-optimized with an advanced cooling system that keeps temps in check under load. The device also supports features like bypass charging to reduce heat during gaming. Overall, the iQOO 13 offers consistent, high-speed performance across the board, making it a strong pick for power users and mobile gamers.

Realme GT 7 Pro

This new model arrives with either Dimensity 9400+ or Snapdragon 8 Elite depending on region, offering blazing-fast speeds, massive RAM options, and top-tier displays.

IPhone 15 Pro Max

The Iphone 15 pro max came out in late 2023, but it’s still one of the fastest phones in 2025. It runs on Apple’s A17 Pro chip, which was the first smartphone processor built on 3nm tech. This makes it really good at handling everyday tasks smoothly and using power efficiently. In tests, it scores around 2,783 for single-core and 6,945 for multi-core performance on Geekbench 6, which means it’s quick with both light and heavy tasks. Its graphics score in 3DMark is about 3,623, showing it can handle games and visuals well too. Even though newer phones have come out, the 15 Pro Max still holds its own.

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