What are the Coolest Laptops & Phones

Every year, manufacturers push boundaries with sleeker designs, more powerful processors, and innovative features that make our jaws drop.

The laptop and smartphone markets have undergone significant transformations recently. With Intel’s Core Ultra processors changing the game for modern laptops and smartphone companies competing to create the thinnest, most AI-capable devices ever, consumers have amazing options at every price point.

Whether you’re a student on a tight budget, a professional needing serious processing power, or a tech enthusiast looking for the next big thing, I’ve got you covered. I’m breaking down the absolute coolest laptops and phones you need to know about in 2025.

Acer Aspire 3

Price shouldn’t determine quality, and Acer clearly got the memo when designing this affordable option. Running on Intel Core i3 processors, the Aspire 3 delivers solid performance for everyday tasks without breaking the bank. The balance of performance and price makes this an ideal laptop for students or anyone working with basic productivity applications. I’ve tested it with multiple browser tabs open while running Word and Excel simultaneously, and it handled everything smoothly.

What impressed me most was the port selection. Unlike many modern laptops that force you into dongle hell, the Aspire 3 comes with USB-A ports, HDMI, and even a microSD card slot—practical connectivity that real people actually need. The decent battery life gives you around 8 hours of productivity, perfect for a full day of classes or work.

While it won’t win awards for its plastic build, the keyboard offers comfortable key travel that makes typing for hours surprisingly pleasant. For anyone on a tight budget who needs a Windows laptop that just works, the Aspire 3 delivers exceptional value without major compromises.

Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch

The Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Touch represents what happens when premium features become accessible at a reasonable price point. This laptop has quickly become my go-to recommendation for almost everyone asking for a versatile, powerful machine.

Powered by AMD Ryzen AI processors, this Zenbook delivers impressive performance whether you’re working on spreadsheets or editing photos. The star of the show is undoubtedly the gorgeous OLED display, which provides vibrant colors and perfect blacks that make everything from Netflix shows to work documents look fantastic. Touch capability adds another dimension of usability that feels natural rather than gimmicky.

Battery life consistently reaches 10+ hours in my real-world testing—a claim many laptops make but few actually achieve. The aluminum chassis gives it a premium feel while keeping weight low, making it ideal for professionals who frequently work on the go.

The keyboard deserves special mention with its soft backlighting and satisfying tactile feedback. After using dozens of laptops, I can confidently say Asus has created one of the most comfortable typing experiences available. For creators, students, and professionals seeking a balance between performance and portability, the Zenbook 14 OLED Touch delivers exceptional value that’s hard to beat.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714

Chromebooks have evolved dramatically from their humble beginnings, and the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 showcases just how far they’ve come. This isn’t your basic web-browsing machine anymore—it’s a legitimate productivity powerhouse.

The Spin 714 features Intel Core processors that provide enough muscle to handle multiple Chrome tabs, Android apps, and even light content creation work. Chrome OS has matured into a capable operating system, especially for those already integrated into the Google ecosystem. The 2-in-1 convertible design with stylus support offers flexibility that traditional laptops can’t match, making it perfect for students taking notes or professionals making quick sketches.

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air continues to define what an ultraportable laptop should be. The latest model powered by Apple’s custom silicon has raised the bar yet again, creating what might be the perfect laptop for most people.

The M2 chip delivers outstanding performance that outpaces many larger Windows laptops with dedicated graphics. Apps open instantly, video editing is remarkably smooth, and even demanding creative applications run without breaking a sweat. All this power comes with incredible efficiency—battery life regularly exceeds 18 hours of real-world use, making this the ultimate travel companion.

The fanless design means the MacBook Air operates in complete silence, something you’ll appreciate during late-night work sessions or video calls. For professionals, students, and casual users alike, the 13-inch MacBook Air represents the sweet spot of performance, portability, and battery life that few competitors can match.

Dell XPS 16

The Dell XPS 16 redefines what a desktop replacement laptop can be. This machine combines raw power with surprising portability in a package that feels like the future of computing.

Equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors and powerful discrete graphics options, the XPS 16 handles demanding tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and even gaming with impressive ease. The carbon fiber and aluminum construction creates a premium feel while keeping weight surprisingly manageable for a 16-inch laptop.

Dell’s InfinityEdge display continues to impress with tiny bezels that maximize screen real estate. The OLED option delivers stunning visuals with perfect blacks and vibrant colors that content creators will appreciate. The keyboard offers excellent key travel despite the slim profile, making long typing sessions comfortable.

Port selection is generous by modern standards, with multiple Thunderbolt 4 connections alongside USB-A and a full-size SD card reader—a photographer’s dream. While battery life naturally takes a hit with this much performance (expect 6-8 hours of productive work), the tradeoff is worth it for those who need serious computing power on the go. For professionals seeking a no-compromise machine that can replace a desktop while remaining portable enough for occasional travel, the XPS 16 stands in a class of its own.

MWC 2025

Mobile World Congress 2025 showcased the future of smartphone technology with concepts and devices that push boundaries in exciting ways. The exhibition floor buzzed with innovations that will shape how we use phones in the coming years.

Unlike previous years focused on incremental improvements, MWC 2025 revealed genuine innovations in form factors, materials, and AI integration. Manufacturers demonstrated greater willingness to take risks, resulting in concepts that feel genuinely fresh rather than iterative. The integration of AI capabilities directly on devices rather than in the cloud emerged as a dominant theme, promising better privacy and faster performance for next-generation features.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Xiaomi has firmly established itself as a photography powerhouse with the 15 Ultra, creating what might be the most impressive camera system ever fitted to a smartphone.

The quad-camera array features a 1-inch main sensor paired with three additional lenses that cover everything from ultra-wide landscapes to extreme telephoto shots. Results rival dedicated cameras in good lighting, and even low-light performance shows remarkable detail retention. Xiaomi’s partnership with Leica brings color science that produces beautiful, true-to-life images straight out of the camera.

Beyond photography, the 15 Ultra impresses with its ceramic body that resists scratches better than any glass phone I’ve tested. The curved display offers a premium feel with minimal bezels, while the 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations.

Performance comes courtesy of the latest Snapdragon processor with dedicated AI hardware that powers real-time translation, automatic photo enhancement, and contextual suggestions throughout the interface. Battery life consistently lasts through heavy usage days, and 100W wired charging refills the battery in under 30 minutes. For photography enthusiasts and power users who want cutting-edge hardware without compromise, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra delivers an exceptional experience from top to bottom.

Tecno’s Ultra-thin Spark Slim Smartphone

Tecno stunned attendees at MWC with its Spark Slim, a device that pushes the boundaries of how thin a functional smartphone can be. This remarkable achievement in engineering measures just 5.5mm at its thinnest point—noticeably slimmer than any mainstream phone on the market.

Despite its slim profile, the Spark Slim manages to include a respectable battery that lasts through a full day of normal use. The AMOLED display delivers vibrant colors and perfect blacks, while the side-mounted fingerprint sensor provides reliable security without adding bulk. Tecno achieved this thinness through a redesigned internal architecture and custom battery technology.

Performance remains surprisingly capable thanks to an efficient processor that balances power and thermal constraints imposed by the thin design. While it won’t compete with flagship processors for raw speed, it handles everyday tasks smoothly without noticeable lag.

RealMe’s Interchangeable Lens Concept

RealMe broke new ground with its revolutionary interchangeable lens concept phone, potentially solving the compromise between slim design and camera quality that has plagued smartphone photography.

The concept features a magnetic lens mount system similar to mirrorless cameras, allowing users to attach different lenses depending on their needs. The standard configuration includes a high-quality main sensor with an f/1.8 lens, but users can quickly swap to telephoto, ultra-wide, or even macro lenses with a simple twist mechanism. Each lens delivers optical quality superior to fixed smartphone lenses, with larger apertures and better glass elements.

While still a concept, RealMe demonstrated working prototypes that produced impressive results. The company also showcased specialty lenses including an anamorphic option for cinematic video and a computational photography lens that captures depth information for advanced effects. If brought to market, this system could fundamentally change how serious photographers approach smartphone photography, bridging the gap between convenience and quality in ways current phones cannot match.

Newnal’s AI Avatar Smartphone

Newnal’s AI Avatar Smartphone represents a bold vision of how artificial intelligence might transform our relationship with mobile devices. This concept phone introduces a persistent digital avatar that learns your preferences, habits, and communication style to create a truly personalized assistant.

Unlike current voice assistants that rely primarily on cloud processing, Newnal’s system runs advanced AI models directly on the device using custom neural processing hardware. The avatar maintains awareness of context across applications, making interactions feel more natural and useful. During demonstrations, the avatar smoothly handled complex requests like “Find photos from my trip last summer and create a collage for social media” without requiring specific app instructions.

The physical design complements this AI-first approach with ambient sensors that allow the phone to understand its environment and adapt accordingly. Battery efficiency remains impressive despite the advanced AI capabilities, thanks to specialized processors designed specifically for machine learning tasks. While commercial availability remains uncertain, Newnal’s concept shows how AI might fundamentally change smartphone interaction beyond simple voice commands to create genuinely helpful digital companions.

Conclusion

The laptop and smartphone landscape continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. From budget-friendly options like the Acer Aspire 3 to powerhouse machines like the Dell XPS 16, consumers have access to impressive computing power at every price point. Meanwhile, smartphone innovation extends beyond just faster processors, with truly novel concepts like RealMe’s interchangeable lenses and Newnal’s AI avatar system pointing toward exciting futures.

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