The Mobile World Congress is the great gathering of the phone world. For a week, the telecom titans talk of connections, new machines, and, of course, artificial intelligence. The biggest names in tech bring their latest creations, showing off what is new and what is next. It is a place of bright lights and bold ideas. This year, we found eight devices that stood above the rest. Each earned our Best of MWC 2025 Award. Here they are.
Welcome to Day 3️⃣ of #MWC25!
— MWC (@MWCHub) March 5, 2025
We’re halfway through and there’s plenty more to come 🚀 pic.twitter.com/R0UvL9MqtU
Top 8 Game-Changing Gadgets That Redefined Mobile Innovation at MWC 2025
1. HMD Amped Buds
Most wireless earbuds are the same. Buy from a good brand, and you get solid sound, noise canceling that does the job, and a small case with USB-C and wireless charging. Simple.
But at MWC, HMD showed something different. The new Amped Buds come with a charging case that holds a mighty 1,600 mAh. Enough to give your phone a boost when you need it. No cable? No problem. The case has reverse wireless charging.
HMD says the battery lasts for nearly 60 hours of listening with noise canceling before it needs a charge. The Amped Buds will sell soon for £180 in the UK and €200 in Europe. No word yet on US pricing.
2. Honor Pad V9
The Honor Pad V9 is a strong tablet for a fair price. For €250, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chip, 12 gigs of RAM, and an 11.5-inch screen with sharp resolution and a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. A lot of power for the money. But it won’t come to the US. Elsewhere, though, it will be a real competitor. Against other Android tablets, even the entry-level iPad, it will hold its own.
3. Honor Watch 5 Ultra
Another solid device from Honor that won’t make it to the US: the Watch Ultra 5. The €279 smartwatch has a titanium case and a 1.5-inch AMOLED screen. Inside, a 480 mAh battery that Honor claims lasts two weeks on a charge. The downside? It runs MagicOS, not Wear OS, so it’s more limited. And, of course, it won’t be sold in the States. But the hardware is strong, and it’s the most interesting watch we’ve seen at MWC.
4. TCL NXTPaper 11 Plus
TCL’s NXTPaper line keeps turning heads. Their 60 XE NXTPaper 5G was a standout at CES. Now, at MWC, they’ve shown off the NXTPaper 11 Plus tablet—and we like what we see. It has an 11-inch matte screen that mimics an e-reader while keeping the benefits of LCD. Inside, a MediaTek Helio G100 chip with eight or 12 gigs of RAM. Not the fastest, but good enough for reading and browsing. It launches soon, starting at €249. It’s coming to North America, but when and for how much? That’s still unknown.
5. Nothing Phone 3a
The Nothing Phone 3a—and the more powerful 3a Pro—may not be the flagship fans are waiting for, but they mark a real step forward for Carl Pei’s startup. Both phones pack upgraded chipsets, brand-new camera systems featuring Nothing’s first-ever telephoto sensors, and a new Essential Space feature tied to a dedicated hardware key. It’s a promising lineup. Even better, Nothing is keeping prices low, with both models selling for under $500.
But there’s a catch. Aside from the never-ending wait for a true Nothing flagship—supposedly coming later this year—there’s the issue of US availability. Once again, the 3a and 3a Pro will only be sold in the States through a “beta” program. That means limited return options and post-launch support that amounts to, well, almost nothing. These are impressive phones on paper, but come on, Nothing. Let people buy them the way they should.
6. Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
Another solid batch of mid-range phones from Samsung this year. The Galaxy A56 is one of the best yet, and this time, it’s coming to the US. The design is pure Galaxy—sleek, modern, and clean. It borrows from the S25’s camera module but adds the raised depth of the Z Fold 5. It looks good. The black trim stands out a little on the brighter colors, but not in a bad way.
For most people, this phone has everything they need. The Exynos 1580 chip is fast enough. A 5,000mAh battery keeps it running all day. It has a 6.7-inch screen and IP67 water and dust resistance. Not much is missing unless you demand top-tier power. Samsung promises years of software updates, plus all the AI features you could want—and probably more. At $499, the A56 could be a real challenger to Google’s rumored Pixel 9a when it lands in the US later this year.
7. Tecno Spark Slim
Tecno is back with a phone that turns heads. The company known for budget-friendly foldables now brings something different—thinness. At just 5.75mm, this might be the thinnest smartphone in the world. But that record won’t stay still. It will keep shifting as 2025 moves on. There’s a catch, of course. It’s a concept phone, not something you can buy like a Samsung or an Apple. Still, it’s a feat of engineering. A 5,200mAh battery packed into a frame this slim is no small thing. It hints at a future where phones feel lighter in our pockets but last just as long.
8. Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Xiaomi didn’t waste time. Its latest flagship launched globally not long after its debut in China, leaving US phone fans watching from the sidelines, jealous as ever. The design? Two-tone. You’ll love it or hate it. But the real star is the camera. A 200MP periscope lens with 4.3x zoom. Makes Nothing’s 3a Pro look downright ordinary. Another great camera phone we won’t get in the States.
Not that it would be cheap. If the Xiaomi 15 Ultra came to the US, it’d cost around $1,600. Makes you think. You could buy a Pixel 8a and a real camera for that price. Is this phone worth it? Maybe. But it’s still one hell of a device.
Conclusion
The latest tech spectacle has just come to a close and it was a spectacular one. Mobile World Congress 2025 was not only a business event but also a demonstration of what is to come. HMD’s earbuds and Tecno’s razor-thin phone were unique, which showed that companies are not just tweaking their products. They’re pushing boundaries. Some devices will remain beyond reach for now but the message is loud and clear. Technology is becoming smarter and slimmer as well as becoming better and better every day.
FAQs
Q1: Why aren’t some cool gadgets available in the US?
The global technology launches can be compared to a club that has a bouncer who decides who is allowed in. Market selection is always informed by economic factors, legal frameworks and position of the brand in the market. US consumers? They are now only able to watch from the sidelines as a spectator at the international tech celebration.
Q2: What was the most innovative gadget at MWC 2025?
The Tecno Spark Slim emerges the winner – a phone that is as slim as a sheet of paper and can easily pass through the mail slot. At 5.75mm thick with a 5,200mAh battery, it is effectively telling the world that the size does not matter in the world of technology.
Q3: How important are mid-range smartphones?
They offer the best features at a relatively cheaper price. The Nothing Phone 3a proves that one can have a stylish and efficient device without having to spend a lot of money or sell a kidney.
