Yes, you all love your iPhones and Galaxies, but here's why you shouldn't sleep on the competition

Despite being one of the biggest smartphone makers globally, Xiaomi landed at the very bottom of the poll. I didn't see that coming. Maybe people still see Xiaomi as a budget brand or think of it as more of a tech lifestyle company because of all the other products it makes – but trust me, this brand is way more than that.

Xiaomi built its name on high specs for low prices and it still sticks to that. Whether you are looking at budget Redmi phones or mid-range Poco models, you are always getting killer value. They constantly pack in way more hardware than competitors at similar price points.

The company just celebrated its 15th anniversary, and of course, it launched some new stuff to mark the occasion – including the Xiaomi 15S Pro and the Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra. What makes them special? They are powered by Xiaomi's own chip, the Xring O1. The company is really stepping up its game lately and offering something for everyone – flagships, mid-rangers and budget devices.

Yeah, in our poll, it took the crown for "least best brand," but I still think Xiaomi shines in a few key areas, especially when it comes to cameras and charging – two things that seriously matter for daily use.

Take the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, for example. It is tied for the number one spot in our camera rankings right alongside the Galaxy S25 Ultra. That is no small feat. A lot of that camera magic comes from Xiaomi's partnership with Leica – and if you've ever been into photography, you definitely know that name.

Xiaomi's camera app is also loaded with features. It can be as simple or as advanced as you want. The pro mode gives you full control over both photos and videos, which makes sense given the phone's camera-focused design.

And let's not forget: Xiaomi is one of the fastest brands out there when it comes to charging. If you are always in a rush (and who isn't?), this matters. Phones like the Xiaomi 14T Pro, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G and even the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ are crushing it in our charging tests. That alone makes them worth considering.

Now, this one also caught me off guard. Motorola barely got any votes and I really don't think that's fair. Yeah, the company's software update policy could use some improvement, but that can't be the only reason people are passing it over. The brand has been around forever and still manages to crank out some really unique and stylish phones.

Motorola devices have a look – even the budget ones. Take the new Edge 60 Fusion, for example. It stands out. And if you are into foldables, Motorola's Razr series is one of the best-looking out there. The Razr Ultra (2025) blends retro vibes with cutting-edge display tech and it looks slick while doing it.

Another thing I love? Motorola doesn't mess too much with Android. Its phones run a near-stock version of the OS, which a lot of people say they prefer. Our poll actually showed that clean Android is still a big deal for users, so it is surprising that Motorola isn't getting more attention for offering exactly that.

The brand isn't flashy about it, but it is quietly doing a lot right. I really think Motorola deserves more credit than it is getting right now.

Vivo is a huge name in Asia, but it still hasn't broken through in a big way elsewhere – and that showed in the poll. But Vivo is no slouch. It is one of the most innovative brands in the photography space and it is doing some really cool stuff with phone design, too.

Thanks to its partnership with Zeiss – yeah, the same legendary German optics company – Vivo's phones are packed with pro-level camera tech. If taking great photos is your thing, the vivo X200 Pro should be on your radar.

But Vivo isn't just about cameras. Its phones also look amazing. The V and X series models especially are slim, stylish and use premium materials. The company experiments with textures, colors and finishes that make its phones feel a little more special than the average glass slab. 

Huawei (4.19%) – still pushing boundaries despite the odds

Huawei's struggles in Western markets are well-known, especially after losing access to Google Mobile Services. That hit hard. But here's the thing – Huawei never stopped innovating. In fact, it might be one of the boldest brands out there right now.

Case in point: the new Mate XT Ultimate. It's the world's first triple foldable phone. Not just another foldable – a tri-fold. That means it can unfold into a massive screen for work or watching content, then fold back down to pocket size. Huawei also just launched a foldable laptop. That's next-level stuff.

Despite all the challenges, Huawei keeps showing us what is possible. It is easy to overlook them because of political and ecosystem limitations, but from a pure tech perspective, they are still killing it.

So yeah, there's a ton of innovation happening just outside the spotlight. So maybe next time, don't just go for the obvious choices (that is if you are not locked in a certain ecosystem, of course). You might find your perfect phone in a place you weren't even looking.