Best dual-SIM phones: Seamlessly use two numbers on the same phone

Given just how high a bar was set with the Find X8 Pro, we wouldn’t have been surprised if Oppo had struggled to follow it up with a successor that packed the same wow factor.

But in what is a testament to the company’s ambition to rarely rest on its laurels, the Oppo Find X9 Pro has raised that bar once more to become one of the absolute best phones you can buy right now (depending on where you live).

There are quite a few reasons to love this phone, but it’s the onboard cameras that have driven the most amount of eye-catching headlines. Simply put, these three rear-facing snappers, which now include a staggering 200Mp 3x telephoto lens, make short work of any scenario they’re pitted against. It was almost impossible to take a bad picture in our time with the phone, with each shot looking like it had come from a dedicated camera.

The other standout feature is the upgraded 7500mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is so far ahead of the competition that it almost doesn’t feel fair. Under the right use cases, it’s possible to get the Find X9 Pro to run for up to three days between charges, and the speedy 80W charging ensures that you won’t have to wait around for long when the phone does need a top-up.

It’s a shame that with all of this innovation at hand, the phone is nowhere to be found in the US, meaning that our American readers will have to look elsewhere. The promised five years of software updates also lags behind Google and Samsung, so that’s worth bearing in mind, depending on how long you plan on using the phone for.

Who should buy the Oppo Find X9 Pro?

Android users who just want the best of everything, no matter the price.

Oppo Find X9 Pro: Further considerations

The phone isn’t on sale in the US, so we’d recommend one of the options lower in this list rather than trying to import one.

Given that the very idea of a dual-SIM phone revolves around having a single handset that can be used for both work and personal calls, it makes sense for a lot of users to have a device that can back up that concept with plenty of tools for on-the-go productivity. To our minds, no other phone better encapsulates that concept than the powerful Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Even though it’s a bit more expensive than its predecessor, no element of the S26 Ultra feels underdeveloped as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset boasts incredible speeds and shows absolutely no sign of buckling when you have two apps running side by side on the phone’s massive 6.9-inch display.

The included S Pen accessory also gives the Ultra a leg up as it allows users to quickly jot down notes during a meeting, or annotate a document that’s just been sent over. It’s also a great way of quickly brainstorming a concept without feeling tempted to quickly jump over to another app.

The new Privacy Display is the big addition here as it allows the S26 Ultra to hide sensitive information when viewed from an angle. For instance, you can scroll through your banking app and see everything without issue, but any nefarious actors around you will only be met with a blank screen. It’s the only major upgrade over the S25 Ultra, alongside faster charging, so the previous-gen model might be more tempting to professionals on a budget.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra?

Professionals who need a portable workstation that doesn’t skimp on performance.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Further considerations

It’s very similar to the S25 Ultra, which can now be found for much less.

The OnePlus 15 is a very different phone to the OnePlus 13, which launched only a few months earlier. And it totally excels in two key areas: performance and battery life.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 enables staggering performance, especially when combined with that gorgeous 6.78-inch OLED display and its ultra-smooth 165Hz refresh rate.

Elsewhere, a huge 7300mAh battery utilises silicon-carbon tech to avoid any excess bulk while ensuring two full days on a charge for almost everyone. It’s supported by incredible 120W fast wired charging, though you will need to buy the necessary charger separately.

The OnePlus 15 is equally impressive on the software side, with its slick OxygenOS 16 skin (based on Android 16) offering an intuitive design, lots of customisation and thoughtful AI features. However, its iOS-inspired design and only four years of OS updates (six of security patches) may rankle with some.

Then there are the cameras, which offer slightly downgraded hardware compared to the OnePlus 13, but very similar results. As usual, the OnePlus 15 can take great photos, but it’s not quite up there with the very best camera phones.

But overall, the OnePlus 15 is a truly excellent smartphone that just so happens to support dual SIM cards.

Who should buy the OnePlus 15?

Users who want some of the best performance and battery life you’ll find on any phone.

OnePlus 15: Further considerations

The Oppo Find X9 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra both offer better cameras.

The FE range of Samsung phones (an abbreviation for ‘Fan Edition’) has oftentimes felt out of place, not just on the mid-range market but also within Samsung’s own assortment of handsets.

With the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, however, this is no longer the case: Samsung has finally hit the perfect balance of features to make it a more tempting buy than the standard Galaxy S25.

Helping to fuel this sense of balance is the move to use the Exynos 2400 chipset (the same one featured in the Galaxy S24). This CPU finally brings the FE up to a standard where it can run pretty much any app with ease and even let you dabble in a spot of low to mid-tier gaming, effectively offering up the level of performance that matches the needs of most people.

You’re also getting a much larger 6.7-inch display compared to the Galaxy S25, which just makes for a far better experience when it comes to streaming films and TV shows, not to mention having more room for multitasking with more than one app open at a time. The speakers are also quite powerful, so if you don’t have a pair of earbuds to hand when you’re relaxing at home, you can still enjoy stereo sound by default.

Top all of this off with the promised seven years of software updates, and the £649/$649 Galaxy S25 FE offers some of the best value you’re going to find on the mid-range market. It’s bested in the camera department by the Xiaomi 15T Pro, and the Redmagic 10S Pro has the upper hand in gaming, but for most people, the S25 FE represents one tantalising package.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE?

Value-conscious consumers who want a mid-range phone that’ll last well into the future.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Further considerations

Doesn’t quite dethrone Xiaomi when it comes to mid-range camera performance.

If photography is your top priority, there’s no better phone than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra right now. When it comes to stills, the handset is in a league of its own.

Alongside a trio of 50Mp lenses (main, ultrawide and 3x telephoto), you also now get a 200Mp periscope with 4.3x optical zoom. That enables some of the best zoom shots you’ll find on any phone, though the loss of variable aperture on the main lens makes it slightly less flexible when the subject is closer.

Still, with the optional Photography Kit accessory, it comes closer to replacing a DSLR than any other handset. A very capable 32Mp selfie camera is the icing on the cake.

However, you won’t be taking photos all the time, so it’s good to know that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra boasts top-tier performance, a gorgeous display and strong battery life (plus 90W fast charging), all with a durable yet chunky design.

Its main drawback is on the software side, where Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 skin doesn’t feel particularly intuitive, and AI features aren’t always flawless.

Given the high price tag, there are better options out there if you’re happy with photos that are just ‘very good’. But if you want the absolute best photography experience out there, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the phone for you.

However, it’s also worth considering the regular Xiaomi 15, which is more compact and affordable but retains dual-SIM support. Neither is available in the US, though.

Who should buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra?

Anyone who wants next-level cameras above any other feature – it’s like having a DSLR in your pocket.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra: Further considerations

Xiaomi’s take on Android still falls behind the experience you’ll find on Samsung, Nothing and OnePlus phones. We’ll also have a review of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra soon.

In the comparatively short time that it’s been around, Nothing has excelled in putting out affordable phones that look like they’ve come off the flagship line, and this very much remains the case with the Nothing Phone (4a). Despite being only £349, the Nothing Phone (4a) is one of the most eye-catching handsets we’ve ever tested, and it makes something like the Galaxy S26 Ultra seem boring by comparison.

The space-age look of the device is instantly captivating, and yet it’s also a more refined take on what the Nothing Phone (3a) brought to the table as the Glyph Light configuration has been swapped out for the compact Glyph Bar. This small handful of square lights can be used to indicate incoming calls and texts, which is great for anyone who only wants to interact with their phone when it’s necessary.

What also flies in the face of typical wisdom around the cheaper end of the market is the slick Nothing OS overlay. Unlike a lot of what the competition puts out, this UI isn’t flooded with annoying bloatware, but rather an eye for consistency which feels very reminiscent of iOS.

The main camera has also been improved, allowing it to capture more light and better detail as a result. The only area where the Nothing Phone (4a) stumbles is in overall performance. It’s not a sluggish phone by any means, but the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 represents a minor upgrade on the (3a) and you can find better performing phones for not that much more, although they certainly won’t have the same degree of style.

Who should buy the Nothing Phone (4a)?

Bargain hunters who want pure bang for their buck.

Nothing Phone (4a): Further considerations

Nothing only offers three years of software updates, which lags behind the competition.

Nothing sub-brand CMF’s second phone might adopt the ‘Pro’ name, but it’s still very much a budget phone. And with a starting price of just £219/$279 (more storage in the US), you won’t find a better handset for the money. The fact that it supports dual SIM cards is the icing on the cake.

What makes the Phone 2 Pro so special? Essentially, it takes everything that made the CMF Phone 1 so good and makes it significantly better, in exchange for only a small price increase.

We’re talking two brand-new camera sensors, with the main lens also getting significantly better. For the price, you can expect some of the best photos around.

Add that to a brighter, more accurate display, a nice performance boost and the all-important NFC that was missing from the original (enabling contactless payments), and the Phone 2 Pro has a lot going for it.

The standout, customisable design remains, as does Nothing’s user-friendly take on Android 15. The three years of OS updates are a little underwhelming, while you don’t get full water or dust resistance, the CMF Phone 2 Pro undoubtedly has a lot going for it.

Who should buy the CMF Phone 2 Pro?

Anyone who isn’t able to spend more than £300 on a phone – this handset goes above and beyond its budget price tag.

CMF Phone 2 Pro: Further considerations

With only an IP54 rating, the phone isn’t quite as well-suited to being used in the great outdoors.

The Xiaomi 15T Pro is one of those handsets that makes you scratch your head and wonder what the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google are even doing at the flagship end when you can nab a mid-range phone like this that’s packed with so many features, especially when it comes to the camera offering.

Xiaomi already has a track record of offering some of the best camera phones out there, and the 15T Pro just elevates that concept even further. The triple camera array features a 50Mp main sensor, a 50Mp telephoto and a 12Mp ultrawide, all of which combine to give the phone unparalleled levels of versatility in its price range, so you’ll rarely (if ever) come up against a scene that you can’t take a good picture of.

The telephoto lens arguably stands out from the pack with 5x zoom, capturing stunning detail and colours from a distance. When you consider that the phone is only slightly more expensive than the iPhone 16e, which has just one rear-facing camera, it becomes clear that Xiaomi is playing in a different league to its closest competitors.

Of the few issues we have with the phone, it would be nice to see Xiaomi provide its HyperOS Android overlay with an overhaul somewhere down the line, and a more competent ultrawide camera would be nice, but these are small points of contention in what is an undeniable winner on almost every other account.

Who should buy the Xiaomi 15T Pro?

Mid-range buyers who value camera ability above all when purchasing a new phone.

Xiaomi 15T Pro: Further considerations

Xiaomi’s take on Android just isn’t as smooth or intuitive as what Samsung or OnePlus offer.

Given just how iterative a lot of Samsung’s phones have been over the last few years, we’re still a bit gobsmacked that the company went all in with a big shift for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but in doing so, it put out the absolute best foldable phone to date. There’s definitely stiff competition from the likes of the Honor Magic V5, but the Z Fold 7 just about clinches it.

The biggest update can be spotted right away, especially if you’ve used or held one of the previous Z Fold phones. At only 8.9mm thin when closed and just 4.2mm when opened, the Z Fold 7 is a far cry from the bulky foldable phones of old. We’re finally at the point where adopters of the foldable concept no longer have to feel as if they’re trying to squish two phones into the same pocket.

This upgrade is only bolstered by the fact that Samsung has the best software experience you’ll find on a foldable (outside of the OnePlus Open). One UI 8 is incredibly slick, with an eye-catching design and easy access to apps that are in use thanks to the ‘Now Bar’, which appears at the bottom of the lock screen.

The camera set-up has been given an uplift as well, mainly by taking the 200Mp main sensor found on the S25 Ultra and using it as its own. It would have been nice to see some of that attention paid to improving either the battery life or the available charging speed (which caps out at a slow 25W), but there’s plenty to fawn over here, especially compared to the Z Fold 7’s predecessor.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7?

Productivity users who need more screen space for multitasking.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Further considerations

It’s miles behind the Honor Magic V5 in terms of battery life and charging.

Just like with the latest Z Fold, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 also represents a major leap forward over what came before, with Samsung finally recognising the improvements that competing companies like Motorola had brought to the table. With a much larger four-inch cover screen, the flip phone concept has never felt more polished than with the Z Flip 7.

Because of the greater amount of room that the cover screen now provides, you can easily use it to check in on your messages or quickly look up directions via Google Maps, all without getting sucked into a session of doomscrolling. That aspect of mindful phone usage is something that Samsung has been pushing for a while, but only now does it feel fully realised, with hoops to jump through in order to run any app.

Still, if you do want to use a larger screen for watching some TV on your commute or even enjoying a spot of gaming on a flight, then the stunning 6.9-inch AMOLED inner display can do the trick. From our testing, the main 50Mp camera is also worth shouting about as it captures the same vivid colour palette that Samsung phones are known for, and with plenty of detail to boot. It’s very easy to take great selfies with this phone.

The one area where the Z Flip 7 still feels like it’s lagging behind the competition is the battery. The uptick to featuring a 4300mAh cell is nice, but having 25W charging speeds feels painfully slow for a phone as premium as this. Still, so long as you time your charging sessions to fit around your day, this shouldn’t be a huge problem.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7?

Flip phone fans who want great software and a long update cycle to boot.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Further considerations

Samsung still lags behind the Motorola Razr series on battery life and charging.