Diwali is just around the corner, which means it’s time to dust off your credit card and hop on your laptop for gift shopping. Gifting a smartphone to your family members and loved ones will go a long way this year, especially with the RAMageddon driving up prices. The good news is that the festive season deals are on your side. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 smartphones that would make great gifts this Diwali.
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In This Article
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung’s latest flagship phone is powerful, spec-heavy, and reliable. While its design hasn’t undergone any radical changes in the last few years, it is still one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones out there right now. At its core lies the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC. The 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. The rear camera array comprises a 200MP primary shooter, a 50MP ultrawide lens, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. The 5,000mAh battery pack supports 60W wired and 25W wireless charging. Dive into our Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review to learn more about its everyday performance.
Pros
- Privacy display
- Powerful processor
- Galaxy AI
Cons
- Lacks a big battery pack
iPhone 18 Pro
The Pro model in the latest iPhone series impresses with its in-house 2nm A20 Pro processor, 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display, and aluminium build. Its rear camera plateau houses three 48MP sensors – one each for the primary shooter, ultrawide lens, and 4x telephoto lens. The 18MP front-facing camera is placed inside the Dynamic Island on the display. There is IP68 protection on board against dust and water. Software duties on this phone are handled by iOS 27 out of the box. The 4,056mAh battery pack supports 50W wired and 25W wireless MagSafe/Qi2 charging.
Pros
- Bright display
- Powerful processor
- Good camera
Cons
- Apple Intelligence is mediocre
Oppo Find X9 Ultra
The Ultra model in Oppo’s Find X9 lineup has one of the finest camera systems we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. It comprises a 200MP primary shooter, a 200MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 10x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. Powering this smartphone is the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. The 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 144Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 3,600 nits. The 7,050mAh battery pack supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. Check out our Oppo Find X9 Ultra review for more details.
Pros
- Powerful chipset
- Bright display
- Great cameras
Cons
- Pricey
Google Pixel 11
The base model in the Google Pixel 11 lineup delivers a bang for your buck. It is one of the most economical flagship phones on the market right now. It packs Google’s in-house Tensor G6 chipset under its hood and runs Android 17 out of the box. The 6.3-inch OLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The camera bar on the back panel houses a 48MP primary shooter, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. The 4,985mAh battery pack supports 30W wired and 25W wireless charging. Read our Google Pixel 11 review for an in-depth analysis of the phone.
Pros
- Clean design
- Good software experience
- 7 major OS updates
Cons
- Slow charging speed
OnePlus 15
Talking about economical flagships, the OnePlus 15 checks all the important boxes without costing a bomb. At its core lies the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. The 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 165Hz refresh rate and can reach 1,800 nits in High Brightness Mode. You also get IP68/69/69K protection against dust and water. The camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter, a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom. The 7,3000mAh Si/C battery pack supports 120W wired and 50W wireless charging. Dive into our OnePlus 15 review for a closer look at the phone’s performance.
Pros
- Tough exterior
- Powerful chipset
- Fast charging
Cons
- Cameras need more work
Motorola Signature
With the global RAM shortage making smartphones more expensive, flagship killers are more relevant right now than ever. The Motorola Signature is our favourite out of the bunch. It packs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC under its hood and runs Android 16 out of the box. The 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display has a 165Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 6,200 nits. There are three 50MP sensors on the back panel, one each for the primary shooter, ultrawide lens, and 3x telephoto lens. The 5,200mAh battery supports 90W wired and 50W wireless charging. Check out our Motorola Signature review for more details.
Pros
- Bright display
- Good chipset
- Clean OS
Cons
- Not the best cooling system for gaming
Vivo X Fold6
Thinking of gifting a foldable to a loved one this Diwali? The Vivo X Fold6 would be our recommendation. Its 6.51-inch LTPO AMOLED cover display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. The 8.02-inch foldable inner display shares the same specs. Powering the device is the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 Super chipset. Software duties are handled by Android 17-based OriginOS 7. The foldable is rated IP58/IP59 for dust and water resistance. The rear camera island comprises a 200MP primary shooter, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens. The 6,900mAh battery supports 80W wired and 40W wireless charging.
Pros
- Great form factor
- Amazing cameras
- Big battery
Cons
- Pricey
Redmi Turbo 5
Don’t want to break the bank on a flagship phone this Diwali? The Redmi Turbo 5 is one of the best midrange smartphones out there right now. It flaunts a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3,500 nits. Powering the device is the MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra chipset. The rear camera array comprises a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 7,540mAh battery supports 100W wired charging. There is IP68/IP69K protection on board against dust and water. Check out our Redmi Turbo 5 review for more details.
Pros
- Bright display
- Powerful processor
- Good battery life
Cons
- No telephoto lens
Vivo T5
The Vivo T5 is one of the most balanced midrange smartphones on the market right now. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7500 Turbo chipset and runs the Android 16-based OriginOS 6 out of the box. It is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water resistance. Its 6.83-inch AMOLED display has a 144Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The rear camera bar houses a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 7,050mAh battery pack supports 44W charging. Read our review of the Vivo T5 to learn more about its everyday performance.
Pros
- Nice design
- Bright display
- Good chipset
Cons
- No telephoto lens
Ai+ Nova 2 Power
The pickings are slim in the budget segment, but the Ai+ Nova 2 Power stands out with its good mix of specs. This smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7100 chipset and runs Android 16 out of the box. Its 6.75-inch LCD panel has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach up to 450 nits of maximum brightness. The smartphone is rated IP65 for dust and water resistance. The rear camera array comprises a 48MP main sensor and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 7,000mAh Li-Po battery supports 33W wired charging. Check out our Ai+ Nova 2 Power review for more details.
Pros
- Big display
- No bloatware
- Good battery life
Cons
- Slow charging speed
Special Mention: iPhone Duo
Want to make your Diwali gift extra special? Go for the iPhone Duo. With all the first-gen hype around it, the Duo is one of the hottest tech items on the block. The passport-style foldable has a 5.4-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The 7.6-inch inner display has the same specs. At the heart of the phone lies the Apple A20 Pro chipset. The rear camera island houses two 48MP sensors for the main and ultrawide lenses. The 4,883mAh battery pack supports 25W wireless charging.
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Final Thoughts
These 10 smartphones will make great gifts this Diwali. Need other tech recommendations for Diwali gifts this year? Keep an eye on our homepage for more gifting guides! Got any questions? Let us know in the comments!
