Marques Brownlee's 10th annual Smartphone Awards are out, and while some categories went the usual way (iPhone for camera, Samsung for "big"), there were some interesting wins this year. As a Pixel 9 Pro user myself, I was especially hyped to see Google finally getting some serious recognition.

Here's the rundown:

  •  Best Big Phone: Samsung Galaxy s24 Ultra (no surprise there)

  •  Best Small Phone: iPhone 16 (again, expected)

  •  Best Camera: iPhone 16 Pro (sigh... Apple still holds this one)

  •  Best Value: Nothing Phone 2A (good to see some disruptors!)

  •  Best Battery: Red Magic 10 Pro (gaming phones FTW!)

  •  Best Design: Huawei Mate Xt (that fold is sleek)

  •  Best Foldable: Pixel 9 Pro Fold! (YES!)

  •  Most Improved: Pixel 9 Pro Fold! (DOUBLE YES!)

  •  Bust of the Year: Asus Zenphone 11 Ultra (ouch)

  •  MVP Phone of the Year: Samsung Galaxy s24 Ultra (Samsung takes it again)

While I'm a bit bummed the Pixel didn't snag the overall MVP, those Foldable wins are HUGE. I've been rocking the Pixel 9 Pro for months now, and it's the best phone I've ever used. The camera is fantastic (even if not "the best"), the battery lasts forever, and the software is smooth as butter. Marques himself uses the 9 Pro XL as his daily driver, which says something.

If you're looking for a phone that does it all, with a killer foldable option, Google's finally stepped up to the plate. Check out the full video for Marques' in-depth thoughts, but consider this your TL;DR: Pixel's a contender now, folks.