Best Father's Day Phone Gift 2026: Awarded Picks for Dad
Father's Day 2026 (June 21) is a meaningful gift occasion — and a phone is one of the few gifts that meaningfully improves daily life. Here are the awarded picks worth gifting, with seasonal pricing notes.
Updated · 4 picks · Rankings reflect MKBHD Smartphone Awards outcomes.
How we picked
Phones at Father's Day-friendly price points (under $1,000 typical gift budget) with MKBHD Smartphone Awards placement.
- #1
Won Phone of the Year at MKBHD's 2025 Smartphone Awards. Lowest-friction iPhone gift — works for tech-savvy or non-technical dads alike. Carrier trade-in deals running into Father's Day push effective price to $499–$599.
Pros
- MKBHD's 2025 Phone of the Year
- Works for any tech level
- Carrier deals push price to $499–$599
- #2
Best Father's Day power-user gift — runner-up Phone of the Year
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung · 2025 · From $1299
Runner-up Phone of the Year at MKBHD's 2025 Smartphone Awards. The right gift for a tech-enthusiast dad — S Pen, 5x periscope camera, and the brightest mainstream display. Premium gift at $1,299, often with $200–$300 trade-in bonuses.
Pros
- Runner-up Phone of the Year 2025
- S Pen for note-takers
- 5x periscope camera
- #3
Won Best Small Phone at MKBHD's 2024 Smartphone Awards. Now $599–$699; effective gift price with Father's Day carrier deals can hit $349–$449. Apple Intelligence supported.
Pros
- MKBHD's 2024 Best Small Phone
- Apple Intelligence
- Effective gift price $349–$449
- #4
Won Most Improved at MKBHD's 2024 Smartphone Awards. Best gift for an AI-curious dad — Magic Editor, Pixel Studio, and Recorder transcription (great for note-taking dads). Often discounted $100–$150 at Google Store for Father's Day.
Pros
- MKBHD's 2024 Most Improved
- Best on-device AI features
- Recorder transcription is a hit with note-taking dads
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best phone gift for Father's Day 2026?
iPhone 17 (MKBHD's 2025 Phone of the Year) for non-technical dads. Galaxy S25 Ultra for tech-enthusiast dads who want S Pen and the best zoom camera. Pixel 9 Pro for AI-curious dads.
How much should I spend on a Father's Day phone gift?
Typical gift budgets sit at $500–$800. iPhone 16 (discounted) and Galaxy S24 (discounted) fit this range well. iPhone 17 with carrier deal can also fit.
Best Father's Day phone deal in 2026?
Watch carrier trade-in deals in June — Verizon and T-Mobile typically run Father's Day promos that stack with manufacturer trade-in bonuses on the iPhone 17 and Galaxy S25 Ultra.
About this list
We index every phone that won or placed in MKBHD's annual Smartphone Awards (2014–2025) and surface the strongest matches for this category. Award badges link to the full award history. We earn a commission on purchases via our retailer links — at no extra cost to you.