As considered one of Engadget’s resident cellular geeks, I’ve reviewed dozens of midrange telephones and have discovered that an incredible smartphone doesn’t need to break the bank. Years of commoditization have introduced options as soon as unique to high-end gadgets – together with massive batteries, multi-camera arrays and excessive refresh fee shows – all the way down to their extra inexpensive siblings. Whereas there are nonetheless some stuff you’ll solely discover on flagship smartphones, you do not have to compromise as a lot anymore if you happen to’re trying to discover the most effective purchase at a lower cost level. When you have lower than $600 to spend, I may also help you determine what options to prioritize when looking for the most effective midrange smartphone.
Editor’s notice (5/9/24): Google has introduced the Pixel 8a, its newest midrange smartphone. The 6.1-inch handset begins at $499 and, as anticipated, takes a lot of its cues from final yr’s flagship Pixel 8 series. We’ll have a full evaluation within the coming days and can replace this information accordingly. For now, you may take a look at our hands-on preview for extra particulars on what to anticipate. Google says it’ll proceed to promote the Pixel 7a, our present high choose, at a decreased value, so it might proceed to be worthwhile. Most ought to maintain off till we put the brand new Pixel by its paces, although.
What’s a midrange cellphone, anyway?
Whereas the time period exhibits up ceaselessly in articles and movies, there isn’t an agreed-upon definition for “midrange” past a cellphone that isn’t a flagship or an entry-level possibility. Our suggestions for the most effective midrange smartphones value between $400 and $600 — any much less and you need to anticipate important compromises. In case your price range is increased, although, you need to think about flagships just like the Apple iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy S22.
What components must you think about when shopping for a midrange smartphone?
Shopping for a brand new system may be intimidating, however just a few questions may also help information you thru the method. First: what platform do you wish to use? If the reply is iOS, that narrows your choices down to precisely one cellphone. (Fortunately, it’s nice.) And if you happen to’re an Android fan, there’s no scarcity of compelling choices. Each platforms have their strengths, so that you shouldn’t rule both out.
Clearly, additionally think about how a lot you’re snug spending. Even rising your price range by $100 extra can get you a dramatically higher product. And producers are likely to assist their dearer gadgets for longer. It’s positively value shopping for one thing towards the highest restrict of what you may afford.
Having an thought of your priorities will assist inform your price range. Would you like an extended battery life or quick charging pace? Do you worth speedy efficiency above all else? Or would you want the very best cameras? Whereas they proceed to enhance yearly, even the most effective midrange smartphones nonetheless demand some compromises, and figuring out what’s essential to you’ll make selecting one simpler.
Lastly, take note of wi-fi bands and community compatibility. Should you don’t wish to fear about that, your greatest wager is to purchase straight out of your service. To make issues simpler, all of the telephones we suggest are appropriate with each main US wi-fi supplier and may be bought unlocked.
What gained’t you get from a midrange smartphone?
Yearly, the road between midrange and flagship telephones will get blurrier as extra upmarket options and specs trickle all the way down to extra inexpensive fashions. After we first revealed this information in 2020, it was troublesome to search out $500 gadgets with waterproofing or 5G. Now, the largest factor you may miss out on is wi-fi charging. Simply keep in mind to price range for an influence adapter too – many corporations have stopped together with chargers with their smartphones. Efficiency has improved in recent times, however can nonetheless be hit and miss as most midrange telephones use slower processors that may battle with multitasking. Fortunately, their cameras have improved dramatically, and you may sometimes anticipate at the least a dual-lens system on most midrange smartphones beneath $600.
The most effective midrange telephones for 2024
Google Pixel 7a: The most effective midrange Android cellphone
The $500 Pixel 7a delivers the whole lot we search for in an incredible inexpensive cellphone. New options embrace a quicker Tensor G2 chip, a smoother 90Hz show and for the primary time on considered one of Google’s A-series telephones: assist for wi-fi charging. And with a refreshed design with IP67 water resistance, it seems to be and seems like the usual Pixel 7 however for $100 much less. You additionally get nice assist thanks to 5 years of safety updates and at the least three OS upgrades. The cellphone’s solely shortcomings are reasonably small and embrace a scarcity of a devoted zoom lens and no assist for mmWave 5G (until you buy a barely dearer $550 mannequin from Verizon).
iPhone SE (third era): The most effective iPhone below $600
If you will get previous its dated design and small 5.4-inch show, the Apple iPhone SE is the quickest cellphone you should purchase for lower than $600. No different system on this listing has a processor that comes near the SE’s A15 Bionic. What’s extra, you may anticipate Apple to assist the 2022 mannequin for years to return. The corporate is barely simply ending assist for the first-generation SE after six years. The corporate hasn’t stated how lengthy it intends to furnish the newest SE with new software program, however it’s more likely to assist the system for the same size of time.
For all its strengths, the iPhone SE is held again by a dated show. Not solely is the SE’s display screen small and gradual, however it additionally makes use of an IPS panel as an alternative of an OLED show, which means it could possibly’t ship deep blacks. Moreover, that display screen is surrounded by a number of the largest bezels you’ll discover on a contemporary cellphone. That’s not stunning. The SE makes use of the design of the iPhone 6, which shall be a decade outdated in two years. And if the SE seems to be dated now, it’ll solely really feel extra drained in just a few years.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G: The midrange cellphone with the most effective show for streaming
For the very best show at this value, look no additional than Samsung’s $450 Galaxy A53 5G. It includes a 6.5-inch Tremendous AMOLED show that’s preferrred for watching TV exhibits and flicks. Plus the 120Hz panel is the quickest on this listing. Different standout options of this Samsung cellphone embrace a 5,000mAh battery and versatile digicam system. The A53’s three shooters might not ship photographs with the identical element and pure colours because the Pixel 7a, however it could possibly seize larger scenes with its two wide-angle rear cameras.
Like the opposite Android smartphones on this listing, the Samsung Galaxy A53 isn’t the quickest performer. At greatest, Samsung’s Exynos 1280 is a lateral transfer from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G discovered within the Galaxy A52 5G. And although the A53 is $50 cheaper than its predecessor, this Samsung cellphone not comes with an influence adapter and headphone jack, so the distinction might not find yourself being a lot.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G: The most effective low cost smartphone when on a price range
Should you solely have round $200 to spend in your subsequent cellphone, you might do loads worse than the OnePlus Nord N200. To begin, this price range cellphone includes a massive 5,000mAh battery that may simply final you a full day. The N200 additionally has a 90Hz show and 5G connectivity, that are difficult to search out at this value. Better of all, it doesn’t appear like an affordable cellphone.
However the N200 can also be illustration of why you need to spend extra on a price range cellphone if you happen to can. It is the slowest system on this listing, because of its Snapdragon 480 chipset and paltry 4GB of RAM. Its triple primary digicam setup is serviceable in the course of the day however struggles in low gentle and doesn’t provide a lot versatility past a disappointing macro lens. OnePlus additionally doesn’t plan to replace the cellphone past the soon-to-be-outdated Android 12. Briefly, the N200 is unlikely to final you so long as any of the opposite inexpensive telephones on this listing.
Chris Velazco contributed to this report.