Good smartphones don’t need to cost a fortune. Years of sales have brought features that were once only available on high-end devices – including larger batteries, multiple rear cameras and high-end refresh displays – down to their more affordable siblings. While there are still some things you’ll only find on premium smartphones, you don’t have to cut back much if you want to get the best buy at the lowest price. If you have less than $600 to spend, we can help you figure out which features to prioritize when trying to find the best midrange smartphone.
What is a midrange phone, anyway?
Although the term appears frequently in articles and videos, there is no agreed-upon definition of “midrange” beyond a non-flagship phone or entry-level option. Most of our recommendations for mid-range smartphones cost between $400 and $600 – or less and you should expect a big compromise. If your budget is high, however, you should consider flagships like the Apple iPhone 16 and the Samsung Galaxy S24.
What you should consider before buying a midrange smartphone
Buying a new device can be intimidating, but a few questions can help guide you through the process. First: which platform do you want to use? If the answer is iOS, that narrows your options down to exactly one phone. (Thanks, cool.) And if you’re an Android fan, there’s no shortage of compelling options. Both platforms have their strengths, so you shouldn’t rule out either.
Obviously, and consider how comfortable it is to use. Even increasing your budget by $100 more can get you a better product. And manufacturers tend to support their more expensive devices for a long time. It’s definitely worth buying something that’s at the upper end of what you can afford.
Having an idea of ​​your priorities will help inform your budget. Are you looking for longer battery life or faster charging speeds? Do you value fast performance above all else? Or would you like better cameras? While they continue to improve every year, even the best midrange smartphones still require compromises, and knowing what’s important to you will make choosing one easier.
Finally, pay attention to wireless bands and network compatibility. If you don’t want to worry about that, your best bet is to buy directly from your carrier. To make things easier, all the phones we recommend are compatible with all major US wireless carriers and can be purchased unlocked.
What I won’t you get from a midrange smartphone?
Every year, the line between mid-range and flagship phones gets blurred as high-end features and specifications trickle down to affordable models. When we first published this guide in 2020, it was difficult to find $500 devices with waterproofing or 5G. Now, the biggest thing you can’t miss is wireless charging. Just remember to budget for a power adapter – many companies have stopped including chargers with their smartphones. Performance has improved in recent years, but it can still be hit or miss as many mid-range phones use slow processors that can struggle to multitask. Thankfully, their cameras are pretty advanced, and you can expect at least a dual-lens system on most mid-range smartphones under $600.
The best midrange phones of 2024
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Screen size: 6.1 inches | Storage capacity: Up to 256GB | SIM card type: Nano SIM, eSIM | Front camera configuration: 13 MP | Rear camera configuration: 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide | Weight: 6.6 aw
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
Google’s A-series Pixels have long been some of the best midrange phones on the market. But now with the addition of the Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports the powerful and flexible AI functions you find in Google’s best phones along with excellent cameras, a beautiful 120Hz OLED display and great battery life. The device also comes with creature comforts like IP67 dust and water resistance and convenient (but slow) 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging. But most importantly, starting at $499, it may be one of the best deals on the market.
- 120Hz color OLED display
- Powerful battery life
- Very good cameras
- Great value
- Slow wireless charging
- The bezels are thick
$399 at Amazon
Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget
Read our full iPhone 15 review
Screen size: 6.1 inches | Storage capacity: Up to 512GB | SIM card type: Dual eSIM | Front camera configuration: 12 MP | Rear camera configuration: 48MP main, 12MP ultra wide | Weight: 6.02 ounces
Our previous pick here was the iPhone 13, but that model is no longer sold at Apple. Now, if you want to save a little money (just a little) and get an iPhone, your best bet is the iPhone 15. Yes, the iPhone 14 is still hanging on the list, but it depends on Lightning. wired charging port. It’s 2024, and we recommend your next phone — no matter how much you spend — has a USB-C port.
We called the iPhone 15 “the most significant update to a regular iPhone in years” in our iPhone 15 review. While the overall design and display were familiar, the biggest improvements came in the camera lineup and the adoption of Dynamic Island. You will get a large 48-megapixel shooter with a quad-pixel sensor that can take better shots in dim light. You can also apply the portrait mode settings after taking pictures with this system, instead of choosing it before taking the picture. We saw a noticeable improvement in the photos taken on the iPhone 15 compared to those taken on the iPhone 14, especially in low-light situations, so you get a better camera system overall. As for Dynamic Island, it’s a feature carried over from Pro-level iPhones that’s really useful here.
The iPhone 15 works on the Apple A16 Bionic chipset, and the performance is as we expected – strong, with very few cases of warming during daily use. The smartphone has Apple’s signature “all-day” battery life, and we’ve seen it last longer than that in our tests. While we understand that $700 isn’t exactly an “average” price, we believe that the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE, which come in at $600 and $429, respectively, bring too many compromises for the cost. If you’re serious about getting an iPhone but want to spend as little money as possible, you’ll be thankful you spent the extra money on the iPhone 15. – Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
- Improved camera
- Solid performance
- Dynamic Island is active
- USB-C charging
- The overall design is outdated
- There is no indication of the maximum refresh rate
- USB-C is limited
- The colors are not strong
$700 from Apple
SAMSUNG
Screen size: 6.6 inches | Storage capacity: 128GB + microSD | SIM card type: Nano-SIM | Front camera configuration: 13 MP | Rear camera configuration: 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro | Weight: 7.5 oz
A new version of our previous top pick, the Samsung A35 5G has one of the best displays you can find on a smartphone under $500. It has a 6.6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and Samsung’s Vision Booster technology, which adjusts the tone map of the display based on the brightness in your environment.
Other prominent features of this Samsung phone include a flexible camera system and a 5,000mAh battery. The triple rear includes a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 5MP main camera, while the battery supports 25W fast charging.
The A35 5G uses the Exynos 1380 chipset, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Don’t expect it to perform as well as our top picks in this guide, but it should handle most tasks well. Samsung has also included a microSD card slot in this device, so you can expand the storage if you need it.
- 120Hz screen with Vision Booster
- 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W charging
- Expandable storage with microSD card slot
- It runs on Exynos processor
$325 at Amazon
OnePlus
Screen size: 6.72 inches | Storage capacity: 128GB + microSD | SIM card type: Nano-SIM | Front camera configuration: 16 MP | Rear camera configuration: 108MP main, 2MP macro | Weight: 6.8 oz
When it first came out, the Nord N30 basically had everything you could want in a $300 phone. Its Snapdragon 695 5G chipset delivers solid performance and fast wireless connectivity that matches all major US carriers, not to mention great specs including 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has a large 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is rare for a budget phone as most competitors feature slower 60Hz or 90Hz panels. And thanks to its 50-watt wired charger, you can top it up quickly, too. But most importantly, the Nord 30 has just received a price drop from $300 to $250, making it an unquestionably good deal and our top pick in the space.
- Good performance for the price
- 120Hz display
- 50W charging cables
$300 at Amazon