Smartphone Expert Review – To help us provide you with free, unbiased advice, we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through a link on our site. learn more
Want to save money on your next smartphone? Forget flagships and check out this great mid-range option
Smartphone Expert Review
Today’s top smartphones are undeniable. Just look at the Samsung Galaxy S23 lineup or Apple’s latest iPhone series. But not all of us have huge holes in our pockets – and the good news is that you don’t have to spend four figures to get a smartphone that combines high performance with a beautiful design.
Oppo A56 Review: It Can Be Described As A Practical Expert!
In fact, the latest mid-range smartphone not only looks and feels just as good as its “flagship” counterpart, it can even outperform it in key areas. So, even if you’re considering splashing out on a top-of-the-range handset, you’d be well-advised to check out a mid-ranger before shelling out the cash.
Here’s a guide to what to look for – along with our picks for the best mid-range smartphones in 2023.
When we talk about mid-range smartphones, we usually mean handsets that cost between £300 and £500. It’s true that the latest and greatest smartphones are getting more and more expensive – some foldable smartphones don’t go far beyond £2,000 – so the mid-market is a moving target. But it is the price that you should focus on, as you will get the best balance of price and features.
A 24-month contract keeps costs to a minimum, but if you sit down and calculate the total amount you’ll pay over two years, you’ll almost always find that the SIM-free option works out much more. Cheap That said, it’s always worth checking for special offers, as offers can sometimes be extremely competitive. Another advantage of going SIM-free is that you can sell your phone and upgrade whenever you want, rather than waiting for your contract to end – by which time your handset has expired. It will be done.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Review: As Good As It Gets
Everyone has different preferences – so it’s best to know what your preferences are. Is longer battery life at the top of your wish list? Or are you more interested in taking better photos?
In all cases, we’d advise you to look at the phone’s internals: you want a processor powerful enough to keep up with all the applications you’ll be using now and in a year or two. While you’re at it, make sure you have enough internal storage. If it can be expanded with a microSD card, that could be a big bonus.
The phone’s display is also important – after all, it’s the bit that will be looked at. You can find many mid-range handsets with good-looking screens, but you can’t find this one, so be sure to read reviews before you buy.
When we received the handset for review, we put it through various tests. The first is performance, where we use two applications in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store: Geekbench 5 and GFXBench. This benchmarking app provides CPU and GPU processing scores, and it allows us to see where the phone stacks up against the competition. The phone’s display was tested using a color meter and DisplayCAL software, which measures screen color accuracy as well as maximum brightness and contrast ratio.
Tecno Spark 7 Pro Review: A Glamorous Entry Level Smartphone
Battery life was tested at home using surround video via the VLC app, with the screen brightness set to 170cd/m2 and flight mode enabled. We just recorded the video we had left before the phone battery ran dry. The camera was tested in a variety of lighting conditions, including landscape shots and indoor still life photography, and the image compared to competitors at the same price.
OnePlus has launched yet another affordable smartphone in the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G. As the name suggests, it’s a 5G-enabled handset with a range of high-end features for very little money. It’s the fastest smartphone in its price range thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 Fast chipset, and it’s no slouch when it comes to battery life – it lasted around 24 on a single charge in our tests. Lasts for hours.
In fact, the OnePlus Nord 2T sits comfortably as one of the best in the mid-range category. The upgrade over the previous model may be slight, but it’s very affordable and a great deal for a fraction of the cost of this year’s flagship. If you’re hoping to get the most out of your purchase, get the OnePlus Nord 2T.
Key Specifications – Processor: 3GHz MediaTek Dimensity 1300; Screen: 6.43 inches, 2,400 x 1,080; Camera: 50MP, 8MP (wide), 2MP (depth); Storage: 128/256GB; Operating System: Android 12
Motorola Moto G Power (2022) With 128gb (unlocked) Ice Blue Pase0012us
OnePlus Nord 2T 5G (UK) – 8GB RAM 128GB SIM Free Smartphone with 50MP AI Triple Camera and 80W SUPERVOOC Fast Charging – 2 Year Warranty – Gray Shadow
It might look like a relic, but the iPhone SE 3 (2022) is Apple’s best smartphone yet. Apple may prefer consumers to spend more on the iPhone 13, but the lower price of the iPhone SE 3 makes it a better value proposition, and your wallet will breathe a sigh of relief.
Although it costs more than half the price, the iPhone SE 3 (2022) uses the same speedy processor as the iPhone 13 – the A15 Bionic – and its camera works similarly. The only fly in the ointment is short battery life by modern standards, but that’s nothing a fast 20W can’t overcome. The iPhone SE is also a good choice if you didn’t like the last big-screen handset – the smaller 4.7in screen is perfect for one-handed use.
If you don’t want to spend a fortune on the iPhone 13, and don’t mind sacrificing some camera features and a smaller design, the iPhone SE is absolutely the best Apple phone you can buy right now.
Best Phone To Buy For 2023
Key Specifications – Processor: 3.23GHz Apple A15 Bionic; Screen: 4.7 in 1, 334 x 750; Camera: 12MP; Storage: 64 GB, 128 GB, 512 GB; Operating System: iOS 15
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro is a great choice for budget conscious buyers. The brand may not be well-known in the UK, but the Poco X5 Pro is good value for money, and even beats handsets costing twice as much, and in some cases, the asking price.
An easy recommendation if you’re not comfortable handing over £700+ on the latest and greatest handset, the Poco X5 Pro comes with all the best bells and whistles: it has a 6.67-inch Full HD AMOLED screen, Qualcomm 5G enabled. Snapdragon 778G chipset, large 108MP camera sensor and solid battery life with fast 67W charging.
Of course, the bargain price is the main attraction, but due to some compromises, the Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro is a no-brainer if you’re looking to save money.
Galaxy Z Fold3 5g Reviews
Key Specifications – Processor: 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G; Screen: 6.67 inches, 2,400 x 1,080; Camera: 108MP, 8MP (wide), 2MP (macro); Storage: 256GB; Operating System: Android 12
After a gap of a year, Google’s affordable mid-range handset is back. It exemplifies everything you’d expect from a company these days, providing top-of-the-line hardware at an unbeatable price. Powered by the flagship Tensor chipset – the same CPU in the Pixel 6 – performance is excellent, and the 6.1in display is also very accurate.
The star of the show, however, is the Pixel 6a’s photography capabilities. Don’t let the ridiculous dual-camera setup fool you: the Pixel 6a can capture some incredible photos, even in ideal low-light conditions, with superb clarity and detail. It can even give you four flagships for the money – if you’re an Instagram poster aficionado, there’s nothing better at this price.
Key Specifications – Processor: 2.8GHz Google Tensor; Screen: 6.1 inches, 2,400 x 1,080; Camera: 12.2MP, 12MP (wide); Storage: 128GB; Operating System: Android 12
Samsung Galaxy S21 Fe Review: 2021 Premium Specs In 2022 For Solid Value
The hugely popular Nothing Phone (1) is a handset that shakes up the industry every few years. The mid-priced handset takes a unique approach to smartphone design, with a sharp build and a heavy “glyph” interface. It’s used for ringtones and notifications, as well as a charging indicator and a charging light for the rear camera, and it’s a bit of fun.
It’s not just a phone full of tricks, either, because there’s a lot to like about it, too. It comes with a 6.55in FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G Plus processor and selectable storage and RAM configurations. Combined with a clean install of Android 12 and solid 50MP rear cameras, the Nothing Phone