Buyers Guide: Best Overall Midrange Phones 2021
This is where the quest for the perfect midrange phone stops. Visit our editors’ selection of choices at multiple price points.
We’ve subdivided the “midrange” price category, as it’s quite broad. Perhaps €50 is a significant price difference between each of the price categories. The category that follows all-out flagships includes devices like the ‘premium overall’ class, which tend to be fairly well-priced, even if they’re not exactly affordable.
Best Overall midrange Phones up to €200
Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC
- 6.67″ IPS LCD display, 120Hz refresh, HDR10
- Excellent battery life, 33W fast charging
- Gaming-friendly Snapdragon 732G
- Quad-camera, good photo and video quality
- Gorilla Glass 5, aluminium frame, IP53-rated
- Not the best pixel response time leading to ghosting in 120Hz
€189 Poco X3 NFC is the best phone under €200 if you’re shopping for a mid-range device. Actually, this €250 champ was our top pick, but now it’s even cheaper!
You get an amazing 120Hz display with better than average performance and long battery life, all for a decent price.
Everything you would want in a smartphone — such as a 3.5mm jack, stereo speakers, a microSD slot, IR blaster, FM radio, and NFC — is included in the Poco X3 NFC. The latest Android and MIUI versions are running on it.
The Poco X3 NFC has a single problem, and many users may not notice — slower pixel response time which could cause smearing or ghosting when scrolling. You have to look really hard to find it, and even then, you may not notice it.
[accordions title=”Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC”] [accordion title=”Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Brief Review)” load=”show”]€189 Poco X3 NFC is the best phone under €200 if you’re shopping for a mid-range device. Actually, this €250 champ was our top pick, but now it’s even cheaper!You get an amazing 120Hz display with better than average performance and long battery life, all for a decent price.
Everything you would want in a smartphone — such as a 3.5mm jack, stereo speakers, a microSD slot, IR blaster, FM radio, and NFC — is included in the Poco X3 NFC. The latest Android and MIUI versions are running on it.
The Poco X3 NFC has a single problem, and many users may not notice — slower pixel response time which could cause smearing or ghosting when scrolling. You have to look really hard to find it, and even then, you may not notice it.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
- 6.43″ 1080p AMOLED
- Snapdragon 678 chip is alright
- Quad-camera, 4K capturing
- Stereo speakers
- 5,000mAh battery, 33W charging
- IP53, Gorilla Glass 3 front, IR blaster, FM radio, microSD
- No NFC
- No HRR screen
That, however, is not the final component. It has an IP53-rated body with splash protection, stereo speakers, and IR emitter built in, allowing you to control your legacy appliances.
Missing NFC and HRR functionality may be annoying for some, but Redmi Note 10 is a superb phone at this price.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Realme 6
- 6.5″ LCD, 90Hz refresh
- Helio G90T is fast enough for gaming on a budget
- Very affordable
- Dependable photo camera
- Excellent battery life, fast charging
- Dedicated microSD slot, 3.5mm jack, NFC
- Uninspiring video recording
Realme 6 is better than many of the most expensive mid-range phones, boasting an even better selection of features, such as a 90Hz refresh rate on its 6.5″ 1080p screen, gaming-capable Helio G90T chipset, and 4GB or 6GB of RAM. The phone performed excellently in our battery life test, getting a fantastic 103h endurance rating, and you can charge it up in record time.
However, don’t forget about the additional benefits. The Realme 6 boasts a quad-camera capable of taking normal, ultra-wide, macro, and portrait photographs, and also shoots 4K video.
On top of that, the Realme 6 uses Android with Realme UI on it, and under that 90Hz screen, it is quite quick.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Samsung Galaxy A41
- Great Super AMOLED screen, a small notch
- Outstanding battery life
- The consistently good camera even if it lacks a Night Mode
- Great portraits, good selfies
- Android 10 and One UI – a combo we like
- USB-C, 3.5mm jack, microSD, FM radio
- No 4K video recording
- Uninspiring graphics performance
Samsung succeeded in reaching the budget because the chips were undemanding. Tasks that are mundane are good, but it’s not great for more serious gaming. Some people won’t even miss having 4K video recording, which is something that is absent from the camera.
But even with its price tag around €200, you’re getting a solid AMOLED screen and an excellent camera, so the Galaxy A41 is worth a look.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Xiaomi Poco M3
- Large 1080p screen, a small notch
- Okay camera experience
- 6,000mAh battery, 18W charging
- Stereo speakers, IR port, microSD, 3.5mm jack
- No ultrawide camera
- No NFC
- Gaming would require lowering the screen resolution
Don’t worry — the M3 won’t be well-known for its camera performance, but it’s perfectly acceptable. It has great speakers, it charges fast, has a 3.5mm audio jack, microSD storage, and is a good choice overall.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Motorola Moto G40 Fusion (India)
- Large 120Hz 1080p HDR10 screen
- Adequate performance
- A triple camera on the back, Night Mode, 4K
- 6,000mAh battery, 20W charging
- NFC, microSD, 3.5mm jack
- Splash protection
- Bulky
On the rear, the G40 Fusion comes with a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. In addition to 4K, the main camera features night mode and advanced capturing options.
It’s thick and heavy at just over 1cm and weighs 225 grams. That being said, it is widely regarded as one of the better phones available in India at INR 13,999.
If you’d like to go all out and enjoy a 108MP main camera, you should consider the Moto G60, which is basically the same phone like the Moto G6 but has a better camera.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Nokia G20 (USA)
- Large screen, a small notch
- Adequate performance for 720p OS experience
- Okay camera experience, ultrawide and macro
- Android 11
- NFC, microSD, 3.5mm jack, FM radio
- 720p screen
- Manu phones offer better specs
The Nokia G20 has low-end specs, with average performance, but you’ll love the Android 11 OS on it.[/accordion] [/accordions]
OnePlus Nord N100
- Large HD screen, 90Hz, a small notch
- Adequate performance for 720p OS experience
- Triple camera with macro and portraits
- Oxygen OS
- Stereo speakers, FM radio, microSD, 3.5mm jack
- 5,000mAh battery, 18W charging
- 720p screen
- No NFC
The Nord N100 comes with speakers for stereo audio, as well as a host of connectivity options, but with no NFC support. Thanks to the 90Hz screen with reduced resolution, this tablet runs incredibly fast. Even though it isn’t the fastest phone out there, it is very affordable, and it still packs quite a punch, so we’re including it in this shortlist.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Best Overall Midrange Phones up to €250
Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro
- Large 1080p LCD screen, 120Hz, HDR10
- IP53, Gorilla Glass 6 protection
- Good photo and video camera quality
- Top notch performance, outstanding stability.
- Excellent battery life, fast charging
- Stereo speakers, NFC, 3.5mm jack, microSD slot
- Bulky
- Not ideal pixel response time
In addition to these perks, the Poco X3 Pro includes fast charging, long battery life, and fast photo-capturing capabilities. Its flagship performance is more than worth its extra weight, no doubt.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G
- 6.67″ IPS LCD display, 120Hz refresh, HDR10
- Excellent battery life, 33W fast charging
- Gaming-friendly Snapdragon 750G, 5G
- Quad-camera, good photo and video quality
- Dual Gorilla Glass 5 panels
- Uninspiring photo quality
Similarly, the Mi 10T Lite 5G features a 3.5mm jack, stereo speakers, a microSD slot, IR blaster, FM radio, and NFC, just like the Poco X3. The latest Android and MIUI versions are running on it.
While the Mi 10T Lite 5G is a bit more expensive than the Poco X3 NFC, this price range is very small.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Realme 7 Pro
- Large OLED screen
- Water-repellent coating
- Good quad-camera
- Very good performance
- Outstanding battery life, 65W charging!
- Stereo speakers, NFC, 3.5mm jack, microSD slot
- 60Hz screen
- No NFC (market dependent)
- Underwhelming video recording quality
So, the Realme 7 Pro boasts an incredibly vibrant AMOLED screen, robust chipset, quad-camera, loud stereo speakers, and outstanding battery life all while outdoing all other competitors with its incredible fast charging. It has enough extras to make up for the lack of an HRR screen.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Samsung Galaxy A32
- 1080p 6.4″ Super AMOLED display, 90Hz
- Large 5,000mAh battery, 119h endurance
- Snappy Helio G80 chip (4,6,8GB RAM versions)
- The capable camera setup includes a 64MP main unit, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro
- 3.5mm jack, NFC, FM radio, dedicated microSD
- GPU performance is lacking
- A bit slow to charge
- Buggy Night Mode for the camera, no 4K
- Slow fingerprint reader
The Galaxy A32’s GPU performance lags behind the competition, and it’s also quite slow when it comes to charging. I just wish the phone would have a 4K video and at least one good feature like the price. Even so, if you are fine with the small setbacks, you are certain to enjoy the excellent AMOLED screen and its massive display on the A32.[/accordion] [/accordions]
OnePlus Nord N10 5G
- 6.49″ IPS LCD 1080p screen, 90Hz refresh
- Great battery life, 30W fast charging
- Quad camera, great Nightscape shots
- Skilled hardware, 5G
- Stereo speakers, microSD slot, 3.5mm jack
- The ultrawide camera needs some work
- Slow fingerprint
- No NFC
- No updates past Android 11
A MicroSD slot, 3.5mm jack, and stereo speakers are a few features the general public is fond of. However, it doesn’t include NFC, and the fingerprint reader is underwhelming. Lastly, it’ll be running on Android 11 for the long haul. Even though we really like working with Oxygen OS, it is a bit sluggish.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Best Overall Midrange Phones up to €300
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
- 6.67″ AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh, HDR10
- Excellent battery life, 33W fast charging
- Gaming-friendly Snapdragon 732G
- Quad-camera with 108MP primary, good photo and video quality
- Dual Gorilla Glass 5, IP53-rated
- Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, microSD, NFC, FM radio, IR blaster
- The low-light camera quality is mediocre
Additionally, the Redmi Note 10 Pro offers microSD support, a 3.5mm jack, a microSD slot, a built-in IR blaster, an FM radio, and NFC. The latest Android and MIUI versions are running on it.
For €300, you’ll find the best phone on the market.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro, also known as Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, is available in India.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Samsung Galaxy A52
- Excellent 6.5″ AMOLED, 90Hz, a small notch
- IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass 5 front
- Great battery life, 25W fast charging
- Versatile quad-camera setup, with OIS on the main 64MP snapper
- Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack, NFC, microSD
- 15W charger in the box
- There are faster phones
Even if the Snapdragon 720G has enough performance for the mid-rangers, there are faster phones available. It is yet to be determined how the IP67-rating and great AMOLED compare, but Samsung is making numerous promises for the A52.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite
- Top-notch 6.55″ AMOLED, 1B colours, 90Hz, HDR10
- Great battery life, 33W fast charging
- Triple-camera with superb daylight image quality, excellent video
- Loud stereo speakers, microSD, NFC, IR blaster
- A faster chipset would have been more appealing
Although the Snapdragon 732G chip is now a bit slower, it will still mostly succeed in doing the job. And there’s really only one negative issue with this Mi 11 Lite — it’s a phone that performs slower than comparable devices for the same price. If you want a light and thin phone with one of the best screens and cameras, but are not after the flagship-like performance, you will be pleased with the Mi 11 Lite.[/accordion] [/accordions]
OnePlus Nord CE 5G
- Fluid Oxygen OS
- 90Hz OLED
- Snapdragon 750G with 5G
- Great battery life, plenty fast charging
- Okay main camera
- NFC, 3.5mm jack
- Ultrawide photo quality is not good
- No stereo speakers, no microSD
- No ingress protection
On this Nord, the camera quality and the stereo speakers are pretty bad. Not only is it missing ingress protection, but it is missing splash resistance, which is found on most competitors’ phones.
You should take a chance on the €299 Nord CE 5G, because of its good screen, Oxygen OS, and long battery life.[/accordion] [/accordions]
Realme X50 5G
- Large 6.57″ 120Hz LCD screen
- Gaming-friendly Snapdragon 765G 5G chip with 6GB RAM
- Plenty of snappers with the good overall quality
- 4,200mAh battery, 30W charging
- NFC, FM radio
- No stereo speakers
- No 3.5mm jack, no microSD
- Almost all games are limited to 60Hz
With no water protection, a 3.5mm jack, a MicroSD slot, or stereo speakers, the X50 5G sacrifices extra features to boast high-quality parts that competitors are unable to provide at the same price. On that screen, Realme UI runs super smoothly.[/accordion] [/accordions]
