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Which is the best mid-priced phone?
While there’s a general understanding of what mid-range means in relation to smartphones, the definition has changed in recent years as technology and pricing have evolved.
With this in mind, we’ve tested the best mid-rangers available right now and compiled this summary list so you can get the right phone for you. You can also read on to explore our full review and test for each model.
- Best performance: OnePlus 8
- Best for cheap 5G: Moto Edge
- Best screen on a budget: TCL 10 Pro
- Best camera: Xiaomi Mi Note 10
- Best for Google: Google Pixel 3a
- Best for Samsung: Samsung Galaxy A51
- Best value mid-range phone: Xiaomi Mi 9
- Best for gaming: Red Magic 3
So what is a mid-range phone anyway? For us, it’s phones that are mid-priced, found neither at the premium and of the market nor in the budget ranges. Created by the sheer volume of competition between modern phone manufacturers, this appealing mid-range space offers impressive bang for your buck from established brands, with models that encompass a range of uses.
Related: Best iPhone Deals
How do we select the best mid-range smartphones?
As with any of our other best mobile phone rankings, this list reflects the best that the current smartphone market has to offer, taking into account constraints such as price and feature set. To earn its place in our line-up, each phone undergoes a TR review – we slip in our SIM cards and use each phone as our main device solidly for a week at the very least.
We test claims on performance and battery life with both real-world and artificial benchmarks, trial new features and cast a careful eye over every advantage and flaw that these phones possess, to provide a clear, concise review of the latest smartphones and make your buying decision as easy as possible.
If you’re still unsure, check out our list of the best budget phones.
We continually check thousands of prices to show you the best deals. If you buy a product through our site we will earn a small commission from the retailer – a sort of automated referral fee – but our reviewers are always kept separate from this process. You can read more about how we make money in our Ethics Policy.
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1. OnePlus 8
An excellent piece of hardware
Pros:
- 5G with no massive price hike
- Top-end processor
- Rich, brihgt OLED screen
Cons:
- Rubbish macro camera
- No optical zoom
- No wireless charging or IP rating
OnePlus has traditionally produced real winners at this price point, and this year’s model is no expectation. Bringing 5G for a reasonable price, along with a top-class processor ensures that this is one of the best mid-range choices for those seeking a powerhouse performer for less. In terms of sheer power, this will hold its own even among Android flagships, and the 5G capability gives it some future-proofing too.
On top of that, it’s got a great screen that boasts vibrant colours, perfect contrast and a sharp resolution, all along with a 90Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling extra-smooth and is a rare feature for this price.
However, we weren’t quite as impressed by the camera; the macro camera wasn’t worth a thing, and there’s no optical zoom for sharp close-up shots. What’s more, while the premium models in the series finally got upgraded to have wireless charging and an IP rating, the OnePlus 8 still has to go without.
- Read our full OnePlus 8 review
We continually check thousands of prices to show you the best deals. If you buy a product through our site we will earn a small commission from the retailer – a sort of automated referral fee – but our reviewers are always kept separate from this process. You can read more about how we make money in our Ethics Policy.
2. Motorola Edge
A great all-rounder with 5G
Pros:
- 5G
- Nice screen
- Great battery life
- Motorola’s software is great
Cons:
- A little buggy
- Curved screen can be irritating
While it is the Motorola Edge Plus that packs the true high-end specs, it is the Motorola Edge that feels the more interesting device. Like the OnePlus 8, the Edge provides 5G support and it’s one of the cheaper options currently available that offers this.
It’s a striking phone too, with a curved screen that droops heavily over the sides. While the curve is slightly annoying, the screen itself is good: FHD+, HDR10 and OLED.
Inside the phone there’s a very capable Snapdragon 765 chipset, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. You are missing out on an IP rating and wireless charging, though.
Battery life is great, as you’d expect from a 4500mAh cell.
You’ll find three cameras on the back and the 64-megapixel main sensor can take some really good snaps. Motorola continues its run of good software here too, with nice gestures and handy additions.
- Read our full Motorola Edge review
3. TCL 10 Pro
Pros:
- High-quality design
- Feels fast
- Nice OLED display
Cons:
- Fairly poor low-light images
- TCL interface needs tweaks
- Battery underperforms
While the OnePlus 8 and Motorola Edge are two great phones, if you want to spend less the £399 TCL 10 Pro is a good choice.
This is one of the slickest phones on our list thanks to the great design and it’s also winner thanks to its strong OLED panel. The screen has vibrant colours, superb contrast and excellent brightness levels. It really is one of the best phone displays you’ll find at this price.
Not all is perfect with the TCL 10 Pro. We weren’t too impressed by the battery life and the software requires a little bit of tweaking to make it feel normal.
- Read our full TCL 10 Pro review
4. Xiaomi Mi Note 10
A lot of hardware at a value price
Pros:
- Smoothly curved glass front and back
- Great zoom cameras
- High-quality 108MP main sensor
Cons:
- Camera is slow
- Protruding camera housing
- Some software quirks
- Low-light images aren’t best in class
The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is a mid-range phone with some high-end device design traits. It packs five cameras, a main 108-megapixel sensor and a generously sized battery that lasts pretty well.
In some areas, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is made to the same standard as a phone costing twice as much. Its sides are metal, and both the front and rear of the device are substantial, curved pieces of glass. There’s no plastic border between the metal and glass, which is highly unusual for a phone costing less than £600.
The Mi Note 10 has a 6.47-inch screen, an OLED panel with a 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution – excellent for the money. You may find larger, but you won’t find much better, particularly if the curvy front appeals.
Day-to-day performance is technically sound, as you’d hope from a device with a good CPU and 6GB of RAM.
Most of the cameras that feature on the Mi Note 10’s rear are impressive. There’s a 2x zoom, a 3x zoom lens the phone crops into for 5x images, an ultra-wide and a dedicated macro. The macro sensor is the only real dud – in almost all situations the other cameras offer better results. Normal shots are packed full of detail; 108-megapixel shots even more so. The camera is unusually good at dealing with the light levels of tricky scenes such as sunsets. However, the camera is where you’ll discover the Xiaomi Mi Note 10’s most significant performance issues. It’s slow. There’s shutter lag of around half a second, and image processing takes a long time.
This isn’t the most polished smartphone on the market. The camera is slow, it isn’t the most attractive phone despite all that curved glass, and fingerprint scanner performance is poor. However, you do get plenty of hardware for your money and, despite its flaws, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 offers good value.
- Read our Xiaomi Mi Note 10 review
We continually check thousands of prices to show you the best deals. If you buy a product through our site we will earn a small commission from the retailer – a sort of automated referral fee – but our reviewers are always kept separate from this process. You can read more about how we make money in our Ethics Policy.
