The best mid-range smartphones of 2025

0 1 5 minutes read

A great phone doesn’t cost money. In 2025, once unique features of high-end devices – large batteries, multi-camera arrays, high refresh rate displays, and more – gradually lowered to more affordable models. Of course, you still need to buy a flagship smartphone to get the best camera or the fastest processor, but if you look for a great phone at a reasonable price, you no longer need to compromise. If your spend is less than $600, help you figure out the features you want to prioritize when trying to find the best mid-range smartphone.

The best mid-range mobile phones in 2025

Sam Rutherford

Read our full Google Pixel 8A Review

Google’s A-series pixels have long been the best mid-range phone on the market. With the addition of the Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8A supports the powerful and versatile AI you get on Google’s flagship phones, along with a great camera, a gorgeous 120Hz OLED display and good battery life. The 8A also comes with IP67 dust and waterproofing and biocomfort such as convenient (but slow) 7.5W Qi wireless charging. What’s more, starting at $499, it’s probably one of the best smartphone deals on the market.

advantage

Color 120Hz OLED display
Strong battery life
Excellent camera
Value for money

shortcoming

Slow wireless charging
Thick border

$399 on Amazon

Cherlynn low Engadget

Read our full iPhone 16e review

The iPhone 16e’s specifications are closer to the iPhone 13 than the iPhone SE. This makes it harder to choose which iPhone to buy than ever before. Should you save $200 and give up on the dual camera, dynamic island, camera control and Magsafe? It depends to a lot on your priorities and budget.

While I think anyone with a poor price should choose the iPhone 16 on the iPhone 16e, I can’t deny that it’s Apple’s best entry-level iPhone to date. It has an action button, USB-C, a larger, brighter screen and an A18 chip that implements Apple Intelligence. My biggest concern is the limitations brought by its single rear camera setup – if there is no face in the scene, you can’t capture the speeding lens or the portrait mode won’t work properly. If you’re from an iPhone 11 or updated, you should consider whether the improved camera sensor is worth dropping the speeding camera. If so, if you can not take portraits of subjects and faceless items, the iPhone 16e’s camera will be satisfactory.

There are other factors to consider, such as whether you use MAGSAFE accessories regularly or wireless charging. If you do this, the iPhone 16e will frustrate you because it doesn’t work with the magnetic attachment system (you can get a disk protection kit to remedy this) and is slower than the iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 (but doesn’t fix this). You can consider the $699 iPhone 15 for a better camera and wireless charging experience, but you’ll be abandoning the Apple Smart and Action Buttons. – Cherlynn Low, executive editing

advantage

Solid performance
Long battery life
Clean, durable design
Bright, vibrant screen

shortcoming

There is only one rear camera, resulting in many limitations
Expensive compared to previous iPhone SE
No magsafe

Apple’s $599

Sam Rutherford

Read ours No phone number 2a comment

If you want something different from your next phone, there are hardly any devices like the Nothing Phone 2a. It has a translucent plastic back that evokes the design of the old game boy, allowing you to see some of its internal components, including the NFC antenna. Priced at $349 thanks to its compelling feature portfolio, it is also one of the best deals in the industry. The brightness of the mobile phone 2A is 6.5-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. It also comes with a 5,000mAh battery and has a fairly fast Dimente 7200 Pro chipset.

If you can postpone the purchase of a new phone, there is nothing to announce the 3A phone in early March. Once we have the opportunity to test it, we will update this guide to mention whether to recommend it.

advantage

Unique design
Light
Unexpected performance

shortcoming

There is no 5G on AT&T or Verizon
Wireless charging
Storage limit is 256GB

$349 Nothing

OnePlus

When it first came out, the Nord N30 basically had everything you wanted for $300. Its Snapdragon 695 5G chipset and fast wireless connectivity performance compatible with all major U.S. carriers, not to mention including 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has a large 6.7-inch display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, which is rare on budget phones, as most competitors have slower 60Hz or 90Hz panels. And, thanks to its 50-watt wired charging, you can also refuel quickly. But most importantly, the recent price of the Nord 30 has dropped from $300 to $250, which is undoubtedly a good deal, our top pick in this space.

advantage

Good price
120Hz display
50W wired charging

$207 for Amazon

Anyway, what is a mid-range phone?

While the term often appears in articles and videos, the definition of “mid-range” is not a flagship or entry-level option except for mobile phones. Most of our recommendations range from $400 to $600 and you should expect a significant compromise. If you have more money, you’d better consider flagships like the Apple iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25.

What to consider before buying a mid-range smartphone

Buying a new device can be daunting, but some questions can help you through the process. First of all: Which platform do you want to use? If the answer is iOS, narrow down your options to one phone. (Thankfully, this is great.) If you are an Android fan, there are no shortage of compelling options. Both platforms have their advantages, so you should not rule out in any way.

Of course, consider your comfort expenses. Even adding $100 to your budget can give you a better product. Additionally, manufacturers tend to support their more expensive equipment for longer periods of time. Things worth buying are subject to the highest limit you can afford.

Understanding your priorities will help inform your budget. Do you want long battery life or fast charging? Do you value rapid performance? Or do you want the best camera? While they continue to improve every year, even the best mid-range smartphones still require some compromises and knowing what matters to you will make the choice easier.

What Accustomed to Do you get it from mid-range smartphones?

Each year, the line between mid-size and flagship phones blurs as more premium features and specifications drip to more affordable models. When Engadget first released this guide in 2020, finding a phone with waterproof and 5G was tricky. The biggest thing you might miss in 2025 is wireless charging – even then, that becomes less real.

One thing your new phone may not bring is the power adapter; many companies have stopped using it, including chargers for all smartphones. Performance has improved in recent years, but can still be hit or missed, as most mid-range phones use slower processors that can have difficulties with multitasking. Thankfully, their cameras have improved significantly, and you can usually expect most mid-size smartphones to use a dual-lens system on at least $600 for mid-sized smartphones.

Admin 2 weeks ago

0 1 5 minutes read