Best Mid-Range Phone 2024: Top 10 Mid-Range Phones Today

The Pixel 7a is no longer Google’s latest mid-range phone, but it’s still the best for most people. The Pixel 8a introduces a few upgrades, most notably seven years of updates, but a price rise in the UK means it’s no longer the excellent value it once was.

By comparison, the Pixel 7a is nearly a budget phone with its discount at the time of writing, yet it still offers everything most people are looking for. That includes solid Tensor G2 performance and slick Android software, all within a durable and water resistant design.

Its outstanding main camera is the same as on the Pixel 8a, plus you get decent battery life and wireless charging.

A 90Hz display isn’t the best around, but the attractive display still can’t be considered a weakness. Overall, the Pixel 7a offers staggering value for money, meaning it’s still the go-to mid-range phone for most people.

If you’re worried about buying an older phone and want the reassurance of long software support, go for the Galaxy A35 5G instead.

Samsung’s 2024 mid-ranger offers a lot for your money, including a class-leading promise of four major OS updates and five years of security updates to its slick One UI software, even if you don’t currently get Galaxy AI features.

Elsewhere, the Galaxy A35 offers strong main and selfie cameras for the price (albeit not quite as good as the Pixel 7a), plus an excellent 120Hz display and very good battery life. If you can look beyond the plastic build and performance that won’t blow you away, it’s easy to recommend.

Samsung also has a more premium option in the Galaxy A55 5G, but it’s not worth the upgrade for most people, and isn’t available in the US.

There are two mid-range phones in the Redmi Note 13 range, but we think you’re better off with the cheaper one.

As good as the Note 13 Pro+ is, it’s also £110 more expensive at launch than the Note 13 Pro. For a slightly more powerful chipset, IP68 water and dust resistance (as opposed to IP54) and faster 120W charging (rather than 67W), we don’t think it’s worth it.

For just £339, the Note 13 Pro still delivers a premium experience, including the excellent 120Hz OLED screen. Performance and charging are still key strengths, as is the high-end design and strong battery life.

The only real issues are on the software side, where Xiaomi’s MIUI skin still leaves a lot to be desired and the company only officially commits to two years of updates.

If you can put up with that, though, the Redmi Note 13 Pro is a superb phone for the money,

The OnePlus 12R isn’t the best mid-range phone at any one thing, but it performs well in nearly all key areas.

That includes a large, gorgeous 120Hz OLED display, strong performance from the older flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and a 5500mAh battery that can stretch to two full days. Alongside 100W fast charging and slick software, it’s almost the full package.

However, cameras are an obvious weakness, with a decent main rear sensor supported by some underwhelming secondary lenses. It’s also missing some of the features you might be hoping for at this upper mid-range price, including wireless charging and a flagship-level IP68 water resistance rating.

But if you can live without these, you won’t be disappointed with the OnePlus 12R. However, it’s also worth considering the cheaper OnePlus Nord 3 and OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite.

At £699/$699, the Pixel 8 is only just cheap enough to be considered a mid-range phone. It certainly feels like a flagship, and one of the best compact phones you can buy at any budget.

The main camera lens remains the highlight, delivering stunning stills in a variety of environments – including at night. The ultrawide and selfie lenses aren’t bad either, though you miss out on the telephoto from the Pixel 8 Pro.

Performance from Google’s Tensor G3 chip is only slightly inferior to Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, and it enables a range of clever software features – including Best Take. The rest of the Android 14 software isn’t bad either, especially with Google promising seven years of updates.

Battery life is the main weakness, and becomes even more frustrating when combined with slow 27W charging and no charger in the box.

But the combination of premium design and 6.2-inch, 120Hz OLED display mean the Pixel 8 is definitely worth considering. Don’t rule out the older Pixel 7 though, which is much more affordable.

The middle phone in Motorola’s Edge 50 range, the Pro model has a long list of features that make it one of the best phones under £600 (not yet available in the US).

That includes a gorgeous 144Hz OLED display, 4500mAh battery with 125W wired and 50W wireless charging and slick Android 14 software (3 OS updates, 4 security), all within a premium, comfortable design.

Performance is solid, while the 50Mp main rear lens and 50Mp selfie camera take very good photos. Unfortunately, the same can’t always be said for the 13Mp ultrawide and 10Mp 3x telephoto cameras, which are frustratingly hit and miss.

Alongside a curved screen that’s prone to accidental presses and a price tag that’s higher than many options in this round-up, there are enough reasons to hesitate before buying one. But if you’re ready to commit to buying it, you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

The Poco X6 Pro is the second Xiaomi phone in this round-up, though its Poco sub-brand is focused on speed.

And that’s very apparent here, with the X6 Pro offering some truly excellent performance. Its MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra chipset is rapid for pretty much all tasks – including gaming.

It’s supplemented by a very good 120Hz OLED display a core part of a very premium albeit plain design. Strong battery life pretty much guarantees a full day of usage, while the necessary 67W fast charger is included in the box.

Cameras are the obvious weakness, and Xiaomi’s MIUI replacement (known as HyperOS) still needs work, but it’s still a stellar cheap phone for day-to-day usage.

Alternatively, you can save money by opting for the regular Poco X6 5G or step up to the Poco F6 or F6 Pro, but the X6 Pro is still the sweet spot for most people.

Compared to flagship phones, cameras are often compromised on mid-range handsets. But the Oppo Reno 10 5G proves that doesn’t have to be the case.

An excellent 64Mp main sensor delivers excellent shots in a variety of different environments, and it’s specifically designed for great portrait-style photos. The telephoto and selfie lenses (both 32Mp) are also impressive, though it’s probably worth avoiding the 8Mp ultrawide.

But with decent MediaTek Dimensity 7050 performance, all-day battery life an impressive 6.7in OLED 120Hz display, the Reno 10 5G has a lot going for it. You’ll have to put up with a lack of IP rating and extra apps you don’t need, though.

Whether you buy this phone might come down to your opinions on ColorOS 13, Oppo’s skin over Android. It makes relatively subtle changes to the experience on Pixel phones, but there are lots of annoying pre-installed apps. And Android 15 will be the last major version it gets, despite four years of security updates.

Looking for a mid-range phone that can also fold? There’s currently only one option: the Nubia Flip 5G, which starts at £499/$499.

Considering how little you’re spending, there’s a lot to like here. A unique design, including that 1.43-inch circular cover display, help it instantly stand out from the crowd. Inside, the 6.9-inch, 120Hz OLED panel is up there with the best around.

Elsewhere, battery life from the 4310mAh is a pleasant surprise, while there’s plenty of power for all everyday tasks.

However, inevitable compromises come in the form of mixed camera performance and Nubia’s MyOS Android software, which is cluttered and not easy to use. There’s also the issue of a lack of any commitment when it comes to software updates.

Ultimately, these will be dealbreakers for many people, but if you’re looking for the cheapest foldable around, this is the device to get.

There are two ways of looking at Fairphone 5. If you look at its specs alone, it really is nothing special. Its processor is quite slow, the screen isn’t the best, and the whole package is chunky and not as sleek as the competition.

On the other hand, you can look at it as a cause. It’s so repairable that you can take it apart with only a screwdriver and replace every part just as easily, with replacements available straight from Fairphone. It’s a statement against all the other brands that make your phone impossible – or uneconomical – to repair.

What’s more, it has other things going for it. The five-year warranty and eight-year software support are in a class of their own. It also has some nice tricks up its sleeve such as a desktop mode if you want your phone to be your only electronic device, plus a nice, retro-looking back panel.

So, don’t buy Fairphone 5 if you want all the performance and specs you can get for your money. Buy it if you support what it stands for.