One of the best midrange smartphone for 2025

An awesome telephone doesn’t must break the bank. In 2025, options as soon as unique to high-end units – huge batteries, multi-camera arrays, excessive refresh charge shows and extra – have trickled right down to extra inexpensive fashions. Positive, you’ll nonetheless want to purchase a flagship smartphone to get the very best digital camera or quickest processor, however you don’t must compromise almost as a lot anymore if you happen to’re in search of an ideal handset at an inexpensive value. If in case you have lower than $600 to spend, allow us to assist you determine what options to prioritize when looking for the very best midrange smartphone.

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One of the best midrange telephones for 2025

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Learn our full Google Pixel 9a review

The Pixel 9a is not particularly flashy and it does not have any particular options that are not already obtainable on its costlier siblings. The truth is, it really has slower charging speeds and it is lacking help for a few of Google’s homegrown software program just like the Screenshots app. However for everybody who simply desires a easy telephone with a stable design, a pleasant AMOLED show, glorious digital camera high quality and powerful battery life, the Pixel 9a is basically laborious to beat. It handles low gentle pictures impressively effectively for a telephone at this midrange value, and Google’s good AI options improve each the principle digital camera and enhancing expertise. So whereas it isn’t tremendous fancy, the telephone has all of its most essential bases coated (after which some). However most significantly, beginning at simply $499, this telephone seems like an unbelievable deal that punches effectively above its value level. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

Professionals

Glossy design
Superior battery life
Good show
Nice cameras
IP68 score for mud and water resistance

Cons

Charging might be sooner
No Pixel Screenshot app
Macro Focus mode could be a bit finicky

$495 at Amazon

Cherlynn Low for Engadget

Learn our full iPhone 16e review

The iPhone 16e is nearer in specs to the iPhone 16 than the iPhone SE was to the iPhone 13. And that makes selecting which iPhone to purchase tougher than ever. Must you save $200 and quit a twin digital camera system, Dynamic Island, Digital camera Management and MagSafe? That relies upon largely in your priorities and finances.

Whereas I feel that anybody who can afford the value distinction ought to go for the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 16e, I can’t deny that that is Apple’s greatest entry-level iPhone to this point. It has an Motion button, USB-C, a bigger, brighter display screen and an A18 CPU that allows Apple Intelligence. My largest considerations with it are limitations introduced on by its single rear digital camera setup — issues like not with the ability to seize ultrawide pictures or Portrait mode not working if there isn’t a face within the scene. Should you’re coming from an iPhone 11 or newer, it’s best to contemplate whether or not the improved digital camera high quality is price giving up an ultrawide digital camera for. Whether it is, and if you happen to can reside with out snapping portraits of objects and faceless gadgets, the iPhone 16e’s selfie digital camera can be satisfying.

There are different components to contemplate, like whether or not you repeatedly use MagSafe equipment or wi-fi charging. Should you do, then the iPhone 16e will frustrate you because it doesn’t work with the magnetic attachment system (you will get a MagSafe case to treatment this) and fees at a slower velocity than the iPhone 15 or iPhone 16 (however there’s no repair for this). You possibly can contemplate the $699 iPhone 15 for a greater digital camera and wi-fi charging expertise, however you’ll be giving up Apple Intelligence and an Motion button. — Cherlynn Low, Managing Editor

Professionals

Stable efficiency
Lengthy battery life
Clear, sturdy design
Brilliant, vibrant display screen

Cons

Just one rear digital camera, resulting in many limitations
Costly in comparison with earlier iPhone SE
No MagSafe

$599 at Apple

Nothing

Display measurement: 6.77 inches | Storage capability: 256GB | SIM kind: Nano-SIM + eSIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 50MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP important, 8MP ultrawide, 50MP periscope telephoto | Weight: 7.44 ounces

Learn our Nothing Phone 3a Pro review

If you would like one thing totally different out of your subsequent telephone, there are few if any units on the market just like the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. It has a translucent glass again that evokes the design of previous Recreation Boys, permitting you to see a few of its inside elements, together with the NFC antennas. At $459, it’s additionally probably the greatest offers within the trade, because of a compelling mixture of options. The Cellphone 3a sports activities a vivid 6.77-inch AMOLED show with a 120Hz refresh charge. It additionally comes with a 5,000mAh battery, a decently speedy Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 CPU and a 3x periscope telephoto digital camera — a standout characteristic at this midrange value. That final characteristic is one thing that’s troublesome to search out within the 3a Professional’s value level, particularly in North America. The digital camera system additionally performs higher than anticipated in low gentle and helps useful AI options for enhanced images.

Professionals

Enjoyable design
Giant 120Hz AMOLED display screen
Clear however customizable Android pores and skin

Cons

Restricted US guarantee
No wi-fi charging
Tinny audio system

$459 at Amazon

OnePlus

When it first got here out, the Nord N30 had mainly every little thing you might need in a telephone that value $300. Its Snapdragon 695 5G chipset delivers robust efficiency together with speedy wi-fi connectivity that’s suitable with all the massive US carriers, to not point out good specs together with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It additionally has a giant 6.7-inch show with a 120Hz refresh charge, which is uncommon on a finances telephone as most rivals characteristic slower 60Hz or 90Hz panels. The show isn’t AMOLED, so you might discover deeper bezels and barely decrease distinction, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a stable display screen. And due to its 50-watt wired charging speeds, you may prime it up shortly, too. However most significantly, the Nord 30 not too long ago obtained a value drop from $300 to $250, making it an unquestionably whole lot and our prime choose on this area.

Professionals

Good efficiency for the value
120Hz show
50W wired charging

$300 at Amazon

What’s a midrange telephone?

Whereas the time period incessantly seems in articles and movies, there isn’t an agreed-upon definition for “midrange” past a telephone that isn’t a flagship or an entry-level choice. Most of our suggestions value between $400 and $600 — any much less and it’s best to count on vital compromises. If in case you have extra to spend, you would possibly as effectively contemplate flagships just like the Apple iPhone 16 and the Samsung Galaxy S25.

What to contemplate earlier than shopping for a midrange smartphone

Shopping for a brand new machine could be intimidating, however a number of questions may also help information you thru the method. First: what platform do you need to use? If the reply is iOS, that narrows your choices down to precisely one telephone. (Fortunately, it’s nice.) And if you happen to’re an Android fan, there’s no scarcity of compelling choices. Each platforms have their strengths, so that you shouldn’t rule both out.

After all, additionally contemplate how a lot you’re snug spending. Even growing your finances by $100 extra can get you a dramatically higher product. Furthermore, producers are likely to help their costlier units for longer with software program updates and safety updates, so it’s price shopping for one thing towards the highest restrict of what you may afford.

Having an concept of your priorities will assist inform your finances. Would you like a protracted battery life or quick charging? Do you worth speedy efficiency above all else? Or would you want the absolute best cameras? Whereas they proceed to enhance yearly, even the very best midrange smartphones nonetheless demand some compromises, and understanding what’s essential to you’ll make selecting one simpler.

What received’t you get from a midrange smartphone?

Yearly, the road between midrange and flagship telephones blurs as extra upmarket options and specs trickle right down to extra inexpensive fashions. When Engadget first printed this information in 2020, it was difficult to discover a $500 telephone with waterproofing and 5G. In 2025, the most important factor you would possibly miss out on is wi-fi charging – and even then, that’s changing into much less true.

One factor your new telephone in all probability received’t include is an influence adapter; many corporations have stopped together with chargers with all of their smartphones. Efficiency has improved in recent times, however can nonetheless be hit and miss as most midrange telephones use slower processors that may wrestle with multitasking. Fortunately, their digital camera programs have improved dramatically, and you’ll usually count on not less than a dual-lens system on most midrange smartphones beneath $600 with first rate digital camera high quality, selfie efficiency and software program help to maintain issues operating easily for years to come back..

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