Smartphones & Tablets | May 19, 2023
A good, affordable smartphone with a great camera. I don’t know how many times a month I’m asked this question. Let’s gather the best mid-range smartphones with the best cameras on the market, so you have an up-to-date reference on those phones that offer high-quality photography results at a reasonable price.
Considering the current prices in the mid-range segment, we will set our price limit at 509 euros. While a few years ago, this would have been considered a high-end price, nowadays there are many mid-range (or even premium mid-range) phones that come close to or even exceed this amount.
The photographic king in the mid-range segment is the Pixel 7a. Priced at 509 euros, you get the processor from the Pixel 7 Pro, a simply stunning camera, a high-refresh-rate screen, and the promise of receiving updates much earlier than the rest of the competition.
It features only two sensors: a 64-megapixel main sensor and a 12-megapixel wide-angle sensor. With these two cameras, it surpasses phones that, despite having more lenses, don’t reach its level.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is another mid-range camera with impressive capabilities. It features a 200-megapixel sensor that, at times, competes with phones triple its price. The rest of the specifications complement a truly winning combination, as this phone was initially introduced as a mid-range device but has much higher aspirations.
The POCO F5 Pro may not be the best photographic option, but we were quite impressed with it in the review. In fact, calling it a mid-range device isn’t the most accurate term. It offers the best camera experience among POCO devices, and although its recommended retail price is 579 euros, it currently has a launch offer of 100 euros off. In addition to its top-of-the-line camera capabilities, this phone boasts the best Qualcomm SoC from the previous generation, 67W fast charging, and a Quad HD+ display, making it the only one of its kind in this lineup.
On par with the POCO is the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. It slightly exceeds the budget by about 10 euros in terms of the recommended retail price, but it’s easy to find it for less than 500 euros. Not only does it have a design reminiscent of the S23, but its camera is also one of the most capable in the mid-range segment. It offers the classic Galaxy experience for those who want a reliable company device.
The Xiaomi 13 Lite manages quite well in photography. With more than a notable performance, in our review, we highlighted its impressive daytime results. It’s a highly premium phone with a unique design and a great display for consuming content. It can be purchased today for less than 500 euros.
The Honor Magic5 Lite follows the trend set by the Xiaomi 13 Lite. It’s a phone that scores an 8.25 in the photography department but truly shines with its display. In this case, battery life is another great incentive to choose this model, as it is one of the best options in the mid-range segment. The phone features a 64-megapixel main sensor, as well as wide-angle and macro lenses.
And one more to join the 8.25 club, where we find well-balanced phones at a more than affordable price. The X5 Pro is a phone from February of this year, with a price tag below 300 euros. It features a 108-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a two-megapixel macro lens. With a powerful sensor, this camera delivers impressive results.
No, we haven’t duplicated this phone. This is the “regular” version of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro, without the “Plus” designation. Here, we have a phone with a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a third sensor for depth-of-field support. The results are more than acceptable. In addition to this, it’s a phone with an AMOLED display, a large battery, and a good processor. There’s not much more you can ask for at a price under 400 euros.
