Ranking: Best smartphones for under 300 dollars/euros

The CMF Phone 1 from Nothing is a modular mid-range smartphone that focuses on sustainability and adaptability. It offers a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a high peak brightness, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor. With a choice of 6 or 8 GB RAM, it delivers solid performance that can keep up with the more expensive competition in tests. The device is equipped with Android 14 and the Nothing OS 2.6 user interface.

The CMF Phone 1 offers a lot, but requires compromises with the camera and has no NFC.

One highlight is the modular design: the back can be easily replaced thanks to the screw fastening, and accessories such as stands or carrying straps can also be attached. However, the

battery cannot be changed easily. The main camera offers 50 MP, while the selfie camera is equipped with 16 MP. For the price of around 269 euros, the smartphone offers a robust design and acceptable features, but does not have NFC or a particularly fast charging speed. The battery has a capacity of 5,000 mAh and supports fast charging at 33 watts.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G has a 6.67-inch display that offers Full HD+ and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. It is powered by a mid-range SoC from MediaTek, which is supported by 6 or 8 GB of RAM depending on the configuration. There is 128 or 256 GB available for your own data, which can be expanded using microSD. An IR blaster and an audio jack are also on board.

The Redmi Note 13 5G offers a lot of smartphone for little money.

The triple camera offers a 108 MPix main sensor, which takes good photos. However, the two additional lenses offer rather light fare. The Xiaomi smartphone also relies on Wi-Fi 5 and the speakers only deliver a mediocre sound.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion has a 6.7-inch pOLED display, which offers a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. It is powered by an upper mid-range processor and has 256 GB of internal memory, which cannot be expanded.

The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is one of the few smartphones in its class to have IP68 certification.

The dual camera has an additional ultra-wide angle. The primary lens has a resolution of 50 MPix and uses optical image stabilization. The 5,000 mAh battery battery gives the Edge 50 Fusion a long battery life. The smartphone is also dust and waterproof in accordance with IP68.

At the center of the Motorola Moto G85 5G is the 6.5-inch pOLED display, which offers a sharp image and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. It is powered by a mid-range SoC from Qualcomm and has access to 12/256 GB of memory. In addition to an optional microSD, the G85 can also use an eSIM.

The Motorola Moto G85 impresses with a great overall package.

The Moto G85 also offers a large 5,000 mAh battery and good tracking capabilities. However, we miss IP certification and the camera shows minor weaknesses in the test.

The official smartphone of the 2024 European Football Championship offers a bright 6.67-inch display, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal memory. The latter can be expanded using a microSD card. It is powered by an entry-level SoC from Qualcomm, which ensures satisfactory system performance.

The Vivo V40 SE 5G impresses with a stylish look, a good main camera and eSIM support.

All in all, the Vivo V40 SE offers a good overall package, but the update time is comparatively short and it only supports Wi-Fi 5 and no HDR playback. The 5,000 mAhbattery enables extremely long runtimes in the test.

The Motorola Moto G35 is powered by an exotic UNISOC SoC and has 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory. The latter can be expanded with an optional microSD card. There is also eSIM support.

The Motorola Moto G35 has a lot to offer despite its low price.

The flicker-free IPS display can be very bright and also impresses in terms of contrast. The battery life is good and the camera can even record videos in Ultra HD. The update support of three years is fine considering the price range.

The Samsung Galaxy M15 5G is positioned as an affordable mid-range smartphone under 200 euros that offers solid performance and attractive features. It is equipped with a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2,340 x 1,080 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. Performance is provided by the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor, combined with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB memory, which can be expanded via microSD. The battery with 6,000 mAh capacity enables long runtimes of up to 25 hours of video playback and is supported with 25 watt fast charging via USB-C.

The Galaxy M15 not only offers a large battery, but also long updates.

In terms of cameras, the device offers a 50 MP main camera, a 5 MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2 MP macro camera. The features are complemented by a 13 MP front camera in a notch, a fingerprint sensor in the power button and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. On the software side, Android 14 is used, with a promise of four major updates and five years of security patches.

The Xiaomi Redmi 14C is an affordable entry-level smartphone that is characterized by solid features and some interesting features. It is powered by the MediaTek Helio G81-Ultra, albeit without 5G support. Users can choose between models with 4, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and storage sizes from 128 to 256 GB. A special feature is the triple card slot, which allows for two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time.

The Xiaomi Redmi 14C offers a lot of features at a low price.

The 6.88-inch display offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz, but a rather low resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels. The brightness reaches a maximum of 600 cd/m², which is sufficient for everyday applications, but not outstanding. The main camera has 50 megapixels, while the front camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels. The 5,160 mAhbattery supports fast charging with 18 watts. Other features include a side fingerprint sensor, facial recognition, a 3.5 mm jack connection and a simple but robust design.

The Samsung Galaxy A05s is an affordable smartphone that is primarily aimed at users with basic requirements. It has a 6.7-inch LCD display with a refresh rate of 90 Hz and a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The system is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680, supported by 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory, which is expandable via microSD card.

Just want an affordable smartphone? Then the Galaxy A05s could fit the bill.

The camera equipment includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera and a 2-megapixel depth camera. A 13-megapixel front camera is available for selfies. With a 5,000 mAhbattery, which supports up to 25 watts of fast charging, the device offers a solid battery life. The pre-installed operating system is Android 13 with Samsung's One UI Core. Additional features include a headphone jack and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Xiaomi Redmi A3 is an affordable smartphone that offers numerous improvements over its predecessor. It is characterized by a modern design with a round camera module and a rear surface that is modeled on a leather look in the olive green variant. The smartphone has a 6.71-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1650 x 720 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, offers a brightness of up to 500 cd/m² and is well suited for everyday use.

The Xiaomi Redmi A3 relies on solid core competencies, but does not have large performance reserves.

Inside is the MediaTek Helio G36, an octa-core processor with up to 2.2 GHz. Combined with a choice of 3, 4 or 6 GB RAM (expandable via virtual RAM) and 64 or 128 GB internal memory, the device offers sufficient performance for standard applications. For photos, there is an 8 MP dual camera on the back and a 5 MP front camera, which are particularly suitable for simple snapshots. The 5,000 mAh battery ensures a long battery life, but is only charged with up to 10 W.