Ranking: Best smartphones for under 300 dollars/euros

The Galaxy A36 5G has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz and peak brightness of up to 2,000 cd/m². The product is IP67-certified and therefore protected against damage from liquids or dust. Its front is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+. The Samsung smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, supported by 6 or 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage. There is no micro-SD card slot; the internal 5,000 mAh battery supports fast charging at up to 45 watts.

Samsung's Galaxy A36 5G is an affordable mid-range smartphone that stands out with its security features and long software support.

On to cameras. The main sensor has a resolution of 50 MP with optical image stabilization; there is also an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 5-megapixel macro camera. For the front camera, it's 12 MP.

A special feature of the Galaxy smartphone is Knox Vault; this protects sensitive data such as PINs and passwords using both hardware and software resources. Samsung also guarantees six years of security updates and up to six OS version (Android and One UI) updates.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G is a mid-range phone that's quite a bit more robust than many rival options. It has an IP68-certified housing that is both waterproof and dustproof. An aluminum composite frame with steel parts supposedly allows for a very good shock resistance. In addition, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the display, supported by "energy-absorbing materials" that reduce the risk of display breaking in case of falls or other impacts.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G is particularly notable for its durability and good battery life.

Its 6.67-inch AMOLED display offers a resolution of 2,712 x 1,220 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The smartphone is powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 Ultra processor. The 5,110 mAh internal battery impressed with long runtimes in our February 2025 testing. The triple camera comprises a 200-megapixel main sensor with optical image stabilization, an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

The Poco X7 is a relatively affordable smartphone that impresses with its solid feature set. Powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 Ultra processor, it offers smooth enough performance in everyday use. The system runs smoothly and apps launch quickly. The smartphone is available in two options, 8 GB RAM with 256 GB internal memory and 12 GB RAM with 512 GB. The internal data storage chip is a UFS 2.2 spec one; there is no micro-SD card slot for memory expansion.

Overall, Xiaomi's Poco X7 offers very good value for money since it is well-made, has lots of modern features and an impressive display.

Its 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120 Hz delivers high brightness and accurate colors. In our testing, it achieved over 2,500 nits when displaying HDR content. The Poco phone has a high-quality housing. It's an IP68-certified one, meaning dust or splashes of liquids such as water won't be a problem. The features include dual SIM with 5G support, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, stereo speakers and an infrared port.

The 5,110 mAh battery ensures good battery life and gets the user through the day even with intensive use. The device is charged with up to 45 watts; please note the EU version does not come with a charger in the box. The 50-megapixel camera delivers decent photos in daylight, but isn't as good when it comes to zoom and low-light shots.

The Motorola Moto G75 features premium build quality and is IP68-rated for water and dust resistance. Its 5,000 mAh battery delivers long enough battery life and supports both 30-watt wired charging and 15-watt wireless charging. The 6.78-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2,388 x 1,080 pixels, reaches a brightness of up to 1,000 nits and if free of PWM flickering, making it a good choice for users sensitive to that.
Its 50 MP main camera captures high-quality images, while the 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens produces average results. Other highlights include fast Wi-Fi 6E, accurate GPS, and support for various Bluetooth audio codecs. Additionally, Motorola promises six years of software updates, which is a major plus.

The Moto G75 is a well-rounded mid-range smartphone with solid performance and a strong feature set.

However, there are a few drawbacks, including the absence of a 3.5 mm headphone jack, mediocre speaker quality, and the lack of a charger in the box.

The Magic7 Lite is a mid-range smartphone with a robust design and solid feature set. It has a relatively lightweight (189 g), durable housing with IP64 certification that should withstand drops from up to two meters. Casing thickness is kept well under control at 7.98 millimetres.

Its 6.78-inch AMOLED display offers a resolution of 2,700 × 1,224 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. PWM brightness contrl runs at 3,840 Hz, which should work better than the more common 60 Hz to 240 Hz range for those sensitive to flickering. Powering the whole deal is a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, supported by 8 or 12 GB of RAM and 256 or 512 GB of storage, which is not expandable.

Honor's Magic7 Lite boasts really attractive looks, long battery life and a good display.

On cameras. The users gets a 108-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 16-megapixel front camera. A highlight of the device is the 6,600 mAh battery, which enables long runtimes thanks to silicon-carbon technology. In our testing, the Honor phone lasted up to three days with moderate use. 66 watt fast charging cuts down the time needed to bring that impressive battery back to life; please note that wireless charging is not supported here.

In our testing, the Poco M7 Pro 5G proved to be a remarkable entry-level smartphone that does several things better than rival products sold for similar money. With its 6.67-inch AMOLED display that offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz and an impressive peak brightness of 2,100 nits, it delivers a lot of display for the price.

The device is powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7025 Ultra, combined with a choice of 8 or 12 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage, which is expandable by installing a micro-SD card. This configuration enables solid performance in everyday tasks, although it does reach its limits with more demanding applications.

The M7 Pro 5G is an attractive overall package. Six years of software updates come included.

The phone has a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The front camera offers 20 megapixels and delivers surprisingly good snaps for this price range. A 5,110 mAh battery ensures long runtimes and supports 45 watt fast charging. Other features include IP64 certification, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos branding and a fingerprint sensor built right into the display.

The Phone 1 from Nothing is a modular mid-range smartphone designed with sustainability and adaptability in mind. It features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and high peak brightness, and is powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 processor. Available with either 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM, it delivers solid enough performance that holds up well against pricier competitors. The device runs on Android 14 with Nothing OS 2.6.

The CMF Phone 1 offers a lot for the price but isn't entirely free of compromises, particularly with the camera and NFC which is missing here.

One of the standout features here is its modular design. The back panel can be easily replaced by just undoing a couple of screws, allowing users to attach accessories like stands or carrying straps. The battery is not hot-swappable, though. The main camera employs a 50 MP sensor, while the front-facing camera delivers 16 MP. Priced at around 269 euros, the phone boasts a durable design and decent feature set but with fairly slow speeds (33 W or less) for the 5 Ah battery and no NFC.

The Galaxy A26 5G is a mid-range smartphone featuring a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display. This delivers a Full HD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of over 1,200 cd/m². The product is powered by the Exynos 1380 SoC, combined with either 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB of built-in storage. Micro-SD card up to 2 TB in size are supported here, as far as we are aware.

Samsung's Galaxy A26 5G offers some basic AI features, a long update cycle and solid enough hardware.

As far as cameras are concerned, the buyer is getting a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The front camera offers 13 megapixels. The internal 5,000 mAh battery can be charged at up to 25 watts.

The A26 5G is IP67-certified and therefore protected against water and dust. Its fingerprint sensor is side-mounted. There is no eSIM or Wi-Fi 6 support, no stereo speakers and no 3.5 mm headphone output here.

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 14 5G is an affordable entry-level smartphone that impresses with its solid feature set. Powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7025 processor and 8 GB of RAM, it offers smooth enough performance in everyday use. Its 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz impresses with its brightness and color fidelity. The 108-megapixel main camera delivers decent photos in daylight.

The Redmi Note 14 5G offers everything a reliable everyday companion is expected to offer, all at a fair price. It is only when it comes to updates that Xiaomi does a less-than-stellar job.

The product has a lightweight, high-quality housing with IP64 certification for some light protection against dust and splashes of liquids such as water. Its key features include 256 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded using a micro-SD card; NFC, an infrared blaster and stereo speakers are onboard as well. The internal 5,110 mAh battery ensures a decent battery life. Quick charging is supported at up to 45 watts, although no power adapter is included in the box in the EU. The Redmi ships with Android 14 installed.

The Edge 50 Fusion features a 6.7-inch pOLED display with a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate. The product is powered by an upper mid-range processor and comes with 256 GB of internal storage; memory cards aren't supported.

Motorola's Edge 50 Fusion stands out as one of the few smartphones in its class with IP68 certification.

Its dual rear camera system includes an ultra-wide-angle lens alongside a 50 MP main sensor with optical image stabilization. The internal 5,000 mAh battery ensures very good runtimes. Additionally, the phone is both dust and waterproof.