The Best Smartphones for Less Than 500 Euros
Upper-class smartphones are located in the price range of between mainstream and high-end models and are targeted towards users who are not willing to pay more than 700 Euros (900 USD) for an expensive high-end phone, but still want good performance, good cameras, and nice build quality.
The price range of up to 500 Euros (600 USD) includes both powerful upper-class models as well as old high-end smartphones. The latter are an interesting alternative, because the specifications are usually still very good and often receive at least one major update. The following rankings might be interesting for you as well:
The Best Premium Smartphones
Position | Total Rating | Date | Image | Model | Height | Weight | Screen-Body Ratio | Size | Refresh-Rate | Resolution | OS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 88.8 % | 02/2022 | ![]() | Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G Qualcomm Adreno 660 6 GB Memory, 128 GB | 7.9 mm | 177 g | 87 % | 6.40" | 120 Hz | 2340x1080 | Android 12 |
2 | 86.6 % | 10/2021 | ![]() | Xiaomi 11T MediaTek Dimensity 1200 ARM Mali-G77 MP9 8 GB Memory, 128 GB | 8.8 mm | 203 g | 85 % | 6.67" | 120 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 11 |
3 | 86.4 % | 09/2022 | ![]() | Xiaomi Poco F4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G Qualcomm Adreno 650 6 GB Memory, 128 GB | 7.7 mm | 195 g | 87 % | 6.67" | 120 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 12 |
4 | 86.4 % | 12/2021 | ![]() | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G Qualcomm Adreno 642L 8 GB Memory, 128 GB UFS 2.1 | 6.81 mm | 158 g | 85 % | 6.55" | 090 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 11 |
5 | 86.4 % | 07/2022 | ![]() | Motorola Edge 30 Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ 5G Qualcomm Adreno 642L 8 GB Memory, 128 GB | 6.8 mm | 155 g | 87.6 % | 6.50" | 144 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 12 |
6 | 85.8 % | 09/2022 | ![]() | Google Pixel 6a Google Tensor ARM Mali-G78 MP20 6 GB Memory, 128 GB | 8.9 mm | 178 g | 82 % | 6.10" | 060 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 12 |
7 | 85.7 % | 07/2022 | ![]() | realme GT Neo 3T Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G Qualcomm Adreno 650 8 GB Memory, 256 GB | 8.65 mm | 194.5 g | 86 % | 6.62" | 120 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 12 |
8 | 85.6 % | 10/2022 | ![]() | Xiaomi Poco X4 GT MediaTek Dimensity 8100 ARM Mali-G610 MP6 8 GB Memory, 128 GB | 8.9 mm | 200 g | 85.1 % | 6.60" | 144 Hz | 2460x1080 | Android 12 |
9 | 85.6 % | 09/2022 | ![]() | Xiaomi 12 Lite Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G Qualcomm Adreno 642L 6 GB Memory, 128 GB UFS 2.1 | 7.29 mm | 173 g | 88 % | 6.55" | 120 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 12 |
10 | 85.6 % | 07/2022 | ![]() | Nothing Phone (1) Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ 5G Qualcomm Adreno 642L 8 GB Memory, 256 GB | 8.3 mm | 193.5 g | 86 % | 6.55" | 120 Hz | 2400x1080 | Android 12 |
The table above contains an overview over the best smartphones for less than 500 Euros reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Link: all devices in this class reviewed
1st – Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (Fan Edition) wants to be the best Samsung smartphone according to community standards and at the same time offer a good price-performance ratio. It uses a slightly smaller AMOLED screen (6.4 inches, 120 Hz) than its predecessor, but it is a bit brighter in return. With 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, the storage configuration would be adequate if the Koreans had not dropped the optional storage expansion. A 256 GB version is also offered, but it is considerably more expensive.
The smartphone offers a highly attractive overall package due to the Galaxy S21 FE's strong price drop.
The rest of the equipment proves to be coherent: USB 3.2, a 4,500 mAh battery, wireless charging, a good triple camera, and IP68 certification. Samsung also distributes four years of security updates and three Android versions. Furthermore, the Fan Edition is still the only option in Europe to purchase a Galaxy S smartphone with a Snapdragon processor.
The Galaxy S21 FE 5G in Olive color is available on Amazon US for $450.39.
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2nd – Xiaomi 11T
The Xiaomi 11T features a fast an modern 5G SoC made by MediaTek, a bright 120 Hz AMOLED display, a large 5,000 mAh battery to ensure long battery life, and a triple-camera layout with a 108 MP main sensor accompanied by an additional ultra-wide and a macro lens. In our review, we praised its high build quality as well as its great connectivity. In addition, Xiaomi promises Android updates for three years.
Great performance, long battery life, and a bright 120 Hz AMOLED display – a lot of bang for the buck.
While the 11T allows for wired fast charging with up to 67 W it lacks support for other comfort features, such as wireless charging, an IP certification, expandable storage, or an audio jack. In return, it continues to feature the IR blaster that is so typical for Xiaomi phones.
In the USA, interested users can purchase the device on Amazon at the price $347.50.
Top 10 Laptops
Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks
under 300 USD/Euros, under 500 USD/Euros, 1,000 USD/Euros, for University Students, Best Displays
Top 10 Smartphones
Smartphones, Phablets, ≤6-inch, Camera Smartphones
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3rd – Xiaomi Poco F4
The Xiaomi Poco F4 is the classic among the budget flagship smartphones and has now arrived in its fourth generation. Even though the price-performance ratio is no longer as stunning as in the first model, it still offers a lot of smartphones for the money.
The Xiaomi Poco F4 offers a lot of computing power, a bright 120 Hz OLED and good battery runtimes.
With a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen, fast Qualcomm SoC, ample storage, and a 4,500 mAh battery, Xiaomi puts the Poco F4 on a strong footing. The main camera sensor has also been upgraded and takes visibly better pictures. Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not provide any information about the update's duration.
At the time of writing, the Xiaomi Poco F4 can be order via Amazon, prices starting at $389.99.
Pricecompare
4th – Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE (New Edition) is a powerful mid-range smartphone and managed to secure a good place on this top list despite its comparatively low price. It comes with a bright and color-accurate OLED display, a fast SoC, plentiful expandable storage, good battery life, and good location service with a wide array of supported GNSS services. Its triple-camera was improved significantly and worked very well overall.
The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is a really good mid-range smartphone with a slim outline.
While we criticized it for lacking new features of its predecessor when it was first introduced its price took a nosedive pretty much right away, which makes of the lack of new features. The SoC may be slightly weaker, and it comes with the older Gorilla Glass 5 but none of these are noticeable in everyday use.
Currently, Amazon US lists the smartphone, prices starting at $249.50.
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5th – Motorola Edge 30
The Motorola Edge 30 offers a coherent overall package, which is already available for under 400 Euros. The 6.5-inch AMOLED display can work with a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. It is powered by a Qualcomm SoC from the upper mid-range, which enables a smooth system performance in combination with the 144 Hz panel. Motorola also provides 8 GB of working memory and 128 GB of internal storage, but the latter cannot be expanded.
Motorola Edge 30 scores with an accurate 144 Hz AMOLED, stereo speakers and fast communication modules, among other things.
Another advantage of the Edge 30 is its slim build and comparatively low weight. It also already supports Wi-Fi 6E including the 6 GHz band. The battery runtimes are okay, but the Moto smartphone is not an endurance runner. Due to the three-year update supply, it should also still get Android 14. The triple camera can directly use two 50 MP sensors.
At the time of writing, it is hard to find the Motorola Edge 30 in the USA.
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6th – Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a is comparatively compact and has a 6.1-inch OLED display that only works with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. It is powered by the fast Tensor SoC, which is supported by 6 GB of working memory. 128 GB are available for the user's own data.
The Google Pixel 6a offers a good dual camera and a long update warranty.
The IP67 certification and the USB 3.2 port are also particularly positive. Unfortunately, the Pixel smartphone does not support wireless charging, and the charging speed is not particularly high when using a cord.
The Pixel 6a can be ordered directly from Google's store, but it is cheaper at Amazon.
Pricecompare
7th – realme GT Neo 3T
The realme GT Neo 3T has a 6.62-inch AMOLED panel that works with a high touch sampling rate as well as a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. It is powered by a strong Snapdragon SoC with 8 GB of RAM. Realme offers 128 or 256 GB of storage, and the latter can also be purchased as a flashy Dragon Ball Z Edition.
High performance and long runtimes is the motto of the realme GT Neo 3T.
The realme smartphone has a triple camera, but you should not expect too much from it. Besides the 64 MPix lens, there are two smaller ones, but they disappointed in the test. The communication modules are modern with 5G and Wi-Fi 6, and the same applies for the charging technology. The included 80-watt power supply fully recharges the long-lasting 5,000 mAh battery within 40 minutes.
The realme GT Neo 3T is available directly from the manufacturer, but can also be purchased from other online retailers like Amazon.
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8th - Xiaomi Poco X4 GT
The Xiaomi Poco X4 GT has a 6.6-inch IPS panel that can work with Full HD+ and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. It is powered by a modern upper-class SoC from MediaTek with a generous 8 GB of RAM. There is a choice of 128 or 256 GB available for the user's own data; microSD support is not available.
The Poco X4 GT is a strong mid-ranger without any real highlights.
In the test, the Poco X4 GT primarily shines with its very good battery runtimes and the main camera also makes a decent impression in daylight. Wired charging with up to 67 watts is also possible. The Xiaomi smartphone does not make any major mistakes. Since there is no AoD, a notification LED would certainly have been useful.
The Poco X4 GT can be purchased directly from the manufacturer's online store, but is also available from Amazon, among others.
Pricecompare
9th – Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G
The Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G offers a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with Full HD Plus resolution and up to 120 Hz. The upper mid-range SoC was already used in the predecessor and can rely on 8 GB of working memory and 128 GB of internal storage. A memory expansion is not possible. The smartphone is comparatively light at 173 grams and uses a 4,300 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi 12 Lite is quite light and has a 108 MPix camera.
The Xiaomi smartphone does not make any real fluff in the test, but it has taken a few steps backwards compared with the predecessor and the update future is uncertain.
Interested users can purchase the smartphone directly from the manufacturer's online store or Amazon US.
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10th – Nothing Phone (1)
The Nothing Phone (1) unusual design is particularly eye-catching - especially when it's dark, because the back is covered with all sorts of microLEDs, which are also used as notification or status displays. The 6.55-inch OLED display works with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The heart of the Nothing smartphone is a Snapdragon SoC from the upper mid-range, which can fall back on 8 or 12 GB of RAM. There is a choice of 128 or 256 GB of internal storage, which cannot be expanded via microSD.
Users who want to own a smartphone with an unusual back and light concept will be well served with the Nothing Phone (1).
The 4,500 mAh battery allows the Nothing Phone to run for a long time. Unfortunately, only wired charging with up to 33 watts is supported. Wireless charging with up to 15 watts is also possible. The dual camera uses two 50 MPix sensors and delivers decent results. The Wi-Fi speed is a bit slow in the test - despite Wi-Fi 6E. The voice quality is also not very convincing.
The Nothing Phone (1) can be ordered ordered from Amazon, prices starting at $479.
Pricecompare
Best Smartphones for Less Than 500 Euros in Comparison
Test Results
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Adreno 660, SD 888 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Xiaomi 11T Mali-G77 MP9, Dimensity 1200, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Xiaomi Poco F4 Adreno 650, SD 870, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE Adreno 642L, SD 778G 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | Motorola Edge 30 Adreno 642L, SD 778G+ 5G, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Google Pixel 6a Mali-G78 MP20, Tensor, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | realme GT Neo 3T Adreno 650, SD 870, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Xiaomi Poco X4 GT Mali-G610 MP6, Dimensity 8100, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Xiaomi 12 Lite Adreno 642L, SD 778G 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | Nothing Phone (1) Adreno 642L, SD 778G+ 5G, 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Response Times | ||||||||||
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 10.4 ? | 2.8 ? | 1.01 ? | 3.6 ? | 14 ? | 1.78 ? | 1.2 ? | 26.92 ? | 1.08 ? | 1.3 ? |
Response Time Black / White * | 2.4 ? | 2.8 ? | 1.06 ? | 3.2 ? | 11 ? | 2.91 ? | 1.1 ? | 12.05 ? | 1.15 ? | 1.3 ? |
PWM Frequency | 247.5 | 120.2 ? | 443 | 373.1 ? | 250 | 240 | 471.8 | 51540 | 119.7 | 119.7 |
Screen | ||||||||||
Brightness middle | 758 | 781 | 917 | 797 | 632 | 758 | 754 | 629 | 757 | 620 |
Brightness | 758 | 782 | 923 | 800 | 630 | 767 | 758 | 614 | 773 | 625 |
Brightness Distribution | 99 | 94 | 96 | 97 | 92 | 93 | 97 | 94 | 97 | 98 |
Black Level * | 0.4 | |||||||||
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.5 | 2 | 2 | 0.9 | 1.46 | 0.9 | 1.57 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.24 |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.1 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 2 | 3.32 | 2.5 | 3.51 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.31 |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.7 |
Gamma | 2.06 107% | 2.28 96% | 2.23 99% | 2.26 97% | 2.209 100% | 2.2 100% | 2.165 102% | 2.25 98% | 2.22 99% | 2.318 95% |
CCT | 6378 102% | 6852 95% | 6447 101% | 6397 102% | 6755 96% | 6599 98% | 6506 100% | 6374 102% | 6403 102% | 6325 103% |
Contrast | 1573 | |||||||||
Heat | ||||||||||
Maximum Upper Side * | 35.4 | 37.1 | 31.7 | 33.4 | 46.5 | 38.2 | 44.5 | 35.1 | 36 | 46 |
Maximum Bottom * | 35.3 | 35.6 | 31.6 | 33.1 | 48.5 | 38.4 | 43.8 | 34.5 | 33.7 | 41.7 |
Idle Upper Side * | 31.8 | 32.3 | 27.3 | 29.4 | 37.8 | 29.9 | 27.1 | 31.4 | 29.9 | 26.4 |
Idle Bottom * | 28.7 | 28.9 | 26.5 | 27 | 37.2 | 28 | 27.1 | 28.7 | 27.7 | 26 |
Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
Reader / Idle | 1430 | 2244 | 1342 | 1648 | 1604 | 1878 | 2386 | 2552 | 1566 | 1813 |
WiFi v1.3 | 594 | 813 | 665 | 705 | 638 | 768 | 963 | 929 | 712 | 926 |
Load | 388 | 267 | 246 | 233 | 268 | 360 | 268 | 295 | 279 | 259 |
* ... smaller is better
Benchmarks
GFXBench | |
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi Poco F4 | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
Motorola Edge 30 | |
Google Pixel 6a | |
realme GT Neo 3T | |
Xiaomi Poco X4 GT | |
Xiaomi 12 Lite | |
Nothing Phone (1) | |
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi Poco F4 | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
Motorola Edge 30 | |
Google Pixel 6a | |
realme GT Neo 3T | |
Xiaomi Poco X4 GT | |
Xiaomi 12 Lite | |
Nothing Phone (1) | |
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi Poco F4 | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
Motorola Edge 30 | |
Google Pixel 6a | |
realme GT Neo 3T | |
Xiaomi Poco X4 GT | |
Xiaomi 12 Lite | |
Nothing Phone (1) | |
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi Poco F4 | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
Motorola Edge 30 | |
Google Pixel 6a | |
realme GT Neo 3T | |
Xiaomi Poco X4 GT | |
Xiaomi 12 Lite | |
Nothing Phone (1) |
WebXPRT 3 - --- (sort by value) | |
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi Poco F4 | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
Motorola Edge 30 | |
Google Pixel 6a | |
realme GT Neo 3T | |
Xiaomi Poco X4 GT | |
Xiaomi 12 Lite | |
Nothing Phone (1) |
Networking | |
iperf3 receive AX12 (sort by value) | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
iperf3 transmit AX12 (sort by value) | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE |
PUBG Mobile - HD (sort by value) | |
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | |
Xiaomi 11T | |
Xiaomi Poco F4 | |
Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE | |
Motorola Edge 30 | |
Google Pixel 6a | |
realme GT Neo 3T | |
Xiaomi Poco X4 GT | |
Xiaomi 12 Lite | |
Nothing Phone (1) |