These are the best mid-range phones currently available in the US
Looking for the best mid-range phone that you can get your hands on in the US? Then you've come to the right place, as today we're going to talk about the best smartphones that don't break the bank.
This is a very good time to be on the market for a mid-range smartphone. In just a couple of years, the mid-range segment of the smartphone market has become a crowded space with fierce competitors, and, looking at the context, the impressive progress made in the mid-range segment makes a lot of sense.
The high-end segment of the market is showing signs of stagnation; premium smartphones come with fewer and fewer improvements compared to their predecessors. When coupled with the ever falling prices of hardware components and the fall of the two-year carrier contract and subsidized smartphones, this has allowed manufacturers to create compelling smartphones that do not break the bank.
This is a very good time to be on the market for a mid-range smartphone. In just a couple of years, the mid-range segment of the smartphone market has become a crowded space with fierce competitors, and, looking at the context, the impressive progress made in the mid-range segment makes a lot of sense.
We're going to provide several recommendations spanning multiple price points and form factors. Note that our selections are not listed in any particular order.
Although Google slapped the phone with a relatively high price at launch, smart buyers have been able to get their hands on the Google Nexus 5X at notable discounts. In fact, just a few days ago B&H had the 16GB of the phone available at $229.99.
Even at its usual price of $300, the Google Nexus 5X is a great mid-range smartphone, and the best deal around if you're a Nexus fan. The raw specs include a 5.2-inch IPS display running at 1920 by 1080 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset with a hexa-core CPU and Adreno 430 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 13MP primary camera that produces excellent results.
Promising as the specs of the Google Nexus 5X may be for its price, hardcore Android fans will also find a lot of interest in the phone's software, a vanilla implementation of Android that receives monthly security patches and will get both Android N later this year as well as the 2017 major iteration of Android.
Google Nexus 5X
The Google Nexus 5X may not be as beloved as the original Nexus 5 from a couple of years ago, but there can be no denying the 5X is a tough contender for the title of 'best mid-range smartphone'.
Although Google slapped the phone with a relatively high price at launch, smart buyers have been able to get their hands on the Google Nexus 5X at notable discounts. In fact, just a few days ago B&H had the 16GB of the phone available at $229.99.
Even at its usual price of $300, the Google Nexus 5X is a great mid-range smartphone, and the best deal around if you're a Nexus fan. The raw specs include a 5.2-inch IPS display running at 1920 by 1080 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset with a hexa-core CPU and Adreno 430 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 13MP primary camera that produces excellent results.
For more details on what's probably the best mid-range phone for the average Android user, head on over to our full Google Nexus 5X review.
The Motorola Moto X Pure Edition comes with a 5.7-inch display running a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. The display is sharp, bright, vivid, and color-accurate, which makes it a perfect choice for video consumption.
Under the hood of the Moto X Pure Edition, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset with a hexa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB / 32GB / 64GB of expandable internal storage.
In the camera department, the Moto X Pure Edition is equipped with a 21MP primary camera and a 5MP selfie shooter on the front.
Make sure to read our detailed Motorola Moto X Pure review to learn more about the best mid-range phone with a large screen.
$199.99 nets you a handset with a 5.5-inch IPS display running a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 SoC with an octa-core processor and an Adreno 405 GPU, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP primary camera paired with a 5MP selfie shooter. On the surface, the Honor 5X boasts a sleek metallic design. That's impressive stuff coming from a smartphone this cheap.
As you can find out by reading our detailed Huawei Honor 5X review, there's a lot to love about the Huawei Honor 5X. In fact, this is probably the best mid-range smartphone dime for dime.
Right of the bat, it should be mentioned that 2016 Galaxy A3 is the best mid-range phone if you're looking for a slim and compact smartphone. The A3's 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display runs at a resolution of 720 by 1280 pixels, and can easily be considered the phone's main attraction, right up there with the elegant and slim design.
Other specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset with a quad-core processor and an Adreno 306 GPU, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable internal storage, a 13MP primary camera, a 5MP shooter on the front, and a 2300mAh battery.
Make sure to head on over to our full Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) review for a full analysis of what may easily be considered the best mid-range phone that Samsung has ever made.
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition
Those of you looking for a mid-range phablet with a minimalistic Android implementation should check out the Motorola Moto X Pure Edition. B&H currently sells the phone at $300, down from the usual price of $349.
The Motorola Moto X Pure Edition comes with a 5.7-inch display running a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. The display is sharp, bright, vivid, and color-accurate, which makes it a perfect choice for video consumption.
Under the hood of the Moto X Pure Edition, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset with a hexa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB / 32GB / 64GB of expandable internal storage.
In the camera department, the Moto X Pure Edition is equipped with a 21MP primary camera and a 5MP selfie shooter on the front.
Make sure to read our detailed Motorola Moto X Pure review to learn more about the best mid-range phone with a large screen.
Huawei Honor 5X
The Huawei Honor 5X is probably the best mid-range phone around if you're short on cash. The device is priced at just $199.99, but the hardware specifications are actually quite decent.
$199.99 nets you a handset with a 5.5-inch IPS display running a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 SoC with an octa-core processor and an Adreno 405 GPU, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP primary camera paired with a 5MP selfie shooter. On the surface, the Honor 5X boasts a sleek metallic design. That's impressive stuff coming from a smartphone this cheap.
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016)
Historically, Samsung's mid-range smartphones are not the most competitive products when compared against similarly-priced competitors. The Galaxy A3, on the other hand, has a lot going for it at a price of $267.
Right of the bat, it should be mentioned that 2016 Galaxy A3 is the best mid-range phone if you're looking for a slim and compact smartphone. The A3's 4.7-inch Super AMOLED display runs at a resolution of 720 by 1280 pixels, and can easily be considered the phone's main attraction, right up there with the elegant and slim design.
Other specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset with a quad-core processor and an Adreno 306 GPU, 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable internal storage, a 13MP primary camera, a 5MP shooter on the front, and a 2300mAh battery.
Make sure to head on over to our full Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) review for a full analysis of what may easily be considered the best mid-range phone that Samsung has ever made.
OnePlus 3
The third-generation "flagship killer" is finally here and boy do we love the value proposition! The OnePlus 3 comes with the all of the hardware specs you expect from a premium smartphone (and the metal build to complement it) but the handset is priced at just $400 unlocked. That's some $200 below flagship prices.
The OnePlus 3 comes with a metal body, a 5.5-inch AMOLED display running at 1080 by 1920 pixels, a blazing-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset paired with a whopping 6GB of RAM, 64GB of non-expandable integrated storage, a 16MP main camera, an 8MP selfie shooter on the front, and a 3000mAh camera. Best of all, you don't need an invite to purchase the smartphone. Just head on over to the manufacturer's website and you can order one right now.
Although its price is above the average for the middle segment of the market, the OnePlus 3 is definitely the best mid-range phone money can currently buy.
Although its price is above the average for the middle segment of the market, the OnePlus 3 is definitely the best mid-range phone money can currently buy.
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