The best mid-range phones to buy in 2024
Mid-range phones have become increasingly popular and more impressive throughout the last half of the decade. The main objective of a mid-ranger is to offer premium feel and performance for a price that is considerably lower than that of the current flagship options on the market.
Now, of course, price is a very subjective topic, but if we take a look at the high-end and then the best budget phones, we can assume the middle range fits somewhere between the $400 and $700 mark. So, keeping that in mind, here are our top contenders for the best mid-range phones in 2024.
Keep in mind that, since we are in the beginning of the year, all of the models below are from last year, but we will be updating this list whenever a great new mid-ranger comes along, so make sure you come back once in a while to see which models have made it here.
Which is the best mid-range on the market?
Here is our list:
- Galaxy S24 FE — A flagship in mid-ranger's clothing
- Pixel 8a — Get the latest AI features for $500
- Galaxy A35 5G — Long software support and a great camera system for a really low price
- iPhone 14 — The best balance between price and user experience from an Apple phone right now
- OnePlus 12R — An absolute powerhouse that can easily be mistaken for a flagship
- Motorola Edge (2024) — Awesome display and thin formfactor
- Nothing Phone (2) — Most aesthetically unique mid-range phone on the market
Galaxy S24 FE
A flagship in mid-ranger's clothing
The Galaxy S24 FE feels like some happy accident that happened at Samsung — it is simply too good to be true. While on paper the latest Fan Edition sounds impressive, it proved to be even more so during our review.
While the S24 FE does not come with the exact same processor that powers the flagship Galaxy S24 models, the Exynos 2400e managed to give us very similar performance. But the processor is not where the similarities end. Samsung has even added the same 50MP main camera, which produces image quality that is just as good as the standard Galaxy S24 and the S24 Plus.
The one downside we noticed during our time with the Galaxy S24 FE, and the one that keeps it from being a perfect mid-range phone, is its battery life. While it is not exactly bad, it is also nothing to write home about. Our battery life tests gave the new Fan Edition an estimated 6 hours and 20 minutes.
But for the starting price of just $649.99 from Samsung's online store, the Galaxy S24 FE is a total bargain. Especially if you consider the 7 years of software support, the awesome display, and the great dual speakers it comes with.
Read more:Galaxy S24 FE review
Read more:Galaxy S24 FE review
Pixel 8a
Get the latest AI features for $500
The Google Pixel 8a shines with its camera system, especially considering its mid-range price tag of $499. It boasts a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, capturing crisp and detailed photos.
The phone features a vivid 6.1-inch OLED display with a high peak brightness of 2,000 nits, ensuring excellent clarity even in bright sunlight. We should mention that the bezels are a bit thick for 2024, but you kind of get used to them with time.
Under the hood, the Google Tensor G3 processor delivers smooth performance, allowing you to tackle everyday tasks and even some light gaming without issues. You also get 8GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM and between 128GB or 256GB storage.
The truly nice thing about the Pixel 8a is that it comes with the new AI assistant called Gemini. It wakes up with a long press of the power button, voice commands ("Hey, Google" or "Ok, Google"), and seems to work similarly to Google Assistant. However, it will likely receive features such as composing and sending emails/texts, transcribing meetings, as well as smart home appliance control.
Battery life is decent, but charging speeds are on the slower side compared to some competitors like the OnePlus 12R or the Motorola Edge (2024).
Read more: Google Pixel 8a review
Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
Samsung's great camera handset with a vivid display
This year Samsung decided to not offer the better specced Galaxy A55 5G midranger in the US market, so we are left with the more budget-friendly Galaxy A35 5G instead.
Nevertheless, we are still looking at quite to good phone for the starting price of $400. For that money, you get a capable main camera, great battery life thanks to a 5,000 mAh battery and the power-efficient Exynos 1380 chipset, as well as a stellar display.
Apple iPhone 14
The best balance between price and user experience from an Apple phone right now
The iPhone 14, while not a revolutionary generation, offers a solid user experience and set of specs for the price of $ 599.
It boasts a front-facing camera with autofocus, a decent ultrawide camera, and a main camera with a larger sensor and larger pixels. This combination results in better low-light performance, improved color accuracy, and enhanced dynamic range.
While it retains the same A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, which is still very powerful, the iPhone 14 benefits from a faster 5G modem and Bluetooth 5.3. Additionally, it supports satellite connectivity for emergency SOS messages, a feature that could be a lifesaver in remote areas.
While it retains the same A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, which is still very powerful, the iPhone 14 benefits from a faster 5G modem and Bluetooth 5.3. Additionally, it supports satellite connectivity for emergency SOS messages, a feature that could be a lifesaver in remote areas.
One area where we would advise some caution before going for the iPhone 14 is its battery life. While it is not bad, our battery life tests gave it 6 hours of estimated battery life, and that is also what we came to notice while using the phone in real life. So, if you tend to use your phone more heavily, especially for things like gaming or recording video, the iPhone 14 Plus is the better choice if you insist on Apple's ecosystem.
OnePlus 12R
An absolute powerhouse that can easily be mistaken for a flagship
The OnePlus 12R boasts a large and gorgeous 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This means the display is not only big and beautiful, but also super smooth for gaming and scrolling.
To help with the smooth experience, OnePlus has equipped its latest mid-range phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is a flagship-level processor. This ensures the phone can handle even the most demanding tasks with ease.
Another highlight of the OnePlus 12R is its massive 5,500mAh battery. This battery can easily last a full day on a single charge, taking the 7th place in our battery life tests, according to which the phone can last about 8 hours of regular use. You also get 100W wired charging, so you can quickly get back up and running when you do need to recharge.
In summary, the OnePlus 12R offers a large, beautiful display, a powerful processor, a long-lasting battery, and super fast charging, all at a very competitive price point of $500. However, it's important to consider that it skimp on the camera department by lacking a telephoto lens and also has a shorter software support window of only 3 years.
Read more:OnePlus 12R review
Motorola Edge (2024)
Awesome display and thin formfactor
The Motorola Edge (2024) is a mid-range phone that recently launched in the US. It boasts a large 6.6-inch P-OLED display, a decent Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, and a capable camera system with a 50MP main sensor and a 13MP ultrawide sensor.
The phone excels in battery life with its long-lasting 5,000mAh battery that supports both speedy 68W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. That said, its processor and camera system are not the best at this price range. So, if these are your top priorities, you might want to consider exploring other options like the OnePlus 12R or Pixel 8a.
The Motorola Edge (2024) will cost you $549 for a 256GB storage variant.
Read more: Motorola Edge (2024)
Nothing Phone (2)
Most unique mid-range phone
Nothing made a solid entrance with its Nothing Phone (1) last year, so the company decided to stick to its guns and play it safe with the Nothing Phone (2). Its higher price was a bit of a controversial topic because of the rather hefty increase in price (from $299 to $599), but in return the second generation came with a much more capable chipset, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
The company also doubled down on the iconic Glyph system that the Nothing Phone is so well known for, making it more customizable by adding more LED lights. Now users can track things like a timer or delivery with one of the lights functioning as a progress bar, or assign a very specific notification to be presented via one of the Glyph LEDs on the back.
The third part that makes the Nothing Phone (2) stand out from other mid-rangers is its software support. Nothing has promised 3 years of major OS updates and 4 years of security patches. Nothing OS, which is what the Nothing Phones run on, is almost as unique as the phone's hardware, and it is bound to improve much more in the coming years given how early in its development it still is.
Read more:Nothing Phone (2) review
How to choose the best mid-range phone?
Even though they try to steal the thunder from the more premium flagship models, mid-range phones still need to make some sacrifices in order to achieve the lower price tags they come with. In other words, there usually is some areas that they are best at and others that have room for improvement, so you would have to really pinpoint what you want from your new phone.
If you're looking for the best battery life in a mid-ranger
If camera quality is your thing
Pixels are really popular with their incredible image processing software and the fact that these devices are rarely challenged by lighting conditions. If you're looking for a great camera, going for the Pixel 8a will likely leave you pretty happy. Alternatively, the iPhone 13 or the Galaxy A35 5G are also great for camera quality, with the former capable of great video quality too.
If you want to play games
A good gaming experience on a smartphone is determined by three main aspects: battery life, display, performance. Although none of the handsets above are dedicated gaming phones, you can still enjoy nice gaming sessions on some of them. One such example is the OnePlus 12R, given the fact that it has a very powerful and fast chipset and any game you'd like to play on it is bound to run smoothly.
Here are the performance benchmark results for the phones we have tested:
If you're looking for solid audio performance
Your best bets are either the OnePlus 12R or the iPhone 13. Both phones offer a great audio experience with some umph and lots of richness to the sound. The Pixel 8a is not bad either, but the Samsung is lagging behind in this segment.
What software support do mid-range phones get?
It depends on the maker. For example, Apple devices get around 6-7 years of software updates. As for the Android phones, the Galaxy A35 5G gets four years of OS updates and five years of security patches, the same as the OnePlus 12R. Pixel 8a, on the other hand, gets 7 years of updates, making it the best option on the Android side as far as software support goes.
In conclusion
All the mid-rangers we talked about above are great phones and choices. No matter which one you go for, it would offer you a pleasant user experience. The question is which one fits your needs and tastes more? Only you can answer that question.
Best way to start is by figuring out how much cash you are willing to spend on a so-called "mid-range" phone. If you know your budget, then all that is left is to weigh in your personal pros and cons for each device. Are you looking for long battery life? Or maybe it is maximum performance?
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