{"id":1375,"date":"2022-01-31T09:51:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T09:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mozillion.com\/public\/resources\/?p=1375"},"modified":"2026-06-26T08:52:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T08:52:51","slug":"best-mid-range-phones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mozillion.com\/resources\/best-mid-range-phones\/","title":{"rendered":"Best mid-range phones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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If you want the very latest features, the biggest screens and unbeatable performance, you\u2019re looking at a high-end phone. Unfortunately, you\u2019ll also be looking at a price range that starts somewhere north of \u00a3800, and might end at maybe twice that. But what if you can compromise a little? Welcome to the altogether more affordable world of the best mid-range phones.<\/p>\n

Everyone has a different idea of what the mid-range is, of course. For us it probably starts around \u00a3300, and runs up to around \u00a3700. If you can afford more, check out our best phones guide. And if you\u2019re after a sharper bargain, our best budget phones guide has you covered.<\/p>\n

But if that sounds like your kind of budget, relax and read on - we\u2019ll help you find the perfect mid-range smartphone.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Apple iPhone 13 mini<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Price <\/strong> \u00a3679 (from Apple)- get iPhone 13 mini deals on Mozillion<\/a><\/span>
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Why buy?<\/strong>The best small smartphone you can buy
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The cheaper option<\/strong>Buy an iPhone 12 mini<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Upgrade to?<\/strong>Buy an The iPhone 13<\/a> - it\u2019s the same phone, but bigger<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

OK, so we\u2019re starting with a phone that stretches the definition of \u2018mid-range\u2019, but the iPhone 13 mini is a high-end phone with a smaller size and price tag. For \u00a3100 less than the iPhone 13, it packs the same performance, and the same dual-camera system. And like all the iPhone 13 family, it also has six-metre waterproofing, and 5G support.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the catch? The iPhone 13 mini\u2019s A15 Bionic processor is slightly detuned compared to the flagship iPhone 13 Pro<\/a> models, but you\u2019ll only notice in the most taxing 3D applications. More significantly, its 5.4\u201d screen is smaller than most phones, and limited to \u2018just\u2019 1,080x2,340 - you can find bigger, higher resolution screens on other cheaper phones.<\/p>\n

Like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 mini has a more basic camera than the flagship iPhones, but it still rocks a dual-lens 12 megapixel (MP) system with Night Mode, Photographic Styles and Cinematic mode. Its battery life is also a bit down on its bigger siblings, but we still got it to loop movies for more than 13 hours.<\/p>\n

The iPhone 13 mini sits at the crossover between mid-range and high end. It\u2019s maybe not for everyone, but if you\u2019re happy to sacrifice screen size and battery life to get your hands on stonking performance and the latest features, it\u2019s worth stretching your budget to buy an iPhone 13 mini<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Google Pixel 6
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Price <\/strong>\u00a3599 (from Google) - check out the Pixel 6 deals on Mozillion<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Why buy?<\/strong>Great features, pure Android, quick updates for a long time
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The cheaper option<\/strong>Buy an A Pixel 4a<\/a> - but it\u2019s quite a step down<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Upgrade to? <\/strong> A Pixel 6 Pro<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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The Pixel 6 launched alongside the Pixel 6 Pro in October 2021. It\u2019s a de-specced version of the flagship handset, with a smaller, more basic OLED screen, a less impressive selfie camera, and no telephoto lens on the main camera. In most other respects it\u2019s a match for its pro-level sibling, but it\u2019s \u00a3250 cheaper.<\/p>\n

As an uppper-mid-range phone, the Pixel 6 is a strong performer. It\u2019s one of few Android phones that can come anywhere near to recent iPhones in 3D benchmarks, falling just short of the iPhone 11 in 3DMark\u2019s Wild Life Extreme benchmark. But Google\u2019s Tensor processor isn\u2019t just about gaming grunt: it supports neat features such as live on-phone translations, along with a range of exciting photo features.<\/p>\n

Like other Pixels, the Pixel 6 will be one of the first phones to get the latest, purest version of Android. It launched with Android 12, and will probably go all the way to 15 before updates end in 2024.<\/p>\n

The Pixel 6 undercuts the entry-level iPhone 13 by almost \u00a3200 - it\u2019s about the price of a new iPhone 12<\/a>. Despite this it offers unique tools you won\u2019t yet find on iOS. Among these, Google\u2019s Personal Safety app offers features including car crash detection - where the phone can contact emergency services if you fail to respond after a big impact. This phone is a great choice for iOS converts looking to save a little, without giving up features or performance.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

OnePlus 8T<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Price <\/strong> \u00a3649 (from OnePlus) - check out the OnePlus deals on Mozillion<\/a><\/span>
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Why buy?<\/strong>Massive specification for the money<\/span>
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The cheaper option<\/strong>A OnePlus 7T<\/a> is older, but cheaper<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Upgrade to?<\/strong>Consider the OnePlus 9 Pro<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Life moves pretty fast with mobile phones - and things can quickly get confusing. The OnePlus 8T launched in October 2020, replacing the OnePlus 8 that had launched only six months earlier. At the time of writing you can buy the OnePlus 9, but the 8T - and even the OnePlus 7T - are also still available new. And if this seems like another expensive mid-ranger, be aware you can easily get the OnePlus 8T for \u00a3150 or so less than its advertised price - it\u2019s a lot of phone for \u00a3500.<\/p>\n

The OnePlus 8T kicks off with a Snapdragon 865 processor, working with either 8 or 12GB of RAM - it\u2019s a usefully quick phone. There\u2019s a minimum 128GB of storage, too, but the real excitement comes thanks to its quad-camera setup. The main duties are taken by a 48MP wide camera, backed up by a 16MP ultra-wide that offers a 123\u00b0 view. If you\u2019re feeling creative, the 5MP macro lens helps you grab ultra-close shots, while there\u2019s even a 2MP camera dedicated to black & white shots.<\/p>\n

This phone\u2019s 6.55\u201d OLED screen offers sensational colours and deep contrast, along with a 120Hz refresh rate - you won\u2019t see that on the standard iPhone 13. However, the display\u2019s resolution is a modest 1,080x2,400. This is one of two obvious downgrades compared to newer, more expensive phones. The other is that this phone isn\u2019t officially IP rated against dust or water penetration, although some independent sellers and testers say it\u2019s splash-resistant.<\/p>\n

Still, if you want a fast, well-specced phone with a good camera, the OnePlus 8T is a strong contender. With support for 5G, three major Android upgrades (from 11 to 14) and four years of security updates (until October 2024), it should be all you need for years to come.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
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Price <\/strong>\u00a3339 (from Samsung) get Samsung mobile deals on Mozillion<\/a><\/span>
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Why buy?<\/strong>Fantastic screen, decent camera and 5G at a keen price<\/span>
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The cheaper option<\/strong> A Samsung Galaxy A32 5G<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Upgrade to?<\/strong>Look for a Google Pixel 6 deal<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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You hear a lot about Samsung\u2019s flagship phones, but it\u2019s a strong player in the mid-range too. Witness the Galaxy A52 5G - a snip at not much more than \u00a3300, yet it has a 120Hz OLED screen and 5G support. Inside there\u2019s also a decent processor, while at the back there\u2019s a quad camera setup.<\/p>\n

If that doesn\u2019t sound like a mid-range spec, you\u2019ll be pleased to know it doesn\u2019t act like it either. The A52\u2019s screen has a middling 1,080x2,400 resolution, but it\u2019s bright, punchy and buttery smooth. And while the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G gives away lots to the fastest competition, it\u2019s still well up to the demands of everyday use and casual gaming.<\/p>\n

This phone is a strong snapper, too, with its main 64MP wide camera backed up by 12MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro lenses. There\u2019s even a 5MP depth camera. Happily, the A52 also takes an optional SDcard up to 1TB, potentially giving it room for all your photos and videos - despite this, it\u2019s still IP67 water resistant up to one metre.<\/p>\n

In fact, there\u2019s nothing really missing from this phone. Sure, it\u2019s slower than a flagship, and it makes do with a smaller and lower resolution screen. Its camera, though great, isn\u2019t a match for the Google Pixel 4a - let alone an iPhone 13. It\u2019s still a huge amount of phone for the money, though, and with three years\u2019 of Android updates it should be fairly future-proof, too. Just be careful you don\u2019t buy the non-5G version - it\u2019s cheaper, but with a slower processor and screen refresh it\u2019s not as good value.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Google Pixel 4a<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Price <\/strong>\u00a3349 (from Google) get Google Pixel 4a deals on Mozillion<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Mozillion rating<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Why buy?<\/strong> The best small Android phone<\/span>
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The cheaper option<\/strong>Samsung Galaxy A32 5G<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Upgrade to? <\/strong>A refurbished iPhone 12 mini<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Another list, another appearance for the redoubtable Pixel 4a. Google\u2019s best mid-range phone is getting on a bit now, but there\u2019s still plenty to recommend it if you\u2019re looking at the cheaper end of the market. For a start, it\u2019s one of the smallest Android phones. It also runs one of the purest versions of the operating system, enhanced by several useful Pixel-only features. And there are updates slated until October 2023.<\/p>\n

The Pixel 4a has a 5.8\u201d OLED screen, limited to only 60Hz and 1,080x2,340. At the back there\u2019s a single 12MP camera, but nobody seems to have told it that it\u2019s more basic than many rivals. Google\u2019s image processing smarts help ensure this is still one of the best camera phones at this price - it\u2019ll get great shots in almost any conditions.<\/p>\n

Live with the Pixel 4a and you\u2019re likely to notice that its Snapdragon 730G is well behind the times. While it\u2019s up for casual gaming, really taxing 3D work causes it to chug. It can lag if you\u2019re firing off multiple portrait shots, too. There\u2019s no 5G support, and the phone\u2019s plastic body might not be to your taste - although it does keep the weight down to 143 grams.<\/p>\n

Despite these limitations, this remains a great phone. Smaller than the herd, and straddling the line between mid-range and budget, it still delivers plenty for the money if you don\u2019t get too caught up on the specs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Step up to the top-end!<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

We\u2019ve focused on new phone prices, but what happens when you factor in the kind of certified refurbished phones you\u2019ll find on the Mozillion marketplace? Welcome to the realm of pre-owned flagship phones. Take your mid-range budget, and you might be surprised that you could afford:<\/p>\n