The best mid-range phones you can buy right now

With a starting price of just £329/$379, the Nothing Phone (3a) is only just expensive enough to be included here. However, provided you don’t need top-tier cameras, it offers everything most people are looking for in a mid-range phone.

Nothing’s signature design, with a semi-transparent back and customisable ‘Glyph’ lights, means the Phone (3a) is sure to turn heads. But it’s the excellent Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 performance, superb 6.77-inch 120Hz OLED display and excellent battery life (from the 5000mAh cell) that elevate the device from good to truly excellent.

Nothing’s take on Android is another highlight, with a new Essential Key that should get more useful over time, plus a full six years of software support.

Cameras are the main compromise, with issues in low-light and a disappointing ultrawide lens. But for everything you’re getting, the Nothing Phone (3a) is a superb phone for the money.

If you want a mid-range phone that could easily pass as a flagship, the Xiaomi 14T is for you. It looks and performs a lot like the regular Xiaomi 14, yet starts at just £549 in the UK.

And there’s a lot to slick here, including a premium design complete with a stunning large OLED display. The cameras are surprisingly great, despite being a clear step down from Xiaomi’s class-leading 14 Ultra.

Solid battery life is supported by impressive 67W fast charging, even if the necessary charger isn’t in the box and there’s no wireless charging.

This is a phone with almost no hardware weaknesses, though the software is still underwhelming at times. Google’s Circle to Search feature is genuinely useful, though Xiaomi’s own AI attempts aren’t always successful.

Xiaomi’s commitment to four major OS updates and five years of security patches is solid, though. And as an all-rounder, you’ll struggle to find anything better at this price point. You could step up to the 14T Pro, but the extra £150 (it starts at £699) simply isn’t worth it for most people.

Given it launched alongside the flagship OnePlus 13, it’s easy to overlook the cheaper 13R. But this is a great mid-range phone in its own right.

It offers almost everything most people are looking for in a mid-range phone, namely great performance, superb battery life and slick software that cleverly deploys AI to enhance the user experience. And at this price point, OnePlus’ commitment to six years of software updates is the best around.

Cameras are the main shortcoming – despite some notable improvements compared to the OnePlus 12R, it’s a step down from the best at this price point. You’ll also have to make do without wireless charging, with the MagSafe-style accessories requiring a separate case.

However, provided user experience is your top priority and you don’t mind sacrificing some camera performance to get there, you can’t go wrong with the 13R.

The OnePlus Nord 4 is a superb phone which still offers everything most people are looking for in a mid-range phone.

That includes superb build quality, with the metal unibody design ensuring top-class durability, even if the reflective plastic window around the cameras will divide opinion.

The Snapdragon chip under the hood isn’t quite Qualcomm’s flagship, but performance is still very strong, while the excellent display could pass for a device twice the price.

Solid battery life is supported by 100W fast charging (albeit without the charger in the box), while the six-year update commitment is the best on a non-Samsung or Google phone.

The downsides are concentrated around the cameras, with OnePlus opting for a disappointing ultrawide lens instead of any telephoto. But the main and selfie sensors are good enough that you can mostly ignore that.

And considering everything else you’re getting, the Nord 4 is superb value for money. However, you might want to wait for the upcoming Nord 5.

If you’re worried about buying an older phone and want the reassurance of long software support, go for the Galaxy A35 5G instead.

Samsung’s 2024 mid-ranger offers a lot for your money, including a class-leading promise of four major OS updates and five years of security updates to its slick One UI software, even if you don’t currently get Galaxy AI features.

Elsewhere, the Galaxy A35 offers strong main and selfie cameras for the price (albeit not quite as good as the Pixel 8a), plus an excellent 120Hz display and very good battery life. If you can look beyond the plastic build and performance that won’t blow you away, it’s easy to recommend.

However, you might now prefer the newer Galaxy A36 5G.

The latest Pixel A-Series phone isn’t the easy recommendation that its predecessors were. As you can see, there are mid-range phones that we’d suggest buying ahead of the Pixel 8a.

However, it’s definitely still worth considering, especially if you can find a discount on its £499/$499 starting price. The strong build quality from the Pixel 8 also makes an appearance here, alongside an excellent 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED that makes it one of the best compact phones around.

The Pixel 8a also has the best single camera lens you’ll find on any mid-ranger, with the 64Mp main rear sensor delivering consistently strong photos. The 13Mp ultrawide and selfie cameras aren’t half bad, either.

But it’s software where the phone really comes into its own. Android 15 is at its very best on the Pixel, with a slick user experience supported by timely updates and seven years of software support.

A combination of average battery life and slow charging will put many people off, especially at full price. But the Pixel 8a is undoubtedly worth considering if the camera or software are most important to you.

However, you might want to wait for the upcoming Pixel 9a.

Nubia might be known for its Redmagic gaming phones, but the company makes some great regular handsets, too. And the Z70 Ultra is the pick of the current bunch.

It excels in four key areas: a stunning 6.85-inch AMOLED screen, top-class Snapdragon 8 Elite performance, a flagship-level 50Mp main camera and excellent battery life from the 6150mAh cell. These are all features you’d associate with a much more expensive phone.

Unfortunately, as good as the hardware is, Nubia’s take on an Android isn’t particularly intuitive, and the company doesn’t mention how long it’ll be supported. Alongside the hefty design and lack of wireless charging, there are enough reasons for most people to look elsewhere.

But if you’re looking for a mid-range phone with almost no hardware compromises compared to flagships, the Nubia Z70 Ultra is the phone for you.

The Pixel 8 is another example of Google’s 2023 phone being better than its successor for mid-range buyers.

Here, it’s because the Pixel 9 starts at £799/$799, making it too expensive to be considered here. The good news is that this older model is likely to be regularly discounted, and it remains a strong choice in 2025.

The main camera lens remains the highlight, delivering stunning stills in a variety of environments – including at night. The ultrawide and selfie lenses aren’t bad either, though you miss out on the telephoto from the Pixel 8 Pro.

Performance from Google’s Tensor G3 chip is only slightly inferior to Qualcomm’s latest and greatest, and it enables a range of clever software features – including Best Take. The rest of the Android 14 software isn’t bad either, especially with Google promising six more years of updates.

Battery life is the main weakness, and it becomes even more frustrating when combined with slow 27W charging and no charger in the box.

But the combination of premium design and 6.2-inch, 120Hz OLED display means the Pixel 8 is definitely worth considering. But if your budget does stretch a little further, the Pixel 9 is definitely worth a look.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ isn’t quite as impressive as its predecessor, but you still get a lot for as little as £399, making it an attractive option.

Talking of attractive, that 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is a real sight to behold. It’s big, vibrant and fluid, combining a 120Hz refresh rate with up to 3000 nits of peak brightness.

Other highlights include a capable 5110mAh battery supported by rapid 120W fast charging, plus an impressive main rear camera that’s up there with the best at this price. Elsewhere, the premium design could easily pass for a flagship phone, especially on the vegan leather model.

Sadly, it’s not as impressive in all areas. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset is fine for everyday tasks but struggles with anything more demanding, while Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin has plenty of bloatware and doesn’t feel the most intuitive.

The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is still a strong phone, but other mid-range options offer a more well-rounded experience, and the £299 regular Redmi Note 14 Pro allows you to save some money.

The Redmagic 10 Pro is a contender for the best gaming phone outright, making it remarkable that it’s priced as a mid-range phone.

Nubia is going head-to-head with the more expensive Asus ROG Phone 9 and 9 Pro here, and the Redmagic fares well. Performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is its key strength, offering superb gaming performance in collaboration with the built-in fan and advanced cooling system.

Nubia’s ‘Game Space’ software mode offers useful gaming tweaks and customisation, while the large display and premium design make it a joy to use. And with a 7050mAh battery and 100W wired charging (80W in the box), the battery life/charging combo is one of the best around.

The 10 Pro’s main weaknesses appear when you try to use it as a regular phone, with a heavy build and hit-and-miss software. Nubia also only guarantees three years of software updates, which is behind the competition.

Nonetheless, the Redmagic 10 Pro provides a near-complete mobile gaming experience at an impressively low price.