Best mid-range phones worth your money in 2020
Buying a mid-range phone that hits all the right notes can be a mind-bending tasks these days, given the amount of competition in the segment. The stakes are high in this particular smartphone market that ranges anywhere between $300 – $600 depending on a device and variants, if any.
Choosing a mid-range phone that just skims the flagship category of phones can be made easy if you know what exactly you want from your device.
Here we have the best mid-range and high mid-range phones that will make your decision easier and you can buy them this year.
Pixel 4A
Pixel 4A is the most anticipated phone from Google this year given that the Pixel 4/4 XL series has been discontinued abruptly. With this device Google has hit the right balance between pricing and features on offer.
Pixel 4A comes with the promise of smooth UI, excellent camera performance and the promise of prompt updates from Google in the years to come.
Pixel 4A has the best still image camera quality in the mid-range price segment, especially the Night Mode, which will blow you away. Good battery performance and memory management courtesy Google's superior resource management is another advantage of the Pixel 4A.
- Release Date: October 8, 2020
- Operating System: Android 10
- Display: 5.81-inch OLED screen having 2,340 x 1,080 resolution (@ 443 ppi)
- CPU/GPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G/Adreno 618
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB (UFS 2.1)
- Battery: Li-Po 3,140mAh (Non-removable)
- Rear Camera(s): 12.2 MP (f/1.7) with dual pixel PDAF and OIS | Video: 4K@30fps, 1,080@30/60/120fps with gyro-EIS
- Front-Facing Camera(s): hole-punch 8 MP (f/2.0) camera with Auto HDR | Video: 1080@30fps
- Price: $349
iPhone SE
Owning an iPhone has got a lot more affordable with Apple's aggressive move to launch iPhone SE. Pitted directly as a competitor to the Pixel 4A, iPhone SE scores with its unique features like water-resistant design and wireless charging.
The overall performance as well as the attractive design will leave you with nothing to complain about and the cameras won't disappoint either.
With the iPhone SE you unlock Apple's superior processing power courtesy the A13 Bionic chip, which impresses in benchmark scores. The phone excels in video quality and selfies that are worth the money you spend on this device.
- Release Date: April 24, 2020
- Operating System: iOS 13
- Display: 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD capacitive screen having 750 x 1,334 resolution (@ 326 ppi)
- CPU & GPU: Apple A13 Bionic/4-core Apple GPU
- RAM: 3GB
- Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
- Battery: 1,821mAh
- Rear Camera(s): 12 MP (f/1.8) sensor with PDAF and OIS | Video: 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps with HDR and OIS
- Front-Facing Camera(s): 7 MP (f/2.2) sensor with HDR and face detection | Video: 1080p@30fps with gyro-EIS
- Price: $399/$499/$549 for 64GB/128GB/256GB respectively
Samsung Galaxy A71 5G
Samsung has brought some nifty improvements to the Galaxy A71 5G phone when compared to the Galaxy A51. The smartphone grows on the proving performance of the past Galaxy series phones.
It brings a competitive package of performance and design for the users at a very competitive price that makes owning a Samsung phone more delightful.
The Galaxy A71 has a long-lasting battery performance and a beautiful display best suited for viewing multimedia content.
The camera performance of the phone is also good along with the impressive build quality, which makes it an option that's hard to deny.
- Release Date: 17 January 2020
- Operating System: Android 10 | One UI 2
- Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O screen
- CPU & GPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Adreno 620
- RAM: 6GB/8GB
- Storage: 128GB (UFS 2.1 storage)
- Battery: 4,500mAh
- Rear Camera(s): 64 MP (f/1.8) primary sensor with PDAF, 12 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide sensor, 5MP (f/2.4) macro and 5MP (f/2.2) depth sensor | Video 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/240fps, 1080p@960fps with gyro-EIS
- Front-Facing Camera(s): 32 MP (f/2.2) | Video: 1080p@30fps
- Price: $600
OnePlus Nord
OnePlus seemed like taking another path with the release of flagship 8 series phones. With Nord, the brand has made a comeback to the roots, which actually defined its success all these years.
OnePlus Nord is another phone right in the mix with Pixel 4A and iPhone SE when we consider hardware and software environment. The phone impresses with its design and user-friendly, smooth UI which is unparalleled.
Nord has debuted in the European and Indian markets while availability in the US is still unconfirmed. A Nord Beta Program of 50 people initiated in the US and Canada hints at a future release in these markets too.
OxygenOS is one of the most fluid software skins out there for Android phones and Nord also benefits from the perks. Combined with the stellar hardware specifications, excellent display quality and good cameras, Nord is a good package to own.
- Release Date: August 04 2020
- Operating System: Android 10 | OxygenOS 10.5.4
- Display: 6.44-inch Fluid AMOLED screen having 1,080 x 2,400 resolution (@408 ppi density) with 90Hz refresh rate
- CPU & GPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Adreno 620
- RAM: 6GB/8GB/12GB
- Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB (UFS 2.1 storage)
- Battery: 4,115mAh
- Rear Camera(s): 48 MP (f/1.8) primary sensor with PDAF and OIS, 8 MP (f/2.3) ultra-wide sensor, 5 MP (f/2.4) depth sensor and 2MP (f/2.4) macro sensor | Video: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps with gyro-EIS
- Front-Facing Camera(s): 32 MP (f/2.5) sensor and 8 MP (f/2.5) ultra-wide sensor | Video: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps
- Price: ~ $480 – $590
Nokia 8.3 5G
HMD has brought the Nokia 8.3 5G as a high mid-range offering for buyers who demand amazing performance. The maker is clearly proud about the camera setup on the phone and the design that looks premium.
The large display means the phone is ideal for a wonderful multimedia viewing experience. Overall it is a decent phone to keep you satisfied in terms of performance.
The Carl Zeiss camera sensor on the phone promises excellent photo quality in every lighting condition. Another advantage comes in the form of impressive battery pack and the bold design, which stands out from the others.
Given the past record, as far as prompt updates are concerned, one can be rest-assured about upfront software updates.
- Release Date: Expected September 2020
- Operating System: Android 10 | Android One
- Display: 6.81-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen having 1080 x 2400 resolution (@386 ppi density)
- CPU & GPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Adreno 620
- RAM: 64GB/128GB
- Storage: 6GB/8GB
- Battery: 4,500mAh
- Rear Camera(s): Zeiss optics 64 MP (f/1.9) main sensor with PDAF, 12 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide sensor with AF, 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro sensor | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps with gyro-EIS
- Front-Facing Camera(s): Zeiss optics 24 MP (f/2.0) sensor | Video: 1080p@30fps
- Price: $550-$600
Verdict
The above mentioned phones are all worth their weight and depending on what you actually demand from the device, the buying decision should be made. As for us, the choice is hard but the winner is Pixel 4A for its sheer value for money proposition.
The phone is closely followed by iPhone SE which brings high performance to the table along with a camera setup which will let you explore the creative side.