A great phone doesn’t need to cost a fortune. In 2025, features once exclusive to high-end devices – big batteries, multi-camera arrays, high refresh rate displays and more – have trickled down to more affordable models. Sure, you’ll still need to buy a flagship smartphone to get the best camera or fastest processor, but you don’t need to compromise nearly as much anymore if you’re looking for a great handset at a reasonable price. If you have less than $600 to spend, let us help you figure out what features to prioritize when trying to find the best midrange smartphone.
The best midrange phones for 2025
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Screen size: 6.1 inches | Storage capacity: Up to 256GB | SIM card type: Nano-SIM, eSIM | Front camera resolution: 13MP | Rear camera resolution: 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide | Weight: 6.6 ounces
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review
Google’s A-series Pixels have long been some of the best midrange phones on the market. With the addition of a Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports the same powerful and versatile AI functions you get on Google’s flagship phones along with excellent cameras, a gorgeous 120Hz OLED display and great battery life. The 8a also comes with creature comforts like IP67 dust and water resistance and convenient (but slow) 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging. More importantly, with a $499 starting price, it might be one of the best smartphone deals on the market, period.
- Colorful 120Hz OLED display
- Strong battery life
- Excellent cameras
- Great value
- Slow wireless charging
- Thick bezels
$399 at Amazon
Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget
Read our full iPhone 15 review
Screen size: 6.1 inches | Storage capacity: Up to 512GB | SIM card type: Dual eSIM | Front camera resolution: 12MP | Rear camera resolution: 48MP main, 12MP ultra wide | Weight: 6.02 ounces
Until Apple announces a new iPhone SE, your best bet for an “affordable” option from the company is the iPhone 15. You could save some money by buying an iPhone 14, but we don’t recommend it. The iPhone 14 relies on a Lightning port for wired charging, and in 2025 your next phone – regardless of how much you spend — should have a USB-C port. It will last longer and offer greater compatibility with accessories.
In our review, we called the iPhone 15 the “most substantial update to the regular iPhone in years.” While the overall design and display were familiar, the biggest upgrades came in the camera array and the adoption of the Dynamic Island. You’ll get a 48-megapixel main shooter with a quad-pixel sensor that’s capable of taking better shots in dim lighting. You can also apply portrait mode settings after taking photos with this system, instead of having to choose it before taking a shot. We saw noticeable improvements in photos taken on the iPhone 15 when compared to those taken on the iPhone 14, particularly in low-lighting conditions, so you’re getting a better camera system overall. As for the Dynamic Island, it’s a carry-over feature from Pro-level iPhones that’s genuinely useful here.
The iPhone 15 runs on Apple’s A16 Bionic chipset, and performance is as we expected — solid, with very few instances of running warm during daily use. The smartphone has Apple’s signature “all day” battery life, and we’ve seen it last a little longer than that in our testing. While we understand that $700 isn’t exactly a “midrange” price, we believe the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE, which come in at $600 and $429, respectively, present too many compromises to be worth the cost. If you’re dead set on getting an iPhone but want to spend as little as possible, future you will be grateful that you spent the extra money on the iPhone 15.
- Upgraded camera
- Solid performance
- Dynamic Island is handy
- USB-C charging
- Stale design
- No high-refresh rate display
- USB-C is limited
- Colors are underwhelming
$700 at Apple
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Screen size: 6.7 inches | Storage capacity: Up to 256GB | SIM type: Dual Nano-SIM | Front camera resolution: 32MP | Rear camera resolution: 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide | Weight: 6.7 ounces
Read our Nothing Phone 2a review
If you want something different from your next phone, there are few if any devices out there like the Nothing Phone 2a. It features a translucent plastic back that evokes the design of old Game Boys, allowing you to see some of its internal components, including the NFC antennas. At $349, it’s also one of the best deals in the industry, thanks to a compelling mix of features. The Phone 2a sports a bright 6.5-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also comes with a 5,000mAh battery and decently speedy Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset.
If you can hold off on buying a new phone, Nothing will announce the Phone 3a at the start of March. Once we’ve had a chance to test it, we’ll update this guide to mention whether we recommend it.
- Unique design
- Lightweight
- Surprisingly good performance
- No 5G on AT&T or Verizon
- No wireless charging
- Storage caps out at 256GB
$349 at Nothing
OnePlus
Screen size: 6.72 inches | Storage capacity: 128GB + microSD | SIM card type: Nano-SIM | Front camera resolution: 16MP | Rear camera resolution: 108MP main, 2MP macro | Weight: 6.8 oz
When it first came out, the Nord N30 had basically everything you could want in a phone that cost $300. Its Snapdragon 695 5G chipset delivers strong performance along with speedy wireless connectivity that’s compatible with all the big US carriers, not to mention good specs including 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It also has a big 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is rare on a budget phone as most rivals feature slower 60Hz or 90Hz panels. And thanks to its 50-watt wired charging, you can top it up quickly, too. But most importantly, the Nord 30 recently got a price drop from $300 to $250, making it an unquestionably good deal and our top pick in this space.
- Good performance for the price
- 120Hz display
- 50W wired charging
$202 at Amazon
What is a midrange phone, anyway?
While the term frequently appears in articles and videos, there isn’t an agreed-upon definition for “midrange” beyond a phone that isn’t a flagship or an entry-level option. Most of our recommendations cost between $400 and $600 — any less and you should expect significant compromises. If you have more to spend, you might as well consider flagships like the Apple iPhone 16 and the Samsung Galaxy S25.
What to consider before buying a midrange smartphone
Buying a new device can be intimidating, but a few questions can help guide you through the process. First: what platform do you want to use? If the answer is iOS, that narrows your options down to exactly one phone. (Thankfully, it’s great.) And if you’re an Android fan, there’s no shortage of compelling options. Both platforms have their strengths, so you shouldn’t rule either out.
Of course, also consider how much you’re comfortable spending. Even increasing your budget by $100 more can get you a dramatically better product. Moreover, manufacturers tend to support their more expensive devices for longer. It’s worth buying something toward the top limit of what you can afford.
Having an idea of your priorities will help inform your budget. Do you want a long battery life or fast charging? Do you value speedy performance above all else? Or would you like the best possible cameras? While they continue to improve every year, even the best midrange smartphones still demand some compromises, and knowing what’s important to you will make choosing one easier.
What won’t you get from a midrange smartphone?
Every year, the line between midrange and flagship phones blurs as more upmarket features and specs trickle down to more affordable models. When Engadget first published this guide in 2020, it was tricky to find a $500 phone with waterproofing and 5G. In 2025, the biggest thing you might miss out on is wireless charging – and even then, that’s becoming less true.
One thing your new phone probably won’t come with is a power adapter; many companies have stopped including chargers with all of their smartphones. Performance has improved in recent years, but can still be hit or miss as most midrange phones use slower processors that can struggle with multitasking. Thankfully, their cameras have improved dramatically, and you can typically expect at least a dual-lens system on most midrange smartphones below $600.