Modern phones are incredibly capable devices, but they generally aren’t cheap. It’s not uncommon for high-end handsets to cost well over £1,000/$1,000.
But what if you could get this high-end hardware at a fraction of the price? This is exactly what the best mid-range phones achieve, offering a great all-round experience at a much more affordable price.
To be eligible for selection, phones had to be priced between £250/$250 and £700/$700 when purchased at launch. And these three handsets stood out from the rest.
Check out all of this year’s Tech Advisor Best of 2024-25 award winners.
Best New Mid-Range Phone of the Year – Winner: OnePlus Nord 4
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
OnePlus released its first Nord phone in 2020, but this fourth generation has taken the phone to a new level.
The Nord 4 is the first 5G phone to offer a metal unibody design, while the build quality is among the best of any handset. Combined with an excellent 6.74-inch display, excellent main camera, and solid battery life, OnePlus has nailed the hardware.
The Nord 4 is the first 5G phone to offer a metal unibody design, while the build quality is among the best on any handset.
The software isn’t bad either, with OnePlus’ OxygenOS skin on Android and six full years of updates. But when everything else is so good, it’s a small price to pay.
Read our full OnePlus Nord 4 review.
£429
Best new mid-range phone of the year – First runner-up: Xiaomi 14T
Luc Boulanger
If you’re willing to pay a little more for a mid-range phone, the Xiaomi 14T is a good choice.
It continues Xiaomi’s tradition of offering all the fundamentals of the flagship series at an incredibly low price. The 14T combines a sleek design with a great screen and some of the best cameras of any mid-range phone.
You also get solid performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra chipset and solid battery life, as well as support for 67W fast charging (but not wireless charging).
Xiaomi’s HyperOS software includes useful Google AI features like Circle to Search and Gemini, although its own artificial intelligence isn’t as good.
However, for the price you pay, the Xiaomi 14T is still a great choice.
Read our full Xiaomi 14T review.
Best New Mid-Range Phone of the Year – Runner-Up: Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
Luc Boulanger
Samsung’s Galaxy A series phones have been reliable, inexpensive handsets for some time, and the Galaxy A35 5G continues that tradition.
It offers everything most people want in a phone – powerful cameras, a quality screen, and good battery life – at a surprisingly low price.
Samsung also excels on the software side, with an intuitive user interface that will be familiar to many. You also get four major operating system updates and five years of security patches.
The performance of Samsung’s Exynos 1380 chipset isn’t bad, but you will notice a downgrade compared to flagships. The build quality isn’t exactly the most premium either.
But these are small prices to buy for an impressive all-rounder with longevity on its side.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy A35 5G review.
$324.99
For other great options, check out our complete guide to the best mid-range phones you can buy. You might also be interested in all 2023-2024 winners.
