© Lemon squeezer
According to a study by the UFC-What to choose*, a French consumer spends on average 326 euros per year on the purchase of their smartphone. A budget far from the very high-end models sold for more than 1,000 euros. Some manufacturers have understood that the majority of users are primarily looking for good value for money. Between 2020 and 2022, smartphone models priced at less than 300 euros have multiplied thanks, in particular, to the aggressive strategies of Chinese manufacturers. But the year 2023 saw a rise in prices against a backdrop of inflation. In 2024, however, there are some pretty interesting choices.
Xiaomi is among the most prolific brands (you will understand this by following this guide) but certain competitors like Honor (which more or less takes over from Huawei) manage to do well. In the ocean of models available, it is not always easy to find your way around. To help you choose, we have therefore selected the best smartphones under 300 euros that we can recommend purchasing in 2024. All models in this comparison have been tested (or currently being tested) by the editorial staff.
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Top 3 best smartphone under 300 euros:
- Honor Magic5 Lite
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
- Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
If you can go with a higher budget, here are our other smartphone guides:
The best smartphone under 300 euros for screen, battery life and photo< /p>
© HONOR
Don't let yourself be intimidated by the term “Lite”, because the Honor Magic5 Lite ultimately has little to envy of many models more premium. Even if, inevitably, the brand had to cut a few corners to arrive at this proposal.
It starts with a magnificent 120 Hz AMOLED screen of 6.67″ (which is better than many iPhones in circulation!) for smoother animations. The Magic5 also has a triple main photo sensor which includes a very capable 64 Mp sensor, followed by a 5 Mp ultra-wide angle/macro and telephoto lens plus accessories.
In addition, this smartphone, built around a Snapdragon 695 5G chip from Qualcomm (engraved in 6 nm), is rather powerful and energy efficient. An important point when we know that the brand has integrated a particularly generous 5 100 mAh battery.
The best Redmi smartphone for value for money in 2024
© Xiaomi
Xiaomi's Redmi range is always an opportunity to get good deals, and the Redmi 12 is no exception to the rule. Offered at a price completely within the price range of this comparison, the model offers a 6.67″ 120 Hz particularly bright (up to 1,200 nits).
On the photo side we have a triple sensor, dominated by the 48 Mp main lens. Added to this is an 8 Mp ultra-wide angle, and a somewhat anecdotal 2 Mp macro lens (the latter does the job, but don't expect high quality photos… ). A little extra that will please some: this is one of the last smartphones on the market to offer a 3.5 mm audio jack.
Beyond that, we have a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 (6nm) chip, a little less efficient than that of the Magic5 (although most users should not notice a big difference). It has 5G, and thanks to its 5,000 mAh battery it offers autonomy of at least a day with intense use. The brand also offers 33W wired fast charging which allows you to reach 50% in just 22 minutes.
The best smartphone under 300 euros for the 120 Hz screen
© Samsung
The Galaxy A range at Samsung is also a great bargain for those who want to buy a cheaper smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy A33 thus offers very good services for a fairly attractive price from this manufacturer.
There we find a Super AMOLED screen manufactured by Samsung (whose excellence on this type of components is known) – which somewhat compensates for the fact that it only offers a 90 Hz refresh rate. In the photo part we have a quadruple sensor which resembles the characteristics of what the Redmi Note 12 offers, except that Samsung adds a 2 Mp depth sensor, which makes the clipping of subjects more precise and therefore avoids most of the unsightly artifacts when the smartphone adds a blur in the background.
The chip is rather efficient, since we are talking about an Exynos 1280 engraved in 5 nm. To give you an idea, the smartphone has performance comparable to models that feature a Snapdragon 778G chip. Here again, Samsung offers a generous 5 000 mAh – but also 25 W wired fast charging.
The advantage of the Android ecosystem is that it is very fertile, and the more people there are on the market, the more prices are falling. However, needless to say, inflation has happened, which significantly reduces the supply available in 2024 in this price bracket.
Currently the Honor Magic 5 Lite is undoubtedly the smartphone closest to the services offered by the most premium models. This is why we put it at the top of this comparison of the best smartphone under 300 euros. It indeed offers an exceptional AMOLED screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate, a rather powerful Snapdragon 695 5G chip in addition to being optimized for gaming.
All with a huge 5 100 mAh battery which will allow you not to carry the charger with you all the time. However, on top of that we even find a 64 Mp sensor to take incredible photos for a smartphone of this price.
Xiaomi also offers a beautiful AMOLED screen and ultra-fast charging, but we already feel that the compromises are a little more clear-cut. Its Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 (6 nm) chip is slightly slower, and the photo part, while still astonishing for this price bracket, is a few notches lower.
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G is the most balanced smartphone in this comparison. You now know the best smartphones under 300 euros. Obviously, this guide will be updated regularly with the hottest models of the moment. So, which smartphone for less than 300 euros appeals to you the most? Give your opinion in the comments.
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