Ranking: Best smartphones for under 200 dollars/euros

The Xiaomi Poco M7 Pro presents itself as the display king with its almost 1,200 cd/m² bright 120Hz AMOLED panel. It also has a very solid plastic casing that protects against splash water. The built-in mid-range SoC MediaTek Dimensity 7025 is an upgrade to the Helio G99 of the predecessor. The long battery life of 17.5 hours is also impressive - as are the good stereo speakers.

Apart from the lack of eSIM, Android 14 and WiFi 5, there is hardly anything to complain about with the Poco M7 Pro.

The Poco M7 Pro from Xiaomi is available in the basic configuration with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB ROM (expandable via microSD) for 190 euros on Amazon.

The CMF Phone 1, a subsidiary of Nothing, stands out with its modular design and solid hardware. It features a 90 Hz OLED display with nearly 1,200 nits brightness and a fast MediaTek Dimensity 7300.

Its modular back panel allows for easy customization with different colors and accessories like a fold-out stand or carrying strap. However, despite its design, the battery remains inaccessible.

The CMF Phone 1 offers good cameras and an 18.5-hour battery life, but lacks NFC and only supports WiFi 5. It supports 5G, dual SIM, and microSD expansion. Currently, it costs 239 euros, having recently risen from 198 euros.

The IP54-certified plastic case is sturdy and slimmer than its predecessors. It includes NFC, an IR blaster, a 3.5 mm jack, and dual nanoSIM with microSD support, though eSIM and WiFi 6 are missing.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G features a bright 120 Hz AMOLED display, well-calibrated at 965 cd/m². Its MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset is significantly faster than the Snapdragon 685 4G in its predecessor, offering solid mid-range performance, paired with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage.

The cameras perform decently in good lighting, but the ultra-wide lens is basic. Despite good localization and low heat buildup, pre-installed ads and a quiet earpiece are drawbacks. 

The base model costs 209 euros at Alternate.

Weighing just under 200 g, the Samsung Galaxy A26 does a lot of things right, for example with its bright 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with a brightness of over 920 cd/m². The long-lasting updates including 5 years of security patches are also particularly pleasing. The built-in SoC Exynos 1380 offers solid mid-range performance, especially for around 200 euros - but small stutters have to be forgiven.

There is also 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of memory, which can be expanded via a microSD card slot. Depending on the scenario, you can expect a battery life of around 13 to 16 hours. The 50 MP main camera comes with OIS and offers very good low-light performance. The back made of Gorilla Glass Victus+, IP67 certification and AI functions have also been improved compared to its predecessor - the mono speaker and deleted jack are setbacks.

For around 200 euros, the Galaxy A26 really offers a lot, but it charges slowly and lacks WiFi 6 and wireless charging.

The price for the Galaxy A26 is currently 208 euros.

The latest instalment in the Xiaomi Redmi Note series comes with a 120 Hz AMOLED display with a brightness of almost 1,150 cd/m², which is 200 cd/m² brighter than its predecessor. The Dimensity 7025 MediaTek SoC is around 20 percent faster than the chip in the Note 13 5G. It is also interesting to note that the version with 8 GB RAM is often the cheaper one. The 128 GB internal storage of the basic version can be expanded via a micro SD card.

The fairly light and sturdy plastic casing complies with IP64 certification and you get a 3.5 mm audio port, as well as NFC, IR blaster and two Nano-SIM slots, one of which optionally accepts a microSD card. eSIM is not supported. The selfie camera has been improved and there is now a macro camera with a resolution of 2 MP.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 5G does not throttle and offers security updates until 2029, but the ads are annoying and the battery life is mediocre.

In Germany, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 5G is currently available with 8 GB of RAM and 128 of GB storage for 198 euros.

The Motorola Moto G85 features a nearly borderless 6.67-inch 120 Hz P-OLED display with a brightness of almost 1,200 cd/m². Weighing just 171 grams, it runs pure Android, similar to the G84 model. However, it lacks water and dust protection but supports NFC, nano-SIM, and dual SIM via eSIM. The Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 provides solid mid-range performance.

The Moto G85 offers a stylish and sturdy design, long battery life of 15 to 18 hours, a high-quality display, and sufficient performance.

Drawbacks include noticeable heat buildup under load and camera images that lack detail and sharpness. Still, the G85 remains an excellent choice for under 200 euros.

The Vivo V40 SE 5G features eSIM support, a bright 1,200 cd/m² 120 Hz OLED display, 8 GB RAM, and fast 44W charging. It delivers over 17 hours of battery life.

However, it only supports WiFi 5, has mediocre speakers, and will receive just two major updates up to Android 16.

The V40 SE 5G offers a good main camera and a fairly fast mid-range SoC, but falls short in some details.

It is currently available for 157 euros with 128 of GB storage at Alza.de, though the 5G version has temporarily exceeded 200 euros.

With 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage, a MediaTek Dimensity 7025, the Motorola Moto G55 5G delivers solid performance in the sub-200 euro range.
Storage is expandable via microSD, and the phone supports 5G, Dual SIM, and eSIM. It features a 120 Hz 6.5-inch IPS display, nearly twice as bright as its predecessor at 870 cd/m². Motorola guarantees four years of security patches and two major OS updates. Charging is up to 30 W, but no power adapter is included.

As an entry-level smartphone, the Moto G55 offers a well-rounded package with a decent 50 MP main camera, long battery life, and a durable case with an optional non-slip vegan leather back.

In Germany, the Moto G55 with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage is available from Jacob Electronics for 181 euros.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 LTE improves on its predecessor with a bright 120Hz AMOLED display. It also includes an IR blaster, expandable storage, and a headphone jack. The main camera delivers decent images in good lighting, and the battery lasts over 17 hours.

However, the MediaTek Helio G99 SoC may not provide enough performance reserves for demanding users. Video quality is mediocre, and we experienced occasional Wi-Fi dropouts during testing.

The Redmi Note 14 LTE does many things right, but its SoC is its biggest drawback. Still, it remains a solid choice for many users.

The 8 GB RAM and 256 GB ROM version is currently available on Amazon DE for 179 euros.

The Samsung Galaxy A16 may be at the bottom of our top list, but for a price of 100 to 150 euros it is particularly interesting as it offers 6 years of OS updates, a bright, 6.7-inch 90Hz AMOLED display and a thin, sturdy plastic body. 5G, dual SIM (one can be used as a microSD slot), NFC, precise GPS and a fast fingerprint sensor are also included.

However, the jack connection has been removed and you have to make do with 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. The main camera also takes good photos in daylight for this price range.

Ultimate price king when on offer - The Samsung Galaxy A16 offers a lot at a particularly low price.

The Samsung Galaxy A16 is available on Amazon for as little as 149 euros - although the historic best price is just over 100 euros.