Modern phones are incredibly capable devices, but they usually don’t come cheap. It’s not uncommon for top-of-the-line handsets to cost well over £1,000/$1,000.
But what if you could get that premium hardware at a fraction of the cost? That’s 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 bought outright at launch. And these three handsets stood above the rest.
Find out every winner of this year’s Tech Advisor Best of 2024-25 Awards.
Best New Mid-Range Phone of the Year – Winner: OnePlus Nord 4
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
OnePlus released its first Nord phone back in 2020, but this fourth generation took the phone to a new level.
The Nord 4 is the first 5G phone to offer a metal unibody design, while build quality is among the best on any handset. Combined with an excellent 6.74-inch display, a great main camera and solid battery life, OnePlus has aced the hardware.
The Nord 4 is the first 5G phone to offer a metal unibody design, while build quality is among the best on any handset
The software isn’t bad either, with OnePlus’ slick OxygenOS skin over Android and a full six years of updates. But when everything else is so good, it’s a small price to pay.
Read our full OnePlus Nord 4 review.
Best New Mid-Range Phone of the Year – First Runner-Up: Xiaomi 14T
Luke Baker
If you’re willing to pay a little bit more for a mid-range phone, the Xiaomi 14T is a fine choice.
It continues Xiaomi’s tradition of offering all the fundamentals of the flagship series at an impressively low price. The 14T combines a slick design with an excellent display and some of the finest cameras on any mid-range phone.
You also get strong performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra chipset and solid battery life, plus support for 67W fast charging (but not wireless charging).
Xiaomi’s HyperOS software includes useful Google AI features such as Circle to Search and Gemini, though its own artificial intelligence isn’t quite as successful.
However, for the price you’re paying, the Xiaomi 14T is still a superb choice.
Read our full Xiaomi 14T review.
Best New Mid-Range Phone of the Year – Second Runner-Up: Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
Luke Baker
Samsung’s Galaxy A-series phones have been reliable low-cost handsets for a while, and the Galaxy A35 5G continues that tradition.
It offers everything most people are looking for in a phone – strong cameras, a quality display and strong 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 an impressive four major OS updates and five years of security patches.
Performance from Samsung’s Exynos 1380 chipset isn’t bad, but it is a downgrade you’ll notice compared to flagships. 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.
For more great options, see our full guide to the best mid-range phones you can buy. You may also be interested in all the 2023-24 award winners.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Mobile Editor, Tech Advisor
Anyron is Mobile Editor at Tech Advisor, where he’s been a mainstay of the editorial team since 2019. In his current role, Anyron is responsible for all smartphone, tablet and mobile network coverage on the site. A BA Journalism graduate, he has experience with a wide range of consumer tech products and services, including smartphones, tablets, foldables, wearables and more.