Top 12 Smartphones Under €300: Your Guide to Affordable Excellence in 2024
The price range of less than €300, or around $350, is one of the best-selling smartphone segments. Phones in this price bracket tend to offer attractive price-performance ratios. If you're looking for a solid high-quality smartphone on a budget, the following list of all smartphones for less than €300 reviewed by us may help.
Forget the Flagship Hype: Budget Phones Have Come a Long Way
Between the frequently mentioned flagship smartphones and the inexpensive entry-level class, there are many mainstream smartphones. This ranking includes devices up to €300 that were reviewed by Technetbook over the past few months based on their ratings in our reviews.
Our Top Picks: Budget Smartphone Champions
We've scoured the latest reviews and picked out the best smartphones under €300 based on their performance, features, and overall value.
Rank | Model | Image | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon 778G 5G processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage | Excellent display, fast processor, good value for money, plenty of features | Plastic casing, limited LTE band support | |
2 | Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 6.6-inch Super AMOLED 120Hz display, Dimensity 1080 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable) | Reliable everyday phone, long update guarantee, good camera, IP67 certified, long battery life | Slow charging | |
3 | Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 6.5-inch Super AMOLED 120Hz display, Exynos 1280 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable), audio jack, NFC | Good main camera with OIS, long update guarantee, attractive overall package | Mediocre additional cameras, lacks IP certification, fast Wi-Fi, wireless charging | |
4 | Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 6.5-inch Super AMOLED 120Hz display, Exynos 1280 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable), 6,000mAh battery, IP67 certified | Long battery life, IP certified, good main camera with OIS, precise positioning | Mediocre additional cameras, slow charging | |
5 | Motorola Moto G73 5G | 6.5-inch IPS 120Hz display, Dimensity 930 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage (expandable), audio jack, dual speakers | Well-rounded package, long battery life, good daylight camera, loud speakers | Not IP rated, display not as bright as AMOLED, no Ultra HD video recording | |
6 | Motorola Moto G84 | 6.5-inch pOLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, 5,000mAh battery, 50MP main camera with OIS | Bright display, good battery life, precise positioning, generous memory, fast charging | Mediocre loudspeaker | |
7 | Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 6.67-inch display, 5,100mAh battery, Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable), IR blaster | Slim design, long battery life, bright display, good performance | Mediocre additional cameras, high-frequency PWM dimming | |
8 | Motorola Moto G34 5G | 6.5-inch HD 120Hz display, Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable), eSIM support, stereo speakers | Affordable, eSIM support, good main camera, long battery life, stereo speakers | Mediocre additional camera, limited update supply | |
9 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G | 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable), audio jack, IR blaster | Well-equipped, good value, good camera, long battery life, fast charging | Runs older Android version (Android 12), lacks some high-end features | |
10 | Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, Helio G99 processor, 12GB RAM, 512GB storage (expandable), 5,000mAh battery, fast charging | Comprehensive features, good performance, large storage, long battery life, fast charging | Outdated communication equipment (Wi-Fi 5, LTE), not very precise positioning | |
11 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, MediaTek Dimensity 6080 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage | Excellent display, fast performance, good value, lots of storage | Camera quality could be better | |
12 | Vivo V40 SE 5G | 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage | Good performance, excellent battery life, vibrant display, 5G connectivity | Camera quality could be better |
Size Comparison
To get a better sense of how these phones compare in terms of size, here's a table with their dimensions:
Model | Height | Width | Thickness | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 162.91 mm | 76.03 mm | 7.9 mm | 181 g |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 161.3 mm | 78.1 mm | 8.2 mm | 199 g |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 161 mm | 76.5 mm | 8.3 mm | 197 g |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 161.7 mm | 77.2 mm | 8.8 mm | 208 g |
Motorola Moto G73 5G | 161.42 mm | 73.84 mm | 8.29 mm | 181 g |
Motorola Moto G84 | 160 mm | 74.4 mm | 7.6 mm | 166.8 g |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 161.6 mm | 73.9 mm | 7.9 mm | 175 g |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 162.7 mm | 74.7 mm | 8.2 mm | 179 g |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G | 165.9 mm | 76.2 mm | 8 mm | 189 g |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 161.1 mm | 74.95 mm | 7.98 mm | 181 g |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 165.9 mm | 76.2 mm | 7.6 mm | 174.5 g |
Vivo V40 SE 5G | 165.9 mm | 76.2 mm | 7.99 mm | 191 g |
Test Results: Smartphone Performance Comparison
Curious about how these smartphones stack up in terms of technical performance? We've compiled some key test results to give you a better understanding of their capabilities.
Performance Benchmarks
These benchmarks provide a comparative view of the smartphones' processing power, graphics performance, and overall system responsiveness.
3DMark
Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Model | Score |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 5341 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 4321 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 3804 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 3856 Points |
Motorola Moto G73 5G | 2589 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 3073 Points |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 3106 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G | 2709 Points |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 2634 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 2818 Points |
Wild Life Score
Model | Score |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 2465 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 2279 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 2367 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 2321 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 1203 Points |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 1209 Points |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 1212 Points |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 1233 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 1330 Points |
Wild Life Extreme
Model | Score |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 687 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 640 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 640 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 639 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 361 Points |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 360 Points |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 364 Points |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 345 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 368 Points |
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Model | Score |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 681 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 622 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 631 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 624 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 352 Points |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 352 Points |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 354 Points |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 335 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 360 Points |
Wild Life Unlimited Score
Model | Score |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 2434 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 2220 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 2401 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 2285 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 1193 Points |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 1199 Points |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 1206 Points |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 1221 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 1316 Points |
Antutu v9
Total Score
Model | Score |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 540593 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 472321 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 434975 Points |
Motorola Moto G73 5G | 430895 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 416086 Points |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 395991 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 402681 Points |
PUBG Mobile
HD (Frame Rate)
Model | Frame Rate |
---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 40 fps |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 40 fps |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 30 fps |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 30 fps |
Motorola Moto G73 5G | 30 fps |
Motorola Moto G84 | 30 fps |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 30 fps |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G | 60 fps |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 29.9 fps |
Geekbench 5.5
Model | Single-Core Score | Multi-Core Score |
---|---|---|
Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | 789 Points | 2987 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A34 5G | 782 Points | 2315 Points |
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | 751 Points | 2042 Points |
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | 740 Points | 2031 Points |
Motorola Moto G73 5G | 698 Points | 1909 Points |
Motorola Moto G84 | 674 Points | 1839 Points |
Honor Magic5 Lite 5G | 666 Points | 1891 Points |
Motorola Moto G34 5G | 676 Points | 1794 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G | 642 Points | 1954 Points |
Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro | 551 Points | 1903 Points |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G | 593 Points | 1943 Points |
Remember that these benchmarks provide a general indication of performance. Real-world experience can vary depending on individual usage patterns and specific app demands.
Choosing the Right Phone for You
So, how do you choose the best budget smartphone for your needs? Consider these factors:
- Display: AMOLED displays offer vibrant colors and deep blacks, while IPS displays are more affordable but offer less color accuracy.
- Processor: For everyday tasks and basic apps, a mid-range processor will be more than sufficient.
- Camera: If photography is important to you, look for a phone with a good main camera and features like OIS (Optical Image Stabilization).
- Battery Life: Battery life varies depending on usage. Look for phones with a large battery capacity and fast charging capabilities.
- Storage: Consider how much storage you'll need for photos, videos, and apps. Some phones offer expandable storage via microSD cards.
Final Thoughts: The Budget Phone Revolution
Don't be fooled by the hype around expensive flagship phones. The world of budget smartphones is packed with exceptional choices that offer incredible value for money.
Happy shopping!