According to a study by UFC-Que Choisir*, a French consumer spends an average of 326 euros per year on the purchase of their smartphone. A budget far from very high-end models sold for more than 1000 euros. Some manufacturers have understood that most users are looking above all for good value for money. In 2019 and then 2020, smartphone models for less than 300 euros multiplied thanks, in particular, to the aggressive strategies of Chinese manufacturers.
Xiaomi is one of the most prolific brands (you will understand this by following this guide) but some competitors manage to hold their own. In the ocean of models available, it is not always easy to get by to regain. To help you choose, we have therefore selected the best smartphones for less than 300 euros available in 2021. All the models in this comparison have been tested (or are being tested) by the editorial staff.
Top 5 best smartphone under 300 euros:
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
- realme 8 Pro
- Poco X3
- Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
- Google Pixel 4a
If you want to go on a higher budget, here are our other smartphone guides:
Contents
1- Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
The best smartphone under 300 euros for the screen, autonomy and photo
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro © Xiaomi
Like the Redmi Note 9 Pro and Note 8 Pro before it, the Redmi Note 10 Pro takes the lead in our ranking of the best smartphone under 300 euros. Xiaomi is definitely a master in the art of offering smartphones with excellent value for money.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro stands out first with its 6.67” FHD+ AMOLED screen. If the manufacturer is satisfied with a refresh rate of 60 Hz (at this price nothing more normal), it pushes the touch sampling to 240 Hz and certifies the whole HDR10.
Buy the Redmi Note 10 Pro
Under the hood, the Redmi Note 10 Pro houses a Snapdragon 732G chip (optimized for gaming) accompanied by 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of storage. Above all, it has a 5020 mAh battery ensuring excellent autonomy. It can be recharged using a supplied 33W charger. Small additional luxury: it embeds stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm jack.
Xiaomi has especially pushed all the sliders to the maximum in the field of photography. The Redmi Note 10 Pro has a quadruple sensor, including a main one of 108 Mpxl. It is completed by an ultra wide-angle associated with an 8 Mpxl sensor, a macro lens with 8 Mpxl sensor and a 2 Mpxl depth sensor. Marketed from 279 euros, there is not even a debate.
And if your budget is more limited, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 remains a good alternative. The compromises made by the manufacturer remain minimal. The price is even sweeter.
Redmi Note 10 Pro at the best priceBase price: €299 eBay-9%€272Check offer Amazon-7%€279Check offer Cdiscount€320Check offer Darty€329Check offer See more offers< h2>2- realme 8 Pro
The best smartphone under 300 euros for fast charging
© Presse-CitronJust announced, the realme 8 Pro made a strong impression on us. We will skip over its very questionable design and focus instead on its versatility. It is so attractive that it could even have won first place in this ranking from the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Like Xiaomi's smartphone, the realme 8 Pro sports a beautiful 6.4 "Super AMOLED screen with Full HD + definition, the all HDR10+ certified. Like its compatriot realme also takes care of the audio part and certifies its Hi-Res Audio smartphone, nothing less.
If the Snapdragon 720G chip proves to be a fair bit for gaming, the realme 8 Pro does well on other points. For example, it is very durable and has SuperDart Charge technology (50W) allowing it to fill up with energy in just over 30 minutes. Add to that a realme UI 2.0 interface, which is undoubtedly among the best Android overlays, as well as incomparable photo and video quality in this price segment.
For 299 euros, realme's proposal is undoubtedly among the most interesting in this best smartphone comparison under 300 euros.
Realme 8 Pro at the best priceBase price: €299 Amazon-10%€270Check offer eBay-6%€282Check offer Cdiscount€315Check offer See more offers3- Poco X3< /h2>
The best smartphone under 300 euros for autonomy
The back of the Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC
Launched in early September 2020, the Poco X3 is part of the Xiaomi family. After a successful Poco F1 and a more discreet Poco F2, the manufacturer is back with a Poco X3 which deserves its place in this top best smartphone under 300 euros. Do not be fooled by its price of 229 euros, the smartphone has it underfoot. Behind a rather conventional design (apart from its original photo module), the Poco X3 contains a mid-range Snapdragon 732G chip. If he is not particularly good with 3D games, he is present in all daily uses.
Buy the Poco X3
Unlike realme, Xiaomi chose a screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. But to contain costs, the manufacturer had to opt for a 6.67-inch LCD panel (punched) instead of the 'AMOLED. Not to be offended since the display quality is very good. The Poco X3 has a quadruple photo module (a wide-angle, an ultra-wide-angle, a macro and a ToF) giving it a certain versatility. Like most models at this price, it does not work miracles in low light but allows you to obtain generally correct shots.
The real strong point of this Poco X3 is its autonomy. Count more than two days for versatile use. Xiaomi provides a bonus 33 W charger to recharge the 5160 mAh battery in just over an hour. Take advantage of it, its successor has just been announced, so its price should drop significantly.
Best Price Poco X3 NFC 64GBBase Price: €229 eBay-14%€198Check Deal Amazon-4%€219Check Deal See More DealsBest Price Poco X3 NFC 128GBBase Price: €269 eBay-26%€199Check the Amazon offer€275Check the offer See more offers4- Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
The best smartphone under 300 euros for 5G and performance
© Lemon squeezer
Before getting to the heart of the matter, it should be noted that the Galaxy A42 5G exceeds the budget of this best smartphone comparison under 300 euros by a few tens of euros. Just launched, it is offered at a price of 379 euros. But it's Samsung's most affordable 5G smartphone, so the price should come down fairly quickly.
The Galaxy A42 5G is therefore distinguished by its contained price, but not only. In addition to embedding 5G, it is particularly efficient and even stands out as the most powerful smartphone in its category. Very durable, it inherits Samsung's One UI overlay, undoubtedly one of the best versions of Android to date.
Add to that an attractive design and a good camera and you get a very complete smartphone for an affordable price. What more ?
Galaxy A42 5G at the best priceBase price: €379 Samsung€379Check offer Rakuten-18%€309Check offer eBay-13%€330Check offer See more offers5- Google Pixel 4a
The best smartphone under 300 euros for photography
© Lemon squeezer
While the Pixel 4a 5G has been available since October 2020, the Pixel 4a has seen its price drop sharply. So now is the time to jump on Google's little bombshell. Whether it's a gift for you or a loved one, it has its place under the tree.
In this price range, it's hard to do better than Google. The American giant delivers a smartphone with exemplary finishes with a high-flying 5.7-inch OLED screen. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 730G chip ensures in all circumstances and the almost pure Android interface is a daily treat. Add to that a correct autonomy (a day and a half) and a fast recharge allowing it to gain all its life points in 1h30 and we have all the ingredients of an excellent smartphone.
Buy the Pixel 4a
All? And then the photo? Do we really have to remember that Google has become a master in the art of manufacturing the best smartphone for less than 300 euros for the photo? Although equipped with a single 12 Mpx sensor, the Pixel 4a embeds all of Google's software know-how. Also, the optimization of the camera is exemplary. The Pixel 4a stands out, by far, as the best photophone in its category. And if some will criticize him for his lack of versatility, the quality of the photos is such that one would lose his Latin.
Conclusion: the best smartphone under 300 euros has little to envy to Premium models
The advantage of the Android ecosystem is that it is very fertile, and that the more people there are in the market, the lower the prices. However, the low prices charged by the manufacturers of this top best smartphone for less than 300 euros are obliged to offer a few more things to exist against the competition. Which means that by doing some research, you can find, despite the price, smartphones that have almost nothing to envy to Premium flagships, except for a few compromises.
Currently the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is undoubtedly the smartphone closest to this ideal. This is also why we put it at the top of this best smartphone comparison for less than 300 euros. But if you want to focus on the photo and the pure Android experience, the Pixel 4a is an advantageous alternative, for example. You can even, at this price, have 5G by simply going to Samsung. You now know the best smartphones under 300 euros, according to our modest experience.
Of course, this guide will be updated regularly with the hottest models of the moment. So, which smartphone under 300 euros appeals to you the most? Give your opinion in the comments.