Best Midrange Smartphones: 2021 saw the release of some really incredible midrange smartphones. This year, smartphones in this segment saw major improvements in their display quality, camera, battery, and price cut and this made them very competitive.
The production of better chipsets also made it very interesting. So, here are the top 10 best mid-range smartphones in 2021 that you can buy in 2022. If you can’t afford the premium phones, then you will get really good value for money, the same user experience buying any of these smartphones.
See Also: Best Phones 2021: Top 10 best flagship smartphones of the Year
Best Midrange smartphones of 2021
10. TCL 20 Pro
The TCL 20 Pro sits at the 10th position on this list. This does not mean it’s a bad device. In fact, there are good reasons why you should buy this device. It features the Snapdragon 750G 5G chip paired with 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Its main 48MP rear camera comes with an OIS feature accompanied by a 16MP ultra-wide lens, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor. Upfront, it has a 32MP camera for selfies and you can record 4k videos with the main camera.
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Its display size is a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel, FHD+ resolution, and HDR10 support. There is a 3.5mm jack port, has support for NFC, 5G network, sensors, and it runs Android 11 out of the box on top of TCL UI. Its battery is 4,500mAh with 18W charging.
Buy TCL 20 Pro
| Buy TCL 20 Pro | Price |
| Buy from BestBuy | $499.99 |
| Buy From eBay | $641.62 |
| Buy Amazon US | $529.99 |
One of the let down of this device is the lack of IP rating. It’s not certified to water or dust resistant which phones in the top 5 of this list have. But, it’s quite affordable considering the 256GB of storage starts at $499 on Amazon.
9. Honor 50
Honor 50 is another interesting midrange smartphone to buy in 2022. After cutting ties with Huawei, Honor smartphones now have access to Google Mobile Services which now makes smartphones from the brand easy to recommend.
The Honor 50 features a massive 108MP main camera with 8MP ultra-ide lens, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor. Then there is a 32MP front-facing camera. The rear camera can shoot 4k video and comes with gyro-EIS for video stability.
In the display department, the Honor 50 really impressed me. It features a 6.57-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its chipset is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chip which is better than the chip in the TCL 20 Pro above.
This smartphone runs Android 11 out of the box, it’s powered by a 4,300mAh battery with a 66W fast charge, and has support for Google Mobile Services. Its RAM size is up to 8GB and storage is up to 256GB.
Buy Honor 50
| Honor 50 | Price |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £379.99 |
| Amazon Germany | €500.13 |
| Buy from eBay | £499.84 |
There is no 3.5mm jack port and it’s not water or dust resistant. But, you can get the 128GB storage for less than $500 and also enjoy a smooth display. Honor 50 is also good for gaming and watching movies. But battery life is not that great so be prepared.
8. OPPO Reno 7 Pro
The OPPO Reno 7 Pro is a power-packed smartphone and if you need a device that gives you extra performance then this is it. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 Max 5G chip which is the third-best chip from MediaTek.
It has a 6.55-inch AMOLED display, FHD+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support. Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 but it has no certified IP rating (not water and dust resistant). But, you can enjoy up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage with this device.
See Also: 9 Best OPPO Phones you can buy in 2021
This smartphone comes with a total of four cameras – three at the back, one upfront. There is a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor at the rear. Upfront it features a 32MP selfie camera and you can record steady 4k videos with the rear camera.
Buy OPPO Reno 7 Pro
| Oppo Reno 7 Pro | Price |
| Buy on Giztop | $699 |
| Buy on Giztop | $759 |
| Buy on Giztop | ₹52,425 |
The battery inside is 4,500mAh with a 65W fast charge and features lots of sensors. You can use this device for heavy gaming and it has fast CPUs for processing. But, there is no IP rating (keep from water and dust) and it has no headphone jack port.
7. OnePlus Nord 2
OnePlus Nord 2 5G makes this list thanks to its 50MP main camera with OIS feature, Fluid AMOLED displays with 90Hz refresh rate, and powerful MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G chipset. This device promises one of the best performances for users.
See Also: 8 Best OnePlus Phones you can buy in 2021
Its processor is very good and has good CPUs and GPUs for gaming. You can shoot steady 4k videos with the rear camera and it features a 32MP front-facing camera. The battery inside is 4,500mAh with a 65W fast charge feature.
It runs Android 11 out of the box and has up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There are a couple of things about the device though.
Buy OnePlus Nord 2
| Buy Nord 2 5G | Price |
| Buy From eBay | £459 |
| Amazon Germany | €399 |
| Buy on Amazon US | $470 |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £388 |
One, it’s not certified to be water and dust resistant, it has no port for headphones, and there have been reports of it exploding in India. So, you might want to look at other options on this list even though this device is very good.
6. Samsung Galaxy A52s
For its chipset, the Samsung Galaxy A52s would have been the best midrange smartphone of 2021. This device checks all the boxes and has an incredible body build and design. And this makes it one of the best phones you can buy even in 2022.
Galaxy A52s is a 5G smartphone, that has a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, it’s rated IP67 which means it’s water and dust resistant, and it also features a 3.5mm jack port. Its battery is 4,500mAH with a 25W charge and it runs Android 11 out of the box.
See Also: Best Samsung phones you can buy in 2021
It also features a quad rear camera with the main 64MP having OIS. And upfront it comes with a 32MP selfie camera and both the back and front camera can shoot 4K videos. The chipset inside is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G which a really good SoC.
Buy Samsung Galaxy A52s
| Buy Galaxy A52s 5G | Price |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £409 |
| Buy on Amazon US | $495 |
| Amazon Germany | €479 |
But for its price, the Samsung Galaxy A52s is one of the most complete midrange smartphones of 2021. It is durable, has a good camera, a really nice display, good battery life, and an impressive user experience.
5. Google Pixel 6
With its impressive cameras, awesome software experience, and new Tensor chip, the Google Pixel 6 is the perfect middle child in the best mid-range smartphones of 2021. It features a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support.
Its camera set up is; a 50MP main camera with Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, and OIS, and 12MP ultra-wide lens. Upfront it comes with an 8MP front camera. Pixel 6 runs Android 12 out of the box and features the new Google Tensor chip paired with 8GB of RAM.
See Also: Best Google Pixel Phones to buy in 2021
This device is water and dust resistant and is powered by a 4,614mAh battery with a 30W charge and 21W wireless charge. Other features include; fingerprint, stereo speakers, always-on display, and protection by Gorilla Glass Victus.
Buy Google Pixel 6
| Buy Pixel 6 | Price |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £699 |
| Buy on Amazon US | $699 |
Google Pixel 6 is the best smartphone with the most incredible software experience for users on this list. It’s also one of the best camera smartphones on the list too. It is also water and dust resistant but you have to say goodbye to the 3.5mm jack port.
4. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
Motorola Edge 20 Pro is one very impressive device on this list. It features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G chip paired with 12GB of RAM, and its display also comes with a 144Hz refresh rate. There is no smartphone on this list with such a feature.
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With this device, you get both a powerful chipset and a higher refresh rate to enjoy using the powerful processor. Its display size is a 6.7-inches OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. The device has a water-repellent design and is protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
It features a 108MP main camera alongside an 8MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom and an OIS feature. Then there is a 16MP ultra-wide to complete the triple rear camera and a 32MP front camera. Both the back and front cameras can record steady 4k videos.
Buy Motorola Edge 20 Pro
| Buy Edge 20 Pro | Price |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £549.99 |
| Amazon Germany | €699.99 |
There is no doubt that the Motorola Edge 20 Pro is one of the best mid-range smartphones of 2021. But, it’s powered by a 4,500mAh battery the 30 charge support. And a 144Hz refresh rate on a 4,500mAh battery is not such a smart move. The battery might drain faster if you decide to use the 144Hz refresh rate all the time.
3. Realme GT Master Explorer
The Realme GT Master Explorer gives you everything you need for a device. It has one of the best display qualities you’ll find in a midrange smartphone in 2021. Realme GT Master Explorer features a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support.
Its camera set up is a 50MP main camera with features such as omnidirectional PDAF and OIS. There is also a 16MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP depth sensor. Upfront it comes with a 32MP selfie camera and you can shoot steady 4k video with the rear camera.
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This device runs Android 11 out of the box, features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G chip, up to 12GB of RAM, and a 4,500mAh battery with a 65W fast charge. It comes with stereo speakers and an NFC feature is available.
Buy Realme GT Mast Explorer
| Buy GT Master Explorer | Price |
| Buy from Giztop | $469.00 |
| Buy from Giztop | $549.00 |
To things missing from this smartphone is a 3.5mm jack port and certified water and dust resistant feature. Every other feature in this device is awesome. Powerful chip, decent battery life, good display quality, and really nice camera.
2. Xiaomi Poco F3
Xiaomi Poco F3 is the most affordable premium midrange smartphone of 2021. This device is dust and splash resistant, comes with a 6.67-inches AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and features the Snapdragon 870 5G chip all for less than $350.
This device offers so much value that it sits as the second-best mid-range smartphone of the year 2021. It is powered by a 4,520mAh battery with 30W charge support. Poco F3 runs Android 11 out of the box and comes with 8GB of RAM paired with up to 256GB of storage.
See Also: 5 Best budget smartphones Under 500 GBP in the UK
The Poco F3 features a triple rear camera set up: a 48MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP depth sensor. It also features a 20MP front-facing camera and the rear camera can record steady 4k video.
Buy Xiaomi Poco F3
| Buy Poco F3 5G | Price |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £359.99 |
| Buy on Amazon US | $449.50 |
| Amazon Germany | €399.90 |
| Buy From eBay | £329.99 |
Granted, the camera setup in this device is not the very best but the performance and user experience you get for the price is truly awesome.
1. Apple iPhone 13
The Apple iPhone 13 is the most powerful mid-range smartphone on earth right now. Its processor is the best in the smartphone industry. Aside from power, this device is also very durable and it also has an impressive display quality.
Apple iPhone 13 is water and dust resistant and its build is Scratch-resistant ceramic glass with oleophobic coating. It features the Apple A15 Bionic chip and runs iOS 15 out of the box paired with 4GB of RAM.
See Also: Best Android phones of 2021: Best Camera, 5G, Value, Budget, and Gaming
When it comes to the camera, it features a 12MP dual rear camera and a 12MP dual front camera. Camera features include; dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS, and can record steady 4k videos. Its battery is 3,240mAh with 20W charging.
Buy Apple iPhone 13
| Buy iPhone 13 | Price |
| Amazon Germany | €799 |
| Buy on Amazon UK | £799 |
| Buy on Amazon US | $799 |
Apple iPhone 13 is the overall best mid-range smartphone you can buy in 2021. It gives an incredible value to users. You get to enjoy wonderful software, powerful processors, nice display and really good cameras.
If you need a more compact phone with the same power then buy the Apple iPhone 13 Mini. But, there is no headphone jack and you don’t get a higher refresh rate with the display.
These are the top 10 best midrange smartphones of 2021 and Apple is at the top with its powerful chip, long-lasting battery, and an impressive camera. The Xiaomi Poco F3 definitely offers so much value for the money and Samsung Galaxy A52s and Pixel 6 Pro are the most complete midrange smartphones of 2021.
Realme GT Explorer and Motorola Edge 20 Pro come with loads of useful features but lacks certified IP ratings. TCL, OnePlus, OPPO, and Honor also made some really impressive midrange phones in 2021.
We hope your dream phone made the list, if not it’s time for you to probably choose a new dream phone. Do you think there is a smartphone that should’ve made the list that isn’t here? Please use the comment section below to let us know.
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