Introduction
'Tis the season! Or rather, 'Twas the season, because the end of 2017 flew by us while we were putting the final touches on this buyer's guide. So, we are clearly a bit tardy for a holiday shopping guide but that was more or less intentional on our part. What better time for an overview of what are the best phones to get than the start of the year where all major announcements are well behind us and prices have settled after the holiday shopping frenzy.
As goes the tradition, in this guide we will examine all worthy purchasing options on the market grouped by price. We start at the bottom with sub-€100 phones and work our way up to the flagships. Some categories are downright overflowing with options, while others are less busy, but we think we have something for everyone here.
Hopefully, this will make the information really approachable and help even the most remedial smartphone shoppers out there. Normally, we advise you to pick a price category and also read through the category above and below. This way you make sure you're not spending too much for the features you want or you're not missing out on something great that's just a few bucks above your target budget.
If you are not sure how to make sense out of all the features offered by the smartphones this year, Angie quite recently prepared a nice video, where she explains which are the most important aspects to consider when getting a smartphone so you are not overpaying for features you might not need or appreciate.
The industry push towards mid-range value continues and we have some great phones in the €200, €300 and €400 categories. These get better and better with each passing year and are already at a point where they can all provide a really solid smartphone experience. Long forgotten are the days when mid-rangers all had glaring weaknesses that would drive even a less demanding user insane.
That said, the upper echelons are still where geeks and power users will be doing their shopping, and they have no shortage of options either. In fact, 2017 provided a surprisingly strong flagship roster. All major players have delivered stellar devices - there are no overheating issues, downright poor cameras or sub-par builds to limit the choice.
Still, there's a less exciting financial observation to be made as well. With top-tier devices officially breaking through the mental, as well as quite literal financial bar of $1,000 MSRP, there is no denying the smartphone realm is changing. One of the most notable smartphone trends of the year is the increase in the average price of the most popular phones.
However, while digging deep through listings and offers, we also noticed a disturbing trend of some older devices, becoming more expensive than they were six or so months ago. This means we might just be experiencing a very subtle price hike all throughout the industry, following in the footsteps of the new-found triple-digit flagship price tags.
Before we let you explore the jungle of phones - a few tips are in order. For each device, we've put down the most important specs so that you don't have to bounce between this page and the phone's specs page. We've also listed any potential issues we see with each phone. Those are certainly not deal-breakers, as otherwise the phone wouldn't have been listed in the first place.
We've reviewed many of the phones mentioned here, and for them, we can offer even more insight. This includes screen brightness, battery life, chipset performance, and the cons section is more detailed too.
With that in mind, we hope you have all the information that you need to point you in the right direction. If you are all set, here's the directory of this edition of our buyer's guide. You can jump straight to your target price range:
Alternatively, follow us along as we explore the groups one by one. We start with the sub-€100 phones right after the jump.
Phones under €100
We always find it particularly tough to recommend anything at the very low-end of the smartphone market. Despite the constant efforts of manufacturers like Xiaomi and Meizu to push the envelope, sub-€100 phones that can serve as a daily driver without filling you with red-hot rage at every interaction are rare.
Honestly, when we wrote a buyer's guide a few months ago, we were almost sure that the competitive market and especially among Chinese manufacturers was inching towards delivering usable phones, even in this price bracket. At the very least, we hoped to see things like higher-resolution screens and octa-core chipsets make their way into the hands of the most budget of shoppers. Sadly, this turned out to be wishful thinking.
As we mentioned earlier, we are inclined to at least partially blame the situation on the ever-growing exuberant flagship price tags. After all, if the climate is right and the users happy, why struggle to deliver more for less. It all comes to say that we still can't wholeheartedly recommend any device cheaper than €100.
Previously Microsoft's Windows Phone served the niche, as its lighter footprint made it more tolerable on the limited hardware that the phones here offer. But after the development of the OS by Microsoft got discontinued, there was a transition period where this price group had virtually no good options. Some will undoubtedly scream Tizen here, but that's a platform with limited availability, so it's not an option for most people.
If you really can't spend a dime over €100 and can't get a discount on a more expensive device from your carrier, we will reluctantly provide a few suggestions. But, you are twisting our hands here.
Kicking things off, we have the alcatel Pixi 4 (5). It costs less than €80, and that last five within the brackets denotes it has a 5-inch panel. One with a 480 x 854-pixel resolution, backed by a quad-core chipset, running at 1.3Ghz, 1GB of storage and 2000 mAh battery.
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Truly underwhelming, we know, but the reality is that this is about the hardware you can realistically expect in this price branch. And If you plan on settling for it, you might as well get it for €80, instead of €100. And just in case you were wondering, yes, we know that a Pixi 4 (4) exists and we also thought its smaller screen would make it cheaper. But, turns out, you can't shave all that much more off. So, please just stick to the 5-inch model.
Moving closer to the €100, you could, potentially, afford to bump your viewing experience up to 720p. Enter the Nokia 2. For about €90, it delivers on the promise of HD and even throws in a big 4,100 mAh battery. Other than that, you still have to live with a quad-core Snapdragon 2012, and 8MP camera, 1GB of RAM and, perhaps more worrying - 8GB of storage. The alcatel suffers from the same complication, and unless you are careful with your app selection and count, this can render your device pretty unusable. Both do have a microSD card slot, and your best chance seems to be to home Android's storage adoption feature works for most of your apps.
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We also realize the Nokia 2 has kind of a limited availability at this time - most places besides EU do have it. To cover that niche, there is the Huawei Y5 II 4G. It essentially costs as much as the Nokia and offers nearly the same specs, with a few downgrades, like the battery capacity. If you do go for it, be sure to find the 4G version, as a 3G one does also exist.
Speaking of local availability, if you live in India, an interesting option to potentially consider is the Samsung Galaxy J2 (2017). If you are looking for a compact, sub 5-inch device, it fits the bill perfectly. Especially considering the panel in question is Super AMOLED. Unfortunately, though, you will be giving up some resolution with the underwhelming 540 x 960 pixels its screen has. The rest is a pretty similar setup to what we have seen so far.
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Cough up another €10, and things start to get more interesting. Right at the €100 mark is where the Motorola Moto C Plus resides. It's got a 720p panel, a big 4,000 mAh battery, and a decent 8MP camera, all of which make for a solid offer. To add to that, the Moto C Plus comes with 16GB of storage in its base configuration. That makes it a bit more usable than its 8GB competition.
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And last, but not least, we even have something for the camera buffs. Well, to be fair, at this price, you can't realistically expect much, but the ZTE Blade V7 Line is still about as good as it gets, thanks to its 13MP snapper. It also comes with 16GB of storage standard, but does compromise on battery some, with a 2,500 mAh battery pack.
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This is where we would traditionally put a Xiaomi Redmi model and watch it pretty much blow the competition out of the water. In this case, it would likely be the Redmi 4A. However, the Redmi 5A is right around the corner and offers a few improvements here and there over its predecessor, for the same asking price.
Plus, on a bigger scale, there is still the issue that none of these sub-€100 devices offers a smooth and fluent enough experience to be considered good, even for casual use. On the other hand, for €15 or so more, you can get devices like the Xiaomi Redmi 4 (4X) or even better, the new Redmi 5, with actually usable hardware.
To that end, we will leave you with the same advice as a few months ago: Don't spend less than €100 on a smartphone. Find a way to up your budget just a little and get a device which can hold its own in various use cases. On the next page, we have several great value options lined up.
Phones for €100-€200
If you landed here directly from the home page - Welcome! No need to check the previous page. If you were thorough about it and already read through it, please don't go back. We have some great value options in this price bracket we can recommend with a clean conscience.
Kicking things off, we have the Xiaomi Redmi 4, otherwise known as the Redmi 4X in most Asian markets. You can currently get your hands on the base 2GB/16GB version for as little as €123, and it alone should be enough of a reason not to consider anything below the €100 mark. Besides a pretty decent 720p display, it actually has eight Cortex-A53 cores at its disposal, making it an actually functional device. Plus, it's camera is not half bad either and it is rocking a solid 4,100 mAh battery.
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Frankly, the only reason not to get the Redmi 4 (or 4X) if you are on an extremely tight budget, is because you are waiting on the Redmi 5. It sweetens the deal quite a bit, throwing in a new battery-friendly, Snapdragon 450, 14nm chipset. Not to mention a trendy new 18:9 screen aspect ratio and a substantially bigger panel, overall.
It shouldn't be long now before the Redmi 5 becomes widely available throughout retailers. But, in the meantime, if you are looking for a decent 5.5-inch device and potentially one that is easier to obtain outside of China, the Huawei Y6II Compact seems to be a good bet. Sure, it is a bit older than the Huawei Y6 (2016), but it makes up for that with a bigger display. The same applies to the Huawei P8 Lite.
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Speaking of the P8 Lite, the 2017 version might be worth considering as well. Sure, it will cost you about €30 more than the Huawei Y6II Compact or the Xiaomi Redmi 4, but you do get 3GB of RAM as standard, a 1080p panel and a somewhat better Kirin 655 chip. If you value those enough, €30 doesn't really sound unreasonable.
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But what if 5.5-inches is just a bit too much for your pocket. €130 is still enough to buy you the Moto G5. Its panel might be smaller, but it is also FullHD. We found the Moto camera pretty decent as well. Just don't expect any marathon runs out of the 2,800 mAh battery.
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Moving the budget up a bit more, we find the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X. You can currently find the base 3GB RAM model for around €160. The base model also comes with 32GB of storage.
The Redmi Note 4X has a lot going for it - a decent 5.5-inch display, efficient Snapdragon 625 chipset, serviceable camera, and a beefy 4,100mAh battery. Frankly, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one to every casual user out there. It is a truly versatile device. Just be sure to opt for the Note 4X, over the regular Note 4, since the price difference isn't significant at all, while the former offers a lot more network bands.
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Then again, if you are willing to spring a bit more, it is a slippery slope from there. €30 more and you can get the superb Xiaomi Mi A1. Now, technically, that puts its price at around €209, so we are bending the limits of the price segment a little. Still, there are plenty of options to consider in the sub-€300 range, as it is and you don't want to skip on the Mi A1.
What you are getting on top of the already solid Redmi Note 4X package is more RAM and storage - a whole 64GB of it. Also a notably better 12MP camera - a dual camera setup at that. Phone buffs need not look any further in this price range. To top it all off, the MKi A1 offers the stock vanilla Android experience and will get faster updates thanks to the Android One program.
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And since we are already at the €200 threshold, and perhaps even a bit past It, there are a few other excellent devices worthy of your attention. The Sony Xperia XA1, for instance is a solid all-around option, with only a few minor compromises for its price, like the 720p display and relatively small battery. However, selfie fans will love its 8MP, f/2.0, autofocus front camera and it just might be enough of a reason to pick one up.
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For the AMOLED enthusiasts out there, Samsung has a couple of worthwhile offers around the €200 mark. The Galaxy J5 (2017), for one, has fallen in price quite rapidly. Last time we checked, it was firmly placed in the next price bracket. Now, it deserves a recommendation for its excellent panel, even if it is 720p, as well as for its solid battery life.
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If you are all about endurance, though, and wouldn't mind a slightly bigger Super AMOLED panel, the Galaxy J7 should be right up your alley. Even though it is a year old now and still sports the older plastic design, we still recommend the 2016 model, over its 2017 refresh. The difference between the pair really doesn't go much deeper than cosmetics and it's clear where the better value is. Just be sure to look for the Exynos 7870 14nm version.
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Now that we've sufficiently bent the rules ever so slightly, it is probably time to move on to the €200 to €300 bracket. As promised, it is buzzing with choices.
Phones for €200-€300
We ended the previous section with a few good options from Samsung, but we also bent the financial aspect a little bit. To be frank, the Korean giant's noteworthy offers seem to start around the €210 mark. Also, the company's current lineup seems to have most form factors nicely covered.
At just over €200, the Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is a great compact device. Its 4.7-inch screen diagonal should make it a perfect fit for even the smallest pockets. Still, despite its fun size, it is no slouch and packs an in-house Exynos 7870 chipset. It is the same efficient, 14nm silicon, found in some of its bigger siblings.
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Opting for the latest iteration of the Galaxy A3, also means you are getting the refreshed design and with that - IP68 certification. Since the model has fallen down in price nicely in the last few months, there is really no point in considering the slower, plastic and not as compact J3 (2017) instead.
If a somewhat bigger Super AMOLED panel, is what you are after, it just so happens that the same logic applies to the current Galaxy A5 (2017) iteration as well. Its price has also been coming down nicely, but at €280, or so, we will admit, it is less of an obvious choice compared to the Galaxy J5 (2017).
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The decision whether to same the difference or not, however, should be a fairly easy one: If you care about the FullHD resolution and IP68 rating, get the A5 (2017), otherwise, be frugal.
Moving to bigger still screen diagonals, we already made our recommendation for the older J7 (2016) over the new J7 (2017) (the two are very similar internally). We don't really see ourselves paying €45 or so for a metal body (no IP rating) and FullHD resolution, in this particular case. So, that's the 5.5-inch covered.
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Frankly, in the phablet segment, the Galaxy A7 (2017) still doesn't seem reasonably priced. Samsung does have a couple of excellent 5.7-inch+ options, like the €300 Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro. It is rocking a great 1080p panel and an efficient Snapdragon 626 chipset. The only real issue with it is availability, in that you probably won't be able to find it outside Asia. In other markets, the 6-inch Galaxy A9 Pro (2016) might be a good large-screen Samsung alternative.
But enough about Samsung. Huawei and its Honor sub-brand also have plenty of options in the sub €300 range. In fact, their sheer number and often confusingly similar specs can make it pretty hard to choose the best value option. We think we narrowed it down a bit and we have the reasoning to back it up.
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First on the list is the Huawei P10 Lite. Priced at around €240, it is one of the more popular devices in Huawei's current lineup, especially in Europe. But, you shouldn't necessarily get it over something like the Huawei nova 2 on that merit alone. For one, the nova 2 has a smaller display, and while the allure of a dual camera setup could be strong, its setup with an 8MP supplementary sensor is nothing like that of the regular P10. Hence, we would argue that the P10 Lite is better value. We would probably even go as far as the recommend the older Huawei nova, over the nova 2 for its arguably more important battery-efficient chipset.
Then again, if you are willing to live with older hardware and the potential support hurdles that comes with that, the Honor 8 might be a better option at the end of the day, with its flagship chipset and notable better dual camera setup. You see what we mean, when we say Huawei's roster is a confusing one. You will likely be happy with any of these devices, but we are sticking with the P10 Lite as our primary recommendation here.
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And for the second one, it goes to the Honor 7x. Sure, looking at its 2MP secondary camera, this selection might seem a bit hypocritical in this respect. But other than that, you are getting a well-rounded device, complete with a trendy new ultra-wide FullHD+ display with a 5.93-inch diagonal. Frankly, it played no small part in swaying our opinion in its direction.
Still, it is not among the only good ways of spending €300 on a phone. Surprisingly that's just enough to stretch for some recent flagship offers. The HTC U Ultra, for instance, has had a somewhat rough reception since its release. That, however, is not necessarily a reflection of any major flaw of the device itself but rather of its initial market positioning and high price. In fact, with things like a large 5.7-inch, QHD panel, a secondary AMOLED ticker display, capable OIS-enabled camera and a capable Snapdragon 821 chipset, it is a great productivity tool. And now that it has gone considerably down in pricing, its value proposition is through the roof.
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We were kind of torn about the equally priced ZTE Axon 7 till the very end, but still decided to throw it in the list, now that ZTE has officially promised to deliver an Oreo update for it. Yes, we realize it is a year-old hardware, but its 5.5-inch AMOLED display and amazing stereo speaker setup still make up one of the best multimedia experiences on a smartphone. Now on the cheap, as well.
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There might be a few issues with availability and support though. Speaking of which, it should come as no surprise that Xiaomi has some excellent offers in the sum €300 price bracket as well. To be fair, the Chinese manufacturer has been expanding its retail and support reach rapidly as of late, so the concerns might not be so great any more.
For the right price, while also keeping in mind any potential import charges your country might require, the Mi Max 2 is an excellent hand-stretcher. Joking aside, few devices, €300 or not, can currently deliver such enormous screen real estate. If you have a legitimate use for 6.44 inches and wide enough pockets, get the Mi Max 2.
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The 2017 version has the benefit of an enormous 5,300 mAh battery and an efficient Snapdragon 625 chipset over its predecessor. However, if you value raw performance over lengthy battery endurance, the original Mi Max could be an even better fit. Especially in its Snapdragon 652, "Prime" variant.
To top things off, Motorola has some good options spanning all throughout the €200 to €300 price range. Now, just like with Huawei/Honor roster, we found ourselves in a bit of a pickle looking at Moto and Lenovo devices. To be perfectly frank, we don't have anything bad to say about the Lenovo P2. An AMOLED panel, a large battery, and Snapdragon 625 chipset, currently selling for under €290, what's not to like? The only reason it's not on the list, besides the fact it's a bit older now is Lenovo's decision to stop selling smartphones under its main brand altogether.
We know, it's not that serious of an argument against objectively good hardware, nor is it necessarily a permanent decision. We've seen a lot of back and forth on Lenovo's mobile strategy in the recent past. Still, until we know for sure one way or the other, we decided to limit our recommendation to phones that are properly supported, at least at the time of writing this guide. Like the Moto G5s Plus.
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Out of the entire "G5" family, the G5S Plus is the only one worth its price. €240, in this case. Unlike its Snapdragon 430-equipped siblings, it offers a decent specs sheet, even complete with a dual camera setup. That said, however, the only reason to include it in the list, now that the Xiaomi Mi A1 is out and selling for a lot less is potential availability issues with the later on certain markets. Otherwise, The Mi A1 is the better value option.
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The same logic mostly applies to the €280 Moto Z Play. Not only that, but it is also quite a bit older and lacking a second main camera. So what gives? Well, the Z Play does have the benefit of an AMOLED panel. But, the real reason it deserves an actual consideration is the MotoMod platform compatibility. If you've taken a liking to any particularly interesting peripheral, like a sliding keyboard, a gaming pad, a projector, or a scientific measuring kit, this is the most affordable option to get on board the MotoMod train. You also get great battery life and a nice camera too so you can't go wrong with this one.
Phones for €300-€400
Things are getting pretty heated as we up the pricing a bit more. In the previous category, we saw our first glimpse of flagship devices on a pretty tight budget. There are even more such goodies waiting in the sub-€400 niche. Breaking away from our gradual price increase narrative, we will start things off with the Xiaomi Mi 6.
Despite its specs, which are up there with the best, the Xiaomi Mi 6 also keeps the pricing in check. Sure, the 1080p screen resolution is an easy target for ridicule for some, but others still value it for its battery efficiency alone. Plus, at 5.15 inches in diagonal, the screen certainly looks sharp.
The compact form factor might just be a huge draw for many. Xiaomi has manged to work around it masterfully, still fitting a strong dual 12MP camera setup, a respectable 3,230 mAh battery and stereo speakers in the chassis. Not to mention a no-compromises top-of-the-line Snapdragon 835 chipset and a few little bonuses, like NFC and an IR blaster.
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The Mi 6 could be the cheapest, or at least nearly so, way to get your hands on a Snapdragon 835 and true 2017 flagship internals. Still, just like the HTC U Ultra, we can mostly write this off as a pricing anomaly. A pretty beneficial one, if the Mi 6 fits your needs. But, you can expect more flagships in the next price bracket. In the meantime, there are some excellent mid-ranger's to consider.
Huawei has you covered in almost every size category. The Honor 9, for instance, is a great compact option, with its 5.15-inch panel. It also packs in a Kirin 960 chipset and a good dual 12MP main camera setup.
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If you find that a bit too small, the new Mate 10 Lite will set you back just around €320. One of its defining aspects is the trendy ultra-wide 18:9 panel. Just don't get fooled by the official 5.9-inch designation, the Mate 10 Lite's screen is effectively as wide as that of any 5.5-inch device just slightly taller.
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The more hawk-eyed among you might have already noticed the many similarities between the Mate 10 Lite and the Honor 7x - a notable cheaper device, we featured in a previous category. If you can get the latter, you really should, since all the extras the Mate 10 Lite seems to bring around are a better selfie setup and arguably better international availability.
Finishing off the form-factor option within Huawei's lineup, there is also the Honor 8 Pro - a 5.7-inch, 16:9 phablet, with pretty similar internals to the Honor 9. However, that one will set you back nearly €400. Shopping around, we think we've found a potentially better alternative. The Meizu Pro 6 Plus, might be a 2016 release, even if a late November one, and it has only a single camera, but it still has a lot of other stuff going for it.
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- No expandable storage
- Undisclosed display protection
- Loudspeaker loudness is below average
Meizu did most of its parts shopping at Samsung and the list includes a crisp 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED panel, Exynos 8890 Octa chipset and a 12MP, f/2.0, OIS-enabled camera, lifted straight from the Samsung Galaxy S7. All this can be yours for under €350.
Sony have a pair of interesting options here, namely the Xperia XA1 Plus and the XA1 Ultra. Both seem to currently go for about €330 and share their chipset, memory and camera setup. However, they will arguably appeal to vastly different consumers.
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The Ultra has a deserved reputation for being a selfie expert, thanks to its 16MP, OIS and autofocus selfie camera. It also sports a trendier and much more bezel-free design than its sibling. The sizeable 6-inch panel can potentially be thrown on the list of positives as well. On the flip side, the XA1 Ultra has a pretty small 2,700 mAh battery, which provides for a rather mediocre 68-hour endurance.
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As for the smaller and more bezel-laden Xperia XA1 Plus, it has an objectively inferior, yet still autofocus-enabled 8MP selfie shooter. However, it counters that with a 3,430 mAh battery and a great 102-hour endurance rating.
Last, but not least, the Motorola Moto X4 is proving to be a great proposition, especially recently, since it has been dropping in price. We've already seen it discounted down to less than €300 for limited periods of time. If you can get it for this price, it is nothing short of a steal.
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Just some of the things to love about the Moto X4 include a pretty respectable Snapdragon 630 chipset, IP68 certification and a quite satisfactory dual 12MP + 8MP main camera setup. Also, a pure Android version of the Moto X4 is available in certain markets (though even the other version has quite a clean look). On the flip side, though, battery management could use some improvement, and we can't help but feel that the otherwise nicely spec'd 16MP, f/2.0 selfie camera, could have featured autofocus. That would have entailed some self-portrait bragging rights for the X4, alongside the likes of the Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra.
Just in case you are wondering, some notable omissions in this price bracket that didn't make the final cut on the competitive scale for one reason or another, include the Motorola Moto Z2 Play, Xiaomi Mi Note 3 and the iPhone 6.
Phones for €400-€500
We're officially in flagship territory now - both current ones and those of yesteryear. Value-for-money is starting to decline as grounds for bragging rights appear. Circling back to the rather worrying observation on pricing, we touched upon in the intro - this is the price bracket it starts to shine through.
To be fair and also put your minds at ease, slight price hikes in older devices do not appear to be an industry-wide trend. Most of the affected devices we managed to track down are ex-flagships, mostly from the likes of Western-friendly big brands, like the Samsung Galaxy S7 family, for instance. Most devices out of China, even true high-end ones, like the Huawei Mate series, are behaving as they should and have been coming down in price quite nicely month over month.
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Speaking of which, we kick things off with last year's Huawei Mate 9. Sure, it might be missing a few bells and whistles like the AMOLED panel of its Mate 10 Pro successor, as well as the cutting-edge and AI-rich Kirin 970 chipset. However, the 5.8-inch phablet still packs quite a punch. Currently going for just around €480, its hard for any price competitor to even come close to its excellent Dual 12MP + 20MP Leica-branded camera setup. Throw a beefy 4,000 mAh battery in the mix, and you get an excellent, well-rounded and still perfectly relevant flagship.
The next oldie, but goodie might seem a little tardy to any iOS fans out there, waiting for an Android alternative. Unfortunately, that's the financial reality set forth and vigorously guarded by Apple. Sure, we could have included the likes of the iPhone 6, or perhaps even the iPhone SE earlier in the list, but those are really not what we would consider good value or still very relevant, for that matter.
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The 2015 iPhone 6s is the first that made the cut. There is one catch, though - opting for it instead of an €100 more expensive iPhone 7, means giving up waterproofing and stereo speakers. On the flip side, though, opting for the older 6s, means you could potentially get a usable storage option for a reasonable amount of money. Hunting for one on the iPhone 7 quickly widens the previously mentioned €100 price gap.
Moving on to 2017 devices and sticking to the compact form factor of the iPhone 6S, the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact instantly springs to mind. With a very compact 4.6-inch display diagonal and a high-end Snapdragon 835 underneath, the XZ1 Compact is a rather unique beast. It's nothing short of a miniaturized flagship, with no glaring specs omissions. Well, perhaps minus the 720p resolution, which still works pretty well on that screen diagonal and enables ludicrous frame rates out of the Adreno 540 GPU.
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Sony has even added IP68 certification and some commendable power management to squeeze out 108 hours of endurance out of the 2,700 mAh battery. And while we're on the topic of nice compact devices, the original Google Pixel might be worth considering. An AMOLED panel, Snapdragon 821, excellent Auto HDR+ camera and latest Vanilla Android - these are all properly relevant specs if the price is right.
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The only reason, we are a bit hesitant in recommending it is that you can still easily overpay for a unit. The is even more true for the Pixel XL. Still, if you manage to find the 5-inch Pixel for around €450 as we did, it's a bargain in our book.
If you fancy a more trendy 2017 design, the LG G6 will give you the taste of an ultra-wide screen. It has been going down in price steadily lately, so much so, that we could have probably included it in the previous price segment altogether.
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The G6's display is fully-geared and ready for the next wave of multimedia content thanks to its Dolby Vision/HDR10 compliance. Plus, the Snapdragon 821 is no slouch, the dual 13MP, OIS, and Laser autofocus camera setup is a strong performer, and you even get IP68 and MIL-STD-810G certifications. At its current price, the LG G6 is nothing short of a steal.
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Last, but not least, we have another trendy 18:9 aspect phone, representing the phablet option in this price segment - the Oppo R11s. While technically not a flagship by design, its specs come really close, especially to the OnePlus 5T. The 6-inch AMOLED panel is a pleasure to work with and so is the more than powerful-enough Snapdragon 660. The phone's main Dual 16MP + 20MP camera setup is also capable of brushing shoulders with the big boys of 2017.
Some honorable mentions that didn't make the cut in this price bracket include the Huawei P10, Honor View 10 and the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Phones for €500-€600
The €500-€600 category has always been an interesting one. Its what we've regarded as the "budget flagship" realm. Although that has been twisted around quite a bit over the last few months, there is still a lot at play while competing in this segment.
Considering the ongoing gradual hike in prices for most so-called "budget flagship" devices, we deemed it only fitting to include a bunch of contenders priced right on the €500 mark in this category and let them play with the big boys, rather than bump them down a price bracket.
There are a few devices that fit that bill, starting off, naturally, with the popular OnePlus 5T. The latest, ultra-wide iteration of the phone that started the whole "affordable flagship" trend in the first place. Things have clearly changed since the glory days of the OnePlus One, but there is still a place under the sun for the OnePlus 5T.
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Big, 6-inch, Optic AMOLED, Snapdragon 835, up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and a strong dual camera setup - a flagship on a budget, as promised. However, if you are going to play in the big leagues, you better be prepared for some high level scrutiny and we can't fail to note that OnePlus still lacks ingress protection and wireless charging. While at it, we're not happy about the absence of a 3.5mm audio jack.
The next €500 flagship worth considering is the Meizu Pro 7 Plus. Like the OnePlus 5T, it utilizes a crisp AMOLED panel. An excellent Samsung one, at that, hence the "Super" moniker. It is of a more traditional 16:9 aspect, but that does leave room for a home button an a classic navigation scheme, which many users still prefer.
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Besides, the primary panel is not really the main attraction of the Meizu Pro 7 Plus. It's the 2-inch AMOLED one on the back. It's definitely a different and head-turning look, even if the ticker display is a little under-utilized in its current implementation. The snappy Helio X30 chipset and great dual 12MP camera setup are more reasons to like the Pro 7 Plus.
We really should mention the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 here, since no other phone here deserves the "eye-catching" title quite like it does. Well, maybe with the exception of the original Mi Mix. Choosing between the two is no easy task. The Mix 2 is obviously based on newer hardware, has a more trendy design and display aspect, as well as a notably better camera than the original.
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Then again, few devices pull off 6.44 inches quite as gracefully and successfully as the original Mi Mix. Plus, it has come down in price nicely since its release. While both phones currently start at €550, it is way cheaper to get higher storage on the original - a potentially important purchasing factor.
Last of the €500 bunch and interestingly enough, also out of China, is the ZTE Nubia Z17s. What we have listed here is its much more Western-friendly re-brand, courtesy of Archos - the Diamond Omega.
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Besides the lack of an AMOLED panel and better image processing algorithm, the Archos Diamond Omega has few compromises to speak of. The Snapdragon 835 is accompanied by 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. This is actually the top tier configuration available for the Nubia Z17s, which Archos somehow managed to offer for less than Nubia itself. Plus, shopping from the French company also guarantees an international ROM and a pretty cleaned-up and bloatware-free one at that.
On to a bit more Western-friendly devices then and a good compact option - the Nokia 8. Once again, there is not much to frown upon here. Despite its compact size, the 5.4-inch LCD panel on the Nokia 8 is even QHD and one of the best on the marker, making for incredibly sharp images. The 6000 series aluminum unibody on the phone is also a great touch and it even has an IP rating. Well, IP54, but it's still something.
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A Snapdragon 835, great main camera and class-leading selfie camera performance, plus nearly stock Android only sweeten the deal further.
Hovering right around the €550 mark, we find the HTC U11. While we still have our doubts regarding the durability of the new gradually curved, Gorilla Glass 5 back, there is no denying it's a looker. The HTC U11 has the total package: a nice display, excellent camera, an out-of-the-box audio experience that surpasses anything on the market right now, all wrapped in a very attractive package that's priced the same as the entry-level iPhone 7 and lower than the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8.
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Sure, it's missing a 3.5mm headphone jack, but the bundled earbuds with active noise canceling represent a justified tradeoff.
As another phone of distinctive looks, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium bets on a mirror finish that looks gorgeous - as long as you manage to keep the fingerprints away.
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And Sony really went all out with the camera department this year. Its special triple-stacked sensor with a RAM buffer chip allows for some really unique modes, like 960fps HD video and Predictive Capture. The XZ Premium has really plummeted in price recently, making its hardware offering all that more attractive.
There's an Apple device deal to be had for under €600 as well. Last year's iPhone 7 pair seems to currently offer more for your hard-earned cash, compared to the iPhone 7s, pardon us, we meant iPhone 8 duo.
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The iPhone 7 has IP67 certification, as well as stereo speakers - two quite important differentiations that place it further away from the iPhone 6 generation and closer to the iPhone 8. The bigger iPhone 7 Plus is also on our list, but it is still pricey enough to cross over into the next price tier.
Of course, no flagship list would be complete without a spot for Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge is the most affordable of Samsung's curved screen flagships. And even though it's well over a year old now, its 5.5-inch QHD curved Super AMOLED panel is properly impressive.
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You can find plenty of other perks with the S7 edge as well: Gorilla Glass 4 on both sides, an IP68 certification, a powerful Exynos 8890 chipset and a 12MP Dual Pixel camera. That being said, just make sure not to overpay for a unit.
The S7 edge is one of those ex-flagship devices that hasn't exactly been following a normal depreciation pattern over the last few months. In fact, most places seem to be pricing it higher now than back in July. At the time of writing this, T-Mobile is charging €480 for a SIM-FREE unit and that really about as high as you should go.
The reason for that is simple. While the S7 edge has been holding its price steady, both the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ have been coming down in price surprisingly fast. So much so that the smaller S8 is now officially retailing below the €570 mark. Granted, the S8+ is more of an accurate alternative to the S7 edge, size-wise, but the S8 is still a stellar compact option.
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Samsung's Infinity Display really was the catalyst that finally shook things up in 2017 and rocked the tired old "slab" aesthetic we have been living with for years. And the beauty isn't skin deep. The only thing the S8 pair really skipped on this year was a dual camera setup. On every other aspect, the S8 is near perfect by current standards.
As for some devices that didn't make the cut, we were tempted to rope the new Galaxy A8 (2018) and A8+ (2018) into the fight, but at €500 and €600, respectively, we really don't see their mid-range specs sheets holding a candle to the S8 pair. The Huawei P10 Plus and original Pixel XL were also taken into consideration. However, both are still unreasonably pricey in most places to make our value cut.
Best high-end phones (€600 and over)
Finally, welcome to the V.I.P. section of the guide. There is a lot to choose from, since 2017 was a really plentiful flagship year. Plentiful, but also a bit bitter-sweet, considering we are now officially past the $1000 mark - a pretty ludicrous development in our mind.
Then again, the smartphone market is wider today than ever before, and you don't need to spend triple-digit figures to be satisfied with your shiny new device. If nothing caught your eye in the previous sections, you should probably go back and skim through them again. A good phone doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. We promise.
In fact, to solidify our point even further, we will boldly state that you don't need to spend more than €600 if you are looking for a compact device. Hence, there will be no such devices on this page.
Having said all that, we had a lot of debates whether to split this category up further. However, that would mean acknowledging the need for €700+, €800 and so forth price brackets. So, we'll just assume money is not the main driving force behind your purchasing decision beyond this point.
Without further ado, enter the Samsung Galaxy S8+. There is not much we can say about this phone, beyond the praise we already gave to its little sibling. A stunning, industry-leading Infinity Edge display, only this time even bigger! Powering it - a no-compromise 2017 flagship internals and around the back - a stellar camera.
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If you want the S8 design with a big screen - get the S8+. Skipping ahead a few beats, this seems like as good a place as any to talk about the Galaxy Note8 - the cream of the crop in Samsung's current lineup. Retailing boldly at around €850 - a good €200 more than the S8+, it constitutes a little bit more than a display size bump, with a pen.
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We've said it before and we'll say it again - the Note8 is a different breed of device, one that Samsung is still attempting to keep to its professional and power user roots as best it can. Is it necessarily €200 better than the S8+ from an average user standpoint? Well, it is if you ask us, even if it doesn't look that different at first. It's noticeably faster (for some reason), the screen is less curved (so it's more user-friendly), and the dual camera and S-Pen are great perks to have.
On to camp Huawei then and the excellent new Mate 10 duo. Interestingly enough, the closest Galaxy Note competition by design, intent, and quality of execution currently out there in the vast Android realm.
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Choosing between the €670 regular Mate 10 and the €760 Mate 10 Pro is, oddly, as easy, as it is complicated, depending on the situation. The choice might not even be yours to make if you want to avoid playing the import game and risking on support since most markets seem to have either one or the other available but never both.
If you do have access to both, you do need a list of your pros and cons: The Mate 10 has the bigger panel, but it is an IPS one and with the older and less trendy 16:9 aspect ratio. The Mate 10 Pro has a punchier AMOLED up front and center, but a lower resolution one, not to mention it's skinny and tall, providing less of a "phablet experience". This has also cost the Mate 10 Pro its hardware home button.
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You also need to decide between battery efficiency, since the two handsets come in with a 9 or so delta in our battery endurance test. On a more positive note, at least that's the only dilemma you'll face regarding internals since the pair share the rest of them.
On to another interesting dilemma, between the LG V30 and the Pixel 2 XL. It is no secret that both devices come from the same manufacturer and share most of their hardware. In this case, when we say most, we do mean it. Unlike the two Mate 10s, the LG V30 is a lot more "glassy" than the Pixel 2 XL and leverages that for wireless charging. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Some other differences include selfie shooters, batteries, the presence of a 3.5mm audio jack, to name just a few.
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Still, those pale in comparison to the different camera setups, stereo speakers, and approaches to Android. All that being said and knowing full well we're welcoming a lot of hate in the comments, the only real reason to choose the Pixel 2 XL over the LG V30 boils down to whether you value any of these three enough to dish out €70 more.
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Both the Pixel 2 XL and the V30 are already being discounted left, and right and we have every reason to believe this trend will continue in 2018. If you can't wait so long, at least try and look for a deal which gets the phones down to €800 or less so they constitute a good deal at the time of writing.
Finally on the list, we have the iPhone 7 Plus, for much the same reason we included its smaller sibling. At current prices, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus just seem unreasonably expensive for the added value they offer. By the same logic, we can't really bring ourselves to recommend the iPhone X at over €1100.
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There is an asterisk to add here, however. If you can live with 32GB of storage, then the €130, or so, price delta below the iPhone 8 Plus merits on older generation product in our opinion. If, however, that is not the case, you will be much better off getting the base 64GB iPhone 8 Plus, with its extra features, than opting for a 128GB iPhone 7 Plus model.
At the end of the day, if money really is no object, there are really no wrong choices at the high end of today's smartphone market. That being said, we really didn't do all these great devices justice with the few sentences we shared on their distinct individual traits.
Be sure to hit up our reviews for a more in-depth look at any device in the buyer's guide that caught your eye. The opinion sections on the specs pages are a great resource for getting additional first-hand impressions and answers to specific questions as well. Happy shopping!
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