Top 10: The best smartphones up to 150 euros – Xiaomi in the front, Samsung in the back Good technology doesn’t have to be expensive. Even smartphones for 150 euros come with solid equipment. We show which ones are best. 8:15 p.m. tech stage

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top 10 the best smartphones up to 150 euros.jpeg
top 10 the best smartphones up to 150 euros.jpeg

Good technology does not have to be expensive. Even smartphones for 150 euros come with solid equipment. We show which devices from Motorola, Samsung or Realme score in the list of the best for up to 150 euros.

Smartphones up to 150 euros are located in the entry-level class. If you don’t have too many demands, you will still find a reliable companion for everyday life here. You get a lot for your money that was unthinkable in this price range just a few years ago.

Most of these devices now have an octa-core chipset, there is an amazing amount of memory, large displays and even fingerprint sensors and NFC. We summarize what works and what doesn’t.

The design shows the low price, at least at second glance. Plastic predominates in the materials, the frames around the display are wider than in more expensive models and there is another, mostly clear indication of the low price: the integration of the front camera. It rarely looks through the display through a modern punchhole notch, but mostly as a teardrop notch. But that is also changing more and more.

In terms of display size, there are few differences to more expensive models, but more so in terms of technology. Full HD as a resolution is not normal here and OLED is the exception. This also applies to refresh rates higher than 60 Hertz, but in the meantime the first models with 90 or sometimes even 120 Hz have made it into this low price range. Either way: In general, interested parties shouldn’t expect too much when it comes to the important points of brightness, contrast or viewing angle stability.

The cameras are one of the biggest differences compared to more expensive models – even if you don’t always see that immediately on the data sheet. Main lenses with a low number of megapixels (12 to 16) are often used, which are sometimes accompanied by lenses that are superfluous in everyday life, such as depth or macro sensors. Although wide-angle lenses are increasingly appearing in this lower price range, they are not yet standard. The image quality of cameras up to 150 euros is usually suitable for everyday use in daylight at best. Front cameras often only offer 5 to 8 megapixels, but 16 megapixels or more are becoming increasingly common.

In the meantime, chipsets from well-known manufacturers such as Qualcomm and Mediatek are often found in the price range up to 150 euros, but there are also suppliers such as Unisoc. You shouldn’t expect a lot of performance compared to the middle class, but in everyday use the operation is mostly smooth and sufficiently fast – especially in models with a 720p resolution. After all, the often modern chips ensure that the typical standards such as WLAN, Bluetooth and GPS are sufficiently up-to-date on board.

NFC is not necessarily one of them, buyers have to be careful here. In addition, although there are more and more cheap smartphones with USB-C as a charging and data port, micro-USB can still be found in this price range. We advise against this, USB C is easier to use and more durable. Fingerprint sensors can now be found in most smartphones up to 150 euros, although not in all. You usually look in vain for IP certifications as protection against water, but there are now exceptions here too – at least IP52 can sometimes be found. 4G can be found in all models up to 150 euros – albeit with comparatively low data rates. 5G is currently still too expensive.

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Here comes perhaps one of the biggest surprises: the days when buyers of cheap smartphones had to make do with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory are over. Almost all of the models in our top 10 offer a whopping 4/64 GB or even more, and the internal memory can mostly be expanded.

There is no difference in battery size to more expensive smartphones, but the charging speed is much lower. 18 watts or even 25 watts as with Samsung are considered fast here. Convenient technology such as wireless charging using the Qi standard (here we have compiled the cheapest smartphones with the Qi charging standard ) are not available for so little money. Almost all batteries are now permanently installed and cannot be changed easily. In return, this offers minimal protection against moisture even without IP certification and makes these inexpensive models flatter.

With the hardware mentioned, it’s no wonder that the models in this top 10 don’t have to rely on Android Go, but come with “full” Android. Even the age of the operating system is better than expected: Nobody has to tolerate less than Android 11, and some models now even offer Android 12.

Our list shows what we think are the ten best smartphones that you can get for up to 150 euros. These are snapshots at the time of creation – the prices can fluctuate strongly the very next day. We placed particular value on the performance of the chipset and display – here on resolution, technology and refresh rate.

Xiaomi currently offers the best price-performance ratio for us up to 150 euros. The Redmi 10 2022 comes with a 6.5-inch Full HD display with 90 Hz, the main camera offers 50 megapixels and there is also a wide-angle lens. The front camera peeks through a modern punch hole. NFC and the infrared transmitter, which is almost obligatory for Xiaomi, are included, the fingerprint sensor is on the side of the power button. With the Mediatek Helio G88, there is an unusually strong chipset for this low price range, which is flanked by 4/64 GB of memory. The battery has a capacity of 5000 mAh and charges with 18 watts – it doesn’t get much faster at the moment. Android 11 is fine.

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The TCL 30 is a big exception for models up to 150 euros: It offers an OLED display. This even offers Full HD resolution, but the playback frequency is over at 60 Hz. Even with the front camera, the manufacturer is not as modern as Xiaomi’s model in first place, but the main camera offers 50 megapixels – unfortunately without a wide angle. Mediatek’s Helio G37 is a bit older and clearly weaker than the chip in the first-placed model, so the TCL smartphone only offers Wifi-4. NFC and 4/64 GB of storage are also on board. The battery is similar to the previous Xiaomi model with 5010 mAh and 18 watt charging speed, but TCL already delivers its model with Android 12.

In 3rd place there is a model with a 720p display for the first time, but Motorola makes up for that with the Moto G22 with a refresh rate of 90 Hz. Photos snaps a 50-megapixel camera, which is supported by a wide-angle. There is a 16-megapixel lens for selfies. The chipset is a Helio G37 from Mediatek, so the Moto G22 supports Wifi-5 and NFC. With 4/64 GB of memory there are no surprises, the same applies to the 5000 mAh battery. The IP52 certification is definitely worth mentioning, so a rain shower should not harm the smartphone. Android 12 is factory installed.

Another Motorola smartphone, which differs only slightly from the fifth-placed model – also from Motorola – comes in fourth place: the Moto E32s. There is again an IPS LCD with 90 Hz and 720p, the main camera with 16 megapixels lacks an additional wide angle. NFC is missing as in the “normal” E32, but thanks to the Helio G37 Wifi-5 is available. Otherwise there is the gold standard up to 150 euros: battery with 5000 mAh (15 watts), 4/64 GB of memory and IP52 certification.

The Motorola Moto E32 shares a few highlights with the G22 at number five, including the 720p display at 90 Hz and IP52 water resistance. Elsewhere the red pencil was applied. The main camera only offers 16 megapixels and the wide angle is missing, and the resolution of the front camera has been halved. Motorola also relies on a Unisoc Tiger T606, which only supports Wifi-4, NFC is also missing. However, the memory and the battery with 5000 mAh have remained the same, but here they can be charged with 18 instead of 15 watts. Instead of Android 12 there is only version 11.

Samsung has already given the Galaxy A13 Android 12. The rest is also up to date: 6.6-inch full HD display, a main camera with 50 megapixels plus wide-angle lens, Wifi-5 and NFC, as well as 4/64 GB of expandable memory – that’s really good in this price range. An Exynos eight-core (Exynos 850) serves as the drive, which ensures smooth operation. The battery has a capacity of 5000 mAh and in this price range Samsung is even the leader with its “standard 25 watts” in charging speed.

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The Realme C31 also offers Full HD resolution, but the main camera is weaker at only 13 megapixels. Because of the built-in Unisoc Tiger T612, the C31 only supports Wifi 4, the rest is almost identical to the other models on this list. This includes the memory with 4/64 GB and also the battery with 5000 mAh. However, it can only be charged with 10 watts. Android 11 is also available here, Android 12 has not yet found its way.

6.6 inches with Full HD resolution, IPS technology, 60 Hz – this is the display of the Realme Narzo 50A Prime. There is also a main camera with 50 megapixels, Wifi 5, a fingerprint sensor and a chipset that comes from Unisoc, but with its 8 cores it provides sufficient power. The manufacturer installs 4/64 GB of memory for just under 150 euros, and there is an option for expansion. As with almost all models in this leaderboard, the battery has a capacity of 5000 mAh, with 18 watts it is charged quite quickly for this price range. Android 11 already exists.

The Xiaomi Redmi 10C offers the largest display on this list with 6.7 inches, but it is over at 720p resolution and 60 Hz. The camera again offers 50 megapixels and Wifi 5 and NFC are also included. This is made possible by the built-in, fairly powerful Snapdragon 680, the rest is known: 4/64 GB of memory, 5000 mAh battery, Android 11.

The second Samsung smartphone in the current list of the best models up to 150 euros is the Samsung Galaxy A03. The manufacturer limits itself to 720p and 60 Hz here, but the main camera has a powerful 48 megapixels. Unfortunately, Samsung still uses micro-USB here – that’s outdated. There is also 4/64 GB of memory here, as well as a strong battery with 5000 mAh.

An amazing amount of memory and even the latest Android are available for up to 150 euros. The camera and chipset are usually not particularly strong, but there are now also displays with 90 Hz – it’s exciting how much technology there is for so little money.

If you want more, you should take a look at our top lists for the best smartphones up to 200 euros , those up to 300 euros and up to 400 euros .