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When everything is considered, the Realme GT 2 Pro is the best mid-range phone you can buy right now. It includes everything we want from a phone at this price, while only ditching aspects we feel are luxurious extras many will be happy to do without.

Importantly, it’s a fast phone that’s reliable to use and Realme has promised three years of major Android updates – so you won’t be rushing to upgrade again anytime soon. This is a rarity on Android with many mid-range and affordable phones coming with no such guarantees.

We compared the Realme GT 2 Pro against far pricier Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus and Oppo Find X5 Pro and found that in our suite of benchmark tests, the cheaper GT 2 Pro actually performed just as well. It was a similar story in real world tests too – open up Genshin Impact on both and there’s very little difference.

This is one of many areas the GT 2 Pro impressed. The papery finish on the back is unique and a nice change of pace from a glass and metal slab, especially in this minty green hue we reviewed. There’s 5G – something you’ll find on all these phones – and some snappy charging from the included plug. We managed to go from a completely depleted phone to fully charged in around 33 minutes – that’s far quicker than the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S21 FE.

Not only does it have the fastest charging of any of the phones on this list, but it also has the best screen too. The OLED panel is flat, packs a 1440p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Upping the refresh rate makes for a smoother experience whether you’re just scrolling through Instagram or playing games.

As with any phone of this price, there are some sacrifices. You won’t find wireless charge support here and it doesn’t carry an official IP rating for water and dust resistance. Look at the Pixel 6 if those are two key features you care about. A zoom camera is missing too though given our experience reviewing phones this price with one, this is hardly a deal breaker. Most affordable zoom sensors provide at best usable results at this price.

Reviewer: Tom Morgan
Full review: Realme GT 2 Pro Review

While it’s not as powerful or as feature-packed (especially in the quality of the display) as the GT 2 Pro, Google’s Pixel 6 does have one key feature that should appeal to many buyers – the glorious camera. Pictures are far more vibrant than those taken with Realme’s effort and much truer to life than snaps from the Galaxy S21 FE. During testing we were genuinely blown away by how much better the camera is than anything else you’ll find this price.

The Pixel 6’s 12MP rear camera is fantastic in low-light situations, pulling plenty of brightness out when you’re shooting in bars or restaurants. There’s a good ultra wide camera too, which adds a nice amount of versatility. Again, you do miss any proper zoom though as we said, none of the phones on this list really impress there.

We’re big fans of the software experience on the Pixel 6 too. It has a much slicker UI than the rest of the phones on this list and it’ll get updates from Google much faster and longer which gives it a degree of future-proofing missing on most mid-range Android handsets. 

You also get Qi charging (the most common form of wireless charging), and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. These features are often more associated with pricier phones, so it’s good to see Google include them.

At £599, the Pixel 6 is also cheaper than the GT 2 Pro and the S21 FE. However, there is a cheaper option in the form of Pixel 5a (if you’re in the USA or Japan) or the Pixel 4a. These both have really good cameras.

Reviewer: Max Parker
Full review: Pixel 6 Review

If the two phones above are a little expensive for your liking, then the slightly cheaper Moto G200 5G is a strong choice. Our reviewer was impressed by the images shot with the sharp 108MP main rear camera and the endurance of the 5000mAh battery.

The Moto G line from Motorola was the original impressive, affordable phone and it showed cheaper handsets didn’t need to sacrifice basic tech. The line has expanded a lot since, but the G phones remain reliable buys based on our experience reviewing them over the years.

Where the G200 5G stands out with its display. This is the only phone on this list to pack a gaming-focused 144Hz display, meaning it can refresh up to 144 times every second. As a comparison, the other Pixel 6 refreshes 90 times per second and the Realme GT 2 Pro at 120 times per second. This faster display should appeal to gamers who want the best performance going, but it also adds extra zip to scrolling and swiping.

The performance here is great, owing to the high-end Qualcomm chipset at the heart of the phone. It can’t quite compete with the Realme GT 2 Pro in benchmark tests, but the difference in actual use is minimal. Games and apps still open quickly, and 5G remains if you have the right plan.

One nifty trick is the Ready For feature, a way of outputting your phone onto a larger display. This makes it easy to cast content onto desktop monitors and TVs to see your work, gaming and video calls on a bigger screen, which we found useful while working from home.

Like many other devices listed here, there’s no wireless charging and the IP53 rating means it’s only mildly splash-proof. Still, it’s a strong phone for the price based on our testing.

Reviewer: Hannah Davies
Full review: Moto G200 5G

We were big fans of the Galaxy S20 FE and the updated Samsung Galaxy S21 FE remains a sure-fire hit for fans of Samsung phones. It has a rich feature set and is a great choice if you’re happy with the Samsung ecosystem but aren’t fussed about some of the pricier devices, like the Galaxy S22 Plus.

What the S21 FE does well is to include just about every feature going, even if they’re not always the best around. It’s one of the only phones included in this list to feature wireless charging, an IP68 rating water resistance rating and a telephoto camera for zoomed shots. The 6.4-inch OLED screen isn’t the best you’ll find on this list, but we found it is wonderfully bright and perfectly usable in sunnier conditions while reviewing the phone.

Out of the three rear cameras, it’s the main 12MP sensor that impressed us the most and since it’s pretty much the same unit that features in the regular Galaxy S21, photos are reliable in all manner of conditions based on our testing.

However, if camera quality is key we’d confidently say the Pixel 6 is a better choice. Comparing snaps from the two phones, Google’s Pixel 6 is more reliable in darker situations and its daylight shots are more pleasing.

Reviewer: Max Parker
Full review: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

If you’re dead-set on getting an Apple iPhone, then there are a couple of options on the market at the moment. At £779, the regular iPhone 13 is too expensive for what we consider a mid-range phone so that’s out. But the cheaper iPhone 13 Mini is within budget and a great choice if you want a smaller device.

You’ve got to be really comfortable with this smaller form-factor to enjoy the iPhone 13 Mini, and it probably isn’t for those who watch a lot of media or play lots of games on the go. We found the screen is too small for that.

But, if you use your phone more for messaging, social media and taking pictures then the smaller size might be of benefit. It’s also the most comfortable phone to use one handed on this list, especially if you’ve got smaller hands.

Feature-wise, the iPhone 13 Mini is the same as the pricier iPhone 13. Performance is the best out of any mid-range phone both in stringent lab tests and real-world use, while the duo of cameras on the back are the only ones listed that can compete with the Pixel 6. You’ll also get multiple years of support through iOS updates.

Wireless charging is here, as is an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It’s also just a very nice looking phone, with multiple tasteful colour options available.

If you want a cheaper iPhone, the iPhone SE 2022 packs the same high-end performance but in a slightly dated body.

Reviewer: Max Parker
Full review: iPhone 13 Mini Review