These are the best smartphones up to 500 euros
Smartphones up to 500 euros are almost as good as the top phones that cost twice as much or even more - and you hardly have to make any compromises when it comes to the cameras. ntv.de presents the six best devices in this price range from Stiftung Warentest.
Prices for smartphones have risen rapidly in recent years, and 1000 euros or even more for a top device is now normal. However, you don't have to spend that much money to get a really good cell phone. Smartphones up to 500 euros are almost as good. The differences in display and performance are small, and even their cameras have now reached a high level. ntv.de has picked out the six best devices in the half-litre class from Stiftung Warentest that came onto the market and were tested this year.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro
With an online price of just under 250 euros, the Redmi Note 12 Pro is the cheapest device in the top 6, but almost became the best smartphone up to 500 euros. Stiftung Warentest not only rated its long battery life and OLED display with a high 120-Hertz refresh rate very highly. The testers also found the Note 12 Pro's cameras to be good, which is very remarkable at this price. Stability and basic functions were also rated as good.
The device only lost out on an even better quality rating due to the lack of a manual and the fact that its unlocking via facial recognition is insecure. The handling was therefore only rated as satisfactory. But that's not really a bad thing. After all, the manual can be downloaded, and for almost all Android smartphones, facial recognition is only the second choice after the fingerprint scanner.
The biggest disadvantage of the good and very affordable smartphone is Xiaomi's comparatively short software support. You can't expect more than two years of Android updates and three years of security patches. The Redmi 12 Pro was launched in April.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+
The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is around 100 euros more expensive, but it is actually only better on paper. Accordingly, the second Xiaomi received the same overall score and was also rated almost identically in the individual categories.
The larger RAM of 8 gigabytes instead of 6 gigabytes (GB) has virtually no effect, and the only real plus compared to the Note 12 Pro is the flash memory, which is twice as large at 512 GB. The cameras were even slightly weaker, although the main camera of the 12 Pro+ boasts 200 megapixels (MP), while the 12 Pro "only" has 50 MP.
Samsung Galaxy A34
The Samsung Galaxy A34 is currently available for around 300 euros and achieved an overall score of 2.1 in the test. The highlight is its very good OLED display, which supports a fast refresh rate of 120 hertz (Hz). Basic functions, handling, stability and endurance received good ratings from the testers. They only found the camera performance to be satisfactory, due in particular to the somewhat weaker results in low light and the low zoom performance.
A major advantage of the smartphone, which was launched on the market last March, is the long software support. Samsung wants to provide it with new Android versions for four years and provide security updates for at least five years.
Oppo Reno8 Pro
With the same quality rating, the Oppo Reno8 Pro costs around 420 euros in online shops. Its cameras do a good job, even in low light. Only the front camera and zoom performance were weaker in the test.
The device also has a very good OLED display with 120 Hz, which has almost become standard in this price range. Running performance, stability and basic functions received good ratings, while Stiftung Warentest only rated the handling as satisfactory. However, this is not a major shortcoming as, as with the Xiaomis, this is due to the lack of an instruction manual, which is available to download online.
The device, which is just over a year old, only meets the minimum requirements for software support with two years of Android updates and three years of security updates.
Google Pixel 7a
The Google Pixel 7a, which is only six months old, has more to offer here with three and four years. It is available online for just under 450 euros and is the third smartphone under 500 euros to achieve an overall rating of 2.1 from Stiftung Warentest.
With an individual score of 2.0, the device has an astonishingly good camera for this price range, with no weaknesses in any discipline. Its 90 Hz OLED screen was rated as good, and the same applies to all other categories except for endurance, which the testers only rated as satisfactory.
Samsung Galaxy A54
With a quality rating of 2.0, the Samsung Galaxy A54 can certainly not be said to be short of breath. The smartphone, which costs around 360 euros, received a 1 for its great endurance. Its OLED display (120 Hz) is also very good, and the device was rated good in all other individual assessments. The cameras performed almost as well as the Pixel 7a in the test, with only the front camera's selfies being satisfactory.
Like the A34, the Galaxy A54 receives four years of new Android versions and five years of security patches. As the device was also only launched in March, it can still be used for quite a long time with up-to-date and secure software.
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The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro, tested by Stiftung Warentest, is a highly-rated smartphone within the 500 euro price range. Google's Pixel 7a, another device in the list, offers special AI features that Stiftung Warentest did not evaluate.
Source: www.ntv.de
