The best mid-range phones for 2021, tested by our expert editors

The best mid-range phones for 2021, ranked

1. Apple iPhone SE (2020)
   
2. Google Pixel 4a
   
3. realme X3 SuperZoom
   
4. Oppo Find X2 Neo
5. LG Velvet

Compare the best mid-range phones of 2021

1. Apple iPhone SE (2020)

An amazingly powerful mid-range phone.

4.7-inch display | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB storage options | 12MP rear camera

• Best processor at this price
• iOS upgrades are delivered automatically
• The most powerful mid-range phone

• Battery life is sub-par
• Single lens camera only
• Poor low-light performance

RRP from $749

Why we chose it

Apple is not known for being an "affordable" brand, but the iPhone SE (2020) is the exception, thanks to the inclusion of the exact same processor that's found in the much more expensive iPhone 11 line, the Apple A13 Bionic. It puts it astonishingly far ahead of its Android competition when it comes to running apps of any type.

While the single-lens camera isn't as extensive as competitors, it shoots quite well, and the smaller size will appeal to those who hate large phones. If you're in the iOS camp, you're not spoilt for choice, because it's either the iPhone SE or trying to score a cheap secondhand older model, which is complete with risks around how it's been treated. The big downside of the iPhone SE (2020) is the battery life. It's built on the chassis of the old iPhone 6 and it keeps the "classic" – which is to say awful – iPhone battery as a result.

Read our full review of the Apple iPhone SE (2020)

• Compare Apple iPhone SE (2020) plans

2. Google Pixel 4a

Clean Android UI, guaranteed updates and a great low-light camera.

5.8-inch display | 128GB storage options | 12.2MP rear camera

• Single lens shoots very well
• Guaranteed Android updates
• Great low-light performance

• Battery life could be better
• Fixed storage
• Better 5G option coming soon

RRP from $599

Why we chose it

The Android space has abundant choices in the mid-range, but Google's cheaper Pixel 4a impresses across the range despite only featuring a single rear camera and no 5G onboard just yet. That's down to its clean Android UI and the promise of at least three years of updates where many makers struggle to provide even a single year's OS upgrades, as well as its amazing low-light performance when shooting at night.

You are stuck with fixed storage, because Google is rather obsessed with putting data in the cloud, and it may be worth waiting to see how the 5G Pixel 4a pans out, as it's due for release imminently.

Read our full review of the Google Pixel 4a

3. Realme X3 SuperZoom

Wide camera choice and stylish design from a typically budget brand.

6.6-inch display | 128GB, 256GB storage options | 64MP + 8MP + 8MP rear camera

• Plenty of processing power
• Zoom cameras work well
• 120Hz display

• No storage expansion
• No wireless charging
• Battery life could be better

RRP from $699

Why we chose it

Chinese phone brand realme's usual space is more in budget phones, but the realme X3 SuperZoom shows what it can do when it flexes its design muscles. The real standout here is in the camera space, and specifically the flexibility of its combined and mostly capable triple lens array, although the 60x "SuperZoom" is, like so many others, more of a software curiosity than something you'll want to use all the time.

The inclusion of a 120Hz display also makes the X3 SuperZoom a real pleasure to use day to day. However, you are stuck with the heavily adjusted realme UI rather than clean Android.

Read our full review of the realme X3 SuperZoom

• Compare Android phone plans

4. Oppo Find X2 Neo

A more affordable 5G option that still packs plenty of punch.

6.5-inch display | 256GB storage options | 48MP + 13MP + 8MP rear camera

• Good battery life
• Solid camera performance
• 5G ready

• Fingerprint sensor isn't great
• No wireless charging
• Single SIM only

RRP from $999

Why we chose it

Realistically, buying a 5G phone right now is more of a question of futureproofing than getting super-fast access speeds wherever you are, because access is still limited as networks roll out. To date, most 5G handsets have been premium priced, but the introduction of Qualcomm's more affordable Snapdragon 765G has seen a slew of more affordable models hit the market. Oppo's Find X2 Neo stands out not just for 5G capability, but also solid camera specifications and impressive battery life to boot.

We're still not huge fans of Oppo's own "ColorOS" launcher on top of Android, but it's definitely improved over the years since it started as a blatant iOS homage.

Read our full review of the Oppo Find X2 Neo

• Compare Oppo Find X2 plans

5. LG Velvet

Nicely designed with wireless charging and water resistance on board.

6.8-inch display | 128GB storage options | 48MP + 8MP + 5MP rear camera

• Nice design
• 5G capable
• Water resistance

• Underpowered camera
• No dual screen in Australia
• LG launcher doesn't add much

RRP from $899

Why we chose it

LG's Velvet phone is another 5G-capable handset that leans into the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G for its networking prowess. LG has steered somewhat away from the true premium space as of late, and the Velvet is a mostly pleasing phone with features such as IP-rated water resistance, a proper headphone jack and wireless charging that are often left off mid-range phones.

It doesn't quite match up to the best of the mid-range in terms of camera quality in our tests, and the dual-screen accessory for it isn't sold officially in Australia, sadly.

Read our full review of the LG Velvet

• Compare SIM-only phone plans

Compare the best mid-range phones of 2021

Compare the specs and and purchasing options of each phone in the table below. Click on "View details" for more product specifications.

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Name	Product	Display	Display	Rear camera	Battery size	Overall rating	More info	More info
Apple iPhone SE (2020)		4.7 inches 1334 x 750	Display 4.7 inches 1334 x 750 Rear camera 12MP Battery size 1,821 mAh	12MP	1,821 mAh		Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Google Pixel 4a		5.8 inches 1080 x 2340	Display 5.8 inches 1080 x 2340 Rear camera 12.2MP Battery size 3,140 mAh	12.2MP	3,140 mAh		Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Realme X3 SuperZoom		6.6 inches 2400x1080	Display 6.6 inches 2400x1080 Rear camera 64MP + 8MP + 8MP Battery size 4,200 mAh	64MP + 8MP + 8MP + 2MP	4,200 mAh		Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Oppo Find X2 Neo		6.5 inches 2400 x 1080	Display 6.5 inches 2400 x 1080 Rear camera 48MP + 13MP + 8MP Battery size 4,025 mAh	48MP + 13MP + 8MP + 2MP	4,025 mAh		Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
LG Velvet		6.8 inches 2460 x 1080	Display 6.8 inches 2460 x 1080 Rear camera 48MP + 8MP + 5MP Battery size 4,300 mAh	48MP + 8MP + 5MP	4,300 mAh		Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Methodology

150+
Mobile phones reviewed

10,000+
Hours spent testing

10
Best mid-range phones ranked

• We've spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing mid-range mobile phones.
• Our editorial team has a combined 60+ years of experience writing about tech and reviewing the latest devices.
• The phones on this list were chosen by our editorial team and were not based on commercial relationships.

• Why you can trust our picks

  We comprehensively test every single phone that comes into Finder for review in the same way, whether it's a budget cheapie or a flagship phone costing thousands of dollars – and that naturally captures the mid-range phone market as well.

  We consider the design of each mid-range phone. While at one time you could only get premium design features like alternative colours or materials or high refresh rate screens in high-end phones, we're starting to see those appear in more affordable models as well. We also assess the feel and usability of a phone's design, considering aspects like the quality of any biometric sensors, whether the build feels robust and any features that might make it more or less attractive to most users.

  Cameras on mid-range phones have also improved markedly in recent years, with most sporting AI-assisted multi-lens arrays. We extensively test phone camera performance including low light performance, video quality, any special features built into manufacturer software and how they compare against similarly priced phones available at the time of release. Rear and front cameras are equally assessed, which means we've taken thousands of rather unfortunate selfies over the years.

  We use a range of commercial benchmarks to give a comparative viewpoint of how a given mid-range phone compares to the market at the time of release. Benchmarks are fine for synthetic comparison, but we then test for everyday tasks such as web browsing, social media, video streaming and gaming, as well as any pre-installed software that's unique to that handset to get a more rounded picture of performance over time. Network features such as 4G and 5G speeds are also considered, although the variability of mobile networks must be taken into account there.

  Every single phone maker will wax lyrical about how amazing their phone's battery life is, but not all phones are created equal. That's why we assess battery life in a comparative sense with a video streaming test to see how it ranks in the field, as well as testing over multiple days to get a feel for general battery performance for each handset. We also consider charging speeds and whether features such as fast wired charging or wireless charging are available with a handset.

  Finally, we consider the asking price for each phone. Why not consider that first, as you might in a store? Because we want to fairly assessed the phone on its physical merits before weighing it up against its price competition. That's especially important for mid-range handsets, because the pressure for value hits them both from above with premium models and below with the improving quality of true budget phones.

  We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. However, Finder may receive compensation when you click some of the links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners.