Do you want to spend between 300 and 400 euros on your new smartphone? For that money you get a good mid-range model that you can use for years. Which is the best choice? That of course differs per person and that’s why Techzle lists the 10 best smartphones with price under 400 euros.
- 1. Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
- 2. Xiaomi Mi 9
- 3. Honor View 20
- 4. Xiaomi Mi 9T
- 5. Honor 20
- 6. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
- 7. Motorola One Hyper
- 8. Oppo Reno 2 Z
- 9. Samsung Galaxy A70
- 10. Nokia 7.2
Top 10 smartphones cheaper than 400 euros
1. Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
Techzle review score: 90/100
+ Very powerful
+ Long battery life
– No wireless charging
– No micro SD slot
Mi 9T Pro is Xiaomi’s improved version of the Mi 9T. The biggest differences are a much more powerful processor and better cameras. The device has a luxurious glass exterior but is smooth and scratch sensitive. The 6.4-inch OLED screen looks great and fills almost the entire front. The selfie camera slides out of the top. A very fast Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of working memory and at least 64GB of storage memory make the Mi 9T Pro a premium smartphone. Make sure it does not support a micro SD card. Wireless charging is also cut back – the slightly more expensive Mi 9 can do this. Thanks to the 4000 mAh battery, the Mi 9T Pro can easily last a long day. Charging is done at average speed: from zero to one hundred percent takes just under two hours. The triple camera on the back takes both normal photos and wide-angle images and can zoom a few times with minimal loss of quality. The cameras are slightly better than the Mi 9T but a little less good than the Mi 9, and generally do very well. The MIUI software from Xiaomi is getting used to but then great to use. It’s nice that Xiaomi updates its smartphones regularly and for a few years.
2. Xiaomi Mi 9
Score 85
+ Fast (wireless) charging
+ Powerful hardware
– No headphone connection
– Not the best battery life
Xiaomi’s Mi 9 is not the newest device in this overview, but still offers an amazing value for money. The flagship has a luxurious glass design, is thin and relatively light and is very comfortable to hold. Also worth noting is the high-quality 6.4-inch full-HD OLED screen. Behind the screen is a fast fingerprint scanner. The Mi 9 runs on a powerful Snapdragon 855 processor and is available in two versions. The basic model has 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage space. A more expensive version has 8GB / 128GB memory and is really only worth it if you need a lot of storage space, because the Mi 9 lacks a micro-sd slot. There is a triple camera on the back of the smartphone. The primary 48 megapixel camera shoots nice pictures both during the day and in the dark. The wide-angle lens also works well and with the third zoom lens you get the image a few times closer with minimal loss of quality. With normal use, the Mi 9 lasts just one day, so not that long. Fortunately, charging via USB-C is very fast (27W) and you can also charge wirelessly (20W). The device runs on Xiaomi’s busy and messy MIUI software and gets updates for years to come.
3. Honor View 20
Techzle review score: 75/100
+ Good (night) photography
+ Good battery life
– Only one camera on the back
– Software (updates)
Honor View 20, not to be confused with the Honor 20, offers a 6.4-inch screen in a relatively compact housing. Thanks to the minimal edges and the selfie camera in a small screen hole, almost the entire front of the device consists of a display. The smartphone is therefore more compact than you might suspect. The glass appearance, especially the blue version, can be there. Although there are smartphones with a better OLED screen, the full-HD LCD display of the Honor View 20 offers a nice and sharp display. A high-speed processor, 6 GB memory and 128 GB storage space (without micro-SD slot) complete the phone. The robust 4000 mAh battery lasts for at least a long day. Charging with 22.5W is nice and quick via the USB-C connection. The 25 megapixel selfie camera takes good pictures and we are also very pleased with the 48 megapixel camera on the back. It shoots detailed pictures and has an excellent night mode. Unfortunately, the extra TOF sensor on the back adds little. A good wide-angle or zoom camera would have been much more useful. Honors MagicUI software shell (in fact EMUI from parent company Huawei) is busy, unclear and therefore not very user-friendly. After habituation you can work with it. The update policy of Honor is also less good than that of many competitors. The company does not want to say until when the Honor View 20 will receive updates.
4. Xiaomi Mi 9T
Score 85
+ Nice screen
+ Long battery life
– No micro SD slot
– MIUI is getting old
Mi 9T is a cheaper version of the Mi 9T Pro, but the differences are small. The devices have the same exact exterior. The glass design with rounded corners appears luxurious and sturdy, but is scratch-sensitive. The selfie camera slides in and out of the top of the housing, so that the 6.4-inch screen fills almost the entire front. The OLED panel looks great and looks sharp due to the full HD resolution. Behind the display is a functioning fingerprint scanner. The Mi 9T receives power from a large 4000 mAh battery and lasts a day and a half. Charging is done with average speed. With 6GB of memory and a minimum of 64GB of storage space, the smartphone is up to scratch, although a micro-SD slot must be missed. The Mi 9T runs on a Snapdragon 730, which is less powerful than the Snapdragon 855 of the Mi 9T Pro. You hardly notice that as long as you don’t play heavy games at the highest settings. The triple camera on the back does the same as on the Pro version (normal camera, wide-angle lens, zoom camera) but is just a step lower in quality. The Mi 9T is not the best camera smartphone. The device runs on Xiaomi’s MIUI software, a not so clear shell over Android 10. Xiaomi gives the Mi 9T updates for years.
5. Honor 20
Score 80
+ Fast processor
+ Four good cameras
– Unclear update policy
– Messy MagicUI software
Do not confuse the Honor 20 with the View 20, also from Honor. The Honor 20 is cheaper and reminds more of the Huawei P30. Honor is a subsidiary of Huawei and therefore installs practically the same software on its devices. That MagicUI shell is messy and busy and Honor’s update policy is downright moderate. A pity, because otherwise the Honor 20 is an interesting smartphone. It offers a beautiful glass design and a 6.1-inch LCD screen that covers almost the entire front. In the top left corner is a small hole for the selfie camera. It takes great photos with enough light. A camera module with four lenses is placed on the back of the device. The primary 48 megapixel camera shoots beautiful pictures and has a special night mode. You can also use a macro lens, a wide-angle camera and a depth sensor for better portrait photos. The Honor 20 has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space – without a micro SD slot. Under the hood is a Kirin 980 processor, which is very fast and also in the much more expensive Huawei P30 Pro. Thanks to the large 3750 mAh battery you can use the device for a day and a half. The 22.5 W plug charges the battery quickly.
6. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
Score 80
+ Very long battery life
+ Powerful hardware
– Too large for single use
– Fragile design
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the cheaper smartphones in this list, but you wouldn’t say that. He scores in many ways comparable to the more expensive competition and that is a great achievement of Xiaomi. For example, the Note 8 Pro has a luxury glass case with a front-filling screen, including sharp full-HD resolution. The 6.53-inch LCD screen just can’t match an OLED display, but looks very nice. At 4500 mAh, the battery is also remarkably large and lasts almost two days. Charging goes smoothly, although there are devices that charge faster. The Note 8 Pro runs on a fast processor, has 6GB of working memory and at least 64GB of storage memory. Only fanatic gamers will notice the difference with a phone that has a more powerful processor. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8 Pro has four cameras on the back. This versatility is very pleasant and the photos are good, especially with enough daylight. More expensive models make better pictures in the dark. The MIUI software from Xiaomi differs from other Android shells and you will have to find your way around it. Fortunately, the manufacturer releases long-term and regular updates.
7. Motorola One Hyper
Score 80
+ Front-filling screen
+ Battery life and fast charging
+ Good cameras
– Heavy
– Moderate wide angle camera
– Update policy
Motorola One Hyper is a new device that stands out because of its front-filling display. Minimal edges give the phone a sleek design, especially when the selfie camera slides out of the top of the case. With 210 grams, the One Hyper is very heavy. The 6.5-inch full-HD screen cannot be operated with one hand. The image quality is good, although there are devices with a nicer OLED display. The Motorola smartphone runs on a fast processor with 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage space. Thanks to the large 4000 mAh battery you can use the One Hyper for a long day without any worries, with less intensive use a weekend is possible. By default you get a fast 27W charger with the phone. A much faster 45W plug is available separately. There is a double camera on the back of the One Hyper. The primary 64-megapixel camera takes 16 megapixel photos as standard and delivers neat results. A night mode in the camera app enhances the images in the dark. Do not expect miracles from the 8-megapixel wide-angle lens. Motorola delivers the One Hyper with Android 10 without significant modifications. Unlike the One Vision and One Action, the One Hyper does not fall under the Android One program. The smartphone therefore receives updates less often and for less time than its brothers.
8. Oppo Reno 2 Z
Review score: 75/100
+ Excellent screen
+ Good battery life
– Weaker graphics performance
– Four cameras is primarily marketing
Oppo Reno 2 Z is a cheaper version of the Reno 2. The device stands out because of its glass housing and front-filling display of no less than 6.5-inch. It is therefore difficult to operate the smartphone with one hand. The OLED screen is colorful and looks sharp due to the full HD resolution. However, the maximum screen brightness is on the low side. There are hardly any edges around the screen, which is because the selfie camera slides out of the top of the phone. Such a pop-up camera is futuristic, although we wonder how robust the mechanism is. Behind the screen is an accurate and fast fingerprint scanner. The Reno 2 Z has no less than 128 GB of storage memory and a fast MediaTek processor. The graphics performance is somewhat disappointing, which means that some heavy games cannot be played at the highest settings. You can use the device for a long day without any worries and charging is nice and fast. Oppo’s ColorOS 6.1 software is messy and contains many unnecessary apps. The promised ColorOS 7 update should improve the software. The manufacturer updates its smartphones regularly, but slowly. There are four cameras on the back of the Reno 2 Z, although that is mainly marketing. For example, two portrait lenses are present, while one was basically enough. The phone takes good photos during the day but is not the best in the dark.
9. Samsung Galaxy A70
Score 75
+ Good, large screen
+ Long battery life and fast charging
– Moderate fingerprint scanner
– Plastic housing feels cheap
Samsung Galaxy A70 is reminiscent of the cheaper A50 in terms of design. A plastic housing, almost borderless screen and three cameras on the back: at first sight, the devices look a lot alike. But there are enough differences. For example, the A70 has an even larger 6.7-inch screen: you can’t get it bigger. On this full-HD OLED display, your games, videos and photos look stunning. The fingerprint scanner under the screen is okay, but not as good as a normal scanner on the back of a smartphone. Due to the large screen, the A70 has a huge 4500 mAh battery. It supplies enough power for one and a half to two days of use. Charging is very fast (25W) via the USB-C plug. The triple camera on the back takes normal photos and wide-angle images, plus a depth sensor that blurs the background on portrait photos. Although the cameras perform well, there are smartphones with better camera qualities in this price segment. The A70 runs on a fast processor with 6GB of memory and 128GB of expandable storage. Samsung’s One UI software is pleasant to use and receives regular updates until at least May 2021.
10. Nokia 7.2
Score 70
+ Nice screen
+ Android One software
– Old processor
– Heats up with intensive use
Nokia 7.2 is a better and therefore more expensive version of the Nokia 6.2. The device has a glass design that looks nice but is also sensitive to scratches and fingerprints. Moreover, the camera module protrudes at the back, which means that the telephone does not lie flat on the table. A cover resolves all these points for attention. The 6.3-inch full-HD screen of the Nokia 7.2 looks very nice and looks sharp due to the full-HD resolution. Nonetheless, competing devices with an OLED screen offer slightly better image quality. Most competitors are also faster than Nokia’s phone, which uses an older processor. The working and storage memory is average and more than sufficient with 6GB and 128GB. With the 3500 mAh battery you can effortlessly advance a long day. Charging is unfortunately slower than usual in this price segment. The triple camera on the back takes “just good” photos. However, true photography enthusiasts have better alternatives. Those who think software is important are better off with the Nokia 7.2. This Android One smartphone runs almost stock Android and receives a security update every month for three years. The device also receives two years of Android updates.