An affordable smartphone is much better these days than it was a few years ago. What do you get for a maximum of 200 euros? We test 3 smartphones in this price range: OppoA18, Motorola Moto G24 Power and Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G.
Rens Blom and Rob Coenraads
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In this test we have used the recommended retail prices as |
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Oppo A18
Oppo A18
For just over a hundred euros you can buy the Oppo A18, which was released in early 2024 and is equipped with a 6.56-inch LCD screen. That screen is nice, but partly due to the lower HD resolution, it does not compete with more expensive phones.
The specifications are (logically) also a notch less. For example, the working memory is limited at 4 GB and the cameras are mediocre. The Oppo A18 is not slow, although we would not call the device fast either. We like that Oppo provides the phone with 128 GB of storage memory. The battery lasts a long day without any problems.
The smartphone’s update policy is limited. There will be no more upgrades after Android 14 and security updates will stop in October 2026. In short: in just over two years the phone will no longer be safe to use.
Considering the price, we understand compromises in specs and update support, but it also begs the question of how much fun you’re going to get out of such a budget phone as the Oppo A18.
Suggested retail price: € 169,-
+ screen looks blurry
+ long battery life
– mediocre cameras
– shorter update policy
Motorola Moto G24 Power
The Motorola Moto G24 Power is very affordable, but still has 256GB of storage memory and 8GB of RAM. Anyone who thinks that the Moto G24 Power is a speed monster is unfortunately wrong. Due to the simple processor, the phone is quite slow. The 6.56-inch LCD screen has also been cut back on. An anti-fingerprint finish seems to be missing, which means you are constantly looking at your own fingerprints. The HD resolution also makes the image less sharp than a Full-HD screen. The lower resolution is good for the battery life and that is a point where the Moto G24 Power distinguishes itself: helped by a huge 6000mAh battery, this phone lasts two days with normal use. No other smartphone in this test manages that. Charging is also fast and Motorola neatly supplies a charging adapter. The cameras are of usual, but not special quality.
The device gets Android 15 and three years of security updates, which we’re fine with considering the low price.
Suggested retail price: € 179,-
+ lots of storage space
+ battery lasts two days
– less beautiful screen
– disappointing performance
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 4G is an interesting alternative to the Motorola Moto G24 Power. The devices differ in several points.
For example, Xiaomi’s model has a 6.67-inch OLED screen that looks more colorful, is sharper with its full-HD resolution and appears smoother thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is really good for a budget smartphone.
Xiaomi also gives the phone a year longer updates than Motorola: four years in total. However, the battery of the Redmi Note 13 4G is smaller, so you can get ahead with normal use for a day to a day and a half.
The smartphone’s software is also less pleasant to use, because Xiaomi’s MIUI shell is very busy and adds many unnecessary apps and games. The cameras are, like Motorola’s, of poor quality.
Both smartphones lack support for 5G internet, although we don’t think that’s a problem in this price range because 4G is also very fast.
Suggested retail price: € 199,-
+ sharp, smooth OLED screen
+ four-year update policy
– no good cameras
– too busy software