What is a premium mid range smartphone? It is a mid range smartphone that offers enough premium features and specs to make it a compelling alternative to available premium flagships while costing much less than premium flagships. As a matter of fact, a premium mid range smartphone should cost roughly about half the price of premium flagship phones, so we are looking at the best phones in the $350 to $600 price bracket.
The best premium mid range smartphones are such good value for money devices that they are incredibly badass. I wouldn’t blink twice if offered a premium mid range smartphone that costs below $600 while offering me much of what I would get in a premium flagship. I expect that many people will be delighted with such an offer as well. Which is great, because I have done the digging around for you and compiled a list of such phones for your convenience.
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List Of The Best Premium Mid Range Smartphones of 2023
OnePlus 10 Pro
This dude has a premium flagship processor from 2022, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, meaning you get performance that is still better than 95% of smartphones in the market.
Of course, the phone itself was released in January 2022, but in terms of both hardware and software, it is still quite up to date. The phone hit the market with Android 12 at launch and OnePlus has since rolled out Android 13 for it.
OnePlus 10 Pro comes in multiple memory variants – 8/128GB, 8/256GB, 12/256GB, and 12/512GB. If you opt for the 8/128GB variant, you will be paying only $439 (on Amazon). This deal is too sweet to ignore, because essentially, the OnePlus 10 Pro was designed to be a premium flasghip phone. But look at that price: $439 for an all-round premium smartphone experience. There is no question about it: the OnePlus 10 Pro deserves to be listed among the best premium mid range smartphones of 2023.
Other features of the phone include a 120Hz LTPO2 Fluid AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass Victims and Always-on display. Sadly, there is no water or dust protection, and this might be in part responsible for the delicious price.
There is a pair of stereo speakers, an optical under-display fingerprint scanner, 5000mAh battery, 65W/80W fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging, reverse wired charging, and also reverse wireless charging.
Lastly, the Hasselblad cameras are no slouch, so if photography is your thing, you are getting a solid package here.
Grab the OnePlus 10 Pro for as low as $439 in the United States, £449 in the United Kingdom, €620 in Germany, Netherlands, and other European Union countries, and Rs. 43,000 in India. These prices are all for the 8/128GB trim. The other variants cost more.
Google Pixel 7a
The Google Pixel 7a costs only $409 on Amazon. The Tensor G2 processor on the inside is definitely a mid range performer, which is fine. We are looking at the best premium mid range smartphones afterall. The Pixel 7a is also definitely premium. From the physical build to the software experience, there is a refinement that runs through across the board.
There is a decent 4385mAh battery keeping the lights on, but as is common with Pixel smartphones, battery life is unimpressive. As is the 18W fast charge. However, no other phone on this list touches the Pixel 7a in terms of photography. This is, hands down, the best premium mid range smartphone for photography.
You are also sure of getting the latest Android software updates in a timely manner for at least 3 years. Photography and software experience are the two main pillars of Google Pixel smartphones, and the 7a lives up to them.
Lastly, a favourite of mine, this is a small phone. Its screen size is 6.1 inches diagonally. Unfortunately, Google messes it up a bit (just a bit) with the weight coming in at 194g, which coupled with the 9mm thickness, makes this a somewhat chunky phone in the hand.
Still, the Pixel 7a is a sweet deal. It is available for as low as $409 in the United States, £320 in the United Kingdom, €447 in Germany and other European Union countries, and Rs. 42,000 in India.
Motorola Edge 30 Pro
Here we have another model with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 running things under the hood. Which makes it a premium flagship effectively. The Moto Edge 30 Pro is available in multiple memory variants – 8/128GB, 8/256GB, 12/256GB, 8/512GB, and 12/256GB. That’s a lot of options.
Battery capacity is 4800mAh and there is 68W wired charging, 15W wireless charging, as well as 5W reverse wireless charging. Motorola isn’t great with software updates and that grates on me, but it might not be an issue for you. Your call.
The 8/128GB variant is on sale in the United States for $475 on Amazon. In the United Kingdom, the price starts from £550. Base price in Germany and the European Union is €535, while it is Rs. 28,500 in India.
OnePlus Nord 2T
The most affordable premium mid range smartphone on this list is the OnePlus Nord 2T. Available for as low as $340 (on Amazon), this is the option you want to go for if you are on a budget.
OnePlus Nord 2T was released in May 2022 with Android 12, packs a fairly compact 6.43″ 90Hz display with Gorilla Glass 5, a mid range powerhouse processor, Dimensity 1300, and memory options of 8/128GB and 12/256GB.
The Android 13 update had already been released for it in January 2023, so the software experience is up-to-date as well. For contrast, the Dimensity 1300 processor is slightly behind the Pixel 7a’s Tensor G2 processor. That gives you an idea of what kind of performance to expect.
Keeping the lights on in the OnePlus Nord 2T is a 4500mAh battery that delivers fairly good battery life. Charging speed is 80W, which is quite good as well.
In the United States, the Nord 2T costs $340. In the United Kingdom, the price is from £248, while it starts from €349 on Germany and other European Union states. In Canada, the price starts from C$ 513.
Which is the Best Premium Mid Range Smartphone?
For overall top performance, the cake goes to OnePlus 10 Pro and Motorola Moto Edge 30 Pro. Nothing else on this list comes close to touching the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor in those two phones.
However, the OnePlus Nord 2T is a premium mid range smartphone that wins in striking a balance between features/specs and cost. It is great value for money. As a matter of fact, in 2022, I listed it as one of the best mid range phones that feel like premium flagships, effectively flagship killer status.
However, if photography is uppermost on your list of needs, then the Pixel 7a is untouched and that is the one you want to select then.
Which of these top premium mid range smartphones fit your needs the most? Which will you buy? Share with me in the comments section below.
