The 10 best smartphones up to 400 euros

The smartphone upper class is sometimes really expensive. Prices around 1000 euros are no longer uncommon. But there are very well-equipped models for significantly less money. TECHNOLOGY BUTTON lists smartphones up to 400 euros that can compete with the flagships of the major smartphone manufacturers – or were even flagships that have now been replaced.

The order mentioned does not correspond to any ranking order.

What does a smartphone have to be able to do up to 400 euros?

Often the Pro or Plus model of a series is in focus. But there are also the basic models that have many of the functions of the big brothers, but are cheaper. If they are still on the market for a few more months, prices fall and smartphones get really interesting. The models known as China smartphones are also worth a closer look. Especially when they are officially sold in Germany with full support, as is the case, for example, with the manufacturers Xiaomi and Oppo.

In principle, all Android phones listed here have a large full-view display, run at least with Android 10 ex works or after an update and bring a triple or quad camera with them. The memory has a size of mostly 128 GB. There is usually between 6 GB and 12 GB of RAM. It is not uncommon for smartphones up to 400 euros to even have special functions. These can be retractable cameras, dual displays, high-end processors or batteries with a particularly high charge capacity.

With the iPhone SE (2020) there is even an Apple cell phone in the list that is always available for less than 400 euros. However, the minimum requirements for smartphones up to 400 euros do not apply here. Apple sets different standards than the Android manufacturers, but manages to develop smartphones that run very well through hardware and software from a single source.

Apple iPhone SE (2020)

With the iPhone SE (2020), Apple launched a new edition of its popular budget iPhone in April 2020. It is now available for around 400 euros. With its 4.7-inch display, the smartphone is one of the most compact that buyers are currently getting – not only from Apple but also in the Android sector. It is optically very similar to the iPhone 8, but technically equipped with more modern components. IOS 13 is used ex works as the operating system, but now there is also an update to iOS 14. Apart from the looks, the iPhone SE (2020) has not adopted much of the older model. On the contrary: the smartphone is technically quite modern.

The A13 Bionic, which is also found in the iPhone 11 models, works in the iPhone SE (2020). There is also 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of memory in the version presented here. Support for NFC tags is new, a function that was previously only available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone 11. This enables the budget smartphone to automatically perform certain automations by scanning the tags – such as playing playlists or dimming lights. Photos can be taken with a 12-megapixel single camera on the back.

Features of the Apple iPhone SE (2020) at a glance:

• Display: 4.7 inch Retina, 1334 x 750 pixels
• Processor: Bionic A13, hexa-core with 2.65 GHz
• Storage: 64 GB, 3 GB RAM
• Front camera:  7 MP, f / 2.2
• Main camera: 12 MP wide angle, f / 1.8 + 5x digital zoom
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE, Lightning
• Battery: 1821 mAh
• System:  iOS 13, update to iOS 14 available
• Other: IP67, fingerprint sensor, dual SIM with eSIM
• Price:  around 400 euros

Xiaomi Mi 10T 5G

The Xiaomi Mi 10T also belongs to the category of smartphones up to 400 euros. And the device has a very good equipment to offer that rivals the flagships. With a diagonal of 6.67 inches, the display is not only particularly large, it also takes up almost the entire front. In addition, it supports the display with up to 144 Hz and is therefore also ideal for gamers. The fingerprint sensor sits under the screen and Qualcomm’s top model from last year – the Snapdragon 865 – is used as the processor. There is also 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Alternatively, Xiaomi also offers the Mi 10T with 8 GB of RAM, but this model is a bit more expensive. The smartphone is delivered with Android 10, but an update to Android 11 is available. It is also nice

There are three cameras on the back of the Xiaomi Mi 10T, above all the main camera with wide angle and 64 megapixels. There is also an ultra-wide-angle sensor with 13 megapixels and a macro lens with 5 megapixels. The camera can not only take photos, but also video in 8K. The battery doesn’t have to hide with a capacity of 5000 mAh either. It can be charged particularly quickly – both wired (33 watts) and wirelessly. Even power delivery is possible, so that users can wirelessly charge other devices via their smartphone.

Features of the Xiaomi Mi 10T at a glance:

• Display: 6.67 inch full view with drop notch, IPS, 2400 x 1080 pixels, 144 Hz
• Processor: Snapdragon 865, Octa-Core with 2.84 GHz
• Storage:  128 GB, 6 GB RAM
• Front camera:  20 MP, f / 2.2
• Main camera: triple camera 64 MP + 13 MP ultra wide angle, 5 MP macro; f / 1.9, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac / ax, LTE + 5G, USB-C
• Battery: 5000 mAh, Quick Charge 33 watts, wireless charging, power delivery
• System:  Android 10, update to Android 11 available
• Other: Dual SIM, fingerprint sensor under the display
• Price: from 380 euros

LG Velvet 4G

The LG Velvet 4G dates from July 2020, so it is a comparatively up-to-date smartphone. The manufacturer praises the design of its device, which is quite narrow, curved and reduced. The cameras on the back are not framed in glass. Instead, each sensor protrudes individually. Technically, the LG Velvet 4G offers good, albeit standard, food for a smartphone up to 400 euros. The display has a size of 6.8 inches and, according to the design, an elongated 20.5: 9 format. The manufacturer relies on POLED technology. The top chip from Qualcomm from 2018 – the Snapdragon 845 – provides the drive. It is supported by 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of expandable storage in the LG smartphone.

Features of the LG Velvet 4G at a glance:

• Display: 6.8 inch full view with hole notch, POLED, 2460 x 1080 pixels, 20.5: 9
• Processor: Snapdragon 845, Octa-Core with 2.8 GHz
• Memory: 128 GB expandable, 6 GB RAM
• Front camera:  16 MP, f / 1.9
• Main camera: Triple camera 48 MP + 8 MP ultra wide angle + 8 MP macro + 5 MP ToF, f / 1.8, f / 2.2, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE, USB-C
• Battery: 4300 mAh, Quick Charge 25 watts, wireless charging, Power Delivery 3.0
• System:  Android 10
• Other: Dual SIM, fingerprint sensor, IP68, MIL-STD 810G
• Price:  from 325 euros

Oppo Reno 4 5G

The Chinese manufacturer Oppo has been officially selling its smartphones in Germany for some time. With the Reno 4 5G there is a model that not only runs with the current Android 10, but also has very good storage and camera equipment. A total of 8 GB of working memory, in addition to the Snapdragon 765G octa-core chip and 128 GB of flash memory, are among the key data. There is also a triple camera with a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The front camera also offers more than one sensor. In addition to a 32-megapixel camera, there is also a 2-megapixel sensor.

The 6.4-inch display offers plenty of space for presentations that are shown in Full HD +. Thanks to AMOLED technologies, the colors are bright and the contrasts strong. The fingerprint sensor is also integrated in the front of the display. The Oppo Reno 4 5G comes with a transparent cover that protects the back of the glass. Another plus point is the support of 5G as well as the very powerful 4020 mAh battery, which can be charged quickly thanks to VOOC 2.0 fast charging technology. However, the smartphone does not support wireless charging.

Features of the Oppo Reno 4 5G at a glance:

• Display: 6.4 inch full view with notch, AMOLED with 60 Hz, 2400 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Snapdragon 765G, Octa-Core with 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 128 GB expandable, 8 GB RAM
• Front camera:  Dual 32 MP + 2 MP, f / 2.4
• Main camera: triple camera 48 MP main sensor + 8 MP ultra wide angle + 2 MP; f / 1.7, f / 2.2, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE + 5G, USB-C
• Battery: 4020 mAh, VOOC 2.0 65 watts, Power Delivery
• System:  Android 10
• Other:  fingerprint sensor under the display, dual SIM (no hybrid)
• Price:  around 400 euros

Nokia 8.3 5G

The Nokia brand, under the leadership of the Finnish company HMD Global, has produced a number of smartphones that we can recommend in recent years. One of these models is the Nokia 8.3, which has been on the market since September 2020. It offers a lot of performance for a fair price of less than 400 euros – including 5G support and Android 10. Thanks to the Android One operating system, the smartphone is one of the first to receive updates from Google.

Features of the Nokia 8.3 5G at a glance:

• Display: 6.81 inch full view with notch, IPS, 2400 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Snapdragon 765G, Octa-Core with 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 128 GB, 8 GB RAM, not expandable
• Front camera:   24 MP
• Main camera: Quad camera 64 MP main sensor + 12 MP ultra wide angle + 2 MP + 2 MP
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE + 5G, USB-C
• Battery: 4500 mAh, 18 watts
• System:  Android 10, Android One
• Other:  fingerprint sensor, dual SIM (no hybrid)
• Price:  around 400 euros

Honor 20 Pro

The Honor 20 Pro is a smartphone that is touted by the manufacturer as a luxury model. And the technology can definitely keep up with other top models. In the Honor 20 Pro, the Kirin 980 is not only a high-end processor, it also has a very good memory configuration with 256 GB and 8 GB of RAM for a smartphone up to 400 euros.

A special feature of the Honor 20 Pro is the large 6.26-inch display with very thin display bezels and a hole notch. But the camera is also impressive, as it offers a total of four sensors. In addition to a 48-megapixel main sensor, it has a 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle, a macro lens with 8 megapixels and a depth sensor with 2 megapixels. The front camera is not without it either, as it offers a resolution of 32 megapixels.

Also interesting: Honor smartphones should get Google apps again

Features of the Honor 20 Pro at a glance:

• Display: 6.26 inch full view with hole notch, IPS, 2340 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Kirin 980, Octa-Core with 2.6 GHz
• Storage: 256 GB, 8 GB RAM
• Front camera:  32 MP, f / 2.4
• Main camera: Quad camera 48 MP + 16 MP ultra wide angle + 8 MP macro + 2 MP depth sensor, f / 1.8, f / 2.2, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE, USB-C
• Battery: 4000 mAh, Quick Charge
• System:  Android 9 Pie, update to Android 10 available
• Other: dual SIM, fingerprint sensor
• Price:  from 368 euros

OnePlus North

OnePlus first demonstrated camera equipment consisting of four sensors in the 8 Pro. In the north, the manufacturer also relies on such a setup, which in addition to the 48 megapixels also offers an ultra-wide angle with 8 megapixels, a macro lens with 2 megapixels and a 5 megapixel depth sensor. There is also a dual front camera on the front. The smartphone is delivered with Android 10, over which OnePlus has placed its in-house interface. This is comparatively easy and does not require unnecessary apps, complicated functions or other adjustments. Not least because of this, OxygenOS is also one of the fastest user interfaces on smartphones.

The battery of the OnePlus Nord has a capacity of 4115 mAh. A fingerprint sensor is also on board, which the manufacturer has integrated under the display glass. There is no jack socket and a microSD card slot. On the other hand, the memory configuration with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of flash memory is quite generous. On request, Nord is also available with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, but this model costs 100 euros more and therefore no longer fits into the list of smartphones up to 400 euros.

Features of the OnePlus Nord at a glance:

• Display: 6.44 inch full view with notch, Fluid AMOLED with 90 Hz, 2400 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Snapdragon 765G, Octa-Core with 2.4 GHz
• Storage: 128 GB / 256 GB, 8 GB / 12 GB RAM, not expandable
• Front camera:  dual camera 32 MP + 8 MP, f / 2.45
• Main camera: Quad camera 48 MP main sensor + 8 MP ultra-wide angle +2 MP Macro + 5 MP; f / 1.75, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE + 5G, USB-C
• Battery: 4115 mAh, Warp Charge 3T
• System:  Android 10, OxygenOS 10.5
• Other:  fingerprint sensor under the display, dual SIM (no hybrid)
• Price:  from 379 euros

 

Realme X3 SuperZoom

In mid-June 2020, the Chinese manufacturer Realme presented the X3 SuperZoom. In the list of smartphones under 400 euros, it stands out above all for its generous storage capacity. It has a full 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal capacity. In addition, a very up-to-date operating system runs on the device with Android 10. The camera is also not to be despised – four sensors form a unit on the back. In addition to the 64-megapixel main sensor, users will also find an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens and a macro lens with 2 megapixels. The device is nicknamed SuperZoom because it has a 5x optical zoom. The front camera comes in a double pack. It consists of a 32-megapixel sensor and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle.

The processor is also powerful. Realme relies on the Snapdragon 855+, which gives the smartphone a very good performance. Due to the large 6.6-inch display, the Realme X3 is not suitable for everyone. In addition, there is only an LCD instead of an OLED screen. In return, the smartphone supports a refresh rate of a high 120 Hz, which should especially please gamers. The battery has a capacity of 4200 mAh.

Features of the Realme X3 SuperZoom at a glance:

• Display: 6.6 inch full view with notch, LCD with 120 Hz, 2400 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Snapdragon 855+, Octa-Core with 2.96 GHz
• Memory: 256 GB (not expandable), 12 GB RAM
• Front camera:  Dual camera 32 MP + 8 MP, f / 2.5, f / 2.2
• Main camera: Quad camera 64 MP main sensor + 8 MP ultra wide angle + 8 MP telephoto + 2 MP macro; f / 1.8, f / 2.3, f / 3.4, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE, USB-C
• Battery: 4200 mAh, Quick Charge
• System:  Android 10
• Other:  fingerprint sensor, dual SIM (no hybrid)
• Price:  from 379 euros

Sony Xperia 10 II

Sony has had a difficult time in the smartphone market in the past few months. Compared to other smartphones for less than 400 euros, the Japanese models offer a little less equipment at first glance. So does the Sony Xperia 10 II, which has “only” 4 GB of RAM and the mid-range Snapdragon 665 processor. But the components work well together, which has an impact on performance.

Features of the Sony Xperia 10 II at a glance:

• Display: 6 inch, 21: 9 display, OLED, 2520 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Snapdragon 665, Octa-Core with 2 GHz
• Memory: 128 GB expandable, 4 GB RAM
• Front camera: 8 MP, f / 2.0
• Main camera:  Triple camera 12 MP + 8 MP ultra-wide angle + 8 MP telephoto, f / 2.0, f / 2.2, f / 2.4
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE, USB-C
• Battery: 3600 mAh, Quick Charge 3.0
• System:  Android 10
• Other:  Jack socket, fingerprint sensor, IP65 / 68, Hi-Res Audio, DSEE HX, Hi-Res Wireless Audio (HWA)
• Price:  from 318 euros

Samsung Galaxy A71

In 2019, Samsung came up with a new name for its popular A series. All devices have been given a new designation in the 10 range. The Galaxy A71 is located in the upper middle of the row. Buyers get a device with a huge 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a 4500 mAh battery and a quad camera with 64-megapixel wide angle, an ultra-wide angle with 12 megapixels, a 5-megapixel macro camera and a 5-megapixel Sensor for more depth of field.

The Samsung Galaxy A71 is powered by the Snapdragon 730, whose performance is on the upper middle level. There is also 128 GB of expandable memory and a whopping 6 GB of RAM. The Galaxy A71 even has a fingerprint sensor under the display. The special feature: Samsung already delivers the smartphone with the current Android 10.

Features of the Samsung Galaxy A71 at a glance:

• Display: 6.7 inch full view with drop notch, SuperAMOLED, 2400 x 1080 pixels
• Processor: Snapdragon 730, Octa-Core with 2.2 GHz
• Memory: 128 GB expandable, 6 GB RAM
• Front camera:  32 MP, f / 2.2
• Main camera: Quad camera with 64 MP wide angle + 12 MP ultra wide angle, 5 MP macro + 5 MP, f / 1.8, f / 2.2
• Connections: NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, WLAN a / b / g / n / ac, LTE, USB-C
• Battery: 4500 mAh, Quick Charge with 25 watts
• System:  Android 10
• Other:  real dual SIM, fingerprint sensor under the display
• Price:  from 302 euros

Conclusion: Smartphones up to 400 euros are a real alternative to the top models

Using the example of the smartphones up to 400 euros listed here, you can see what kind of good equipment is already available for the money. No matter whether fingerprint sensors under the display, wireless charging or cameras that can be pulled out of the housing – many of the features known from the flagships were previously tested in the middle class and upper class. That is what makes the devices so interesting.

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