The best smartphones up to 200 euros

If you want to buy a new smartphone, you don’t have to dig deep into your pocket. There are smartphones for less than 200 euros that offer good performance as a cheap alternative or entry-level cell phone. In our comparison we show you 4 interesting models.

Well-known brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi and Motorola already offer smartphones up to 200 euros whose features are convincing – be it a strong battery, NFC or 5G mobile technology. In many cases, however, you have to accept compromises with the display, the camera or performance. You can find out which models are still worth a look in our selection.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11: a lot of performance for little money

GIGA tip At the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 (view at Amazon) you get a 90 Hz display, which thanks to AMOLED technology for a high-contrast image cares. Similar to the other smartphones up to 200 euros in our selection, the Xiaomi runs with Android 11 right from the start, but don’t worry: the update to Android 12 has been available since mid-2022. The processor and RAM cope with everyday tasks without any problems, and the Redmi Note 11 should also be able to handle a game that is not too demanding.

However, the Xiaomi needs good lighting conditions for good pictures. However, the cell phone convinces with a wide feature set, including a fingerprint sensor and face recognition for unlocking, as well as slots for two SIM cards and a micro SD card. Furthermore, the Redmi Note 11 supports the NFC function and enables contactless payment.

Advantages:

• color-intensive AMOLED display
• brisk processor
• strong battery

Disadvantages:

• no inductive charging possible
• no certified protection against water and dust

Do you only know Xiaomi as a smartphone manufacturer? In our video we show you which products the Chinese company is still (more or less) known for:

Motorola Moto G22: Strong competitor for Xiaomi

price tip It’s not just Xiaomi that brings well-equipped smartphones onto the market at a reasonable price – Motorola has also developed a powerful smartphone for up to 200 euros (see Otto). That Moto G22 is not only with one Battery capacity of 5,000 mAh equipped, but joins the other cell phones in our selection with a refresh rate of 90 Hz.

However, the display only has a resolution of HD+ (1600×720 pixels), so you have to make compromises in that respect. Although Motorola does not use 5G mobile communications with the Moto G22, Android 12 already preinstalled and the smartphone has a strong camera that can compete with the above Xiaomi.

Advantages:

• Android 12 preinstalled
• strong camera
• long-lasting battery

Disadvantages:

• no 5G cellular
• HD+ resolution only
• no certified protection against water and dust

Samsung Galaxy A13: Sufficient for everyday use

Samsung is also involved in the low price range: with the Samsung Galaxy A13 (view at Notebooksbilliger.de) you get a smartphone for less than 200 euros, but it cannot hide its low price well. So it consists of a plastic housing that is not waterproof. In contrast to the previous A12, the LC display was screwed on: The Galaxy A13 also solves this FullHD+ (2,408 × 1,080 pixels).

The battery has a capacity of 5,000mAh long, whereby the processor also ensures a long runtime. The built-in Exynos 850 doesn’t have that much power. The system-on-a-chip (SoC) is sufficient for everyday tasks, but it hardly supports gaming (in favor of the battery life). The processor is supported by 4 GB of RAM. You can choose between 64 and 128 GB of internal storage. The good thing: The Galaxy A13 has a micro SD slot, so you can expand the internal memory by up to 1 TB.

The quad camera, with a 50 megapixel main camera convinces – but only in good light conditions. Ultra wide-angle shots (5 megapixels) or zoom photos, on the other hand, are less convincing. Stiftung Warentest supports this with a grade of 3.0. All in all, the Galaxy A13 received the grade “Good” (rating 2.5).

Advantages:

• Full HD+ resolution
• strong battery
• expandable internal memory

Disadvantages:

• mediocre camera
• low-performance processor without 5G
• no certified protection against water and dust

Realme 9 5G: Finally a jack again

At the Realme 9 5G you get a smartphone for up to 200 euros (see Amazon) that convinces with a lot of performance. the Like the predecessor, the refresh rate remains at 90 Hz. Together with the improved SoC Snapdragon 680 (the manufacturer opted for the Dimensity 700 5G for the Realme 8), you can also enjoy one or the other not so demanding game.

the triple camera also does a good job: main camera with 108 megapixels, macro lens with 2 megapixels, ultra wide lens with 8 megapixels. Especially in daylight you can look forward to detailed pictures.

The strong 5,000 mAh battery also ensures staying power. Other features include the triple slot for 2 SIM cards and a memory card. And also on the jack connection was not waived.

Advantages:

• usual chic design
• 3.5mm jack socket
• expandable storage

Disadvantages:

• no certified protection against water and dust

If you are looking for smartphones in higher price ranges, we have more articles for you:

Smartphones up to 200 euros: This is how the selection was put together

There are many models for smartphones up to 200 euros. Certain characteristics were an exclusion criterion for us, such as being too old. We have partly based ourselves on our own tests, on the other hand on the results of the Stiftung Warentest – reviews are linked below. The results of other test sites and user ratings also influence the selection. The latter were helpful because they didn’t judge based on benchmark numbers and other laboratory values, which were rather uninformative, but instead emphasized individual impressions.

Sources used: Stiftung Warentest (Edition 11/2022)

In a separate article you can find out more about how we at GIGA deal with product recommendations and tests:

With our research, we at GIGA want to recommend you suitable products and avoid bad purchases. Your trust is important to us – that’s why you can rely on us.

I myself have been dealing with mobile phones and smartphones for years. All generations have fascinated me, from the Nokia classics to the first clamshell and sliding cell phones to smartphones. Personally, not only technical innovations are important to me, but also sustainability.

Finally, a note on the prices: Strong price fluctuations are always to be expected for smartphones. As soon as a new generation appears, the previous series can quickly suffer a price drop, which means that models that were previously too expensive suddenly fit into your personal budget. Deal events such as Black Friday or Cyber ​​Monday also have a strong impact on prices. We keep you up to date on current offers in our deal overview, it’s worth checking out the daily offers regularly!

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