Xiaomi to Realme in check

Mobile phones up to 300 euros have a lot to offer – especially models from Xiaomi and Realme are impressive. In our GIGA overview, we show you which smartphones are worthwhile and which features they bring with them in this price range.

Update notice: We last checked the prices and availability of the products mentioned here on 6/9/2022 at 3:55 p.m.

5G, NFC and fast processors is already offered in this price range. Android phones in particular from manufacturers such as Xiaomi, OnePlus and Realme shine with a strong inner workings. Of course, there are still compromises, for example in the camera quality. You can find out which cell phones are still worth a look in our GIGA comparison.

Xiaomi Poco F3: a lot of performance for little money

Xiaomi Poco F3 (Blue)

The Poco F3 from Xiaomi is available with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage for less than 300 euros. Amazon also adds headphones.

The price may be higher now. Price from 06/09/2022 14:03

Advantages:

• Fast processor
• Colorful AMOLED display
• 5G cellular
• Strong battery

Disadvantages:

• No IP certification
• No jack connection
• Memory not expandable

With the Poco F3, Xiaomi shows that a strong interior not expensive have to be. For a cell phone up to 300 euros (see Amazon), the Poco F3 packs a lot of power: the system-on-a-chip (SoC) from Qualcomm, together with the main memory, ensures a lot of power, so that the smartphone from Xiaomi is not only used for everyday tasks easily mastered, but also endured one or the other game.

According to Stiftung Warentest, the battery lasts up to 40 hours and is fully charged within an hour – you can’t complain about that. Another plus point is the display: The Poco F3 impresses with an AMOLED display in Full HD+ resolution (2,400 x 1,080 pixels). You can expect a high-contrast display, which was even rated “very good” by Stiftung Warentest. Another highlight is the refresh rate of 120 Hz, which ensures smooth performance.

When it comes to camera performance, however, the Poco F3 has its weaknesses, much like the Samsung Galaxy A22 in our list. Images in daylight should still succeed. In addition, with the Xiaomi do without a jack connection and a memory card slot.

Are you still unsure when buying a smartphone? Then our GIGA guide will help you further:

Realme GT Master Edition: great features at a great price

Realme GT Master Edition (Voyager Grey)

The Realme GT Master Edition offers impressive performance for under 300 euros.

The price may be higher now. Price from 06/09/2022 16:01

Advantages:

• AMOLED display with 120 Hz
• 5G cellular
• High camera quality

Disadvantages:

• No expandable storage
• No IP certification

Admittedly, “GT Master Edition” sounds more like a sports car than a smartphone. In fact, as a cell phone up to 300 euros, the Realme has many highlights. The AMOLED display convinces with a high-contrast and color-intensive image and a 120Hz refresh rate, which ensures smooth animations. In addition, the cell phone has 5G mobile technology and the front and main cameras are also convincing, at least on paper. The battery and performance data ensure long runtimes, but thanks to the quick-charging technology, you can also refuel quickly with a cable: The charger supplied fully charges the empty smartphone in just over half an hour.

A drop of bitterness is the processor: Although the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G is a good eight-core processor, it cannot keep up with the more expensive sister model’s Snapdragon 888 5G, which also turns the Realme GT into a good gaming smartphone. You also have to do without wireless charging and expandable memory – if you want to take a lot of data with you, you should go for the slightly more expensive model with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB internal memory.

Do you often obtain information directly from test institutions such as Stiftung Warentest and Co.? Then in this video we have some points that you should pay attention to in the future:

According to our test, the regular Realme GT is also a very cheap smartphone for its performance data, currently costs almost 400 euros (view on Amazon). The cheaper Master Edition of the Realme GT is a good compromise with upper mid-range specs but some high-end features, notably 5G connectivity and a top-of-the-line display. Anyone who uses their smartphone primarily in everyday life and has no gaming ambitions can get up to 300 euros for a cell phone (view at Amazon). really good model.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S: Only 5G technology is missing

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S (Graphite Gray)

With the Redmi Note 11S from Xiaomi you have to do without 5G mobile communications, but you still get a well-equipped smartphone.

The price may be higher now. Price as of 06/09/2022 13:17

Advantages:

• AMOLED display
• Good camera performance
• IP53 certification

Disadvantages:

We still have a Xiaomi up our sleeve: The manufacturer has made some improvements to the Redmi Note 10S in the Redmi Note 11S (view it at Cyberport): We get a higher refresh rate of 90 Hz, which together with the Mediatek processor and the main memory for ensures a smooth performance. Xiaomi has again opted for an AMOLED display for the Redmi Note 11S – so there is no lack of high-contrast display. Another highlight: The camera performance has been significantly improved and you get more authentic images than its predecessor.

The smartphone from Xiaomi again has an IP53 certification and is (at least somewhat) protected from dust and water. However, with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S you have to do without 5G mobile communications. However, if you don’t want that and can spend almost 100 euros more, you should go for the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (see Saturn).

OnePlus Nord CE 5G: Strong battery, less powerful camera

OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Blue Void)

Although the OnePlus Nord CE has some weaknesses, the battery and the display are particularly impressive.

The price may be higher now. Price from 06/09/2022 10:16 am

Advantages:

• Long battery life
• Color-intensive display
• Jack connection available

Disadvantages:

• Moderate photo quality
• No expandable storage

We remain at BBK Electronics, which owns brands like Oppo and Realme as well as OnePlus. With the Nord CE 5G, OnePlus shows, as the name suggests, that you can get a future-proof cell phone for up to 300 euros (view at Amazon) with 5G mobile technology can get. As with the Realme above, the AMOLED display impresses with its rich colors. The Nord 2 5G also beats the Snapdragon 750G 5G. Together with the refresh rate of 90 Hz, mobile phone games are also possible as long as they aren’t power guzzlers.

While the battery performs very well in the Stiftung Warentest with a runtime of almost 44 hours, the Camera just a satisfying touch – Good lighting conditions are essential for good pictures necessary. But if you can refrain from that, you still get a successful everyday cell phone up to 300 euros with the OnePlus Nord CE 5G.

You can find out which smartphones from other price ranges are worth a look in these GIGA overviews:

Mobile phones up to 300 euros: That’s how we made our selection

There are many mobile phones in the price range up to 300 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 (Issue 10/2021)

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.

A note on prices: Most Android smartphones are subject to strong price fluctuations, especially in the first 6 months after the market launch, they fall the fastest. Deal events like Prime Day, Black Friday and 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!