A good smartphone really doesn't have to cost six hundred euros. With a maximum of three hundred euros in your pocket, you can choose from all kinds of excellent devices. But which ones stand out? These are the 10 best smartphones up to 300 euros according to the editors of Computer!Totaal.
Top 10 best smartphones up to 300 euros- 1. Poco X3 NFC
- 2. Samsung Galaxy M21
- 3. Motorola Moto G8 Power
- 4.Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
- 5. Samsung Galaxy A31
- 6.Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
- 7. Samsung Galaxy A41
- 8. Motorola Moto G9 Plus
- 9. Oppo A9 2020
- 10. Nokia 6.2
Also view our other decision aids:
- Smartphones up to 150 euros
- Smartphones up to 200 euros
- Smartphones up to 400 euros
- Smartphones up to 600 euros
- Smartphones from 600 euros
Top 10 best smartphones up to 300 euros
1. Poco X3 NFC
9 Score 90+ Beautiful 120 Hz screen
+ Powerful, complete specifications
- Advertising in MIUI
- Unclear update policy
The Poco X3 NFC is a smartphone from the well-known Xiaomi. The device offers a razor-sharp price-quality ratio and actually beats all comparably priced models. Particularly striking is the 120 Hz screen, which refreshes itself more often per second and therefore shows a smoother image than a normal 60 Hz screen. The large display looks sharp due to the full-HD resolution. The Poco X3 NFC is nice and fast thanks to the powerful Snapdragon processor and 6 GB of RAM. The storage memory measures at least 64 GB and can be increased. It is also nice that the device has an infrared sensor to operate your TV, an NFC chip for contactless payment in shops and a fast charger. The 33 Watt charger quickly charges the enormous 5160 mAh battery. The Poco X3 NFC has four cameras on the back and they take very nice photos, especially in sufficient light. Android 10 is installed on the smartphone and Poco promises three years of updates. Unfortunately, Poco does not want to share details about the number of version updates and the frequency of security updates. One thing to note is that the MIUI software shell shows ads. You cannot disable them, which is because they are part of Poco's revenue model. We can live with it, especially because the smartphone itself is very good.
Knowing more? Read our extensive Poco X3 NFC review here.
2. Samsung Galaxy M21
8.5 Score 85+ Excellent battery life
+ Beautiful OLED screen
- Fingerprint scanner placement
- Camera performance in the dark
The Samsung Galaxy M21 is a smartphone with a battery life of two to four days. That is thanks to the huge 6000 mAh battery and therefore the main reason to buy it. Another big plus: at 229 euros, the phone is competitively priced, while it offers excellent specifications. Think of a beautiful OLED screen with full HD resolution, the same smooth processor as in the more expensive Galaxy A51 and a 48 megapixel main camera with which you can shoot beautiful photos in enough (day) light. In the dark, the quality deteriorates, although that is a well-known fact in this price range. The Galaxy M21 also has a wide-angle lens (reasonable quality) and depth sensor (limited usefulness). A little about the screen; that is 6.5-inch in size and therefore ideal for multimedia. However, it is difficult to operate the smartphone with one hand. The storage memory is of average size with 64 GB and expandable via a micro SD card. The device runs on the user-friendly OneUI shell in combination with Android 10 and will receive updates to versions 11 and 12. Samsung also promises security updates until at least spring 2022, which is neat. All in all, a complete smartphone with exceptional battery life for little money.
Check out our full Samsung Galaxy M21 review.
3. Motorola Moto G8 Power
9 Score 90+ Excellent battery life
+ Complete hardware
- Update Policy
- No nfc chip and 5GHz WiFi
The Motorola Moto G8 Power is a very complete smartphone, especially if you look at the price. The device has a sturdy plastic housing with a large 6.4-inch full-HD screen that fills almost the entire front. The selfie camera is subtly concealed in a hole in the display. The Moto G8 Power is splash-resistant, fits comfortably in the hand and contains a good fingerprint scanner that is hidden in the Motorola logo on the back. Due to the large battery, about which more in a moment, the device weighs 197 grams, which is heavier than average. Thanks to the fast Snapdragon 665 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage with micro-SD support, the Moto G8 Power is fast and future-proof. The lack of 5GHz WiFi and an NFC chip are unfortunate but not insurmountable. The quadruple camera on the back is nice, with which you can take all kinds of photos. The photo and video quality is average. The biggest plus of this smartphone is its 5000 mAh battery. It will last two to four days, depending on how you use it. The battery life of the Moto G8 Power is unparalleled. Charging is nice and fast via USB-C. At its release, the device runs on a barely modified version of Android 10 and will receive at least one version update. Motorola's update policy is below average, also because the manufacturer is slow and makes relatively few security updates available.
Read our full Motorola Moto G8 Power review.
4.Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
8 Score 80+ Achievements
+ Battery life and fast charging
- MIUI software is not for everyone
- Smooth plastic housing
The name Xiaomi may not immediately ring a bell, but the new Redmi Note 9 Pro is certainly worth considering if you are looking for a good affordable smartphone. The device has a beautiful (but smooth) exterior and a large 6.67-inch screen that looks nice and clear. On the back is a good camera system with four lenses and the selfie camera (in the screen) also takes great photos and videos. The Redmi Note 9 Pro impresses with its large 5020 mAh battery that lasts two days without any worries. Also nice is the included charger of 30W, so that the battery charges very quickly. The device is fast thanks to the Snapdragon 720G processor and 6 GB of RAM and has at least 64 GB of storage memory. Popular apps and games run smoothly and you can quickly switch between recently used programs. The main flaw of the Redmi Note 9 Pro is Xiaomi's MIUI software. That MIUI shell is heavily over Android and makes too many changes. Many apps are pre-installed, menus are messed up and important settings work differently. If you are willing to give MIUI a chance, then the Redmi Note 9 Pro is an excellent budget smartphone.
Read our full Redmi Note 9 Pro review.
5. Samsung Galaxy A31
7.5 Score 75+ Beautiful oled screen
+ Large battery
- Not the fastest
- Bad camera in the dark
The Redmi Note 8 series consists of a handful of devices, so pay attention to that. The Note 8 Pro is a more expensive model with a luxurious but fragile glass housing. The very large 6.53-inch LCD screen fills almost the entire front, has a notch for the selfie camera and looks sharp due to the full HD resolution. However, competing smartphones with an OLED display offer slightly better image quality. Striking is the large 4500 mAh battery, so that the Redmi Note 8 Pro lasts one and a half to two days. Charging the battery is easy via the USB-C connection. Also noteworthy is the quadruple camera on the back of the device. The primary 64 megapixel camera fuses all those pixels into one – better on paper – 16 megapixel photo. The Redmi Note 8 Pro also has a macro lens, wide-angle lens and a depth sensor to shoot portrait photos. Under the hood runs a fast processor with no less than 6GB of RAM and at least 64GB of storage space. Those are very neat specs. Xiaomi's MIUI software is busy and therefore takes some getting used to if you previously had a smartphone from another brand. The manufacturer does have a good update policy. With the Redmi Note 8 Pro, you are assured of Android updates and regular security updates for years to come.
View our extensive Samsung Galaxy A31 review.
6.Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
7.5 Score 75+ 120 Hz screen
+ Value for money
- MIUI takes getting used to
- Camera performance
The Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite is one of the most affordable 5G smartphones you can buy right now. That is a plus if you value 5G support, although we have to say that 5G internet is not really faster than 4G. The Mi 10T Lite also has a very smooth-looking screen, which is due to the high refresh rate of 120 Hz. The fingerprint scanner is located in the power button. The device runs on a fast Snapdragon 750G processor with 6 GB of RAM. You can therefore quickly switch between recently used apps and games. You store it on the internal memory of 64 or 128 GB, depending on which variant you buy. The back of the smartphone houses four cameras, but they are not particularly impressive. The results vary and the zooming is worse than expected. Nevertheless, you can shoot great pictures. The Mi 10T lasts longer than a day on a battery charge, charges quickly and has an NFC chip. The smartphone runs on Android 10 with Xiaomi's sweeping MIUI shell. It takes some getting used to in terms of design and included apps. The update policy is unclear, but count on a few years of updates.
Also read our full Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite review.
7. Samsung Galaxy A41
7.5 Score 75+ Light and handy
+ Screen quality
- Lots of Samsung software installed
- Performance
The Samsung Galaxy A41 is an affordable Android smartphone with a handy design. This is due to the light plastic housing and the relatively compact 6.1-inch screen. The OLED panel delivers beautiful colors and the full HD resolution means that the image looks sharp. The A41 is not the fastest smartphone in its class, but smooth enough for popular apps. The device has enough working and storage memory, a micro-SD slot and takes two SIM cards. On the back is a triple camera that holds its own during the day. Sure, the photos and videos aren't as good as a much more expensive phone, but the results are good enough for social media or a photo album of your vacation. The device lasts at least a day on a battery charge and charges quickly via the USB-C plug. Samsung supplies the A41 with Android 10 and puts its OneUI software on top of it. It is user-friendly and will receive updates for at least two years. That's long enough. The Samsung shell is visually quite busy and places a lot of emphasis on the use of (free) Samsung services. We would have liked that less.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy A41 review.
8. Motorola Moto G9 Plus
7.5 Score 75+ Fast charging
+ Large screen is ideal for multimedia
- Moderate update policy
- Cameras are a bit disappointing
The Motorola Moto G9 Plus is especially interesting if you are looking for a smartphone with a large screen. With its 6.8-inch display, the Moto G9 Plus is one of the largest models of the moment, making it ideal for watching movies, gaming and typing with two hands. The device also feels sturdy, is splash-proof and comes with a case. The smartphone is fast enough and has a generous 128 GB of storage for a lot of media. Also nice is the large 5000 mAh battery, which lasts one and a half days without any worries. If you take it easy, you can go two days ahead. Motorola scores points by supplying a powerful 30 Watt USB-C charger. Charging for fifteen minutes means that the battery goes from practically empty to thirty percent. The Moto G9 Plus has four cameras on the back, but they aren't the best in this price range. Nevertheless, you can shoot great pictures for WhatsApp. The smartphone is equipped with Android 10 and Motorola hardly adjusts anything. So you won't be bothered by extra apps or unnecessary changes. The update policy is unfortunately less good than the competition: the manufacturer only guarantees an Android 11 update and two years of security updates.
Read our full Motorola Moto G9 Plus review.
9. Oppo A9 2020
7 Score 70+ Huge battery lasts a long time
+ Lots of storage memory
- HD screen looks less sharp
- Old software
The Oppo A9 2020 is an affordable Android smartphone that is especially notable for its huge 5000 mAh battery. Thanks to that large battery, the device lasts two to three days before you have to charge it. If you take it easy, you can even go four days on a battery charge. Charging is done via a USB-C port, but it takes quite a while, namely a few hours. The device has a large screen that does not look very sharp due to the relatively low HD resolution. The smartphone is fast enough, has 128GB of storage memory and has four cameras on the back. The primary camera is good enough and with the wide-angle lens you can take extra wide images. The usefulness of the two remaining camera lenses is limited. At the time of writing, the Oppo A9 2020 still runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) from 2018 and that is really no longer possible. An Android 10 update will follow but should have been there long ago. A blemish on an otherwise good phone. Oppo's ColorOS shell is a point of interest anyway because of the clear visual adjustments and many included apps.
10. Nokia 6.2
7 Score 70+ Android One software
+ Good display
- Glass housing is fragile and quickly dirty
- Battery charges slowly
The Nokia 6.2 is the cheaper brother of the Nokia 7.2 and cuts down on processor, camera quality and battery, among other things. Hence the price difference. The devices are very similar in several other respects. For example, the 6.2 has the same luxurious glass housing, with a triple camera module and fast fingerprint scanner on the back. The glass does get dirty quickly and is fragile – so think about a case. The 6.3-inch LCD display looks beautiful, can be remarkably bright (useful in the summer) and looks sharp due to the full-HD resolution. The primary 16-megapixel camera and 8-megapixel wide-angle lens perform on average, while the depth camera shoots very good portrait photos. The Nokia 6.2 is powered by a somewhat older processor and 4GB of RAM. This combination is sufficient for the well-known apps, but has difficulty with heavier games. There are faster smartphones for sale in this price range. You can store photos, movies and apps on the internal storage memory of 64GB. The 3500 mAh battery lasts a normal day, but unfortunately charges slowly. Like other Nokia smartphones, the 6.2 runs on the fine Android One software. This is a barely modified Android version with two years of Android updates and a monthly security update for three years.
