A few weeks before Christmas, Phonandroid unveils the podium of the best phones sold for less than 500 euros. They each have their qualities but also their weaknesses. Unsurprisingly, the iPhones will not be part of this selection but there is an American in the lot. Three smartphone models to put under the tree to take advantage of the latest versions of Android.
Giving a phone for Christmas is always a nice gesture. But we don’t all have the desire (or the means) to spend 1000 euros to spoil our loved one or our youngest. Fortunately, there are much more affordable products!
For this segment of our big Christmas guide, we are going to focus on these inexpensive smartphones. The limit: 500 euros! Even in these price brackets, we can easily find quality terminals! Safe values tested and approved by our expert journalists. Let’s go !
The safe bet: Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
Price: 500 euros
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the descendant of a long tradition of inexpensive phones. Over the years, Korean has fallen asleep on its laurels and prices have increased. Despite everything, there remains a mid-range reference. The upcoming arrival of its replacement Galaxy A55 has a mechanical impact on its price. From a mid-range phone, it thus becomes accessible to more modest budgets. It’s not the best in photos, even if Samsung skillfully combines good main (50 megapixels) and wide angle (13 megapixels) sensors and qualitative artificial intelligence. In terms of power, he has some weaknesses with his in-house Exynos 1380 processor, but remains very correct. Furthermore, its screen is 6.4 inches FHD+ with a 120 Hz refresh. This Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is a sure value for small budgets.
Its strong points:
- Photo and video quality
- microSD reader
- Audio quality
Its weak points:
- Decreasing value for money
- Average battery life
- No charger
OUR FULL TEST OF THE SAMSUNG GALAXY A54 5G
Favorite: Google Pixel 7a
Price: 500 euros
Little brother of the excellent Pixel 7, the Pixel 7a shares with it the same amount of RAM (8 GB) and the same Tensor G2 processor. On the photo side, the main or selfie sensor are even of better definition (64/13 megapixels) than a Pixel 7 or 8 Pro. Moreover, if it is doubtful in photos, it is thanks to its sophisticated processing, powered by artificial intelligence. This exclusivity signed by Google authorizes functions such as anti-blur, sharp face or magic eraser. Its screen 6.1-inch OLED is barely smaller than its big brother Pixel 7 (6.3 inches) but offers the same 1080×2400 pixel definition with very decent brightness.
Its strong points:
- Manufacturing quality
- Photo quality with AI
- Pleasant in the hand
Its weak points:
- 90 Hz screen only
- No charger provided
- Slow fast charging (18W)
OUR FULL TEST OF THE GOOGLE PIXEL 7A
The gamer: Poco F5
Price: 370 euros
Xiaomi is accustomed to products with very good quality-price ratios, even more so with the Poco brand. With this F5, it offers components worthy of premium smartphones at a very reasonable price. Its big 6.67 inch AMOLED screen is therefore very responsive (up to 120 Hz) and well defined for browsing the internet or watching videos. On the photo side, this smartphone offers great performance in selfie, wide angle, telezoom or portrait but it will fail in photos-videos at night. Even its look is high-end.
Its strong points:
- Power
- Lightness
- Mini jack socket
Its weak points:
- No microSD slot
- Lack of waterproofing
- Palichonne photos