The cream of the mid-segment: TOP 5 productive smartphones costing up to $400

A moderate smartphone from Vivo, which is perfect as a workhorse for everyday use. Why moderate? Because this is a well-balanced model with an affordable price tag - without any flashy features, but also without obvious shortcomings. There is a 6.58-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2408x1080 pixels and a sufficient brightness reserve, and inside there is a Mediatek Helio G80 processor, working in conjunction with 6 GB of RAM - this volume is more than enough for stable operation. The chip has only one drawback - the 12 nm process technology, but, in general, it copes with its tasks quickly. In demanding games, it is better to choose medium rather than maximum graphics settings, but overheating will definitely not be a problem - even during long gaming battles, the case only heats up slightly, the gamer may not even notice it. Also for games there is a Multi-Turbo 5.0 mode, which optimizes the main scenes, reducing stutters and lags, and an Ultra Game Mode with new e-sports functions. The memory expansion function became interesting, especially for the mid-budget segment: if necessary, the amount of RAM can be expanded using two virtual gigabytes borrowed from the storage.

The camera is also solidly average. The main 64 MP sensor is complemented by two additional 2 MP lenses for macro photography and depth assessment, but for some reason the manufacturer decided to abandon the “wide” sensor. The camera takes good pictures both in good lighting and at night, but its video capabilities are quite mediocre. The 5000 mAh battery provides a day of battery life, and with not too active use, the charge will remain on the second day. 33W fast charging is supported, so you don't have to spend hours at a power outlet. A side fingerprint scanner is responsible for security, and if desired, you can choose face unlock. Finally, the final chord was a complete set of necessary ports and functional elements. Do you store a lot of photos and videos and 128 GB is not enough for this? Hold a triple slot for two SIM cards and a microSD card. Do you prefer good old wired headphones? Get a 3.5 mm jack. Do you want to pay for purchases using your phone? Get the NFC chip. True, there is no 5G support, but in our latitudes it is not so relevant yet.

The design of the smartphone is quite nice: several gradient colors to choose from, a plastic body, small frames around the screen (after all, this is not a flagship) and a laconic design of the main camera in the form of a neat rectangle. With a 6.58-inch screen, of course, no one claims to be a compact device, but the device is not too thick, not weighty and lies quite comfortably in the hand. And for dessert - a rich package that not every modern smartphone can boast of. The box included a charger, a protective case, and even simple headphones. And the film was immediately glued to the screen. At a minimum, for the first time after purchase you are provided with everything you need and will not spend money on buying accessories.

Typically, Poco brand smartphones provide users with everything they expect for their price, and even a little more. And this model is no exception. Traditionally, the manufacturer spent more time on the device’s performance, turning a blind eye to some design nuances. The gadget can easily claim the title of a gaming one, and all thanks to the processor installed inside - MediaTek Dimensity 1100. This is a near-top platform that can easily cope with multitasking and even demanding games like PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact, and at maximum settings. The case does not heat up, although the cooling system is also worth thanking for this. The picture is complemented by stereo sound, which completely immerses you in the gameplay and what’s happening on the screen, and fast UFS 3.1 memory. But before buying, keep in mind that there is no slot for a memory card, so it’s better to immediately choose more storage.

In terms of communications, the smartphone is doing great: it has support for 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, NFC chip (depending on the market) and an infrared port for controlling home appliances. But, unfortunately, there is no 3.5 mm jack - not only flagships, but also mid-level models have already begun to abandon it. The device also received a capacious 5000 mAh battery. Taking into account the large display and other characteristics, you shouldn’t count on battery life for more than a day and a half, but support for fast charging with a power of 67 W is announced, which can fully charge the battery in more than 40 minutes.

Most Poco smartphones are massive, heavy handsets with large logos on the back and sometimes huge main camera blocks. The Poco X3 GT has obvious progress: a small, neat logo is barely noticeable, the body thickness is 8.9 mm, and the weight is 193 g. Yes, this is a lot, but with a 6.6-inch screen, a compact device definitely won’t work. In general, the gadget is still large, but it looks less like a brick. The case is made of plastic and has a degree of protection IP53, the maximum of which is protection against splashing water and raindrops. But the camera block is still quite large and protrudes strongly, although the manufacturer used only three lenses.

On the front there is an IPS display protected by durable Gorilla Glass Victus, with a scanning frequency of up to 120 Hz. Yes, this is not an energy-efficient, brighter and more colorful AMOLED, but opponents of PWM will like it. A 16-megapixel front camera is placed in a neat round cutout in the center. As for the rear, it consists of a 64 MP main sensor, an 8 MP ultra-wide lens and an additional 2 MP sensor for macro photography. Both cameras produce good photos and videos without noise and with excellent detail, especially if you shoot in sufficient lighting. So you will definitely have high-quality photographs for memory and even videos for social networks.

Xiaomi has several simplified versions of its flagship Mi 11, and the first one was the Mi 11 Lite. However, it is the model with the 5G prefix that can be considered a true representative of the flagship family. Although both smartphones are almost identical, they differ in processors, so even if support for fifth-generation networks is not necessary or important to you, still take the 5G version, because it has made a big step forward in terms of performance. Thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G chip, which allows you to comfortably use the device, launching various applications, scrolling through your Instagram feed, watching videos or playing even “heavy” games. The model scored more than 550 thousand points in the AnTuTu benchmark, and this is already the level of flagship devices that came out a couple of years ago.

In addition, Xiaomi seems to have taken the phrase “lightweight flagship” literally and made the Lite version surprisingly thin and light. The thickness of the case is only 6.8 mm, and the weight is just under 160 g. This is a real find in the modern world of large, massive and weighty smartphones - such a gadget looks elegant and sophisticated, and also delivers maximum pleasure from use. In addition, they did not skimp on materials: the back panel is made of glass, the frame is made of metal.

The screen, which seems to have been borrowed from a more expensive model, deserves special attention. This is a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with deep colors (10-bit), accurate color reproduction (TrueColor technology), HDR10+ support and a resolution of 2400x1080. The image refresh rate has been increased to 90 Hz, but to save battery power when not needed, a frequency of 60 Hz is used. As a result, the smartphone will definitely last a whole day without recharging, even though its battery is not the most capacious - 4250 mAh. 33W fast charging is supported. There are also almost all the necessary sensors, ports and communications: a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a microSD memory card slot (albeit a hybrid one), Wi-Fi 6, NFC, an infrared port traditional for Xiaomi devices, and stereo speakers. The only thing missing is a 3.5mm headphone jack, but it seems to have gone under the knife for the slim body.

The cameras of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G are interesting both in appearance and in terms of equipment. This is a block consisting of two parts, with rounded edges and a ring around the main lens - in general, exactly like the older models. The camera includes a 64 MP sensor, 8 MP wide and 5 MP telemacro lens. It shoots at a decent level: DxOMark experts gave it a score of 111 points, and this is a pretty good indicator. For example, OnePlus 8T, Google Pixel 4a and Sony Xperia 5 II have exactly the same amount.

Typically, Samsung itself calls representatives of the M series autonomy monsters, since their main feature is a large battery - even inexpensive models have a capacity of 6000 or even 7000 mAh. But for some reason, the Galaxy M52 took a crooked path - towards the A series, which offers devices in different price categories with an emphasis on performance, design and some flagship features. You can’t exactly call it a monster of autonomy, since the smartphone received a 5000 mAh battery. Of course, this is also a good indicator, but it has already become typical in our time, and not outstanding. One charge should last up to 48 hours of talk time, 17 hours of web surfing, or a day and a half with normal use. We were also not pleased with ultra-fast charging - the battery supports charging with a power of 25 W, but such a device will have to be purchased separately, since only a 15 W charger is included in the package.

But you can’t find fault with the design. Smartphones with capacious batteries have a rather thick body and a lot of weight, but with a 5000 mAh battery, this is no longer a “brick”, but a convenient candy bar with a plastic body only 7.4 mm thick and weighing 173 g. It fits comfortably in the hand and at the same time practically is felt. Unfortunately, the colors are quite boring and not very abundant, but the appearance is greatly enhanced by thin vertical slits on the back panel. Also, alas, the model did not receive water protection, although some representatives of the A series have it, and lost a 3.5 mm jack.

It seems that by reducing the battery capacity, Samsung has focused on other details. Firstly, the screen definitely deserves praise. This is a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels and an image refresh rate increased to 120 Hz, which is not yet so common among representatives of the middle segment. Thanks to thin bezels and a small cutout for the front camera, the screen does not seem too large, although it is very comfortable to play games and watch movies on. There are no stereo speakers for this, but the smartphone supports Dolby Atmos surround sound technology when connecting a stereo headset or wireless speaker.

Secondly, the Galaxy M52 5G is ahead of most competitors in terms of performance - no joke, it scores more than 500 thousand points in the AnTuTu benchmark! The main contribution to this is, of course, the processor: the Snapdragon 778G, released in May 2021, is used here. It copes with any tasks and even demanding games without any problems, so there are definitely no complaints about the performance. Moreover, the smartphone offers a special Game Booster gaming mode, which optimizes power consumption, temperature control and memory use, and a RAM expansion function. This is a technology that many manufacturers have been increasingly using lately: in fact, the amount of RAM is 6 GB, but it can be increased by another 4 GB due to storage. So to speak, it is a virtual reserve that comes into play when needed.

Otherwise, the gadget doesn’t have enough stars in the sky, but it meets all the requirements of the average user. For taking photos and videos, there is a 32 MP front camera and a triple main camera consisting of a 64 MP sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide lens with a viewing angle of 123 degrees and a 5 MP macro lens. Unfortunately, without optical stabilization. In general, the cameras fully justify the price tag of the smartphone, producing good pictures, especially in good lighting. There is a memory card slot, but it is a hybrid one, so you have to choose between microSD and a second SIM card. There is also 5G support, a fast fingerprint scanner built into the power button, and an NFC chip for contactless payment for purchases.

Xiaomi and its sub-brand Redmi continue to delight fans with popular smartphones with an almost ideal price-quality ratio. Perhaps, it was Xiaomi that proved that mid-range devices can also have flagship capabilities and ambitions, and pushed other manufacturers to release productive devices with special features, and even pleasant price tags. Therefore, Redmi Note 10 Pro fully meets all expectations. Besides the fact that this is a well-balanced model with a lot of advantages, two main features can still be highlighted. The first is the screen. This is a “juicy”, high-quality AMOLED display with a diagonal of 6.67 inches, a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Of course, in our time, the last figure no longer seems like something supernatural, but so far it is not so common among devices in the mid-price segment. In general, the picture is quite bright, clearly visible even in bright sunlight, and the smoothness is especially noticeable in games.

The second highlight was the 108-megapixel camera, which not every smartphone costing up to $400 can boast of either. The main sensor is complemented by an 8 MP ultra-wide lens, 5 MP telemacro and 2 MP depth sensor. Yes, Xiaomi, apparently, is still of the opinion that the more megapixels and modules the better, but many companies have long proven that a smartphone can become a camera phone with one 12-megapixel sensor. Everyone has their own policy, but the most important thing is that it works. And in the case of Redmi Note 10 Pro, 108 MP turned out to be a good solution. The camera uses technology that combines nine pixels into one to improve light sensitivity and image quality. Of course, you can shoot in 108 MP resolution, but then you will sacrifice detail, and the photos will be huge. In addition, Dual Native ISO technology allows you to capture images with higher dynamic range and controls noise at a professional level, and an improved Night Mode combines multiple frames at different shutter speeds to reduce noise in low light. If you don’t go into details, the camera shoots at a decent level, so photos and videos for your personal archive or social networks will turn out excellent.

The model is based on the Snapdragon 732G processor, which is positioned as a gaming processor. But tests showed that this title was given to it undeservedly, because such a chip will definitely not turn the gadget into a gaming one. Undoubtedly, its performance is sufficient for quickly launching applications, comfortable web surfing and other everyday tasks, but there are some difficulties with games. So, after half an hour of heavy games like Call of Duty: Mobile with maximum settings, throttling is felt, and the body heats up noticeably. So in this regard, the device is far from being rated “excellent”. In terms of autonomy, everything is smooth: a 5020 mAh battery provides a day or even two on one charge and supports 33 W fast charging, which replenishes 59% of the energy in 30 minutes.

But what a smartphone definitely deserves respect for is a complete set of little things necessary for convenient use. Here you have a triple slot for two SIM cards and a microSD memory card, and a fast fingerprint scanner on the side, and NFC, and a 3.5 mm audio output for supporters of wired headphones, and even an infrared port for controlling household appliances. The stereo speakers deserve special attention (thanks to the manufacturer for this) and the rear panel, which is made not of cheaper plastic, but glass, also with IP53 splash protection. Yes, glass is more easily soiled and slippery, but for this purpose a transparent silicone case is included.

As a bonus, there is an old but still serviceable iPhone model, which costs a little more than $400, but fully pays for its cost. The 2018 light version of the family was created to ensure that as many people as possible have access to advanced Apple technologies. It differs from its older brothers in slightly simplified equipment, which does not prevent the smartphone from being classified as a flagship.

“Erka” has at its disposal a 6.1-inch diagonal LCD screen with the usual “monobrow”, where space is allocated for a 7 MP front camera, service sensors and sensors for the Face ID facial recognition system. In addition to unlocking your smartphone, the improved face scanner handles payments in the Apple Pay system and allows you to access the necessary applications without using a password.

With a resolution of 1791x828 pixels, the pixel density on the Apple iPhone Xr screen reaches 326ppi (at the level of the “old Apple iPhone 4”). For the sake of accessibility, the smartphone also lacks 3D Touch support; instead, it is proposed to use the services of Haptic Touch tactile vibration feedback. In addition to the screen, they left the True Tone system for adapting color temperature to environmental conditions.

“Under the hood” of a smartphone - without compromise. The heart of the device is the Apple A12 Bionic chip, the power of which literally bursts out of the chest, coupled with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent memory. Things are also top-notch with the camera, despite the single photo module on the rear. It is identical to the 12 MP sensor coupled with high-aperture f/1.8 optics, which is used as the main camera by the model’s older brother, the Apple iPhone Xs. The optical image stabilization system and software algorithms for blurring the background when shooting in portrait mode help achieve your intended photographic goals. A new killer feature of the camera is depth-adjustable bokeh in the finished photo.

While some manufacturers are actively promoting phones with three SIM cards to the masses, Cupertino has added long-awaited support for two SIM cards to the iPhone. At the hardware level, it is fully implemented in devices for the Chinese market, and other regions will have to be content with eSIM. The model is available in white, black, blue, yellow, coral and red. Moreover, there is no talk of cheap plastic in the case materials. The front and rear of the device is covered with glass, its perimeter frame is made of aluminum, water protection according to the IP67 standard is declared, and Qi wireless charging is supported.

Please note that eSIM does not work in the CIS countries (providers and operators do not update their numbers). However, the model for two SIM cards exists in two modifications: SIM + SIM or SIM + eSIM. The latter option is rare, because models from the Asian market are often imported into the CIS countries, and there are two full trays for a SIM card.

Intelligent control of aperture and blur in photographs. Allows you to change the level and intensity of bokeh. Wide choice of body colors. The smartphone has only one main camera. Improved FaceID allows you to make payments using a face scan + universal login to applications or accounts, again using your face (no need to enter a login and password). Unlike the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max, there is an aluminum frame (the latter two have a steel frame) + one main camera instead of two.