The smartphone market is stopping a bit in these days when the Coronavirus issue is monopolizing everyone's attention. Sure, there have been several presentations, but the releases do not have the same frequency as in the past months, especially as regards low cost devices. It is therefore no coincidence that this month the news in the range between 200 and 300 euros they are almost completely missing. However, there are several price drops and therefore it is still interesting to analyze the situation. Let's go, therefore, into the world of the best Android smartphones, always taking into consideration only the prices of Amazon Italy and the sites of the manufacturers.
Realme X2
Among the prominent devices of Realme we find the X2 smartphone, the "younger brother" of that X2 Pro that has made itself known very well in the price range between 300 and 500 euros. Well, despite some obvious shortcomings compared to the more performing model, Realme X2 has been defined by many as the anti-Xiaomi Mi 9T, or one of the few smartphones able to compete with the solution of the Chinese company as regards the excellent value for money.
The main strengths are to be found in the good constructive solidity, in the above average performance, in the photographic sector that does not disappoint expectations, in good autonomy and in the excellent screen. Also not to be underestimated is the complete connectivity sector (there are NFC, audio jack, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C) and 30W fast charging. For more information, we recommend reading our Realme X2 review.
The main flaws lie instead in the software, the classic ColorOS which according to many is a bit to be reviewed (OPPO and Realme are working from this point of view and it is hoped that the ColorOS 7 will sort out the situation) and the sensor of in-display prints not the fastest. In any case, these are aspects on which you can turn a blind eye to a price of 299 euros on Amazon Italy (model 8 / 128GB). Often a 10% discount coupon is also offered on the purchase of the smartphone, which allows you to take it home at 269 euros. At the time of writing, the promotional code to use is OPYEEN3L.
Redmi Note 8 Pro
The Redmi Note range certainly doesn't need too many presentations. A valid exponent of this family of smartphones in the range between 200 and 300 euros is Redmi Note 8 Pro, a device landed in Italy at the end of 2019 that has convinced critics and the public especially because of the granite autonomy (4500 mAh battery), of the complete connectivity sector and good constructive solidity. Of course, the flaws are not lacking, from the photographic sector capable of making shots only in the average to the performances not exactly at the top (SoC MediaTek Helio G90T), passing through the screen that cannot compete with that of other devices in this price range .
However, Redmi Note 8 Pro remains a good solution and can defend itself very well: if you love this range of smartphones, you will probably also love this device. For all the details of the case on the data sheet, we recommend you take a look at our news dedicated to Redmi Note 8 Pro.
As for the connectivity sector, everything is in place: we find NFC, 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones, USB Type-C port, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi ac dual-band. Speaking of the price, Redmi Note 8 Pro is sold at around 230 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (variant 6 / 64GB).
Xiaomi Mi 9T
If you have not lived in an extraterrestrial world in recent months, you have probably heard of Xiaomi Mi 9T, or the smartphone with all-screen design and pop-up camera. We are talking about a device that particularly convinced the Italians, even going as far as to record a sold out on the debut night. In a ranking linked to the best smartphones between 200 and 300 euros, we can not fail to mention it, being currently sold at a price of about 265 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (model 6 / 64GB).
The main strengths of the solution proposed by Xiaomi are the good screen, the granite autonomy, the excellent constructive solidity and the above average performance. For all the necessary information, we invite you to consult our review of Xiaomi Mi 9T.
In terms of connectivity, everything is in place: NFC, USB Type-C port and 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones. The only flaws to report are the non-expandable memory and the weight not exactly "feather".
Samsung Galaxy A51
Arrived in Italy a few weeks ago, Samsung Galaxy A51 has an interesting history. Not exactly received in the best way by critics, especially because of its list price of 379 euros, the smartphone has actually become more interesting than expected due to the rapid drop in cost, given that you can already buy around 285 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (model 4 / 128GB).
For the uninitiated, it is the successor of that Galaxy A50 which for a long time has been among the most purchased smartphones in Europe. Galaxy A51 gives its best in the excellent display, in the complete connectivity sector (NFC, audio jack for headphones and triple slot, or Dual nanoSIM + microSD, are present) and in the feature-rich software. However, this is a "divisive" device, given that it has its main flaws in the below-average performance and in the photographic sector which is not exactly the best. The autonomy is instead average, do not expect surprising results.
In short, it is a smartphone that does not have the same impact as the Galaxy A50 and the sore points are not lacking, but the drop in price certainly makes it interesting.
Special mention: TCL Plex
Arriving in our country a few months ago, TCL Plex is the ambitious smartphone of the Chinese multinational company that wants to try to offer a different experience than its "rivals". Initially a little muted, also due to its list price set at 299.99 euros, now TCL Plex definitely deserves a mention, given that it can be purchased for around 250 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (variant 6 / 128GB ). For more information related to the technical characteristics, we invite you to consult the news dedicated to TCL Plex.
The main strengths of the device are to be found in the good display, in theexcellent constructive solidity, in autonomy and in the complete connectivity sector (NFC, audio jack for headphones and Bluetooth 5.0 included). The shots guaranteed by the photographic sector are average. The main painful notes are the performance not exactly at the level of the most powerful devices in this price range, some flaws on the software side and a backcover that is sometimes too slippery.
At its original price we probably would not have recommended it, but at this cost it can be an interesting model, especially for those looking for a certain constructive solidity. We are putting him under stress in recent weeks and the review is coming to the pages of Everyeye Tech, so stay tuned!
Market choice: Huawei P30 Lite
For the second month in a row, Huawei P30 Lite conquers the ranking of Bestseller devices on Amazon Italy, as regards the price range between 200 and 300 euros. This is despite the fact that it is a model that has been released for almost a year. P30 Lite finds its main strengths in good constructive solidity, in the complete connectivity compartment (there are also NFC and audio jack for headphones), in good design and good display. For more details, you can take a look at the news dedicated to P30 Lite.
For the rest, the device is often described as a solution without infamy or praise, also considering that it has the classic coupled Kirin 710 and 4GB of RAM. The sore points are mainly in the below-average performance, in the autonomy that cannot compete with that of other Huawei smartphones and in the photographic sector not the best.
However, many are letting themselves be attracted by the price of just 205 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (model 4 / 128GB). We remind you that P30 Lite New Edition was also recently launched, a slightly enhanced version of the smartphone. For all the information you are looking for, we recommend you read our review of Huawei P30 Lite New Edition.
Next arrival: Samsung Galaxy M31
Announced a few weeks ago in India, Samsung Galaxy M31 is the new proposal of the South Korean company for the under 300 euro range. The data sheet includes a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD + resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 protection and "drop" notch, an Exynos 9611 octa-core processor operating at the maximum frequency of 2.3 GHz, a Mali-GPU G72 MP3, 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM, 64 / 128GB of internal memory (expandable via microSD up to 512GB), a quadruple 64MP rear camera (f / 1.8, main) + 8MP (f / 2.2, wide angle, 123 degrees) + 5MP (f / 2.2, for depth of field) + 5MP (f / 2.4, for macro), a 32MP front camera (f / 2.0) and a 6000 mAh battery. We do not know if this device will arrive in Europe or not, but you just need to know that in India the starting price is equal to 15.999 rupees (about 205 euros at the current exchange rate). For all the details, we refer you to our news dedicated to Samsung Galaxy M31.
