The month that all smartphone enthusiasts have been waiting for has finally arrived. We are in February and, between the events of companies of the caliber of Samsung and Xiaomi and the 2020 edition of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Coronavirus permitting), important news will surely arrive. However, now is the time to focus on what has happened in the world of the last few weeks Android smartphones between 300 and 500 euros. Well, the arrival of the new Samsung devices, Galaxy A71 and Galaxy A51, has brought a breath of fresh air. Let's go to see which are the best smartphones in this range in February 2020, reminding you that the prices taken into consideration are only those present on Amazon Italy or on the official websites of the manufacturers.
Samsung Galaxy A71
The main novelty in this price range is certainly the arrival of Samsung Galaxy A71. We are talking about a smartphone announced in January 2020 that is convincing critics and audiences. It is indeed a solid device in many ways. Its main strengths are good autonomy, excellent connectivity (NFC, 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones and triple Dual SIM + microSD slot are in place) and the photographic department that does not disappoint expectations . The flaws are instead to be found in the not exactly exciting performances, even if in line with the average of the price range, and in some burrs related to the release sensors. Another aspect that could make someone turn up their noses is the price, since the latter has increased compared to the previous generation. Samsung Galaxy A71 is sold at a recommended price of 479.90 euros, although in reality it can already be found at 415 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (variant 6 / 128GB).
Realme X2 Pro
Realme X2 Pro is a smartphone that has convinced practically everyone. On the other hand, we are talking about a particularly difficult device to criticize, given that it has an excellent quality / price ratio and technical characteristics that could belong to a higher range. For all the details of the case, we advise you to consult our review of Realme X2 Pro.
The smartphone gives its best in the above average performance (thanks also to the SoC Snapdragon 855+), in the excellent screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz, in the fast recharge of well 50W, in the autonomy that does not disappoint the expectations, in the excellent constructive solidity and in the good photographic sector.
Everything is in place also as regards the connectivity department, including NFC, 3.5 mm headphone jack and USB Type-C port. The only flaws are instead to be found in a not perfect ColorOS, in the internal memory that is not expandable and in the weight that is not really contained. In any case, Realme X2 Pro is a smartphone that convinces, thanks also to its price of 405 euros on Amazon Italy (model 8 / 128GB).
OPPO Reno2
Arrived in our country in the second half of 2019, OPPO Reno2 is a classy smartphone, able to take back the good things done by the previous generation and take it to a next level. The Chinese company has done all this without going to touch the price, with critics and audiences that seem to have appreciated. For all the details of the case on the smartphone, we recommend you take a look at our OPPO Reno2 review. The main strengths of the device are the excellent screen, the good autonomy, the attention to detail in terms of design, the excellent construction solidity and the photographic sector that can rival even with higher-end smartphones. In this regard, you can find more information in our in-depth test on cameras, in which we compared Reno2 with one of the best cameraphone present on the market.
However, we are not talking about a perfect smartphone: the dimensions are not the most contained and we also find the usual ColorOS here, which for some is still to be reviewed from different points of view. For the rest, the device has a complete connectivity compartment: NFC, 3.5 mm headphone jack and USB Type-C port are in place. OPPO Reno2 is currently sold at a price of 449 euros through the official channels (variant 8 / 256GB).
Red Magic 3S
Red Magic 3S is a smartphone designed for those who love mobile gaming and don't want to spend too much. We are in fact talking about a device that is sold for 479 euros on the official website (8 / 128GB model) and has many technical features that before its arrival could only be found on higher-end smartphones. For more information, please refer to our review of Red Magic 3S. The main strengths of the device are to be found in the above-average performance of the price range, in theexcellent screen with 90 Hz refresh rate, in the features dedicated to gaming (RGB LED, trigger and much more), in the granite autonomy (5000 mAh battery) and in the possibility of using accessories such as the Magic Adapter. However, there are also flaws: the software sector is not exactly the most well-kept, the photographic sector is in some ways disappointing, the memory is not expandable and something is missing in terms of connectivity (there is no NFC).
Market choice: Samsung Galaxy S10e / Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
As for the smartphone most purchased by the Italians in this price range, the ranking of Bestseller devices on Amazon decrees Samsung Galaxy S10e as winner. However, if you think the era of the Xiaomi Mi 9T range is over, you are wrong. In fact, a few positions after Galaxy S10e the Pro variant of Mi 9T peeps out and therefore, considering also how long this smartphone has been in the ranking, we cannot help mentioning it.
Speaking of Galaxy S10e, the smartphone, which arrived in Italy in the first half of 2019, was praised mainly because of theexcellent value for money. At the moment, the device can be purchased for about 435 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (variant 6 / 128GB). For the rest, the main strengths are the good construction solidity, the relatively small size and the photographic sector that does not disappoint expectations. The flaws are related to the autonomy not exactly at the top and the unlocking sensors not the fastest. Everything is in place instead in terms of connectivity sector, from the audio jack for headphones to NFC, passing through wireless charging.
As for Mi 9T Pro, the latter certainly does not need any introduction, but if you want more details you can take a look at our review of the Xiaomi smartphone.
If you intend to aim for an even more updated model, we remind you that Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite have recently been announced (but in this case it goes up in price range).
The MWC 2020 issue
As mentioned at the beginning, there will be some rather important announcements this month. However, it is difficult to think that Samsung can present a smartphone in this price range, also considering the recent launch of the aforementioned Galaxy A71 and Galaxy A51. The same goes for Xiaomi, which should go for a higher European cost with its Mi 10 range.
However, other companies might think about bringing news under 500 euros. In fact, at the end of the month there will be the 2020 edition of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where companies like Realme could launch interesting devices. In particular, rumors and leaks have already emerged on a possible Realme X50 Pro with Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, but at the moment it is difficult to understand how it could be placed on the market.
It must also be said that the Mobile World Congress is a little "at risk" because of the Coronavirus question, given that companies such as LG, ASUS, ZTE and Ericsson have already given "holes" and the organizers have already stated that they will have to take high security measures. So difficult to predict which smartphones will be revealed later this month, we'll see.
