The first weeks of 2020 did not bring big news regarding the smartphones launched on the market (and those that arrived did not convince particularly), but there was the CES 2020 (Consumer Electronic Show) in Las Vegas and therefore we have some upcoming announcement, such as Samsung's Galaxy A range of devices. There have also been some interesting price changes on Amazon Italy. So let's see together what are the best Android smartphones between 300 and 500 euros in January 2020!
Realme X2 Pro
Defined by many as the "highlight" of the company's portfolio, Realme X2 Pro is a device that has convinced critics and the public right away. It is a particularly difficult smartphone to criticize, given the excellent quality / price ratio. For more information on the technical specifications, we recommend that you take a look at our news dedicated to Realme X2 Pro (the review will be published shortly).
The main strengths of the smartphone are the above-average performance (the processor is a Snapdragon 855+), the excellent screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, the fast recharge of 50W, the granite autonomy, the excellent construction solidity and 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. Realme X2 Pro is not perfect, however: the ColorOS is still to be improved in several aspects, the internal memory is not expandable and the classic two features are missing: waterproofness and wireless charging. In any case, you can definitely turn a blind eye to a price of 399 euros on the official website (variant 6 / 64GB).
OPPO Reno2
Landed in our country in the second half of 2019, OPPO Reno2 is a smartphone that incorporates the good things done by the previous generation and takes you to a next level. This without going to touch up the price, a positive aspect that has certainly pleased users. For all the information on the device, we invite you to consult our review of OPPO Reno2. The smartphone gives its best in the excellent screen, the great autonomy, in the design of the backcover, in the excellent constructive solidity and in the photographic sector capable of offering shots of above average quality. From this point of view, we recommend that you also consult our in-depth test on cameras, in which we have compared the device with one of the best cameraphone on the market.
The most "criticized" aspects of the smartphone are the dimensions, not exactly contained, and the usual ColorOS, which for some users is still a sore point. Moving on, OPPO Reno2 has a complete connectivity compartment: NFC, 3.5 mm headphone jack and USB Type-C port are in place. However, there are no wireless charging and waterproofing. The device is currently sold at a price of 479 euros on Amazon Italy through resellers (8 / 128GB variant).
LG G8s ThinQ
LG G8s ThinQ is a smartphone with a story that is worth telling. Arrived in Italy in June 2019 and entered the top of the range with a launch price of 769 euros, the device was not very well received by the public and critics, as you can see in our review of LG G8s ThinQ. However, with the passing of the months the drop in price has started to become consistent, with the smartphone costing less than 500 euros through official retailers (6 / 128GB model, online it can also be found in lower figures).
Keep in mind the fact that we are still talking about a device originally designed to compete with the top of the range of 2019. Certainly its peculiar feature, that is the controls by "laying on of the hands" (which can be deactivated anyway), has not guaranteed much success for LG G8s ThinQ, but thanks to the substantial price drop, the smartphone now takes much more sense.
The main positives are the above average performance (Qualcomm Snapdragon 855), the excellent construction solidity (IP68 certification and MIL-STDD-810G standard), the complete connectivity compartment (USB Type-C 3.1, audio jack for headphones, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 5.0, 10W wireless charging), the excellent audio compartment and the good display. The main flaw of LG G8s ThinQ is instead the autonomy below average, but surely this smartphone can prove to be an "unexpected" affair for a certain type of user.
Red Magic 3S
Red Magic 3S is the smartphone that served the gaming device market. We are in fact talking about a product that is sold for € 479 on the official website (model 8 / 128GB) and that has all the trappings to be truly defined suitable for mobile players. For more details, we advise you to consult our review of Red Magic 3S. The smartphone gives its best in the excellent performance of the Snapdragon 855+ processor, in the excellent screen with 90 Hz refresh rate, in the gaming features (RGB LED, trigger and much more), in the granite autonomy (5000 battery mAh) and the possibility of using accessories such as the Magic Adapter. Red Magic 3S is not perfect though: there are some flaws on the software side, the photographic sector is not exactly the best, the memory is not expandable and there is some lack in terms of connectivity (there is no NFC). However Red Magic 3S is a unique smartphone in this price range and can therefore be intriguing for those who do not want to spend too much on a gaming device.
Market choice: Samsung Galaxy A80
After a long time, dominance seems to have ended in this price range of the Xiaomi Mi 9T range. In fact, according to the ranking of bestselling smartphones on Amazon Italy, the smartphone between 300 and 500 euros most purchased in our country in this period is Samsung Galaxy A80. It is actually a somewhat unexpected model, given that world critics have defined it on several occasions as a smartphone of good quality but unable to make the miracle cry out.
Probably the charm of the rotating camera, able to take photos both front and rear, has played its role, in addition of course to the good reputation that the Samsung brand has enjoyed for a long time. The reason that most convinced the Italians, however, is probably the interesting drop in price, given that now the smartphone is at around 368 euros on Amazon Italy (variant 8 / 128GB, the launch price was 679 euros).
The strengths of the Samsung Galaxy A80 are to be found, as well as obviously in the photographic sector, in the excellent display and in the classic user experience offered by the South Korean company. However the flaws are not lacking, from the performance not exactly at the top to the weight not really contained, passing through the autonomy not the best, for the non-expandable memory and for the lack of the audio jack (the NFC and the USB Type-C port are still present).
Next arrival: Samsung Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71
Announced during the CES 2020 period in Las Vegas, Samsung Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71 are the new proposals of the South Korean company regarding the mid-range market. These smartphones will be available in Italy from this month of January and will be offered respectively to a recommended price of 379.90 euros and 479.90 euros. The peculiar characteristics of these devices are the four 'L' shaped rear cameras, which also include a 5MP sensor for macro (rather rare to find in general) and the front panel with a hole for the camera positioned at the top in the center . The battery is 4000 mAh for Galaxy A51 and 4500 mAh for Galaxy A71, but of course there are also several other differences in terms of data sheet between the two devices. For more details, we refer you to the official Samsung website.