It is easy enough to make a list of cheap smartphones that do not cost more than 200 euros, but it is difficult to recognize among the best models for quality and price ratio, because if it is true that in this price range the quality should start to be satisfactory, it is also true that the rip-off is just around the corner and it is easy to buy something already old.It is the usual risk of trying to save money, especially when it comes to technology: buying something already old at the time of purchase may be left for sale as surplus stock.
We find in this buying guide the best smartphones for € 200 that we can buy without problems because they are modern, sufficiently equipped and fast to perform any daily activity.
Technical features
Discover the best smartphone for € 200 it becomes more difficult because to avoid rip-offs we have to compare, more than the technical characteristics, the reviews of those who used them and the general impressions, to discover the weak points (which are always present in these figures) and if it is an excellent smartphone. Certainly, to these figures, we will never talk about the top of the range (even if we look for reconditioned or refurbished), but those who want to save money can find excellent compromises.
The features that absolutely must not be missing in a € 200 smartphone are:
- Fingerprint reader: by now everyone is using it and integrating it on smartphones, so we don’t choose models without this fast access security system. On many smartphones we also find facial recognition, so you can unlock the phone with your eyes.
- At least 3 GB of RAM: with this amount of Android RAM (the reference operating system in this price range) and the associated apps can run without any problems. Many models already have 4 GB, which makes them very fast and almost devoid of any slowdown.
- At least 32 GB of internal memory (expandable): this quantity is now the minimum necessary to contain all the apps and multimedia files that we can generate during use; let’s make sure there is a slot for microSD so you can expand the capacity at any time. Also, in this case, there are 64GB smartphones, which therefore offer plenty of space for apps and data.
- Display of at least 5.5 inches: let’s not go below this size of the display, but let’s focus on models with displays slightly larger than 5.5 inches; if we love large displays we will also find in this price range models with 6-inch screens or more.
- Octa-core processor: now the octa-core processors have become the standard, given that they offer an excellent compromise between power and energy savings (as they are two quad-core processors side by side, one more powerful and the other designed for energy saving).
- Dual SIM: having a double slot will allow us to use two different SIM cards (one for home and one for office for example) without having to have two separate smartphones.
- 3000 mAh battery or more: to be able to arrive safely until the evening with a good autonomy we recommend to focus only on models that provide at least 3000 mAh of lithium battery: the larger it is, the longer it will last (although much depends on the optimization of the operating system).
- LTE support: now all smartphones support LTE technology, we avoid those that present only 3G as data connectivity.
- Support recent operating system: we try to focus only on models with Android 8.0 or higher, as previous versions are likely to become obsolete in a year.
These are the features that we absolutely must look at before buying; other features sponsored on information sheets or on cards (such as camera megapixels, pixel display, speaker number, NFC etc.) can also be ignored, as they are not up to the most expensive products or are not present at all ( for example the NFC, useful only if we use contactless payment services).
The best smartphones for 200 euros
After seeing the features together, it must have a good smartphone under € 200, let’s see now on which smartphone models should aim for value for money.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite
Let’s start with a Xiaomi model, the Chinese brand that is increasingly famous in Italy too. This Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite has a 5.84 inch HD screen, octa-core processor, dual 12 MP rear camera, 4000 mAh battery, 3 GB of RAM, 64 GB of expandable internal memory, Dual SIM slot and operating system Android 8.1 Stock (Android One).
If interested we can view it from here -> Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite (€ 157)
Huawei P Smart 2019
If we love the elegance and speed of Huawei smartphones but don’t want to spend too much, we recommend focusing on the Huawei P Smart 2019 model, which features a 6.21-inch FHD + screen, octa-core processor, dual 13MP rear camera, 3400 mAh battery, 3 GB of RAM, 64 GB of expandable internal memory, Wi-Fi Dual Band, Dual SIM slot and Android 9.0 operating system.
If interested we can view it from here -> Huawei P Smart 2019 (167 €).
Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite
Another Xiaomi smartphone that we can find in this price range is the Mi 8 Lite, which has a 6.26-inch FHD + screen, octa-core processor, dual 12 MP rear camera, 3350 mAh battery, 4 GB of RAM , 64 GB of expandable internal memory, Dual SIM slot, Wi-Fi Dual Band and MIUI 10 operating system, based on Android 8.1.
If interested we can view it from here -> Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite (€ 171).
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7
If we look for the smartphone with the best camera in the segment, the best phone is the Redmi Note 7, which has a 6.3 inch FHD + screen, octa-core processor, dual 48 MP rear camera, 4000 mAh battery, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of expandable internal memory, Wi-Fi Dual Band, Dual SIM slot and MIUI 10 operating system, based on Android 9.0.
If interested we can view it from here -> Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 (€ 177).
Motorola Moto G7 Power
If we were satisfied with Motorola and want to bet on a smartphone from this manufacturer, we can focus on the Moto G7 Power. This smartphone has a 6.2-inch FHD + screen, octa-core processor, dual 12 MP rear camera, 5000 mAh battery, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of expandable internal memory, Dual SIM slot and Android 9.0 operating system.
If interested we can view it from here -> Motorola Moto G7 Power (184 €).
Samsung Galaxy A40
Do we want a Samsung smartphone at all costs? Then we must focus on the Galaxy A40, which has a 5.9-inch SuperAMOLED FHD + screen, octa-core processor, dual 16 MP rear camera, 3100 mAh battery, 4 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi Dual Band, 64 GB of memory expandable internal, Dual SIM slot and Android 9.0 operating system.
If interested we can view it from here -> Samsung Galaxy A40 (€ 199).
Conclusions
If we intend to spend less than € 200, the mobile phones available are much higher than those that were sold up to 3 or 4 years ago: they have everything they need, they are fast, they have good cameras and they have excellent operating systems (optimized to work with good quantities of RAM and internal memory).
Do we want to find out if the chosen smartphone is good or not? We can also rely on the advice in our guide on How good is a cheap Android smartphone?