No Need for Flagship Android Phone: Get the Same From Mid-Range

Flagships are flashy, but let’s be honest: do you really need all that? Mid-range Android phones deliver everything most people want, from solid performance to excellent cameras, all at a fraction of the price. If you prefer practicality to novelty, a mid-range Android phone is all you need.

Performance: Run the Heaviest Games/Apps at Top Performance

If we compare a flagship phone with mid-range phones on performance benchmark tests, the flagship will slaughter the competition. However, will you ever be able to utilize this awesome power practically? No matter how powerful your phone is, it will still be running apps and games found on the Google Play Store.

The most resource-intensive games and apps, like Genshin Impact, Adobe Lightroom, Black Desert Mobile, Asphalt Legends Unite, etc., have recommended specs of 4 GB RAM and Snapdragon 670 or Snapdragon 845 for some. These components are almost seven to eight years old and run the games just fine.

Most mid-range phones these days come with 8 GB of RAM (UFS 3.1) and a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor. Some top-of-the-line mid-range phones, like the Realme GT 6T, even have 12 GB of RAM. Looking at benchmark tests of Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and Snapdragon 845, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is almost twice as powerful.

Any game or app on the Play Store will run smoothly at the highest graphics settings on all new mid-range phones. You can run games at 120 FPS (if supported), and take full advantage of the 120Hz display that most mid-range phones also support.

Screen Display: Displays Are Practically Indistinguishable

Mid-range phones have started adopting high-end display technologies. While extra power efficiency features and the latest advancements are still reserved for flagship phones, mid-range phones now rock the same base display technology that flagships have – making them nearly indistinguishable.

The main phone display specs include resolution, refresh rate, brightness, color accuracy, panel type, and HDR support. Let’s compare all these specs:

Resolution

Most mid-range phones have 1080p resolution (Full HD+), and flagship phones usually have 1440p (Quad HD+). While that’s a big difference, on a small mobile screen, the difference is negligible. If the screen is below 6.7 inches (which most are), you won’t see much difference between both resolutions.

Refresh Rate

120Hz is the standard refresh rate for both mid-range and flagship phones. Many games and apps don’t even support 120Hz, so high refresh rates aren’t a big competition anyway. While some phones do have 144Hz support – like the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion – it’s not that useful (at least for now).

Panel Type

Both mid-range and flagships usually have Super AMOLED display panels. However, flagships have additional features, like LTPO, that dynamically adjust refresh rates to improve battery efficiency or have an improved AMOLED panel. The visuals are almost the same in both types of phones, but flagships are better at conserving battery.

Color Accuracy and Brightness

The big difference in color accuracy is due to the panel technology. Since most mid-range phones use Super AMOLED, the color accuracy is similar to flagship phones, with minor differences. Unfortunately, most manufacturers don’t provide color gamut coverage details in specs, so we can’t tell the exact difference.

Maximum brightness is another important display feature to ensure you can use it even in direct sunlight. While flagships usually have higher brightness – like 1600 nits or more – it’s not required.

Displays with at least 1000 nits of brightness are considered viewable in all lighting conditions. Mid-range phones usually have over 1000 nits (HDR), and some even reach 1600 nits, practically making them great for all use cases.

HDR support

Basic HDR support is common in most mid-range phones, while some also support HDR10+, like the Samsung Galaxy A55. Dolby Vision is usually missing due to its premium licensing – even flagship phones rarely have it. Having HDR support is more important than the type you have, and all mid-range phones have it.

Overall, mid-range and flagship displays are almost the same in practical use, with only minor differences in specs.

Storage: 512 GB Mid-Range Phones Now Available

When it comes to storage, capacity and speed are the main specs to check out. Of course, flagship phones beat mid-range phones on both ends, but how does this translate to practical use? Let’s find out:

Storage Capacity

256 GB storage space is considered the go-to for most users, fulfilling all needs, and is why nearly all flagship phones have a version with 256 GB storage. Thankfully, most mid-range phones also have 256 GB versions, even if their base versions are 128 GB.

While the 512 GB version is a must in flagship phones, it’s also now available in newer mid-range phones. For example, the Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro is a mid-range phone with 512 GB storage and a 12 GB RAM option. If you go for upper mid-range phones, many offerings from Xiaomi, Motorola, and Realme have 512 GB options.

1 TB options are a bit rare in mid-range phones, while flagship phones commonly have it. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Turbo does have a 1 TB version, but it’s an exception. However, most users will find 256 GB or 512 GB (already a bit overkill) more than enough, so a 1 TB mid-range phone isn’t necessary.

Storage Read/Write Speed

UFS 3.1 is common in many mid-range phones now, with some using UFS 4.0 as well. There isn’t much difference between UFS 3.1 and UFS 4.0 in daily use. The only time you may notice the difference is when you move large data from one device to another, which doesn’t affect most people.

Many recent flagship phones also had UFS 3.1 support, like the Samsung Galaxy S23, so it’s not bad. The bigger advantage of UFS 4.0 is that it’s 46 percent more power-efficient than UFS 3.1, making it lighter on battery.

If you still need a UFS 4.0 phone, then the Xiaomi Poco X6 Pro has UFS 4.0 storage, and many upper mid-range phones do as well. It’s rare, but not absent.

Camera: Best Smartphone Camera Not Necessary

I would be lying if I said mid-range camera results are almost as good as a flagship phone’s camera. There is no way a mid-range phone beats the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 200MP camera with 8K video recording, 3x optical zoom with a dedicated periscope lens, and advanced AI scene optimization.

That said, regular users may not “need” the best camera. For professional photographers or videographers, even the best smartphone camera won’t cut it. A DSLR or mirrorless camera is a must for professionals. For others, mid-range cameras are more than enough for common tasks, like social media sharing (compression is applied anyway), group photos, and scanning documents.

For example, the Google Pixel 8a camera offers a 64 MP main sensor with OIS and Ultra HDR, along with a 13 MP ultrawide lens, making it perfect for capturing vibrant photos, group shots, and stunning 4K videos – everything most people need for social media and everyday use.

Most mid-range smartphone cameras are more than enough for practical use. If camera quality is your priority, a mid-range DSLR or mirrorless camera would be a better investment than a flagship phone. However, if you are still set on getting a phone with a great camera, check out our recommendations for the best camera phones.

Battery Life: Lasts as Long or Longer

Flagship phones definitely have better power efficiency features, like dynamic refresh rates, UFS 4.0, etc., but that is their need rather than an advantage. Due to slimmer designs with smaller batteries and powerful features, like 1440p resolution or powerful SoCs, flagship phones depend on these efficiencies to last a day.

Mid-range phones, on the other hand, have fewer power needs and can easily run bigger batteries due to their bulkier builds. While they are less power-efficient, they still last just as long as a flagship phone and sometimes even longer.

For example, both the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (flagship) and Google Pixel 8a (mid-range) have five to six hours of SOT (Screen On Time), even though the Pixel 8a has a slightly smaller battery.

Of course, there are also flagships and mid-range phones that focus on battery, like the OnePlus 13 (flagship) and Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro (mid-range) that have big 6000mAh batteries and a 12-hour average SOT. In the end, whether you get a flagship or mid-range phone, the battery timing will be similar due to different power needs and efficiency.

Flagship phones also aren’t beating mid-range phones in fast charging. Many mid-range phones offer 90W or even 120W wired fast charging, with claims of 100% battery in 42 minutes, like Realme GT 6T or Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro.

OS Upgrade Support: All Necessary Updates for Half the Price

Operating system upgrade support is important to consider when buying a phone, as it will decide how long it will keep up with the latest software advancements. Generally, flagship phones always get longer OS upgrade support than mid-range phones. While Google does provide seven-year update support for all its Pixel phones, this isn’t the case for all manufacturers.

In most cases, flagships have one or two more major updates of support than mid-range devices. For example, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra (flagship) gets 4 major upgrades, while the Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro gets three.

However, considering the price point of flagships, are one or two more upgrades really worth it? You could easily buy two or even three mid-range phones at the price of a flagship. Instead of sticking with a flagship phone for a long time, you could buy a new mid-range phone after two to three years while still saving money overall.

In the end, no one is stopping you from getting the next-best flagship smartphone, but keep these points in mind when evaluating. Of course, buying a smartphone isn’t just about mid-range or flagship, there are phones for every need like gaming phones, small phones, budget phones, and even smart flip phones!

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