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Flagship phones get all the attention, yet increasingly, they don’t really deserve it. In 2025, the real innovation, excitement, and value are seen in the mid-range. That’s where you’ll find the best Android phones right now.
Flagships Are Losing Their Excitement
It’s fair to say that Android’s current crop of flagship phones is not the most exciting. The prices seem to go up, yet they often fail to live up to expectations. They’re seen as overly conservative: they offer only incremental improvements each year, and in some areas even get downgraded.
The Galaxy S25 waswidely dismissed as boring, theS25 Ultra lost its Bluetooth-powered S Pen, theNothing Phone (3) fell short of expectations, and Google is relying on AI and software to make up for how its camera tech is falling behind the competition. TheOnePlus 13 was well-liked, but even that had an equally impressive mid-range alternative.
Despite the high prices, the performance improvements from one generation to the next are negligible. You can go years before a new flagship offers any tangible improvement over the phone you already own.
Meanwhile, the mid-range is where all the action is. There’s more scope for improvement here, as once premium, cutting-edge tech becomes available at a more accessible price point. So, they become equipped with faster processors that do make a difference, they get more RAM and storage, and screens with faster refresh rates. Build quality was once an area of compromise on a mid-range phone, but that’s no longer true of the latest models.
Only a couple of years ago, you had to pay a lot for a phone with a telephoto lens, but now you can get one on a $280 device. And even the software is vastly improved. It’s cleaner and less bloat-ridden than it used to be, and you can expect at least three or four years of OS and security updates on most mid-rangers—the Galaxy S26 will get six years of support.
On top of all that, there are even areas where mid-range phones surpass flagships. Because they tend to be bigger, they will often squeeze in a larger-capacity battery. And sometimes, you might even get a microSD slot to expand your storage.
Brands like Samsung, Motorola, Nothing, and OnePlus have launched great mid-range phones in 2025. It isn’t just limited to the pricier upper-mid-range tier. Nothing’s budget brand CMF knocked it out of the park with the sub-$300 Phone 2. And the competition is even greater outside the US, where Xiaomi in particular is smashing it. Even if you can’t buy these types of phones where you are, their influence will seep through to the manufacturers you can get.
The Rise of the Mid-Range Phone
Most Android manufacturers have a quality mid-range phone in their 2025 lineup. Here are some of my standouts.
Pixel 9a
You could argue that Google’s A-series Pixels are always better value than the flagships, and that’s no different for the Pixel 9a. It offers the same level of performance as its more expensive cohorts, has great design and build quality, and solid battery life.
The camera is also impressive, if not the best, and thoughthere are a few compromises, such as the lack of some AI features (if that is something you care about), this is a really solid choice.
Google Pixel 9a
The latest Pixel has high-end cameras, great battery life, and is the most durable model yet—all for $499.
OnePlus 13R
The OnePlus 13R is a mid-range phonewith almost no compromises. It’s got a premium design and build, and runs on the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, with loads of RAM and storage, a great display, and a massive 6000mAh battery. Even the camera setup impresses, with four lenses including a 2X zoom and a macro mode.
I said there werealmostno compromises. The absence of wireless charging in any form is a shame, but don’t let that put you off.
The OnePlus 13R is OnePlus' mid-range smartphone of 2025, featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The 6,000mAh battery delivers all-day, if not multi-day battery life, while the triple camera array features two 50MP sensors for the standard and 2X telephoto lenses alongside an 8MP ultra-wide sensor.
Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
Nothing launched its first flagship in 2025, yet it ended up feeling more like a premium mid-ranger with a high price. A better bet is the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, which comes in around $300 cheaper. Nothing’s impressive design chops combine with solid specs, including a long battery life, a great screen, and a camera system with a 3X zoom.
As our review said, it might bethe year’s best budget smartphone.
The Nothing Phone (3a) Pro stands out with a vibrant 6.77-inch AMOLED display, strong all-day battery life, and a surprisingly capable triple-camera setup—including a 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and 12GB RAM, it handles most tasks with ease, even if it won’t max out the latest games. Nothing’s signature transparent design and refined Glyph interface add flair, while long-term software support and clever features like Essential Space and Smart Drawer round out a tidy, feature-packed phone.
CMF Phone 2 Pro
The competition, even within the mid-range, is intense, and the best devices aren’t limited to the highest price points. The CMF Phone 2 Pro, from Nothing, isarguably the best value phoneyou can get right now, especially if you’re worried about the often dreadful camera quality on cheaper phones.
The camera setup here has four lenses, including a 2X zoom, and it puts out decent quality pictures for the price. Yes, you can get better if you want to pay for it, but for casual, everyday snaps, this is a step up from what you can usually get in this range.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro sets a new standard for sub-$300 phones. With a distinct look, modular accessories, and competent performance, this is an easy phone to love. That’s not to say everything is perfect, with the location of the Essential Key in particular prone to frustrate many buyers.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Mid-Range
A lot of us naturally gravitate towards the flagships when buying a new phone. On paper, they’re the best of the best, and you can rely on them to do the job without any problems. Yet flagships offer diminishing returns compared to previous generations. Instead, it’s the mid-range that’s the most exciting, with devices improving markedly every year.
It’s also where you’ll find the best value. If you’re in the market for a new phone and would like to save a little money, don’t be afraid to go mid-range.
