Here are the best high-end phones that won't break the bank

You don’t have to spend $1,000 or more to get a high-end smartphone. There are plenty of so-called flagship killers available at a significantly lower price, complete with a powerful chipset, a bunch of RAM, and premium designs.

However, they often lack crucial features you might find on a more expensive flagship, such as water resistance, periscope cameras, and wireless charging. Whether the trade-off is worth it or not comes down to personal preference. Nevertheless, here are the best flagship killers that won’t break the bank!

Best flagship killers:

Editor’s note: We’ll update this list of the best flagship killers regularly as new ones launch.

1. OnePlus 10T

OnePlus is the first name that comes to mind for classic flagship killers. However, it has steadily increased its flagship pricing over the years, but the $650 OnePlus 10T is a return to flying form. It’s dubbed as the power user’s OnePlus device with a robust spec sheet to match.

The OnePlus 10T brings a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC, a 120Hz OLED panel, and 125W wired charging to the table. The T-Mobile variant even gains an official water resistance rating, but you won’t find wireless charging. It also loses the signature alert slider, though apparently, that will be back for future flagship releases. OnePlus skipped the Hasselblad branding for its performance flagship, hoping to emphasize raw speed over all else.

OnePlus 10T specs:

2. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

Samsung launched the Galaxy S21 FE in early 2022, and it’s still one of the best flagship killers you can get following the Galaxy S22 launch. The phone offers several high-end features for a reasonable price tag, such as water resistance, wireless charging, a Snapdragon 888 SoC, and a 120Hz OLED panel.

The Galaxy S21 FE also stands out thanks to the flexible triple camera system, featuring a 12MP main shooter, 12MP ultrawide camera, and 8MP 3X telephoto sensor. The latter type of camera isn’t always a given on affordable flagships, so we’re happy Samsung offered it here.

See also: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE review

Samsung’s phone launched at $699, but it frequently goes on sale way below its recommended price. Toss in three major OS updates, and this is hard to resist.

Galaxy S21 FE specs:

3. ASUS Zenfone 9

The ASUS Zenfone series has long offered a flagship killer option, such as 2018’s Zenfone 5Z and 2019’s Zenfone 6. It’s back with another competitively priced Zenfone 9, which launched in July 2022.

Perhaps the standout Zenfone 9 feature is the compact design, packing a 5.9-inch 120Hz OLED screen. This is paired with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 flagship SoC, making it the smallest high-end Android phone you can get in 2022.

What we thought: ASUS Zenfone 9 review

The phone’s small size does come with compromises, though, as the 4,300mAh battery isn’t massive for a 5G device, and you’re missing out on features like microSD support and a telephoto camera. But you do get an IP68 rating, a 3.5mm port, and a rather attractive sub-$700 price tag.

ASUS Zenfone 9 specs:

4. ZTE Axon 30

Believe it or not, but you can get a flagship-level smartphone with an under-display selfie camera for $500. Yes, the ZTE Axon 30 packs a 16MP camera under the screen for a proper full-screen experience. 

This isn’t the most powerful phone on the list, but the Snapdragon 870 is last year’s flagship silicon. So it should still deliver smooth performance a year or two down the line. Other notable details include a 6.92-inch 120Hz OLED panel, a 4,200mAh battery, and 65W charging.

ZTE’s phone doesn’t have the most impressive rear camera system, though. Expect a 64MP main shooter, 8MP ultrawide camera, a 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. 

ZTE Axon 30 specs:

5. realme GT 2 Pro

realme has been expanding in a big way these last few years, targeting Europe and other markets. Now, it’s following up the successful realme GT with an upgraded GT 2 Pro.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is joined by a 120Hz OLED panel, a 5,000mAh battery, and 65W wired charging. So the fundamentals are pretty good here. The camera system is perhaps the weakest area, though it’s still no slouch. You get a pair of 50MP shooters — one wide and one ultrawide — and a 3MP microscope to round it out.

Don’t expect premium flagship staples like wireless charging and water resistance here, then. At least you get splash resistance and Gorilla Glass Victus glass for some added toughness.

realme GT 2 Pro specs:

6. nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro

Nubia’s REDMAGIC series of gaming phones have been around for a while now, and they’ve generally offered flagship-level power and gaming features at a more affordable price tag. The REDMAGIC 8 Pro is no different in this regard, starting at below $800 from the official store.

There are plenty of reasons to consider the nubia device, such as the 120Hz OLED screen, a set of pressure-sensitive touch zones, a large battery, and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset with a built-in cooling fan. So if sustained gaming performance is your top priority, you should add this phone to your list.

The phone’s biggest weakness is the photography experience, though, as the triple rear camera system delivers average snaps. Then again, you probably wouldn’t buy this device if you value a top-notch camera experience in the first place.

nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro specs:

7. POCO M4 Pro

The POCO M4 Pro is a perfect example of how far budget 5G devices have come in such a short time, and it’s a classic example of flagship killer specs. Of course, it has a few sacrifices for the money, but that’s to be expected at less than €250.

Poco’s latest M4 Pro packs impressive battery life and a handy IP53 rating to keep splashes at bay. Hadlee also enjoyed the 33W USB-C charging during his review, and had no problems going all day with the 5,000mAh battery. Even the M4 Pro’s main 50MP camera lens has made solid strides over previous generations. MIUI 12.5 is one of the more customizable Android skins on the market, even if it does come with some unwanted bloatware.

Our verdict: POCO M4 Pro review — An affordable 5G phone with extra perks

If we had to name a drawback to this flagship killer, it’s the ultrawide camera. Hadlee said it felt more like an afterthought, and it delivers oversaturated shots more often than not. That said, most people don’t rely on the ultrawide lens for the bulk of their shots.

POCO M4 Pro specs:

8. Google Pixel 7

The Google Pixel 7 is a perfect example of a modern flagship killer — it starts at just $599, yet it packs the same powerful specs as the premium Pixel 7 Pro. That means you get Google’s all-new Tensor G2 chip with a large 6.3-inch display and Gorilla Glass Victus all around. If that weren’t enough, you can finally grab up to 256GB of storage to hold everything you need.

Google kept its most significant camera update for the Pixel 7 series — the camera. It’s rocking the same 50MP main shooter and 12MP ultrawide lens as last year. It’s tough to miss the camera bar, but the results speak for themselves. As always, you’ll have some of the faster access to updates of any OEM on the market, and Google promises years of support with monthly updates.

See also: Google Pixel 7 buyer’s guide

The Pixel 7 series charges faster than any previous Google phone, even if it’s not as snappy as originally expected. You won’t get 30W speeds, but you get 21W wired and wireless charging.

Google Pixel 7 specs:

These are the best flagships killers you can get, in our opinion. We’ll be sure to update this post once new models hit the market.