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Smartphones

The models sold in Europe, from the most affordable to the top of the range. What you notice day to day comes down to three things: battery life, screen comfort and photo quality in low light; processor power is rarely noticeable in ordinary use. The criteria below are the ones we rate the whole category on.

Choose by use

The right product depends on the situation. Each page below takes the category’s criteria and changes their weight for one specific need.

What we rate in this category

Every product in the category is rated from 0 to 100 on these criteria — the same for all of them, whichever merchant sells it.

Read the full method
Price
Where the product sits against the others in its category, at comparable specifications, on the market being browsed. The longer the bar, the better placed the product is on price.
Speed
The speed you actually feel in use: launching, moving from task to task and holding up over time, not just the maker’s figures.
Battery life
Real use time between two charges or two refills, measured in mixed conditions rather than at the maximum quoted.
Screen
Sharpness, brightness and colour accuracy, including when viewed from an angle.
Photography
The result in real conditions, in daylight as well as in low light. The megapixel count is not enough to judge it.
Build
Resistance to daily use: build quality, moving parts and how it holds up over time.

Price brackets by tier

Orders of magnitude, not displayed prices: a price only appears on Kalyneo once it has been collected from a merchant, with its collection date.

Under €400

Calls, messages and everyday photos. A 60 Hz screen and limited storage are the normal trade-offs at this level.

€400 to €700

The bracket where the gap between price and what you get is most favourable: comfortable battery life, a decent screen, daylight photography.

Over €700

Mostly justified by photography, the screen or gaming. On perceived everyday speed, the gap with the bracket below stays small.

The buying guide for this category Choosing well: smartphones A phone is kept for three to four years. Three things really make a difference in daily use: battery life, the screen and camera quality. The rest is rarely felt. Read the guide

No price collected yet

Kalyneo only shows a price once it has been collected automatically from the merchant, with the date it was collected; no price is ever entered by hand. The rating criteria, the price brackets and the buying guides are already online.