I thought it was time to offer you a comparison. This is about phones under €500. Indeed, this year, I’ve analyzed many mid-range models. They are all below this symbolic €500 mark. So, in this article, I’ve selected three devices. They particularly interested me, and I wanted to compare them for you.

We are talking about the recent Honor 400. There’s also the iconic Galaxy A56, a star of the mid-range. Finally, a third phone joins the party. It is significantly cheaper than the other two. I’m referring to the Realme 14 Pro Plus. For me, it’s clearly one of the nicest surprises of this year. Especially when you consider its price. Hello everyone, I’m Hugo, and welcome to this buyer’s guide. As you’ve understood, I’m going to help you choose between three excellent smartphones. So, let’s get started without further ado.

I could have, it’s true, included the Redmi 14 Pro in this debate. However, after testing that phone, and especially after comparing it to the other three I’m presenting, I must admit something. The Redmi didn’t impress me enough. Therefore, it didn’t earn its place in my top 3 phones to try for under €500. Several reasons explain this choice. I also invite you to check out my dedicated review of the Redmi 14 Pro Plus if you want to know more.

Let’s Talk Money: Price and Configurations

Let’s get to the heart of the matter now. First, let’s talk about the prices of each phone and their variants. An important point to note: the prices I’ll indicate are for their 256GB storage version. Some models offer other options, like 72GB, while others do not. For example, the Honor 400 offers a version with 512GB of storage.

Let’s start with the Realme 14 Pro Plus. You can find it in pearl white. This color changes with temperature; it’s the version I have. A suede grey is also available. It comes with 8GB of RAM. Currently, you can get this phone for around €379.

Moving on to the Galaxy A56. This model offers a wider range of colors. You’ll have the choice between grey, graphite, and another shade. I personally have the pink color, which currently seems to be out of stock on Samsung’s website. It also comes with 8GB of RAM. Its listed price is €450.

Finally, the latest arrival in this comparison is the Honor 400. You’ll find it in several colors: Meteor Silver, Midnight Black, and Desert Gold. It also has 8GB of RAM. Its price is €499. It thus positions itself just under the €500 mark.

Design and Handling: A Matter of Taste

Let’s now discuss design and finishes. Among the three, one device clearly stands out. It gives off a much more premium feel than the others. This is quite logical, as it aligns with the brand’s identity. I’m talking, of course, about the Galaxy A56. It features a metal frame with flat edges. Its screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus Plus.

We are clearly looking at the most modern and minimalist design of the three. Its camera sensors are elegantly housed in the top left, vertically. This has been Samsung’s signature for years. It’s undeniably the most premium design of the lot. It might even make others believe you have a very high-end phone in hand. However, it’s not the lightest nor the least bulky. This phone weighs around 197 grams. Its dimensions are 162.2 by 77.5 by 7.4 mm.

When you look at the Realme, it’s no slouch either. It weighs 188 grams. Its dimensions are 161.3 by 73.9 by 8.2 mm. Yes, it’s the thickest of the three. Design-wise, Realme opted for a “Chinese-style luxury” approach. This translates to rounded edges. A gold shimmer is present, even around the camera module. Speaking of the camera module, it’s located top-center. It houses the sensors in a layout reminiscent of a fidget spinner. Personally, I’m not a big fan of this type of design.

As for the Honor 400, it’s clearly the smallest. It’s also the most compact and the easiest to fit in a pocket. It measures 156.5 by 74.6 by 7.3 mm. Its weight is around 184 grams. It also plays the simplicity card in terms of design. It has flat edges and sensors located in the top left. Its main drawback, compared to the others, would be its finish. It might feel more plastic-like than the Galaxy A56 in this regard.

Screens: Curved or Flat, Bright or Compact?

Perhaps you’re wondering if any of them have a curved screen. Indeed, many still look for this feature in 2025. Well, the Realme 14 Pro Plus sports a slightly curved screen. Its OLED panel measures 6.3 inches. It offers a resolution of 2800 by 1272 pixels, without variation. Its screen is very well-calibrated. It is extremely pleasant to look at.

Besides that, the other two phones offer a similar approach. They both have a flat screen. But the Honor 400 stands out a bit more from the Galaxy A56 on one point. It has a much more compact screen. Its panel measures 6.5 inches. In comparison, the Galaxy A56 has a 6.7-inch screen. Even in terms of brightness, the Honor 400 outshines its competitors. It reaches a peak brightness of 5000 nits. The Galaxy A56 maxes out at 1900 nits, and the Realme 14 Pro Plus at 2200 nits.

Furthermore, looking at the front, there are slightly fewer bezels on the Honor 400. This is noticeable compared to the Galaxy A56 or the Realme 14 Pro. On the Realme, the curved effect might accentuate this impression compared to the Honor. The choice of screen is therefore an important criterion. Do you prefer a smaller screen for a compact phone? Or a larger screen, or even a larger, curved screen? It will really depend on your preferences.

Power Under the Hood: Who Leads the Pack?

Let’s move on to power now. We’ll theoretically discuss the capability of each phone. In principle, if you use them, you’ll have a similar experience with all three. Whether it’s for playing a particular game, multitasking, or doing some work. I’ll tell you right away. Don’t expect the performance of the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite. We agree on that.

However, looking a bit closer, the Galaxy A56 stands out slightly. Its processor is newer. It’s the Exynos 1580, a 2025 processor. The other two phones have roughly equivalent processors. But both date from 2023. The Honor 400 integrates the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. The Realme 14 Pro Plus is equipped with the Snapdragon 7S Gen 3. Observing this, one realizes something. Phones like the Google Pixel 9A or the Galaxy A56 might seem a bit more expensive at launch. But they often pack a newer processor. It is therefore better optimized for future updates. Especially with the arrival of increasingly important AI features.

You might say, “Hugo, it’s just a newer processor, what’s the actual difference?” I ran some benchmarks. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy A56 gets a better score. However, the gap isn’t huge compared to the other two phones. You don’t feel the two-year difference between the processors. The Honor and Realme get very similar scores, which isn’t surprising. I also tested their Wi-Fi modem. I wanted to see the results obtained. Again, unsurprisingly, the Galaxy A56 shows a better score. This is true for both reception and sending over networks. For example, the Galaxy A56 comes close to the scores obtained on a Wi-Fi speed test with my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. I performed these tests on a fiber box with Wi-Fi 6E, with a débit of about one gigabit.

Battery Life and Charging: Going the Distance

Regarding the battery, on paper, the Realme 14 Pro Plus has the largest capacity. It’s advertised with 6000 mAh. However, be aware that this depends on where you buy the phone. If you buy it from certain online platforms, you might receive a version with 5260 mAh. Alongside this, it offers 80W fast charging.

Samsung’s Galaxy A56 packs a 5000 mAh battery. Its charging is 45W. This is the same power found on the S25 Ultra, for example, on Samsung’s high-end models. Honor’s 400 is equipped with a 5300 mAh battery. It supports 66W charging. In practice, the phones that perform best are the Galaxy A56 and the Honor 400. Of course, as always, battery life will depend on your personal usage. At least, this gives you an idea. The Honor 400 and the Galaxy A56 hold their charge best. I have a slight preference for the Galaxy A56 in terms of endurance.

Photography: Distinct Approaches

In terms of photos, we have quite different configurations. I find this rather interesting. Manufacturers do not have the same approach at all in the mid-range segment. The Honor’s configuration is as follows: a 200-megapixel main sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle. Samsung offers three sensors. One of them, in my opinion, isn’t very useful. It features a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle, and a 5-megapixel macro.

Realme also has three sensors. I find its configuration better and more versatile. It has a 50-megapixel main sensor. A 50-megapixel 3x telephoto lens is also present. Finally, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle completes the setup. Why do I find the Realme a bit more versatile? Simply because it allows for effective zooming. I’ll show you a photo taken at night to capture the moon. On the Realme, I was at 60x zoom. You can see the photo is truly beautiful. When you look at the Honor 400 or the Galaxy A56, which were at 10x zoom, or a bit more for the Honor, you clearly can’t get much out of them. However, you’ll see with other photos that Samsung’s software processing, its artificial intelligence, generally performs better than the other two in night shots.

Regarding video recording, all three devices offer interesting results. I was able to film in 4K, with a maximum of 30 frames per second, even in selfie mode. Changing light conditions, like a grey sky or a veiled sun, are handled differently by each device. Samsung tends to even out a grey sky, for example. Stabilization and color management also vary.

Artificial Intelligence at the User’s Service

Let’s now talk about a very interesting topic in 2025: AI features. I won’t detail every AI feature of each phone here. I invite you to check the individual reviews of these devices for that. They all have small specific features that others don’t. To give you an example, I compared their ability to remove an object from a photo. To summarize, regarding AI on these three phones, the Galaxy A56 is more powerful and more precise. On the other hand, the Honor 400 generally offers more AI features.

Water Resistance: Who’s Not Afraid of a Dip?

Oh, and if you’re looking for a phone that can go underwater, I have some information for you. The Realme 14 Pro Plus has the best waterproof certification. It is IP69 certified. This means immersion underwater for a few minutes. It can withstand quite interesting depths, easily below one meter. In contrast, the Honor 400 only has a certification that protects it from rain or splashes. It definitely shouldn’t be submerged. As for the Galaxy A56, it’s IP67 certified. This allows you, say, if your hand falls into the pool with the phone, to retrieve it. It can stay underwater for about a minute without damage.

My Verdict: Which Phone to Choose in 2025?

We are reaching the end of this comparison. I hope it has been helpful to you. The final choice will largely depend on your priorities.

If you are looking for the most premium design and an excellent overall experience, especially in night photography and raw performance, the Galaxy A56 is a solid choice. Its recent processor is an asset for the future.

If your budget is tighter, but you want a versatile phone for photos thanks to its optical zoom and the best water resistance, the Realme 14 Pro Plus is a gem. Its curved screen can also be a selling point.

Finally, if you prioritize a compact format, an incredibly bright screen, and a multitude of AI features, the Honor 400 will win you over. Its battery life is also very decent.

Each of these phones offers excellent value for money in its category. I hope these elements will help you make the best choice for yourself.