A smartphone under €350 is no longer a shameful compromise, but what you give up is not always what you think. Comparing the models Picksly tracks, with their performance, memory, battery and camera scores drawn from public sources, shows where the gap with pricier models really opens up, and where it is almost nil.
The figures below are from 22 September 2026, for smartphones that have a verified new offer in France. Prices often move by a few euros from one day to the next: always check the displayed price before buying.
What the catalogue shows
Of the 91 tracked smartphones with a verified new price, 32 cost €350 or less (median price: €254) and 59 cost more. Median scores out of 100, criterion by criterion:
| Criterion | €350 or less | Over €350 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 8 | 56 |
| Memory (RAM) | 20 (8 GB) | 60 (12 GB) |
| Battery | 62 | 57 |
| Camera | 48 (9 models scored) | 77 (37 models scored) |
Read it with care: these are the models Picksly tracks, not the whole market, and a score is always relative to a frozen scale (see below). But the picture is clear: under €350, you mostly lose on performance and memory; you do not lose on battery; the camera gap is clear, but rests on only 9 models.
The five criteria, in the order they matter under €350
1. Memory (RAM)
This is the most visible gap in our scores: 8 GB median under €350, 12 GB above. Memory is read from the configuration tested in the AnTuTu ranking; the same model can exist in several configurations, so check the one in the offer.
2. Performance
Performance scores for models at €350 or less are low (median 8 out of 100), because the scale runs from entry-level to the top of the market. An 8 does not mean "slow" for everyday use: it says the gap with the best processors is large. Performance comes from the public AnTuTu and Geekbench rankings and from GSMArena pages.
3. Battery
This is the only criterion where models at €350 or less do as well as the others (median 62 versus 57, roughly 5,000 mAh). Careful: Picksly reads the battery capacity when no endurance test exists, and a capacity is not a measured battery life.
4. Camera
Only 9 of the 32 models at €350 or less have a DXOMARK camera score. When it exists, it is clearly lower than that of pricier models (48 versus 77 median, on a small sample); when it is missing, the model page says so instead of inventing one.
5. Screen
27 of the 32 models are medium (6.5″ to under 6.8″), 2 are normal (under 6.5″) and 3 are large (6.8″ and over). On the Smartphones page, the size filter combines with the maximum price.
How Picksly chooses in this range
The Budget profile keeps only models at €350 or less and takes the best Budget score, where value for money weighs 35%. The Smart profile requires at least 50 out of 100, with value for money at 20%. An overall score exists only if more than half of the criteria weight is measured: otherwise the page shows "not enough criteria measured" rather than a misleading number.
Frequently asked questions
Is a low performance score a problem?
Not necessarily: it places the model against a frozen scale, not against a specific use. Mostly, it tells you that a pricier model will do clearly better on heavy tasks.
Where do the scores and prices come from?
Scores come from public sources (AnTuTu, Geekbench, DXOMARK, GSMArena and Wikipedia pages), each with its date and link on the model page. Prices come from re-read merchant listings, on the date shown. Picksly may earn a commission through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you, and this affects neither the scores nor the ranking. What affiliation can change is explained on our transparency page.
Install the Picksly extension: it recognises the product you are looking at, finds verified alternatives suited to your profile — Budget, Smart or Premium — and tells you when the listing you are on is not the best deal.
