The Sphinx IS a really top quality gun.
Originally, it was the Action Arms AT series assembled in Switzerland from mostly Italian Tanfoglio made parts. Now it's reported to be 100% Swiss, although Tanfoglio may still supply some parts.
It's stainless steel, and is a near-hand assembled gun with really great Swiss quality, thus the retail price.
Other than the Sphinx, your choices are lower down on the quality scale.
The CZ-75 is the original design all other makers including Sphinx have "cloned".
The CZ guns are very nice, high quality, and excellent guns.
Lower down is the European American Armory (EAA) guns.
These are made in Italy by Tanfoglio, and imported by EAA.
These are excellent buys, offering good quality at a price lower then the CZ.
EAA offers more options then CZ, and Tanfoglio's been making CZ clone guns since the early 1980's.
In fact, virtually all Non-CZ copies were produced by or supplied parts by Tanfoglio.
This includes guns sold by:
FIE.
Excam.
Springfield Armory P9.
The Swiss AT series.
The Israeli Baby Eagle and Jericho.
The EAA guns are considered to be a "best buy" due to the price versus quality.
EAA offers some models and calibers no one else does, including conversion kits to allow shooting .22lr.
A new gun on the market is the new Armalite AR-24.
The AR is made in Turkey, and seems to be a clone of a clone, being a modified Tanfoglio/EAA design.
Unlike the current CZ and the EAA, the AR is made from solid forged and milled slides, frames, and barrels.
A number of buyers report good results and like the feel of the grip.
Price seems to be around the CZ price point.