It could be modern to spend $1,000 on the newest flagship smartphone once they first get launched, but it surely’s not mandatory. You do not even should spend $500 immediately to get an honest handset, whether or not it’s a refurbished iPhone or an reasonably priced Android cellphone, as there are many choices as little as $160 that might suit your wants.
However navigating the finances cellphone market will be difficult; choices that look good on paper might not be in observe, and a few handsets will find yourself costing you extra when you think about many include restrictive storage. Whereas we at Engadget spend most of our time testing and reviewing mid- to high-end handsets, we have examined quite a few the newest budget-friendly telephones in the marketplace to see which are literally price your cash.
What to search for in an inexpensive cellphone
For this information, our prime picks price between $100 and $300. Something much less and also you may as properly go purchase a dumb cellphone or high-end calculator as an alternative. Since they’re meant to be extra reasonably priced than flagship telephones and even midrange handsets, finances smartphones contain compromises; the cheaper a tool, the decrease your expectations round specs, efficiency and expertise must be. For that purpose, the perfect recommendation I may give is to spend as a lot as you may afford. On this value vary, even $50 or $100 extra can get you a dramatically higher product.
Second, you need to know what you need most from a cellphone. When shopping for a finances smartphone, you might must sacrifice an honest essential digital camera for lengthy battery life, or commerce a high-resolution show for a sooner CPU. That’s simply what comes with the territory, however realizing your priorities will make it simpler to search out the appropriate cellphone.
It’s additionally price noting some options will be laborious to search out on low cost handsets. As an example, you gained’t want to look far for a tool with all-day battery life — however if you would like a terrific digital camera cellphone with wonderful digital camera high quality, you’re higher off shelling out for one of many suggestions in our midrange smartphone guide, which all are available at $600 or much less. Wi-fi charging and waterproofing additionally aren’t simple to search out on this value vary and overlook concerning the quickest chipset. On the intense facet, all our suggestions include headphone jacks, so that you gained’t must get wireless headphones.
iOS can also be off the desk, for the reason that $400 Apple iPhone SE is probably the most reasonably priced iPhone within the lineup. That leaves Android OS as the one choice. Fortunately immediately, there’s little to complain about Google’s OS – and you might even choose it to iOS. Lastly, take note most Android producers sometimes supply far much less strong software program options and assist for his or her finances gadgets. In some circumstances, your new cellphone could solely obtain one main software program replace and a yr or two of safety patches past that. That applies to the OnePlus and Motorola suggestions on our record.
In case you’d wish to hold your cellphone for so long as doable, Samsung has the perfect software program coverage of any Android producer within the finances house, providing four years of security updates on all of its gadgets. That mentioned, if software program assist (or system longevity general) is your essential focus, take into account spending a bit extra the $500 Google Pixel 7a, which is our favourite midrange smartphone and has deliberate software program updates by way of mid-2026.
Finest low cost telephones
Display dimension: 6.72 inches | Storage capability: 128GB + microSD | SIM card kind: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 16MP | Rear digital camera decision: 108MP essential, 2MP macro | Weight: 6.8 oz | Battery life: 12 hours, half-hour
The $300 OnePlus Nord N30 5G provides the perfect worth of any of the smartphones on our record. No different cellphone within the value bracket incorporates a processor as quick because the N30’s Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. Furthermore, OnePlus has specced the N30 with 5G connectivity along with a beneficiant 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which means you in all probability gained’t must finances for a microSD card or cloud storage. It additionally comes with a 120Hz IPS show, a function that’s nice for each gaming and on a regular basis use. Better of all, the N30 ships with a 50W energy adapter for quick charging, letting you get a full day of battery life in half-hour. The N30 could be nearly good if it had waterproofing and OnePlus had dedicated to pushing multiple main Android OS replace to the cellphone. — Igor Bonifacic, Contributing Reporter
SAMSUNG
Display dimension: 6.5 inches | Storage capability: 128GB/256GB + microSD | SIM card kind: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 13MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP essential, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro | Weight: 7.05 oz | Battery life: 2 days
For simply $200, the Galaxy A15 5G is a reasonably outstanding system. It has a 6.5-inch show with a barely slower 90Hz refresh price the Nord N30. Nonetheless, as a result of it options an AMOLED panel as an alternative of an LCD show, it boasts higher brightness and richer colours than principally all of its rivals. It will also be configured with as much as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and its 5,000 mAh battery delivers lengthy battery life. Its digital camera system is strong for its value, providing a essential digital camera that handles on a regular basis photographs properly and a selfie digital camera for video calls. And whereas its design isn’t too thrilling, the polycarbonate Samsung makes use of on the again has a pleasant matte end that feels extra like glass than low cost plastic. Lastly, the A15 comes with 4 years of safety updates and three years of OS upgrades, which is longer than most handsets on this value vary. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter
Motorola
Display dimension: 6.5 inches | Storage capability: 64GB + microSD | SIM card kind: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 8MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP | Weight: 6.53 oz | Battery life: 46 hours
For these on a extremely tight finances, the 2024 Moto G Play covers all of the bases properly. It has a speedy Snapdragon 680 processor together with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. And whereas that final quantity may appear small, the cellphone has a microSD card slot so you may add extra space if and whenever you want it. Its 6.5-inch LCD display can also be surprisingly sharp with a 90Hz refresh price. The Moto G Play even has an IP52 score for mud and water resistance. That isn’t a lot, but it surely’s ok to guard towards an errant splash or two. Certain, the G Play is fundamental, but it surely’s fundamental in a great way. — S.R.
Motorola
Display dimension: 6.5-inch | Storage capability: 64GB | SIM card kind: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 8MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP | Weight: 6.9 oz | Battery life: 20 hours
The $200 Motorola Moto G Stylus provides one thing not one of the different picks on this record do: a built-in stylus. In case you love doodling and jotting down notes, then that is a budget cellphone to purchase. Fortunately, it has a couple of different issues going for it too. The Moto G Stylus sports activities an enormous and responsive 6.5-inch show and a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery. Plus, it’s obtainable in two beautiful colours: midnight blue and glam pink.
As with different choices on this value vary, it will be good if the Moto G Stylus got here with a extra succesful digital camera, a quick charger and higher safety towards water. One phrase of recommendation: avoid Moto G Stylus 5G. It doesn’t supply sufficient of an improve to justify costing $400. — I.B.
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