Top budget cell phones

It's an exciting time for smartphones. Thanks to increasingly powerful new chips, we're long past the days when you had to choose between spending a bundle on a premium phone or settling for sluggish performance on a budget model.

The Quick List 2. Best overall 3. Runner up 4. Longest-lasting phone 5. Best design 6. Bigger Pixel savings 7. Best cheap iPhone 8.

Top budget cell phones

The list in brief 2. Best cheap Samsung 3. Best cheap iPhone 4. Best cheap Pixel 5. Best cheap camera phone 6. Best cheap phone for durablity 7. FAQs 8. How we test. There are a lot of smartphones to choose from nowadays and as the price point comes down, typically, so does the quality. Worry not, though, as we've collated a shortlist of the best cheap phones from both the Apple and Android side of the fence, with options tailored to different use cases and budgets to ensure there's something for everyone that won't cost the earth to own. Part of the challenge with budget phones is that they don't usually get the same degree of exposure as the very best phones on the market devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra , so information about them and the number of users actually putting them to the test to tell whether they're any good is comparatively limited. That's why we created this shortlist, to ensure you have a choice of phones — tested by the mobile experts here at TechRadar — that you know will be a worthwhile purchase, should you decide to pick one up.

Best design. Row 0 - Cell 0.

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more. High-end Android phones may come with all the bells and whistles, but if you temper your expectations you can get an excellent phone for much less. The Google Pixel A series is now known for offering some of the best bang for the buck in the smartphone market. In , Google took its budget series to a new level that gets even closer to high-end territory. For starters, it has a few notable upgrades the community has long been asking for. The display now features a 90Hz refresh rate.

The list in brief 2. Best cheap Samsung 3. Best cheap iPhone 4. Best cheap Pixel 5. Best cheap camera phone 6. Best cheap phone for durablity 7. FAQs 8.

Top budget cell phones

However, picking the right one can be a bit tricky, as reducing the price of a phone can sometimes result in too many trade-offs. So to give you a hand, we tested a bunch of the most popular options and put together a list of our favorite cheap Android phones. Any lower and the device runs the risk of suffering from too many compromises, and above that, you cross over to pricier midrange handsets if you're open to spending more, we shouted out a couple of our favorites at the very end of this guide. But for those with a little wiggle room, there are some things to consider. This makes them a viable alternative to premium flagships, even if you have the freedom to spend more. When it comes to affordable devices, you get what you pay for. Most phones in this price range are made out of plastic, though the fit and finish of a specific model can vary a lot based on price.

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With a few easy changes to the privacy and security settings, you can control how much information Android and Google—and the apps you use—collect about you. Speeds are limited to sub-6Ghz. Reasons to avoid - Big bezels around a small screen. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. Cons Very little onboard storage Some noticeable lag Indoor photos are challenging. However, don't just go for the phone with the most megapixels, as that can sometimes be misleading; it's what a phone does with those pixels that counts, especially in this era of AI-powered computational photography. Read our full Nokia XR20 5G review. There are various excellent compilations on Youtube i. Although we found performance and build quality to be lacking, we did get exceptional battery life out of the A03s. I Did mention that. Best for Samsung fans. Are cheap phones available unlocked?

Best overall 2.

We found it does get warm during regular use — not just gaming, but browsing as well — and its 25W charging speed can feel a little slow, especially if you're coming from a OnePlus device. You'll need to make some trade-offs to get a cheap phone — forget about the most powerful processors or versatile zoom cameras — but in many cases, you'll find cameras that are good enough to get the job done and even big displays with adaptive refresh rates. If you wear a Galaxy Watch, this phone also allows you to make use of health sensors, like the watch's ECG. HelloJelloFellow said:. Show our expert take. However, don't just go for the phone with the most megapixels, as that can sometimes be misleading; it's what a phone does with those pixels that counts, especially in this era of AI-powered computational photography. Dedicate emergency and Google Assistant keys are welcome inclusions, while the four years of security updates and three years of OS updates at launch mean it's a great long-term blower for those who spend a lot of time in the great outdoor or challenging environments on a daily basis. The larger screen gives you more room for watching videos, and the faster Hz refresh rate offers smoother scrolling and is ideal for gaming, an uncommon feature for a budget phone. The only issue we find is that it takes very little money to upgrade to the Pixel 7, which has a better build quality, faster 20W wireless charging, and faster 20W wired charging. Nothing Phone 2a. This took about 85 minutes to fill from empty in our tests. Despite some trade-offs, the iPhone SE is a great choice for people who like small phones. Mobile coupons.