These are the best budget smartphones of 2024
DexertoLooking for a budget smartphone in 2024 that offers all the features you need? We’ve listed nine of our favorite budget phones so you can save a pretty penny on a powerful device.
The best Android phones offer top-of-the-line specifications, featuring high-end cameras, fast processors, and beautiful displays. But they also cost a fortune, with our list topper Galaxy S24 Ultra starting at $1,299.
Not everyone needs the latest and greatest, and not everyone has the budget for them. That’s where budget smartphones step in. You can get yourself a nice affordable smartphone for half the price of a flagship and still get decent features.
If you go looking, you’ll find heaps of options of the budget variety, but only a handful are worth your cash. We’ve listed some of our favorite ones below.
1. OnePlus 12R
Dexerto- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED
- Battery: 5500 mAh
- OS: Android 14
- Camera: 3x rear (50MP+8MP+2MP) + 16MP front
- MSRP: starts at $499
| Pros | Cons |
| High brightness levels | Low-powered camera |
| Good performance for the price | No wireless charging |
| Extended battery life |
The OnePlus 12R is the best budget smartphone we’ve tested. It brings almost all the flagship features you’ll find on the $800 OnePlus 12. In our two months of rigorous testing, the smartphone never lagged once and ran every game smoothly, be it Genshin Impact or COD Mobile. That’s an impressive feat for a budget phone, and you’d hardly find any other device in this segment that could do it.
Another major highlight of the smartphone is its 5500 mAh which offered nine hours of screen time during our testing. Plus, the OnePlus 12R supports 80W wired charging support which juices up the battery from 0% to 100% in around half an hour.
It uses a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with 4500 nits peak brightness, HDR10+, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone packs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood which is only a year old and powers flagships like Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The OnePlus 12R doesn’t come without sacrifices though. It lacks a water and dust resistance rating and wireless charging support. It’s also only promised to get three major Android updates.
2. Pixel 8a
Google- Processor: Tensor G3
- Display: 6.1-inch OLED
- Battery: 4492 mAh
- OS: Android 14 out of the box
- Camera: 2x rear (64MP+ 13MP) + 13MP front
- MSRP: starts at $499
| Pros | Cons |
| Great cameras | Bad battery life |
| Wireless charging | Performance not ideal |
| 7 years of software support |
The Pixel 8a is a great choice for under $500. However, it’s worth keeping an eye out for deals on the Pixel 7a, which can sometimes drop as low as $375. While the Pixel 8a has a starting price of $499, you might be able to snag a Pixel 7a for even cheaper if you’re patient.
The Pixel 8a is worth the higher price, though. You get a 120Hz display on the smartphone with 2000 nits peak brightness. It also packs the latest Tensor G3 chip—the same processor that powers the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro. Don’t expect any camera upgrades, as the smartphone features the same 64MP + 13MP camera setup as the Pixel 7a.
Most importantly, the Pixel 8a will receive Android OS updates for the next seven years, which is something you won’t find on any other budget phone.
3. Samsung Galaxy A54
Samsung- Processor: Tensor G2
- Display: 6.4-inch OLED
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- OS: Android 13 out of the box
- Camera: 3x rear( 50MP+12MP+ 5MP) + 32MP front
- MSRP: starts at $450
| Pros | Cons |
| Great display | Lacks wireless charging |
| IP67 rated | Performance not ideal |
| Extended software support |
The Galaxy A54 is Samsung’s A series mid-ranger from last year. The company has announced the Galaxy A55, but it won’t be coming to the US. The Galaxy A54 features a vibrant design that evokes the Galaxy S24 lineup. Although the bezels on the display are larger than we’d like, it still looks decent.
It lacks wireless charging but features a 120Hz 6.4-inch AMOLED display with 1000 nit peak brightness and HDR10+ support. The panel is great for playing mobile games or watching videos. It is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 1380 processor, backed up by 6GB of RAM. While its performance comes nowhere close to the OnePlus 12R, there’s enough power to make everyday web browsing, WhatsApp texting, and emailing feel swift.
The Galaxy A54 packs a large 5000mAh battery with support for 25W wired charging. There’s no wireless charging, but the smartphone comes with an IP67 dust and water-resistant rating. Samsung promises five years of major Android updates, which is more than any other budget Android phone on this list.
4. Google Pixel 7a
Google- Processor: Tensor G2
- Display: 6.1-inch OLED
- Battery: 4385 mAh
- OS: Android 13 out of the box
- Camera: 2x rear( 64MP+13MP) + 13MP front
- MSRP: starts at $499
| Pros | Cons |
| Great cameras | Bad battery life |
| Wireless charging | Performance not ideal |
| Extended software support |
Pixel 7a doesn’t pack the most high-end specs. It rather looks mediocre on paper. However, the Pixel 7a is a reliable budget phone that you can get. It brings a handful of important features, with a bright, smooth-scrolling 90Hz display. The panel isn’t as good as the OnePlus 12R, but it certainly is better than the 60Hz Pixel 6a.
Unlike most budget phones, the Google Pixel 7a brings wireless charging and an IP67 dust and water-resistance rating. The Pixel 7a packs the same custom Tensor G2 chipset on board the flagship Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. It easily handles demanding tasks like rendering 3D game graphics. Apps also load quickly and stay open even in the background if you’re doing something else.
Cameras are probably the best features on the Pixel lineup. It includes a new 64-megapixel main rear camera with optical image stabilization accompanied by 13-megapixel ultrawide and selfie cameras. It gives you the best camera system you can get on a $500 phone with great photos in both day and low-light environments.
The only problem with the Pixel 7a is its particularly small 4,385mAh battery that lasts around four to five hours at best. Charging speed is no better at 18W wired and 7.5W w
5. iPhone SE (3rd Gen)
Unsplash: Onur Binay- Processor: A15 Bionic
- Display: 4.7-inch LCD
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- OS: iOS 15.4 out of the box
- Camera: 12MP main + 7MP front
- MSRP: starts at $429
| Pros | Cons |
| Great performance | Tiny display |
| Wireless charging | Only one rear camera |
| Extended software support |
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly iPhone, the iPhone SE 3 is the way to go. It was announced in 2022 with a design similar to iPhone 8 and older. The thick bezels and the 4.7-inch LCD screen might not be for everyone.
This iPhone packs a punch with the same A15 Bionic chip that powers the latest iPhone 13 models. That makes it one of the most powerful phones you can find for the price. Whether you’re a gamer or a multitasker, this phone can handle anything you dish out. The chip even helps with battery life, but don’t expect more than a day on a single charge with heavy use. It’s also one of the few phones in this price range with wireless charging and a water-resistant design (IP67).
The single rear camera works well in bright conditions, but low-light photography is a bit of a struggle. One thing to consider is Apple’s famous long software support – you’ll get updates for this phone for up to five years, which is pretty sweet.
6. Samsung Galaxy A35
Samsung- Processor: Exynos 1380
- Display: 6.6-inch OLED
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- OS: Android 14 out of the box
- Camera: 3x rear (50MP+ 8MP+ 5MP) + 13MP front
- MSRP: starts at $399
| Pros | Cons |
| Bright and crisp display | Bad battery life |
| IP67 rated | No wireless charging |
| 4 years of software support |
The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G packs a lot for its $399 price. It has a big, 6.6-inch AMOLED display with a super smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Plus, it’s got an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. That means unlike almost any other phone at this price, the A35 5G can survive a swim in the water without a problem.
Another major highlight of the phone is its software support. Samsung has promised four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. While the Pixel 8a still takes the crown for offering most updates, it’s still better than other budget phones in the market.
7. Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
Samsung- Processor: Exynos 1330
- Display: 6.6-inch LCD
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- OS: Android 13 out of the box
- Camera: 3x (50MP+ 2MP + 2MP) + 13MP front
- MSRP: starts at $200
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | Uninspired design |
| Expandable storage up to 256GB | No IP rating |
| Large battery |
Samsung’s Galaxy A14 5G is worth considering if you’re after a super-cheap smartphone. It has a big, boring design with thick bezels and a water drop notch but performs better than you’d expect from a $200 phone. It has a 6.6-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 2,400 by 1,080-pixel resolution.
The panel is sharp and gets decently bright. The smartphone offers respectable performance considering its price. Of course, it’s not meant for gaming, but it can tackle day-to-day tasks easily. Samsung offers 4 years of Android updates with the smartphone alongside a large 5000mAh battery and a decent camera setup.
8. Moto G Play (2024)
Motorola- Processor: Snapdragon 680 4G
- Display: 6.5-inch LCD
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- OS: Android 13 out of the box
- Camera: 50MP main + 8MP front
- MSRP: starts at $150
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | Single rear camera |
| Expandable storage | Only 64GB base storage |
| IP52 rating |
Moto G Play (2024) is another option for those on a really tight budget. It tackles all the essentials with a speedy Snapdragon 680 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. You can bump up the storage even further with a microSD card slot.
The phone comes with a surprisingly sharp 6.5-inch LCD screen with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. The Moto G Play even has an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance. While it won’t survive heavy rain or a dunk in the pool, it can handle a splash or two without a problem.
9. OnePlus Nord N30 5G
OnePlus- Processor: Snapdragon 695 5G
- Display: 6.7-inch LCD
- Battery: 5000 mAh
- OS: Android 13 out of the box
- Camera: 3x rear (102MP+ 2MP+ 2MP) + 16MP front
- MSRP: starts at $250
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | No IP rating |
| Good performance | |
| Fast charging |
The OnePlus Nord N30 should be your choice if you like fast charging. It offers 50W wired charging— faster than what most other phones support no matter the price. The smartphone also includes a large 120Hz 1080p display, a high-resolution quad-camera stack, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot.
Its Snapdragon 695 5G processor delivers strong performance along with fast wireless connectivity that works with all the major US carriers. Plus, OnePlus Nord N30 offers 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Even though the phone launched at a $300 price tag, OnePlus has now dropped that to $250.
What is the best affordable phone?
OnePlus 12R is the best budget smartphone you can get in 2024. It packs a powerful processor, a flagship-grade display, and a large battery. The smartphone is the latest from OnePlus, having been announced in January 2024.
Do I need a 5G phone?
Yes, you need a 5G phone if you want high-speed internet connectivity. The 4G standard is now outdated, so it should be a feature you look to include on your list while shopping. If you frequently download large files, stream high-definition videos, or play online games, a 5G phone can provide faster speeds and lower latency.
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