Karlston Posted May 23, 2020 Share Posted May 23, 2020 The Best Cheap Phones for (Almost) Every Budget There's little reason to pay top dollar for a phone these days. These are our favorite Android devices and iPhones for $300 to $600. US wireless carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon go out of their way to make expensive smartphones seem affordable. You may wonder why you shouldn't buy a $1,000 Samsung Galaxy S20 if you only have to pay $0 down and $47 a month for it? Whether you pay it all at once or in 24 monthly installments, you’re still spending more than a thousand dollars on your phone. Your pricey new device may also keep you locked to your network, leaving you unable to switch wireless carriers until the phone is paid off and with a lower return should you ever resell it. Forget the spendy option and get a seriously great, more affordable phone instead. We’ve tested dozens to find the best cheap smartphones that aren't annoyingly slow. Our top pick, the Google Pixel 3A, is as good as almost any device, and our other choices strike a great balance between price and luxury. Updated May 2020: We've added the iPhone SE, new Motorola and TCL phones, and shifted some of our picks around. 1. Google Pixel 3A ($375) Best Overall Google doesn't think a phone needs to be $1,000 in order to be premium.Photograph: Google If you can spend $399 (or $479 for the larger Pixel 3A XL), you cannot find a better phone than this (9/10, WIRED Recommends). The 3A is the first budget-minded phone that has topped our Best Android Phones guide because it manages to feel like a high-end $800 phone in the ways that matter most: it's fast, the battery lasts all day, it gets security updates directly from Google, and it has a camera that's as good as the one on almost any other phone you can buy. It even has a Night Sight mode that makes night-time selfies and other shots in very dim lighting conditions possible. Prepare to make a few sacrifices. The display doesn't stretch as close to the edges as many flagship phones, it's not waterproof, and there's no wireless charging (just fast wired charging). It's also covered in a classy polycarbonate shell instead of glass and metal—this actually makes it more durable, but if glass is your jam, take note. The Pixel 3A has a headphone jack, something even the expensive Pixel 4 and 4 XL do not have. (Here are some other great phones with headphone jacks.) If you're going to buy a Pixel, get this one, although do be aware that a Pixel 4A successor is heavily expected to launch in early June. We've also frequently seen the 3A drop to $350 or lower. It's still a great value at its MSRP, but I recommend waiting to catch it on sale. Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and more Pixel 3A normally costs $375 at Amazon, $399 at Best Buy and B&H Photo Video. If you're reading this during Memorial Day weekend, it's currently on deep discount. 2. iPhone SE 2020 ($399) Runner-Up A good buy for a teen, or anyone looking for a cheap iPhone without Face ID.Photograph: Apple The new iPhone SE (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is perfect for people who want an affordable phone from Apple without all the bells and whistles on its higher-end models. Don't need Face ID for authentication or a large screen? The SE relies on your fingerprint with Touch ID to unlock the phone and yes, that means the home button is back. It's also a tiny thing, and while it's not as compact as the original 4-inch iPhone SE from 2016, the 4.7-inch screen still is very small compared to other phones today. You do get some modern amenities like wireless charging and IP67 water resistance, but sadly the headphone jack didn't make the cut. What makes the iPhone SE so special is the processor that's powering it—the A13 Bionic chip, which is the same one you'll find in the iPhone 11 Pro that costs several hundred dollars more. You won't find performance anywhere near as good for this price on another phone. All your favorite apps and games, even if they're graphically intensive, will run without a hitch for years to come. And, of course, Apple will keep this phone updated for four to five years, which is years longer than most of the Android phones in this guide. The single-camera setup on the rear snaps some nice photos, though because Apple did not bring Night mode down from its high-end iPhones, it won't fare as well in low-light scenes as competitors like the Pixel 3A. The glass back design is also more fragile, so it's a good idea to use a case. Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and more iPhone SE costs $399 from Apple, Best Buy, and Walmart 3. Moto G Stylus ($300) Best for $300 or Less Photograph: Motorola Motorola’s G-series phones kick-started the wave of affordable, decent Android phones when they first arrived several years ago. The new Moto G Stylus is another solid entry, though it's not as good value as its predecessors as more and more brands jump into the budget market. You get a nice, modern-looking screen, a 4,000-mAh battery that lasts two full days, a headphone jack, a Micro SD card slot for extra storage over the included 128 GB, and a 48-megapixel camera that's decently capable during the day and night. Performance isn't its strong suit. The Snapdragon 665 chip is good enough to run most apps and games, but you'll notice stutters almost every day—something that's not the case on the devices above and even the TCL phones mentioned below. The software is close to a pure version of Android, meaning it's uncluttered without anything unnecessarily hogging processing power. But, unfortunately, Motorola is only promising one Android version update, so don't expect anything after the upcoming Android 11. Security updates are a slightly better story as they should come every quarter, but even that is subject to change. There's also no NFC, so you can't make any contactless payments with services like Google Pay. What you will find tucked away in this phone is a stylus. I didn't find it useful, especially since there's no palm rejection technology. You'll have to scribble without letting your palm touch the screen, and that's not easy if you want to write something legible. If you want the absolute best battery life on a cheap phone, check out the Moto G Power. It's very similar to the G Stylus, except ... there's no stylus. Instead, it packs a bigger 5,000-mAh battery that lasts three full days. It's a little cheaper, so you get only 64 GB of storage, and the camera system is different and not very good at night. Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and more Moto G Stylus costs $300 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola Moto G Power costs $250 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola 4. OnePlus 7T ($499) Best for $500 or Less A top-of-the-line processor makes OnePlus' phone fast and powerful. Photograph: OnePlus Even if the OnePlus 7T (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has been succeeded by the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, it's still a fantastic phone especially at its lower price. It has the chops (and chips) to go up against any high-end device but costs $200 to $400 less than most of the best Android phones and the latest iPhones. You don’t see many devices with a near top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ processor, an AMOLED screen with a 90-Hz screen refresh rate, 8 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of internal storage for $500. It's also nice that OnePlus has become one of the faster manufacturers when it comes to delivering Android software updates. This phone launched with Android 10 and will eventually get the upcoming Android 11 version and Android 12 in 2021. The 7T has a capable in-display fingerprint sensor and triple rear cameras, including a 2X zoom lens. Our only real complaints are that it lacks a headphone jack, there's no wireless charging, and the snazzy glass-backed design makes this phone more delicate—though it comes with a case in the box. It’s also only splashproof, not waterproof. Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon OnePlus 7T costs $499 from OnePlus 5. TCL 10 Pro ($450) or TCL 10L ($250) Other Great Budget Phones Photograph: TCL You might know TCL for its affordable TVs, but now it's selling affordable phones. Don't worry, it's not its first rodeo—the company has made phones under brands it owns or used to own like Alcatel, Palm, and BlackBerry. But the TCL 10 Pro and 10L are the first phones sold in the US under its own name, and they're a very promising start. The 10 Pro has excellent performance with the Snapdragon 675 chip inside, and its 6.5-inch OLED screen is sharp and bright, even in broad daylight. The 4,500-mAh battery keeps it running for a full day, and the four camera system does well in a variety of lighting conditions, though it's still not quite as good as the Pixel 3A. It feels more premium mostly because it's a glass sandwich, but that does mean it's fragile. The plastic-backed 10L is more durable and has similarly good performance, even if it uses the slower Snapdragon 665 processor—for $200 less. Its battery can go past a full day, and while it can take some nice photos during daylight hours, the lack of a night mode on this model means your low-light shots are going to look quite poor. Its screen is also a little too dim to see in the sunny outdoors. TCL's biggest drawback is that, like Motorola, it's only promising one Android version update for these phones for now. That's disappointing, and doesn't bode well for the longevity of these phones past two years. Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon TCL 10 Pro costs $450 from Amazon TCL 10L costs $250 from Amazon 6. iPhone XR ($599) The Cheapest Modern iPhone We recommend the XR as a step-up iPhone option. Photograph: Apple If you want the best deal for a high-end iPhone, consider the iPhone XR. Just know that, like the OnePlus 7T, this phone is only "cheap" when you compare it with the more expensive new models. The iPhone XR (8/10, WIRED Recommends) came out in 2018, but it still compares well to the new iPhone 11. No, it doesn't have an extra wide-angle lens, and its camera can't capture as much detail in the dark, but otherwise there isn't a huge difference between last year's model and what Apple is selling for $100 more today. Until the iPhone 12 rolls around in late 2020, the XR is worth strong consideration. iPhone XR costs $599 from Apple and Best Buy Should You Buy Now? Yes. Short of the Google Pixel 4A, which we're expecting in June, and some new phones from Nokia, manufacturers have started selling their new budget phones. You have a lot of good options out there right now, and we're not expecting too many other new affordable devices to drop anytime soon. Check Network Compatibility If you buy an unlocked phone on this list and try to take it to one of your wireless carrier's retail stores, they may tell you it isn't compatible with the network. It likely is. Just use a paper clip or SIM ejection tool to pop the SIM card out of your current phone, then slide that SIM into your new phone. If it doesn't work at first, reboot the phone or wait a couple of hours. If you need a new SIM, try ordering one online from your carrier, or try to get them to give you a SIM when you activate a line in the store (if you're starting coverage). Tell them you have a phone. Many times, reps will want to sell you a phone; that's one potential reason they might hassle you into buying a different device in the store. Having said that, please make sure whatever phone you buy will work on your wireless network. Listings on retailers like Amazon should state clearly which networks it will be compatible with. Also make sure the listing says that the phone is being sold "unlocked." Warning for Verizon and Sprint users: There's a higher chance an unlocked phone will not work on your network. Make sure it is labeled to work on Verizon or Sprint, or that it says the phone is CDMA-capable. Verizon customers, if something strange is going on, like you get no texts, you may also need to contact customer service and tell them to enable CDMA-Less roaming. AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM carriers, which is the standard for most of the world; most unlocked phones are compatible with them. The Sprint brand is disappearing this summer after T-Mobile acquired it; expect the New T-Mobile's device portfolio to be only GSM-compatible devices. If you're nervous, look up the specifications of the exact model you're considering. Make sure it has the LTE bands it needs to run on your carrier. Speaking of networks, none of the phones in this guide support 5G, which is perfectly fine. 5G phones are pricey, and the networks are still only available in a handful of places around the country, so you're not missing much. Avoid These Phones! If a phone isn't listed here, or if it's refurbished, be careful. It's easy to waste money or time when you're shopping for affordable phones. It's hard to get a sense of how a cheaper phone will act in the long term when you use it in a store for five minutes, and retail employees may not be much help. Make sure you read reviews online. For whatever reason, big manufacturers like Samsung like to keep selling their old pre-2019 devices, like the Galaxy S8. A good rule of thumb is to avoid most devices that originally came out before 2019. They probably won't continue to get software and security updates for long, if they're even being supported now. Source: The Best Cheap Phones for (Almost) Every Budget (Wired) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazz Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 try poco x2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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