0Choosing the right smartphone is no easy task. In this overview, we will explore the best cheap phones and provide options for users seeking the optimal balance between price and quality.
Not every user requires flagship smartphones with advanced technologies and high costs. For many consumers, more affordable devices are a rational choice for several reasons. Firstly, budget smartphones provide essential functions such as calls, messaging, and the use of popular applications without unnecessary frills that may not be needed for everyday use. Additionally, top cheap phones today offer both acceptable performance and the ability to capture decent photos.
The affordability of such devices also means lower expenses, which is particularly crucial for those aiming to save money. A lower price reduces the financial burden, enabling users to replace devices without a significant impact on their budget. Moreover, budget-friendly models often boast extended battery life, which is frequently a key consideration when choosing a gadget.
Thus, despite the allure of flagship models, budget smartphones remain an appealing choice for those who value practicality, cost-effectiveness, and basic functionality in everyday use. Let's explore the good and cheap phones, introduced in 2023.
Google Pixel 7a
This is the optimal combination of price and quality, offering the chance to acquire the best low cost phone with excellent cameras. This is a rarity, as mid-range device manufacturers often prioritize either the processor or design over camera capabilities.
Here, the camera is dual, featuring 64+13 megapixels. The excellent photo quality of the Pixel 7a is attributed to the algorithms of the "Google Camera." While it can be installed on another smartphone, it performs best on the device it was originally intended for. Additionally, the main module has optical stabilization, effectively reducing shake during walking and panoramic video shooting. There is no zoom camera in the smartphone – only digital zoom with a loss of quality. There is an additional wide-angle camera, but it is more suitable for photos as it lacks stabilization in video recording, and the quality is lower than when shooting with the main module.
An advantage of this best affordable Android phone is its water-resistant casing, a feature rarely found in mid-range devices. You can record videos in the rain or at a water park without worrying that water splashes will damage the smartphone. Compared to expensive flagships, it handles shooting in challenging conditions better: the Pixel 7a has a plastic back cover that is easy to scratch but difficult to break. In top-tier smartphones, the rear panel is usually made of glass, which is easily damaged by accidental impacts or falls.
Among other features, it's worth mentioning the compact 6.1-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, the swift proprietary Google Tensor G2 processor, and a robust 4385mAh battery.
However, this best cheap mobile phone comes with compromises and drawbacks that flagship phones do not have. For instance, the maximum storage capacity here is 128 GB — which might be insufficient for videos, requiring constant gallery cleanup and reliance on cloud storage. Additionally, the fast charging here is relatively slow, at just 18W.
Motorola Edge 40 Neo
The Motorola Edge 40 Neo is a mid-range smartphone that bears little external difference from the standard Edge 40 model. The device features a stylish design, a 6.55-inch P-OLED display, and a decent set of primary cameras. The device's casing comes equipped with IP68 water protection, a feature that was previously exclusive to Pro models.
The screen boasts a refresh rate of 144Hz, surpassing the conventional 120Hz, which will delight mobile gaming enthusiasts. It's worth noting that even the basic models of the latest iPhones, which are significantly more expensive, lack such a screen refresh rate. Moreover, the refresh rate offers a choice between four modes: 60Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, and Auto. In the first three modes, it remains static and only decreases in a few applications where it cannot exceed 60Hz. However, with the Auto option, users can expect automatic adjustment based on their actions. By default, games are limited to 60Hz, but this can be changed in the settings of each game. The display resolution is, 2400x1080 pixels, with an aspect ratio of 20:9.
The powerful Dimensity 7030 processor is responsible for the performance, ensuring smooth operation without speed issues, even during gaming where no freezes or lags are observed. The device offers a choice of 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and internal storage capacity comes in options of 128GB and 256GB. The camera setup is dual, comprising a main sensor with a resolution of 50MP and an ultrawide 13MP sensor. Both sensors support autofocus.
Among other advantages, fast charging with a power of 68W stands out. However, there are slight issues with overall battery life. Despite the sizable 5000mAh battery, expecting more than a day of phone usage is not advisable – this is the trade-off for a not very energy-efficient configuration. Nevertheless, this doesn't hinder the model from being one of the good affordable phones.
Honor Magic 5 Lite
The Magic 5 Lite is a budget mid-range smartphone that stands out primarily for its external aesthetics: a sleek, slim design that corresponds to the specifications of a phone at least twice its price. If you're looking for the best cheap cell phone that looks and feels like a flagship but comes at a lower cost, this model is well-suited for you.
Honor Magic5 Lite features a curved-edge AMOLED display with a 6.67-inch diagonal and a resolution of 2400x1080 (aspect ratio 20:9), along with a 120Hz refresh rate. Similar to the previous model, you can choose between three refresh rate modes: 60Hz, 120Hz, and Auto. The device is equipped with a Snapdragon 695 processor, and the memory configuration is 8/256 GB. It's worth noting that the smartphone offers modest performance, and in this price range, there are competitors with more powerful components. However, the interface operates swiftly, and all applications launch without issues. You can also play modern games, but typically on low or medium settings.
The excellent battery life also distinguishes this model, although it is slightly let down by an outdated set of microchips (similar to the ones in the older Magic 4 Lite model), slow charging (without a charger included), and a camera that, while decent, doesn't particularly stand out.
Poco X5 Pro 5G
The last summer's novelty stands out with a high-quality 6.67-inch AMOLED display and a slim and lightweight body. The peak brightness reaches 900 nits, providing excellent readability even in bright sunlight. The refresh rate can be set manually, supporting 60Hz and 120Hz frequencies, or you can enable dynamic refresh rate adjustment based on the current task. Considering its affordable cost, it is a quite good choice among good budget Android phones.
The Poco X5 Pro is equipped with a powerful 6nm octa-core processor, the Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G, running at a frequency of up to 2.4 GHz. The device features 8GB of energy-efficient LPDDR4X/5 RAM, which can be virtually expanded by an additional 5GB through the primary 256GB storage.
Despite the presence of a triple camera setup (108MP + 8MP + 2MP), the camera capabilities here may not be impressive. However, such expectations are not typically held for a good cheap mobile phone.
The battery capacity is 5,000mAh. In standby mode, the smartphone can last for 14 days, and video playback can continue for up to 20 hours on a single charge. In real-world usage conditions, the battery can last for about two days. Power-saving modes can be managed in the settings, and the phone will provide an estimate of how many hours the charge will last at the current consumption level. The phone comes with a 67W fast charger in the package, enabling a full charge from 0% to 100% in just 45 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
This is yet another best budget Android phone. The model embraces a modern flagship design with flat edges and rounded corners, ensuring your device looks premium.
The phone features a Super AMOLED display with a 6.4-inch diagonal, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Full HD+ resolution (2340 by 1080 pixels). The pixel density is 403 ppi, and the maximum brightness reaches 1000 nits. The smartphone includes an automatic switching function between 120Hz and 60Hz depending on usage scenarios, applications, and power savings.
Powered by the proprietary 8-core Exynos 1380 chip, the device supports 5G networks and eSIM. It offers two options for RAM — 6GB and 8GB, while storage comes in two configurations — 128GB and 256GB. Additionally, there is an option to add a memory card of up to 1TB, but it requires sacrificing one of the SIM card slots.
Among other advantages of this best budget phone, it features water resistance with an IP67 rating, decent cameras, and high-quality stereo sound with Dolby Atmos support. The robust 5000mAh battery allows the device to operate for up to one and a half days under normal usage. One drawback is the absence of a power brick in the package.
Conclusions
The presented models 2023 are a clear example that even affordable smartphones can offer excellent features, high performance, and ensure a good user experience.
