Flagship phones are more expensive than ever but as the high-end gets better, so too does the budget market. It's possible to buy a new handset under £250/$250 and still get a phone capable of handling everything you throw at it.
There's even the odd handset here under £100/$100, which might be perfect if all you need is the ability to make and receive WhatsApp calls; currently not available on most basic feature/keypad phones.
The best budget phones are also more attractive in the long-term thanks to cheaper contract prices, though you might prefer to buy these smartphones outright and then pay only for your minutes, texts and data, if you can swing it.
This is also the area where most people in full-time education will be shopping. Whether you're a parent looking for your child's first smartphone, or looking for an upgrade before you leave for university or college, check out our student-specific buying advice below the chart.
If value-for-money is your number-one priority, you won't find a more useful list of budget phones elsewhere. We've tested, rated and ranked the best cheap phones from the likes of Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Motorola and many others. Alongside our reviews, you'll also find expert buying advice to help decide whether a particular cheap phone really is the bargain it claims to be.
1. Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro
- Phenomenal performance
- Big 120Hz display
- Long-lasting battery
Cons
- Big and bulky
- No 5G
- Average camera
From £229 (around $320)
The Poco X3 Pro isn’t perfect. The big battery makes it bulky, the cameras could be better and MIUI 12 leaves much to be desired, but they don't stop this phone from being an outrageously good budget offering.
In contrast, the phone boasts a myriad of strengths; strong specs leading to exceptional performance, a beautiful display and absolutely fantastic battery life.
The fact that you can get all of that for as little as Xiaomi is asking is almost unbelievable and like the Poco X3 NFC in 2020, we awarded the X3 Pro with the title of 'Best Budget Phone of the Year 2021' last year.
Read our full Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro review
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
- Stunning display
- Incredible value
- Big battery
Cons
- No OIS
- MIUI not for everyone
$379
The Redmi Note 10 Pro is essentially an upgraded Poco X3 NFC, with a nicer display and better camera.
The 6.67in 120Hz panel boasts AMOLED tech, meaning superb contrast and vibrant colours. The 108Mp lead camera, meanwhile, excels and comes accompanied by a pair of secondary snappers that exceed expectation.
Fun extras like 33W fast charging, a headphone jack and even an IR blaster elevate the Redmi Note 10 Pro from a good to a great budget offering, considering what Xiaomi's incorporated here.
Read our full Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro review
3. Xiaomi Poco M4 Pro
- First M series w/ AMOLED
- Two-day battery life
- Excellent camera
Cons
- Thick and heavy
- MIUI is clunky
- Unreliable fingerprint scanner
Unavailable in the US
Not to be confused with last year's Poco M4 Pro 5G, this device shrugs off 5G in exchange for some notable upgrades in other areas.
The Poco M4 is the first M series device in Poco history to pack in an AMOLED display (which also happens to support a 90Hz refresh rate and Full HD+ resolution), the 64Mp is an impressive improvement for the series and battery life (as well as fast charging) is decent too.
The design is a little divisive and MIUI 13 for POCO won't be to everyone's tastes but in terms of value for money, this is an exceptional option, right now.
Read our full Xiaomi Poco M4 Pro review
4. Xiaomi Poco M4 Pro 5G
- 90Hz display
- Great battery life
- Affordable 5G
Cons
- Average cameras
- MIUI isn't great
- Only 4GB RAM in base model
US availability TBC
The updated Poco M4 Pro 5G offers a little more than its predecessor from the same year, without changing the overall balance struck, all that much.
This like-minded Xiaomi handset has a run-of-the-mill Dimensity 810 5G chipset but also delivers a high 90Hz refresh rate viewing experience.
Beyond that, a large 5000mAh battery with upgraded 33W fast charging delivers superb battery life and some eye-catching finishes make this a compelling fit for those after a touch more fluidity in their user experience.
Read our full Xiaomi Poco M4 Pro 5G review
5. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
- Great display
- Brilliant battery life
- Value for money
Cons
- MIUI still iffy
- Lacklustre cameras
From $179
The Redmi Note 11 paints a similar picture to the Poco M4 Pro (4G) with a slightly hardware setup at play and a whole family and variants to move up through, should its humble hardware not cut the mustard.
In its own right though, the Redmi Note 11 offers great value for money, with a 90Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display, respectable performance from its Snapdragon 680 chipset and superb battery (with decent 33W fast charging).
Camera performance is the obvious weak point here but you're still getting a lot for your money.
Read our full Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 review
6. Realme C35
- Crisp, colourful display
- Bold design
- Competent camera
Cons
- Basic performance
- Screen only 60Hz
- Battery life below rivals
Unavailable in the US
Thhe folks at Realme pulled it out of the bag with the design of the C35, a sub-£150 phone that looks like it costs a lot more.
With flat sides taken straight from the latest iPhone playbook and a smart looking camera module akin to the more expensive OnePlus Nord phones, the C35 also packs in a great 1080p display for the incredibly cheap price.
You can even pay £20 extra to get 128GB storage instead of 64GB, and all models have a microSD slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The processor is nothing to write home about, but the 50Mp main camera lens is pretty good on a phone that outperforms its asking price.
7. Xiaomi Redmi 10
- 90Hz display
- Superb battery life
- Attractive design
Cons
- Middling display quality
- Average cameras
- Slow charging
From $249.99
The Redmi 10 isn't the best budget phone around, but it's pretty darn good, nonetheless. It looks great, runs decently fast, packs a 90Hz display and offers superb battery life on a budget.
The cameras could be better, charging a little faster and LCD a little more vibrant, but beyond that there’s not much to complain about, especially when the already affordable price tag frequently gets discounted by Xiaomi directly.
Read our full Xiaomi Redmi 10 review
8. Samsung Galaxy A13
- Understated design
- Decent main camera
- Long-term software support
Cons
- Poor performance
- No 5G
- Slow charging
Unavailable in the US
Samsung's budget Galaxy A13 can't match similarly priced rivals when it comes to pure performance, but it makes up for it with Samsung's winning OneUI Android skin, and a promise to receive two full Android version software updates and four years of security patches - giving this phone a longevity that few cheap handsets can match.
It looks slick too, with a simple, understated design that we prefer to many of the alternatives, and the camera's pretty good too.
Still, other phones in this chart include faster processors and smoother displays, not to mention 5G support, so make sure you know what you're giving up by sticking with Samsung.
9. Oppo A54 5G
- Great longevity
- Sharp 90Hz display
- Affordable 5G
Cons
- Middling performance
- Inconsistent fingerprint reader
- Slow charging
£219
The Oppo A54 5G is a budget handset the manages to excel in multiple areas – with an attractive design, 5G, a 48Mp quad-camera and a massive 5000mAh battery that outshines even some of the most expensive phones on the market.
It's not without faults, of course. Though the battery life is excellent, 10W charging is glacial in this day and age. Though the night mode on the camera is stellar, the user-experience of taking photos really needs refining to be simpler and cleaner.
For the price point, however, you're getting a solid camera phone that feels high-end and a device that won't die on you quickly. For these reasons we'd definitely say that the A54 5G is a budget contender.
Read our full Oppo A54 5G review
10. Motorola Moto E7i Power
- Ultra affordable
- Good battery life
- Nice design
Cons
- No USB-C
- Lacklustre camera
Unavailable in the US
Once you recognise just how cheap the Moto E7i Power is, it’s hard not to be impressed by everything you’re getting.
Performance – an area cheap phones so often cut corners on – is surprisingly great despite what the benchmarks tell you. There was no need for Motorola to change what was already great software, while the modern design does a good job of imitating more expensive handsets.
The cameras are a bit hit-and-miss, but if you’re prepared to be patient, it will pleasantly surprise you. There are compromises dotted throughout the Moto E7i Power, but for what you’re paying these are incredibly easy to forgive.
Read our full Motorola Moto e7i Power review
0 comments:
Post a Comment