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The best cheap phones for 2025

Some of us take a kind of “I eat to live” instead of an approach “I live to eat” in the tools. They are tools that help you get things, not something you want to invest a lot of time or money. If this is you – there is no ruling here from the tool that can be believed – you may be able to think about more worthy ways to spend $ 1,000 on the phone.

Budget phones for rescue. These devices are approximately $ 500 or less, if not all of them, and they are more capable of ever. You will not get all the bells and lane, but you will save a little money to spend it, I do not know, bells and actual exercises. It is your world.

What I am looking for

There is no shortcut to test the phone properly; I put my personal SIM card (material or other) in every phone I review and live with it for a period of not less than a whole week. I have prepared each phone from the zero point, download it with my applications, and go to live in my life-strain testing for the battery, using GPS navigation on my bike during the radio stream, and take pictures of quick pictures of my child-all I can throw on it. Starting again with a new phone every week, it looks either as a dream or your personal hell, depending on how you are on phones. For me, the switch has become so routine that it is often painless.

At least a few years of operating system promotions, ideally, three years of security updates. There is no benefit from buying a cheap phone if you only have to replace it after a few years because it stopped getting safety spots.

Since you look at it approximately a thousand times a day, your phone screen is one place that you should not give up. OLED has a richer contrast and color than the LCD screen, and large screens on today’s phones need at least 1080 pixels. The update rates have become faster like 90 Hz and up to 120 Hz are more common on the budget screens, but for the sake of my money, the LCD screen that was filmed is nice like OLED with a standard update rate.

If you are planning to play on your phone for a while, you will want enough storage space to accommodate all system files, photos and videos that you will accumulate over the years. Ideally, you will get at least 128 GB.

Promotions such as phone cameras and installation of visual images are rare in a category less than $ 500, but you can still expect a good basic performance in good lighting from any modern smartphone. Low light is more difficult. In this chapter, phones in this chapter should provide a night position to help with non -animated topics in a very dim light. There are no bonus points granted to add additional and depth micro cameras to remove the rear camera row- those sensors 2 and 5 megapixels are largely useless.

What are the compromises you expect from the budget phone? A mixture of the following: slower processors, less storage, and worse cameras than the main phones, in almost all areas. Many of them have low -resolution screens and water resistance is often less powerful than the elegant phone.

Practical image of the iPhone 16e from Apple.

$599

Goodness

  • Trusted performance
  • Good camera system, if limited
  • It is the new cheapest iPhone you can buy

Bad

  • No magsafe
  • 599 dollars looks like $ 100
  • No ultrawide

a screen: 6.1 inches, 1170 pixels OLED / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48 megapixel f /1.6 with Ois, Selfie 12 MP / shipping: 20W WIRED, 7.5W wireless / Weather resistance classification: IP68

If you give you a face to face, you will hear a heavy sigh. Yes, this is the new cheapest new iPhone Apple. Yes, it comes with most things that make iPhone iPhone. But it comes with some important differentials – some of them are more logical than others – and it is not exactly cheap. If you are able last year or the renewed iPhone 14, one of these may actually be a better option. But for a non -offensive person only wants a new iPhone for the lowest amount of money, 16e will do the trick.

There is one 48-megapixel rear camera on its back, which means that there is no superior mind like regular 16. This is an understandable comparison-as well as the use of the older “fissure” instead of the dynamic island. But it is difficult to understand why you left the Apple Magsafe here – this is the built -in magnet loop at the back of all other iPhone since 2020. 16E still supports wireless charging, but it cannot take advantage of the ecosystems of magnetism and accessories on its own; You will need to add a magnetic box. This is a ridiculous omission, and you should feel the Apple badly about it.

Another heavy signing: 16e supports Apple Intelligence, which you will not get if you choose the iPhone 15 or 14. Do you have to care? It is really difficult to say. What is in Apple intelligence so far is frustrating and the most interesting bits will not reach any time soon. If you want to make a purchase in the future as much as possible, you will be 16e ready for Apple AI. But do not buy one who expects to experience life change now. It is just iPhone after all, for the better and worse, and now it is the best price you will find on a new brand.

Read the full iPhone 16E review.

The best Android phone is less than $ 500

Google Pixel 9A in Peony Pink against a purple background.Google Pixel 9A in Peony Pink against a purple background.

$449

Goodness

  • IP68 strong classification
  • Seven years of program updates
  • Breast, larger screen

Bad

  • Loss of two features of artificial intelligence
  • Artificial intelligence sometimes is useful, usually strange

a screen: 6.3 inches, 1080 pixels OLED, 120 Hz / Processor: Tensor G4 Cameras: 48 megapixel f /1.7 with OIS, 13 MP Ultrawide, 13 MP selfies / battery: 5,100mAh / shipping: 23W WIRED, 7.5W wireless / Weather resistance classification: IP68

Google’s Pixel A-Series phones were my Android’s recommended recommendation for years, but there is still room for improvement. With 9A, Google made some modest adjustments that make the recommendation easier – and $ 499, the price is correct.

The phone uses the G4 Slices of Tensioner that does not work hot like some of its predecessors, and the performance is reliable. OLED 6.3 -inch screen is slightly larger and brighter than last year, making a difference when using the phone abroad. The durability also got a small boost up to the IP68, which means that it can resort to a decrease in the deep water of the IP67 classified Pixel 8A.

Good 9A camera, although it is short with the rest of the Pixel 9 series in low light. The mode can also be better, and if you care a lot about the quality of the image, this may be a good reason to consider the climb of the pixel 9. But it makes a trick for the daily piece, and for the price, the characteristics of 9A are the best outperform the shortcomings with a wide margin.

Read the full Google Pixel 9A review.

Budget phone with a large and beautiful screen

OnePlus 13R against a blue backgroundOnePlus 13R against a blue background

$599

Goodness

  • Excellent battery life
  • Wonderful price for the price
  • Six years of security updates

Bad

  • No wireless charging
  • Only spot -resistant
  • Less number of Google and Samsung operating system updates

a screen: 6.78 inches, 1264 x 2780 120 Hz OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 50 megapixel f /1.8 with Ois, computers of 50 megapixels 2x, 8 MP Ultrawide, 16 -megapixel selfie / battery: 6000 mAh per hour / shipping: 80w wire / Weather resistance classification: IP65

OnePlus 13R is not as good as choosing the best Android phone in the budget, Pixel 9A. It is also a little bit at $ 599 – although we saw it for $ 499 for long periods of time – but for some people, the 13R upscars will make it a better option. It comes with one of the best big Screen in its chapter, and many people love a big screen. 13R also provides a very strong battery performance; Unless you are an energy user, you may manage two full days with one fees.

There is also a very fast charging with the guaranteed charger, although you will not find wireless charging at any speed. 13R also lacks full water resistance; You should withstand well against spraying and fold, but it is not classified as facing complete indulgence. Many people will not find these annoying negligences, but they make it difficult to recommend the general public – especially at a higher price of 9A.

Read the full OnePlus 13R review.

The best phone less than $ 400

Samsung A53 5G on an officeSamsung A53 5G on an office

$360

Goodness

  • Bright OLED screen, 120 Hz
  • IP67 dust resistance and water
  • Five years of security updates

Bad

  • No wireless charging
  • Camera system is not noticeable
  • Perform like this

a screen: 6.6 inches, 1080 pixels, 120 Hz OLED / Processor: Exynos 1380 Cameras: 50 megapixel f /1.8 with OIS, 8 MP Ultrawide, 5MP, 13 MP selfies / battery: 5000 mAh per hour / shipping: 25w wire / Weather resistance classification: IP67

Samsung Galaxy A35 5G comes with strong specifications at a price of $ 399. It is the type of features that you will not really discover from abroad, but it is important, especially the IP67 classification for resisting dust and water. Unlike almost every other phone at this price, the A35 5G is designed to withstand the flooding of water, so you do not need to sweat it if your phone fell into the toilet bowl or pool.

Here are other non -exciting specifications: four years of operating system updates and five years of security updates. This is not the best in the budget category – Pixel 9A takes this honor with seven years of updates – but it is much better than two or three years we usually see in phones less than $ 500.

Samsung A35 5G on an office displays the back panel.

A35 5G comes with a policy of water resistance and software support that is unusually strong for its separation.
Photo: Alison Johnson / The Forge

The camera is faded. It is good in bright light but struggles with dim and mixed internal lighting. It does not have the strongest treatment of treatment, as you can find less than $ 500, and the Exynos Samsung processor from time to time when it quickly bounces between tasks. I felt terrified – terrified! – When I accidentally sent a message to my husband, one of the responses that were created because it appeared at the last minute while I was trying to take advantage of something else. These things do not happen when everything is downloaded quickly.

But in general, it is a convincing package-especially with a large OLED width and comfortable crowds and a strong battery performance. If you are a light and not violent user about the quality of the camera, the A35 5G offers some promotions that make a real difference in the long run.

Other budget phones we tested

  • Motorola Moto G Power for 2024 has everything that affects a good budget phone, including external charging of vegetable leather and wireless charging. But it is loaded with Bloatware tools of the worst type, and this alone excludes from our recommendations. Read our impressions.
  • Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is another phone that is completely capable and does not gain a recommendation here. It is outside the scope of this guide at a price of $ 649 anyway, but you get a phone lens and a nice large screen for this price. However, it is better to save a bunch and pick up Pixel 8A or try to record a newer Galaxy S25. Read our review.

Update, June 13: Hadith prices and availability. Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G currently Outside the stocks in Amazon and Samsung, while Best Buy has a sign of clearance.

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2025-06-13 19:25:00

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