The best cheap phones will make you wonder why people spend $700 or more on a new phone. Based on our testing, you can get a very good smartphone for under $400 with all the features most people need.
Best Cheap Phones: Under $400
1. Google Pixel 4a
5.81-inch OLED (2340×1080), Snapdragon 730G, RAM 6GB, Storage: 128GB,
Rear camera 12.2MPx (ƒ/1.7) | Front camera 8MPx (ƒ/2.0)
At $350, you won’t find a better value than the Google Pixel 4a.
The Pixel 4a can’t match the performance of the iPhone SE, but for most smartphone users, this phone has enough processing power to handle most tasks.
- Low price
- Good camera
- Battery life
Also Read: 10 Android Phones Have The Best Camera For 2021
2. Moto G Power
6.6 inches (1600 x 720), Snapdragon 662, RAM 3GB, 4GB,Storage: 32GB, 64GB, expandable, Rear camera 16MPx wide (ƒ/1.7); 8MPx ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 2MPx macro (ƒ/2.2), Front camera 16MPx (ƒ/2.0)
Moto G Power is a really long-lasting cheap phone that lasts for more than 11 hours on many battery tests. That’s the best phone battery life we’ve ever seen, which is really good when you consider the Moto G Power costs under $250.
- Battery life
- Low price
- Not the best display
3. TCL 10 5G UW
6.53-inch LCD (2340 x 1080), Snapdragon 665, RAM 6GB, Storage 64GB, expandable, Rear camera 48MPx (f/1.8), Main camera 8MPx (f/2.2) ultra wide 2MPx (f.2.4) macro 2MPx (f/2.4) Front camera: 16MPx
You won’t find too many 5G-capable devices on the list of our best budget phones. And yet, here’s the TCL 10 5G UW, which can connect to a 5G network while still costing you less than $400.
- 5G connection
- Battery life
4. One Plus Nord N10
6.49-inch (2400 x 1080), Snapdragon 690, RAM 6GB, Storage 128GB, expandable, rear cameras 64 Mpx (f/1.79), 8 Mpx (119, f/2.25), 2 Mpx (macro, f/2.4) and 2 Mpx (bokeh, f/2.4), front selfie 16 Mpx camera (f/2.05)
You get a 90-Hz screen refresh rate and a high-speed 5G connection, features like this are often available only on phones costing $500 or more but this one costs around $300.
- 90hz
- 5G connection
- Low price
- Camera colors
Also Read: OnePlus 8T Pricing Discounted, Worth It?
5. Nokia 5.3
6.55-inch (1600 x 720), Snapdragon 665, RAM 4GB, Storage 64GB, expandable, triple rear camera 13 (f/1.8) + 5 + 2 + 2 Mpx, front camera 8 Mpx (f/2.0)
You have to lower your expectations for any smartphone that starts at $200, but Nokia 5.3 is absolutely good for its price.
This phone has software where you get NFC so you can pay at select stores with the phone via an app like Google Pay.
That kind of software on a phone this cheap is very rare.
- Low price
- Stuttering
Also Read: Review Of The Special Budget Smartphone Nokia 3.2
Bottom Line:
Cheap doesn’t have to mean bad, and these phones prove it. Cheap phones are still plenty powerful enough to make calls, browse the web, use social media, and even run some power-user apps. The cheap phones in this list should give you a good bang for your buck, but don’t forget to take into account what’s important to you when choosing your next phone.