What smartphone has the best value? is updated by A perfect galaxy A perfect galaxy is a type of technology collecting all necessary data to analyze and select Cell Phones & Accessories products...
The best cheap phones of 2021 are as powerful as the best flagship phones of just a few years ago. That's because the market moves so quickly now that the technology that debuts in the best phones today trickles down to more affordable options tomorrow. And that's brilliant news for anyone who wants a really great phone that won't cost a fortune.
Our buying behaviour plays a part too. In the last five years or so, most of us have decided that the best phones are the best cheap phones – and that means the more affordable end of the market is incredibly competitive, with manufacturers battling to make the very best cheap phone without cutting any important corners. Even premium brands such as Samsung and Apple are making affordable phones now, and they're very good indeed.
In our best cheap phones guide you'll find the best affordable smartphones around.
In a hurry? Here's the top three from T3's best cheap phones guide.
See More : Best phones 2021: the very best smartphones you can buy today
The best cheap phone for most people is the Apple iPhone SE (2020). This delivers a genuine all-round Apple iPhone experience, with a stylish handset, fast performance and strong software combining for very little money. iPhone quality and simplicity but for far from a premium price point.
The best cheap Android phone is the OnePlus Nord 2, which punches so far above its price point it isn't even funny. You get great hardware, software and cameras, as well as 5G connectivity and even advanced stuff like Wi-Fi 6. OnePlus is very much the Apple of the Android world, and right here it shows.
The best premium cheap phone is the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. This Fan Edition version of the excellent S20 delivers 5G, a 120Hz screen, premium internal hardware and a strong camera system all for a very approachable price point. The screen is also HDR10 rated, so get ready for awesome colors and contrast.
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The best cheap phones you can buy today
1. Apple iPhone SE (2020)
The best cheap phone for most people
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Apple iPhone SE (2020) is the best cheap phone in the world. That's because it delivers a near-flagship iPhone experience but does so for a fraction of the cost. Indeed, the SE is so cheap that is rings in for under half that if the flagship iPhone 11 Pro, and for that reason alone it demands checking out by any prospective phone upgrader.
See More : Best phone 2021: the top 15 smartphones you can buy in the US right now
It really does deliver in terms of phone experience, too, with the exact same benchmark-crushing processor installed in it iPhone 11 range making its way into the 2020 SE, too. That means that this phone delivers A13 Bionic-levels of speed and energy efficiency, which combined with the butter smooth and super intuitive and feature packed iOS 13 operating system, makes using the iPhone SE an absolute joy.
Yes, the iPhone SE (2020) cuts a few corners when compared to the flagship iPhone devices, with a slightly weaker camera system, screen and battery, but considering just how remarkably cheap the phone is, and that all its components deliver strong performance, it is really hard to overlook it.
For iPhone users this is a no-brainer cheap phone upgrade, and even for Android users, we suggest at least checking out the handset before pulling the trigger a new phone, as you might be surprised at just how much quality Apple has laid down here for, comparatively, very little money.
Read our full iPhone SE (2020) review for even more on why we think this is such a good choice, and check out our iPhone SE vs OnePlus Nord breakdown for how it compares to our top Android pick.
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2. OnePlus Nord 2
The best cheap Android phone
Specifications
Reasons to buy
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Hunting for a cheap phone may feel like sacrifice after sacrifice, but that's actually not the case when it comes to the OnePlus Nord 2. In fact, you get a hell of a lot for your money, it could have fooled me as being worth twice the price.
It follows on from the immensely popular first-generation Nord with even faster speeds, an even bigger battery and even more features. Performance-wise, it's miles ahead of most cheap phones and is actually just as good as some flagships. That's a massive plus-point, you’ll be able to use it for just about anything, including mobile gaming!
You might be suspicious about a cheap phone with such impressive performance, but you shouldn't be because this is a genuine all-rounder.
To name a few of its other benefits: the battery life lasts more than just a day, its camera will easily deliver social media-worthy shots and Oxygen OS is one of the smoothest user interfaces there is.
Unfortunately, there’s still no official waterproofing nor can you charge it wirelessly but this time around OnePlus has added in Wi-Fi 6 alongside the 5G connectivity, so you will get the best internet speeds wherever you go (as long as your router and area support it).
This phone continues the OnePlus Nord legacy, it‘s a true champion and is one of the best cheap phones this year.
3. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The best premium cheap phone
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Samsung surprised everyone when it dropped the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (that stands for Fan Edition, by the way) late last year, with the phone delivering the best core S20 functionality along with 5G but for a more affordable price point.
The S20 FE is in terms of where it fits into the S20 range technically the S20e or S20 Lite, but aside from a few things that have been cut from the more expensive models, it is actually nothing like a budget handset, as it is still loaded with premium hardware and features.
Take the S20 FE's large 6.5-inch HDR10+ rated screen, for example – it boasts a 120Hz refresh rate which is buttery smooth and shared with many of the very best flagship phones that cost significantly more. Heck, even the brand new iPhone 12 Pro (the top phone Apple makes) only has a 60Hz screen!
Then when you go inside the phone you find a flagship grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and Adreno 650 GPU, as well as 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space at entry level. Strong specs all-round.
The camera system on the S20 FE is also a good all-rounder, with a trio of rear facing cameras joined by a high-definition 32MP selfie camera.
Throw in a brand new copy of Android 10, the very latest Android operating system, a stylish design (with plenty of colorways to choose from, too) and a rock solid 4,500 mAh battery (good for about a day and a half of medium usage), and you've got yourself a great smartphone package.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S20 FE review for more on why we think it's the best premium cheap phone on the market today. We've also got our Samsung Galaxy S20 FE vs iPhone SE guide, to explain how these two options shape up against each other.
4. Honor 50
One of the best-looking cheap phones
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Reasons to buy
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The Honor 50 goes way beyond its price tag when it comes to its design and performance. This looks and feels like a premium handset, covered in glossy glass and featuring a curved OLED screen on the front. There’s even a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz so it feels so smooth to use, especially when you open up mobile games.
Packing a mid-range CPU, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G, it is fast and efficient enough for the majority of tasks while the battery is seriously impressive and will easily last you the whole day.
For the amateur photographer in you, the camera system is good enough for landscape shots and portraits. The shots won’t be as detailed as on a flagship handset but for the price, they come out looking great.
There are a few small downsides like the fact that there’s no wireless charging and it’s not waterproof but I’m you’ll be able to look past that because it’s a great all-around device that won’t cost you the earth.
5. Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite
The best cheap phone when shopping on a small budget
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Take a look at the specs sheet of the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite and you'd think it costs a lot more than it actually does – and you could say the same about when you take a look at the polish and finish of the physical hardware too. However you weigh it up, this is a smartphone that gives you a lot of handset for your money.
You get some decent battery life, some respectable specs (including 6GB of RAM) and a quad-lens rear camera with the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite, as well as 5G connectivity – if the next-gen network is up and running where you live, then this phone is one of the cheapest ways to take advantage.
A special mention too for that big, sharp, bright 6.67-inch screen, which is great for everything from watching movies to browsing the web. It's not a perfect phone – there's no wireless charging, for example – but you'll struggle to find a device that stretches your money further. See our full Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite review for more info and, to see how this handset compares to our number one cheap phone choice, scope out T3's Apple iPhone SE (2020) vs Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite comparison feature. We've also got a guide to see how it compares to the Android competition: OnePlus Nord vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite.
6. Google Pixel 4a
The best cheap phone for a pure Android experience
Specifications
Reasons to buy
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The Google Pixel 4a was delayed several times before it saw the light of day, but we're glad that it's here now – it follows on from the template set down by the Pixel 3a, in that it combines a great camera with a decent design and pure Android software. Perhaps the best part is the price though: just $349/£349.
That makes it a very attractive proposition: it's capable of taking some fantastic photos, especially in low light, and with enough performance to handle the majority of smartphone tasks, what else do you need? It's not quite as polished or as powerful as the flagships of course, but it costs an awful lot less.
Google is adding an increasing number of exclusives to the Pixel too: the Night Sight mode for the camera for example, and the Recorder app that can convert speech into text in real time. You don't get 5G, but there is a different (more expensive, but still affordable) model that does come with 5G though. Read our full Google Pixel 4a review for an in-depth look at this model, but we also have our Google Pixel 4a 5G review if you want to see what that can do.
We've also got our Google Pixel 4a vs iPhone SE explainer for these two very similar phones, plus a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G vs Google Pixel 4a guide if you want to see how these two big-name Android phones stack up.
7. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
The
What smartphone has the best value? is updated by A perfect galaxy A perfect galaxy is a type of technology collecting all necessary data to analyze and select Cell Phones & Accessories products.