In recent years, smartphone manufacturers have managed to bring budget devices to a new level. Many of them offer buyers a wide range of functionality and excellent performance without any serious compromises.
The editors of the Phone Arena portal have selected high-quality phones from the “top value for money” category, which you definitely can't go wrong with. The top was divided into five groups, including budget iPhones.
The best budget Androids under $500
Google Pixel 8a. A practically perfect smartphone at your own expense. It has an OLED display with a frequency of 120 hertz, a proprietary Tensor G3 chipset, and a 64+13 MP dual camera that shoots better than most Androids in this price segment. Disadvantages: thick frame around the screen and slow charging.
OnePlus 12R. The smartphone received a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with a large cooling chamber – according to this indicator, he allocates all competitors. It also has the biggest screen yet: a 6.8-inch OLED with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. But the cameras don't shoot as well as the Pixel.
The best budget Androids under $400
Samsung Galaxy A35. The device received a bright 120-hertz AMOLED screen with 1000 nits and a large battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh. The camera system is also quite good for the price. There are also disadvantages: it's not exactly a fast Exynos 1380 chipset and only 6 GB of RAM.
Nothing Phone (2a). The device comes with the familiar LED glyph on the back, so it's probably the best-looking budget phone out there. It also does well with performance and cameras. But it is quite difficult to find it in the global market now.
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Moto G Power 5G (2024) . Against the background of other public servants in his class, he stands out as a “butt”. made of genuine leather, support for wireless charging and a long battery life. But its LCD screen does not look as good as the OLED of competitors.
OnePlus Nord N30 5G. The main advantages here are a clean and smooth user interface and the brand's typical ultra-fast charging: from 0 to 100% in less than an hour. The compromises you'll have to make include the lack of an ultra-wide-angle camera and average battery life.
Best budget Androids under $200
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G. Maybe not the most stylish phone on the market, but one of the most advanced in its class. This device differs from others in the presence of an AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution, a generous 128 GB of memory and a 5000 mAh battery, which is enough for two days of operation. And it will receive OS updates for four whole years.
Moto G 5G (2024). Although it has an LCD screen, it supports an increased hertz of 120 Hz, as opposed to 90 Hz in the Galaxy A15. It is ideal for watching videos and scrolling through social networks. There's a 50MP main camera on the back and a really useless 2MP macro, but the main feature is the incredibly affordable price.
The best budget iPhone
If you want a really cheap iPhone under $500, your only option is the iPhone SE 3, which Apple sells for $429. It has quite decent characteristics for a sub-flagship, but you will have to put up with a tiny 4.7-inch screen and fat frames.
If you want an iPhone with a modern design and are ready to go a little beyond the budget, the authors of Phone Arena advised  ; iPhone 14. Unlike the SE, it has a larger 6.1-inch OLED screen, better battery life and a camera.