Named 3 functions, mandatory when buying a budget phone: what to pay attention to

If you decide to buy an inexpensive phone, pay attention to the quality of the display, camera and the presence of AI -functionality, Tom's Guide experts advise.

There are 3 functions that should never be sacrificed when buying budget smartphones. About it writes Tom's Guide.

Manufacturers have found ways to pack more premium features into mid-range phones in recent years, so devices like the Pixel 8a and OnePlus 12R actually offer a lot while staying under $500. And with phones of this quality to choose from, it means you're more likely to choose an affordable device that doesn't skimp on what's really important.

It's important to check the display

Pixel 8a — a favorite among budget phones, and it has an OLED screen. Two alternatives to Pixel 8a — Galaxy A35 and Nothing Phone 2a — use AMOLED panels. That's a pretty high spec and a significant shift from the days when the display was the choice for budget phones.

Of course, there are devices out there that cost a lot less than the three phones I mentioned above, but they don't. nice to look at or use. It's not just about the quality of the visual effects on the display, but also how well the screen responds to input. There's nothing worse than a phone with a slow response time.

Fortunately, phone manufacturers are using better quality displays these days, especially on mid-range devices. The only area where cheaper phones may fall short of their premium counterparts is — it's brightness.

High-end flagships tend to get much brighter screens that are easier to see in harsh outdoor lighting. However, the Pixel 8a clocks in at 1,378 nits, which beats many phones in its price range.

The camera should be good

Available offer — Pixel 8a — not the only sub-$500 option that can compete with pricier camera phones.

Although phone makers save their best optics for their premium offerings. But the days when cheap camera sensors were the best you could hope for in a budget phone are long gone.

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For example, the Nothing Phone 2a and OnePlus 12R have a 50-megapixel primary camera, while the Pixel 8a has a 64-megapixel camera. In other words, there's no reason to take a cheap phone that doesn't bring a lot of megapixels to the party.

Lenses outside of the main camera can be a bit trickier, as ultra-wide cameras on cheaper phones tend to have lower megapixel ratings . It is also very rare to find a special telephoto lens on a cheap device — The Galaxy S24 FE has it, but its $649 price tag is dangerously close to flagship territory.

As we often say when evaluating phone cameras, it's not just the hardware, but how the device processes the images you capture that makes a great camera phone.

That's why the Pixel 8a is a particularly strong contender in this area. , as it leverages Google's expertise in photo processing to create stunning images that look like they were taken with a much more expensive device.

AI — now not only for expensive phones

Today, it's impossible to ignore artificial intelligence and how more and more phones are turning to AI to support features. That's certainly true on the flagship front, where AI capabilities have been central to the Galaxy S24, Pixel 9 and iPhone 16 launches this year. But AI finds its way into cheaper phones as well.

The Pixel 8a leads the way in this regard, as it features the same Tensor G3 chip that powers Google's Pixel 8 flagships. This means the Pixel 8a supports the same AI capabilities that were featured on those phones, with features like Call Assist, where Google Assistant answers your phone calls, and Circle to Search to find things by simply circling an image. AI-powered photo editing tools are also available on the Pixel 8a.

But Google isn't the only one adding more AI to its budget phones. Samsung has extended its Circle to Search feature to mid-range A-series devices such as the Galaxy A35. And rumors mostly suggest that the iPhone SE 4, due next year, will support the Apple Intelligence features that will arrive on this month's flagship iPhones.

It's true that not all AI features will make it its way into cheaper phones. It is important to find phones with the right amount of RAM — 8 GB will be enough — and a fairly powerful processor. Any phone from the Pixel A series based on the Tensor chip will do. For other Android phones, the Snapdragon 8 series has the computing power to handle AI, and expect to see more AI-capable MediaTek Dimensity chips in lower-end phones.