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As the world of premium smartphones evolves, we're witnessing a delightful trend- the rise of high-quality yet affordable smartphones. It's never been easier to find a top-performing smartphone that fits your budget, even under £500.
Cheaper phones don’t mean worse, as the models we’ve listed below offer a lot for the price and deliver superb performance for a considerably lower cost than the big-name models. Are you looking to buy the best phone for under £500? Here are the very best budget smartphones on the market.
✅ 6.1" screen
✅ 4492 mAh battery
✅ Bright 120Hz OLED display
✅ 18W wireless charging
✅ Tensor G3 CPU
✅ Main rear camera 64MP; 13MP
✅ Front camera 13MP
✅ New Google AI features.
The Google Pixel 8a is fantastic budget option because it offers up to date features, that most flagship smartphones offer, at a fraction of the price. It's the perfect pick for anyone who needs a smartphone with great features without breaking the bank.
The Google Pixel 8a boasts 256GB built-in storage, 4492 mAh battery with the Tensor G3 Chipset and all of the new Google AI features including Circle To Search, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, Live Translate, Call Screen, Hold For Me, and more. The Pixel 8a has a 6.1” screen, a sleek design and is available in four different colours which is unusual for a mid-range phone where we usually get various bright colours apart from black and neutral. Retailing at less than £300, this cheap phone has everything you need and more.
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✅ 6.1" screen
✅ 3240 mAh battery
✅ Super Retina XDR OLED display
✅ 15W wireless charging
✅ Apple A15 Bionic Chip
✅ Main camera 12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide
✅ Front camera 12MP wide
✅ ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate.
If you’re looking for a cheap iPhone with all the quality features and high performance you expect in a smartphone, then the iPhone 13 is the one for you. It's one of the most affordable iPhones on the market as Apple doesn't make cheap iPhones, but buying a refurbished iPhone 13 is a great way to save money and get a good-performance phone. It has all the bells and whistles of an actual new iPhone 13, which was once a premium flagship but at a fraction of the cost.
This is perfect for people who want an iPhone but don't want to splurge on a new device. The refurbished iPhone 13 offers all the features of the newer iPhone models with a year's warranty.
✅ 6.1" screen
✅ 3900 mAh battery
✅ 120Hz Dynamic OLED 2X display
✅ 15W wireless charging
✅ Snapdragon 8Gen 3
✅ Main camera 50MP wide, 10MP telephoto, 12MP ultrawide
✅ Front camera 12MP wide
✅ Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Available in Phantom Black, Green, Lavender or Cream , the Samsung Galaxy S23 has many high-quality features you’d need and expect in a smartphone - but without the hefty price tag. This smartphone retails just under £300 and has specifications such as a 3900 mAh battery, 4K video recording, up to 3x zoom, ultrasonic fingerprint reader and runs on the Android™ 13 operating solution based on Samsung's One UI 5.1 software.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 has more camera features than we can list. Still, some of our favourites are AI enhancements, nightscape, portrait mode, slo-mo, time-lapse, and retouching capabilities.
✅ 6.67" screen
✅ 5100 mAh battery
✅ 120Hz AMOLED display
✅ Snapdragon 695 5G
✅ Main camera 64MP wide, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro
✅ Front camera 16MP wide
✅ Scratch/drop resistant glass
✅ Fingerprint sensor under display, optical.
Boasting three colours to choose from, a 5100mAh (two-day battery), a 64MP triple camera, and 40W Honor Supercharge, the Honor Magic 5 Lite is a superb smartphone for under £500. Whether it’s the super-night and 5MP ultra wide-depth camera or the 120Hz OLED curved display and sleek, slim design that tickles your fancy, this is one of our top cheap phones currently on the market.
Remember, you can always offset the cost of any new phone you buy by selling your phone and putting the extra cash towards your purchase.
✅ 6.74" screen
✅ 5500 mAh battery
✅ 120Hz Fluid AMOLED display
✅ 100W wired charging
✅ Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3
✅ Main camera 50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 4K video
✅ Front camera 16MP wide
✅ Fingerprint sensor under display, optical
One of the most affordable OnePlus phones without compromising on quality is the OnePlus Nord 4. An overview of the key features of this cheap OnePlus phone is the fantastic camera system including a 50MP main sensor with OIS, 100W fast charging, and an all-day 5500 mAh battery that can last for days.
The Nord 4 is as splash, dust, and scratch-resistant as it is sleek. It comes in three different colours made with recyclable aluminum unibody so that you can enjoy the quality features OnePlus phones are known for while knowing the device is made responsibly, too.
✅ 6.7" screen
✅ 5000 mAh battery
✅ 120Hz FHD+ Super AMOLED display
✅ 45W wired charging
✅ Exynos 1580
✅ Main camera 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro
✅ Front camera 12MP wide
✅ Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
✅ New AI software capabilities.
The second Samsung phone on our list of best budget phones is the Samsung Galaxy A56. Slightly more expensive but still one of Samsung’s best and newest cheap phones, this model hosts the latest AI software enhance, refresh rates of up to 120Hz and a 50MP main camera. Not to mention the stunning flagship-style colours it's available in; Pink, Olive, Graphite and Light Grey.
The Galaxy A56 also has impressive specifications and features, including an AI image enhancer, 256GB storage, dual-sim and security software updates until 19 March 2031.
Editor's Note: All prices are correct when writing but are subject to change.
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