Best cheap phones 2024

There's a fierce battle for the best cheap phones title, and who you pick comes down to how much you want to pay for your phone. The Google Pixel 7a delivers premium features in a sub-$500 phone, but it costs more than its predecessor. And with the Galaxy A54 also offering a top experience for $50 less, it's hard to deny that phone's appeal to budget-minded shoppers.

No matter which one of this trio you ultimately pick, you can't really lose. And that underscores what I've been saying for some time: Opt for one the best cheap phones, and you'll find enough high-end capabilities to make you feel like you're getting plenty for your money.

After testing multiple phones that cost less than $500, I believe that most shoppers can find everything they need in these lower-cost devices, whether you're looking for an affordable iPhone or an inexpensive Android handset. No matter the model, no one needs to spend upwards of $800 on a flagship device when you can easily find a handset that delivers comparable features while costing hundreds of dollars less.

You'll need to make some trade-offs to get a cheap phone — forget about the most powerful processors or versatile zoom cameras — but in many cases, you'll find cameras that are good enough to get the job done and even big displays with adaptive refresh rates. And 5G connectivity is basically a given these days.

Even though I reviewed my fair share of affordable phones, my other colleagues also contribute collectively as a group for our picks for the best cheap phones under $500. If that's still too much to pay, check out our guide on the best cheap phones under $300. And with the launches of the Pixel 8a and Galaxy A55 likely coming in the next few months, there are many more cheap phones coming in 2024.

The Quick List

The best cheap phones you can buy today

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Best cheap phone overall

Samsung Galaxy A54 reviewEditor's Choice

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best cheap phone overall

Specifications

Display: 6.4 inches (2340 x 1080)
CPU: Exynos 1380
RAM: 6GB, 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / Yes
Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.8), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 5MP macro (f/2.4)
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 7.1 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Improved 50MP main camera
+
Fun colors
+
Solid battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Only modest performance gains from predecessor
-
Noticeable bezel

As good as last year's Galaxy A53 was, the Galaxy A54 improves upon that midrange device in all the critical areas for smartphone users. The main camera is now the same 50MP shooter that Samsung uses on the more expensive Galaxy S23, and that helps the Galaxy A54 take on the Google Pixel 6a's impressive cameras. In head-to-head shots, the Galaxy A54 holds its own, even surpassing the output of the Pixel 6a in some cases, particularly when it comes to low-light shots.

The 6.4-inch OLED panel is brighter than the Galaxy A53's screen, and it's as colorful as ever. Battery life is better, too, as the Galaxy A54 outperforms the average smartphone on our battery test by half-an-hour. (Battery life improves even further when you turn off the Galaxy A54's adaptive refresh rate.) We also like the colorful look of the Galaxy A54, particularly the Awesome Violet variant.

We wish the Exynos 1380 processor boosted performance more than it does, and as good as the Galaxy A54's display is, those bezels are very noticeable. Still, with the Galaxy A54 price holding at $449, this is an impressive phone that delivers plenty of value for bargain hunters. Just be aware that rumors suggest a Galaxy A55 could be arriving later in the spring.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A54 review.

Runner up

Google Pixel 7a

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Premium features for less

Specifications

Display: 6.1 inches (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Tensor G2
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB / No
Rear camera: 64MP main (f/1.89), 13MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
Front camera: 13MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 6.8 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent Tensor G2-powered features
+
90Hz display is very bright
+
Wireless charging support

Reasons to avoid

-
$50 price hike over predecessor
-
Cameras produce dark colors

The Google Pixel 7a sees a $50 price hike from its predecessor — and more crucially, it costs $50 more than the Galaxy A54. But you can see how Google's justifying that price. The budget phone now has a bright display with a 90Hz refresh rate and it supports wireless charging, too. Even with those additions, it still costs less than $500 even though it runs on the same Tensor G2 chipset that powers the more expensive Pixel 7.

The best change of all involves improved cameras, specifically the 64MP main shooter on the back of the phone. That's a larger sensor than what you get with the Pixel 6a, so the Pixel 7a thrives in low-light settings. It's a neck-and-neck competition with the Galaxy A54 as to which phone takes the better photos, but you won't be disappointed with the Pixel 7a's efforts, particularly with Tensor-powered tools like Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur at your disposal.

If you absolutely want to spend the least amount of money for top features, the Galaxy A54 is the best cheap phone to get, but the Pixel 7a offers the most premium features for the money.

Read our full Google Pixel 7a review.

Longest-lasting phone

OnePlus 12R review

(Image credit: Future)
Cheap phone with the best battery life

Specifications

Display: 6.78 inches (2780 x 1264)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 8GB, 16GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear camera: 50MP main (f/1.8), 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 2MP macro (f/2.4)
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.4)
Weight: 7.3 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Epic battery life
+
Flagship-quality performance
+
Bright display

Reasons to avoid

-
So-so camera performance
-
$499 version isn't widely available

The OnePlus 12R is the first R series phone from OnePlus to get a global release, and it's a welcome addition to the world of smartphones. The phone draws its design cues from the OnePlus 12 flagship, while scaling back some features for a lower price tag. For instance, the OnePlus 12R runs on last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, but this isn't really a hardship — the Qualcomm silicon delivers outstanding performance and long battery life, with the 12R lasting more than 18 hours on our battery test.

Cameras don't perform as well as the ones on the Pixel 7a, so turn elsewhere if you want a low-cost camera phone. Also be aware that the $499 model of the OnePlus 12R is not available in Europe — there, you'll have to buy the more expensive 256GB version of the 12R. But if you can get your hands on the sub-$500 model, you'll find that the OnePlus 12R excels at performance and staying power — two things that are good to have in any phone.

Read our full OnePlus 12R review.

Best cheap phone design

Nothing Phone 2a review.

(Image credit: Future)
The best-looking cheap phone

Specifications

Display: 6.7 inches (2412 x 1080)
CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro
RAM: 8GB, 12GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear camera: 50MP (f/1.88) main, 50MP (f2.2) utra wide
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
Weight: 6.7 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Premium design
+
Surprisingly long battery life
+
Premium display

Reasons to avoid

-
Disappointing photos in low-light conditions
-
Choppy GPU performance

Who says that you have to sacrifice looks for a cheaper price? The Nothing Phone 2a still delivers the stylish translucent look and helpful Glyph interface found on the Nothing Phone 2, but for hundreds of dollars less. We're also impressed by the big, bright 6.7-inch display, which offers an adaptive refresh rate, as well as how long this phone lasted on our battery test.

Nothing is giving this phone a global launch, though U.S. shoppers will need to order it through the phone maker's developer program. With a price of $349, that phone may be worth tracking down, even with some disappointing low-light camera performance and choppy graphics. The Nothing Phone 2a looks good enough to overcome those flaws, and it delivers in some other key areas like battery life, fast charging and value.

Read our full Nothing Phone 2a review.

Bigger Pixel Savings

Google Pixel 6a review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
An even lower price on a still-great phone

Specifications

Display: 6.1 inches (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Tensor G1
RAM: 6GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB / No
Rear camera: 12.2MP main (f/1.7), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
Front camera: 8MP (f/2.0)
Weight: 6.3 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
$100 price cut
+
Bright display
+
Smart Tensor chip and solid cameras

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor result on our battery test
-
Noticeably cheap materials

The Pixel 7a may be here, but that doesn't mean the Pixel 6a has to go away. Google's keeping the phone around for $349, so you can still get an excellent if older devices, provided the 7a's new features don't matter to you. Some Pixel 6a deals allow you to save even more on the phone.

The Tensor G1 chipset inside the Pixel 6a adds to its appeal. That’s the same silicon inside Google’s more expensive Pixel 6 flagships. As a result, the same AI-powered tricks Google’s flagship phone can pull off are available to the Pixel 6a, too, including the photo-editing Magic Eraser tool and on-device translation.

Even as an older device, the Pixel 6a provides excellent photos that measure up well against other budget devices. Android OS support will run out in two years, so this phone won't have the shelf life of the Pixel 7a, but it's still a viable option among the best cheap phones.

Read our full Google Pixel 6a review.

Best cheap iPhone

iPhone SE 2022 in hand at beach Midnight color

(Image credit: Future)
The best cheap iPhone

Specifications

Display: 4.7-inch LCD (1334x750)
CPU: A15 Bionic
RAM: Unknown
Storage / Expandable: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB / No
Rear camera: 12MP (ƒ/1.8)
Front camera: 7MP (ƒ/2.2)
Weight: 5.09 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Very affordable
+
Fast A15 Bionic performance
+
Very good camera quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Big bezels around a small screen
-
No camera night mode

The iPhone SE 2022 takes cheap phones to the next level of performance by including Apple's powerful A15 Bionic chip. This is the same processor found in the iPhone 13 series and the iPhone 14, and it blows all Android phones away, whether you're playing games or editing video on the go. 

This chip also gives the new iPhone SE 2022 a number of photography powers that the previous model lacked, including Smart HDR 4, Magic Fusion for better detail and Photographic Styles. In fact, in some scenarios the iPhone SE takes better pics than the Google Pixel 6a, as you can see in our Pixel 6a vs. iPhone SE 2022 face-off. Unfortunately, Apple didn't include Night mode for low-light situations. 

The latest iPhone SE features the same design as before, so that means a small 4.7-inch display and big bezels, but some may prefer the old-school Touch ID button for quickly unlocking the device. Despite some trade-offs, the iPhone SE 2022 is a great choice for people who like small phones. With rumors circulating that an iPhone SE 4 likely won't ship until 2024, it may be your best option for a cheap iPhone for the foreseeable future.

Read our full iPhone SE 2022 review.

Best phone under $300

OnePlus Nord N30 5G review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best phone under $300

Specifications

Display: 6.72 inches (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 695 5G
RAM: 8GB
Storage / Expandable: 128GB / Yes
Rear camera: 108MP (f/1.7) main; 2MP (f/2.4) depth; 2MP (f/2.4) macro
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.4)
Weight: 6.9 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Extensive battery life
+
Fast charging speeds
+
Large 120Hz display

Reasons to avoid

-
Inconsistent camera performance
-
No ultrawide lens

The OnePlus Nord N30 5G isn't as capable as the phones we've ranked above it, but it also isn't as expensive, either. At $299, this is the phone to get for people with a hard budget of $300, as OnePlus' budget phone nails the important details people look for in a mobile device.

You get a big screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and while the OnePlus Nord N30 isn't a performance powerhouse, it does manage power efficiently. The Nord N30 lasted 12.5 hours on our battery test, with its display in adaptive mode, which is a very impressive result.

The 108MP main lens looks good on paper and captures more detail than you may be used to from a budget camera. But it's inconsistent camera performance that keeps us from being more enthusiastic about the OnePlus Nord N30. Nevertheless, for less than $300, you get a very capable phone that delivers more value than you might imagine.

Read our full OnePlus Nord N30 5G review.

Best for note-takers

Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) review image.

(Image credit: Future)
Good budget phone for note-takers

Specifications

Display: 6.6 inches (2400 x 1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
RAM: 6GB
Storage / Expandable: 256GB / Yes
Rear camera: 50MP (f/1.9) main, 8MP (f/2.2) ultrawide
Front camera: 16MP (f/2.5)
Weight: 7.1 ounces

Reasons to buy

+
Built-in stylus
+
Surprisingly good battery life
+
Narrow frame

Reasons to avoid

-
Inconsistent focus with camera
-
Only one Android OS update

Both the Moto 5G Stylus 5G (2023) and Galaxy S23 Ultra ship with a built-in stylus. The difference is that Motorola's phone costs $800 less than Samsung's flagship. And while the stylus that comes with the Moto 5G model isn't as feature-rich as Samsung's S-Pen, it's still good for jotting down notes and editing photos more precisely. If you're looking for a way to boost your productivity on a budget, this year's edition of the Moto G Stylus 5G fits the bill.

You'll get some inconsistent camera performance, and we wish Motorola provided more than one guaranteed Android OS update, but we were pleased with how long the Moto G 5G Stylus lasts on a charge. It's also a pretty slender design that's much easier to type on than a lot of today's phones. Be sure not to confuse this 5G-capable model with the regular (and less expensive) Moto G Stylus (2023).

Read our full Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) review.

What to look for in the best cheap phones

After you've found a phone at the right price for your budget — that's why you're considering one of the best cheap phones in the first place, after all — consider what features one of these devices has to offer and which ones you're sacrificing for a lower price tag. Battery life, the number and types of cameras, display refresh rate and the type of chipset powering the phone are all ways that cheap phones can distinguish themselves.

In some cases, you'll be able to compare phones to more expensive options to help crystalize what compromises you're making for a lower-cost model. 

Generally, one area in which phone makers cut back for budget models is materials. They'll use plastic for the phone's case instead of metal and glass. Cheaper phones may also turn to LCD panels instead of OLED screens, though that's becoming less frequent among some of the best cheap phones running Android.

One other area to consider is software updates and support. We've seen cheaper Android phones either ship with older versions of Android or promise very few upgrades to future versions. Samsung has one of the better upgrade policies with its Galaxy A lineup, and the iPhone remains a standout for usually supporting five years of iOS updates.

How we test the best cheap phones

We evaluate budget-priced phones the same way we do flagships. We perform real-world testing and synthetic benchmarks over several days to evaluate it's performance and value. This includes our own battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over cellular at 150 nits of screen brightness. The devices that make our best phone battery life list tend to last over 11 hours.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Battery Benchmarks
Row 0 - Cell 0 Battery Life (hours:minutes)Recharge level at 15 minutes (%)Recharge level at 30 minutes (%)
Galaxy A5412:1916%31%
Pixel 7a10:0521%43%
OnePlus 12R18:4257%96%
Nothing Phone 2a15:0028%61%
Pixel 6a6:41N/AN/A
iPhone SE (2022)9:0531%61%
OnePlus Nord N3012:4216%33%
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023)12:1212%23%

In terms of performance, we use Geekbench 5 to measure overall speed and compare versus phones in the same price range. And the same thing goes for 3DMark's Wild Life Unlimited for graphics testing. We also perform our own video editing/transcoding testing using the Adobe Premiere Rush app to gauge real-world speed.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Performance Benchmarks
Row 0 - Cell 0 Geekbench (single-core / multicore)3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (FPS)Adobe Rush Premiere (minutes, seconds)
Galaxy A54781 / 2,66416.931:11
Pixel 7a1,018 / 3,06541.10:56
OnePlus 12R1,553 / 5,13584.41:09
Nothing Phone 2a1,103 / 2,58625.51:40
Pixel 6a1,057 / 2,91841.730:49
iPhone SE (2022)1,718 / 4,48250.030:27
OnePlus Nord N30904 / 2,0777.2N/A
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023)929 / 2,70714.21:51

For evaluating cameras on cheap phones, we will take multiple photos in different conditions and will use other affordably priced phones in the same scenarios in order to make side-by-side comparisons.

For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.

John Velasco
Senior Channel Editor for Phones

John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.

With contributions from
  • WILL4REAL
    Z3 Play. Snapdragon 605, 6.01 inch super amoled screen, 4 gb ram, 12 mp rear, 8mp front, mods option, android 8 out the box, 9 update available now, 10 update in april. Universally unlocked (cdma or gsm) $150 bucks at bestbuy
    Reply
  • Don Norman
    The prices and links for the Galaxy J7 Prime are actually the prices and links for screen protectors for that phone. The cheapest prices vary widely for new J7 Prime phones, from around $100 to around $200. The phone was introduced quite a while ago too, around late 2016. You can get a Galaxy J7 Crown for less than $80 now. They were on sale for $40 during Black Friday sales time at Best Buy and Walmart.
    Reply
  • Androidchap
    The mid range scene in the US is not very exciting, which may be why iPhone SE and Google Pixel 3A can get away with subpar specs they are offering.

    In UK, there are options like the Oppo Reno 2 Z, Huawei Nova 5T, Honor 20, Mi 9T. There are various excellent compilations on Youtube (i.e. for one, Tech Spurt's "Best Smartphones under 400 pounds (Spring 2020)") which set out the key features of each.

    Excellent cameras, multiple cameras, long lasting battery, HD OLED screens, high screen to body ratio, high quality bodies (sometimes metal/glass) are par for the course now. Some have flagship chipsets, but others have fast upper mid range chipsets, but should be more than sufficient for everyday use.

    Its clear that most of the phones on your above list will not be competitive in that space. Even 2 of my top picks in your list have big gaps i.e.
    Apple SE has a great chipset and decent camera, but everything else is so 2015. Maybe if the antique look is coming back, it becomes stylish again ?
    Pixel 3a has a good engine and camera, but in a $100 android phone body.
    Reply
  • HelloJelloFellow
    Ok Tom's Guide and @Mark Spoonauer... sorry to go negative here w/ my 1st and maybe only post, But I agree 100% with the words of Androidchap. The quality of choice and truly progressive "Good Looking" tech in phones in the mass USA market is boring, lame, uncreative and WAY overpriced. Maybe it's not totally your fault that you put together a list which is completely uneventful... you're only reporting what the major carriers are largely selling as well as retail chains.

    Rather, 'Tom's' could (and should starting soon) strive to separate your reviews of handsets and Smart devices by going outside the norm and telling 'The People' about lesser known brands and companies who are Truly putting fantastic value and major Bang for the buck into their devices and enlightening the people to these emerging options here in our market, and not just overseas.

    Androidchap laid down some good examples, and noted the UK market also, and I would quickly emphasise other Asian companies who are putting out Beautiful designs with awesome specs for less than half the cost of even these "mid-range" value B.S models on the list.
    Again, I'm not picking on you, your list is just like PC mags, cnet, techgurus, etc... you all have the same models but just in slightly different order as to your "best of-pick".

    So piggybacking on the manufacturer's Androidchap noted, I would additionally offer up for 'the People' to check out: Xiaomi and their entire Mi line of electronics, such as the Mi 9, REDMi 9/Note 9s/9 Pro, 10 ... you get the idea. Add to that a newish player called Elephone (who's latest offering in the "value" space can now be had in pre-sale for the apsurd low cost of $130-$170 US and is spec'd more like a "flagship" phone in our market. Crazy.

    Just look at the build quality, color choices, camera options galore (like 48 & 64 mp, 4 lens, with macro and good night vision capability) and you begin to see the vast differences out there. And did I mention the value? The bang for the buck that truly can be had if people just knew what to ask for? Oh yeah... I Did mention that.

    Here's another- ASUS, who some should recognize for their Chromebooks, laptops, tabs, etc, ...well, turns out they make really killer phone designs too! Soon to launch should be the next ZenPhone 7 plus a higher-end (they claim) option in their Logic line I believe they call it?

    Doesn't matter, the point is that you guys (Tom's) should be the ONES telling us about these alternatives, instead of just re-presenting the same year-over-year options which Anyone who's owned a Smartphone should already kinda have a feel for OR could get the same generic dialog from walking into a Verizon, AT&T, t-Mobile, or Sprint store and chatting it up with the sales kid. Just my opinion, but if I were you I would try to do something New to separate yourself from the other "big boys" in the Consumer Electronic Review space and make a name for yourselves AS PROGRESSIVE.

    Your list sucks. The phones are ugly and mostly lame.
    (sure, some of the Mi models I mentioned aren't 5G capable at the SUB-$350 range! (no duh), but who cares! Spend just a little more with them, like still under $500, $600, $700 and guess what- comes Standard with a Snapdragon 855 and All the bells and whistles to boot. That's a hell of a lot better than the stupidly ridiculous price that Apple & Samsung have "trained" most of us to expect for their "elite" models... give me a break. The iPhone hasn't barely had a 'sexy' or interesting design change in like... Forever!

    Sadly, the phone scene in the States in largely boring and homogenized like most things.
    Just take a moment to Go Look at the beautiful design Aesthetics of some models available in UK, Europe, and for certain Korea, Japan and China and you will see what I'm seeing...
    America is sadly NOT a leader or out in front in the CE (electronics) marketplace at all.
    We lag; big time.

    Anyhow, that my 2 cents and a little more for you and some readers perhaps.
    Take my suggestion and reinvent what you're bringing to the rest of us here in the USA and begin covering the "Cutting-edge stuff" and leave the lame re-runs and slow to change models and brands to others. (Obviously, you still need to cover Apple, Samsung, HTC, ONE, Moto, etc.,) but bring some new blood into the mix is all I'm getting at.

    I'm off to order a totally KIck Ass Smart (and stylish) modern handset... it just isn't represented on Your or most anyone else's "Review" lists circulating here in the States.

    It unfortunately crossed my mind that maybe you're promoting and writing about the 'regular' stuff because it helps drive your affiliate/partner advertising and links for readers to go purchase from the "Samsung's of the world" as their only or 'best' current option?

    Maybe it would be a lot more fun and add A Lot more valuable to your audience if you covered the Latest and (Less well Known) Greatest, rather than just the same-ol', same 'ol brands and models.
    Give it a thought?

    Lastly, your site or blog or forum or whatever this is happens to way too busy with large flashy Ads, pop-ups and general distractions, which also under value your potential to be taken more seriously. I know it helps pay the rent and expenses, but maybe take back some control and tone down the mass advertising on-slaught here. Thanks for the consideration.

    Take care and Best of luck starting to cover "The Good Stuff". See Ya boys and girls!
    -Jeff
    Reply
  • HelloJelloFellow
    Saurabh jha said:
    Hello,
    According to my personal experience, Samsung galaxy M30s is a best and cheap phone, as I use it personally, and I think it is the best phone at a cheap price.
    I also suggest you go for that if you are looking for cheap and best.


    Yeah, NO. That's not what i was saying AT ALL in my long post... maybe you didn't fully give it a read or failed to understand my points?

    Please Forward my message to the author of the Article: @Mark Spoonauer. and CC Tom or anyone else in Upper Management please. I would like to know how they feel towards my actual points, which include Tom's Guide stepping out of the "box" and exploring and reviewing all the other emerging Brands and offering readers a much broader and more informative review of tech and our Best Value Buys.

    I never said Cheap. The article has that title, but some of the phones I mentioned could compete as PHone of the Year in some cases, especially with OVerall Value is taken into consideration. Your list does NOT do that nearly as well as it could have if the author explored and dug a little deeper for All the options that are emerging.
    - Have them write a comment if you can?
    Reply
  • _User1
    HelloJelloFellow said:
    Ok Tom's Guide and @Mark Spoonauer... sorry to go negative here w/ my 1st and maybe only post, But I agree 100% with the words of Androidchap. The quality of choice and truly progressive "Good Looking" tech in phones in the mass USA market is boring, lame, uncreative and WAY overpriced. Maybe it's not totally your fault that you put together a list which is completely uneventful... you're only reporting what the major carriers are largely selling as well as retail chains.

    Rather, 'Tom's' could (and should starting soon) strive to separate your reviews of handsets and Smart devices by going outside the norm and telling 'The People' about lesser known brands and companies who are Truly putting fantastic value and major Bang for the buck into their devices and enlightening the people to these emerging options here in our market, and not just overseas.

    Androidchap laid down some good examples, and noted the UK market also, and I would quickly emphasise other Asian companies who are putting out Beautiful designs with awesome specs for less than half the cost of even these "mid-range" value B.S models on the list.
    Again, I'm not picking on you, your list is just like PC mags, cnet, techgurus, etc... you all have the same models but just in slightly different order as to your "best of-pick".

    So piggybacking on the manufacturer's Androidchap noted, I would additionally offer up for 'the People' to check out: Xiaomi and their entire Mi line of electronics, such as the Mi 9, REDMi 9/Note 9s/9 Pro, 10 ... you get the idea. Add to that a newish player called Elephone (who's latest offering in the "value" space can now be had in pre-sale for the apsurd low cost of $130-$170 US and is spec'd more like a "flagship" phone in our market. Crazy.

    Just look at the build quality, color choices, camera options galore (like 48 & 64 mp, 4 lens, with macro and good night vision capability) and you begin to see the vast differences out there. And did I mention the value? The bang for the buck that truly can be had if people just knew what to ask for? Oh yeah... I Did mention that.

    Here's another- ASUS, who some should recognize for their Chromebooks, laptops, tabs, etc, ...well, turns out they make really killer phone designs too! Soon to launch should be the next ZenPhone 7 plus a higher-end (they claim) option in their Logic line I believe they call it?

    Doesn't matter, the point is that you guys (Tom's) should be the ONES telling us about these alternatives, instead of just re-presenting the same year-over-year options which Anyone who's owned a Smartphone should already kinda have a feel for OR could get the same generic dialog from walking into a Verizon, AT&T, t-Mobile, or Sprint store and chatting it up with the sales kid. Just my opinion, but if I were you I would try to do something New to separate yourself from the other "big boys" in the Consumer Electronic Review space and make a name for yourselves AS PROGRESSIVE.

    Your list sucks. The phones are ugly and mostly lame.
    (sure, some of the Mi models I mentioned aren't 5G capable at the SUB-$350 range! (no duh), but who cares! Spend just a little more with them, like still under $500, $600, $700 and guess what- comes Standard with a Snapdragon 855 and All the bells and whistles to boot. That's a hell of a lot better than the stupidly ridiculous price that Apple & Samsung have "trained" most of us to expect for their "elite" models... give me a break. The iPhone hasn't barely had a 'sexy' or interesting design change in like... Forever!

    Sadly, the phone scene in the States in largely boring and homogenized like most things.
    Just take a moment to Go Look at the beautiful design Aesthetics of some models available in UK, Europe, and for certain Korea, Japan and China and you will see what I'm seeing...
    America is sadly NOT a leader or out in front in the CE (electronics) marketplace at all.
    We lag; big time.

    Anyhow, that my 2 cents and a little more for you and some readers perhaps.
    Take my suggestion and reinvent what you're bringing to the rest of us here in the USA and begin covering the "Cutting-edge stuff" and leave the lame re-runs and slow to change models and brands to others. (Obviously, you still need to cover Apple, Samsung, HTC, ONE, Moto, etc.,) but bring some new blood into the mix is all I'm getting at.

    I'm off to order a totally KIck Ass Smart (and stylish) modern handset... it just isn't represented on Your or most anyone else's "Review" lists circulating here in the States.

    It unfortunately crossed my mind that maybe you're promoting and writing about the 'regular' stuff because it helps drive your affiliate/partner advertising and links for readers to go purchase from the "Samsung's of the world" as their only or 'best' current option?

    Maybe it would be a lot more fun and add A Lot more valuable to your audience if you covered the Latest and (Less well Known) Greatest, rather than just the same-ol', same 'ol brands and models.
    Give it a thought?

    Lastly, your site or blog or forum or whatever this is happens to way too busy with large flashy Ads, pop-ups and general distractions, which also under value your potential to be taken more seriously. I know it helps pay the rent and expenses, but maybe take back some control and tone down the mass advertising on-slaught here. Thanks for the consideration.

    Take care and Best of luck starting to cover "The Good Stuff". See Ya boys and girls!
    -Jeff
    Awesome post! It's by fair the best I've read (don't really read that many) in a long while. It would be nice to see something on how to get phones not normally available here in the US. I've been getting phones from amazon and ebay too. I've been happy with most phones purchased. It might be my first phone purchased at retail, as I'm gearing up to find something this Black Friday season.

    Was great reading your opinion and I agree with you pretty close to 100%. Thanks for posting.
    Reply
  • rbtrry
    HelloJelloFellow said:
    Ok Tom's Guide and @Mark Spoonauer... sorry to go negative here w/ my 1st and maybe only post, But I agree 100% with the words of Androidchap. The quality of choice and truly progressive "Good Looking" tech in phones in the mass USA market is boring, lame, uncreative and WAY overpriced. Maybe it's not totally your fault that you put together a list which is completely uneventful... you're only reporting what the major carriers are largely selling as well as retail chains.

    Rather, 'Tom's' could (and should starting soon) strive to separate your reviews of handsets and Smart devices by going outside the norm and telling 'The People' about lesser known brands and companies who are Truly putting fantastic value and major Bang for the buck into their devices and enlightening the people to these emerging options here in our market, and not just overseas.

    Androidchap laid down some good examples, and noted the UK market also, and I would quickly emphasise other Asian companies who are putting out Beautiful designs with awesome specs for less than half the cost of even these "mid-range" value B.S models on the list.
    Again, I'm not picking on you, your list is just like PC mags, cnet, techgurus, etc... you all have the same models but just in slightly different order as to your "best of-pick".

    So piggybacking on the manufacturer's Androidchap noted, I would additionally offer up for 'the People' to check out: Xiaomi and their entire Mi line of electronics, such as the Mi 9, REDMi 9/Note 9s/9 Pro, 10 ... you get the idea. Add to that a newish player called Elephone (who's latest offering in the "value" space can now be had in pre-sale for the apsurd low cost of $130-$170 US and is spec'd more like a "flagship" phone in our market. Crazy.

    Just look at the build quality, color choices, camera options galore (like 48 & 64 mp, 4 lens, with macro and good night vision capability) and you begin to see the vast differences out there. And did I mention the value? The bang for the buck that truly can be had if people just knew what to ask for? Oh yeah... I Did mention that.

    Here's another- ASUS, who some should recognize for their Chromebooks, laptops, tabs, etc, ...well, turns out they make really killer phone designs too! Soon to launch should be the next ZenPhone 7 plus a higher-end (they claim) option in their Logic line I believe they call it?

    Doesn't matter, the point is that you guys (Tom's) should be the ONES telling us about these alternatives, instead of just re-presenting the same year-over-year options which Anyone who's owned a Smartphone should already kinda have a feel for OR could get the same generic dialog from walking into a Verizon, AT&T, t-Mobile, or Sprint store and chatting it up with the sales kid. Just my opinion, but if I were you I would try to do something New to separate yourself from the other "big boys" in the Consumer Electronic Review space and make a name for yourselves AS PROGRESSIVE.

    Your list sucks. The phones are ugly and mostly lame.
    (sure, some of the Mi models I mentioned aren't 5G capable at the SUB-$350 range! (no duh), but who cares! Spend just a little more with them, like still under $500, $600, $700 and guess what- comes Standard with a Snapdragon 855 and All the bells and whistles to boot. That's a hell of a lot better than the stupidly ridiculous price that Apple & Samsung have "trained" most of us to expect for their "elite" models... give me a break. The iPhone hasn't barely had a 'sexy' or interesting design change in like... Forever!

    Sadly, the phone scene in the States in largely boring and homogenized like most things.
    Just take a moment to Go Look at the beautiful design Aesthetics of some models available in UK, Europe, and for certain Korea, Japan and China and you will see what I'm seeing...
    America is sadly NOT a leader or out in front in the CE (electronics) marketplace at all.
    We lag; big time.

    Anyhow, that my 2 cents and a little more for you and some readers perhaps.
    Take my suggestion and reinvent what you're bringing to the rest of us here in the USA and begin covering the "Cutting-edge stuff" and leave the lame re-runs and slow to change models and brands to others. (Obviously, you still need to cover Apple, Samsung, HTC, ONE, Moto, etc.,) but bring some new blood into the mix is all I'm getting at.

    I'm off to order a totally KIck Ass Smart (and stylish) modern handset... it just isn't represented on Your or most anyone else's "Review" lists circulating here in the States.

    It unfortunately crossed my mind that maybe you're promoting and writing about the 'regular' stuff because it helps drive your affiliate/partner advertising and links for readers to go purchase from the "Samsung's of the world" as their only or 'best' current option?

    Maybe it would be a lot more fun and add A Lot more valuable to your audience if you covered the Latest and (Less well Known) Greatest, rather than just the same-ol', same 'ol brands and models.
    Give it a thought?

    Lastly, your site or blog or forum or whatever this is happens to way too busy with large flashy Ads, pop-ups and general distractions, which also under value your potential to be taken more seriously. I know it helps pay the rent and expenses, but maybe take back some control and tone down the mass advertising on-slaught here. Thanks for the consideration.

    Take care and Best of luck starting to cover "The Good Stuff". See Ya boys and girls!
    -Jeff

    I normally use forums to find answers to whatever hardware/software related problems I experience at that particular moment, rarely comment under articles and almost never reply to other comments. But, after having read this comment, I wanted to sign up & let the author know how much I appreciated what they've written - and not just in terms of its content, but also for the passionate tone that conveys that they really care. I do hope that tom's guide does also appreciate the fact that one of their readers put in the time & effort to write this well thought out, constructive criticism full of salient points & good, practical suggestions.
    I had never heard of elephone before. Just checked & discovered that they are sold in my homeland. Would probably have skipped them without a second glance, had I not read your comment @HelloJelloFellow, but will research them now. So thanks & all the best.
    Reply
  • RudyTheNinja
    An article of phones under $500 in 2023
    I was looking at the Pixel 6a in it and saw a link to it being compared to the Pixel 7
    That post talked about the 7 as if it wasnt out yet, no prices and other data. But had a link to 7 vs 7pro
    Turns out the 7 is already out and the price has since been dropped to $499 (you can see this in the 7 vs 7pro article)


    Thought I'd make my first reply letting them know that the 7 can replace the 6a on the list
    But turns out the article was from 2020 and now locked
    Reply