Best Cheap Smartphones

Well guys, Apple finally has an iPhone that is actually affordable. The iPhone SE retails for $429.99. To put that number in context, the basic iPhone 14 retails for $799.99, a whopping $300 more than what you would pay for an iPhone SE. You would assume that the iPhone SE would feel $300 less valuable than the iPhone 14, but the two phones are more comparable than you'd think.

Both the iPhone SE and iPhone 14 have the same A13 Bionic chipset, which is future-talk for "the phone runs well and the camera looks good." Basically, even though the iPhone SE looks like an older iPhone model with its smaller screen and home screen button (which I missed), it will run similarly to an iPhone 14, making it one of the best cheap smartphones on the market today.

Check out our in-depth iPhone SE review if you want more details on this awesomely cheap smartphone.

The catch-22 with the A13 Bionic chipset is that all its power drains your battery, and the iPhone SE doesn't have the best battery in the world. Don't expect the iPhone SE battery to last you through the day, especially if you like streaming YouTube videos and checking Instagram on the go. You'll probably want to keep a charger handy if you'll be out and about for an extended amount of time.

The iPhone SE is compatible with any carrier you can think of, which is another point it has over the Galaxy A50. Here are some of our favorite cell phone plans that are compatible with iPhone SE.

The Galaxy A54 5G is among Samsung's responses to the iPhone SE (they're priced almost the same), and it generally rises to the challenge. The Galaxy A54 5G improved over the iPhone SE in a few ways, including a better camera, a longer-lasting battery, and a larger screen.

The most impressive feature on the Galaxy A54 5G has to be its camera. Here are the camera specs for the Galaxy A54:

• Four-lens camera setup
• Primary: 50 MP rear camera with HDR
• Ultra-wide: 12 MP sensor 
• 5MP macro camera 
• PDAF autofocus
• LED flash
• UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)/30fps video

Comparatively, the iPhone SE only has a single-camera setup and a 12-megapixel sensor. Meanwhile, Samsung Galaxy A54 is over here, offering a four-camera setup and a 50-megapixel sensor for the same price.

Even though the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G checks a lot of boxes the iPhone SE does not, the huge difference is in the user experience. The Samsung Galaxy A54 feels a bit more buggy than the iPhone SE and was more prone to app crashes. It's almost like there's too much firepower on a device with only 6 GB of RAM.

It also doesn't have the sleak iOS interface that many of us have come to love. Yes, that is me admitting my bias as an iPhone user. It's hard to beat the user experience that Apple offers on its devices.

But if you prefer the Android interface and don't mind some occasional lag on your phone, the Galaxy A54 5G is easily one of the best cheap smartphones available.

The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is compatible with major carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon as well as prepaid carriers like Visible and Simple Mobile. Here are our favorite cell phone plans compatible with the Samsung Galaxy A50.

The Google Pixel 3a started the latest trend of midrange cheap smartphones when it came out in 2019, and it still competes with the iPhone SE and Galaxy A50. Currently, the Google Pixel 3a's retail price hovers around $139.99, but you can find it cheaper if you buy it with the right provider at the right time.

The most standout feature on the Google Pixel 3a has to be its screen resolution. The phone comes with a 5.6-inch OLED display with a 2220x1080 resolution. Oh, what's the resolution for the iPhone 11 you ask? It's 1792x828, which just so happens to be worse than the Google Pixel 3a. So, the Google Pixel 3a kills the display game, and has a 12.2-megapixel camera (along with a cool Night Sight feature) to boot. All in all, it's a pretty awesome package despite not being the newest kid on the block.

Both the iPhone SE and Galaxy A54 come with optional upgrades to your storage, but I'm afraid you're stuck with 64 GB of data with the Google Pixel 3a. You'll need to keep an eye on your apps and how much storage they use up. For example, we wouldn't recommend downloading big Spotify playlists to your phone, or downloading shows off of Netflix for later viewing.

Relatively low battery life is a common issue with both the iPhone SE and Samsung Galaxy A54 5G, but that's not the case with the Moto G Power. The Moto G Power comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, the same battery you'll find in the $1,400 Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. Except instead of paying $1,400, you're paying closer to $100 for the same battery power.

In case you're curious, the longest we've seen a Moto G Power battery last was four days. My iPhone X feels like it runs out of battery after four hours. If you're the type of person who doesn't care much for bells and whistles and wants a phone that won't suddenly die on you, the Moto G Power is the best in its class.

Something had to give for the Moto to be priced so low, and unfortunately the bulk of the blame goes to the camera. Though the specs are good with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera and 4K video capture abilities, the pictures tend to come out muddy because of the limited dynamic range and high contrast. Let's just say, if you're an Instagram photographer, this is not the phone for you, friend.

The Motorola Moto G Power isn't as widely available as the iPhone SE or Galaxy A54 5G, but you can still get the phone through some quality cell phone providers. Most notably, you can get the Moto G Power with Verizon, which just so happens to have the best coverage in the country.

It's exciting to see that Apple, Samsung, Google, and other providers are making new phones that cater to more budget-minded folks. As it stands right now, the iPhone SE offers the most bang for your buck, but the Galaxy A54 5G, Google Pixel 3a, and Moto G Power are not far behind.

What are the best cheap smartphones?

• Best cheap iPhone: The iPhone SE is the newest midtier phone on the market, and it certainly feels like it should be more expensive than it is. The biggest callout is that the iPhone SE has the same chipset as the much pricier iPhone 11, which means it's much speedier than the average midtier phone.
• Best cheap Android: The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G has the most impressive camera that we've seen amongst the cheap smartphones. It's four-camera setup and 50-MP sensor takes photos that rival most premier smartphones. If the Android lifestyle is your preference, this is the best cheap Android available.
• Best cheap Google Pixel: The Google Pixel 3a's claim to fame is its amazing screen resolution that even beats out the iPhone 11. It's the crispest resolution that we've seen amongst the midtier smartphones.
• Best battery power: The Moto G8 Power has an unbelievably strong battery for its price. You can use your Moto Power for up to four days without charging, assuming you're not streaming or gaming non-stop. If battery power is your number one concern, the Moto Power is the best in the business.

Do you have any thoughts on these cheap smartphones? Do you have a cheap smartphone that you prefer over the ones we recommend here? Let us know in the comments below. Oh, and make sure to check out the latest cheap smartphone deals here if you're shopping for a new device.