Best Smartphones Under $800!

You don't have to shell out thousands of dollars to get a great smartphone these days, in fact, you can get one with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a modern phone, and some pretty sharp specs, for under $800. We've dived into the massive range to find five of the best smartphones you can get right now, filtering down to show options with a range of features often associated with the most expensive mobile device, including very high quality cameras, fast biometic security, water resistance, and of course, fast smooth performance, even in games.

1. Samsung Galaxy A53

The Samsung Galaxy A Series makes true innovation accessible to everyone. With the Galaxy A53, you get big screen, big battery and an awesome camera, all without breaking the bank! Starting out with the all important screen, A53's Infinity-O Display lets you enjoy a smartphone experience that minimizes the bezel and maximizes each inch of screen space on the 6.5" FHD+ widescreen Super AMOLED 120Hz display. The phone is powered by a 5nm Octa-core processor, making it ready to take on heavy-duty multitasking; and with 6GB of RAM and RAM Plus, you'll enjoy fast and efficient performance as you do so. Up to 128GB internal storage gives you more than enough storage for regular everyday use, but if you need more, you can easily add more with the microSD card slot. 

Features an expansive 6.5-inch Infinity-O Display.

Records your videos more smoothly and captures finer details even in low light.

Just because you're spending less than $800, it doesn't mean you miss out on an awesome camera system. The A53 features a four camera array that lets you take amazing photos in a range of ways. It's comprised of a 64MP main camera, a 12MP ultra wide camera, a 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP depth camera. Its great for video too, able to shoot smooth and steady. The Galaxy A53 records like a pro-level action camera by utilizing the ultra wide camera and predictive software. Super steady gives you smooth live videos, even if your journey is on the adventurous side. The front 32MP camera gives you clear, high-resolution photos. 

More of a gamer and less of a content creator? Awesome! The A53 is also made with gaming features in mind. It works to maximize performance, cut distractions and up your game with a dedicated interface and easy-to-reach menu named the Game Booster. This, combines with Frame Booster to gives graphics smooth, life-like motion, so your can play at your best as Game Booster learns and optimizes battery, temperature and memory. The A53 also features a large 5,000mAh  battery which gives you the power to stream, share and game on. And when it's time to charge, plug in and power up fast with 15W Fast Charging support. The Galaxy A53 also features high-tech biometric authentication, utilising an on-screen fingerprint scanner to recognise your unique print.

2. iPhone 11 64GB

The iPhone 11 64GB is the most affordable Apple phone available right now.

Features a 12MP TrueDepth camera which is perfect for taking selfies.

There's lots to love about the iPhone 11 64GB (2019), but perhaps the greatest selling point for those who are interested in an Apple phone, is the fact that it's the most affordable iPhone available without sacrificing much on features and specs, including a Retina HD display, wireless charging, 4K video, and more. It may be the iPhone of a few generations ago but it still has the quality and specs to keep up with some of the more recent smartphones. This 64GB iPhone 11 features a brilliant 6.1-inch Liquid Retina LCD HD display that looks stunning. Under the hood, it uses the A13 Bionic chip so everything feels fluid, whether you're launching apps, playing the latest games, or exploring new ways to work.

It has an excellent dual-camera system that captures your photos from wide (in 12MP) to ultrawide (in 12MP), along with a 12MP selfie camera. Next-generation smart HDR knows a face when it sees one, and your iPhone 11 can intelligently relight it to capture more natural-looking contours and skin tones. It also finesses highlight and shadow detail in the background. So every part of your photo looks utterly amazing. It can even capture 4K video, and that extended dynamic range adds greater detail in highlights and shadows here too!

Built to last, the iPhone 11 is water-resistant to 1 metre for 30 minutes, giving you confidence to take it with you on adventures, it can survive splashes, sprinkles, sprays, splatters and spills. It has a 3,110mAh battery that can hold up for up to 17 hours of video playback and up to 65 hours of audio playback. Fast Charge lets you get it back up to 50% in just 30 minutes with an 18W adapter or higher. 

3. Xiaomi Redmi 10

Despite its super affordable price point, the Xiaomi Redmi 10 is a smartphone you can rely on. It has a large display, consistent and reliable performance, and an unmatched battery life so you can keep going all day long. Plus, it's 5G compatible so you can enjoy faster download speeds, stream videos in higher quality, and play games with lower latency. Featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 700 octa-core processor that operates at up to 2.2GHz clock speed, the Redmi 10 offers superior performance while maintaining lower power consumption thank to its 7nm process technology. The 6.85-inch FHD+ display offers an impressive viewing experience, while AdaptiveSync optimises your refresh rate (up to 90Hz) ifor whatever you're doing and maximises battery life. 

Redmi's Legend Continues

Enjoy faster download speeds, stream videos in higher quality, and play games with lower latency.

The dual-camera system includes a 50MP main camera, and 2MP depth camera, along with a 5MP front camera. It has great night vision capabilities too, so you can capture nice city nightscapes or other images in dark light. Portrait mode also has a nice natural bokeh effect to make those portraits stand out. The Redmi 10 comes equipped with a large 5,000mAh battery which ensures you can enjoy music and media for hours. Plus, 18W fast charge will get you back up to charged in no time. This phone is also Dual SIM meaning you can use two SIM cards at once, or add a microSD for extra storage!

4. Oppo Find X5 Lite

The Oppo Find X5 Lite features a 6.4-inch AMOLED FHD display, with a 90 Hz refresh rate and up to 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. It's equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 octa-core processor that easily meets your demand for speed.  If you love photos, you'll appreciate the ultra-clear quad camera that allows you to capture quality night scenes in detail. Featuring a trio camera system, the OPPO Find X2 Lite can capture some beautiful shots, including exceptionally good night images with Ultra Night Mode and NPU AI noise reduction. On the rear, you'll find an ultra high-resolution 64MP camera, 8MP wide angle camera, and 2MP macro camera; and on the front, an impressive 32MP camera. 

A delicate yet refined texture, all while remaining delightfully fingerprint-proof.

Features an ultra-high-resolution 64MP rear camera trio and the Sony-powered 32MP front camera.

Gamers will love playing with Hyper Boost, developed by OPPO, can monitor the execution status of the GPU (graphics  processing unit) in real time for games, reduce image loss and tactile response and, therefore, optimize the fluidity of the game. One of the coolest things about the Oppo Find X5 is the ability to switch seamlessly between 4G and 5G via a pre-set network transmission strategy that will automatically adjust according to the required network bandwidth, regulating power consumption to increase battery life!

5. Samsung Galaxy A33

We started this list off the a Samsung Galaxy A series smartphone, but with so many great choices in the range, we wanted to include another. While the Samsung Galaxy A33 is slightly lower spec than the A53, that doesn't mean it's missing great performance and quality! Plus, as the more affordable option, it's a great choice for those aiming more for the lower mid-range. The A33 features a 6.4-inch Infinity-U FHD+ Super AMOLED display with vivid high-definition and true-to-life colour, along with a 90Hz refresh rate for a silky smooth viewing experience. It's powered by a 5nm Octa-core processor with 6GB of RAM and RAM Plus and has up to 128GB of internal storage. 

Expand your view to the 6.4-inch Infinity-U Display.

Game Booster tracks your gaming patterns to optimise your device's battery life, temperature and memory.

The Galaxy A33 features a multi-lens camera system comprised of a 48MP main camera, 8MP ultra wide camera, 2MP depth camera, 5MP macro camera, and a 13 MP front camera. Like the A53, it features a large 5,000mAh battery that should last you up to two days! With 25W Super Fast Charging and adaptive power saving (needs to be enabled), you'll have no problem keeping your phone charged up. Other things worth noting are Game Booster - which optimises battery life, temperature, and memory as you game, built-in on-screen fingerprint scanner, Dolby Atmos sound, and IP67 dust and water resistance (up to 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes). 

Wow what a great bunch of phones, and that's just a quick look at some of our best smartphones under $800!

If you're looking for value for money, these phones are a great place to start. With NZ's largest range of smartphones though, we've got a massive range for you to choose from - check out the massive smartphones section to see all that we have to offer today!