Best Cheap Smartphones: Top Budget-Friendly Phones To Buy

Ainsley McKay By Ainsley McKay - updated February 26th, 2024
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If you’re on the hunt for a new smartphone on a small budget, we’ve got great news for you! There are plenty of cheap and budget-friendly options on the market to choose from, and they’re worlds better than what you’d get for these prices ten years ago.

Not everyone wants to spend exorbitant amounts on their smartphones, and luckily, smartphone providers are aware of this and have put out some cracking smartphones at great prices. Here are the five best budget smartphones you can get in 2023.

  1. Samsung Galaxy A05
  2. Redmi 13C
  3. OPPO A57s
  4. Nokia G20
  5. Samsung Galaxy A25

Samsung Galaxy A05

If you have basic needs and simply want great value for money, look no further than Samsung's Galaxy A05. You'll be surprised at all this phone offers you at such an affordable price.

The Galaxy A05 features a 6.7-inch HD+ display so your everyday content looks crisp and clear. It has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB with a microSD card). For a basic smartphone, this is plenty, and will easily cover your needs for phone calls, texts, music, web surfing, and even some light gaming. You'll still be able to snap loads of photos with no issues. The 5,000mAh battery will keep you going for hours on a single charge!

Just because it's a budget smartphone, it doesn't mean you miss out on capturing your best memories. The A05 features a 50MP main camera for great everyday photos, along with a 2MP depth camera. There's also a 8MP front camera for capturing selfies too. Not bad for a phone that's less than $250!

Best budget smartphone - Samsung Galaxy A05

Redmi 13C

Xiaomi is known for delivering great products at affordable prices, and the Redmi 13C is a great example of that.

This super affordable smartphone sports a 6.7-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 1600 x 720. It has a stylish and trendy design, with a textured back panel that has a premium look, and is resistant to fingerprints. It features a massive 5000mAh battery and 18W fast charging so you can enjoy a longer battery life all day long. This should last you for up to 25 days on standby, 31 hours of calling, 23 hours of video playback, or 114 hours of music! 

The Redmi 13C features a dual camera system that comes with intelligent image processing algorithms. This consists of a 50MP ultra-clear main camera and a 2MP macro camera. It has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but that can be expanded up to 1TB with a microSD card in the Dual SIM slot. It even has a fingerprint scanner on the side and face ID which is pretty impressive for an entry-level smartphone!

The Redmi 13C gives you access to all of the essentials at a super affordable price and is a great choice for anyone who has fairly basic smartphone needs.

Best budget smartphone - Xiaomi Redmi A2+

OPPO A57s

Next up on our list is Oppo's A57s - an ultra sleek and slim smartphone, with a very elegant appearance. 

It features a 6.5-inch HD+ display that has rich and accurate colours, and a 60Hz refresh rate. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which is easily enough to take on the essentials, as well as apps, games, photos and video! If games don't matter to you, the relatively modest hardware makes the 5,000mAh battery all the more better. If you love your entertainment, you'll appreciate the ultra-linear stereo speaker, which offers surround sound while boosting the volume by up to 200%.

Despite it being a budget smartphone, the Oppo A57s has a decent camera with two sensors on the back: a 50MP AI main camera and a 2MP depth camera, making it capable of delivering clear, high-quality photos. There’s also an 8MP selfie camera on the front of the phone. The device is IPX4 Water Resistant and IP5X Dust Resistant.

For its affordable price, the Oppo A57s holds it own. You get a decent screen, 50MP dual camera, and a solid battery for less than $400! All in all, the Oppo A57s is great value for money.

Best budget smartphone - OPPO A57s

Nokia G20

Nokia is renowned for creating simple yet reliable smartphones that are easy on the wallet. Despite the affordable pricing of the Nokia G20, it's pretty impressive how many features they've managed to fit in.

This phone features a 6.5-inch HD+ display which is great for video calls, internet browsing or media consumption. The screen also comes with brightness boost, so you can see clearly even in bright daylight. It has 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage, which realistically, is more than enough for someone with simple smartphone needs. This is combined with a Mediatek G35 8x A53 CPU, and although this isn't as powerful as some of the big boys, it does mean that the phone really makes the most of its 5050mAh battery, capable of lasting up to 3 days on a single charge!

The G20 has a decent quad camera system too, featuring 48MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP macon, and 2MP depth sensor; along with an 8MP front camera. Additionally, you can shoot videos with spatial surround sound and use studio-quality tools to make every story even more personal. We all know the reputation Nokia has for durability, and the G20 Plus is certainly no different. It can handle all of the challenges every day throws at it and keep going with ease.

Best budget smartphone 2023 - Nokia G20

Samsung Galaxy A25

Samsung has been making cutting-edge innovation more accessible with their Galaxy A range that offers fantastic value for money across the board, so we thought we'd finish this list off with one more smartphone from this range. This one is a bit higher on the price scale but it's a good option for those who want a lot more going on, while still spending fairly modestly.

The Galaxy A25 comes with a 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display that offers enough real estate for an immersive user experience. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate so your content will look sharper and smoother. It sports a stylishly designed triple-lens camera system which features a 50MP main camera, a 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera; along with a 13MP front camera. It also has an impressive 5,000mAh battery that will keep you going all day.

With an octa-core processor and 6GB of RAM, it offers fast and efficient performance, making it better equipped to handle a larger variety of apps and casual games. With 128GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB with a microSD card), there's more than enough space for the average user. Perhaps what’s most impressive is that these impressive specs all come at less than $600. Plus, it even supports 5G! The Galaxy A25 is an excellent option for a budget smartphone that is a bit more advanced.

Best budget smartphones 2024 - Samsung Galaxy A25

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


Written By

Ainsley McKay

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1 comment

LanceL14

In my opinion, the best budget smartphone is a flagship model that can last like 4-5 years without lagging so you don't need to spend your money often. iPhones might be a good option except battery.

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2 years ago Reply Report