Welcome to our best cheap phones guide for 2020, guaranteed to help you in your search for the best cheap Android phones including the best cheap Galaxy phones, the best cheap Pixels, or any other budget handset that you’ve got your eyes on. If you want to make an informed purchasing decision you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve put these cheap phones through hours and hours of testing, so you can be assured that we know what we’re talking about when it comes to affordable mobile devices to pick from. Whatever features you need, whatever phone style you prefer, there should be something for you here.
- ONEPLUS NORD
OnePlus first made its name by offering very good phone specs at very good prices, so it’s fitting that it’s now back in that groove with the OnePlus Nord. While OnePlus phones have slowly got more expensive over the years, the Nord goes the other way and is a fantastic mid-ranger.
Starting at just $479 in the USA, you get a powerful Snapdragon 765G processor, at least 8GB of RAM, at least 128GB of storage, and 5G thrown in as well. That’s not to mention the sharp, bright 6.44-inch display which zips along thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate – everything on this screen looks stunning.
- SAMSUNG GALAXY S10E
The Samsung Galaxy S10e is getting cheaper all the time, making it a fantastic pick that can still hold its own in terms of performance. We loved the S10e on review, granting it a maximum score of five stars and concluding that, “it certainly holds its own in terms of performance and design, and won’t let you down with battery life, software, or camera quality, either.”
And, for a phone that costs under half many other flagships, we think that competitiveness is simply remarkable and something that Samsung should be well and truly proud of.
The thing we arguably love most about the Samsung Galaxy S10e, though, is that in an industry where screen-size wars seem to be getting well and truly out of hand, with each maker constant making phone screens bigger and bigger across their entire ranges, the modestly sized and pocket friendly 5.8-inch, 19:9, 438 ppi, 2,280 x 1,080 resolution display on the handset is such a breath of fresh air. Along with Samsung’s impeccable levels of fit and finish, this device truly is an ergonomic and aesthetic joy.
Prices start at $359 on Amazon
3. The Google Pixel 4a
It was delayed several times before it saw the light of day, but we’re glad that it’s here now – it follows on from the template set down by the Pixel 3a, in that it combines a great camera with a decent design and pure Android software. Perhaps the best part is the price though: just $349.
That makes it a very attractive proposition: it’s capable of taking some fantastic photos, especially in low light, and with enough performance to handle the majority of smartphone tasks, what else do you need? It’s not quite as polished or as powerful as the flagships of course, but it costs an awful lot less.
Google is adding an increasing number of exclusives to the Pixel too: the Night Sight mode for the camera for example, and the Recorder app that can convert speech into text in real time. You don’t get 5G though – you’ll have to wait for the Pixel 4a with 5G later in the year for that.
