Introduction
We'll examine more low-cost gadgets like the Samsung Galaxy A15 and iPhone SE in detail today. These smartphones are made to offer an ideal balance between cost and features, regardless of your priorities: performance, battery life or camera quality.
1. Motorola Moto G84
The Moto G84 is, without a question, one of the best budget phones out there.. Its limited software support—Moto offers only one Android version update and three years of security support—is the only thing keeping it from the top.
The only other drawbacks are a back that is capable of becoming dirty and poor cameras, but that is about it and there are no other flaws.
The Snapdragon 695 offers strong performance and 5G compatibility, and the 120Hz OLED display is the best on any low-cost phone. The 5000mAh cell offers good battery life, and charging is even reasonably speedy (for a low-cost phone; 30W).
Specs:
- Price:
$249 - Display:
6.5-inch OLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate - Processor/Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 - RAM:
8GB - Storage:
128GB (expandable via microSD) - Camera Setup:
Triple 50 MP (wide) + 8 MP (ultrawide) + 2 MP (macro) - Battery Capacity:
5000 mAh - Charging Speed:
30W wired - Software Updates:
1 Android version update, 3 years of security patches - Build Quality:
Plastic back, plastic frame - Connectivity:
5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 - Water Resistance:
No official rating - Additional Features:
Clean Android experience, good display
Pros:
- Clean Android.
- Reliable performance.
- Sleek design.
Cons:
- Mediocre cameras.
- Dim display in sunlight.
- No 5G.
2. Motorola Moto G Power
Compared to the typical plastic observed on low-cost phones, its stunning textured vegan leather back seems more luxurious. The 120-Hz screen refresh rate of the 6.7-inch LCD panel makes it both huge and sharp and on bright days, It didn't find to be insufficient in maximum brightness.
Thanks to MediaTek's Dimensity 7020 CPU 8 GB RAM-equipped , the phone runs very smoothly.. Nevertheless, there are minor stutters. With a 5,000 mAh battery, this thin phone can typically last through an entire day of moderate use and even have some left over for the following day. Surprisingly few devices at this price range offer the option of wireless charging.NFC functionality is also included, allowing contactless payment processing. For years, Motorola was known for prohibiting NFC on their Moto G phones in the US; however, this model no longer has that feature. You might be happy to know that the Moto G Power has a headphone port and is powered by Android 14 version.
Although the cameras are not special, you can still take good pictures with this phone, even in dim light. But Motorola's software policy is the most problematic part. this phone comes with plenty of pre-installed bloatware. Fortunately, a lot of it can be disabled or uninstalled.
Specs:
- Price:
$299 - Display:
6.7-inch LCD, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate - Processor/Chipset:
MediaTek Dimensity 7020 - RAM:
8GB - Storage:
256GB (expandable via microSD) - Camera Setup:
Triple 50 MP (wide) + 2 MP (macro) + 2 MP (depth) - Battery Capacity:
5000 mAh - Charging Speed:
18W wired - Software Updates:
1 Android version update, 2 years of security patches - Build Quality:
Vegan leather back, plastic frame - Connectivity:
5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 - Water Resistance:
No official rating - Additional Features:
NFC, headphone jack
Pros:
- Amazing battery life.
- Affordable.
- Clean software.
Cons:
- Sluggish performance.
- Basic display.
- Average camera.
3. Nothing Phone 2a
The Nothing Phone (2a) is the first phone from the UK firm that is really targeted towards the budget. The Phone (2a) has all the features of the full-fat Nothing Phone (2), along with the iconic Nothing design Identity.
With its unique transparent design that allows you to get a good look at the internals on the rear panel, the Nothing Phone (2a) is a great option if you're searching for a stylish phone on a budget. It has the same Glyph interface as the other items in the series, which will flash in time to texts and ringtones and function as a useful camera timer. Even though it just has three LEDs instead of the standard eleven, it functions in the same manner as before.
The Phone's technology is its most crucial feature and it has once again exceeded expectations. With a 1300nit peak brightness when viewing HDR10+ content, the 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen is accurate and brilliant. And functional in-display fingerprint scanner is also available on this device..
A dual 50MP camera combination made up of a wide and ultrawide lens is placed on either side of that. While the experience's sensors aren't exactly the same as those on the Phone (2), they still perform well when taking pictures in both bright and dim lighting conditions, even though the latter occasionally has a bit too much artificial brightness.
It can compete with the Motorola Edge 40 Neo thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro and a 5000mAh battery gives it a full day's worth of battery life. Not to be ignored is the Nothing OS 2.5, which takes inspiration from dot matrix technology and provides one of the most elegant versions of Android 14.
Specs:
- Price:
$349 - Display:
6.7-inch AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate - Processor/Chipset:
MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro - RAM:
8GB - Storage:
128GB (non-expandable) - Camera Setup:
Dual 50 MP (wide) + 50 MP (ultrawide) - Battery Capacity:
5000 mAh - Charging Speed:
33W wired - Software Updates:
2 years of Android updates, 3 years of security patches - Build Quality:
Transparent back, plastic frame - Connectivity:
5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 - Water Resistance:
No official rating - Additional Features:
Glyph interface, unique design
Pros:
- Unique design.
- Good performance.
- Vibrant OLED display.
Cons:
- Design isn't for everyone.
- Camera is average.
- Some software bugs.
4. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
The Galaxy A15 5G is an excellent choice for those on a budget. From the Galaxy A13 5G, a lot has been improved, including an enhanced AMOLED display, the most recent version of Android, faster wired charging and improved cameras.
The A15 5G's appearance has also been updated; it now has an improved look and, when viewed from the back, resembles Samsung's more expensive A-series and even S series smartphones. At this budget, though, you can't expect anything more than a plastic build, and in our opinion, the Blue Black shade tends to seem a little cheesy.
Returning to the pros, the Full HD quality of the 6.5-inch AMOLED display results in reasonably sharp icons and text. It's perfect for watching videos in one sitting because the colors are strong and vivid. Although the MediaTek SoC is capable of handling basic programs rather well, its limited 4GB of RAM tends to make multitasking and app launches extremely slow. Fortunately, there is a microSD card slot available to increase the 128GB of storage.
Reviewers were impressed by the Galaxy A15 5G's cameras. For a change, the primary 50MP camera was able to take better pictures than just mediocre ones using the macro lens. Although the ultrawide was rather disappointing, at least it's available when you really need it. One of this phone's primary selling points is its battery life. Depending on your usage, the 5,000mAh battery can easily last you through a full day, if not longer.
Specs:
- Price:
$199.99 - Display:
6.5-inch AMOLED, 1080 x 2400 pixels - Processor/Chipset:
MediaTek Helio G80 - RAM:
4GB - Storage:
128GB (expandable via microSD) - Camera Setup:
Triple 50 MP (wide) + 5 MP (ultrawide) + 2 MP (macro) - Battery Capacity:
5000 mAh - Charging Speed:
15W wired - Software Updates:
2 years of Android updates, 4 years of security patches - Build Quality:
Plastic back, plastic frame - Connectivity:
5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 - Water Resistance:
No official rating - Additional Features:
Good display, solid build
Pros:
- Decent display.
- Solid build.
- Great battery life.
Cons:
- Slower performance.
- Basic cameras.
- Heavy UI.
5. iPhone SE
With Apple's powerful A15 Bionic Chip, the iPhone SE 2022 increases the performance of low-cost phones. This is the same processor that powers the iPhone 14 and the 13 series, and it absolutely destroys any Android phone when it comes to gaming and mobile video editing.
Additionally, the new iPhone SE 2022 has other photography features thanks to this technology, such as Smart HDR 4, Magic Fusion for enhanced detail and Photographic Styles, which were absent from the previous generation. Sadly, Apple did not provide Night mode for areas with dim lighting.
The most recent iPhone SE has the same design as the previous model, which means it has a large bezel and a small 4.7-inch display. However, some people might still prefer the older Touch ID button for fast device unlocking. For those who prefer compact phones, the iPhone SE 2022 is a fantastic option despite a few trade-offs.
The iPhone SE is the perfect choice for users who are on a budget but still want to enjoy the premium iOS experience.
Specs:
- Price:
$429 - Display:
4.7-inch Retina HD, 750 x 1334 pixels - Processor/Chipset:
Apple A15 Bionic - RAM:
4GB - Storage:
64GB, 128GB, 256GB (non-expandable) - Camera Setup:
Single 12 MP (wide) - Battery Capacity:
2018 mAh - Charging Speed:
20W wired - Software Updates:
5 years of iOS updates - Build Quality:
Glass front and back, aluminum frame - Connectivity:
4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 - Water Resistance:
IP67 - Additional Features:
Touch ID, compact design
Pros:
- Budget iOS.
- Fast performance.
- Compact size.
Cons:
- Outdated design.
- Small screen.
- Short battery life.
Conclusion
In this second part of our budget smartphone series, we’ve explored five more exceptional choices that offer excellent value without compromising too much on performance or design. From the iPhone SE with its unmatched Apple processing power to the Motorola Moto G84 with its reliable performance and clean software, there’s something for everyone.
To keep things manageable, we’ve split this review into parts. If you haven’t seen Part One yet, be sure to check it out for a look at top picks like the OnePlus 12R and Google Pixel 8a.
and as i told you before take your time to evaluate your needs before making a final decision.
