Ever wondered why a good number of people keep buying cheap phones? No, it’s not just the price. There are several other amazing perks of owning cheaper smartphones in 2023. And although Apple keeps on churning out the coolest iPhones that may be tempting, there are certain areas where inexpensive phones outperform high-end ones. Let’s delve into some qualities that make some best budget smartphones in the market a good option.
Firstly, most of the best budget smartphones are unarguably cheaper and offer users better value for their money. When buying a new phone, budget is an important consideration for almost everyone—unless you’re a moneyed high-end gadget-obsessed geek. Then we can make exceptions. After that, other important features and specifications come into play. Such as having bigger batteries than most flagship smartphones, making them more reliable for longer hours and even days.
The cheapest smartphones also have sturdier designs, as they’re often made with plastic instead of glass. And this makes them even less likely to break when dropped. As well as unique chipsets, suitable for extended gaming sessions without causing the phone to overheat. Tons of cheap phones in the market equally offer impressive fingerprint scanners, sensors, processors, cameras, etc.
You can check out our list of best android phones to buy in 2023. Or for those looking for new android phones in 2023. And while you’re at it, discover the hidden iOs 16 features on your iPhone that you weren’t privy to. With that out of the way, we’ll review 6 of the best budget smartphones to cop this 2023. The good thing is that most of these best budget android phones of 2023 on this list are under $100. So, from the lowest-priced phones to the moderately priced ones, let’s dig.
Top Best Budget Smartphones 2023
Blackview OSCAL C20
The Blackview OSCAL C20 is one best budget smartphones in the market that you can buy without sacrificing performance. It has a 6.08-inch display, a 3380 battery, and Android 11 OS. This fancy device was specifically made to satisfy young people who wish to hop on the cool phones trend on a low budget.
This gorgeous budget phone features a very stylish design with a plastic and glass casing. And curved edge display that allows you to comfortably grip it. It has a back panel with a minimalistic look and a refined matte texture. The Blackview OSCAL C20 boasts a 155.4mm by 73.3mm height and weighs 152g.
Nearly all the cheapest smartphones in the market within this price range run on the Android 11 operating system. And the OSCAL C20’s OS is the super-fast Android 11 GO Edition optimized for budget devices. The Blackview OSCAL C20 equally comes with a 3380mAh battery that can last a whole day.
To provide an immersive viewing experience, the device has a stunning HD display quality that allows for 720p quality settings. An ideal choice for streaming videos and playing games online. What’s more? You can capture your memories in good detail with the dual camera. The camera setup features a 5MP rear camera that offers different professional photography modes. And a 2MP front camera with a face unlock tool.
Another feature that makes the Blackview OSCAL C20 a perfect budget phone choice is that it provides improved performance with reduced energy consumption. Which is all thanks to a Unisoc SC7731E chipset with a quad-core processor. The phone equally comes with 32GB of built-in storage, expandable up to 128 GB, dual SIMs, a 3G network, FM radio, etc. And it’s available in four unique colors—Blue, Green, Purple, and Midnight Black.
Samsung Galaxy A02s
We all know that Samsung offers some of the best budget smartphones. And most of them from their Galaxy A series are designed to provide a balance between functionality, and affordability. Among these phones is the Samsung Galaxy A03s, which is not only unbelievably cheap but also has very high performance.
The Samsung Galaxy A02s is available in black or white and features a 6.5-inch TFT display with a 720 x 1520 pixel resolution. Plus 3 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage that is built to store more than enough of your stuff and it can even expand its memory with microSDXC.
It is equally designed with a glass front, plastic back, and a plastic frame. As well as a Qualcomm SDM450 Snapdragon 450 Octa-core processor and Adreno 506 GPU.
If you want high definition camera, the Samsung Galaxy A02s camera isn’t it. The phone has a triple camera on the back with 13 MP (wide) + 2 MP (macro) + 2 MP (depth), and a 5 MP camera on the front for all your photography needs when the angle and lighting are right.
Other features include an A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, USB Type-C 2.0, FM radio, RDS, and recording. As well as a Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by). Plus, it comes with a non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery that charges at lightning speed.
Apart from the poor camera quality, one drawback to fully enjoying the potential inherent in this amazing budget smartphone with an unbeatable price is the android 11 operating system.
Realme C35
The Realme C35 is one slick budget phone that takes inspiration from the latest iPhones or android adaptations with similar designs. With its flat edges, and plastic back that looks just like glass. This behemoth of a device weighs 164 x 75 x 8.1mm and 189g, but the separate power and volume buttons on the sides make it comfortable to use. The fingerprint sensor is built into the power button, which is a clever touch from Realme.
The 6.6in IPS LCD display is better than expected, with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408 that enhances all content. While the budget price might easily fool some people, the Realme C35 packs some very impressive features. Like a 3.5mm headphone jack and a single speaker.
The Realme C35 Unisoc Tiger T616 processor isn’t exactly the best, but it’s more than just capable with 4- or 6GB of RAM backing it up. The Realme C35 also boasts a 50Mp wide camera with an f/1.8 aperture, along with a 2Mp macro and a 0.3Mp sensor. Although the 5000mAh battery is quite big, the 18W charger takes about 2 to 3 hours to power up fully.
These cool and unique designs of the Realme C35 are perfect for people who don’t want to break the bank or skimp on performance and quality. And with Android 11 OS, just know that you’re getting a modern and reliable operating system.
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
If you’re searching for the best 5G phones with a stylus, look no further. The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G is your best bet. This device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 695 processor, providing mmWave and Sub6 5G connectivity. It also has Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.1 capabilities. All are powered by a 5,000mAh battery that offers impressive battery life, lasting for up to two days of use.
The phone even has a total of 512GB of storage, with 256GB coming from internal storage and another 256GB from the microSD card. Another cool feature of the Moto G Stylus 5G is that the device runs on Android 12 OS. The Moto app guides users through the customization process and offers a simple setup procedure.
Aside from these, the Moto G Stylus 5G boasts a fingerprint sensor built into the power button. This sensor allows for secure and easy access to any part of the phone. Cool right?. What is cooler is that the sensor can store up to 10 fingerprints, making it convenient for multiple users. The left side of the device equally features a microSD and SIM port, while the bottom houses the stylus, speaker, USB-C port, and headphone jack. The phone comes with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a charging brick, which is a bonus in today’s budget smartphone market.
When the stylus is removed, a small, sheer stylus icon pops up and allows you to take notes, and write messages or emails. The stylus device is responsive enough to not just the writing feature but also the editing, autocorrecting, and delete features. And you can learn how to use the stylus features from the phone’s built-in tutorial. The Moto G Stylus 5G is equipped with OS upgrade capacity and bi-monthly security updates for three years. Definitely, one of the best budget smartphones to buy this year.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is inspired by the highly sought-after Galaxy S23 series. The device features a 6.4″ FHD+ AMOLED display with a rapid refresh rate of 120Hz, powered by a Samsung Exynos 1380 processor and supported by 128GB of storage, which can be expanded up to 1TB using a microSD card. There’s no need to quiver in fear about this phone eating up storage space.
The phone’s upgraded camera setup includes a 50MP primary sensor for superior low-light performance and dynamic range, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP macro camera for incredibly cool close-up shots. It also has a 32MP selfie shooter at the front that is capable of recording in 4K resolution. How crazy is that?
The Galaxy A54 has numerous other features, including Wi-Fi 6, 5G connectivity, and eSIM, ensuring you stay connected to the world around you. It operates on Android 13 with One UI 5.1, providing a smooth and intuitive user experience. The phone comes in black and purple and is reasonably priced at $450, just like last year’s A53 5G model. It is undoubtedly one of the best budget smartphones of 2023.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11
The Realme C35 is one good budget phone to buy in 2023. With its flat edges, and plastic back that looks just like glass. it draws inspiration from the latest iPhones and android phone adaptations with similar designs.
This behemoth of a device weighs 164 x 75 x 8.1mm and 189g, but the separate power and volume buttons on the sides make it comfortable to use. The fingerprint sensor is built into the power button, which is a very clever touch from Realme.
The 6.6in IPS LCD display is better than expected, boasting a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2408. While the budget price might easily fool some people, the Realme C35 has some very impressive features. Like a 50Mp wide camera with an f/1.8 aperture, along with a 2Mp macro and a 0.3Mp sensor, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a single speaker.
The Realme C35 Unisoc Tiger T616 processor isn’t exactly the best, but it’s more than just capable with 4- or 6GB of RAM backing it up. Although the 5000mAh battery is quite big, the 18W charger takes about 2 to 3 hours to power up fully.
These cool and unique designs of the Realme C35 are perfect for people who don’t want to break the bank or skimp on performance and quality. And with Android 11 OS, just know that you’re getting a modern and reliable operating system.