Today, the perfect Android telephones beneath $300 do not require you to compromise a superb expertise. As cellular know-how will get higher and extra inexpensive, you possibly can take pleasure in options like full 5G connectivity, good software program assist, and quick charging, all with out having to pay a fortune. Know what’s even higher? These sub-$300 telephones usually have some goodies like 3.5mm audio ports and growth slots, that are now not discovered on flagship gadgets.
At Android Central, we take a look at dozens of telephones per 12 months, together with ones which might be cheaper or flashy, so our suggestions include first-hand testing and opinions.
My prime decide is the CMF Telephone 1 by Nothing, a $200 cellphone that feels nothing like a price range decide. Not solely does it have a singular modular design, nevertheless it’s bought a top-class OLED show, cameras you’d usually discover on $400+ telephones, nice software program options, and a formidable software program replace dedication. However Nothing needed to compromise someplace to satisfy that $200 value level, which suggests NFC is not included.
That is why there are such a lot of different picks on this record, as a result of whereas the CMF Telephone 1 is the one good $200 cellphone I’ve ever used, another telephones right here would possibly fill a specific area of interest higher for you. Able to spend much less and nonetheless love the cellphone you get? Listed here are the perfect Android telephones you will get for lower than $300.
Nick grew up in a telecom-savvy family and has been reviewing telephones since 2011. Whether or not it is waxing poetic about Nokia’s glory days or flipping open the most recent foldable telephones, he is aware of what makes a superb cellphone and may also help you perceive which one to select.
At a look
Greatest total
Sporting a singular modular design with hot-swappable equipment and backs, the CMF Telephone 1 stands out among the many crowded pack. It is even bought highly effective cameras and a incredible processor, making this the perfect total decide.
Greatest assist
The Samsung Galaxy A25 5G affords an superior Tremendous AMOLED display, an enormous battery, class-leading software program replace assist and an entire lot extra, at a value that is simply too good to withstand.
Greatest design
There loads to like in regards to the Poco X6 Professional, however its design would be the first standout characteristic you see—particularly should you select the yellow vegan leather-based model. Plus, quick 67W charging, a terrific major digital camera, and plenty of options spherical it out.
Greatest digital camera
Is it any actual shock that we have chosen a Google Pixel cellphone for class of greatest digital camera? The Pixel 6a will persistently seize a incredible picture regardless of what specs would possibly make you assume, and that is what makes it actually nice.
Greatest show
The Redmi Notice 13 Professional is a well-rounded cellphone with nice total specs and a fair higher AMOLED show, that includes eye-friendly options and a stunning 12-bit shade palette.
6. Moto G Stylus 5G (2024)
Greatest with stylus
The Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) makes jotting down notes and exact display interactions a cakewalk. It is the perfect mid-range cellphone Motorola has ever made, but straightforward to seek out for beneath $300.
Greatest total
Nick has been reviewing telephones since 2011, utilizing all the things from dirt-cheap no-name manufacturers to the most costly flagships from corporations like Samsung and Google. He is an enormous fan of folding telephones and something breaks the mould. He is additionally an avid photographer and might generally be discovered carrying round three or 4 telephones at a time for digital camera comparisons.
The CMF Telephone 1 is probably the most thrilling price range cellphone I’ve ever used. It is also the one actually good $200 cellphone I’ve ever used and commonly feels extra like a $400 cellphone. The very first thing you will discover about it, although, is the distinctive modular design. The again is held on with 5 detachable screws and might be swapped out with a number of completely different colours and types from the corporate.
Nothing additionally launched official 3D printing guides, which means you can also make your personal equipment and backs or purchase one from the 3D printing neighborhood! A plethora of distinctive equipment are hot-swappable through the only giant thumbscrew on the underside proper, making it straightforward to pop on a kickstand, lanyard, or the rest you possibly can dream up.
Except for the design, the remainder of the cellphone is solely good. The intense OLED panel up entrance will not be solely great to have a look at in any mild nevertheless it’s additionally extremely eye-friendly. It is bought probably the most highly effective processor in its value class by far, supplying you with loads of energy for on a regular basis duties and surprisingly glorious gaming efficiency, as properly.
The one cause this cellphone would not get the award for greatest digital camera beneath $300 is as a result of the Pixel 6a exists, nevertheless it’s barely a step down from that cellphone. Plus, the CMF Telephone 1 takes significantly better portrait photographs than the Pixel due to the devoted portrait digital camera on the again and a greater background blurring algorithm than Google’s.
Lastly, Nothing OS is an outstanding OS that I choose over most flavors of Android. It not solely has a singular dot matrix-like model but in addition options loads of enjoyable dwelling display widgets, nice options, and three years of promised updates. Nothing commonly updates its OS with new options and safety patches, too, so that you by no means have to fret about feeling outdated.
Greatest assist
In typical A-series style, the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G manages to ship glorious worth for cash. The smartphone includes a 6.5-inch Tremendous AMOLED panel with a decision of 1080×2340 pixels and a 120Hz refresh fee. Certain, the waterdrop-style notch has change into a bit of lengthy within the tooth at this level, however the display will get fairly brilliant and works properly for on a regular basis utilization.
Powered by the corporate’s homegrown Exynos 1280 SoC, the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of inside storage. Whereas these usually are not top-of-the-line specs, they’re greater than sufficient for dealing with duties like internet looking and a few informal gaming. You even get an growth slot that may take up microSD playing cards of as much as 1TB in dimension, permitting you to hold just about your whole media library in your pocket.
The smartphone runs Android 14 (with Samsung’s latest One UI 6 overlay) and can stand up to 4 years of OS updates, in addition to 5 years of safety updates. Which means you get Android updates till Android 18! This glorious replace coverage alone makes the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G the most effective Android telephones in its value vary.
Talking of cameras, there is a triple-lens setup on the again with a 50MP major unit, an 8MP ultra-wide module, and a 2MP macro sensor. The smartphone can shoot some respectable pictures in well-lit circumstances, however low-light photographs are largely unimpressive. As you’d count on, the macro lens is usually ineffective and solely exists to pad the spec sheet. Up entrance, there is a 13MP unit for all of your selfies and video calls. The entire package deal is backed by a 5,000mAh battery that comes with 25W wired charging assist.
Greatest design
Harish Jonnalagadda tries to make sense of the befuddling maze that’s the Asian smartphone business. Earlier than switching to telephones, he used to put in writing about PC {hardware}, overlaying motherboards and video playing cards. When he is not enjoying with the most recent telephones, he is both studying on his Kindle or attempting to clear his backlog of video games on Steam. He will also be discovered shouting on the TV over the weekends at Arsenal’s continued woes.
If the image above would not already clue you in, the Poco X6 Professional has appears to be like to kill and the construct high quality to match. The yellow shade appears to be like significantly placing and chic with its vegan leather-based again, and the AMOLED show on the entrance is among the many perfect you will discover on mid-range telephones, a lot much less within the sub-$300 value class.
Poco’s selection of a quick processor, loads of RAM, and quick UFS 4.0 storage imply this cellphone feels quicker than most in its class, supplying you with loads of energy for multitasking and gaming, alike. The draw back is that the processor is a bit of too highly effective to run with no costlier inside cooling answer, so the cellphone will get fairly sizzling throughout longer gaming classes.
Fortunately, that highly effective processor would not negatively have an effect on battery life. Fairly the alternative, really! Our reviewer, Harish, stated that the Poco X6 featured “standout battery life” with ultra-fast 67W wired charging assist.
The Poco X6 comes with Xiaomi’s HyperOS, constructed on Android 14, which sports activities loads of handy options, nice UI design, and three years of promised updates. Which means you will see Android 16 plus one further 12 months of safety updates earlier than it is best to think about upgrading once more.
Lastly, the primary digital camera is sort of good however the the rest of the cameras aren’t price utilizing in any respect—significantly that ineffective 2MP macro digital camera. We’re nonetheless undecided why some corporations really feel like a 2MP digital camera is price placing on any cellphone in 2024 however we might advocate simply not utilizing it.
Greatest digital camera
Nick has been reviewing telephones since 2011, utilizing all the things from dirt-cheap no-name manufacturers to the most costly flagships from corporations like Samsung and Google. He is an enormous fan of folding telephones and something breaks the mould. He is additionally an avid photographer and might generally be discovered carrying round three or 4 telephones at a time for digital camera comparisons.
For generations now, Google Pixel telephones have been lauded for his or her glorious cameras that take probably the most consistently-good photos round. That is largely partly to Google’s unbelievable software program, which makes use of an clever HDR+ algorithm that continuously takes photographs, then combines a number of into one wonderful image mechanically.
For those who evaluate the spec sheet for this cellphone versus different cameras—even ones on this record—you will in all probability surprise how a 12 megapixel digital camera may probably outclass a 50MP or greater sensor. The reply is that Google would not want extra megapixels to make a terrific image, and that is all due to what I stated within the paragraph above.
I’ve commonly known as Pixel telephones the greatest telephones for fogeys and pet house owners due to their potential to seize crisp pictures of objects in movement—on this case, meaning the children and pets that refuse to carry nonetheless for a photograph.
However whereas the digital camera is best-in-class, you will even be pleasantly shocked on the efficiency of the Tensor G1 processor contained in the Pixel 6a. It is twice as quick because the processor within the Galaxy A25 above and might play video games and multitask higher due to it. Tensor is understood for getting a bit on the nice and cozy facet, although, so do not plan to play cutting-edge video games for too lengthy at a time.
The actual draw back to selecting up a Pixel 6a at this level is that Android 15 is the final main OS replace the cellphone will obtain, as official OS updates finish in July 2025. You will nonetheless get two extra years of safety updates, no less than, however know that the brand new options you get subsequent Summer time are the final new options you will get.
Greatest show
Harish Jonnalagadda tries to make sense of the befuddling maze that’s the Asian smartphone business. Earlier than switching to telephones, he used to put in writing about PC {hardware}, overlaying motherboards and video playing cards. When he is not enjoying with the most recent telephones, he is both studying on his Kindle or attempting to clear his backlog of video games on Steam. He will also be discovered shouting on the TV over the weekends at Arsenal’s continued woes.
In terms of shows, few look nearly as good because the one on the Redmi Notice 13 Professional. This attractive 6.67-inch AMOLED panel options these deep blacks and vibrant colours AMOLEDs are recognized for, and it punches that second half up a notch with 12-bit Dolby Imaginative and prescient assist.
For those who love watching films in your cellphone, that is the one to get as that show will ship probably the most correct colours, widest dynamic vary, and loads of brightness to see clearly even in brilliant daylight. Higher but, Xiaomi outfitted the show with eye-friendly capabilities together with TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue mild, circadian pleasant, and even flicker-free due to DC-like dimming at excessive brightness and 1920Hz PWM dimming at low brightness.
On prime of that show is tremendous sturdy Gorilla Glass Victus, a kind of glass you usually solely discover on telephones tons of of {dollars} costlier. And final however definitely not least is Xiaomi’s Moist Contact characteristic which makes it straightforward to make use of the contact display even when your palms are moist. Attempt that along with your present cellphone and you will find that it is not possible to precisely sort or swipe when water is on the glass.
Whereas our reviewer Harish wasn’t impressed with the cellphone when it launched in September 2023, Xiaomi has since up to date the cellphone with Android 14, fastened tons of bugs, and the brand new lower cost all come collectively to make this a considerably higher worth than it was once.
Whereas Xiaomi was very sluggish to replace this cellphone to Android 14—seven months after the cellphone and Android 14 formally launched—the Redmi Notice 13 Professional nonetheless will get two extra years of OS and safety updates, although, so Xiaomi has loads of time to make up for the sluggish first platform replace.
Greatest with stylus
Derrek resides on the Greatest Coast, initially from San Diego, and now dwelling in Seattle. He is a long-time cellular tech fanatic, beginning with an obsession with Nokia that started on the age of 12. Since then, he is been lovingly recognized by most of his mates because the “Telephone Man.” When he is not speaking tech, he is both figuring out, mountaineering, enjoying video video games (Ps), or making movies.
Motorola actually reinvented itself over the previous 12 months because it launched not solely our favourite foldable cellphone ever, but in addition a line of budget-friendly telephones that appear and feel wonderful. The Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 is the right instance of this, melding a stylus design glad in vegan leather-based, all whereas housing a beautiful stylus contained in the cellphone’s svelte body.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor inside is not the quickest chip on this record, nevertheless it’s nonetheless quicker than the one discovered within the Samsung Galaxy A25 close to the highest of this record. After all, the primary draw of this cellphone is not this efficiency although, it is the stylus home contained in the physique.
Motorola has a collection of software program customized to work with the stylus, and though this is not an lively stylus such as you’ll discover on costlier Samsung telephones which have stylus assist, it is nonetheless good to have one to jot down fast notes or annotate pictures and screenshots. Particularly because it’s all the time contained in the cellphone ready to be shortly used!
Motorola additionally upgraded the cameras this 12 months, outfitting it with some surprisingly good picture seize together with an ultrawide-angle lens. Our reviewer, Derrek, was actually impressed with the picture high quality and particularly lauded the cellphone for that characteristic.
Whereas Motorola ships this one with Android 14 and its glorious Hiya UX—full with all our favourite Motorola gestures like double-chop to activate the flashlight—the Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 will solely get up to date to Android 15, plus three years of safety updates to make sure you really feel secure on-line. For those who do not care about tons of updates and need to prioritize a stylus, it is a nice selection for beneath $300.
How to decide on
Whereas there isn’t any doubt that the greatest Android telephones give you an unmatched consumer expertise — full with options like top-tier cameras and wi-fi charging — these gadgets do not come low cost. If you cannot (or simply do not need to) spend hundreds of {dollars} on a flagship cellphone, we propose looking at one of many many choices accessible beneath the $300 value level. Certain, these do miss out on some nice-to-have options present in costly telephones and are not supported for lengthy, however they cowl all of the fundamentals, whereas additionally having some extras. So, earlier than making your choice, do check out what options you want probably the most.
Our best choice is the CMF Telephone 1, a superb decide at simply $200 with an choice to improve the RAM and storage for $80 extra. Even at that value, it is nonetheless a greater cellphone than another on this record, together with a brilliant and exquisite—but in addition eye-friendly—OLED show, a strong processor, the second-best cameras on this record, and a singular modular design that you could 3D print elements for. It is an unbelievably enjoyable cellphone that blew me away from the second I attempted it.
And remember in regards to the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G should you’re searching for some severe long-term worth. Whereas the processor is not the quickest on this record, it has the longest software program assist promise of all of them—5 years! Which means it’s going to see Android 18 earlier than Samsung drops assist, one thing that no different cellphone on the record can declare. That is nice should you like to carry on to your telephones for a very long time.
Lastly, if we’re evaluating inexpensive telephones with people who aren’t so inexpensive, we will not ignore the Moto G Stylus 5G (2024). This factor comes with a swanky vegan leather-based again panel and an built-in stylus that makes it appear and feel extraordinarily premium. There’s even NFC assist for contactless funds, one other characteristic that is generally present in flagship telephones.
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Testing telephones at Android Central entails rather more than merely booting up a tool to make sure it really works. We are able to use telephones with a shopper mindset as a result of we are customers, along with Android fans and product testers. Not like some websites that rely solely on benchmark applications and lab checks to confirm efficiency, we use smartphones in real-life situations to higher perceive how a tool will carry out throughout regular, day-to-day use.
This entails personally hitting the streets to see how a cellphone’s digital camera will carry out throughout the day and night time, and evaluating photos from two gadgets facet by facet to see how they differ. Our testing entails working a number of performance-heavy apps concurrently to see if a cellphone will overheat or swiftly lose battery life. It entails booting up graphics-intensive video games on the highest settings to see if the pictures will lag or stutter, and it means draining the battery of a cellphone to zero to check the velocity at which it should recharge.
This barely scratches the floor of each testing metric we apply to every new system, so try our information to how Android Central checks and opinions telephones to study extra.
