Best Phone Under $500 for 2023: All the Features You Need

You might assume you could lay our a fortune to get a superb telephone, however that is merely not the case. The perfect telephones below $500 actually do not sacrifice a lot compared to units with a lot increased worth tags. The midrange area has a ton of competitors that provide options like high-refresh-rate screens, 5G and pictures processing software program. You will want to simply accept some tradeoffs, although, resembling lower-quality cameras or an older processor. 

The perfect telephones below $500 might hit a lot of the options in your guidelines. In search of an enormous 6.5-inch display screen? Many of those telephones have that, or there are additionally smaller shows if that is your choice. Want an awesome digicam? You will discover that in most of those picks. Most of those telephones do not skimp on software program updates both, with their makers promising at minimal three years of safety updates.

There are some compromises made to maintain prices low, and every firm takes a distinct strategy to make these cuts much less noticeable. Apple’s iPhone SE and Google’s Pixel 6A, as an example, have a smaller display screen and older digicam setup, but embrace new processors and software program from these firms. Samsung’s Galaxy A53 has a spacious display screen and spectacular battery life, though it runs on a much less highly effective processor than the Galaxy S22. And the Moto G Stylus 5G takes good images, supplies a roomy 256GB of area and throws in a stylus, however Motorola does not present software program assist for so long as its opponents.

Pictures and video particularly are areas the place the telephones on this worth bracket take a noticeable hit compared to their dearer counterparts. Nevertheless, photo-processing software program ought to assist decide up among the slack. For example, whereas the iPhone SE has a single 12-megapixel digicam that does not assist night time pictures, its A15 Bionic chip does enable for Apple’s Deep Fusion processing. It is a related scenario for the Pixel 6A, which makes use of a 12-megapixel fundamental digicam and a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam, but can improve these images with processing powered by the telephone’s Tensor chip.

You possibly can see the professionals and cons of every of those telephones beneath, with extra particulars out there in our full critiques.

What’s the finest telephone below $500

The Google Pixel 6A’s stable digicam and premium design make it the perfect Android telephone below $500 proper now. So long as the Pixel 7 is not on sale. The Pixel 6A usually accomplishes its meant goal of offering lots for much less. The digicam could also be a step down from the Pixel 7, however it takes crisp and colourful images for a telephone of its worth. You additionally get the identical eye-catching design and Pixel-specific software program options like Magic Eraser and Dwell Translate.

We must always warn you that the Pixel 7A is rumored to be introduced at Google I/O on Could 10. When you can wait till then, you would possibly be capable of snag the 7A or get the 6A at a decreased worth.

Finest telephones below $500

The Pixel 6A replaces the Pixel 5A because the $449 budget-friendly model of its flagship telephone. CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco known as it the “finest Android telephone below $500” in her Pixel 6A evaluate, calling out the way it retains the identical Tensor chip seen within the $599 Pixel 6 and lots of of its options.

The telephone is barely smaller than the Pixel 6, that includes a 6.1-inch OLED show and a refresh fee of 60Hz. And it has the same digicam to the Pixel 5A, together with a 12.2-megapixel fundamental digicam and a 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam. However by together with the Tensor chip, images can profit from its Actual Tone pores and skin tone characteristic, Face Unblur, Evening Sight for darker pictures and the Magic Eraser for eradicating undesirable components from a photograph.

The Samsung Galaxy A53 contains lots of the finest options seen within the Galaxy S22 line, with just a few tradeoffs to hit that cheaper price. The telephone features a 6.5-inch AMOLED display screen with a 2,400×1,080-pixel decision, 5G assist and a long-lasting 5,000-mAh battery. The telephone additionally comes with a 64-megapixel fundamental digicam, 12-megapixel ultrawide digicam, 5-megapixel macro digicam and 5-megapixel depth digicam.

However a specific excessive level for this telephone is Samsung’s pledge to supply 4 years of software program assist, along with delivery with Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI 4.1. Nevertheless, Samsung simply introduced a brand new model of this telephone, known as the Galaxy A54 5G, which we’re trying ahead to testing quickly. 

Learn our Samsung Galaxy A53 5G evaluate.

The $429 iPhone SE is a mixture of an older design with the most recent smartphone options, together with Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and 5G assist. It is also one of many few telephones available on the market that features a smaller, 4.7-inch display screen.

It is that throwback design, which continues the final form that Apple has used since 2014, that could possibly be what you’re keen on or dislike most about this telephone. If you need a bigger iPhone on this worth vary, you may also think about the iPhone 11, and get an even bigger display screen and Face ID. However that telephone doesn’t embrace 5G connectivity.

The telephone additionally solely contains one 12-megapixel fundamental digicam, which doesn’t assist night time mode. Most different telephones on this roundup embrace a number of cameras and options like night time mode, making the omission noticeable. Nevertheless, images make up for this by together with the Deep Fusion photo-processing approach to reinforce medium-to-low gentle images, and Good HDR4 processing for enhancing coloration and distinction. CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland did discover that video shot in 4K decision at 60 frames per second is especially good on the iPhone SE, however it won’t embrace the Cinematic Mode seen on the iPhone 13.

Learn our Apple iPhone SE evaluate.

You are receiving worth alerts for Apple iPhone SE (2022)

The $500 Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) is likely one of the finest stylus-equipped telephones you may get proper now, particularly for the value. You get Android 12, 5G connectivity, a big 6.8-inch display screen and a spacious 256GB of storage. Sadly, the telephone is just promised one software program replace and three years of safety updates, which is a a lot shorter timeline than the 4 years promised by Samsung for the Galaxy A53.

But if you need a stylus-equipped telephone, the following step-up choice is the considerably dearer Galaxy S22 Extremely at $1,200.

Learn our Moto G Stylus 5G evaluate.

With the launch of the iPhone 14 sequence, Apple discontinued the $500 iPhone 11, however it’s nonetheless broadly out there. It is likely to be just a few generations previous, however this telephone continues to be greater than succesful, dealing with gaming effectively and outfitted with two excellent rear cameras. It’s lacking 5G assist, which is more and more enhancing as wi-fi carriers put money into the community, however the telephone will work positive on LTE and Wi-Fi. The iPhone 11 additionally doesn’t assist MagSafe equipment, which had been launched alongside the iPhone 12.

Simply notice that some locations could also be promoting refurbished variations of the telephone since Apple itself is not promoting new iPhone 11 fashions. Finest Purchase doesn’t carry any unlocked fashions, so you will have to enroll in a service plan by both AT&T, Verizon, T-Cellular or Dash.

Learn our Apple iPhone 11 evaluate.

You are receiving worth alerts for Apple iPhone 11

The Nothing Telephone 1 is technically out there within the US for $299, however solely by a beta program that’s promoting a global mannequin with restricted US provider compatibility. Whereas the corporate does plan to formally launch a future telephone for the North American market, this telephone continues to be value a glance in nations the place it is out there. It gives a placing design and first rate specs for the cash, even at its increased £399 UK worth (which converts to roughly AU$700).

The Nothing Telephone 1 is adorned with LED strips on the again, every of which is known as a “glyph,” that gentle up for alerts and notifications. That design is accompanied by two 50-megapixel cameras: a large angle and an ultrawide. Across the entrance is a 6.55-inch 120Hz show with a 2,400-by-1,080-pixel decision and a 16-megapixel selfie digicam. The telephone runs on a Snapdragon 778G Plus chip, with fashions that begin with 8GB of reminiscence and 128GB of storage.

All that quantities to a telephone that compares effectively inside the worth vary, particularly given its digicam high quality and appears. 

How we take a look at telephones

Each telephone on this record has been completely examined by CNET’s skilled critiques crew. We truly use the telephone, take a look at the options, play video games and take images. We assess any advertising and marketing guarantees that an organization makes about its telephones. And if we discover one thing we do not like, be it battery life or construct high quality, we let you know all about it. 

We look at each facet of a telephone throughout testing:

• Show
• Design and really feel
• Processor efficiency
• Battery life
• Digital camera high quality
• Options

We take a look at all of a telephone’s cameras (each back and front) in a wide range of situations: from outside below daylight to dimmer indoor locales and night time time scenes (for any out there night time modes). We additionally evaluate our findings towards equally priced fashions. We have now a sequence of actual world battery assessments to see how lengthy a telephone lasts below on a regular basis use.

We consider extra telephone options like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, quick charging, foldable shows and different helpful extras. And we, in fact, weigh all of our experiences and testing towards the value so you recognize whether or not a telephone represents good worth or not.

Learn extra: How we take a look at telephones

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