Top Ten Budget Smartphones to Buy in 2023 

If you’re looking for a new phone that won’t break the bank, you might be surprised by how many options you have. The budget smartphone market is booming, and there are some excellent devices that offer great features and performance for a fraction of the price of flagship models.

In this blog post, we’ll rank the top ten budget smartphones that are currently available or expected to launch in 2023, based on our own reviews and expert opinions from various sources. We’ll also highlight the pros and cons of each phone, and provide some tips on how to choose the best one for your needs.

1. Samsung Galaxy A54

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is one of the best cheap phones you can buy in 2023. It has a stunning 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a quad-camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, a 5000mAh battery with 25W fast charging, and a sleek design with IP67 water and dust resistance.

The Galaxy A54 runs on Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 4.0, which offers a smooth and intuitive user experience. It also supports 5G connectivity, NFC, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging. The only drawbacks are the plastic back, the lack of a headphone jack, and the mediocre performance of the Exynos 980 chipset.

The Galaxy A54 costs $349 / £299 / AU$499 and is available in four colors: black, white, blue, and violet.

2. Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is another excellent budget phone that delivers amazing value for money. It has a 6.2-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a dual-camera setup with a 12.2MP main sensor and an ultra-wide lens, a 4680mAh battery with 18W fast charging, and a compact design with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The Pixel 7a runs on Android 13 with Google’s stock software, which offers a clean and simple user interface. It also features Google’s signature camera software, which produces stunning photos and videos in any lighting condition. The phone also supports 5G connectivity, NFC, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.

The Pixel 7a costs $349 / £329 / AU$549 and is available in two colors: black and green.

3. Google Pixel 6a

The Google Pixel 6a is the smaller sibling of the Pixel 7a, but it still packs a punch for its price. It has a 5.8-inch OLED display with a standard refresh rate, a single-camera setup with a 12.2MP main sensor, a 3800mAh battery with 18W fast charging, and a similar design to the Pixel 7a.

The Pixel 6a runs on Android 13 with Google’s stock software as well, and it also benefits from Google’s camera software and features. The phone also supports 5G connectivity, NFC, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging.

The Pixel 6a costs $299 / £279 / AU$449 and is available in two colors: black and white.

4. Apple iPhone SE (2022)

The Apple iPhone SE (2022) is the best budget iPhone you can get in 2023. It has a 4.5-inch LCD display with Touch ID home button, a single-camera setup with a 12MP main sensor, a 2018mAh battery with wireless charging, and a classic design with IP67 water and dust resistance.

The iPhone SE (2022) runs on iOS 16 with Apple’s smooth and secure software. It also features the powerful Apple A15 Bionic chipset, which delivers fast and fluid performance. The phone also supports 4G connectivity, NFC, and Apple Pay.

The iPhone SE (2022) costs $399 / £379 / AU$599 and is available in three colors: black, white, and red.

5. OnePlus Nord N20 5G

The OnePlus Nord N20 5G is a great budget phone that offers a premium feel and experience. It has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a triple-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, an ultra-wide lens, and a macro lens, a 4500mAh battery with 30W fast charging, and a sleek design with a glass back and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

The Nord N20 5G runs on Android 13 with OnePlus’ OxygenOS 12, which offers a smooth and customizable user interface. It also features the Snapdragon 778G chipset, which delivers decent performance and supports 5G connectivity. The phone also supports NFC and has a headphone jack.

The Nord N20 5G costs $399 / £349 / AU$599 and is available in two colors: blue and gray.

6. Motorola Edge (2022)

The Motorola Edge (2022) is a stylish budget phone that offers a unique curved display and some flagship features. It has a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, a quad-camera setup with a 108MP main sensor, an ultra-wide lens, a telephoto lens, and a depth sensor, a 5000mAh battery with 30W fast charging, and a curved design with an IP52 splash resistance.

The Edge (2022) runs on Android 13 with Motorola’s My UX, which offers some useful gestures and features. It also features the Snapdragon 870 chipset, which delivers excellent performance and supports 5G connectivity. The phone also supports NFC, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, and has a headphone jack.

The Edge (2022) costs $499 / £449 / AU$699 and is available in two colors: black and green.

7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 is one of the best value-for-money budget phones you can buy in 2023. It has a massive 6.8-inch LCD display with a standard refresh rate, a quad-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor, an ultra-wide lens, a macro lens, and a depth sensor, a huge 6000mAh battery with 33W fast charging, and a plastic design with an IR blaster and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The Redmi Note 11 runs on Android 13 with Xiaomi’s MIUI 13, which offers a lot of features and customization options. It also features the MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset, which delivers good performance and supports 5G connectivity. The phone also supports NFC and has a headphone jack.

The Redmi Note 11 costs $249 / £199 / AU$349 and is available in four colors: black, white, blue, and green.

8. Oppo Reno8 Pro

The Oppo Reno8 Pro is a sleek and elegant budget phone that offers some premium features and performance. It has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a quad-camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, an ultra-wide lens, a telephoto lens, and a monochrome lens, a 4500mAh battery with 65W fast charging, and a glass design with an in-display fingerprint scanner.

The Reno8 Pro runs on Android 13 with Oppo’s ColorOS 12, which offers a smooth and colorful user interface. It also features the Snapdragon 778G chipset, which delivers decent performance and supports 5G connectivity. The phone also supports NFC and wireless charging.

The Reno8 Pro costs $449 / £399 / AU$649 and is available in two colors: black and blue.

9. Nokia G60 5G

The Nokia G60 5G is a durable and reliable budget phone that offers a pure Android experience and long battery life. It has a 6.5-inch LCD display with a standard refresh rate, a triple-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, an ultra-wide lens, and a depth sensor, a massive 6350mAh battery with 18W fast charging, and a rugged design with an IP68 water and dust resistance and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The G60 5G runs on Android 13 with Nokia’s Android One software, which offers a clean and secure user interface. It also features the MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset, which delivers good performance and supports 5G connectivity. The phone also supports NFC and has a headphone jack.

The G60 5G costs $299 / £249 / AU$449 and is available in two colors: black and gray.

10. Realme C35

The Realme C35 is the cheapest budget phone on this list, but it still offers some decent features and performance for its price. It has a 6.5-inch LCD display with a standard refresh rate, a triple-camera setup with a 13MP main sensor, a macro lens, and a depth sensor, a huge 6000mAh battery with 18W fast charging, and a plastic design with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

The C35 runs on Android 12 with Realme’s Realme UI 2.0, which offers a colorful and feature-rich user interface. It also features the MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, which delivers adequate performance and supports 4G connectivity. The phone also supports NFC and has a headphone jack.

The C35 costs $149 / £119 / AU$199 and is available in two colors: blue and black.

Conclusion

These are the top ten budget smartphones that you can buy in 2023. They all offer great value for money and some impressive features and performance for their price range. Whether you’re looking for a big screen, a long battery life, a good camera, or a fast processor, you’ll find something that suits your needs on this list.

Of course, there are many other budget phones that are available or expected to launch in 2023, so you might want to do some more research before making your final decision. You should also consider your personal preferences, your usage habits, your network compatibility, and your budget.

We hope this blog post has helped you narrow down your choices and find the best budget phone for you. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!