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The TCL 50 XL 5G includes an impressive amount of specs for $160. This is one of the cheapest phones I’ve seen so far that includes a 120Hz refresh rate display and NFC for Google Pay and contactless payments. It also includes 6GB of memory, which made the phone breeze through multitasking during my testing. But the TCL 50 XL 5G does show compromises from its low price in other ways.
Even though it has a big 5,010-mAh battery, it drains quickly -- possibly because it’s powering a large 6.78-inch 1080p display with a low-end processor. Cameras struggle to take photos with clean, crisp details, in both well-lit and lowlight situations. It’s carrier-locked to T-Mobile as well, making it only useful when running on the magenta carrier or its Metro prepaid brand. And it’s also only set for one software update and three years of security updates, which matches what Motorola provides but is still low compared to Samsung. But if you're on T-Mobile, the TCL 50 XL 5G is a serious value for its $160, and helps excuse some of its faults. But you should still be aware of them.
Motorola’s $200 Moto G 5G for 2024 arrived with a splash. The phone kept many highlights of its higher-priced $250 2023 model like a 120Hz refresh rate screen and dual speakers. The Moto G 5G also has an improved design and functionality with a new vegan leather look and NFC for contactless payments. And its cameras can take photos with decent color accuracy, despite soft details.
But performance and a short software update timeline both hurt the Moto G 5G. While the phone is capable of running all sorts of apps and games, multitasking on its small 4GB of RAM is challenging. Even with Motorola’s RAM boost feature, which simulates an additional 4GB of RAM using built-in storage, apps would often need to reload when swapping between them. And Motorola has not budged from its policy of providing one major software update and three years of security updates to the Moto G line, which limits the number of years you can safely use the phone before needing to replace it.
The $200 Moto G Stylus doesn't have 5G, but instead includes a built-in stylus along with a decent 50-megapixel main camera. The Stylus did a nice job taking photos while I was in a variety of environments, both indoors and outdoors. I particularly enjoyed the phone's take on Portrait mode, and it captured a clear photo of the plant wall in CNET's New York office that I use for photo testing. The 6.5-inch 720p display is also able to run at a consistent 90Hz refresh rate, providing smooth animations while navigating apps and reading websites.
The phone is otherwise let down by Motorola's software and security update policy for its G series of phones, covering only one software update and three years of security updates. That, combined with the lack of 5G or NFC, means that while it's a great choice for better pictures, there are several ways this phone could become left behind as the years pass. If you plan on using this phone for only two to three years, you could get a lot of value out of this device.
Samsung's Galaxy A03S at $160 (roughly £126, AU$240) could still be a great fit for someone looking for the cheapest possible phone that can handle most essential tasks. The phone's 6.5-inch screen, capped at 720p resolution, is good for reading the news, watching videos and playing games. Despite some performance lag found during our review, the phone is good at multitasking. The phone's tiny 32GB of storage space could fill up fast, so if you're considering this phone, it may be worthwhile to think about expanding the storage with a microSD card.
The A03S, first released last year, is getting four years of security updates, meaning that there are still three left. It's less clear how many Android version updates are scheduled, and unlike the newer A14, it doesn't have 5G support or NFC. While those two benefits along with the A14's 64GB of internal storage are worth the extra $30 price increase, you can still get some mileage out of the A03S if you're simply looking for the cheapest Samsung phone possible.
Try it before you buy it: It's one thing to ogle over a phone, but it's another to actually try it out in a store.
Decide on Android or iPhone: Do you have a lot of iPhone apps and Apple subscriptions? Stick with an iPhone. Likewise, if you've invested in loads of Android apps, you'll want to stay on that side of the fence. Otherwise, it's simple enough to switch platforms.
Pick the most important feature: Is it screen size? Camera quality? Battery life? This will help narrow down your choices.
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Every phone on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET's expert reviews team. We actually use the phone, test the features, play games and take photos. We assess any marketing promises that a company makes about its phones. If we find something we don't like, be it battery life or build quality, we tell you all about it.
We examine every aspect of a phone during testing:
We test all of a phone's cameras (both front and back) in a variety of conditions: from outdoors under sunlight to dimmer indoor locales and nighttime scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We run a series of real-world battery tests to see how long a phone lasts under everyday use.
We take into account additional phone features, like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, fast charging, foldable displays and other useful extras. We weigh all of our experiences and testing against the price, so you know whether a phone represents good value.
Read more: How we test phones
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Phones under $200 just focus on the essentials, which means you'll have to make some compromises. You'll be able to make phone calls, text, video chat, browse the web and run most Android apps on these devices. You shouldn't expect NFC for mobile payments, 5G connectivity or -- unfortunately -- much included storage space. Though in 2024, we're starting to see more of those features appear on sub-$200 phones.
These phones otherwise function well and could be what you're looking for if all you need is a good communication device. They also include features that are becoming increasingly harder to find in more expensive phones, such as an included charger in the box, a headphone jack on the phone and a microSD card slot for adding more storage.
If you're finding that your phone needs go beyond basic communication, you may want to consider phones that are under $300 or phones under $500, if you can expand your budget.
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Phones under $100 do exist, but they usually come with significant compromises.
For instance, the TCL 30 Z is one of the cheapest Android 14 phones available, at $70. Although we haven't tested this phone, I have noticed that it uses an antiquated micro-USB port for charging.
Most other Android phones and wireless headphones, even those in the budget price range, now use USB-C for charging, meaning you might find yourself scrambling for a charger if you misplace it. The phone is also getting only one major software update to Android 15 and two years of security updates, which is short but comparable to some phones sold under $300.
We haven't reviewed any flip phones recently, but anyone looking for a device made specifically for phone calls should be well-served by the most available options. Flip phones support 4G signals and -- more importantly -- HD Voice for clearer voice calls. Some flip phones even support modern apps like WhatsApp and Google Assistant, albeit in a more limited way compared with how these services function on a smartphone. The Nokia 2789 Flip, for instance, is a flip phone running on the brand's KaiOS, which supports downloadable apps and services.
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Source: cnet.com