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The Moto G Power 5G is currently the cheapest phone I'm aware of that has 256GB of internal storage space. It's a lot of space and is perfect for someone who downloads a lot of movies and music to enjoy when you don't have a consistent internet connection. The phone's 6.5-inch, 1080p display runs at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate too, making movies, applications, websites and games look especially nice.
If you need even more space, you can expand it further with a microSD card. Like many phones in the $200 to $300 price range, the Power 5G includes a headphone jack.
Whereas Motorola makes the Power 5G a media machine for its price, it does cut back in terms of its cameras. Like many phones in this price range, it's good for outdoor photography but is quite bad at getting details in low-light environments.
If what you need is lots of storage space above all else, the Moto G Power 5G is worth a look.
The Light Phone 2 is a very different kind of phone. It's meant for people seeking freedom from the constant stream of notifications, but still want a phone that looks nice. Despite its somewhat limited functionality, this phone still costs $299.
The Light Phone 2 supports texts, phone calls, music playback, podcasts, mobile hotspot functionality and limited GPS support for directions on its E Ink screen. It does not have a camera, web browser, email access or other common apps like news or messaging apps.
My colleague Jessica Fierro gave the Light Phone 2 a try, and she enjoyed how the phone helped her stay more focused on the world around her. She found the slower texting speed on the E Ink display to be challenging to adjust to, and could not fully make the switch because for work she needs some degree of social media access to stay updated on trends.
The absence of many modern features is the entire point of the Light Phone 2. It's a device for people who intentionally just want essential communications on a screen that's more like a Kindle's display than the one you'd find on a Samsung Galaxy device.
The Light Phone 2 is certainly not for everybody, but it could be worth considering for someone who wants their phone to do less. Fans of conventional phones should consider the wealth of feature phones and flip phones that still exist first -- which are often free with a carrier deal or available for under $100.
Admittedly, I'm cheating by getting this phone into the list, but Google's Pixel 6A has been discounted to $320 a lot lately and is an easy recommendation when it's been discounted into a budget phone range.
Regularly $349, the Pixel 6A won our Editors' Choice Award last year. In her review, CNET's Lisa Eadicicco praised the phone for its great camera, Pixel-exclusive features like Magic Eraser, its colorful design and being among the first to get new Android updates.
Although Google has since released the $499 Pixel 7A, the Pixel 6A is still getting two more years of software updates and four more years of security updates. This means it will continue getting new Android features and support from Google, and that remaining timeline is still more than you'll see from new 2023 phones that cost between $200 and $300.
These cheaper devices tend to scale back significantly in one area or another in order to achieve those low prices. Most commonly, these drawbacks include limited software support, carrier support or bloatware (preloaded apps that you never asked for). These trade-offs often mean that these devices should not be used after two to three years, especially after security update support ends.
It's also notable that while these phones retail for $200 to $300, many of them are often available at a deep discount -- or even for free -- as part of a carrier subsidy deal. If you are planning to stick with the same wireless carrier for two years, these phones could just become part of the cost of your service.
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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 have 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 also weigh all of our experiences and testing against the price so you know whether a phone represents good value or not.
Read more: How We Test Phones
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The $300 Motorola Moto G Power 5G is currently the cheapest phone with 256GB of storage. It's perfect for someone who downloads a lot of movies and music to enjoy when they don't have a consistent internet connection. The phone's 6.5-inch 1,080-pixel display runs at a smooth 120Hz refresh rate too, making movies, applications, websites and games look especially nice. Whereas Motorola makes the Power 5G a media machine for its price, it does cut back in terms of its cameras. Like many $300 phones, it's good for outdoor photography but is quite bad at getting details in low-light environments.
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Apple does not currently sell any iPhone options between $200 and $300. The cheapest new iPhone you can get is the iPhone SE at $429. That iPhone is a great value for its fast processor and a great camera but held back by its dated design that harkens back to the iPhone 6, 7 and 8.
If you don't mind getting a preowned device and want something with a bigger screen, as of this writing Verizon sells a 64GB iPhone 11 for $275.
You can also get the 2020 version of the iPhone SE as a refurbished model between $200 and $300 on websites like Amazon and Best Buy, but beware of each store's policies for refurbished devices. Be especially sure to check that the refurbished device includes a warranty for repairs, since without one you may have to pay Apple or another retailer a high price for a screen repair or other accidental damage.
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OnePlus Nord N30 5G | Moto G Power 5G (2023) | TCL Stylus 5G | Google Pixel 6A | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Display size, resolution | 6.72-inch FHD (1080p resolution); 120Hz refresh rate | 6.5-inch LCD display; 2,400 x 1,080 pixels; 120Hz refresh rate | 6.81-inch FHD+ display (1,080 x 2,400 pixels) | 6.1-inch OLED; (1,080 x 2,400); 60Hz |
Pixel density | 391 ppi | 405 ppi | 395 ppi | 429 ppi |
Dimensions (inches) | 6.51 x 2.99 x 0.32 in. | 6.41 x 2.94 x 0.33 in. | 6.67 x 3.01 x 0.35 in. | 6.0 x 2.8 x 0.35 in. |
Dimensions (millimeters) | 165.5 x 76 x 8.3 mm | 163 x 75 x 8.45 mm | 169.6 x 76.5 x 8.9 mm | 152.2 x 7.18 x 8.9 mm |
Weight (ounces, grams) | 6.97 oz. (195 g) | 6.52 oz. (185 g) | 7.51 oz. (213 g) | 6.3 oz. (178 g) |
Mobile software | Android 13 | Android 13 | Android 12 | Android 12 |
Camera | 108-megapixel main, 2-megapixel macro, 2-megapixel depth sensing | 50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth sensor) | 50-megapixel (main), 5-megapixel (wide), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth sensor) | 12.2-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultra wide) |
Front-facing camera | 16-megapixel | 16-megapixel | 13-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
Video capture | 1080p at 30fps | 720p at 60 fps | 1080p at 30fps | 4K |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 | MediaTek Dimensity 930 | MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G | Google Tensor |
RAM/Storage | 8GB + 128GB | 4GB RAM + 128GB; 6GB RAM + 256GB | 4GB/128GB | 6GB RAM/128GB storage |
Expandable storage | Yes | Yes | Up to 2TB | None |
Battery/Charger | 5,000 mAh (50W wired charging) | 5,000 mAh (15W wired charging speed, 10W adapter included) | 4,000 mAh; 18W charging | 4,410 mAh capacity; 18W fast charging (adapter sold separately) |
Fingerprint sensor | Side | Side | Side fingerprint sensor | Under display |
Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
Headphone jack | Yes | Yes | Yes | None |
Special features | 50W SuperVooc fast charging, 108-megapixel main camera, game mode, dual stereo speakers | Estimated 38-hour battery life, Moto Gestures, stereo speakers | Stylus with built-in storage, producitivity software, NxtVision HDR mode | 5G-enabled, 18W fast charging, WiFi 6E, security updates for 5 years, Android OS updates for 3 years, dual SIM, IP67 water resistance |
Price off-contract (USD) | $270 | $250 | $258 | $349 ($299 when on sale) |
Price (GBP) | Converts to £238 | Converts to £240 | £349 | |
Price (AUD) | Converts to AU$443 | Converts to AU$445 | AU$599 |
Source: cnet.com