Last updated: November 7, 2023 (Changelog)
Here, we will discuss the super-cheap, yet very good, entry-level offerings. The industry has advanced so far that even at this price point we're seeing handsets that offer beefy chipsets and big batteries.
128GB 4GB RAM | $ 156.50 | $ 194.39 |
128GB 6GB RAM | $ 169.50 | $ 144.00 |
Xiaomi has struck a pretty nice balance with this year's Redmi Note 12 4G. The handset has an excellent display, long battery life, sufficiently fast charging, adequate performance, the latest MIUI + Android combo (unlike its siblings) and, although largely unimpressive camera performance, it's still rather decent for the price bracket.
We wish more work went toward optimizing the dedicated Night mode. We also wonder why Xiaomi removed the stereo speakers and the NFC. That last bit may be a deal-breaker for some of you who use the phone for contactless payments.
Still, no other smartphone can offer such feature-rich package at about €150 and that's why the Redmi Note 12 4G is our top pick for the entry-level class.
Read full review128GB 4GB RAM | $ 115.00 | £ 114.99 |
256GB 8GB RAM | € 144.33 | € 172.22 |
The €120 Moto G14 is a great pick for the entry-level category just because it has a ton of features for its low price. The G14 packs a 1080p LCD screen, adequate performance for the price with high-performance CPU cores. There is also a good dual-camera setup, and a large 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging.
The Moto G14 comes with clean Android 13, which is always a nice thing to have. And there are also NFC, microSD expansion, stereo speakers, audio jack. In fact, it is among the best phones in this category with the only cons being the lack of an ultrawide-angle camera and a high refresh rate for the screen.
SPECS64GB 4GB RAM | £ 87.00 | € 102.08 |
The €150 Moto G23 is for those who want to have an ultrawide camera and a bit faster performance. The G23 packs a 90Hz HD LCD screen, a versatile triple-camera setup, and a large 5,000mAh battery with fast 30W charging.
The Moto G23 comes with clean Android 13, there are NFC, microSD expansion, audio jack and powerful stereo speakers. The lower screen resolution is the only thing that is unimpressive on the Moto G23, but coupled with the good chip, it should deliver quite smooth performance.
SPECS64GB 3GB RAM | $ 104.50 | £ 82.13 |
128GB 4GB RAM | $ 123.00 | £ 292.06 |
The €100 Redmi 12C is a nice update over the older Redmi 9C bringing improved performance thanks to the Helio G85 chipset – there are two high-performance CPU cores and snappier GPU. WE also appreciate the doubled base storage and increased RAM.
The Redmi 12C has a large display, but it’s limited to 60Hz refresh rate. We do appreciate the improved chipset, increased storage and the newer main camera. A rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, NFC and microSD are area always welcome, too..
The Redmi 12C is an affordable smartphone with good performance and popular MIUI launcher, so if it make sense for you, you should definitely check it out.
Specs64GB 3GB RAM | $ 99.99 | £ 89.99 |
128GB 4GB RAM | $ 169.00 | £ 118.57 |
The Redmi 9C impresses with a large battery and a large LCD screen and its price is quite low at €80 or so.
The Redmi 9C’s base version comes with just 2GB of RAM. This, with the weak Helio G35 may and will lead to some system-wide bottlenecks.
Still, the Redmi 9C is one of the cheapest smartphones around (about €80-€90) and it will do just fine for calls, emails, chats, social networks and web browsing. It's a bit sluggish, but if you won't be playing games, you'd be fine with it.
If you need NFC, there is a Redmi 9C NFC version across some markets, too.
Specs32GB 3GB RAM | $ 255.00 | £ 64.00 |
64GB 4GB RAM | € 109.99 |
The Nokia G11 costs about €80 and it is a solid smartphone. The G11 packs a 90Hz HD LCD screen and runs on the Unisoc T606 chip with powerful processor and okay GPU. The G11 also comes with a triple camera on the back and a large 5,050mAh battery with fast 18W charging via the USB-C port.
The Nokia G11 is one of the cheapest mainstream smartphones you can buy and that’s why we can forgive (and understand) its 720p resolution and the so-so graphics.
SPECS32GB 3GB RAM | $ 279.09 | £ 99.48 |
64GB 4GB RAM | $ 179.99 | £ 282.47 |
The Realme C31 costs about €110. The phone has a large but low-res screen, a triple-camera on the back, a 5,000mAh battery and runs on Android 11 with realme UI 2.0.
The Realme C31 has a good chipset with adequate processor but weak graphics. It's coupled with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, so it will do fine for everything but games.
The Realme C31 is good for calls and social networks and will probably last you for days on those. And it has a fingerprint scanner. It's an ideal first smartphone for students or seniors, but not the best daily driver for busier lifestyles.
SPECS64GB 4GB RAM | $ 149.99 | £ 84.99 |
32GB 3GB RAM | £ 85.49 | € 103.47 |
The Samsung Galaxy A04s is a cheap entry-level device - quite possibly the cheapest Galaxy smartphone you can get. It has a high-refresh-rate screen, an okay primary camera, and very good battery life, so it is a solid upgrade to last year's Galaxy A03s.
The phone's performance is subpar, and the storage space provided by the base memory configuration is inadequate. It could work for someone who is mainly interested in staying in touch by mostly making calls and the occasional messaging.
It sure isn’t the best phone in this price tag, but it comes from a popular maker with strong hardware and software support, which often means a lot.
Read full review64GB 4GB RAM | $ 142.79 | £ 84.65 |
64GB 3GB RAM | £ 138.44 | € 114.99 |
The Nokia C32 is the first C-series device by Nokia to use a glass rear panel. There's a grooved texture running the entire width of the panel, making it a pleasure to the touch, and less slippery. And the display is a 6.5-inch 720x1600px IPS LCD. It has nice upfront brightness and contrast, and colors are punchy and lively.
There are two cameras on the rear - a 50MP main camera - a first for any C-series phone - and a 2MP macro sensor. On the other side, there's an 8MP selfie camera. The Nokia C32 packs a 3.5mm headphone jack and there's also wireless FM radio. You also get a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, but you can use the front-facing camera for face unlock, which works with a mask too.
Battery-wise, you get an ample 5,000mAh pack that charges a bit slowly at just 10W. The Android 13 is as clean as it gets. The phone offers rather slow chipset, but it could be the right fit for those looking for an affordable daily driver, one that can do good photos.
Read our hands-onNovember 7, 2023: Replaced the Moto G13 with the Moto G14. Replaced the Moto G22 with the Moto G23. Removed the Redmi A2, Realme C25Y and Realme Narzo 50A.
June 13, 2023: Added the Redmi Note 12 4G as new top.
April 18, 2023: Added Samsung Galaxy A04s, Nokia C32, Moto G13 (as new top), Realme C25Y, Redmi 12C, Redmi A2/A2+/Poco C50. Removed the Realme C30.
July 15, 2022: Added Redmi 9C, Nokia G11, Realme C31, Realme C30, Moto G22, Realme Narzo 50A. Removed the Redmi 9, Realme Narzo 30A, Realme C21, Moto G10, Redmi Note 8 2021.
October 20, 2021: Added Redmi Note 8 2021.
May 20, 2021: Replaced Realme Narzo 20A with Narzo 30A. Replaced Moto E (2020) with Moto G10. Replaced Realme C11 with Realme C21.
Dec 1, 2020: The Xiaomi Redmi 9 is now the new Editor's choice. Replaced Realme Narzo 10A with Narzo 20A. Replaced Moto G8 Play with Moto E (2020). Added Redmi 9a and Realme C11. Removed Realme 5s, Redmi 8A, Galaxy M11, vivo U20, Nokia 4.2, Galaxy A20e, Galaxy A20.
Everyone should know that budget phones aren't built to compete against flagships or midrangers, it's built to sacrifice price over performance. A lot of people often compare budget phones to flagships, which is uncomparable at all.
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