The best budget smartphone you can buy

You can get a great budget device these days if you know how to pick your priorities. | Image: The Verge Some of us take a kind of “I eat to live” rather than an “I live to eat” approach to gadgets. They’re tools that help you get things done, not something you want to invest a lot of time or money in. If that’s you — and there’s no judgment here from a certifiable gadget nerd — then you can probably think of more worthwhile ways to spend $1,000 than on a phone. Budget phones to the rescue. These devices are roughly $500 or under, though not all of them, and they’re more capable than ever. You won’t get all the bells and whistles, but you will save a little money to spend on, I don’t know, actual bells and whistles. It’s your world. What compromises can you expect from a budget phone? Some combination of the following: slower processors, less storage, and worse cameras than flagship phones, almost across the board. Many have lower-resolution screens, and water resistance is often less robust than on a pricier phone. The best cheap iPhone iPhone 16E The iPhone 16E is the spiritual successor to the iPhone SE, bringing flagship-level performance for less than the standard 16. We really wish it included MagSafe for $599, but those upgrading from older iPhones will probably be satisfied with what’s included. Score: 7ProsConsReliable performanceGood, if limited, camera systemIt’s the cheapest new iPhone you can buyNo MagSafe$599 feels like $100 too muchNo ultrawide Where to Buy: $599 at Apple (128GB) $599.99 at Best Buy (128GB) $599.99 at Verizon (128GB) Screen: 6.1-inch, 1170p OLED / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 with OIS, 12-megapixel selfie / Charging: 20W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 If I were making this recommendation to you face-to-face, you’d hear a heavy sigh. Yes, this is the cheapest new iPhone Apple makes. Yes, it comes with most of the things that make an iPhone an iPhone. But it comes with some significant tradeoffs — some of which make more sense than others — and it’s not exactly cheap. If you’re amenable to last year’s model or a refurbished iPhone 14, one of those might actually be a better option. But for an unfussy person who just wants a new iPhone for the least amount of money, the 16E will do the trick. There’s a single 48-megapixel rear camera on the back, meaning there’s no ultrawide like on the newer iPhone Air. That’s an understandable tradeoff — so is the use of the older “notch” design rather than the Dynamic Island. But it’s harder to understand why Apple left out MagSafe here — that’s the ring of magnets built into the back of virtually every other iPhone since 2020. The 16E still supports wireless charging, but it can’t take advantage of the ecosystem of magnetic chargers and accessories on its own; you’ll need to add a magnetic case. This is a silly omission, and Apple should feel bad about it. Another heavy sigh: the 16E supports Apple Intelligence, which you won’t get if you opt for an iPhone 15 or 14. Should you care? It’s really hard to say. What exists of Apple Intelligence so far is underwhelming, and the most interesting bits won’t arrive anytime soon. (Although now that Apple has announced it’s using Google’s Gemini AI model, the update may actually arrive before the end of the year.) If you want to future-proof your purchase as much as possible, the 16E will be ready for Apple’s AI. But don’t buy one expecting a life-changing experience now. It’s just an iPhone after all, for better and worse, and right now it’s the best price you’ll find on a brand-new one. Read our full iPhone 16E review. The best cheap Android phone Google Pixel 9A The Pixel 9A adds more robust water resistance and a brighter, bigger screen to what was already a winning formula for a good midrange phone. Score: 8ProsConsRobust IP68 ratingSeven years of software updatesBrighter, bigger screenMissing a couple of AI featuresAI is occasionally handy, usually weird Where to Buy: $499 $399 at Amazon (128GB) $499 $399 at Best Buy (128GB) $499 $399 at Google (128GB) Screen: 6.3-inch, 1080p OLED, 120Hz / Processor: Tensor G4 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 with OIS, 13-megapixel ultrawide, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,100mAh / Charging: 23W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68 Google’s Pixel A-series phones have been my go-to recommendation for a cheap Android phone for years, but there was still room for improvement. With the 9A, Google made some modest tweaks that make it even easier to recommend — and at $499, the price is right. The phone uses a Tensor G4 chipset that doesn’t run as hot as some of its predecessors, and performance is reliable. The 6.3-inch OLED screen is a little bigger and a bit brighter than last year’s, which makes a noticeable difference when you use the phone outside. Durability also received a slight boost to IP68, which means it can withstand a drop in deeper water than the IP67-rated Pixel 8A. The 9A’s camera is fine, though i