Apple and Samsung dominate the US phone market, and they've done so for years. Together with Google, they've shaped our sense of what a smartphone is and what it can do, pushing the boundaries of mobile photography, software, and processing power. But over the last few years, they've sat back, content to iterate rather than innovate - and in the interim, China's tech giants have plowed ahead. Now a gulf is growing between the phones on sale in the US and those available in the rest of the world. US phone buyers are missing out.

Some of the blame for that gap lies with Apple. Where it goes, the market follows, and in recent years it's gone s …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Some of us take a kind of “eat to live” rather than a “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 $600 or under, 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, most skip wireless charging, and water resistance is often less robust than on a pricier phone.

The best cheap iPhone

Apple iPhone 17E

Score: 7

Pros	Cons
Now with magnets! Healthy 256GB of storage in the base model Capable, if basic, camera system Basically the same processor as iPhone 17	No always-on display Screen limited to 60Hz No ultrawide camera or upgraded selfie cam

Where to Buy:

• $599 at Apple (256GB)
• $599.99 at Best Buy (256GB)
• $599.99 at T-Mobile (256GB)

Screen: 6.1-inch, 1170p, 60Hz OLED / Processor: A19 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 with OIS, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: 4,005mAh / Charging: 20W wired, 15W MagSafe wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

The iPhone 17E is the minimum viable iPhone — and I mean that in a good way. It has the same speedy A19 chipset as the standard iPhone 17, starts with a decent 256GB of storage, and offers a full day of battery life. It also comes with MagSafe, unlike last year’s 16E, opening up faster magnetic wireless charging and a world of grips and accessories.

Still, there are a few big omissions in Apple’s cheapest iPhone. The most obvious is that it’s limited to a single 48-megapixel rear camera, lacking even an ultrawide. That’s something plenty of buyers are likely to find limiting. Fewer people are likely to be bothered by the phone’s lack of an always-on display, its 60Hz refresh rate, or the fact that it doesn’t support Apple’s Dynamic Island, which is a handy way to keep track of Live Activities.

For some, those will be good reasons to spend $200 more on the iPhone 17. For others, they won’t — my mom had never even noticed her old iPhone 12 had a second rear camera, so I don’t think she’ll miss it on her new 17E. Android alternatives at this price will also get you extra lenses, smoother displays, and faster charging. But if you want an iPhone, and $600 is where your budget stops, the 17E is the best you’ve got without shopping pre-owned.

Read our full iPhone 17E review.

The best cheap Android phone

Google Pixel 10A

Score: 7

Pros	Cons
The flush camera looks and feels great Seven years of software updates Satellite SOS support	It’s the Pixel 9A again The Pixel 9A is cheaper You should just buy the Pixel 9A

Where to Buy:

• $499 $449 at Amazon (128GB)
• $499 $449 at Best Buy (128GB)
• $599 $549 at Amazon (256GB)

Screen: 6.3-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED / Processor: Tensor G4 / Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 with OIS, 13-megapixel ultrawide, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,100mAh / Charging: 30W wired, 10W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

You couldn’t call the Pixel 10A an ambitious phone; it’s essentially a carbon copy of last year’s Pixel 9A with a slightly flatter camera bump. Still, Google’s competition hasn’t advanced much either, which means the 10A remains the best cheap Android phone you can buy, short of picking up a discounted 9A while it’s still on sale (well, at least in the US — buyers elsewhere should look to Poco and Realme for some stiff competition).

The 10A is powered by the same Tensor G4 chip as last year, though its 6.3-inch OLED screen is slightly brighter. The battery is the same size, but Google says it should last a little longer thanks to optimization, and the 30W wired and 10W wireless charging is a fraction faster, too. The biggest addition over the 9A is satellite connectivity, which is useful if you regularly find yourself off the grid.

The 10A’s cameras remain one of its biggest strengths, with the 48-megapixel main camera (the same as in the regular Pixel 10) joined by an ultrawide. You won’t find many phones with better cameras at this price, though you will find some with more lenses.

Read our full Google Pixel 10A review.

The budget phone with a big, beautiful screen

Nothing Phone 4A Pro

Score: 6

Pros	Cons
Slim, metal body Unique (and fun!) design Big and brilliant display	Camera quality is mixed Only three years of OS updates No wireless charging

Where to Buy:

• $499 at Nothing (8GB RAM + 128GB)
• $499 at Amazon (8GB RAM + 128GB)
• $599 at Amazon (12GB RAM + 256GB)

Screen: 6.83-inch, 1260p, 144Hz OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.9 with OIS, 50-megapixel 3.5x telephoto, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 32-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,080mAh / Charging: 50W wired / Weather-resistance rating: IP65

The Phone 4A Pro is one of the few Nothing phones to get a true US release. In a way, it’s also one of the brand’s most conservative designs, with its transparent plastic mostly giving way to opaque metal, outside of the chunky camera module (which has the boon of a 3.5x telephoto lens but mixed performance otherwise). The metal design also means there’s no wireless charging, though fast 50W wired charging helps make up for that.

The 4A Pro will mostly appeal for its large 6.83-inch display, which is brighter than rivals and features a faster 144Hz refresh rate. That pairs nicely with Nothing’s eye-catching software design, which makes the 4A Pro a looker in just about every respect. That said, while the software may look good, Nothing only promises three OS updates, meaning the company’s latest handset won’t suit anyone looking for a phone for the long run.

Read our full Nothing Phone 4A Pro review.

Other budget phones to consider

• The 2026 Motorola Moto G Power offers a lot despite its starting price of $299.99. It features a 6.8-inch LCD display, a 5,200mAh battery, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is increasingly rare in 2026. Additionally, the device combines both IP68 and IP69 ratings, meaning it’s rated for both submersion in water and exposure to high-pressure water jets and steam, in addition to full protection from dust. Our biggest concern with Motorola’s budget phones is how much bloatware they come with — be prepared to opt out and uninstall a bunch of stuff you never asked for. 
• The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is another perfectly capable phone that doesn’t quite earn a recommendation here. It’s a little outside the scope of this guide at $649 anyway (although you can sometimes pick it up at a discount), but you do get a telephoto lens and a nice, big screen for that price. Still, you’re better off saving a bunch and picking up the Pixel 10A or trying to score a trade-in promo for the newer Galaxy S26.
• The Samsung Galaxy A57 recently launched in the US with a starting price of $549, up $50 from the year before. The device has all the makings of a solid midrange phone, including a 6.7-inch OLED display, a 50-megapixel main camera, an Exynos 1680 chip, and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging. It’s thinner than its A56 predecessor and has been upgraded to IP68 protection, too. Although we haven’t tested it yet, it faces stiff competition from the Pixel 10A, which starts at $499.
• The Samsung Galaxy A37 5G is another great choice that’s available in the US for $449. The device sports a big OLED display, an Exynos 1480 processor, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Samsung is promising six years of OS and security updates, which is a lot for a phone in this price range. While we haven’t tested the A37 5G, its predecessor offered a good balance of hardware and price, and the latest release sounds just as compelling.
• TCL’s Nxtpaper 70 Pro recently went on sale in the US, though it’s exclusive to T-Mobile and Metro. Its main selling point is its 6.9-inch Nxtpaper 4.0 matte LCD screen, which is supposed to be easier on your eyes than a traditional LCD. It also features a “Max Ink Mode,” which turns the screen monochrome and silences notifications, plus somewhat higher specs than its predecessor.

Senior reviewer Allison Johnson also contributed to this post.