The current high-end smartphones are expensive like never before. In the past, the most luxurious Apple iPhone was priced at $800, also Android OEMs such as Samsung Note and Huawei Mate were highly-priced at about $700. But that's behavior is no more, and now the latest premium smartphones easily cross the $1,000 price border.
So, if you don't want to spend your hard-earned $1,000 on a cell phone but still wishing the best premium phone at half of that price, or you're tired of buying phones on any carrier contracts, read our article 'Best Unlocked Phones under $500' users can buy in 2021. We are sure our best phone guide will help you in taking the right decision.
If you can sacrifice certain high-end features, you can save more with our Best Phones under $300.
Best Smartphones under $500 at a Glance:
1 – Poco F2 Pro
2 – iPhone SE (2020)
3 – Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
4 – OnePlus Nord
5 – Google Pixel 4a
6 – iPhone 8
7 – Oneplus 7T
8 – LG G8 ThinQ
9 – Honor V30 5G
10 – Samsung Galaxy A70
11 – Motorola One Hyper
12 – Mi Note 10
13 – Google Pixel 3a XL
14 – Vivo S5
15 – Doogee S90
Once there was Poco F1, the cheapest flagship smartphone on earth with the most powerful Snapdragon 800-series chipset (SD845) at that time. The Poco F1, which had been priced at $300 only, gained much respect and grabbed the attention of many consumers across the world. After this huge success, Pocophone is back with a successor version named Poco F2 Pro (Poco F2 skipped). Surprisingly, the brand is integrating an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, and still, the Price of the Poco F2 Pro is $380 – not even a hundred dollars over the predecessor.
Poco F2 Pro offers flagship-level features at an incredibly low price i.e. 6.67-inch Super AMOLED Display, Android 10 OS, 64MP Quad Camera, 8k & 4k video recording capabilities, and 20MP Pop-Up Selfie Camera. There are two memory variants, 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB Storage.
Apple is known as a premium smartphone seller, iPhones. But this year, the American brand brought an affordable iPhone for iOS fans, which could not spend a lot. The iPhone SE (2020) is the best cheap smartphone in the iOS world for camera and performance. The device comes with an iOS 13, 4.7inches LCD Display, 12MP camera, 4k video recording capability, and 7MP selfie shooter. Luckily, Touch ID is back. Performance is admirable, and the credit goes to the Apple A13 chipset (the same CPU in iPhone 11). RAM is 3GB and storage is 64GB. The iPhone SE (2020) Price is $400.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is a 6.7-inch smartphone that shows FHD+ content on Super AMOLED Display. The handset boots Android 10 OS. The S10 Lite has a 48MP triple rear camera setup, 4k video recording capability, and a 32MP selfie camera. Inside the phone, there is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset and 6GB RAM. You can save massive videos in 128GB of storage. The battery ranks at 4,500 mAh and supports 45W Fast Charge. The Galaxy S10 Lite Price is $450.
Oneplus launches usually affordable flagship smartphones in non-T and T-series. This year, the company introduced a new Nord series with the launch of Oneplus Nord. It is an all-rounder and the best budget phone for watching, playing, and photography.
Oneplus Nord is 6.44inches tall, having AMOLED Display and a 90Hz refresh rate. Powered by Snapdragon 765G processor, Oneplus Nord is excellent in gaming. The base model arrives with 6GB RAM and 64GB Storage. There are a 48MP back camera and a 32MP selfie snapper. Both sides' optics can make 4k movies. The battery ranks at 4115mAh and supports a 30W fast charge. Oneplus Nord Price is $399.
Google Pixel 4a is the best cheap Android smartphone in terms of performance, and software updates, and security patches. It has a 5.81inches OLED Display that allows FHD+ content. The cell phone packs a Snapdragon 730G, a dedicated chip for gaming smartphones. Thus, you can enjoy Fortnite or Call of Duty mobile without any lag. Internal Memory is 128GB and RAM is 6GB, but no other variant. Android 10 is running there, and Android 11 is planned for the future. Pixel 4a brings a 12.2MP back camera, which is eligible for 4K shooting at 30fps. It supports EIS. The Price of Pixel 4a is $350.
Just go beyond the time boundaries and grabs an iPhone 8. The device is IP67 certified, hence dust and waterproof up to 1meter for 30mins. It has a 4.7inches Retina LCD 3D Display of HD+ resolution, true tone, and wide colors gamut. There are a 12MP (f/1.8) photography camera and a 7MP selfie shooter.
iPhone 8 derives the power from Apple A11 Bionic (10nm) chipset, 2GB RAM, and a 1821mAh battery with Fast and Wireless charging capabilities. Refresh those memories with Touch ID, ever fast and reliable. The Price of the Apple iPhone 8 is $450.
7 – OnePlus 7T
Oneplus 7T is one of our best smartphones under $500 everyone can purchase in 2021. The device features a 6.55inches Fluid AMOLED FHD+ Display, having a 90GHz refresh rate. It runs Oxygen OS 10.0.5 on top of Android 10, houses 8GB RAM, and powered by a Snapdragon 855+ SoC. Players can play heavy mobile games like PUBG and Fornite, smoothly.
Oneplus 7T shows off triple 48MP (f/1.6) cameras on the back while a 16MP selfie snapper on the front. There is a 3800mAh battery with 30W Warp Charge compatibility and an under-display optical Fingerprint Sensor for biometric security. Oneplus 7T Price is $490.
Best Phone for Low-light Photography below $500, LG G8 ThinQ sports a 6.1inches Plastic OLED Display of QHD+ resolution, offering Dolby Vision, DCI-P3 coverage, and HDR10 always-on screen for viewers. The handset is powered by a Snapdragon 855 chip and 6GB RAM, therefore users can perform multiple tasks at once.
LG G8 ThinQ brings the world's widest aperture lens f/1.5 of 12MP. There's besides a 16MP (f/1.9) ultrawide camera. You are eligible to shoot 4k movies at 60fps and HD Slow-mo at 240fps. For selfie lovers, the LG mobile presents dual 8MP (f/1.7) and 3D ToF cameras.
Hand ID, Face ID, Fingerprint ID, and Vein ID, every type of security option is available for G8 consumers. The battery is of 3,500mAh and compatible with a 21W Fast and 9W Wireless charge. The Price of the LG G8 ThinQ is $400.
Best Phone for 5G under $500 in 2021, Honor V30 or aka Honor View 30 promises to give everything at a reasonable cost. The gadget bestows a 6.57inches LCD FHD+ Display, Android 10 platform, tripe 40MP cams for photography, and dual 32MP selfie optics. Honor V30 draws the power from Kirin 990 chipset and 6GB RAM. The battery is juiced at 4,200mAh and the compatible Fast Charge is 40W. Honor V30 Price is $450.
Best Smartphone for Netflix and Web-surfing below $500, Samsung A70 holds a large 6.7inches Super AMOLED Display, having Full HD+ resolution. The interface is OneUI, installed on Android 9 OS. For Vloggers, Galaxy A70 acquires three back cameras enclosing a 32MP (f/1.7) main lens. Let’s create splendid 4k shots. Also, the Selfie lens is 32MP, but the aperture varies at f/2.0.
Samsung A70 is empowering an 11nm Qualcomm chip, SD675. RAM and Storage are 6GB and 128GB. The device obtained an In-screen Fingerprint Sensor and a 4,500mAh battery supported with a 25W Fast Charge. The Galaxy A70 Price is $400.
The Best Selfie Camera phone below $500 you can purchase in 2021, Motorola One Hyper boasts a 32MP Pop-Up Selfie Camera, while Dual 64MP (f/1.8) photography sensors. Users can click 4k snaps.
The One Hyper smartphone comes with a 6.5inches FHD+ Display, SD 675 chipset, and 4GB RAM accompanied by a 128GB hard drive. A 4,000mAh battery is there inside, and further, it can be revived fast with a 45W quick charge. The Price of the Motorola One Hyper is $400.
Best Battery life Phone under $500, Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is driven by a Li-Po 5260mAh battery, the cell phone gives 33 hours of 3G talks, 12 hours of web-browsing, and 22 hours of video playback. It comes along with a 30W Fast Charge that promises 58% battery life within half an hour.
The Mi Note10 shows off Five Back Cameras containing a 108MP sensor and a 32MP selfie shooter. It has a 6.47inches AMOLED FHD+ Display, Snapdragon 730G chipset, and 6GB RAM. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Price is $450.
Best Phone for Android fans in this price segment, Google’s Pixel 3a XL set you back at rest and promises future Android updates and monthly security patches. The gadget arrives with pre-installed Android 9, which the users can upgrade to Android 10.
The Pixel 3a XL gets a 5.5inches OLED FHD+ Display, having an 8MP front and 12.2MP back camera with 4k video support. Under the hood, the device packs a Qualcomm SD670 chipset, 4GB RAM, and a 3700mAh battery. Google Pixel 3a XL Price is $450.
Best pick for gamers under $500, Vivo S5 lets you a combo of moderate features simultaneously. The smartphone bestows a 6.44inches Super AMOLED FHD+ screen, Funtouch OS 9.2, and a 32MP front snapper along with a Quad Rear Camera setup featuring a 48MP sensor.
Vivo S5 acquires a Snapdragon 712 SoC, 8GB RAM, and 128GB Storage. There is an under-display Fingerprint Scanner. The battery ranks at 4100mAh and supports 22.5W Fast Charge. The Price of Vivo S5 is $400.
Best Rugged Phone under $500, Doogee S90 gets a single 10,050 mAh battery of two half-power cells. It is sufficient to run the smartphone for days. Users can spend a week on multimedia consumption with a single charge. The downside is it took 3 hours to recharge fully, despite the fact Fast Weird and Wireless Charges are supported.
The DOOGEE S90 is a prime rugged smartphone with MIL-STD-810G military-grade rating, and IP68 rated assuring dust and water resistance up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The gadget is drop-to-concrete compliant. The other vital specs are Android 9 OS, 6.18inches FHD+ display, Helio P60 processor, 6GB RAM, and dual 12MP photo cameras.
Cons: The camera is not appreciable while the Price of the Doogee S90 looks a bit over, as it costs $450.