Best Cheap Phones to Buy in 2022 – Your Tech Guide

Having a flagship smartphone is a terrific experience since they’re speedy, beautiful to look at, and loaded with useful functions. But they’re not free, and the price tag on them is hefty. With most flagship smartphones now going for more than $1,000 to purchase outright, there’s no escaping the reality they are a significant investment, and more so when you include in contract expenses.

If you do your homework and figure out precisely what you’re looking for in a phone, you may save 70-90 percent of what you’d pay for a high-end model while still getting a lot of the same features and functionality.

Since most phone manufacturers have realized this, we’ve seen some absolutely amazing devices at incredibly cheap rates from everyone from Xiaomi to Samsung to Google to Sony. There are a number of features that were formerly exclusive to flagships, and in some instances, totally new technology is making its way into more affordable smartphones. To demonstrate this, take a look at the Galaxy A80 and its revolving camera system.

For this reason, it is important to figure out precisely what you value most in a smartphone before making a purchase decision. For example, if you want to play games while on the move, you’ll want a device such as the Honor Play, which specializes in running games at fast fps and with eye-popping images.

A strong CPU and smooth OS shell, like the one found in the OnePlus 6, are essential for those who want liquid-smooth core functioning, rapid app loading, and UI navigation.

You may value photography above all else, in which case you’ll want a phone that’s less expensive than a flagship model but yet has a robust and flexible camera system. That being the case, you could choose a phone such as the Samsung A9, which has a triple camera stack.

It’s best to create a list of major and secondary features you’d want to have, and then look for a device that provides at least one of those qualities and two or more of the other features on your secondary list. Many of the smartphones on our list of the best cheap phones provide a wealth of useful features at a very affordable price, so we doubt you’ll have too much problem finding a device that meets both your requirements and your budget.

16 Things to Consider While Buying a Smartphone

In today’s world, smartphones have become an essential component of our daily routines. Our cellphones are indispensable tools for a wide range of tasks, from texting and calling to capturing photographs and uploading files to the cloud.

However, with so many cellphones on the market, it might be difficult to choose one. It’s always difficult to choose the greatest option for us.

Before you purchase your new smartphone, have a look at this checklist.

1. What is your budget?

Consider this one of the most apparent, but also one of the most critical, concerns. If you don’t have the money to buy a smartphone that can meet all of your wants, there’s no use in thinking about it. The best course of action is to determine your budget for a smartphone and then work backward from there.

For every additional feature, the price of smartphones increases. This is particularly true if the smartphone is a well-known brand with high-quality hardware and a slew of glitzy options. It’s because of this that some of today’s top-of-the-line cell phones may cost a lot of money to buy outright.

A postpaid agreement with a mobile network service provider might be an alternative to making a large down payment on a smartphone all at once. You can get a smartphone on installments and pay monthly fees for it and its service in various areas.

It’s possible to get your hands on a new phone with a postpaid contract, but you may wind up spending a lot of money per month on phone and data expenses.

Paying for a smartphone outright or signing up for a monthly contract requires careful consideration of how much you can afford to spend.

2. What is your primary purpose of using the Smartphone?

Phones are no longer only for making and receiving phone calls. Many individuals nowadays use their cell phones for more than just making phone calls. It’s important to know what you’re going to use your phone for before making a purchase so that you can make an informed decision.

A gaming smartphone is ideal if you spend a lot of time on your phone playing mobile games, such as Pokemon Go or FarmVille.

3. What type of smartphone are you looking for?

The majority of cell phones have the same appearance from a distance. However, each one is unique. Many of them are made of glass, while some are made of plastic or metal as well. It’s worth thinking about whether the material used to construct your smartphone is important to you.

Smartphones are more than simply a means of communication and pleasure for some individuals. It’s a piece of jewelry or a fashion statement. An all-plastic phone isn’t going to do for someone like that. They like the more upscale appearance of a glass smartphone.

Others are more concerned with ease and usefulness. People are wary about glass-backed smartphones due to its proneness to breakage and the lack of a detachable battery.

In addition, bear in mind that if you’re looking for a wirelessly charging phone, chances are it will be built of glass and the battery won’t be detachable. When using wireless charging, metal is not a good choice.

4. What is the size of your hands?

No, I mean it. In the case of mobile devices, size does matter. Many thanks. As a result, the user experience might be affected.

A large hand can find it difficult to operate a phone with a touchpad that is too close together for each finger to tap on its own.

A huge phone may be more difficult to operate with one hand because of its size.

As a matter of personal choice, some individuals do not mind the size of the phone. However, if you get a smartphone that is comfortable in your hands, you will not only like using it more, but you will also have a better grasp on it. That might also reduce the chances of it slipping out of your grasp.

5. Do you have some specific requirements?

Because we don’t all lead the same kinds of lives, we have a variety of interests and requirements. When it comes to phones, a person who spends a lot of time in or near water may want to consider obtaining a waterproof model.

Health and fitness enthusiasts may find a smartphone with a heart rate sensor app and an activity tracker appropriate for their needs. An altitude, barometer, or magnetic sensor-equipped smartphone is ideal for those who spend a lot of time outside.

A few tough, sturdy smartphone solutions are also available for people who fear their lifestyle or profession is too hard for today’s fragile glass phones.

With so many cellphones on the market, it’s easy to locate one that meets your specific requirements. Following the 2011 nuclear tragedy in Japan, a phone equipped with a radiation sensor was made available to the public.

6. Are you an Apple Fan or pro-Android?

Android and iOS are the two most popular mobile operating systems at the moment. Fans and detractors alike may find something to like and dislike in both. It’s best to weigh the benefits and negatives of each before making a final decision.

One of the benefits of Android versus Apple is the sheer number of smartphone brands, features, and price ranges accessible to you. In order to use a phone that doesn’t have an audio port and needs you to purchase an adapter, it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg

However, this does not negate the benefits of Android phones over iPhones. iPhone users will tell you that it is speedy, easy-to-understand and comfortable to hold.

In the end, it’s all about what’s most comfortable for you when it comes to your phone choice. If you’re already a fan of Apple gear, the iPhone will blend right in.

However, if your sole Apple device is your iPhone, you won’t get the benefits of the ecosystem. Additionally, you may have difficulty connecting it to the other non-Apple devices due to Apple’s tendency to be picky about third-party hardware.

7. Build quality

Phones that have a solid build are more likely to last. Metal and plastic construction make up the vast majority of the mobile phone industry.

However, there are a few that even feature glass-coated panels. For individuals who often drop their smartphones, a metal or plastic-built phone is recommended.

Glass-based phones are guaranteed to shatter if dropped from a height of 2-3 feet.

8. Display

Smartphone displays come in a variety of sizes and resolutions, depending on how you use it. Full-HD or QHD smartphone displays with a screen size of 5.5-inches to 6-inches should suffice if you often watch, edit, or download films and images.

If the phone has a display bigger than 6-inches, it becomes tough to carry around. It’s best to go for a 5 to 5.5 inches HD or full HD display phone if you mostly use your phone for reading email, talking, and surfing social networking applications.

9. Processor

There are a variety of elements that influence a smartphone’s processing power, such as the operating system version, user interface, bloatware, and more.

Smartphones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 or 820/821 processors will allow you to edit photographs, movies, documents, play intensive games, stream videos, or utilize applications in split-screen mode with ease.

Handsets powered by MediaTek CPUs are ideal for casual users.

10. Camera

Just because the smartphone camera has more megapixels doesn’t indicate that it’s superior. Camera aperture, ISO settings, autofocus, pixel size, and more are all important features to consider when purchasing a new camera. There’s no guarantee that a 16MP camera is better than a 12MP one. The front-facing camera works on the same principle.

Larger images are crisper when they are seen on a smaller screen because the number of pixels increases. For fast photos even in low light, a photographic enthusiast would prefer a camera with a 12MP or 16MP sensor and an aperture of f/2.0 or lower. Even with an 8MP or 12MP camera with an f/2.0 or f/2.2 aperture, a casual photographer can get by.

11. Battery

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how much battery life a smartphone user consumes. A smartphone with at least a 3500mAh battery capacity is recommended for heavy users who often use applications, play games, stream films, and more. An average or light user might expect to get through the day on a 3000mAh battery-powered phone.

12. User interface/OS version

When purchasing a smartphone, the user interface and the operating system version are important considerations. Each time a user needs to access anything, they’ll need to deal with these interfaces.

Android One devices, Motorola phones, and Nexus/Pixel phones are all options for the most minimal and pure Android experience. Different interfaces like ZenUI, Samsung TouchWiz and others provide more useful capabilities to classify apps as well as a wider range of designs that the firm believes its customers would find most appealing.

Bloatware and other programs that you’re unlikely to use are commonplace on OEM-supplied devices. As a result, we advise that you test a handset before making a decision.

13. Storage

The operating system and the applications that come pre-installed on smartphones use up a significant portion of the device’s capacity.

A 16 GB /32 GB / 64 GB or more doesn’t really have the specified amount of storage space in its initial configuration. This option is best for those who like to have fewer applications on their smartphones.

64GB and 128GB models are available for those who like to maintain a bigger amount of programs. Also available is a 16GB variant with microSD card capability.

14. Security/extra features

Nowadays, most smartphones come equipped with additional security measures such as fingerprint sensors or even iris scanners as standard features. In addition to being used to unlock and lock phones, these passwords may be used to access files, documents, and applications.

Even a cheap smartphone may have a fingerprint sensor, but iris scanners are still rare. If you have sensitive information on your phone, it’s best to get a smartphone with these additional security measures.

15. Audio/speakers

For people who often use video streaming or video conferencing, speakers and the quality of the audio they produce might be critical factors. Buy a mobile phone with front-facing speakers if you like on-the-go entertainment. This allows for crystal-clear audio even when the smartphone is held in landscape orientation.

The bottom-firing speakers on a standard phone should do for most people who don’t conduct a lot of video streaming or video conferencing. It’s OK to have speakers toward the rear of the room.

16. Headphone jack/USB port

Ports might also be a consideration. If you’re using a smartphone, it’s best to use USB Type-C instead of micro-USB since it’s more convenient to plug in and because it’s more future-proof.

The new standard has been adopted by a number of cellphones. The 3.5mm headphone jack is being phased out by a small number of manufacturers, but it might be another two years before the majority of manufacturers transition to USB Type-C headphones connectors.

Conclusion

Purchasing a phone should be based on your own tastes, requirements, and way of life, rather than on what the company claims. However, if you ask for our say, we believe the Apple iPhone SE is one of the best cheap phones and most luxurious-feeling cheap phones on the market right now. You get the full iPhone experience without all the bells and whistles you’d expect from Apple’s most expensive models.