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Author Topic: Best Budget Phones 2026: Nothing, Motorola and more  (Read 4 times)

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Offline yungcrux

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Best Budget Phones 2026: Nothing, Motorola and more
« on: July 21, 2026, 05:33:09 PM »
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Best Budget Phones 2026: Nothing, Motorola and more

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Life is expensive enough, so the last thing anyone wants is a massive bill the next time they need to upgrade their smartphone. Thankfully, despite all the attention paid towards flagship devices, there’s a thriving industry of affordable smartphones and thanks to the hard work of our tech experts, we’ve singled out the ones that stand out from the rest.





We test models from all the major brands and lesser-known ones to see which ones are worth your money, including the likes of Samsung, Motorola, Nothing, Xiaomi and plenty more. Each one is used as our own and put through rigorous testing to make sure your money is well spent. You can see them listed below with reasons for and against, depending on what you need.





To help maintain the budget-friendly credentials of this guide, we’ve set a strict upper limit of £300/$300, so any recommended phone that goes above that price is likely to appear instead in our round-ups of the best mid-range phones or the best phones overall. For all things in the world of budget smartphones, this is the place to be.





The one thing to bear in mind is that, unlike with buying a smartphone that’s higher up the price scale, even the best budget phones do come with some level of compromise in order to achieve their affordability. That might sound daunting to the average consumer, but it’s actually very simple to navigate – just take a minute and think about the features that matter most to you in a smartphone.





For instance, there are phones that go all in on battery life and display tech, which makes them great for entertainment on the go, but there are others that place a greater emphasis on software and making sure that there’s no bloatware to deal with. Once you know what it is that you prioritise, this list makes the upgrade process simple as we’ve highlighted which phones excel in what areas, so you can spend less time researching and more time enjoying your new phone.





Best budget phone reviews







      

               

         

                           

                  


                  1.  Nothing Phone (3a) – Best Overall                  


               

                                       

                              

               

                              

               

               
                                    

                        

                           
                              

                                 

Pros


                                 

  • Incredibly stylish design




  • Affordable price point




  • Slick and speedy software




  • Great battery life

                              

                                                                                 

                              

Cons


                              

  • Ultrawide camera isn’t great




  • No charger in the box

                           

                                                   

                     

                                                      

                                             

                                          

                           

                        Price When Reviewed:                           

                           
                           329 Euro                           

                        

                                                               

                        
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                  12% off original price€289                  

                  

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                                             Nothing
                                       

                                    

                  329,00 €                  

                  

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Even though it has since been superseded by the newer Nothing Phone (4a), it’s too expensive for this list and the previous-gen Nothing Phone (3a) is still being sold and supported. It’s now available from £299 for the cheaper model and is a great option now the CMF Phone 2 Pro has seemingly been discontinued.



The most obvious thing the Nothing Phone (3a) has, which very few budget phones do, is a clear sense of style. Nothing’s phones have always been eye-catching with their space-age look and see-through backings, but it all feels so much more refined on the (3a). The way the Glyph Lights casually wrap around the visor-style camera bump is impressive, and those lights can be used to indicate all sorts of things when the phone is face down, including incoming notifications and charging status.



This fashionable approach isn’t limited to just the hardware, as the NothingOS software is a joy to use and very much at odds with the bloatware-filled overlays that tend to plague the lower end of the market. There’s a wonderful array of exclusive widgets that let you populate your homescreen with Nothing’s signature pixelated style and font, and there are plenty of customisation options too. This is right up there with Samsung’s One UI in terms of usability.



Although the battery inside is just 5000mAh, which seems almost tame in 2026, thanks to Nothing’s optimisations the (3a) can stretch that capacity to impressive heights. Even on more demanding days, you’ll struggle to completely drain the battery, and there’s 50W wired charging to get the phone topped up in no time. It really is an excellent phone, and one of the few areas where it doesn’t quite hit the mark is with the 8Mp ultra-wide camera, but that sensor sits alongside two very competent wide and telephoto cameras.



Who should buy the Nothing Phone (3a)?



Fashion-first buyers who want stylish hardware and software in equal measure.



Nothing Phone (3a): Further considerations



The newer Nothing Phone (4a) is a tempting buy if you can stretch your budget a bit further.


                  

                                 
                        

                  

         

                           

                  


                  2.  Samsung Galaxy A17 5G – Best Samsung                  


               

                                       

                              

               

                              

               

               
                                    

                        

                           
                              

                                 

Pros


                                 

  • Sleek design




  • Long software support




  • Large, punchy screen




  • Slick user interface

                              

                                                                                 

                              

Cons


                              

  • Almost identical to A16 5G




  • Lacklustre secondary cameras




  • No eSIM

                           

                                                   

                     

                                                      

                                             

                                          

                           

                        Price When Reviewed:                           

                           
                           229 Euro                           

                        

                                                               

                        
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                  31% off original price€158                  

                  

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                  â‚¬158                  

                  

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                  â‚¬157.9                  

                  

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                  â‚¬159.99                  

                  

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                  â‚¬167.44                  

                  

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                                             Samsung
                                       

                                    

                  229,00 €                  

                  

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At this point, no one can really doubt Samsung’s ability to make solid budget phones that tick all the right boxes, but it’s arguably finessed that skill to a fault. Case in point, there’s very little to separate the Samsung Galaxy A17 from its predecessor, but when viewed from outside of that lineage, it stands as a great budget pick in its own right.



Apart from some subtle design tweaks, the main upgrade is the addition of optical image stabilisation (OIS) to the main camera for slightly better results. You also get Samsung’s rather slick UI, which stands apart from what you typically find at the budget end of the market.



As per usual, the Galaxy A17 also goes above and beyond when it comes to long-term software support. Anyone who picks up the phone can enjoy six years of updates from the time of launch which just goes even further to helping consumers maximise the value of their purchase, and it’s exactly why Samsung handsets are the go-to pick for anyone looking to buy a phone for the long term.



There is a case to be made that with the A16 5G being phased out, you could easily pick it up with a significant discount attached, and there’s nothing wrong with that if you want to stick to a tight budget. However, the slight added expense to get an extra year of software support with the A17 is a fair trade-off, especially as it will be regularly discounted itself.



Note there’s also a Galaxy A17 4G model which is almost identical but cheaper and, of course, without 5G connectivity if that’s not a necessity.



Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy A17?



Value-first buyers who want a device that’s supported well into the future.



Samsung Galaxy A17: Further considerations



The Galaxy A16 is near identical and may be found for less and the CMF has better hardware.


                  

                                 
                        

                  

         

                           

                  


                  3.  Motorola Moto G37 – Best For Entertainment                  


               

                                       

                              

               

                              

               

               
                                    

                        

                           
                              

                                 

Pros


                                 

  • Bold design looks and feels great




  • Two-day battery life is possible




  • Moto’s light Android UI has useful features




  • Stereo speakers are a nice addition




  • MicroSD support and a headphone jack

                              

                                                                                 

                              

Cons


                              

  • Interface and apps can feel sluggish




  • IP64 means it can’t be submerged




  • Limited software support




  • Cameras are okay at best

                           

                                                   

                     

                                                      

                                             

                                             

                              
                                                      

                              
                                                         

                           

                                                                  

                        
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Sometimes, the best thing about a budget phone is how it can make us look at the more expensive flagships that we carry around and ask: why doesn’t my phone have that? It doesn’t often happen but it’s exactly where we find ourselves with the Motorola Moto G37, a brilliantly affordable phone that looks nicer than most high-end phones, and carries a few long-gone features that we would love to see make a comeback.



More specifically, it’s the combination of a headphone jack and expandable memory via a microSD card slot that makes the Moto G37 such a great phone for entertainment. If you’re headed on a long flight or train ride, you can download countless movies and TV shows to the phone, enjoy lossless audio via a pair of wired headphones, and delve into the truly stunning 6.67-inch 120Hz display.



Also working in the phone’s favour as an entertainment hub is its impressive battery life. The phone has been well optimised to make the most of the 5200mAh cell onboard, and from our testing, we found that you can absolutely get the phone to run for up to two days at a time under certain use cases. The charging is a bit slower than we’d like it to be at just 20W, but at least the longevity saves you from having to charge the device as often as some other phones.



Acting as the cherry on top is the fact that Motorola uses a wonderfully clean version of Android in its phones. There is a fair amount of bloatware pre-installed on the G37, presumably as a way of keeping the cost down, but it can always be deleted during your setup. What is a shame is that Motorola is only supporting the G37 with a total of two years of software updates. This is bolstered slightly by three years of security patches being provided, but you will have to factor this in if you choose the G37 as your next phone.



Who should buy the Motorola Moto G37?



Entertainment fans who need a budget phone that ticks all the right boxes.



Motorola Moto G37: Further considerations



With only two years of software updates, you may want to upgrade again sooner rather than later.


                  

                                 
                        

                  

         

                           

                  


                  4.  OnePlus Nord CE 5 – Best for AI                  


               

                                       

                              

               

                              

               

               
                                    

                        

                           
                              

                                 

Pros


                                 

  • Nice design and build quality




  • Rich, elegant user experience




  • Fast charging

                              

                                                                                 

                              

Cons


                              

  • Disappointing loudspeaker and haptics




  • Rivals offer better value performance




  • Cameras struggle in low light

                           

                                                   

                     

                                                      

                                             

                                          

                           

                        Price When Reviewed:                           

                           
                           299 Euro                           

                        

                                                               

                        
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                                             OnePlus
                                       

                                    

                  299,00 €                  

                  

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OnePlus has really helped to raise the bar amongst budget phones in the last few years but if you still haven’t been convinced by the company’s efforts then the OnePlus Nord CE 5 should set you straight. This is one of those rare phones that genuinely feels completely at odds with its budget price tag.



While the design might be a little on the reserved side, there’s no denying that the Nord CE 5 has a confident look to it, and the use of an all-black polycarbonate frame and composite back do an excellent job of making you think that this is actually a phone that belongs at the premium end of the scale. Having IP65 dust and water resistance doesn’t hurt either.



There’s a bright and responsive 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED display on this phone that’s easy to use outdoors and ideal for kicking back with some entertainment at the end of a long day. Even though OnePlus has opted for the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex as opposed to any chipset from Snapdragon, performance is still great, and we encountered no issues when playing titles like Call of Duty Mobile.



Under the hood is a sizeable 5200mAh battery which can easily get you to the end of a long day without any anxiety. What’s more impressive is the 80W wired fast charging that’s available here, allowing users to power up a full battery in just under 50 minutes.



Who should buy the OnePlus Nord CE 5?



People who appreciate a budget phone that looks like a more premium device.



OnePlus Nord CE 5: Further considerations



Software is moving to ColorOS now OnePlus has pulled out of the US, UK and European markets.


                  

                                 
                        

                  

         

                           

                  


                  5.  Motorola Edge 60 Fusion – Best Design                  


               

                                       

                              

               

                              

               

               
                                    

                        

                           
                              

                                 

Pros


                                 

  • Great colours and finishes




  • Strong dust and water protection




  • Solid display




  • Good main camera performance

                              

                                                                                 

                              

Cons


                              

  • Curved display not great for gamers




  • Some performance issues




  • Only 3 years of updates




  • Moto AI doesn’t add much

                           

                                                   

                     

                                                      

                                             

                                          

                           

                        Price When Reviewed:                           

                           
                           199,99 Euro                           

                        

                                                               

                        
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                  â‚¬311.9                  

                  

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                                             Motorola
                                       

                                    

                  329,99 €                  

                  

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If you ever hear anyone complaining that budget phones tend not to be as eye-catching as their more premium counterparts, you might want to show them the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion. This affordable ÂŁ299.99/$379 handset comes in two fetching Pantone colours, Slipstream and Amazonite, which boast a vegan leather backing that grips well but is also comfortable in the hand.



The phone’s look isn’t for show either, as it can withstand both dust and water thanks to IP68 and IP69 ratings, so you won’t have to worry about the phone falling foul of the elements. Beyond the design, it’s the 6.67-inch pOLED curved display that’s the real draw, which is simply gorgeous to look at and creates a wonderfully cinematic appearance when streaming a bit of Netflix or Disney+.



The only downside to the curved display is that it isn’t ideal for gamers who want an unobstructed view of the action, and want to avoid any mistouches. Still, for those who are more interested in mobile photography, you’ll be pleased to know that the rear-facing 50Mp main lens can pump out some great looking shots with a natural appreciation of colour. The 32Mp front-facing camera also captures detailed selfies in a pinch.



It’s a great package overall, but with only three years of updates promised from the time of launch, we would have loved to see Motorola go further here to try and beat Samsung on longevity. Given that the phone’s Moto AI features are fairly redundant, it would have been more productive for Motorola to divert its resources into providing better value for money to consumers.



Although the newer Motorola Edge 70 Fusion has hit the scene, the phone is priced at £369.99, meaning that it wouldn’t be eligible for this list.



Who should buy the Motorola Edge 60 Fusion?



On-the-go entertainment enthusiasts who need a great screen on the cheap.



Motorola Edge 60 Fusion: Further considerations



With just three years of software updates, it’s lacking in long-term value.


                  

                                 
                        

                  

         

                           

                  


                  6.  Motorola Moto G85 5G – Best Display                  


               

                                       

                              

               

                              

               

               
                                    

                        

                           
                              

                                 

Pros


                                 

  • Gorgeous curved-edge pOLED display




  • Slim and lightweight design




  • Reliable battery life




  • Impressive fast charging

                              

                                                                                 

                              

Cons


                              

  • Mediocre camera performance




  • Middling software support




  • Performance falls short of similarly priced rivals

                           

                                                   

                     

                                                      

                                             

                                          

                           

                        Price When Reviewed:                           

                           
                           349,99 Euro                           

                        

                                                               

                        
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                                             Galaxus
                                       

                                    

                  34% off original price229,00 €                  

                  

                     


 

 

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