Best budget smartphones under 200 dollars 2024

Are you planning to buy a new smartphone but your budget is tight? No problem. Money.it has drawn up a ranking of the 10 best smartphones under 200 dollars to help you choose the best smartphone for the cheapest price range.

Choosing a smartphone is not easy, especially when you have a limited budget, in which case evaluating the value for money becomes fundamental. There are many valid products on the market under 200 dollars, each with certain characteristics that meet the needs of those who purchase it.

Before presenting the ranking of the best cheap smartphones on the market, let’s see what we must never forget to evaluate when choosing a smartphone.

How to choose the best budget smartphones?

When choosing a budget smartphone, it’s important to consider the features and value for price. But how do you evaluate quality? Doing so is not as difficult as it seems: The only requirement is to have a basic understanding of the technical aspects of smartphones.

First of all, we must say that quality is always relative. The first aspect to evaluate when choosing a smartphone is your needs. If I want an excellent camera, the smartphone that’s right for me will be a smartphone with a large photographic section and with as many megapixels as possible; if I need a company smartphone, the ideal for me will be a device that supports dual-sim and has a large display; if, again, I believe that the autonomy of the smartphone is crucial, I will evaluate the quality starting from the battery power, the autonomy and the presence or absence of fast and wireless charging.

Let’s see how to read and evaluate the technical specifications of a smartphone to make the most informed choice suited to our needs.

• Evaluate processor speed and RAM. Are you undecided between two smartphones and don’t know which one to choose? Choose the one with the highest amount of RAM and processor frequency. The minimum processor frequency for the latest generation device is 1.4/1.5 GHz, while the minimum amount of RAM is 2-3 GB. The recommended bases, however, are at least 2 GHz for processor frequency and 4 GB for RAM. Remember that the processor is the brain of the device and the higher its frequency, the faster it processes the instructions it receives. RAM, on the other hand, is a type of memory that is essential for the functioning of the phone. In other words, the more RAM, the more applications the user can open simultaneously and without slowdowns.
• Rate the camera. If you are interested in the quality of photos and videos you must necessarily know how to read the technical specifications relating to the photographic section of the smartphone. First of all, the resolution of an image captured by a digital camera and, therefore, its quality is expressed in megapixels (MP). The more MP it has, the better photos it can take. As for videos, check the recording capacity, the maximum resolution, and the presence of features such as 4K recording and video stabilization.
• Evaluate the battery. For many people, one of the most important aspects to consider is battery life, i.e. its duration. The battery life depends first of all on its power, expressed in milliampere hours (mAh), but the actual duration also depends on other factors. More energy-efficient processors tend to consume less power. Examining the processor specifications therefore also becomes necessary to evaluate energy efficiency. The presence of energy-saving functions and brightness adjustment can help improve battery life.
• Evaluate storage space. If you are in the habit of storing lots of photos and videos or downloading lots of apps, you will necessarily have to pay attention to the GB available. The storage space can be 128, 256, or even 512 GB. If the storage space can be extended with external memory cards, you could opt for the cheapest version of the smartphone as long as this does not also imply a decrease in the amount of RAM.
• Evaluate connectivity. The connectivity of a device is a crucial aspect that affects its functionality and versatility. Here are some key factors you need to consider when evaluating a smartphone from a connectivity point of view:
  - Wi-Fi connection: Make sure your device supports Wi-Fi connections, preferably with support for newer Wi-Fi networks like 802.11ac or 802.11ax for faster speeds;
  - mobile data: verify that the device has at least 4G mobile data connectivity for Internet connection;
  - Bluetooth: Check the supported Bluetooth version. Newer versions like Bluetooth 5.0 offer improvements in speed and coverage over older versions;
  - NFC: If sharing files or using mobile payment services is important to you, make sure your device supports NFC;
  - earphones: If you use wired headphones, make sure your device has a 3.5mm headphone jack;
  - mobile hotspot: if you want to share your device’s Internet connection with other devices, check whether the mobile hotspot function is available;
  - smart devices: If you have smart home devices, check the device’s compatibility with standards such as Zigbee, Z-Wave, or other protocols used in your smart home;
  - additional wireless features: Consider whether your device supports other wireless features such as wireless charging, which may be useful depending on your preferences.

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Best budget smartphones under 200 dollars

Once you have acquired the basic knowledge to be able to read a technical sheet you can consciously choose and purchase your next smartphone.

The selection was made considering smartphones under 200 dollars that offer all the features of the latest generation smartphone. The order of the ranking is random. Trying, in this way, to guide readers towards purchasing the best smartphone at the lowest price.

1. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12

At the price of only $155.70, Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is one of the best smartphones for this price range. It has a large 6.67-inch display with a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels. The photographic sector is made up of three cameras: the main 50 MP, the 8MP wide-angle and a third 2 MP camera ensures excellent quality photos and is one of the strong points of this device. The 13MP internal camera is also interesting.

The processor frequency is good, above the minimum threshold we indicated in the first chapter, as is the amount of RAM. The battery is powerful and the 33W fast charging ensures much faster charging than other smartphones in this price range. It also has Bluetooth 5.0 technology, NFC, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port.

2. Xiaomi Redmi 10

Slightly less powerful from a processor point of view than the Redmi Note 12, the Redmi 10 is still an excellent smartphone in terms of value for money. At the price of $113.70, it offers excellent quality and cutting-edge technologies. The photographic sector, with a 50 MP main camera, is excellent and on par with much more expensive smartphones.

The battery is powerful, although charging is slower than on the Note 12. The 6.5-inch display has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. This smartphone also has NFC and USB Type-C 2.0 output, while Bluetooth technology is 5.1.

3. Motorola Moto G32

The Motorola Moto G32 is a smartphone that stands out among others in the same price range for its excellent audio quality. It has two large stereo speakers, with optimized bass and clearer voices, and ensures high clarity even at higher volumes.

The photographic sector is interesting, the battery is powerful and the charging is very fast for a $129.99 device. We also find Bluetooth 5.2 technology, Wi-Fi, speakerphone, MP3 player, FM radio, NFC, and a side fingerprint reader.

4. Samsung Galaxy A14

The Samsung Galaxy A14 is undoubtedly the best Samsung for this price range. For only $155.00, it offers a powerful processor, a sufficient amount of RAM, a very good photographic sector, and a powerful battery with fast charging.

It has a very large 6.6-inch screen and 2408 x 1080 pixel resolution with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. It also has NFC, Bluetooth 5.1 technology, Wi-Fi 3, and USB Type-C 2.0.

5. Samsung Galaxy A04s

At only $95.00, the Samsung Galaxy A04s is slightly less powerful than its brother the Samsung A14 in the ranking, but is perfect for those with a lower budget and who don’t want to give up the Samsung model.

The amount of RAM is 3 GB, the minimum for the latest generation smartphones. The camera is still good, the 5000 mAh battery has 15W fast charging and offers all the connectivity technologies that other smartphones in the ranking have.

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6. Xiaomi Redmi 12

Xiaomi Redmi 12 is perfect for those who love large-screen smartphones. It has a particularly large 6.79-inch display. Specifically, the dimensions are: 168.6 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm and the weight is 198.5 g.

The photographic sector includes a 50 MP main camera, f/1.8 (wide angle), and an 8 MP front camera. The processor is slightly less powerful than the smartphones in the ranking but in terms of functionality, it has nothing to envy of the others.

7. Honor X7a

Available on Amazon for only $174.99, the Honor X7a is an excellent smartphone, especially for those who consider battery life the essential feature of their next device. The battery is very powerful and fast charging is ensured by a 22.5W charger.

Furthermore, the camera is of a good standard and has all the necessary connectivity technologies: NFC, Bluetooth 5.1 technology, Wi-Fi Direct, and USB Type-C 2.0 port.

Original article published on Money.it Italy 2024-03-10 14:15:00. Original title: Smartphone economici 2024: i migliori sotto i 150 euro