$200 at Amazon
Phones that cost under $200 are becoming more functional than they were in the past. The newest phones in this price range, like the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, are starting to incorporate 5G support for faster data and NFC for contactless payments. Other phones, like Motorola’s Moto G Stylus, are becoming better media machines, providing stereo speakers to improve audio quality while including cameras that take decent photos.
Yet these cheaper phones do have a number of noticeable trade-offs: They usually run slower than more expensive phones, and while they will usually ship with the latest version of Android, there might only be a short window of security update support. That last issue is particularly important to keep in mind when shopping in this price range, as it’s risky to use a phone that’s no longer being protected against security vulnerabilities by its manufacturer.
While we wouldn’t consider any of these picks to be productivity machines, these phones are likely going to be more useful than you would expect for the price. Plus, some of these devices might end up being “free” when signing up with a phone carrier’s subsidization program — usually requiring a two-year commitment in order to get the cost covered.
The $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is our current top pick for the best phone under $200. This is largely because of its inclusion of 5G support for faster data, NFC support for contactless payments and a fairly generous software and security support timeline when compared to other phones in this price range. Samsung will be providing two years of software updates and five years of security updates to the Galaxy A14 5G, making it a phone that can be safely used for several years if you choose to.
However we’re not crazy about its photography, and if that’s more important to you than 5G, you should also take a look at the $200 Moto G Stylus for its better camera quality.
If you need a phone that’s even cheaper, we’re also keeping around the $160 Galaxy A03S in this list. That device is still being supported by Samsung, but keep in mind that it only has a tiny 32GB of storage space.
The $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is one of the most functional phones under $200 available right now. Even though it’s at a budget-friendly price, this Samsung phone includes 5G support for faster data and NFC for contactless payments using Google Wallet. While both of those inclusions are highlights for this price range, Samsung is also planning to support the Galaxy A14 with two years of software updates and five years of security updates, making it a phone that will be safe to use for several years.
Read more $200 at Amazon$167 at Walmart$200 at Best Buy
The $200 Moto G Stylus does not have 5G, but instead includes a built-in stylus along with a decent 50-megapixel main camera. The Stylus did a nice job taking photos while I was in a variety of environments, including indoors and outdoors. I particularly enjoyed the phone’s take on Portrait mode, and it captured a clear photo of the plant wall in CNET’s New York office that I use for photo testing. The 6.5-inch 720p display is also able to run at a consistent 90Hz refresh rate, providing smooth animations while navigating apps and reading websites.
Read more $200 at Motorola
Samsung’s Galaxy A03S at $160 (roughly £130, AU$240) could still be a great fit for someone looking for the cheapest possible phone that can handle most essential tasks. The phone’s 6.5-inch screen, capped at 720p resolution, is capable for reading the news, watching videos and playing games. Despite some performance lag found during our review, the phone is good at multitasking. But the phone’s tiny 32GB of storage space could fill up fast, so if you’re considering this phone, it may be worthwhile to think about expanding the storage with a microSD card.
Read more $160 at Samsung
The $170 Moto G Play’s best feature is how its 5,000-mAh battery can stretch itself to three days of battery life. However, beyond that, it’s important to disclose that this device is one of the more frustrating phones for under $200.
Read more $110 at Amazon You’re receiving price alerts for Motorola Moto G Play (2023)
Every phone on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. We actually use the phone, test the features, play games, and take photos. We assess any marketing promises that a company makes about its phones. And if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we tell you all about it.
We examine every aspect of a phone during testing:
We test all of a phone’s cameras (both front and back) in a variety of conditions: from outdoors under sunlight to dimmer indoor locales and nighttime scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We run a series of real-world battery tests to see how long a phone lasts under everyday use.
We take into account additional phone features, like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, fast charging, foldable displays, and other useful extras. And we, of course, weigh all of our experiences and testing against the price, so you know whether a phone represents good value.
Read more: How we test phones
| Samsung Galaxy A14 5G | Moto G Stylus (2023) | Samsung Galaxy A03S | Moto G Play (2023) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 6.6-inch FHD+ LCD display, (1,400 x 1,080 pixels), 90Hz | 6.5-inch IPS LCD; 1,600×720; 90Hz refresh rate | 6.5-inch HD+ LCD (720×1,600 pixels) | 6.5-inch IPS TFT LCD; 1,600×720 pixels; 90Hz refresh rate |
| Pixel density | 268 ppi | 269 ppi | 269 ppi | 269 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 6.6 x 3.07 x 0.36 in. | 6.41 x 2.91 x 0.36 in. | 6.5 x 2.9 x 0.3 in. | 6.58 x 2.95 x 0.36 in. |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 167.6 x 77.9 x 9.1 mm | 162.9 x 74.1 x 9.2 mm | 165.8 x 75.9 x 9.1 mm | 167 x 77 x 9.4 mm |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 203 g (7.19 oz.) | 195 g | 202g (7.13 oz.) | 203 g (7.16 oz.) |
| Mobile software | Android 13 | Android 13 | Android 11 | Android 12 |
| Camera | 50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth) | 50-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro) | 13-megapixel (wide), 2-megapixel (depth), 2-megapixel (macro) | 16-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth sensor) |
| Front-facing camera | 16-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel |
| Video capture | 1080p at 30fps | 1080p at 30 fps | FHD (1920×1080 at 30fps) | 720p at 30 fps |
| Processor | MediaTek MT6833V | MediaTek Helio G85 | Octa-core processor | MediaTek Helio G37 |
| RAM/Storage | 4GB + 64GB | 4GB + 64GB; 4GB + 128GB | 3GB/32GB | 3GB + 32GB |
| Expandable storage | Yes | Yes | Up to 1TB | Yes |
| Battery/Charger | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh (15W charging) | 5,000 mAh (charger not included, does not support wireless charging) | 5,000 mAh (10W charging) |
| Fingerprint sensor | Side | Side | Side | Rear |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special features | 5G-enabled, NFC, 15W charging | Stylus, Moto Gestures | 3-day battery life, Moto Gestures, Auto Smile Capture, Portrait Mode |
Phones that are under $200 just focus on the essentials, which means you’ll have to make some compromises. You’ll be able to make phone calls, text, video chat, browse the web and run most Android apps on these devices. But you shouldn’t expect NFC for mobile payments, 5G connectivity or — unfortunately — much included storage space.
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Phones under $100 do exist, but they usually come with significant compromises.
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