Our new favorite budget phones

Over the past few months, every phone maker under the sun has been updating their lineups, especially at affordable ones, with big budget phones not expected to launch until next year. This made it the perfect time to go back and re-evaluate EdgeRecommendations for Best budget phones You can buy now.

You won’t be too surprised to hear that iPhone 17e It’s now our recommendation for the best cheap iPhone, not least because it’s the best only Cheap iPhone. However, this year’s addition of MagSafe charging makes it a much more comprehensive package than last year’s 16E, and with the same A19 chip as the flagship iPhone 17, you won’t find any phone with better performance for the price.

On the Android side, I was probably bemoaning the same extent Google Pixel 10A is under reviewbut last year’s 9A was great, and the carbon version of it is still great too. This is still the best cheap Android option for most people, thanks to its lengthy software support and capable camera. But there is competition. My favorite alternative now is Nothing Phone 4A Proa larger phone with a beautiful display and pristine aesthetic — and unlike most previous Nothing phones, it’s available for purchase in the US.