The best phones for under £300 in 2024: Affordable quality

There are only a couple of reasons why this A54 from Samsung didn't take the top spot on our list. Aside from being a tad more expensive, it has a slightly smaller screen at 6.4 inches, and the main camera is 50 MP. But what the A54 loses in screen size and camera resolution, it gains in the operating system and processor specs.

This one is running Android 13, which means better support and compatibility going forward. The processor is a generation ahead here, too, with the Exnyos 1380 launched in 2023. Altogether, that means that you can choose the A54 if you value what's under the hood over screen and cameras. Other specs are on par, however, with 128GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via memory card) and 6GB of RAM.

All in all, this is a powerful Samsung 5G smartphone with an emphasis on performance.

While we've been wasting our money on ludicrously expensive tech for years, Motorola has been quietly making some fantastic budget phones that'll give its high-end competitors a run for their money.

The Motorola Edge 20 Lite is a bit of an enigma; it's got a stunning full-HD OLED screen with HDR support, a spot-on 1-9 MP triple camera, a 5000mAh battery, and a Dimensity 720 processor. And yet, it's under £200 right now – unbelievable value.

The gaming performance is also great. Paired with the crisp visuals of the OLED display, you've got an experience that would rival some of the later iPhone models that are worth over £500.

Aside from gaming, there's Android's perfectly adequate UI. It's basic, intuitive, highly customisable, and has plenty of picture-taking power to keep your inner photographer satiated.

While this Nokia G21 won't blow you away, it's certainly a reliable pick, especially at this price point. If you're after something to last you a couple of years then you might want to consider another option, but for those in-between phones, this makes for a great backup.

Easily one of the best smartphones under £200 on the market right now, it's perfect for those looking for the best budget-friendly option. However, don't let the lower cost trick you into thinking it's ineffective in terms of performance. The screen has a refresh rate of 90Hz, so it often looks better than a lot of monitors. The battery is also noteworthy, having the potential to last up to 72 hours off a single charge.

In his full Nokia G21 review, What's The Best Editor William Austin-Lobley says: "If you’re realistic about what to expect, then this phone won't let you down. It’s affordable and functional, but most of all, it boasts a strong battery life. True, its 720p screen, lack of 5G support and limited RAM might mean that it's hard to get excited over and limits its future use beyond two or three years (at best).

"Nevertheless, if you find yourself in a pinch and have modest expectations requiring a phone that performs across its basic smartphone applications, you’re in safe enough hands with the Nokia G21."

If there's one manufacturer who likes to give you a choice of models with just the smallest differences between them, it's Samsung. At first glance, this Galaxy A34 shares a lot of the base specifications of other Samsung models, but the main reason to choose this over its closest peers is its impressive screen and high storage.

The Samsung A34's beautiful AMOLED screen is filled with vivid colours and excellent detail. Thanks to its AMOLED screen technology, the A34 runs at 120Hz too, so the screen has a slick and sharp feel in use, making it an ideal choice for those who enjoy mobile gaming. When paired with its high battery life, which lasts over two days, the Samsung Galaxy A34 feels like a much more premium smartphone than its cost might suggest.

When it comes to storage, the Samsung Galaxy A34 has some of the best on the market for its price. At 356GB of storage, it's surprising that a phone that is on the cheaper end of the market has this much room, and yet the A34 has plenty of space for games, photos and a library's worth of apps.

Certainly worth noting, however, is the A34's weaker camera resolution, which isn't going to mesmerise you by any means, and yet it's certainly one of the better value smartphone cameras available this year.

A phenomenal choice for budget buyers, and one of the most popular choices this year, the Samsung Galaxy A34 is undeniably worth a look, especially if you're looking for something cheap and reliable.

One of the best alternatives to both Samsung and Apple, OnePlus has a beautiful range of spectacular smartphones for under £300. However, none quite compete with the Nord CE3 Lite.

Equipped with a whopping 8GB of RAM (more than some laptops) and a commendable 128GB of memory, the Nord CE3 Lite is out of the gate a great buy. With that combination, you can handle nearly any app or game. The OS is OnePlus' own OxygenOS 13.1 – based on Android. An AMOLED screen is the icing on the cake here.

Then there's the overall construction and aesthetic which is, again, impeccable for the price. Our only gripe is the slightly lacking front camera.

You can always trust Nokia when it comes to durability in phones, and the X10 is no different. Of course, it's not all about the build; the performance is great too. The FHD screen is capable of producing stunning visuals for a phone at this price range.

While the build and the screen are fantastic, the battery is a mixed story. The battery life itself is superb, it's able to last up to 72 hours, but the charging speed lets it down. This is definitely the type of phone you want to keep topped up before going out anywhere.

If you're prone to dropping your phones, then the durability of a Nokia will definitely help out. Beyond that, the X10 is a great phone to travel with, especially with that potential battery life.

For the aspiring photographers or selfie magicians out there, we think you'll appreciate the Honor X7b. You have excellent cameras for just about any purpose. The 108 MP rear camera is the immediate standout, but the inclusion of ultrawide and depth options provides you with so much choice.

The battery life and other specs are also impressive. With the potential to last up to 96 hours, you can feel confident knowing it won't run out of charge midway through a photo shoot. The 128GB storage capacity is more than enough for photos and videos, and while we would like to see more than 6GB of RAM, it doesn't hold this phone back too much.

One of the best budget smartphones of the year Oppo's fantastic A78 smartphone makes some drastic improvements from its predecessor, the A77 and A76, ramping up hardware to provide what is one of the smoothest smartphone experiences at an incredibly low price.

A particular favourite of budget buyers, the A78's ultra-thin bezels and dimple camera style leave users with a particularly large 6.5-inch screen to enjoy, and it's visually excellent. Though not the best quality screen, as many budget phones also face, the actual performance and operation of the OPPO A78 looks and feels fresh, a difficult feat on such a cheap phone.

Using Android 13, but upgradeable to Android 14, you're getting the latest version of Android's operating system, which means you're not missing out on new features, and the OPPO is utilising hardware to its fullest.

The OPPO's cameras, while not the finest, provide impressively detailed visuals, which is difficult to do for less than £200. We highly recommend that you consider the OPPO A78 if budget is a particular concern.

Joining the under £300 roster, the Google Pixel 7a, 2023's well-priced, powerful Android smartphone has massively dropped in price since its release, making this great value phone even more worthwhile. Excellent performance, a stunning 6.1-inch OLED display, and much more, this brilliant Google phone is tough to beat when it comes to hardware.

As for its design, the Google Pixel 7a follows the modern, ultra-stylish aesthetic of its predecessors, with a little more quality packed in for good measure. The glass-coated glossy back, combined with its signature metal camera bar are certainly eye-catching, and instantly recognisable.

If we were to nitpick, we'd like a little more battery life from this Google phone, 24 hours sounds like plenty, but after heavy usage, you're unlikely to get that full day of functionality from it.

Regardless, with 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and that silky-smooth Google Tensor G2 processor, which makes gaming a delight, the Google Pixel 7a is a truly excellent smartphone for less than £300.