Finest for battery life, however nothing else
Motorola Moto G Play (2023)
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Telephones that price beneath $200 are extra useful than they had been previously. The latest telephones on this worth vary, just like the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, have 5G assist for quicker knowledge and NFC for contactless funds. Different telephones, like Motorola’s Moto G Stylus, are higher media machines, offering stereo audio system to enhance audio high quality whereas together with cameras that take respectable photographs.
These cheaper telephones have noticeable trade-offs: They normally run slower than dearer telephones, and whereas they’ll normally ship with the newest model of Android, there is perhaps solely a brief window of safety replace assist. That final challenge is especially necessary to bear in mind when buying on this worth vary, because it’s dangerous to make use of a telephone that is now not being protected in opposition to safety vulnerabilities by its producer.
We would not think about any of those picks to be productiveness machines, however these telephones are probably going to be extra helpful than you’ll anticipate for the value. Plus, a few of these low-cost smartphones may find yourself being “free” when signing up with a telephone service’s subsidization program normally requiring a two-year dedication to get the price lined.
What’s the perfect telephone beneath $200?
The $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is our present prime decide for the perfect telephone beneath $200. That is largely due to its inclusion of 5G assist for quicker knowledge, NFC assist for contactless funds, and a reasonably beneficiant software program and safety assist timeline in contrast with different telephones on this worth vary. Samsung will likely be offering two years of software program updates and 5 years of safety updates to the Galaxy A14 5G, making it a telephone that may be safely used for a number of years when you select to.
We’re not loopy about its images, and if that is extra necessary to you than 5G, you must also check out the $200 Moto G Stylus for its higher digital camera high quality.
When you want a telephone that is even cheaper, we’re additionally protecting across the $160 Galaxy A03S on this record. That gadget continues to be being supported by Samsung, however remember that it has solely a tiny 32GB of cupboard space.
Finest telephones beneath $200 of 2024
The $200 Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is among the most useful telephones beneath $200 out there proper now. Though it is at a budget-friendly worth, this Samsung telephone consists of 5G assist for quicker knowledge and NFC for contactless funds utilizing Google Pockets. Whereas each of these inclusions are highlights for this worth vary, Samsung can be planning to assist the Galaxy A14 with two years of software program updates and 5 years of safety updates, making it a telephone that will likely be protected to make use of for a number of years.
You must nonetheless remember that the telephone does have trade-offs to hit its $200 worth. It has a colorless design, a slower processor and combined images efficiency. But regardless of its points, the options it does embody make it a straightforward advice when you’re shopping for the telephone outright or if it is supplied free of charge with a service subsidy deal.
The $200 Moto G Stylus does not have 5G, however as an alternative features a built-in stylus together with an honest 50-megapixel predominant digital camera. The Stylus did a pleasant job taking photographs whereas I used to be in quite a lot of environments, each indoors and open air. I notably loved the telephone’s tackle Portrait mode, and it captured a transparent photograph of the plant wall in CNET’s New York workplace that I take advantage of for photograph testing. The 6.5-inch 720p show can be in a position to run at a constant 90Hz refresh price, offering easy animations whereas navigating apps and studying web sites.
The telephone is in any other case let down by Motorola’s software program and safety replace coverage for its G collection of telephones, masking just one software program replace and three years of safety updates. That, mixed with the dearth of 5G or NFC, signifies that whereas it is an ideal selection for higher photos, there are a number of methods this telephone may turn out to be left behind because the years cross. When you plan on utilizing this telephone for less than two to 3 years, you may get quite a lot of worth out of this gadget.
Samsung’s Galaxy A03S at $160 (roughly £126, AU$240) may nonetheless be an ideal match for somebody in search of the most affordable attainable telephone that may deal with most important duties. The telephone’s 6.5-inch display screen, capped at 720p decision, is nice for studying the information, watching movies and taking part in video games. Regardless of some efficiency lag discovered throughout our evaluation, the telephone is nice at multitasking. The telephone’s tiny 32GB of cupboard space may refill quick, so when you’re contemplating this telephone, it could be worthwhile to consider increasing the storage with a microSD card.
The A03S, first launched final 12 months, is getting 4 years of safety updates, that means that there are nonetheless three left. It is much less clear what number of Android model updates are scheduled, and in contrast to the newer A14, it does not have 5G assist or NFC. Whereas these two advantages together with the A14’s 64GB of inside storage are value the additional $30 worth improve, you possibly can nonetheless get some mileage out of the A03S when you’re merely in search of the most affordable Samsung telephone attainable.
The $170 Moto G Play’s greatest characteristic is how its 5,000-mAh battery can stretch itself to 3 days of battery life. Past that, it is necessary to reveal that this gadget is among the extra irritating telephones for beneath $200.
The telephone’s MediaTek Helio G37 processor and 3GB of RAM had a difficult time loading apps, and its 32GB of area stuffed up shortly. The telephone does embody a microSD card slot for storage growth. Images was additionally persistently fuzzy, and the $160 A03S simply outdid the Moto G Play in my images check.
Regardless of releasing in 2023, the Moto G Play ships with Android 12 and can obtain just one software program replace to Android 13. It’s going to additionally obtain three years of safety updates, which is customary for Motorola’s G collection of telephones.
In the end, whereas I’m together with this telephone on the record as a result of its long-lasting battery which is presumably as a result of how underpowered this telephone feels, I’d sooner level you to every other telephone on this record earlier than selecting the Moto G Play.
Each telephone on this record has been completely examined by CNET’s knowledgeable evaluations crew. We truly use the telephone, check the options, play video games and take photographs. We assess any advertising guarantees that an organization makes about its telephones. If we discover one thing we do not like, be it battery life or construct high quality, we inform you all about it.
We study each side of a telephone throughout testing:
- Show
- Design and really feel
- Processor efficiency
- Battery life
- Digicam high quality
- Options
We check all of a telephone’s cameras (each back and front) in quite a lot of situations: from open air beneath daylight to dimmer indoor locales and nighttime scenes (for any out there evening modes). We additionally examine our findings in opposition to equally priced fashions. We run a collection of real-world battery assessments to see how lengthy a telephone lasts beneath on a regular basis use.
We consider further telephone options, like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, quick charging, foldable shows and different helpful extras. We weigh all of our experiences and testing in opposition to the value, so you recognize whether or not a telephone represents good worth.
Learn extra: How we check telephones
Strive it before you purchase it: It is one factor to ogle over a telephone, but it surely’s one other to really strive it out in a retailer.
Determine on Android or iPhone: Do you’ve got quite a lot of iPhone apps and Apple subscriptions? Keep on with an iPhone. Likewise, when you’ve invested in a great deal of Android apps, you may wish to keep on that facet of the fence. In any other case, it is easy sufficient to swap platforms.
Choose an important characteristic: Is it display screen measurement? Digicam high quality? Battery life? This can assist slender down your selections.
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G vs. Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) vs. Samsung Galaxy A03S vs. Motorola Moto G Play (2023)
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| Samsung Galaxy A14 5G | Moto G Stylus (2023) | Samsung Galaxy A03S | Moto G Play (2023) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Show measurement, decision | 6.6-inch FHD+ LCD show, (2,408 x 1,080 pixels), 90Hz | 6.5-inch IPS LCD; 1,600×720; 90Hz refresh price | 6.5-inch HD+ LCD (720×1,600 pixels) | 6.5-inch IPS TFT LCD; 1,600×720 pixels; 90Hz refresh price |
| Pixel density | 399 ppi | 269 ppi | 269 ppi | 269 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 6.6 x 3.07 x 0.36 in. | 6.41 x 2.9 x 0.36 in. | 6.5 x 2.9 x 0.3 in. | 6.58 x 2.95 x 0.36 in. |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 167.7 x 78 x 9.1 mm | 162.8 x 73.8 x 9.2 mm | 165.8 x 75.9 x 9.1 mm | 167 x 77 x 9.4 mm |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 204 g (7.19 oz.) | 202 g (7.13 oz.) | 202 g (7.13 oz.) | 203 g (7.16 oz.) |
| Cell software program | Android 13 | Android 13 | Android 11 | Android 12 |
| Digicam | 50-megapixel (predominant), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth) | 50-megapixel (predominant), 2-megapixel (macro) | 13-megapixel (broad), 2-megapixel (depth), 2-megapixel (macro) | 16-megapixel (predominant), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth sensor) |
| Entrance-facing digital camera | 13-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel |
| Video seize | 1080p at 30fps | 1080p at 30/60 fps | FHD (1920×1080 at 30fps) | 1080p 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 | Sure | Sure | As much as 1TB | Sure |
| Battery/Charger | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh (15W charging) | 5,000 mAh (charger not included, doesn’t assist wi-fi charging) | 5,000 mAh (10W charging) |
| Fingerprint sensor | Facet | Facet | Facet | Rear |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | Sure | Sure | Sure | Sure |
| Particular options | 5G-enabled, NFC, 15W charging | Stylus, Moto Gestures | 3-day battery life, Moto Gestures, Auto Smile Seize, Portrait Mode |
Are cheaper telephones value it?
What about telephones which might be even cheaper, like beneath $100?
