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The best phones under $300 are no longer boring. They offer a taste of premium features, but in a device that still very much feels like a budget phone. These budget phones can make calls, send texts and run most apps and games for hundreds of dollars less than the iPhone 14 or Galaxy S23. They also provide access to 5G, which is important if you want to hold onto your device for a while, and some even come with a built-in stylus.
But I’m going to level with you: We have yet to use a phone in the $200 to $300 price range that feels like an excellent value. The absolute best picks in this category tend to be more expensive devices that are frequently discounted to $299 when on sale. For instance, Google’s $449 Pixel 6A is our current best phone for under $500, and it’s often discounted to $299.
That’s not to say phones in the $200 to $300 price range should be avoided. Some include decent cameras, a headphone jack, expandable storage and NFC support for mobile payments.
What is the best phone under $300?
The best phone you can buy for under $300, if the Google Pixel 6A isn’t on sale, is the OnePlus Nord N20 5G. OnePlus smartly balanced great features like like an in-screen fingerprint sensor, 6GB of RAM and fast 33-watt charging; while keeping compromises (something all sub-$300 phones have) to a minimum like using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip instead using a top-of-the-line one. The Nord N20 5G has a trio of rear cameras including a 64-megapixel main shooter that takes decent photos in brighter conditions. Overall, the OnePlus Nord N20 5G handles many of the basics well, which could be enough for those on T-Mobile or Mint Mobile looking for a solid, but affordable option at the carrier.
Best phones under $300
The $299 OnePlus N20 5G isn’t an exciting phone, but it more than gets the job done for most situations. Unlike several phones on this list, you can buy it unlocked from OnePlus. It also provides high-end features we don’t always see at this price, like an in-screen fingerprint reader, faster 33-watt charging, 6GB of RAM and NFC for mobile payments. Despite being available directly from OnePlus, the N20 works with AT&T and T-Mobile but does not work with Verizon. The phone’s 5G support also only works through T-Mobile.
Reviewing the $258 TCL Stylus 5G was a journey for me last year. Specs-wise, it has a lot that I enjoyed. The phone’s TCL NxtVision HDR setting provided enhanced colors when I played games, TCL made minimal changes to Android 12 and I especially enjoyed the magnetic stylus that fits securely into its own slot on the phone.
The $228 OnePlus Nord N300 5G is my favorite phone under $300. The only reason why I cannot recommend it above the N20 is because this phone is locked to T-Mobile. Despite being around $80 cheaper than the other OnePlus phone, it still has 33-watt fast charging, a 90Hz refresh rate display and a 48-megapixel main camera that does a decent job with photos and video. Its matte black look that highlights its two camera lenses also makes it one of the nicer-looking budget phones I’ve tested. The N300 improves on the N20 with its dual stereo speakers, over the single speaker on the N20, and I personally prefer the side fingerprint sensor over in-screen options like on the N20.
The Light Phone 2 is a very different kind of phone. It’s meant for people seeking freedom from the constant stream of notifications, but still want a phone that looks nice. But despite its somewhat limited functionality, this phone still costs $299..
Admittedly I’m cheating by getting this phone into the list, but Google’s Pixel 6A has been discounted to $299 a lot lately and is an easy recommendation when it’s been discounted into a budget phone range.
What are the tradeoffs with phones that cost $300 or less?
These cheaper devices tend to scale back significantly in one area or another in order to achieve those low prices. Most commonly, these drawbacks include limited software support, carrier support or bloatware (preloaded apps that you never asked for). These tradeoffs often mean that these devices should not be used after two to three years, especially after security update support ends.
It’s also notable that while these phones retail for $200 to $300, many of them are often available at a deep discount — or even for free — as part of a carrier subsidy deal. If you are planning to stick with the same wireless carrier for two years, these phones could just become part of the cost of your service.
How we test phones
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:
- Display
- Design and feel
- Processor performance
- Battery life
- Camera quality
- Features
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 night time scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We have 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 or not.
Read more: How We Test Phones
Phones under $300 FAQs
What about Apple’s iPhone?
Apple does not currently sell any iPhone options between $200 and $300. The cheapest new iPhone you can get is the iPhone SE at $429. That iPhone is a great value for its fast processor and great camera, but held back by its dated design that harkens back to the iPhone 6, 7 and 8.
Best phones under $300: OnePlus Nord N20 5G vs. TCL Stylus 5G vs. OnePlus Nord N300 5G vs. Google Pixel 6A
| OnePlus Nord N20 5G | TCL Stylus 5G | OnePlus Nord N300 5G | Google Pixel 6A* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display size, resolution | 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display | 6.81-inch FHD+ display (1080 x2400 pixels) | 6.56-inch IPS LCD display; 720p resolution; 90Hz refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED; (1080 x 2400); 60Hz |
| Pixel density | 409ppi | 395ppi | 269ppi | 429 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 6.2 x 2.8 x 0.29 in | 6.67 x 3.01 x 0.35 in | 6.4 x 2.9 x 0.3 in | 6.0 x 2.8 x 0.35 in |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 159.9 x 73.2 x 7.5 mm | 169.6 x 76.5 x 8.9 mm | 163.8 x 75.1 x 7.99 mm | 152.2 x 7.18 x 8.9 mm |
| Weight (ounces, grams) | 173g or 6.1 oz | 213g or 7.51 oz | 190g or 6.7 oz | 6.3 oz; 178g |
| Mobile software | Android 11 | Android 12 | Andorid 12 | Android 12 |
| Camera | 64-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (monochrome lens) | 50-megapixel (main), 5-megapixel (wide), 2-megapixel (macro), 2-megapixel (depth sensor) | 48-megapixel (main), 2-megapixel (depth lens) | 12.2-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultra wide) |
| Front-facing camera | 16-megapixel | 13-megapixel | 16-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| Video capture | 1080p/720p at 30 fps | 1080p at 30fps | 1080p/720p at 30 fps | 4K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G | MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G | MediaTek Dimensity 810 | Google Tensor |
| RAM/Storage | 6GB/128GB | 4GB/128GB | 4GB/64GB | 6GB RAM/128GB storage |
| Expandable storage | Up to 512GB | Up to 2TB | Up to 1TB | None |
| Battery/Charger | 4,500mAh; 33W charging | 4,000mAh; 18W charging | 5,000mAh; 33W charging | 4,410 mAh capacity; 18-watt fast charging (adapter sold separately) |
| Fingerprint sensor | In-screen | Side fingerprint sensor | Side fingerprint sensor | Under display |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C | USB C |
| Headphone jack | Yes | Yes | Yes | None |
| Special features | NFC, Face Unlock, HDR, Screen Flash, Face retouching | Stylus with built-in storage, producitivity software, NxtVision HDR mode | Dual speakers, NFC, Face Unlock, HDR, Portrait, Face retouching | 5G-enabled, 18W fast charging, WiFi 6E, security updates for 5 years, Android OS updates for 3 years, dual SIM, IP67 water resistance |
| Price off-contract (USD) | $299 | $258 | $228 | $449 (*$299 when on sale) |
Best Phone Under $300: 5G Phones at Starter Prices – CNET
Source: Media Star Philippines
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