Smartphones have improved immensely over the years. It is no surprise that the best features are linked with expensive phones. Moreover, plenty of excellent budget-friendly options are available if you are willing to forfeit the fancy features and hold on to the vital ones. While your choices are limited for this price for obvious reasons, you can get some of the best Androids under $300. Since the market is swarmed with many options, let's explore a few good ones together.
The Best Androids Under $300
You no longer have to break the bank to afford a top-rated Android phone. In this post, we have reviewed some of the best Androids Under $300 for budget buyers. These phones may not have made it to our recommended Android phones list, but they are well worth every dime and can handle most daily tasks excellently.Â
1. Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro
The Poco X5 Pro is one of the best Androids under $300 for those who cannot afford expensive flagship phones. It sports an AMOLED display panel that supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, despite slashing at least $250 from what other options cost. Its 6.67-inch display is crispy with an 86.8% screen-to-body ratio. The aspect ratio is 20:9, the resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels, and the refresh rate is 120Hz. You also get 900 nits of peak brightness, which makes it excellent for binge-watching and graphic editing.
Furthermore, the phone has a tri-camera setup at the rear, comprising 108MP wide, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro sensors. For selfies, a 16MP lens is mounted at the front, covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
The Poco X5 Pro runs on Qualcomm's SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) processor chip, which is impressive for a budget phone. You also get Android 13 (upgradable to Android 13) and MIUI 14 for Poco. The back and frame are made of plastic, and coupled with the Glass front, this phone weighs just 181 grams.
You can choose between a 6GB RAM option with 128GB of internal memory or the 8GB variant with 256 GB. Also, there is no Micro SD slot for memory expansion. Plus, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, loudspeaker, and headphone jack. Power comes from a long-lasting 5,000 mAh Li-Pro battery that supports 67W wired and 5W reverse wired charging. The recommended 67W charger takes 45 minutes to go from zero to full-charged. Pricing starts at $241.90 for the base Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro.
2. Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G
Great camera, a built-in stylus, and a lot more for grabs. The Moto G 5G from Motorola is one of the best Androids under $300 for obvious reasons. It sports a 6.6-inch IPS LCD panel with 120 Hz screen refresh rate. The screen resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels, the aspect ratio is 20:9, and the peak brightness level is 1,200 nits. You get a water-repellent build comprising a glass front, with plastic for the frame and back. It weighs 202 grams with an 87.5% screen-to-body ratio.Â
At the rear, you get a bi-camera setup comprising 50MP wide and 8MP ultra-wide sensors. Meanwhile, a 16MP wide sensor is the only selfie camera. The phone runs on a Qualcomm SM6450 Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 (4 nm) processor and Android 13 (upgradable to Android 14). Available interior memory/RAM combination options are 128GB – 4GB, 128GB – 6GB, and 256GB – 6GB, and all have a dedicated Micro SD slot for expandable storage.
Furthermore, you get a loudspeaker, headphone jack, side-mounted fingerprint, and a Stylus. There's more to enjoy with the long-lasting battery (5,000 mAh Li-Pro). The battery is built-in and supports 20W wired charging. A new Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G's price ranges from $249.99 on Amazon.Â
3. Samsung Galaxy A23 5G
Samsung Galaxy phones are appreciated for their cool ecosystem and well-roundedness. For the new Galaxy A23, you can enjoy 5G connectivity without hurting your savings. The screen is a 6.6-inch FHD+ infinity-V LCD protected with Corning Gorilla glass 5. It has a resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, an aspect ratio of 20:9, and an 82.5% screen-to-body ratio. Regarding optics, its rear quad-camera system comprises 50MP wide, 5MP ultra-wide, and two 2MP (macro and depth) sensors. You also get an 8MP sensor at the front near the HandsHeld Speaker for selfies.
Moreover, the Galaxy A23 5G has a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The fingerprint sensor is side-mounted. Inside the A23, you get Qualcomm's SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) chip to smoothly run the Android 12 OS (upgradable to Android 14). All A23 options come with a dedicated Micro SD slot and can be purchased with 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB RAM. Interior storage can be 64GB or 128GB, and you can add up to 1TB of storage with a Micro SD card.
Power comes from a 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W wired fast-charging speeds. Lastly, the frame and back are made of lightweight plastic. It weighs 197 grams and is water-resistant. A new Samsung Galaxy A23 5G costs $269.90 on Amazon.
4. Google Pixel 7a
In terms of reliability and software performance, the Pixel 7a is a top choice among the best Androids under $300. It is quite petite, with a 6.1-inch OLED display panel spanning 81.8% of the front Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protecting the screen. This screen has a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, aspect ratio of 20:9, refresh rate of 90Hz, and it supports Always-on feature.
The phone runs on Google Tensor G2 (5 nm) and Android 13 (upgradable to Android 14). You also get 8GB of RAM with 128GB of internal space to enjoy. There is no Micro SD slot or headphone jack. However, you get stereo speakers. The fingerprint scanner uses an optical under-display sensor. Phone weight is 193 grams, and its body comprises a glass front, aluminum frame, and plastic back. IP67 is the water and dust resistance rating for this phone.
You get a 64MP wide and 13MP ultra-wide camera setup at the rear. Meanwhile, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor works alone for selfies. The Pixel 7a is among the smartphones that record 4K videos with both cameras. The phone has a built-in 4,385 mAh battery that supports 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging. The starting price for a new Google Pixel 7a is $259.99 on Amazon.
5. OnePlus Nord N30 5G
The OnePlus Nord N30 is one of the best Androids under $300 that offers an actual fast-charging feature. You get a 6.72-inch IPS LCD panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate for the screen. Other parameters are screen resolution – 1080 x 2400 pixels, screen-to-body ratio – 87.1%, and aspect ratio – 20:9. Also, the screen supports Always-on Display.Â
The Nord N30 sports an outstanding design. You get a Snapdragon 695 SoC processor chip to run all your daily tasks seamlessly. This chip pairs with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage to give you the best Android 13 + OxygenOS 13.1 experience. Its tri-camera setup at the rear comprises a 108MP wide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensors. Some of its cool features are the 3.5mm headphone jack, support for NFC, and stereo speakers. The phone weighs 195 grams and is built with a glass front and plastic for the frame and back.
OnePlus has packed this phone with a 5,000mAh battery capable of charging at up to 50W. The phone comes with a compatible charger in the box, so you don't have to spend more to get it. A new unit of OnePlus Nord N30 5G will set you back at least $249.99 when you get it from Amazon or other top stores. And for such a low price tag, you get at least three years of security updates.
6. TCL Stylus 5G
The TCL Stylus 5G is another affordable Android phone offering a sleek display, reliable performance, a decent camera, and a garaged stylus. Its stylus is passive, so it does not have its own built-in battery and does not support Bluetooth. However, it is efficient and works on the phone's screen with minimal latency.Â
Speaking of screens, you get a 6.81-inch IPS LCD display panel offering 500 nits of brightness (typ). It has a screen resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels and a screen-to-body ratio of 84.9%. A NEG-grade glass front protects this display and facilitates a fantastic stylus experience. Furthermore, the glass front, plastic frame, and back combine to keep the phone's weight as low as 213 grams.
Inside the Stylus 5G, you get a Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal memory. This setup runs on Android 12 and TCL UI 4.0 which can seamlessly take on all day-to-day tasks. Also, memory can be expanded via a dedicated Micro SD slot. The quad-camera setup at the rear comprises a 50MP wide, 5MP ultra-wide, and two 2MP (macro and depth) sensors. A 13MP ultra-wide sensor serves as the front/selfie camera. Additionally, Power comes with a long-lasting 4,000 mAh battery, which supports 18W wired charging. A new TCL Stylus 5G unit can be purchased for about $258 from any top smartphone retailer.
7. Honor Magic5 Lite 5G
The Honor Magic5 Lite is one of the slimest and least-weighing budget phones. It weighs only 175 grams and is built with plastic for the frame and back. The front is made of scratch/drop-resistant glass that protects the screen. A 6.67-inch AMOLED display panel has a 20:9 aspect ratio. It has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, an 89.9% screen-to-body ratio, and a 1080 x 2400-pixel screen resolution.
Inside the phone, you get a Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) processor chip that combines with 6GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory for the base option. You can also get one with 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal space. Additionally, the Magic5 Lite has an IR blaster and no Micro SD slot for memory expansion.
The rear tri-camera setup comprises 64MP wide, 5MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro sensors. You also get a 16MP front camera sensor for selfies. A loudspeaker with no headphone jack and an optical fingerprint sensor is mounted under the display. The 5,100 mAh Li-Pro battery can last up to 20 hours per charge. Lastly, it supports 40W wired charging. A new Honor Magic5 Lite 5G starts at $295.99 for the 6GB/128GB trim.Â
8. OPPO A76
The Oppo A76 is rated among the best Androids under $300. Its processor chip is Qualcomm's SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm). This affordable phone combines 128GB of internal memory and 4GB or 6GB RAM options to deliver a solid performance. The phone runs on Android 11 and ColorOS 11.1. It is also appreciated for its long-lasting 5,000 mAh Li-Pro battery. Furthermore, it supports 33W wired charging via the USB 2.0 Type C port.
A dual-camera setup comprising a 13MP wide sensor as the main camera and a 2MP depth camera. The front glass sports an 8MP wide sensor for selfies. Under the glass rests a 6.55-inch IPS LCD display panel. This screen has a resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels, an aspect ratio of 20:9 ratio, and HBM brightness measures 650 nits. The A76 weighs only 189 grams. Also, its screen-to-body ratio is 83.1%. The 128GB worth of internal memory can be upgraded using a Micro SD card, and you will get a dedicated slot for it.
Some extra cool features are a side-mounted fingerprint, an accelerometer, loudspeakers, and a headphone jack. You can get a new Oppo A76 for as little as $200 from major gadget retailers.
9. Nokia X10
Nokia is always trusted when it comes to phone durability, and the X10 is no different. Its IPS LCD panel measures 6.67 inches and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The screen resolution is 1080 x 2400 pixels, and the screen-to-body ratio is 79.8%.
The phone features Qualcomm's SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G (8 nm) processor with the option of a 6GB or an affordable 4GB RAM variant. It runs on Android 11 (upgradable to Android 13). You also get 64GB or 128GB of internal memory, which can be expanded using a Micro SD card. However, you must sacrifice a SIM slot.
At the rear, you get a quad-camera setup comprising a 48MP wide, 5MP ultra-wide, and two 2MP (macro and depth) sensors. Meanwhile, an 8MP selfie camera is the sole sensor at the front.
The X10 weighs about 210 grams and has splash protection. Its battery is a 4,470 mAh Li-Pro that supports 18W wired charging. Furthermore, it sports a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, loudspeakers, and a headphone jack. Pricing for a new Nokia X10 unit starts at $239.99 on Walmart. This price range combines with its blend of performance to make it one of the best Androids under $300.
10. Infinix Note 40 Pro
The Note 40 Pro is a decent phone that boasts insane properties. It is renowned for its battery life and charging speed in the budget market. At the rear, you get a triple camera setup comprising a 108MP wide sensor with two 2MP lenses that combine to shoot 4K videos. A 32MP wide camera sensor sits at the front for selfies.
The display is a 6.78-inch AMOLED display panel offering impressive and bright visuals. It has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, a 1080 x 2436 pixels screen resolution, and 1,300 nits peak brightness. This phone boasts an IP53 water and dust resistance rating. It supports dual SIM with two nano-SIM cards but not eSIM. The RAM size is 8GB and works with 256GB of internal memory. It does not have a slot for a microSD card; hence, there is no memory expansion.
The CPU is a MediaTek Dimensity 7020 (6 nm processor to power Android 14 and XOS 14. It sports a 5,000 mAh battery that charges using a USB-C charger with a 45W rating. The phone is said to go from zero to 50% in 26 minutes using the accompanying wired charger. It also supports 20W wireless MagCharge, Reverse wired, and Reverse wireless. Furthermore, It has stereo speakers tuned by JBL but no headphone jack. The optical fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display. A new Infinix Note 40 Pro unit will set you back about $289.99 in today's smartphone market.
To Wrap It Up…
The Android ecosystem constantly evolves to become more powerful and reliable. Hence, phone makers always adjust their sticker prices to keep up with trending features. Thankfully, not all great smartphones cost a fortune. We have outlined some of the best Androids under $300 available today for our readers to make better-informed choices. These phones may be cheap, yet they come with decent camera qualities, displays, processor chips, batteries, and most basic modern features. So, as long as you're not looking to overwork your phone with demanding games and apps, you can pick any.Â
