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Best Android Phones Under 500 – Overview
The budget smartphone category has grown substantially in the last couple of years. Now the best Android phones under $500 offer impressive specs meaning you don’t need to break the bank to get decent performance from a smartphone.
We’ve seen a couple of impressive yet affordable Android smartphones released this year and if you’re in the market for a new phone, now is a great time to get one.
We’ve selected some of the top sub-$500 Android smartphones in the U.S. We’ll also sneak in some non-US smartphones that are good enough, although we’ll mainly focus on smartphones that can work with U.S. carriers such as AT&T and Verizon.
| 5 Best Android Phones Under 500 | Cameras | Display | RAM | Storage | Battery | Dimensions | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 5a | Front: 8MP, Rear: 12.2MP (wide) and 16MP (ultra wide) | 6.34 inches OLED | 6GB | 128GB | Li-Po 4680mAh | 154.8 x 73.7 x 7.6 mm | 6.46 ounces |
| Motorola One 5G Ace | Front: 16MP, Rear: 2MP (macro), 48MP (wide) and 8MP (ultra wide) | 6.7 inches IPS LCD | 4GB or 6GB | 64GB or 128GB | Li-Po 5000mAh | 166.1 x 76.10 x 9.99 mm | 7.48 ounces |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | Front: 32MP, Rear: 5MP (depth), 5MP (macro), 64MP (wide) and 13MP (ultra) | 6.5 inches Super AMOLED | 6GB or 8GB | 128GB or 256GB | Li-Po 4500mAh | 159.9 x 75.10 x 8.40 mm | 6.67 ounces |
| TCL 20 Pro 5G | Front: 32MP, Rear: 2MP (depth), 2MP (macro), 48MP (wide) and 16MP (ultra) | 6.67 inches AMOLED | 6GB | 256GB | Li-Po 4500mAh | 164.2 x 73.0 x 8.8 mm | 6.7 ounces |
| Xiaomi Mi 10T | Front: 20MP, Rear: 5MP (macro), 64MP (wide) and 13MP (ultra wide) | 6.67 inches IPS LCD | 6GB or 8GB | 128GB | Li-Po 5000mAh | 165.1 x 76.40 x 9.3 mm | 7.62 ounces |
1. Google Pixel 5a
Best Android Phones Under $500 – Google Pixel 5a
The Pixel 5a is perhaps the best Android smartphone under $500. It features everything you need in a smartphone, and its drawbacks aren’t necessarily deal-breakers.
This Android phone has a Snapdragon 756G processor, which has proven it can handle anything thrown at it.
What’s more, you get the same camera setup as the Pixel 5, so you can be certain that the picture and video quality are nothing short of amazing.
Key Specifications
- Cameras: Front: 8MP, Rear: 12.2MP (wide) and 16MP (ultra wide)
- Display: 6.34 inches OLED
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Battery Capacity: Li-Po 4680mAh
- Dimensions: 154.8 x 73.7 x 7.6 mm
- Weight: 6.46 ounces
2. Motorola One 5G Ace
Motorola One 5G Ace
Last year’s Motorola One 5G turned heads by being one of the cheapest 5G smartphones in the U.S., and the One 5G Ace follows this trend as well. However, while the One 5G had a unique design and footprint, the One 5G Ace has a basic look but with plenty of features inside.
It has a Snapdragon 750G processor, up to 6 G.B. of Ram, and up to 128GB of internal storage. In addition, it has a very good battery coming in at 5000mAh.
Key Specifications
- Cameras: Front: 16MP, Rear: 2MP (macro), 48MP (wide) and 8MP (ultra wide)
- Display: 6.7 inches IPS LCD
- RAM: 4GB or 6GB
- Storage: 64GB or 128GB
- Battery Capacity: Li-Po 5000mAh
- Dimensions: 166.1 x 76.10 x 9.99 mm
- Weight: 7.48 ounces
3. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
The Galaxy A52 5G from Samsung foregoes the Exynos 980 processor in the previous device in favor of the Snapdragon 750G processor, which is built on an 8nm process.
The A52 5G has a 64MP main camera, up to 8GB RAM, and 256GB internal storage. Samsung has also included a 120Hz AMOLED display on this bad boy.
Key Specifications
- Cameras: Front: 32MP, Rear: 5MP (depth), 5MP (macro), 64MP (wide) and 13MP (ultra)
- Display: 6.5 inches Super AMOLED
- RAM: 6GB or 8GB
- Storage: 128GB or 256GB
- Battery Capacity: Li-Po 4500mAh
- Dimensions: 159.9 x 75.10 x 8.40 mm
- Weight: 6.67 ounces
4. TCL 20 Pro 5G
TCL might not be the first brand that comes to mind when you think about smartphones, but as it turns out; the company is bigger than most people think.
The TCL 20 Pro 5G has a Snapdragon 750G processor, which is an upgrade from the Snapdragon 675 in the TCL 10 Pro.
The TCL 20 Pro 5G has up to 6GB RAM and 256GB internal storage making it one of the best Android smartphones under $500.
What’s more, it’s running Android 11 with the TCL UI on top, and it’s expected that Android 12 will be on this device.
Key Specifications
- Cameras: Front: 32MP, Rear: 2MP (depth), 2MP (macro), 48MP (wide) and 16MP (ultra)
- Display: 6.67 inches AMOLED
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Battery Capacity: Li-Po 4500mAh
- Dimensions: 164.2 x 73.0 x 8.8 mm
- Weight: 6.7 ounces
5. Xiaomi Mi 10T
Xiaomi Mi 10T
Xiaomi’s Mi 10 lineup is more compelling than ever since prices have gone down. The Mi 10T is one of the best smartphones in this brilliant lineup.
The Mi 10T is one of the few sub-S500 smartphones to feature a flagship-grade processor, the Snapdragon 865. What’s more, it has a 144Hz LCD panel for buttery smooth performance.
Key Specifications
- Cameras: Front: 20MP, Rear: 5MP (macro), 64MP (wide) and 13MP (ultra wide)
- Display: 6.67 inches IPS LCD
- RAM: 6GB or 8GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Battery Capacity: Li-Po 5000mAh
- Dimensions: 165.1 x 76.40 x 9.3 mm
- Weight: 7.62 ounces
Final Thought
To sum it all up, the devices illustrated above are the best Android options we can recommend under the $500 price tag. Of course, they serve different needs since they differ in specifications, but rest assured you won’t be disappointed if you go for either.
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