Top 10 smartphones under $1,000 in USA (August 2024)

$1,000 in today’s smartphone market can buy you a premium flagship that will last you for years. As a one-time investment, you need to take software support for the next few years into consideration, and this is where the flagship smartphones step in. Apple promises 6-7 years of software updates on the iPhone. This year, Samsung stepped up its game as well, promising 7 years of major OS upgrades for the Galaxy S24 lineup. So, let’s take a look at the top 10 smartphones under $1,000 that you can buy in the USA right now.

Read Also: Google’s Circle to Search feature lands on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S24+

Price: $999 on Samsung.com

Key Specs

The new Samsung Galaxy S24 series packs a lot of exciting features. The Galaxy S24+ sits in the middle of the lineup, priced just under $1,000. The smartphone flaunts a 6.7-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED display and is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Samsung’s 2024 Galaxy S series is all about AI – the S24+ is equipped with features like Circle to Search, Chat Assist, Generative Edit, Gemini AI, and more. Talking about the cameras, the S24+ misses out on the Ultra variant’s periscope lens but gets a 50MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and a 10MP telephoto lens.

iPhone 15 Pro

Price: $999 on Apple.com

Key Specs

The Pro variant of the iPhone 15 Series is powered by the new Apple A17 Pro chipset. It also gets the new Action Button which replaces the alert slider. The iPhone 15 Series marks the debut of the USB Type-C port on the smartphone. One of the advantages of buying the Pro variant is that it has a USB Type-C 3.2 which allows fast transfers. The non-Pro variants are stuck with USB Type-C 2.0 for now. Another big change on the iPhone 15 Pro is the titanium frame which not only imparts next-level toughness to the smartphone but also makes it a smidge lighter. Read our review here.

Samsung Galaxy S24

Price: $799 on Samsung.com

Key Specs

The base variant in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Series is one of the best compact smartphones you can buy for under $1,000 in the USA right now. The smartphone sports a 6.2-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display which has a refresh rate of 120Hz. Like the newest iPhone series, this year’s Galaxy S24 series also gets a titanium frame. But the real highlight is the much-talked-about Galaxy AI. The vertical design of the triple camera layout has been retained from last year. The S24 features a 50MP primary shooter, a 10MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultrawide lens.

OnePlus 12

Price: $799 on OnePlus.com

Key Specs

Launched in January 2023, the OnePlus 12 is one of the more affordable flagships you can buy right now. It packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and flaunts a 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. OnePlus has also reintroduced wireless charging on its newest premium smartphone. With 50W AirVOOC (wireless) charging support, the smartphone can be fully charged in 55 minutes. Using a Type-C USB cable, this feat can accomplished in 30 minutes (80W charging). OnePlus 12 also has the biggest battery (5,400 mAh) we’ve seen on a flagship smartphone. The only downside its IP65 rating is a far cry from the baseline IP67 you expect in this price range.

Google Pixel 9 Pro

Price: $999 on Google Store

Key Specs

This year, the Google Pixel 9 Series has two ‘Pro’ variants — Pro and Pro XL. The smaller of the two Pro variants is priced at $999 and has a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display. Being a smaller smartphone, its battery size is limited to 4,700. Google has redesigned the camera visor at the back, giving it a more refined and cleaner look. This visor houses a 50MP primary shooter, a 48MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP periscope telephoto lens. Powering the new series of Pixels is the Google Tensor G4 chipset. If you’re looking for something more affordable, the entry-level Pixel is priced at $799.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Price: $999 on Samsung.com

Key Specs

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the best folding smartphones you can buy in the USA for under $1,000 in 2024. In its unfolded form, the Dynamic AMOLED 2X display spans 6.7 inches. The Galaxy Z 5 Series also debuts larger cover displays for the folding smartphones. The Flip 5 has a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED display which can be used to toggle through widgets, reply to messages, take pictures, and more. Since it’s a 2023 smartphone, the Galaxy Flip 5 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The rear camera setup of the smartphone consists of 12MP wide and ultrawide sensors. Read our review of the smartphone here.

Google Pixel 9

Price: $799 on Google Store

Key Specs

The entry-level variant of the Google Pixel 9 Series offers excellent value for money. It is one of the best smartphones you can buy in the USA right now. The vanilla Pixel 9 is powered by the same chipset as the Pro variants — Google Tensor G4. It lacks the telephoto sensor but retains the 50MP primary shooter and 48MP ultrawide lens from the Pro models. The 10.5MP selfie camera up front can shoot 4K videos at 30/60fps. Camera specs aside, the Pixel 9 runs stock Android 14 OS and flaunts a 6.3-inch OLED display. This display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can reach a peak brightness of 2,700 nits.

Nothing Phone 2

Price: $599 on Nothing.tech

Key Specs

Even though it is a mid-ranger, the Nothing Phone 2 deserves a shout-out on this list. The second iteration of Nothing’s highly talked about smartphone made it to the US in July 2023. Known for its iconic Glyph Interface and see-through back design, the Nothing Phone 2 also packs serious power with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The tech outfit has also refined its OS on the Phone 2, giving it a distinct look with its dot matrix font and greyscale icon packs. The smartphone features two 50MP sensors, one for the wide lens and the other for the ultrawide camera. Read our review of the smartphone here.

OnePlus 12R

Price: $499 on OnePlus.com

Key Specs

Launched alongside the OnePlus 12, the 12R could be the real flagship killer of 2024. It packs the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset from last year and flaunts a stunning 6.82-inch LTPO4 AMOLED display. The massive 5,500 mAh battery pack supports up to 100W of fast wired charging. OnePlus 12R matches the design of the flagship smartphone. Its rear camera module consists of a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. The smartphone runs on Android 14-based OxygenOS 14 out of the box. With prices starting at $499, the OnePlus 12R is undoubtedly one of the best smartphones you can buy for under $1,000 in the USA.

Motorola Razr+ (2024)

Price: $899 on Motorola.com

Key Specs

2024’s Moto Razr+ packs a bigger battery and a larger outer display than its 2023 counterpart. The processor on the smartphone has been updated to Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SOC. The inner LTPO AMOLED display still spans 6.9 inches. The smartphone is rated IPX8 for dust and water resistance. It can survive submersion in water up to 1.5m for 30 minutes. The rear camera panel of the smartphone sports a 50MP primary shooter and a 50MP telephoto lens.

Read Also: Top 6 Ways to Copy Instagram Comments and Captions on Android or iPhone (2024) 

Conclusion

These are the top 10 smartphones under $1,000 that you can buy in the USA right now. As the year rolls on we expect a few more devices to be added to this list. Keep watching this space for regular updates. If you think we missed out on a smartphone, let us know in the comments!