Top 10 Smartphones Under $500 in USA (June 2024)

Flagship smartphones are getting more expensive by the year. If you’re a casual user, a $1200 premium smartphone may not be for you. At half the price you can buy a solid smartphone that produces flagship-grade results with its main camera and sports an impressive AMOLED display. While the SoCs are still a step behind in this price range, they are perfectly equipped to handle routine tasks without any hiccups. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 10 smartphones you can buy for under $500 in the USA (2024).

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OnePlus 12R

Price: $499 on OnePlus.com

Key Specs

Released alongside the flagship OnePlus 12, the 12R is a low-cost alternative that packs a lot of power. Last year’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset is an excellent addition to the OnePlus 12R. It gets a premium 6.74-inch LTPO4 AMOLED display which is only a fraction smaller than the one on the OnePlus 12. Regarding cameras, the OnePlus 12R gets a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor which replaces the telephoto lens in the camera module. The smartphone comes with an 80W charging brick which can fully charge it in just 30 minutes.

Samsung Galaxy A54

Price: $449 on Samsung.com

Key Specs

Samsung’s 2022 mid-ranger, Galaxy A54, remains one of the best smartphones you can buy under $500 right now. Sure, the Exynos 1380 may not be the most powerful chipset out there, but it delivers a decent performance on this smartphone. We reviewed the smartphone back when it was released and were pleased with how it handled routine tasks. The primary camera’s performance was very close to flagship grade. The stunning 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display is as smooth as it gets. On top of that, the smartphone is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. With 4 years of OS upgrades and 5 years of security patches promised by Samsung, the Galaxy A54 is an incredible deal at this price point.

Google Pixel 8a

Price: $500 on Best Buy

Key Specs

Google’s new affordable flagship alternative smartphone is priced at $500. It retains the Tensor G3 processor from the Pixel 8 Series. The form factor isn’t too dissimilar either as the 8a sports the familiar rounded edges. The 6.1-inch OLED display is surrounded by thick bezels but it rocks a refresh rate of 120Hz and 2,000 nits of peak brightness. The dual camera array at the back comprises a 64MP primary shooter and a 13MP ultrawide lens. The battery gets a slight boost too, as the Pixel 8a sports a 4,492 mAh unit. The smartphone also supports 7.5W wireless charging.

Nothing Phone 2a

Price: $349 on Nothing.tech

Key Specs

Nothing’s affordable offering, 2a, has all the makings of a rock-solid smartphone. It is powered by the efficient MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro SoC and flaunts a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. Being a Nothing product, it gets a see-through back, although not as transparent and well-defined as the company’s flagship Phone (2). Talking about the cameras, the Phone 2a gets a 50MP primary shooter and another 50MP ultrawide lens. It packs a 5,000 mAh battery which can be charged up to 50% in 23 minutes. Read our review of the smartphone here.

2023 Motorola Razr

Price: $499 on Motorola.com

Key Specs

Looking for a folding phone under $500? The 3rd-gen Motorola Razr is your best option. This smartphone features a 1.5-inch AMOLED cover display and a 6.9-inch LTPO AMOLED inner display. Powering this foldable is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC. Camera duties are handled by a 64MP wide lens and a 13MP ultrawide lens. A 32MP selfie camera is housed inside a punch-hole cutout on the display. The front and rear cameras can record 4K videos at 30fps. The smartphone is equipped with a 4,200 mAh battery which can be wirelessly charged at 5W. The Razr+ variant of the foldable gets a bigger 3.6-inch cover display, a glass back, and a more powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC.

iPhone SE (2022)

Price: $429 on Apple.com

Key Specs

2022’s iPhone SE looks dated but it is the only iPhone listed on Apple’s website that’s under $500. This 3rd generation ‘Special Edition’ iPhone gets a 4.7-inch IPS LCD panel surrounded by thick bezels. It is the only iPhone currently retailed by Apple which has a dedicated home button along with Touch ID. Powering the smartphone is the A15 Bionic chipset. As far as camera specs go, the iPhone SE gets a single 12MP rear camera and a 7MP selfie camera. The good thing is that the smartphone is set to receive software updates till 2029. Check our review of the smartphone.

Moto G Stylus 2024

Price: $399.99 on Motorola.com

Key Specs

The newly launched Moto G Stylus 2024 rocks a 6.7-inch pOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and 1,200 nits of peak brightness. Powering the smartphone is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC. As the name suggests, the smartphone comes with a stylus nestled within its bottom frame. The eco-leather back is a nice touch too. Handling the camera duties is a 50MP primary shooter and a 13MP macro sensor. The 5,000mAh battery supports 30W wired charging and 30W wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy A35

Price: $400 on Samsung.com

Key Specs

Samsung’s latest offering in its A series makes a lot of improvements over its 2023 counterpart. While the A55 may not be available in the USA, the Samsung Galaxy A35 is a smartphone you should certainly consider in the ‘under $500’ price bracket. Samsung has gotten rid of the outdated waterdrop notch and replaced it with a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The processor has also been upgraded to Exynos 1380. The triple camera array at the back features a 50MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro shooter. Samsung claims that the 5,000mAh inside the smartphone can last two days, but we found that to be the case only with conservative usage. If you’re interested in the device, read our full review here.

Motorola G Power 5G 2024

Price: $300 on Motorola.com

Key Specs

Motorola’s newest smartphone in the USA, G Power 5G, is an excellent offering under $300. It flaunts a 6.7-inch IPS LCD panel and is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 SoC. The G Power 5G also supports 15W wireless charging, which is an excellent feature in this price range. Its vegan leather back has a brilliant in-hand feel. Talking about the cameras, the Motorola G Power 5G (2024) has a 50MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The 16MP selfie camera is housed inside a punch-hole cutout on the display. Another great thing we like about this smartphone is that it still rocks the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Samsung Galaxy A25

Price: $299 on Samsung.com

Key Specs

Released by the end of 2023, Samsung Galaxy A25 is one of the best smartphones you can buy for under $500. The smartphone features a smooth 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display and Samsung’s in-house Exynos 1280 SoC. The camera panel follows the vertical layout design language. This module consists of a 50MP wide lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. The primary camera can record 4K videos at 30fps. The 13MP selfie camera is housed in a waterdrop notch on the display and can record 1080p videos at 30fps.

Honorable Mentions

Google Pixel 7a

Price: $425 on Amazon

Key Specs

Google Pixel 7a costs $425 after the launch of the new 8a. At this price, the Pixel 7a offers great value for money and is one of the best smartphones you can buy under $500. The smartphone follows the design language of its flagship 7 Series counterparts while housing the same Tensor G2 SoC. The 6.1-inch OLED display has a 90Hz refresh rate – a significant improvement over the 60Hz display of the Pixel 6a. Google’s smartphones are all about the cameras and software. The 64MP primary sensor and 13MP ultrawide lens deliver a rock-solid performance on the Pixel 7a. You can read our full review here.

OnePlus Nord N30

Price: $299 on OnePlus.com

Key Specs

The affordable $299 phone from OnePlus features a 6.72-inch IPS LCD with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it is powered by the Snapdragon 695 SoC. OS duties are handled by Android 13 out of the box. The back panel sports two individual cutouts – one for the 108MP primary shooter and the other for the 2MP macro and depth sensors. Up front, the 16MP selfie camera is housed in a punch-hole cutout. The smartphone gets a 5,000 mAh battery and 50W fast charging support. It is available in a single 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant.

2023 Motorola Edge

Price: $349 on Motorola.com

Key Specs

The 2023 Motorola Edge rocks a 6.6-inch OLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. The back panel of this smartphone is made out of eco-leather, which is a nice change from all the glass/plastic backs. What’s impressive is that the Moto Edge has an IP68 rating, something we only get to see in flagship smartphones. Out of the box, the Edge runs Android 13, which can be upgraded to Android 14. There is also support for 15W wireless charging. The Moto Edge is available in a single 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant.

TCL 20 Pro

Price: $449 on TCL.com

Key Specs

If we’re talking about older smartphones, 2021’s TCL 20 Pro is still one of the better smartphones you can buy under $500. The smartphone features a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display with HDR10 support. This curved display seamlessly blends into the curved glass back panel. Being an older smartphone, one of the downsides of TCL 20 Pro is that it boots with Android 11 out of the box. However, as far as cameras are concerned, the smartphone rocks a pretty decent rear module featuring a 48MP primary shooter, a 16MP ultrawide lens, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. The 32 selfie camera can record 4K videos at 30fps.

Motorola Edge 30 Fusion

Price: $449 on Motorola.com

Key Specs

Motorola’s Edge 30 Fusion has a glass back, aluminium frame, and 6.5-inch OLED display. This display has a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz and supports HDR10+. The rear camera module of the smartphone comprises a 50MP primary shooter, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. The smartphone can record 8K videos at 30fps, which is incredible. The 4,400 mAh battery on the Edge 30 Fusion can be charged up to 50% in just 10 minutes with 68W fast charging support onboard.

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Conclusion

These are the top 10 smartphones you can buy right now for under $500 in the USA. If you don’t mind splurging some extra cash, the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, Google Pixel 8, and Nothing Phone 2 are good options in the $600 price range.