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The Best Cheap Phones You Can Buy: Expert Tested
The Google Pixel 8a can easily be the best cheap phone overall, but that would depend on your list of priority features. The Pixel is for you if you place camera quality, software updates, and security above the display, performance, and battery life.
The latest model features a handy 6.1-inch, 120Hz OLED display that, to be fair, works great for media consumption and scrolling through the web. However, because it's smaller, you're dealt with the usual benefits and drawbacks, including better one-handed usage and limited viewing angles. Fortunately, most people buy Pixel phones for the clean software experience, abundant Google AI features, including Magic Editor and Photo Unblur, and excellent camera quality.
Read the review: Google Pixel 8a
You'll get all that with the Pixel 8a, which is excellent for a phone that costs half the price of Google's flagship model. ZDNET's Prakhar Khanna says the camera system, which includes a 64MP shooter, is solid, capturing "sharp and vibrant" photos while "handling high-contrast and low-light scenes better than other devices." Amazon users mostly agree with Khanna, with one customer citing, "I chose (the Pixel 8a) because of the camera, and it did not disappoint."
Secretly, the best feature of the Pixel 8a is Google's commitment to seven years of operating system upgrades, Pixel Feature Drops, and security patches. This means the phone will stay feature-relevant until at least 2031, which is unheard of in the mid-range market and a key selling point for those who value it.
Google Pixel 8a specs - Display size: 6.1 inchesDisplay type: OLED with HDR supportResolution: 1080 x 2400Refresh rate: 120HzBattery life: 4,500mAhRAM: 8GBStorage: Up to 256GBRear camera: 64MP main, 13MP ultra-wideFront camera: 13MPProcessor: Titan M2 security
Samsung Will Outsource Even More Smartphones To China
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
Samsung has outsourced the design and production of some cheap phones to original device manufacturers (ODM) since at least 2019. Now, it looks like the company plans to up the ante in this regard.
The Elec reports that Samsung will increase the production of smartphones by Chinese ODMs or joint device manufacturers (JDMs) from 44 million units last year to 67 million units this year. That means outsourced smartphones will account for 25% of Samsung's reported production goal of 270 million units in 2024.
In addition to an increased reliance on Chinese companies for outsourced production, the news outlet reports that 28 million units will be outsourced to factories in Vietnam.
The ups and downs of outsourced Galaxy phonesThe company first outsourced the production of some smartphones in 2019, reportedly in a bid to cut costs and lower prices. Samsung typically only relies on this production strategy for its cheap phones rather than high-end devices, though.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the company could use this outsourcing strategy to offer more competitively priced budget phones. However, this does run the risk of Samsung's budget devices being lower-quality offerings as ODM partners could theoretically cut corners to make a profit.
For what it's worth, the Samsung Galaxy A03s is reportedly an outsourced phone, and we thought it delivered good battery life and several notable quality-of-life improvements. However, we also criticized the device for its cheap construction and laggy performance.
In any event, Samsung was the only Android manufacturer in the list of top 10 best-selling smartphones in 2022 and 2023. This suggests that the outsourcing strategy is delivering cheap Android phones that people want.
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