Flagship earpiece are doubtlessly tempting , offer capable cameras , brawny performance and telling display to thrill , but they also come with a high price ticket to match . What can you do if your budget does n’t quite extend to flagship prices ?
That ’s where we at Trusted Reviews come in , with our hand - picked pick of the honest low-cost phones for less than £ 400/$400 in 2025 .
tacky , affordable phone do n’t have the full repute , but that ’s based principally on old stereotype . Yes , in the 2010s , inexpensive phone were pretty terrible ; they had broken - res screen , disappointing television camera and sluggish performance , but that ’s not the case in 2025 .
now , you do n’t have to break the savings bank to get a phone with a 120Hz refresh pace , quick charging and pixel - pile screens – all sport antecedently exclusive to flagship - level phone . Of of course , there are still plenty of devices that could let you down with subpar battery life and bloated software , but none of those have made it to our esteemed list .
All of the below devices have been test by one of our commentator for at least a hebdomad , but often longer , to reliably approximate their performance in key field , include photographic camera performance , ramp up quality and battery life , so you know that you’re able to reckon on our purchasing advice .
We ’ve also included specific categories , like ripe camera and good battery biography , to assist you decide which phone is best for your needs at a glance .
We also have other practiced lists for those look for something a lilliputian more specific . Ourbest camera phoneround - up focalise on a gadget ’s photographic and videography skill , while ourbest mid - range phonelist focuses on slightly dear devices between £ 400/$400 and £ 700/$700 . ASIM - only planmight also be worth considering , if you ’re in the market .
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Learn more about how we test mobile phones
Every phone we review goes through a series of uniform check design to gauge key things including physique character , screen truth , battery life , operation and television camera prowess .
These include formal man-made benchmarks and written test , plus a series of real - world check , such as how much battery it lose per hour streaming video .
We also ensure to habituate every phone we review as our chief French telephone for at least 4 sidereal day to check our review is as exact as potential . you’re able to see a more elaborated breakdown of our testing methodology in our how we test sound pathfinder .
Motorola Edge 50 Fusion
Pros
Cons
Nothing Phone 3a
Motorola Edge 50 Neo
Poco X7 Pro
CMF Phone 2 Pro
TCL 40R 5G
Trusted Score
TheMotorola Edge 50 Fusionis not only an impressive all - rounder at a very tantalizing Leontyne Price of just £ 349 , but it ’s also one of the more compact budget options around flop now .
It evaluate in at just 7.9 millimetre slurred and 175 g , which make it a delectation to hold and use , and that ’s further improved by IP68 detritus and piddle resistance , and the selection of either vegan leather or frosted charge plate depend on the people of color you go for . There is n’t the Pantone color certification we saw with last year’sEdge 40 Neo , but that was really just a nice - to - have .
The 6.7 - inch screen is n’t to be sniff at either . It sports a curved OLED panel delivering vibrant colours and deep blacks with great contrast . It can also reach a speedy 144Hz , beating the 120Hz panel of others in our lean , permit for a pantry - fluid experience that ’s also well suited to gaming .
That ’s backed up by a amazingly capable camera organization comprised of an OIS - enable 50MP principal center and a 13MP ultrawide on the rear , along with a 32MP selfie tv camera . The main sensor , in particular , is capable in well - fire up and low - Christ Within environments , especially when compared to theSamsung Galaxy A35 5 G , with auto - enhance AI help to boost the colouration and item from the auxiliary lense .
operation is also amazingly good considering its budget toll tag end , with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 and a tidy 12 GB of RAM capable to contend with mid - range phones that cost £ 200 more . It ’s still not powerful enough for high-pitched - remnant AAA gambling , and wo n’t be capable to compete with the likes of the Poco X7 professional , but for all but dedicated mobile gamers , it should more than suffice .
And , despite its more succinct dimensions than contender , it still jam in a large 5000mAh battery that does n’t fight to last a full day without needing a top - up , though it ca n’t quite make it through a 2nd day . The good newsworthiness is that 68W riotous charge technical school can provide a full mission in just 47 minutes , among the fastest you ’ll find at the budget terminal of the market .
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The Nothing Phone 3a is the follow - up to the hugely popular budget - focusedNothing Phone 2afrom 2024 , and just like its harbinger , there ’s a flock to making love . It not only retains the iconic Nothing design DNA but new features that facilitate it really suffer out from the competition .
If you ’re looking for a singular - look sound on a budget , the Nothing Phone 3a fits the bill and then some with its iconic see-through design , which pass you a good look at the internals on the rear panel . Like the others in the ingathering , it also sports the Glyph interface that flashes in meter to ringtones and texts and doubles up as a ready to hand camera timer .
Still , the most of import aspect of the Phone 3a is the tech , and Nothing has excel once again . The 6.7 - inch 120Hz AMOLED screen is brilliant and precise , with a whopping 3000nits point brightness when watching HDR10 + content and an telling 1300nits in regular high - cleverness mood .
That ’s flank by a triple television camera apparatus incorporate of a 50MP full , 8MP ultrawide and , rather surprisingly , a 50MP 2x telephoto lens .
The latter is still rare at the toll point , and while it ca n’t quite vie with the periscope crystalline lens of the more premium Nothing Phone 3a Pro , it delivers first-class outcome in daytime . The 50MP main is similarly open , though it performs right smart better in low - light scenarios . The ultrawide has train a collision , drop down from 50MP on the previous generation and it ’s easily the weakest of the trinity as a issue , but it ’ll still take a decent spacious - angle stab .
That ’s punt up by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 which take into account it to outdo the challenger in examination , and a 5000mAh battery delivers all - day barrage life . There ’s also the dot - matrix - inspired Nothing oxygen to appreciate , ended with Nothing ’s newfangled Essential Space , fundamentally its own spin on AI with some somewhat handy features .
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The Motorola Edge 50 Neo is standardized to the Edge 50 Fusion in many regards ; it ’s likewise thin and lightweight , at 8.1 mm thick and 171 g , and it skylark speedy 68W firm charging , but there are central differences that make it stomach out .
For one , it boasts a range of Pantone - certified people of color options with the Pantone logo unclouded for everyone to see on the vegan leather - clad rear . These give the telephone set a typical look not only compared to the Fusion , but most other budget - friendly telephone .
Most importantly , however , the Edge 50 Neo offers a astonishingly adequate to tv camera setup comprise of a 50MP principal , 13MP ultrawide , and 10MP 3x telephoto , the latter of which is seldom reckon at the toll level . Performance is substantial from the main sensor , which is able to handle both well - ignite and low - light scenario with ease . The adjuvant lenses do n’t quite touch up , but the power to get closer to the action with the 3x sensor is very much appreciated .
Elsewhere , the Edge 50 Neo is a fairly succinct twist with a 6.4 - column inch OLED screen that makes it gentle to use one - handed , though it ’s as not as well suited for gaming and binging as larger alternatives . It also means that it has a slightly smaller 4310mAh battery than the stock 5000mAh we see in 2025 , though it ’s more than enough to power the smaller show and get through a day unaided .
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The Poco X7 professional delivers proper flagship - level performance that ’s perfect for gaming without the associated price tag . That ’s down to the use of the Dimensity 8400 - Ultra , which sitsjustunder MediaTek ’s flagship 9000 serial chips , complete with either 8- or 12 GB of RAM .
Combined , the telephone is slick and fast in daily use , and it can also handle take 3D game like CoD Mobile for extended periods with a large swimming cool down system under the hood . gambling - specific software features allow access to common configurations from within game to hike that experience further .
That ’s paired with a undimmed , vivid 6.67 - column inch AMOLED display that ’s more than with child enough to game on , and the A-one - smooth 120Hz refresh rate help things feel more reactive still . It ’s also fairly high - res at 1.5 potassium , and the blind is completely monotone .
The phone ’s gaming focus is completed by a massive 6000mAh battery that easy live on a sidereal day , if not two days , depending on what you ’re up to . consider 30 minutes of play used just 5 % , you ’ll be able to game to your bosom ’s subject . And , with 90W fast charge support , it ’ll get a full recharge in under an hour .
There are faint points , of course ; the threefold 50MP chief and 8MP ultrawide lenses are nothing to get excited about , and Xiaomi ’s HyperOS 2 is both full of bloatware and about as far from blood Android as you’re able to get . However , if you care about performance above all else , it ’s the ideal tinny pick .
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The CMF Phone 2 Pro is a follow - up to the Nothing sub - brand ’s original CMF Phone , and it define most of our complaints about the original modular earphone .
With a modular design , the CMF Phone 2 Pro is one of the more alone offerings in the budget smartphone market . Though you’re able to no longer easily replace the back venire , the Accessory Point returns , allowing you to attach lanyard , kickstand and more .
you may also add new macro instruction and fisheye lenses to the new triple camera apparatus , transforming the looking at and sense of your photograph .
Modular design by , the CMF Phone 2 Pro offers a astonishingly rounded experience .
The 6.67 - inch AMOLED showing has a 120Hz refresh pace and a boosted 3000 nits of peak brightness . Arguably more importantly , the screen can now display over a billion colors with 10 - bit colour support , reducing banding and supply more accurate colours overall .
The single 50MP camera was arguably the weak area of the original CMF Phone , but with a combination of 50MP independent , 50MP 3x telephoto and 8MP ultrawide lenses , the CMF Phone 2 Pro is entirely more capable . Do n’t wait flagship - level functioning , but there is a notable leap .
Throw in a advance Dimensity 7300 Pro mainframe , a 5000mAh battery with enough succus to last two twenty-four hour period , and Nothing ’s charming Nothing OS 3.2 , and you ’ve got a stand - out budget smartphone .
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What if you want a decent entry - level earpiece for less than £ 200 that simply does the Book of Job ? The TCL 40R 5 G match the bill .
The budget - focused gimmick offers all the main staples of a solid budget smartphone experience with 5 constant of gravitation connectivity , a good - looking design , long barrage liveliness from a 5,000mAh cell and decent ( though not quite nippy ) everyday performance .
There ’s a large 6.6 - inch liquid crystal display display with a 90Hz refresh rate great for scrolling and binging , though its sub-1080p resolution can make element seem a little soft . The principal 50MP rearward camera is capable of delivering amazingly sharp images for the cost , at least .
It might not be capable to compete with more premium options on the marketplace , but for the £ 199 price tag , you wo n’t incur much well right now .
FAQs
Our favourite cheap phone for the camera is the Motorola Edge 50 Neo , though the Nothing Phone 3a is n’t too far behind .
Yes , all of the phones in the above list volunteer 5 G connectivity so you ’ll be capable to get these information speeds as long as you have connection coverage and a compatible SIM card .
Test Data
Full Specs
