Best phones in America for around $500

Basically anything you have to do these days requires having a smartphone. The veritable Swiss Army knives of the digital age can be a handy tool for many and an annoyance for others.

Manufacturers are constantly pumping out new models with more bells and whistles, and many will cost you an arm and a leg to get your hands on. However, for those who don’t have a lot of money to spend or just don’t want to fork over a wad of cash there are some budget smartphones that will get the job done like the pricier ones.

Google Pixel 8a

Depending on what you are looking for in a smartphone, the Google Pixel 8a may be the one for you. This phone features a lot of what some of the pricier models have but for a much more modest $400 price. It’s powered by Google’s Tensor G3 processor, which is the same as the flagship Pixel 8.

It comes with a 64-megapixel main camera as well as 13-megapixel ultrawide and 13-megapixel selfie cameras. It’s OLED screen is 6.1 inches, on the smaller side, but has a 120-Hz screen refresh rate. It also has wireless charging.

But what really seals the deal for this smartphone is that it comes with 7 years of software support, OS upgrades and security patches, something that is almost unheard of for a midrange smartphone.

OnePlus 12R

Also on the market for $400 is the OnePlus12R. This smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, Qualcomm’s flagship processor in 2023.

The AMOLED screen on this handset is 6.78 inches and has a refresh rate up to 120Hz and down to 1Hz which can help save battery life. The battery can be charged in just 30 minutes but it doesn’t have wireless charging.

It comes with a primary 50-megapixel camera which “is solid and can go toe-to-toe with the Google Pixel 8A’s camera,” according to Wired. It also comes with 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel macro, and 16-megapixel selfie cameras.

The OnePlus12R comes with three Android OS upgrades says it manufacturer and four years of security updates which is better than most other Android phones that sell for the same price.

iPhone SE (2022)

If you really want to have an iPhone, the only one that you will find for less than $500 is the 2022 iPhone SE. This handset, which sells for $430, comes with an A15 processor, which is the same one that powers the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which means it can handle most tasks with ease.

One drawback is the screen size at 4.7 inches and it is LCD. Not only is it quite small compared to other smartphones, apps can be hard to use on it as they are designed for bigger screens. It comes with a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 7-megapixel selfie camera.

The one other thing to keep in mind is that you may have to shop for one at third-party retailers as Apple recently discontinued this model with the release of the iPhone 16E. If you are willing to spend $170 more, you can pick up the iPhone 16E which was released at the end of February.

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