Aren't modern smartphones excellent? It's like having a mini super-computer in your pocket these days compared to those bulky handsets of old. Technology, on the whole, has been getting better and better every year and - crucially - a good chunk cheaper too. Because of this, you no longer need to hand over wallet-wilting sums of cash for your yearly smartphone upgrade. Move your wallet away from those usual smartphone flagship big-hitters, and you'll find yourself a fantastically priced bargain with some cracking budget smartphones to be found.
Yes, those headline-grabbing flagships such as Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and the iPhone 7 are wonderful and all, but we don't have to spend top-dollar for a great smartphone experience anymore. Would you like to know more? Well, that's where we come in. These are the best budget smartphones in 2017.
Each and every year, Expert Reviews put hundreds of smartphones to the test so you don't have to, with the best coverage in the UK. Because of this, we can definitively give you a heads up which budget smartphone is perfect for you. Take a look below, and you'll spot our regularly curated list of the best budget smartphones you can buy in 2017, as well as a helpful budget smartphone buying guide on the second page.
Without further adieu, here are the best budget smartphones you need to buy in 2017.
Best budget phones to buy in 20171.
1. Lenovo P2
Lenovo's P2 quickly drew high acclaim when it arrived in the Expert Reviews office. The reason? It has the best battery life of any smartphone we've tested thus far. Lasting almost 30 hours on a single charge is just absurd, easily besting our previous winner – the Motorola's Moto Z Play – by five hours. The Lenovo P2 is the budget smartphone to beat.
Now, it's a little chunkier than most, weighing 177g, but it's a small price to pay for the longest-lasting smartphone on the market. It isn't just the battery life either, the Lenovo P2's display, performance and overall build quality are all top-notch, giving those pricier mid-range handsets a run for their money. Your phone budget £200? Get the Lenovo P2; it's a no-brainer.
ProcessorOcta-core 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625
RAM4GB
Display5.5in 1,920 x 1,080
Storage32GB
Camera13-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 6.0.1
Weight177g
Alcatel's Pixi 4 may be the cheapest phone on this list, but don't let that fool you - It's a cracking choice. For just £59 - yep, that's right - you get a 5in touch display, Android Marshmallow and a rear 5-megapixel camera. At that price, you can't really ask for more, and puts some of those pricier phones to shame.
And that's the best thing about it - it's the perfect phone as a second device or a first phone for the kids. Sure, its performance is hardly industry leading - and its camera is a bit naff - but for £59 you can't do much better. Get this if money is tight, and you shouldn't be disappointed.
ProcessorQuad-core 1 GHz MTK6735M
RAM1GB
Display5in 480 x 854
Storage8GB
Camera5-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 6.0.1
Weight169g
3. Moto G4
The Moto G is back and it's better than ever. It might be significantly larger than last year's Moto G, but this new model is a huge step forward. With an octa-core Snapdragon 617 chip at its disposal, its speed is streets ahead of every other budget phone you can buy today, giving it as much processing power as phones that are twice the price. It effectively makes every mid-range smartphone of the past six months utterly irrelevant, as you can get exactly the same kind of performance for just £169.
Its camera is also a step up over the third-generation Moto G, despite using a similar 13-megapixel sensor, and its huge battery provides plenty of staying power. Throw in a beautiful Full HD resolution screen and you're absolutely laughing.
ProcessorOcta-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon 617
RAM2GB
Display5.5in 1,920 x 1,080
Storage16GB
Camera13-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 6.0.1
Weight155g
Samsung has a great track record of pumping out fantastic budget handsets. For the past few years, it's been the firm's J-series lineup that has drawn headlines, and this year's Galaxy J5 is no exception. Not only does the 2017 J5 have a monstrous battery life, buts is Super AMOLED display - despite being only 720p - is a proper beauty. Its colours are so punchy in fact, that it puts other LCD-laden displays to shame.
And this year, camera performance has seen a marked upgrade, too. In fact, I'd say it's even better than the sensor on the Moto G5 - it's miles apart from last year's washed-out looking images. Pair that with its eye-catching display, and you're looking at a phone that's perfect for showing off your excellent Instagram snaps.
The only sticking point is its hefty price hike. Last years would have asked for a measly £150, but we're expected to pay almost £100 more for this updated version, at £240. Still, that vastly undercuts those pricey flagships, so Samsung's Galaxy J5 retains a seat on our budget phone hierarchy for another year running. Good show Samsung.
ProcessorOcta-core 1.6GHz Exynos 7870
RAM2GB
Display5.2in 1,280 x 720
Storage16GB
Camera13-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 7.0
Weight160g
If you thought last year's Smart Ultra 6 was a little too big for you, then Vodafone's Smart Prime 7 is the ultra-cheap smartphone you've been waiting for. Available for just £75 on Vodafone's PAYG service, this incredible budget device is a great buy for first-time smartphone owners. Its pre-installed Vodafone apps make it easy to keep track of your data allowance and manage your bill, and you can also set it up to receive calls and texts through your web browser if you have poor signal at home, making it easier than ever to keep up to date with your friends and family.
Admittedly, it can't quite top the second-generation Moto E for best overall value under £100, especially when you can now pick up a Moto E for just £80 SIM-free, but the Smart Prime 7's design and display are vastly superior to anything the Moto E has to offer. Just be wary that you'll probably have to buy a microSD card for the Smart Prime 7, since its meagre 8GB of storage fills up astonishingly quickly once you've downloaded a couple of apps.
ProcessorQuad-core 1.3GHz Snapdragon 210
RAM1GB
Display5in 1,280 x 720
Storage8GB
Camera8-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 6.0.1
Weight128g
6. Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen, 2015)
If you're looking for an extremely low-cost and compact Android phone, the second-generation Motorola Moto E is an excellent choice. This phone has respectable performance, a great screen (even if its 4.5in 960 x 540 display is a little low-res), and its battery life of 13hrs 30mins in our video-playback test is also fantastic for its price.
ProcessorQuad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410
RAM1GB
Display4.5in 960 x 540
Storage8GB
Camera5-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 5.0.2
Weight145g
I know what you're thinking: another Vodafone smartphone on this list. Well, it's no surprise to see the Smart N8 make an appearance here; it's a massive improvement over last year's already impressive Smart Prime 7, with a much better camera and a fingerprint reader, too.
For the low, low price of just £85, you get a handset that runs Android 7.0 Nougat straight out of the box as well as all those flagship features you've come to expect. Its battery life is a tad short - and is surpassed by its older Smart Prime 7 sibling - but performance is decent enough for a phone at this asking price. The Vodafone Smart N8 is so dirt cheap, it's almost impossible to pass up.
ProcessorQuad-core 1.3GHz Mediatek MT6737
RAM1.5GB
Display5in 1,280 x 720
Storage16GB
Camera13-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 7.0
Weight151g
8. Vodafone Smart E8
Another budget Vodafone phone. This one's the E8: and it's dirt cheap at just £50. Like the Alcatel Pixi 4 above, it isn't so wallet-wilting, but it does have a couple of extra things up its sleeve. For one, it runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box, while the Pixi 4 has to contend with the older, 6.0 Marshmallow.
Its battery life is a decent improvement, too: at well over 10 hours compared to the Pixi 4's 8-hour longevity. Both phones are incredibly similar when it comes to all those other aspects mind, performance isn't the best and the camera leaves a lot to be desired, but for £50 you can't really do much better.
ProcessorQuad-core 1.1GHz Snapdragon 210
RAM1GB
Display5in 854 x 480
Storage8GB
Camera5-megapixels
Operating systemAndroid 7.1
Weight169g
Facebook Conversations
Disqus Conversations