Introduction
Smartphones are one of the most useful gadgets one can own. In this modern day and age, owning one has become a must. However, buying a new smartphone is a hard task as there are many options available in the market. Likewise, if you're on a budget, it gets even harder.
For instance, companies tend to focus only on some key aspects of the phone to cut the production cost. Thus, allowing companies to offer a smartphone with some eye-catching specs at a lower price. In contrast, it makes the job hard to pick a smartphone that meets all your priorities.
If you are looking to buy a sub $500 and are confused, then don’t worry, we have you covered. In this post, we have covered some top smartphones under $500 that you can buy in 2022. Likewise, we have also provided their detailed specs, pros and cons, and price.
Top Smartphones Under $500
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Pros
- Great battery backup
- Supports 5G and NFC
- 4 years of software updates
- Great 120Hz Super AMOLED display
Cons
- No charger in the box
- Exynos 1280 chip not as powerful as the competitors
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is a great sub $500 5G phone. Its official price starts at $449.99. Moreover, some of the key specs of the Galaxy A53 5G are as follow:
| Display | 6.5-inch Super AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) |
| Processor | Exynos 1280 |
| OS | Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Back Camera |
Quad;
|
| Front Camera | 32 MP F2.2 (Infinity-O notch) |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 25W fast charging |
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Google Pixel 5A
Pros
- Great OLED display
- Three years of OS and security updates
- IP67 rating for dust and water resistance
Cons
- Availability limited to certain regions
- Lacks a higher refresh rate
The Pixel 5A is a decent 5G offering from Google that offers decent overall performance. It costs $449 for the sole 6/128GB variant. Furthermore, other specifications of Pixel 5A are mentioned below in the table:
| Display | 6.34-inch OLED, 60Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Back Camera |
Dual;
|
| Front Camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide) |
| Battery | 4680 mAh, 18W fast charging |
| Color | Mostly Black |
Apple iPhone SE 2022
Pros
- Offers 5G connectivity
- Touch ID
- Powerful A15 Bionic chip
Cons
- Outdated design
- No charger in the box
- Lacks a higher refresh rate
Apple has updated its iPhone SE with the latest A15 Bionic chip. However, the design elements remain the same as the older iPhone SE. Its official price starts at $429. Other features that come with the smartphone are listed below:
| Display | 4.7‑inch IPS LCD, oleophobic coating, P3, 625nits peak brightness |
| Resolution | 1334 x 750 pixels |
| Processor | Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) |
| OS | iOS 15 |
| Back Camera |
Single;
|
| Front Camera | 7MP f/2.2 |
| Battery | Up to 15 hours video playback, 20W adapter, Qi wireless charging |
| Color | Midnight, Starlight, (PRODUCT) RED |
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TCL 20 Pro 5G
Pros
- Fancy Design
- Wireless charging support
- Offers 5G connectivity
- Curved HDR 10 certified display
Cons
- Lacks a higher refresh rate
- Lacks IP rating
- Slow charging
TCL 20 Pro 5G is another top smartphone under $500 that you can buy. It brings premium design and great specs. Listed below are the features of TCL 20 Pro 5G:
| Display | 6.67-inch Curved AMOLED, HDR10, 700 nits brightness |
| Resolution | FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Back Camera |
Quad;
|
| Front Camera | 32MP, f/2.45, FF, 80.4° FoV |
| Battery | 4500mAh, 18W fast charging, 15W wireless charging |
| Color | Marine Blue, Moondust Gray |
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G 2022
Pros
- In-built stylus
- Great battery backup
- Smooth 120Hz display
Cons
- Slow charging
- Only one software update
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G comes as one of the cheapest 5G smartphones with a built-in stylus. Apart from that, you also get a reliable Snapdragon 695 chipset, Android 12 OS, and a decent camera system. Moreover, some of the key specs of the Moto G Stylus 5G 2022 are as follow:
| Display | 6.8 inches, LTPS Max Vision display, 120Hz refresh rate, 89% screen-to-body ratio |
| Resolution | FHD+ (1080 x 2460 pixels), 20.5:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 |
| OS | Android 12 |
| Back Camera |
Triple;
|
| Front Camera | 16 MP, f/2.2 (wide) |
| Battery | Li-Po 5000 mAh, Charging 10W |
| Color | Steel Blue, Seafoam Green |
Conclusion
Here, we have listed what we think are the top smartphones under $500. All these smartphones offer a perfect balance of all the features.
Certainly, it is up to you to study the features before buying one. However, while buying a budget smartphone, always prioritize the features that are important to you.
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