If you’re after a Pay as you go phone which will cost you less than £200, you’re in the right place. Even though they may not have the latest features that many newer, more expensive phones do, budget smartphones use the same apps that pricier phones do, and plenty come with high-definition screens, speakers with impressive audio quality, great cameras that are easy to use and powerful batteries to keep your day on track.
If you’re after a hardworking phone with the features which are important to you, here are the models we think you’ll like – all with a price tag that comes in under £200 to buy outright.
Samsung Galaxy A20e
If you’re after a budget phone with a superb screen and camera, the Samsung Galaxy A20e is a brilliant choice. The 5.8-inch HD+ edge-to-edge Infinity-V Display gives you more of the shows, movies and games you love in high definition. 15W Fast Charging technology gives you a quick power boost during the day so you can keep viewing, watching, playing and listening. The dual rear camera has a 13-megapixel lens and a 5-megapixel Ultra Wide Camera, which has a 123-degree field of view to capture the whole scene, and you can make more of each selfie with a clever 8MP front camera with Selfie focus. Samsung’s fast One UI operating system is great for multitasking – switch between apps quickly for a fuss-free experience.
Huawei Y6s
Huawei phones are great value for money, and Huawei Y6s is no exception. Its screen is perfect for gamers and movie fans who want an unbeatable viewing experience without a hefty price tag - the 6.09-inch Dewdrop display has an 87% screen-to-body ratio, which means an ultra-broad, immersive view for gaming, browsing and reading. The Y6s’ Super Linear Speaker delivers clear bass and treble even when your music’s loud, and you can easily store films, games and songs on the 32GB internal storage with 512GB expandable storage. The Y6s’ 13-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front beauty camera allow detailed, colour-rich shots, and the 3020mAh battery with intelligent battery optimisation will keep you going on busy days.
Sony Xperia L4
A brilliant all-rounder, the Sony Xperia L4 has an impressive 21:9 Wide 6.2-inch display, a slim, lightweight design and a triple rear camera. You can completely immerse yourself in movies and games on the high-definition screen, and you can split the display into two separate windows and run different apps at once for simple multitasking. The triple rear camera has a wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lens plus a depth camera for beautiful, expansive shots – and you can even use bokeh effects, which blur the background so your subject has greater focus for perfect portrait style shots. Everything’s powered by a long-lasting 3,580mAh battery, and you can even fast charge to power up in a flash when you need to.
Huawei P Smart 2019
The P Smart 2019’s most impressive features are its crystal-clear display and its dual AI-powered camera – neatly wrapped up in a sleek, curved exterior which fits perfectly in the hand. The 6.21-inch FullView display offers outstanding clarity and a spectrum of rich, striking colours – effortlessly bringing games and films to life. It’s powered by an advanced Kirin 710 octa-core chipset, which keeps apps running smoothly, even when you’re switching between them. The rear 13- and 8-megapixel cameras with a wide f/18 aperture allow for more in your shots – you can capture vivid colours and detail and use the natural bokeh effect for subjects you want to focus on. You can even take the perfect selfie in real time on the 8-megapixel front camera, as its AI technology chooses the perfect settings as you’re taking a photo – so you don’t have to edit it later.
Over time, you will find that you spend more than £200 on owning and using a phone – especially if you need extra minutes or data, which happens from time to time. However, there are ways to keep the cost of owning a phone down, including getting a Pay as you go SIM and using WiFi to browse and send messages.
If you’re looking to spend a little more - or less - on your mobile, we also have a range of phones under £100 and phones under £300.
