The best smartphones under £500

Cutting-edge mobile tech is now within everyone's reach, even when it comes to budget smartphones. Even better, some of the best smartphones under £500 can run the latest games too - brilliant for the budget-conscious gamer. Plus, for those who keep tabs on their socials and like a bit of online shopping while out and about,

Thankfully, much simpler mobile phones also come in under £500, so you'll be able to streamline your smartphone experience too. And let's not forget the excellent camera phones available now - perfect for capturing moments to share with family and friends. Many even come with three or four lenses and higher resolutions than some DLSR cameras.

Best smartphones under £500 at a glance

• Best overall smartphone under £500: Samsung Galaxy S22 5G – view on Amazon UK
• Best budget smartphone under £500: Xiaomi POCO F5 5G – view on Amazon UK
• Best Apple smartphone under £500: Apple 2022 iPhone SE (128 GB) – View on John Lewis
• Best Android smartphone under £500: Samsung Galaxy A54 5G – View on Amazon UK

If it's been a while since you bought a smartphone, think about the software you need before taking the plunge. You might already be hooked on the way Apple do things. Or perhaps you prefer Android devices - especially if you're already an Android tablet user. Most modern smartphones, no matter what brand you buy, will be able to do the basics very well. After that the choice is yours - do you like photography more than mobile games? Or perhaps you want a phone with a much larger screen for easier browsing? We've answered some of your questions at the end of the article to narrow things down.

Thankfully, we've found that some of these phones are so well-equipped you'll quickly forget it didn't cost twice as much. Some may even outstrip an ageing laptop or budget tablet. So, with so much on offer, which mobile gadget is right for you? We've taken a look at the latest and greatest smartphones under £500 to help you choose.

Best smartphones under £500

Verdict: Which is the best smartphone under £500?

As we mentioned earlier, we think the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G is a star performer here. It can take almost anything you can throw at it. You also get that hallmark Samsung build quality too. But, that said, not everyone will need something that powerful. For reliability for emailing, socials, and browsing, we think the Xiaomi POCO F5 5G is the way to go.

FAQs

How do I choose the best smartphones under £500?

Screen size

For those who prefer to slip their phone into their pocket (and if your eyesight is up to the task) phones with smaller screens can work out cheaper. But that doesn't mean they're any less powerful than their larger cousins. On the other hand, if you love having a larger screen for an easier view of your digital world, go as large as you can.

Operating system and software

We've taken a quick look at the two main choices, Apple and Android, below. But, don't forget - it's not just about choosing what you like the look of. Each operating system has its own apps and app stores. Not every app is available on both, so take a moment to list the ones you want or already use; then double-check that they're available on your new choice of mobile.

Photography and video

This is possibly the most important thing to get right with the best smartphones under £500. Why? Well, if you're into taking shots of friends, family holidays and more, you'll soon regret your choice if the resolution isn't up to it; especially when you come to use your photo printer. It's likely you'll prefer a phone with a larger screen too. Look in the specifications for the number of pixels (e.g.: 12 megapixels) and also the number and type of lenses. Many smartphones have more than one rear-facing camera, each lens for a different purpose.

Games

As with photography, when you're looking for the best smartphones under £500 that are still powerful enough to play the latest games, you'll need to pay attention to the specs. The key things to look for here are RAM (the memory a game will need to run - the higher the better), graphics capability (both the maximum resolution of the screen and any special graphics chip inside), and storage. More on that last one, next.

Storage capacity

There's not much point in buying a phone with a massive screen, a beautiful case, and the latest software if you run out of storage space. Photographers and gamers will soon fill up their internal smartphone storage, so we recommend an absolute minimum of 128GB. Some phones, usually Android, support memory cards - so you can always upgrade or swap out your storage. Apple devices are usually unable to do this, so if you're going for Apple choose the largest storage you can afford.

Battery life

Despite the availability of portable power banks, not everyone wants to carry one with them. If you're a heavy smartphone user, especially if gaming, look carefully at the stated battery life of your new phone. Also, manufacturers do tend to rate their batteries higher than many users will ever get in real life - so take them with a small pinch of salt.

Should I choose an Apple or Android smartphone?

There is no right or wrong answer here. If you're relatively new to smartphones, or just fancy a change, both are worth taking a look at. We think the simplest way to do this is to ask family and friends what phone they use and have a play first. Generally though, many Apple fans like the simple and intuitive interface of iOS; whereas Android fans like the extra flexibility and extended customisation options. If you're already a tablet user and are familiar with the interface there, we think it's a good idea to go with the same operating system when choosing the best smartphones under £500.