The 5th generation of telecom connectivity is revolutionizing our entire online experience. With higher bandwidths, you can download movies within minutes, stream high-resolution video without buffering, and access real-time data to streamline your business. Its applications are only limited by one’s imagination.
From Augmented Reality to connected cars, 5G connectivity has changed and continues to change the way we experience the world around us. Besides significantly faster network speeds, 5G offers advantages that improve existing network connectivity applications and facilitate newer wireless technology applications.
The 5G Advantage
As we mentioned earlier, 5G networks enable significantly faster downloads. To add context, it takes 16 minutes to download a 600MB file on a 3G network and four minutes on a 4G one; on a 5G (with an average speed of 500Mbps) network, it would take under 10 seconds. Of course, these are theoretical speeds, and a lot depends on your mobile carrier.
But there is a lot more that 5G offers, other than just higher download speeds.
Low Latency
Latency is the time it takes for a signal to reach the receiver and is measured in milliseconds (1/1000th of a second). 5G networks offer latency times between 1 ms and 10 ms, making 5G suitable for real-time applications like video conferencing, online gaming, self-drive cars, and whatnot. The best 4G could do was about 30 ms, an eternity compared to 1 ms of 5G networks.
Better Reliability
5G networks use a broader spectrum compared to earlier generations. A broader spectrum ensures greater network capacity, meaning the network will support more devices. Thus, it is ideal for connecting several IoT devices and more mobile users within an area.
Moreover, a broader spectrum also translates into excellent reliability with fewer cases of call drops and overall network congestion.
Newer Applications
Naturally, the avenues of newer applications open when you have a faster, more reliable network with lower latency. From enhanced financial services to real-time augmented reality (AR) applications, 5G facilitates a new generation of applications.
AR games like Pokemon Go or navigation applications that reimagine applications like Google Maps will enhance how you interact with the world around you. You can stream 8K videos and place yourself in a virtual retail store to experience the product as you would in real life.
You can experience many of these applications (and several others) using a 5G-enabled mobile phone. While all leading flagship phones are 5G-enabled, they are also costly, making you wonder whether they’re worth the money.
But if 5G connectivity is crucial to you and breaking the bank is not an option, you must consider using a budget 5G phone. Most budget phones don’t have a high-performance processor or a high-resolution display, so you’ll forego streaming high-quality videos; other than that, you can use 5G connectivity for all it has to offer, especially if you intend to use it as a hot spot.
Table of Contents
- The 5G Advantage
- Comparison of the Best Budget 5G Phones
- 1. Motorola Moto G Power 5G – Our Pick
- 2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G – 4K Video Recording
- 3. OnePlus Nord N200 – Excellent Value
- 4. Nokia G400 5G – Battery Life
- 5. SAMSUNG Galaxy A14 – 50MP Camera
- 6. TCL 30 5G – Awesome Display
- 7. Motorola Moto G Stylus – Phone With Stylus
- 8. Google Pixel 6a – Best Cameras
- Best Budget 5G Phones – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Comparison of the Best Budget 5G Phones
| Image | Product | Details | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Motorola Moto G Power 5G | Screen: 6.5-inch LCD IPS Resolution: 1080x2400 pixels Rear Camera: 50MP, 2MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 16MP SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 930 RAM: 6GB Storage: 256GB Frequency: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: No Weight: 185 grams Release Date: Apr 2023 | Buy on Amazon |
 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G | Screen: 6.67-inch OLED Resolution: 1080x2400 pixels Rear Camera: 50MP, 8MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 16MP SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 1080 RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Frequency: GSM/WCDMA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: Yes Weight: 187 grams Release Date: May 2023 | Buy on Amazon |
 | OnePlus Nord N200 | Screen: 6.49-inch LCD Resolution: 1080x2400 pixels Rear Camera: 13MP, 2MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 16MP SoC: Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB Frequency: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: No Weight: 189 grams Release Date: June 2021 | Buy on Amazon |
 | Nokia G400 5G | Screen: 6.58-inch LCD Resolution: 1080x2408 pixels Rear Camera: 48MP, 5MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 16MP SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 480+ 5G RAM: 5GB Storage: 64GB Frequency: GSM/WCDMA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: No Weight: 199 grams Release Date: Aug 2022 | Buy on Amazon |
 | SAMSUNG Galaxy A14 5G | Screen: 6.6-inch LCD IPS Resolution: 1080x2408 pixels Rear Camera: 50MP, 2MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 13MP SoC: Mediatek MT6833 Dimensity 700 RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB Frequency: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: Yes Weight: 202 grams Release Date: Jan 2023 | Buy on Amazon |
 | TCL 30 5G | Screen: 6.7-inch AMOLED Resolution: 1080x2400 pixels Rear Camera: 50MP, 2MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 13MP SoC: MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 RAM: 4GB Storage: 128GB Frequency: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: No Weight: 184 grams Release Date: Dec 2022 | Buy on Amazon |
 | Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G | Screen: 6.8-inch LCD IPS Resolution: 1080x2400 pixels Rear Camera: 48MP, 8MP, 5MP, and 2MP Front Camera: 16MP SoC: Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G RAM: 4GB Storage: 128GB Frequency: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: No Weight: 217 grams Release Date: Sept 2022 | Buy on Amazon |
 | Google Pixel 6a | Screen: 6.1-inch OLED Resolution: 1080x2400 pixels Rear Camera: 12.2MP and 12MP Front Camera: 8MP SoC: Google Tensor 5nm Octa-Core RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Frequency: GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G Dual SIM: No Weight: 178 grams Release Date: July 2022 | Buy on Amazon |
1. Motorola Moto G Power 5G – Our Pick
The Motorola Moto G Power is an excellent budget phone that’s versatile and offers impressive features compared to the competition. This includes a high refresh rate display, multiple cameras, and good battery life.
The phone uses the MediaTek Dimensity 930 platform to offer an octa-core processor with two Cortex-A78 and six Cortex-A55 cores. Motorola pairs this with 6GB RAM and 256GB internal storage and has a media card slot for external storage. It isn’t the ideal specification for high-performance gaming, but it’ll take care of all your productivity and video conferencing apps.
The Moto G Power has a 6.6-inch IPS panel display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1080×2400 resolution in a 20:9 aspect ratio. The screen has a high pixel density of 405ppi, resulting in sharper images that look great on the screen, with an 83.6% screen-to-body ratio.
The phone has three rear-facing cameras. The 50MP wide-angle camera has an f/1.8 aperture and PADF autofocus. The depth and macro cameras have a 2MP resolution and an f/2.4 aperture. You also get a 16MP (f/2.4) wide-angle front-facing camera, suitable for good-quality video calls.
Finally, the Moto G Power has an impressive battery life that will last a day despite 5G connectivity.
- The IPS panel screen has a 120Hz refresh rate, the fastest among budget phones.
- Excellent battery life that lasts a whole day.
- Impressive photos with the 50MP primary camera.
- The CPU, RAM, and storage ensure good performance.
- Dolby Atmos and stereo speakers deliver good sound quality.
- No NFC
- Video recording is limited to 1080p@30fps.
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G – 4K Video Recording
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro has an excellent set of cameras, and it’s among the few budget phones that feature 4K video recording. The Redmi Note 12 Pro also lets you record in 1080p (30/60/120fps) or use the 720p@960fps setting to record longer clips.
Most budget phones cut corners and limit RAM to 4GB to save costs. The Moto G Power and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro are among the few phones offering 6GB RAM. And it makes all the difference as the background apps consume a considerable amount of RAM, often compromising the performance of utility apps you install on your phone.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro uses the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC with an octa-core processor with two Cortex-A78 and six Cortex-A55 cores. While this variant has 6GB RAM, Xiaomi offers variants with up to 12GB RAM if you are willing to spend a little more. Unfortunately, there is no media card slot for expanding the storage, and the 128GB storage will seem inadequate. But with higher RAM variants, you also get 256GB storage.
The phone has three rear-facing cameras, the 50MP (24mm wide angle, f/1.9, 1/1.56”, 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS), an 8MP (120˚ ultrawide, f/2.2, 1/4”, 1.12µm), and a 2MP macro camera with f/2.4 aperture. And the front-facing camera is a 16MP (f/2.5, 1/3.06”, 1.0µm) with HDR support and 1080p@30/60fps video recording. Xiaomi leaves no stone unturned to ensure you take high-quality photos and videos compared to the competition.
- Excellent cameras that enable 4K@30fps video recording.
- The CPU, RAM, and storage ensure good performance.
- The phone has NFC for contactless card payments.
- Excellent OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and 500nits brightness produces lifelike images.
- It has dual-SIM support for additional connections.
- The phone is IP53-rated for dust and splash resistance.
- The speaker quality is average at best.
- No media card slot for extendable memory.
3. OnePlus Nord N200 – Excellent Value
In technology, it is not uncommon to get tremendous value if you buy a previous-generation product, and the Nord N200 does just that. The N200 offers similar RAM and SoC configurations compared to contemporary budget 5G phones and is considerably cheaper, making it suitable for users on a super-tight budget.
The N200 uses the Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G SoC and comes with an octa-core processor. It has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and also features a microSD card slot, allowing you to expand the storage when needed. The Nord N200 belongs to OnePlus’s budget line of phones, which sacrifices high-performance specifications for economy.
The phone has a 6.49-inch LCD screen, which provides an 83.7% screen-to-body ratio, and has a standard 1080×2400 resolution. The IPS panel has a pixel density of 405ppi and a modest refresh rate of 90Hz. These specifications ensure that you get exceptionally clear images and that the video plays stutter-free.
But remember, this is a previous-generation device for OnePlue, so you must be prepared to make a few sacrifices. Where most contemporary budget phones include at least a 50MP primary camera, the N200 has a 13MP (wide f/2.2, PDAF). But the front-facing camera is a 16MP (f/2.1), which supports HDR and FullHD video recording.
- The phone has NFC for contactless card payments.
- Value for money pricing.
- The 5000mAh battery will last an entire day.
- The display screen reproduces excellent image quality.
- The camera performance could be better.
- The 64GB internal storage is insufficient; you must use a microSD card.
- No variants with higher RAM and storage specifications.
4. Nokia G400 5G – Battery Life
The Nokia G400 5G has one of the best battery lives in the budget phone category, making it the go-to pick for users who are forever on the move. Like most budget phones, Nokia uses a 5000mAh battery yet can extract two days of battery life. However, this is Nokia’s claim, and actual reports suggest the number to close to a day and a half, which is still impressive.
The G400 has a 6.58-inch IPS panel display with a 1080×2408 resolution and a noteworthy 120Hz refresh rate. It comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which protects the phone’s screen from scratches and minor impacts, making it immune to damage from keys, coins, and whatnot.
The phone features an octa-core processor with two 2.2GHz Kryo 460 and six 1.9GHz Kryo 460 cores on the Qualcomm SM4350-AC Snapdragon 480+ SoC. Like most budget offerings, the G400 also features 4GB RAM and a meager 64GB storage, but you can expand storage using a microSD card.
Nokia provides a mediocre set of cameras on the G400, which include three rear-facing cameras, a 48MP (wide f/1.8), a 5MP (ultrawide 115-degree, f/2.2), and a 2MP (depth, f/2.4). There is no 4K video recording, so you must manage with 1080p@30/60fps. Expectedly, the front-facing camera is 16MP, so you’ll have clear images when you take selfies and make video calls.
- Tremendous battery life on a single charge.
- The phone has NFC for contactless card payments.
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects the screen from scratches.
- The Full HD screen with a high refresh rate ensures excellent image quality.
- Expandable memory caters to growing storage needs.
- Mediocre camera performance.
- No variants with higher RAM and storage specifications.
- No support for 4K video recording.
5. SAMSUNG Galaxy A14 – 50MP Camera
Apart from the budget specifications, the most impactful aspects of the Galaxy A14 are its 50MP (wide, f/1.8) primary camera and the long battery life, making it suitable for shutterbugs on the go.
The phone has a 6.6-inch LCD panel with a standard 1080×2408 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. Even though the screen’s low brightness levels mean you’ll have some difficulty outdoors in the sun, the images are sharp due to the 400+ppi pixel density. Further, unlike the Nokia G400, the Galaxy A14 does not offer Gorilla Glass protection on its screen, so you must be careful while handling the device.
The Galaxy A14 uses the MediaTek MT6833 Dimensity 700 SoC platform and has an octa-core processor. While this variant has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, Samsung has a variant that offers up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Moreover, it has a microSD card slot that enables you to increase storage when required.
Besides the 50MP camera, the phone has two 2MP rear-facing cameras for depth and macro shots. Surprisingly, where most budget phones feature a 16MP front-facing camera, the A14 has a 13MP camera. Despite these cameras’ lackluster specifications (and performance), the primary camera performs phenomenally, and the resulting photos are eye-catching.
- Several RAM and storage variants give you the flexibility of choice.
- Expandable memory caters to growing storage needs.
- It has dual-SIM support for additional connections.
- The 50MP camera produces excellent photos.
- The phone has NFC for contactless card payments.
- The screen has low brightness and is unsuitable for bright sunlight.
- Charging is slow compared to the competition.
6. TCL 30 5G – Awesome Display
The TCL 30 5G has an excellent display for a budget category phone. But that’s not all; TCL includes an impressive array of cameras, long battery life, NFC for contactless payments, and a unique customizable Always-On-Display (AOD) to help personalize your phone.
The phone has a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with an FHD+ 1080×2400 resolution and a colossal 91% screen-to-body ratio. With 600nits typical and 900nits peak brightness, you’ll have no problems using it in bright sunlight. Moreover, the screen has a broad color gamut covering 100% of the DCI-P3 color space, ensuring the colors look realistic and vibrant.
The TCL 30 has 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. There is a variant with 64GB storage and 4GB RAM, but it’s not much cheaper, so getting this one makes more sense. TCL also incorporates a microSD card slot into the offering, making it flexible to extend storage capacity when required. As with other budget phones, TCL uses an SoC from the lower end of the MediaTek line-up, the Dimensity 700, and pairs that with an octa-core processor (two Cortex-A76 and six Cortec-A55).
It has a 50MP (f/1.8, 28mm wide angle lens, 1/2.76”, 0.64µm) camera and two 2MP cameras, each for depth and macro shots. Like the Galaxy A14, TCL also cut corners on the front-facing camera by offering a 13MP sensor but pairs it with a better lens (19mm ultrawide lens, f/2.3, 1/3”, 1.12µm).
- The bright and colorful display ensures lifelike, vibrant images.
- The phone has NFC for contactless card payments.
- Expandable memory caters to growing storage needs.
- Excellent cameras for taking pictures and video conferencing.
- The customizable AOD enables you to personalize your phone.
- No support for dual-SIM cards for additional connections.
- No support for 4K video recording.
7. Motorola Moto G Stylus – Phone With Stylus
A phone with a stylus is hard to come by, and finding a budget stylus phone is next to impossible as most smartphone manufacturers include a stylus exclusively on their flagship phone (which costs a lot!). The stylus is not an active device and lacks the sensitivity of one that you’ll find on a premium flagship phone. Nevertheless, it gets the job done, even if you must get used to the device.
The Moto G Stylus uses the popular (among budget phones) Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 SoC and offers 4GB RAM. This is the 2021 phone version, so the specifications may seem dated. In comparison, the 2023 version features a Qualcomm SM6450 Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC with 6GB RAM and 256GB storage, but it’s also considerably pricier.
The phone has four rear-facing cameras for various purposes. It has a 48MP (26mm wide angle lens, f/1.7, 1/2.0″, 0.8µm) and an 8 MP (118˚ ultrawide lens, f/2.2, 1/4.0, 1.12µm) for wide and ultrawide shots. For close-up macro shots and shots that require depth, Motorola includes 5MP (f/2.2) and 2MP (f/2.4) lenses, respectively. Motorola includes a 16MP (wide angle, f/2.0, 1/3.05”, 1.0µm) camera for selfies and video calls that produces sufficiently good picture quality.
- The stylus helps improve productivity.
- Four rear-facing cameras provide incredibly versatile picture compositions.
- Expandable memory caters to growing storage needs.
- Good battery life.
- The bright screen is easy to view in brightly lit environments.
- No NFC
- No dual-SIM card support.
8. Google Pixel 6a – Best Cameras
The Google Pixel 6a was never meant to be a budget offering. However, with newer Google Pixels and tough competition from other brands, the price is lower, and it now makes for an unmistakably good deal.
The phone has two rear-facing cameras, a 12.2MP (27mm, f/1.7, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm) one for wide-angle compositions and a 12MP (17mm, 114˚ ultrawide, f/2.2, 1.25µm) for ultrawide shots. You can record 4K videos at 30/60fps and 1080p videos with up to 240fps. And for video calling, the Google Pixel 6a has an 8MP wide-angle lens (24mm, f/2.0, 1.25µm) with Auto-HDR for image enhancement.
Most budget phones use the MediaTek or Snapdragon platforms, but the Pixel 6a uses a Google Tensor (5 nm) chipset. The proprietary chipset gives the Pixel 6a a performance edge over several budget-friendly phones, and despite its higher price, you’ll get your money’s worth in performance.
The Google Pixel 6a has a vibrant 6.1-inch OLED screen with a 1080×2400 resolution and 83% screen-to-body ratio. Its screen uses Corning Gorillas Glass 3, which protects it from everyday nicks and scratches, keeping the screen in mint condition. With an IP67 rating, the Pixel 6a will remain safe even if submerged in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes.
- Excellent cameras with Face Unblur, Real Tone, Night Sight, and Magic Erase tools for enhancing photos.
- The phone has NFC for contactless card payments.
- You can record 4K@60fps videos.
- The IP67 rating keeps the phone safe from environmental elements.
- The brilliant OLED screen delivers lifelike images.
- No dual-SIM support for additional connections.
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- You must buy the charger separately.
Best Budget 5G Phones – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Using A 5G Connection Consume More Battery Than a 4G Connection?
There is research data that suggests that using 5G caused your phone’s battery to drain faster as compared to using 4G. However, these researches are conducted in laboratories under “controlled test conditions” with little consideration for screen brightness level, signal strength, the number of apps running, and more such variables.
Can I Use a Budget 5G Phone For Gaming?
A popular game like PUBG requires minimal system requirements. It requires Android 5.1.1, 2GB RAM, and 4GB storage, specifications you can find on most budget phones. However, to run efficiently and without compromising the integrity of vital background apps, it’s advisable to look at larger RAM and storage capacities.
Are 5G Phones Backward Compatible?
You can use your 5G phone on older-generation networks like 3G and 4G. The only difference is your phone’s data transfer speed will be limited to the network you use.
Does a Budget 5G Phone Limit Utility Compared to a Flagship 5G Phone?
It depends on what you primarily use your phone for. For instance, you won’t notice a significant difference if you need to search for information, use a texting app, or stream music off the internet. Flagship phones have significantly better cameras, faster processors, and larger RAM capacity (among other things), enabling you to take better-quality photos and improve overall productivity with more responsive apps and whatnot.
