With true flagship phones costing (way) above $1000, intermediate models started to trickle around the $500 price range. Even then, there are still a couple of smartphones around $600 that still offer a true flagship-level experience, without the tradeoffs found in the intermediate segment.
Editor’s note: the prices highlighted in this article may vary depending on discounts offered by the manufacturers.
What to expect from a sub-$600 phone
Different from other price categories, sub-$600 phones don’t make specific tradeoffs to reach the price point. Each brand usually chooses different features to distinguish smartphones in this category from the true flagships.
Their software update support is usually on the same level as the high-end devices but you can expect to find sacrifices in camera versatility—e.g. fewer lenses—, slower or fewer charging options, slightly downgraded display, or older generation processors.
Replacing the Google Pixel 7a is its successor for 2024. The Pixel 8a is a steady evolution of the previous model, with significant upgrades to the display, which is not only brighter but also refreshes at a higher rate, processor, and especially a longer update support policy of seven years.
Besides the pure Android experience, the Pixel’s software department is enhanced by a few useful AI features (and others not so much), that enhance not only daily tasks but also photo editing.
Speaking of photos, the Pixel 8a keeps the same award-winning combination of sensors and lenses from its predecessor, delivering excellent image quality in day and night photos.
Better yet, Google avoided increasing the price of the Pixel 8a (at least in North America), delivering even better value for the money.
Replacing the iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 is the best (and only?) Apple option in this price range. Of course, Apple offers the humble iPhone SE for even less, but while still very powerful, the SE is too firmly rooted into the iPhone 6 legacy, with its small screen, huge bezels, and a single camera.
With a pretty stable iPhone design since the 12th generation, the iPhone 13 still looks pretty much like any current Apple phone, with the exception of the display notch. Performance-wise, the phone packs a still very capable processor, with enough horsepower for all the latest apps and games.
The dual camera system is comprised of main and ultra-wide-angle lenses, with excellent image quality in photos, and especially videos. Media consumption happens in the bright and big 6.1-inch OLED display, with sharp colors and excellent viewing angles.
Good
OLED screen with deep blacks
Good battery life
Good quality main camera
IP68 certification
Smarter iOS 15
Bad
60 Hz refresh rate
FaceID is unwieldy to use while wearing a face mask
The Google Pixel family is well-known for its camera performance, and the Pixel 7 is no exception. The Android flagbearer is usually on top of camera comparisons and offers excellent results from both its main 50 MP camera and the 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens.
Being the Google reference phone, the Pixel 7 gets monthly security fixes and is first in line to receive new Android versions. Performance is top-notch, with the same processor used in the flagship Pixel 7 Pro. And all that with excellent battery life, without software bloat and exclusive software features thanks to the Pixel feature drops.
As a tradeoff, the Pixel 7 is limited to a 90 Hz OLED display—while its Android rivals go up to 120 Hz—and the performance of the Tensor G2 chip is not on par with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 8+ Gen 1.
After testing the European model, my colleague Casi Drees actually had a lot of good things to say about the phone, despite some questionable choices made by Samsung. The North American version of the Galaxy S23 FE solves the main issue we had in general, replacing the power-hungry Exynos chip used globally with the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the US.
But what makes the Galaxy S23 FE an easy choice in this price range, especially when compared to similar options from Xiaomi and Motorola, is the much better software support provided by Samsung. The S23 FE is promised to receive five years of security updates, with four Android upgrades. And in the past years, Samsung has been delivering on its promise to past models, even retroactively extending support to some.
The result is that not only you will get a capable phone for 2024 in the S23 FE, but it will also stay usable for years to come. Even if your needs outgrow the phone, you will be able to use it as a backup phone, give it to a friend or relative, or even resell it.
The OG flagship killer, OnePlus slowly crept into flagship territory over the years. To counteract that, the company offers its T or R models, with some hardware compromises to reach the $500~$700 price sweetspot. And by all accounts, they nailed it with the OnePlus 12R in 2024.
You will find 2023’s flagship processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a big and crisp OLED display, excellent battery life, and a capable main camera. In return, you will give up some water protection, and high-resolution secondary cameras.
But the main selling point for the OnePlus 12R in the sub-$600 category is probably the battery department. Not only does it come with a big 5500 mAh battery, but it also includes a powerful and fast 100W charger in the box which reaches full charge in less than 30 minutes.
Flagship and premium phones are the models with the biggest (and best) discounts when buying with a phone contract. That’s why we added contract options in the deals links above, in case you are a customer of one of the mentioned carriers, be sure to check them out!
Refurbished and used smartphones
If removing the protective film on your new device does not spark joy, you can pick up more expensive smartphones from the second-hand or refurbished market. It is particularly advisable to use devices that carry a refurbished guarantee.
These are used smartphones that have been checked and refurbished by reputable companies to ensure that they are in tip-top condition. Refurbished devices are particularly worthwhile to check out when they come with an extended warranty. This is how you protect yourself when picking one up just in case the handset gives up the ghost just a few weeks down the road.
Do you think we forgot a phone model? What would you change on this list? Share your opinion in the comments below!
Our ‘Best Smartphones Under $600’ list was updated in May 2024 to include a new top suggestion.
