Best cheap Samsung phones 2024

Finding the best Samsung phones on a budget doesn't have to be an impossible mission. You have better things to do than compare phones, but which Samsung phone should you use? It's a tough question to answer.

The brand has great entry-level phones in the Galaxy A Series and as we already know, the Galaxy S Series is fantastic, albeit pricey. Samsung has phones you can choose from as low as $160 to less than $500 and still get a near-premium experience.

By going to Samsung for your phone choice, you will enjoy exclusive Samsung features that will only make others want to get the same phone. Let's see what phones you can consider as your choice.

At a glance

Best overall

Samsung Galaxy A34 5G

(Image credit: Samsung)

1. Samsung Galaxy A34 5G

The best budget Samsung phone

Specifications

Display: 6.6-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED; 1080 x 2340
Battery: 5,000mAh, 25W wired charging
Camera: 48MP + 8MP + 5MP rear; 13MP front
Storage : 128GB / 256GB / expandable to 1TB
OS: Android 13; upgradable to Android 14
RAM: 6GB / 8GB
CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 1080

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous AMOLED screen
+
Good cameras at the back
+
Excellent battery life
+
Long-term software updates
+
IP67 dust and water resistance
+
Reliable hardware

Reasons to avoid

-
No wireless charging
-
No charger in the box
-
No 3.5mm audio jack

If you want a flagship-level experience without paying flagship prices, then the Galaxy A34 5G is an easy recommendation. Samsung made many changes to this iteration, resulting in the phone being markedly different from the Galaxy A32 5G

The phone now has a Super AMOLED panel, offering better color vibrancy and contrast levels. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures the screen feels smooth in daily use, and whether it's playing games or streaming videos, the screen is a delight.

The phone also has much better hardware in the form of the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor, and you'll notice the difference immediately. There's no noticeable lag in daily use, and the phone is also decent enough for gaming.

There's also IP67 dust and water resistance this time around, ensuring the Galaxy A34 5G withstands the elements. It can be dropped in a meter of fresh water for 30 minutes. Other than that, the essentials are intact: the large 5,000mAh non-removable battery lasts nearly two days on a full charge with average use, you get a reliable camera at the back that takes excellent photos in any scenario, and the software is among the best in this category. 

Sure, the phone misses out on a 3.5mm jack, and thanks to all the upgrades, it is costlier than its predecessor. But if you want a budget Samsung phone right now, the Galaxy A34 5G is the obvious choice.

Best mid-range

The back of the black Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

Hitting all the right notes

Specifications

Display: 6.4-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED 1080 x 2340 (FHD+)
Battery: 5,000mAh, 25W wired charging
Camera: 50MP + 12MP + 5MP rear; 32MP front
OS: Android 13
RAM: 6GB
CPU: Exynos 1380

Reasons to buy

+
Modern design
+
Gorgeous AMOLED screen
+
Great cameras
+
IP67 ingress protection
+
Long-term software updates

Reasons to avoid

-
No charger in the box
-
Costlier than last year

The Galaxy A54 5G doesn't differ too much from its predecessor, with Samsung choosing to retain many of the same features. That's understandable given the A53 is one of the best Samsung phones introduced in the last 18 months. Don't fix what's not broken, as the saying goes.

That said, the A54 covers the basics: it has a bright AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh, terrific cameras, outstanding battery life, and an excellent software package with plenty of features and four guaranteed Android OS updates as well as five years of security updates.

It is also marginally faster than the A53, and the design feels refined. Outside of that, this is still one of the best overall packages you get in the mid-range segment.

Best battery life

Samsung Galaxy A25 5G

(Image credit: Samsung)

3. Samsung Galaxy A25 5G

Has the features that matter

Specifications

Display: 6.5-inch 120Hz FHD+ Super AMOLED, 1080 x 2340
Battery: 5,000mAh, 25W wired charging
Camera: 50MP + 8MP + 2MP rear; 13MP front
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
OS: Android 14
RAM: 8GB
CPU: Exynos 1280

Reasons to buy

+
120Hz LCD screen
+
Reliable for daily use and gaming
+
Good cameras at the back
+
Versatile software features
+
Stereo speakers
+
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner

Reasons to avoid

-
No charger
-
No ingress protection
-
2MP macro camera for serious photography

The Galaxy A25 5G is an outlier in that it uses Samsung's own Exynos designs and is considered the best phone for Galaxy fans under $400. The result is that the Galaxy A25 5G offers stable performance to complete your day-to-day tasks. The 5G modem has global connectivity, ensuring the phone has adequate 5G.

The Super AMOLED screen on the Galaxy A25 5G goes up to 120Hz. With this technology, you get a more advanced technology that features touch sensors on a single layer. Unlike LCD screens, Super AMOLED uses less power and gives you more vivid images.

The cameras are also reliable with a 50MP (OIS, PDAF) wide lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. Under the hood, the A25's 5,000mAh battery lasts two days between charges. You also get the latest software package on the A25 5G with Android 14, and overall, it is a great option to consider if you want a good phone for $350 to $400.

Best upgrade pick

Purple Galaxy S23 FE with Orange case

(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

4. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

The most feature-rich budget phone

Specifications

Display: 6.4-inch 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X, HDR10+, 1450 nits (peak), 1080 x 2340
Battery: 4,500mAh, 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging
Camera: 50MP + 12MP + 8MP rear; 10MP front
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
OS: Android 13; upgradeable to Android 14
RAM: 8GB
CPU: Exynos 2200 (global), Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (U.S.)

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh
+
Reliable hardware
+
Cameras take great photos
+
IP68 dust and water resistance
+
Four years of Android OS updates
+
Wireless charging

Reasons to avoid

-
Costlier than rivals
-
No charger in the box
-
Misses out on 3.5mm jack

The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE isn't exactly a part of the Galaxy S Series, but that means it's a great contender for the best cheap Samsung phones. The $450 price tag is very attractive, to say the least.

Samsung has promised a solid four years of Android updates as well as five years of security updates. And the best part is that Samsung rolls out monthly security updates to the phone, making sure that it gets all the essential patches on a timely basis.

Then there's the hardware itself: the Galaxy S23 FE has a sublime 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, cameras that take great photos, and decent battery life to get you through the day with average use. Sure, it isn't quite as good as the Galaxy A34 or Galaxy A54 with its 4,500mAh battery, but it still does a decent job.

What makes the Galaxy S23 FE tick is the fact that it brings the latest features and a flagship processor, so you never miss out on the latest and greatest from One UI.

Best entry-level

Samsung Galaxy A05s

(Image credit: Samsung)

5. Samsung Galaxy A05s

Just the essentials

Specifications

Display: 6.7-inch 90Hz PLS LCD
Battery: 5,000mAh, 25W wired charging
Camera: 50MP + 2MP + 2MP rear; 13MP front
Storage: 128GB
OS: Android 13
RAM: 4GB / 6GB
CPU: Snapdragon 680 4G (6nm)

Reasons to buy

+
Good screen
+
Amazing battery life
+
Sturdy design
+
3.5mm jack and microSD slot

Reasons to avoid

-
Huge bezels
-
The screen doesn't get bright enough
-
Sluggish pixel response time
-
Color accuracy isn't so great

The Samsung Galaxy A05s is a decent upgrade from its predecessor, with a larger screen and better resolution. There is also a new chipset, and you don't have to wait too long to top up your phone thanks to faster charging.

With this budget phone, you get a 6.7-inch 1080p PLS LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, it retains the classic design of the screen and bezels without the home button. The Galaxy A05s will appeal to those who have a minuscule budget but still want something that looks familiar from Samsung.

The brightness is better than its predecessor, reaching 470 nits. Unlike the latest S Series models, the Galaxy A05s comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack. For biometric security, you get a highly responsive side-mounted fingerprint reader. 

Unless you have to save large files constantly, the phone's onboard 128GB storage is a good option, but it also offers expandable storage. Unfortunately, the internal storage is the eMMC 511 variety and not the speedier UFS (Universal Flash Storage) storage. Its processor is two years old, but it is still an improvement from the previous Exynos 850 model. With this model, Samsung brings a trio of 50MP, 2MP, and 2MP cameras to the table.

Best value

Samsung Galaxy A15 5G

(Image credit: Samsung)

6. Samsung Galaxy A15 5G

Excels at the basics

Specifications

Display: 6.5-inch Super AMOLED 90Hz, 2340 x 1080, 800 nits
RAM: 4GB
OS: Android 14
Battery: 5,000mAh, 25W wired charging
Camera: 50MP + 5MP + 2MP rear; 13MP front
Storage: 128GB / 256GB
CPU: MediaTek's Dimensity 6100+

Reasons to buy

+
Large 6.5-inch screen with 90Hz refresh
+
Good software features
+
Reliable hardware
+
Stellar battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
No ingress protection
-
No charger in the box
-
Not as many updates as mid-range Galaxy A devices

If you want a Samsung phone that delivers the essentials, the Galaxy A15 5G (considered one of the best Android phones under $200) may be the ideal choice. The phone has 5G connectivity, so you can easily watch your favorite videos at lightning speed when streaming over mobile data, and it comes with reliable hardware that's decent for daily use. There is also a massive 5,000mAh battery that lasts two days between charges with average use.

There's also a large Super AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. You'll love looking at this screen with its 800 nits of brightness at High Brightness Mode, and you can also count on high and standard Motion Smoothness modes. Even though it has an energy-efficient chipset, keeping the brightness to a standard also saves battery power.

The software has many features, and Samsung will deliver three Android OS updates to the phone. You also get an extra year of security patches through the firmware upgrades. It doesn't fall far behind other models, so you're good for a few more years.

How to choose

If you want to live in the Samsung world without paying a premium price tag, then the Galaxy A34 5G is your best bet. It delivers all the essentials while still being affordable and is guaranteed to get long-term updates.

But if you're willing to cough up some extra cash, you can go for the Galaxy S23 FE and take advantage of its more premium features. If you need powerful hardware and better cameras, you should also turn to the Galaxy S23 FE. The phone gets five years of updates, and now that it's been in the market for a few months, you can find lucrative deals for it too.

On the other side, if you want an entry-level option that nails the basics, the Galaxy A05s is a solid pick. Samsung improved a lot of the features from last year's model, making it more attractive to Samsung fans with very limited cash at hand.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

With contributions from