Vivo NEX 3 5G reviewSource: Apoorva Bhardwaj/Android Central

What you need to know

  • Liu Hong, Vice president of Vivo, says that 5G phones could drop to as low as $212 by the end of 2020.
  • Xiaomi announced the Redmi K30 5G running a Snapdragon 765G in December of 2019 for only $284.
  • Once Qualcomm starts rolling out its 5G capable Snapdragon 600 series, it could lead to more affordable 5G phones.

This is the year that 5G could really start to gain some traction. Not only are we seeing carriers roll out service to more and more cities, but manufacturers are also pumping out more 5G capable phones. Unfortunately, 5G isn't cheap, the latest 5G enabled Samsung Galaxy S20 starts at $1,000.

However, just because you want to take advantage of the latest 5G speeds, doesn't mean you'll have to break the bank. The Samsung Galaxy S20 is far from your only option. Last December, we saw Xiaomi's sub-brand release the Redmi K30 5G for only $284. Now, in a recent interview, Liu Hong, vice president of Vivo, has predicted that 5G enabled phones will be available starting at 1,500 yuan or $212 by the end of 2020.

Currently, Vivo sells the Z6 5G for nearly $100 more using the Snapdragon 765G chipset. In order to drop the price of 5G phones even lower, Vivo might be waiting on more affordable chips to be released. Last year, Qualcomm confirmed it would be bringing 5G technology to its Snapdragon 600 SoCs, which are generally found in cheaper entry-level and mid-range smartphones.

Considering the Redmi K30 5G was able to hit the $284 price point in December 2019, it's not a stretch to imagine that we could see 5G phones drop to $212 by December this year. Especially once Qualcomm starts cranking out some lower-priced chipsets with 5G built-in.

Best Cheap 5G Phones in 2020

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