Asia gets all the cool phones, but also all the super-cheap, yet very good, entry-level offerings. What the equivalent of $100 buys you in Redmis, Realmes, or even low-end Samsungs in the East is more than enough to satisfy everyday needs. We’re even seeing handsets in this class that offer beefy chipsets that can even cut it for gaming.
Editors’ choice
Very powerful chipset for the price
Has a fingerprint sensor
4,230mAh battery
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot
Has a depth sensor secondary cam
On the expensive side
Stylish looks for the price, GG5 on the front
5,000mAh battery should be plenty, supports 18W charging (but 10W unit in the box)
Runs the latest MIUI 11, likely to get timely updates
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot, USB-C port
2GB of RAM in the base version could be a bottleneck
No fingerprint reader
The flipside to the huge battery is the above-average heft
Super AMOLED display
Efficient and decently powerful chipset
Ultra wide cams are hard to find in the segment
Has a fingerprint sensor
Big battery, 15W fast charging, USB-C port, dedicated microSD slot
Android 10 update is uncertain
On the expensive side
The Galaxy M10s is the lowest point of entry into Samsung AMOLEDs and it pair the nice screen with a decent in-house chipset. The Exynos is also efficient, and should last a while on the 4,000mAh battery, which you can then top up with the included 15W adapter – the fastest brick you’ll find bundled in this segment.
The M10s has a tick in the fingerprint sensor checkbox, and unlike any other phone for the money, it comes with an ultra wide-angle cam – do you prefer that or the Realme 3i’s depth sensor?
For all its advantages, the M10s occupies the higher end of the entry-level price range. And even so, we don’t believe it’ll be getting Android 10 – Samsung doesn’t have a stellar track record with updates on its cheapest handsets.
Interesting textured back, GG3 on the front
4,000mAh battery
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot
No fingerprint sensor
Bundled with a sluggish 5W charger
Best entry-level smartphones for Western markets
Move a little to the West and Europeans can’t get much for this amount of cash. Even the models that may be actually be available through official channels, come at a premium. And then North America is an entirely different landscape with carrier-specific budget models and a general preference for higher-end devices – after all, contracts make the price of a flagship device less tangible.
Editors’ choice
Ultra-wide cams are hard to find in the segment
Lightweight and compact due to small screen and battery
Has a fingerprint sensor
Efficient and decently powerful chipset, 15W fast charging
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot, USB-C port
3,000mAh battery is on the small side
Cheap-looking plastic build
Android 10 update is uncertain
One of the most affordable Galaxies you can get, the A20e isn’t too shabby. It packs a couple of cams, including an ultra wide angle one, and has a fingerprint reader on the back. Samsung’s own Exynos 7884 chipset is good enough for the money, and the bundled 15W charger will quickly top up the otherwise small-ish 3,000mAh battery. It’s got the important stuff covered (RAM, storage, microSD slot) too.
The A20e keeps things compact thanks to its 5.8-inch display, so the battery capacity doesn’t sound like much of an issue – in fact, you may appreciate this Galaxy’s lightness. The A20e gets Samsung’s OneUI so the interface looks like on any other contemporary Samsung, it’s just that we’re not very hopeful it’ll get Android 10. It’s also cheap to the eye and to the touch, but it is cheap to buy too, after all.
Stylish looks for the price, GG5 on the front
Has a fingerprint sensor
5,000mAh battery should be plenty, supports 18W charging (but ships with a 10W adapter)
Runs the latest MIUI 11, likely to get timely updates
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot, USB-C port
The flipside to the huge battery is the above-average heft
Super cool light-up power button, overall nice design
Its small screen means it’s compact
Has a fingerprint sensor, NFC
Runs Android One, so it has a clean OS with good update potential
The 16GB/2GB base version is better avoided
Small battery, 5W charger in the box
The Nokia 4.2, being a Nokia, is notably more recognizable than a Xiaomi. It’s got pleasing looks too, and one of the coolest power buttons around – it lights up for notifications. It’s also a compact handset, which isn’t all too easy to find these days. It’s got a fingerprint sensor on the back, and the phone supports NFC too – again, not a given at this price. Android purists will also appreciate the fact that the 4.2 is on the Android One branch – clean UI, speedy updates.
By all means, however, avoid the 16GB/2GB version despite its more attractive price tag – neither is enough, regardless of the Android One argument and the dedicated card slot. Additionally, the Nokia 4.2 comes with a rather small-ish 3,000mAh battery, which you have to charge from a 5W adaptor via microUSB. The Nokia 4.2 is not a trend setter in features and technology but it’s reliable and fits the budget just fine.
US special
Large 6.4-inch Super AMOLED on a budget, GG3 on top
Ultra wide cams are hard to find in the segment
Has a fingerprint sensor
Efficient and decently powerful chipset, big 4,000mAh battery, 15W fast charging
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot, USB-C port
Low-res display
Cheap-looking plastic build
Android 10 update is uncertain
The US doesn’t get the A20e, but Samsung sells the A20 proper there and it’s mostly the same phone, but for a few important differences. Chief among them is the display – not only is it 6.4-inches in diagonal vs the A20e’ 5.8 inches, but it’s also AMOLED – nice. It’s not very high-res, though, but it had to fit the budget somehow. The Gorilla Glass 3 protection did make the cut, so that’s good as well.
To go with the bigger display, battery capacity has been bumped to 4,000mAh, and the phone has gotten heavier in the process, but at 169g it’s still among the lighter offerings. A well-rounded entry-level Galaxy with an AMOLED display – that’s it.
Almost there
Reasonably lightweight
Efficient and decently powerful chipset
32GB base storage, dedicated microSD slot
Cheap-looking plastic build
Sluggish 5W charger in the box
2GB of RAM in the base version could be a bottleneck
Android 10 update is uncertain
No fingerprint sensor
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