Top smartphones under $500 reviewed: Samsung Galaxy A51, Nokia 7.2 DS, TCL 10L, Motorola G9 Plus, Oppo A91
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to own a top of the line smartphone. Here are five of the best ahead of Christmas.
If 2020 has taught us anything it is focusing on what matters most, and it isn’t owning the top of the line smartphone. We’ve had to tighten our spending and consider how to take our dollar further.
At the same time, smartphones at the top end became more expensive, but it did open a market that we’re all paying more attention to: sub $500 smartphones.
This Christmas there are thousands of people asking Santa for a new smartphone. If you were considering granting this wish to a member of the family, think about buying two (or more) of the below phones for the price of a single iPhone 12.
Husband, son, daughter and mum can all receive phone upgrades instead of just one person. The best news? They’re not lightweight smartphones.
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Samsung Galaxy A51 $499
Who said you couldn’t get a Samsung Galaxy phone for under $500? The A51 has a base storage of 128GB, just like an iPhone 12 Pro priced at $1,699.
It has a 6.5-inch super AMOLED screen which will display all your apps, videos and photos.
There are four cameras to work with on the rear helping you get the perfect macro, wide or portrait shot during the holiday break.
For those who are used to a fingerprint sensor to unlock their phone, maybe those upgrading from an iPhone 8, Samsung has one inside the display which works like magic.
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Nokia 7.2 DS $499
The Nokia brand is far from gone and this is highlighted in this particular smartphone.
The 7.2 DS comes with 128GB of storage and a 6.3-inch HDR display. Nokia lets customers have a pure Google experience with a relatively untouched version of Android, including a dedicated button on the side to wake up the Google Assistant.
Nokia devices sold today also come with a three-year guarantee for future updates from Google, ensuring your phone remains secure and with the latest features.
The build quality is as you’d expect from Nokia and battery life stretches into two days. The “DS” in the name means dual-SIM, meaning your work and personal phone numbers can run on this device.
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TCL 10L $449
A brand more commonly known for their televisions, TCL has produced a new smartphone that will surprise and delight.
The 10L has a large 6.53-inch display which shines. TCL has leveraged its strength in television to provide a display that offers a true colour experience.
The base storage of 64GB matches the iPhone 12 and the quad camera array on the rear will produce album worthy photos of Christmas Day.
Those who love their music will gravitate to “super Bluetooth” which enables four Bluetooth speakers to be connected and play music, OK DJ?
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Motorola G9 Plus $399
Motorola produced the first mobile phone and made a call from the peak of Mount Everest in 2007. It continues to hit new heights with the G9 Plus. The 6.8-inch display is larger than the iPhone 12 Pro Max (RRP $1,849) and with a HDR10 display, it will impress those who like playing games or watching content on their phone.
With 128GB of storage you’ll be less likely to run out of space quickly and the huge 5000mAh battery will run you through a two-day camping trip off the grid no problem. You have the option of dual SIM or one SIM and expandable memory. The rear cameras are impressive for the price you pay and selfie lovers will appreciate the smarts in the G9 Plus. The phone will capture a great selfie when you and your friends are all smiling, so you don‘t miss that perfect shot again.
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Oppo A91 $399
The Oppo A91 is the equal-cheapest on our list, but it doesn’t skimp on features.
It has a large 6.4-inch AMOLED display with an in-screen fingerprint reader.
You get 128GB of storage out of the box ready to save the excellent images you will capture on the quad cameras on the rear.
Your videos will be smoother with the phone’s anti-shake features.
The phone charges from zero to 52 per cent in 30 minutes thanks to new battery charging technology. That’s the amount of time you need to freshen up before a night out.
For all of the phones mentioned it is important to note that they all come with headphones and the charger in the box, so there will be no additional expenses or confusion on Christmas Day. Finding the right phone of these five really requires you to go hands on and experience the one that fits best in your hand, and ticks all the boxes.
Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Check out his podcast “ Technology Uncorked ” for new information each week.