MobileBuying guide
The best phones under $500
You don’t need to spend $1,000 for a great phone. These mid-range picks get the important things right.
By Hana Sato
Mid-range phones have never been better. Screens are bright and smooth, cameras are reliable in good light, and most now promise years of software updates. Here is where we would spend our money.
Best overall
Brisa 5
$449
A 120Hz OLED screen, a dependable main camera and five years of updates make this the easiest recommendation in its class.
Best battery
Norte 12
$399
A 6,000mAh battery that routinely lasts two days, plus fast 65W charging in the box.
Best small phone
Orbit Lite
$479
A genuinely one-handed 6.1-inch phone that doesn’t skimp on performance.
Written by
Hana Sato
Senior Mobile Writer
Hana covers phones, watches and cameras. Before joining Vector she spent six years as a mobile engineer, which makes her very hard to impress.
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