Smartphones Under $500 in the US: Best Bang for Your Buck

The Google Pixel 8A is a feature-packed smartphone priced at around $499 in the US. It boasts a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powered by the Google Tensor G3 chip. The device comes with 8GB of RAM and offers storage options of 128GB or 256GB. The camera setup includes a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide camera, along with a 13MP front-facing camera. The Pixel 8A also features a 4,492mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities. Running on Android 14, it provides seven years of OS and security updates.

The Google Pixel 7A is a budget-friendly smartphone priced at around $499 in the US. It features a 6.1-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate. Powered by the Google Tensor G2 processor and 8GB of RAM, it offers smooth performance and efficient multitasking. The camera setup includes a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide camera, along with a 13MP front-facing camera. The Pixel 7A also boasts a 4,410mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capabilities.

The OnePlus 12R is a high-performance smartphone priced at around $499 in the US. It features a 6.78-inch ProXDR AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The device comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and offers storage options of 128GB or 256GB. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera, along with a 16MP front-facing camera. The OnePlus 12R also boasts a 5,500mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging. Running on OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14, it provides a smooth and responsive user experience.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is a versatile smartphone priced at around $498.95 in the US. It features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powered by the Exynos 2400e processor. The device comes with 8GB of RAM and offers storage options of 128GB or 256GB. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera, along with a 10MP front-facing camera. The Galaxy S24 FE also boasts a 4,700mAh battery with fast charging capabilities. Running on One UI 6.1 based on Android 14, it provides a smooth and responsive user experience with advanced AI features for photo editing and real-time translations

The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is a mid-range smartphone priced at around $449.99 in the US. It features a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. Powered by the Exynos 1380 processor and 6GB of RAM, it offers smooth performance for everyday tasks. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP macro camera, along with a 32MP front-facing camera. The Galaxy A54 5G also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging.

The OnePlus Nord 3 is a powerful and affordable smartphone priced at around $253 in the US. It features a 6.74-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2772 x 1240 pixels. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor and available with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, it offers smooth performance and efficient multitasking. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera, along with a 16MP front-facing camera. The OnePlus Nord 3 also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging. Running on OxygenOS 13.1 based on Android 13, it provides a seamless user experience with features like AI Scene Enhancement and Ultra Steady Mode.

The OnePlus Nord N200 5G is an affordable smartphone priced at around $169.99 in the US. It features a 6.49-inch Full HD+ LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G processor. The device comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via microSD. The camera setup includes a 13MP main camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor, along with a 16MP front-facing camera. The Nord N200 5G also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Running on OxygenOS based on Android 11, it provides a smooth and responsive user experience.

The Motorola Edge 2024 is a mid-range smartphone priced at around $549.99 in the US. It features a 6.6-inch P-OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1300 nits. Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor and equipped with 8GB of RAM, it offers solid performance for everyday tasks. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization and a 13MP ultra-wide camera, along with a 32MP front-facing camera for high-quality selfies. The Edge 2024 also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 68W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. Running on Android 14, it provides a seamless user experience with features like Moto Gestures and Moto Unplugged

The Motorola Moto G 5G (2024) is an affordable smartphone priced at around $149.99 in the US. It features a 6.6-inch LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smooth visuals. Powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor and equipped with 4GB of RAM, it offers solid performance for everyday tasks. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera, along with an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies. The Moto G 5G (2024) also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging, ensuring long-lasting performance. Running on Android 14, it provides a seamless user experience with features like Google Assistant and Moto Gestures

The Nothing Phone (3a) is a stylish and innovative smartphone priced at around $254.99 in the US. It features a 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, providing vibrant and smooth visuals. Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor and available with up to 12GB of RAM, it offers excellent performance for everyday tasks. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera, along with a 32MP front-facing camera. The Nothing Phone (3a) also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 50W fast charging, ensuring long-lasting performance and quick recharges. Running on Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.1, it provides a seamless user experience with features like the Essential Key for quick access to screenshots and voice notes

The Samsung Galaxy A55 is a mid-range smartphone priced at around $329.50 in the US. It features a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, providing vibrant and smooth visuals. Powered by the Exynos 1480 processor and available with up to 12GB of RAM. The camera setup includes a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP macro camera, along with a 32MP front-facing camera. The Galaxy A55 also boasts a 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging, ensuring long-lasting performance. Running on Android 14 with One UI 6.1, it provides a seamless user experience with advanced features like Circle to Search and Object Eraser.