Smartphone technology has been growing rapidly, and each year we get to see manufacturers launching a ton of devices in the market.
Just because of that, finding the best smartphone that meets all your needs and still fits your budget is hard work.
So, to stop you from getting swayed by the smartphone with flashy design and underpowered specs and help you buy the best smartphone for your bucks, we have prepared this article. So, in this article, let’s take a look at some of the best smartphones under $600 you can buy.
List of Best Phones Under $600
We have compared and reviewed some of the best smartphones available under $600 that you can buy right now.
All of the smartphones in the list have their own set of pros and cons, and hence the list is not arranged in any order. All of the phones on this list are carrier unlocked and can also be bought internationally.
1. Xiaomi Mi 10T 5G
The Xiaomi Mi 10T is a 5G device, and the current price is less than 600 bucks but offers a premium design, flagship processor, a great set of cameras, and a lot more. This is one of the most beautiful phones out there, featuring Gorilla Glass 5 back with matte and gradient finish. There are two color variants Cosmic Black and Lunar Silver.
On the front side, it has a 6.67-inches IPS LCD which features 1080×2400 screen resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ Support, and 650-nits of peak brightness. The lack of AMOLED display might be a bummer for some but the LCD it comes with is the best in class. It is also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Protection.
The Mi 10T is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Processor along with Adreno 650GPU. It packs up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of Internal Storage. You can undoubtedly expect high-end performance from this phone. It runs on Android 10 based on MIUI 12, which adds a whole new level of customizations and new software features.
The phone features a Triple camera setup on the back. The main camera is 64MP paired with a 13MP ultrawide lens. It also has a 5MP macro lens to capture close-up shots. On the front, it has a 20MP selfie camera inside the hole punch notch. You can check out some of the camera samples and reviews here.
The battery backup on this phone is also very impressive. It has a 5000mAh battery which can easily last you a full day on normal usage, and it also supports 33W Fast charging to recharge the battery quickly. Apart from this, it also supports USB Power Delivery 3.0 and has an Under Display Fingerprint scanner.
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Technical Specifications
| SoC | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) |
| RAM and Storage | 6GB RAM + 128GB | 8GB RAM + 128GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.67-inch (1080×2400 pixels) |
| Camera | Triple Rear 64MP + 13MP + 5MP | Front 20MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 | Bluetooth 5.1 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
2. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) is an incredibly high-end device from the brand. Since its launch, the prices have dropped by 100$, making it a perfect choice in this price range. The smartphone is very well built, just like its siblings, it has the same matte finish, and the only difference is the back panel which is made out of plastic.
On the front, things are very much better. You get a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, which also features 120Hz High Refresh Rate, HDR10+ Certification, and Always-On Display. The display quality here is really great, and since it is a Higher Refresh Rate screen, everything will feel very smooth and quick. It is also IP68 dust/water-resistant.
You get a flagship-level performance on this device. It runs on Exynos 990 processor, and you can spec it up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of Internal Storage. The software experience is also great. It runs on the latest Android 11 based on Samsung’s One UI 3.0 Skin on top. In terms of security, it has an Under Display fingerprint scanner.
On the back, it has a triple camera setup with a combo of 12MP main sensor with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), an 8MP telephoto lens also with OIS and 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. On the front, it has a single 32MP selfie camera inside the punch hole notch. You can check out some of the camera samples here.
The battery capacity is decent; it is 4500mAh and can easily give you up to 6 hours of screen-on time on moderate usage. It also supports 25W Fast charging, 15W Fast wireless charging, and 4.5W Reverse Wireless charging. This is definitely a great value-for-money device you can grab in this price range.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | Exynos 990 (7nm+) |
| RAM and Storage | 6GB RAM + 128GB | 8GB + 128GB/256GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.5-inch (1080×2400 pixels) |
| Camera | Triple Rear 12MP + 12MP + 8MP | Front 32MP |
| Battery | 4500mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 | Bluetooth 5.0 | USB Type-C 3.2 |
3. Nokia 8.3 5G
The Nokia 8.3 is a high-end device from HMD Global. The device does come with a hefty price tag compared to the competitors having similar specifications, but it also offers some great value, such as an amazing build quality and software experience. The phone has a glass back and comes in a deep blue color which throws different patterns depending upon the light.
On the front, it has a huge 6.81-inches IPS LCD with Full HD+ screen resolution. It also has a punch hole notch for the single front-facing camera. The display quality here is top-notch, an AMOLED display would have been appreciated, but the LCD quality is one of the best in the market. You also get some one-handed gestures to help navigate with ease.
The Nokia 8.3 is powered by the Mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset paired with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of Internal Storage. The performance of this device is great for all day-to-day use and some high-end gaming. You get three years of guaranteed Android update and security patches which is another great aspect of this device.
Talking about camera’s you get Zeiss Branded Camera tech on the back. It is a Quad camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide lens, 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, it has a 24MP selfie shooter. The picture from this device turns out to be great. You can check out some of the camera samples here.
The phone is secured by a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It has a decent 4500mAh battery inside. This will easily last you a full day on normal usage, and it also supports 18W fast charging. The Nokia 8.3 is a great choice if you are looking for a perfect mid-range phone with a clean Android experience.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G (7nm) |
| RAM and Storage | 6GB RAM + 64GB | 8GB + 64GB | 8GB + 128GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.81-inch (1080×2400 pixels) |
| Camera | Quad Rear 64MP + 12MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front 24MP |
| Battery | 4500mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Bluetooth 5.0 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
4. Samsung Galaxy S10
The Samsung Galaxy S10 was launched back in Feb 2019, but even now, it is a great value-for-money smartphone under 600 bucks. You get most of the high-end flagship features such as a great build quality (Gorilla Glass 6 on front and Gorilla Glass 5 on back), IP68 dust/water resistance, faster processor, amazing cameras, and a beautiful display.
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On the front, it has a 6.1-inches Dynamic AMOLED display with 1440×3040 screen resolution. The display quality here is amazing; it also allows you to watch HDR content as it has HDR10+ certification. The display is mostly bezel-less, and it is also curved a little on the sides. You get a punch hole notch for the front-facing selfie camera.
The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of Internal Storage. This is a flagship processor from 2019 and is still very much capable even now. On the software side, it runs on One UI 3.0 Skin based on Android 9.0 (Pie) out of the box, but the phone has already received an Android 11 update.
On the back, it has a triple camera setup with a combo of 12MP main sensor with OIS, 12MP telephoto lens also with OIS, and 2x optical zoom, and a 16MP ultrawide lens. The camera also features super steady video and can record in 4K@60fps. On the front, it has a 10MP selfie camera. You can check out some of the camera samples here.
In terms of biometric, it has an under-display fingerprint scanner. You also get to see a heart rate sensor and a SpO2 monitor. This device’s only con is the battery; it packs a decent 3400mAh battery inside along with 15W fast charging and 15W wireless Qi/PMA charging support. It also supports Samsung DeX, so you can use your device like a computer.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7nm) |
| RAM and Storage | 8GB RAM + 128GB | 8GB + 512GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.1-inch (1440×3040 pixels) |
| Camera | Triple Rear 12MP + 12MP + 16MP | Front 10MP |
| Battery | 3400mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Bluetooth 5.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
5. OnePlus 8T
The OnePlus 8T is an entry-level flagship smartphone and is one of the best value-for-money smartphones in this price range. It comes with a slight upgrade from its predecessor, such as a top-tier chipset, and focuses mainly on the clean software experience. The software is very fluid, and it might be by far the best Android experience you will get.
On the front, it has a 6.55-inches Fluid AMOLED display with Full HD+ screen resolution. It also supports a 120Hz variable screen refresh rate, Always-On display, and HDR10+ certification. There are no bezels around, and there is no notch either instead, it has a hole punch solution for the front-facing camera.
Powering up the device is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. On the software front, it runs on OxygenOS 11.0.4 skin on top based on Android 11. The performance here is top-notch; the whole UI feels smooth thanks to the High Refresh rate and a flagship processor.
Moving on to cameras, you get a Quad camera setup on the back. The main sensor is 48MP with OIS paired with a 16MP ultrawide lens, 2MP depth sensor, and a 5MP macro lens. On the front, it has a 16MP selfie shooter. The camera reviews of this device are decent, and you can check out some of the camera samples here.
The device is secured by an under-display fingerprint scanner as well as face unlock. The battery tech is also impressive. Although it has a small 4500mAh battery inside, the software optimization will easily make it last till the end of the day. It supports 65W fast charging, which can fully charge the device from 0 to 100% in about 40mins.
Technical Specifications
| SoC | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 (7nm+) |
| RAM and Storage | 8GB RAM + 128GB | 12GB + 256GB |
| Display and Resolution | 6.55-inch (1080×2400 pixels) |
| Camera | Quad Rear 48MP + 16MP + 5MP + 2MP | Front 16MP |
| Battery | 4500mAh |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Bluetooth 5.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
Final Words
So, this wraps up our list for the best smartphone you can get for under $600. Now there are certain things you should consider before making a purchase decision. Decide what the main purpose of getting a new smartphone is and where you will spend most of the time using the smartphone.
If you love watching entertainment content, then spend it on a smartphone with a good display and an amazing battery life. If you love playing games, then go for the high-end processor and if you only take pictures and record videos, then simply buy the smartphone with the best cameras.
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Apart from our review, you should also do your own research and find out what fits your needs. We recommend you to visit an offline store and get the full in-hand feel of the device, and you’ll also get to see a demo of most of its features.
