Cheap 5G Phones: The Best Options In 2022

Posted by Greg Knell on 21st Jun 2022

Getting a smartphone on a budget has never been easier. All the major manufacturers- Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, Google - are always having deals on cheap 5G phones. Take a look at the ones we’ve identified as the current best options.

Is your carrier notifying you that you’re eligible for an upgrade? Chances are those emails and texts are accompanied by appealing images of the newest 5G model available with a price tag of over $1,000. It can be yours today with financing options and a new contract!

We admit that these messages are often hard to resist. These companies do a bang-up job of marketing their new products and making you feel like you have to have them. But if you’re on a budget and willing to make some small trade-offs (and not fall into the financing trap), there are incredible deals out there for amazing 5G smartphones. No, they’re not for the latest and shiniest models. But they’re pretty darn close and, in some cases, still just as good.

When we say cheap, we’re only talking about price - not quality. Sure, when you spend $500 or less instead of $1,000, you’re going to make some compromises. All of these less expensive, discounted 5G phones don’t have every single feature the new flagship models have. But in all honesty, based on what we’ve seen, the main difference is really in the camera quality. Everything is basically the same, or close to it. But as new models are developed and released, the price-camera gap is closing every year.

So, if camera quality is really important and you’re willing to pay whatever’s required to have the best one, you may not like many of the models mentioned on this list. But like we said above, major manufacturers like OnePlus, Samsung, Google, and Apple are bringing more and more flagship features down market. Check out these fantastic deals that we categorize as cheap 5G phones, simply because the price-point is so appealing.

Google Pixel 6

At an average cost $600, this is one of the most aggressively priced options on our list. And the only Google Pixel model newer than this is the Pixel 6 Pro, so almost no one would consider the Pixel 6 an old phone. Google is really making their smartphones appealing by pricing them significantly lower than most of their mainstream competitors. It has 128GB of storage and no expandable storage slot. If that’s not enough for you, the Pixel Pass and Google’s cloud storage should more than make up for internal storage limitations.

The display is large, the battery life is long, and it’s capable of wireless charging. You also get five years of security updates and at least three years of Android updates. For a phone in the mid-priced market, almost no competing manufacturers can compete with those commitments.

This is a great smartphone. It’s one of the absolute best cheap 5G phones currently on the market. Some in the industry would consider it the best. Also important to note is that this phone doesn’t come with a charger so you need to buy one separately.

Notable specs

IP68 dust/water resistance
Weighs 207g
8MP f/2.0 (front camera)
50MP f/1.9 and 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (rear cameras)
128GB of internal storage
8GB of RAM
Google Tensor (CPU)
6.4 inches / 2,400 x 1,080 pixel resolution (display)

Samsung Galaxy A13

This is one of the most inexpensive 5G phones currently available. We consistently see this phone for under $300. Don’t let the price fool you. It’s absolutely worth considering.

The Samsung Galaxy A13 is proof that the latest 5G technology is not reserved for flagship models only. Sure, when compared to the more expensive A51 (a phone in the same line as the A13), it pales in respect to certain specs. In particular, the front-facing camera, display resolution, storage capacity, and CPU capability. But when it comes to 5G, these two models are comparable, and the A13 is way cheaper.

If you’re on a budget and you want to get into the world of 5G smartphones, you probably won’t find a better deal than the Samsung Galaxy A13. Also worth mentioning is that the Gorilla Glass 3 display has above-average strength and durability and the phone is AT&T and T-Mobile 5G compatible in the U.S.

This phone has no dust or water resistance.

Notable specs

Weighs 195g
5MP f/2.0 (front camera)
50MP f/1.8 wide, 2MP f/2.4 macro, and 2MP f/2.4 depth (rear cameras)
64GB of internal storage
4GB of RAM
MediaTek Dimensity 700 (CPU)
6.5 inches (720 x 1,600-pixel resolution) 90Hz LCD (Display)

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

cheap 5g phones 04 — Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

Most sites consistently price this phone at around $500, sometimes a little less. In addition to its great 5G capabilities, it is durable, has a unique design, has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a MicroSD card slot, high display refresh rate, and dual speakers. The multimedia experience with the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G is immersive, to say the least. Though the camera has digital zoom only, this is still one of the most popular cheap 5G phones. If you get one, you’ll quickly see why.

Notable specs

IP67 dust/water resistance
Weighs 189g
32MP f/2.2 camera (front camera)
64MP rear f/1.8 wide, 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide, 5MP f/2.4 macro, and 5MP f/2.4 depth (rear cameras)
128GB of internal storage
6GB of RAM
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G (CPU)
6.5 inches (2,400 x 1,080-pixel resolution) 120Hz AMOLED (display)

OnePlus Nord N200 5G

cheap 5g phones 05 — OnePlus Nord N200 5G

Consistently priced less than $250, this is the cheapest of all the 5G phones on this list. This mid-range phone is still considered a premium smartphone on many technology sites.

When compared to the newer OnePlus 9 (which costs 3X as much), the Nord N200 5G comes very close to the same hardware specs, as well as the same resolution and screen size. The main differences between them are internal storage capacity, RAM, and rear shooter resolution. But other than those concessions, the N200 5G still holds its own against the newer models in its line. Users also love the side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Note: the OnePlus Nord N200 5G does not have mmWave 5G support.

Notable specs

Weighs 189g
16MP f/2.05 (front camera)
13MP rear f/2.2 ultra-wide, 2MP f/2.4 macro, and 2MP f/2.4 monochrome (rear cameras)
64GB of internal storage
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 (CPU)
6.49 inches (2,400 x 1,080-pixel resolution) 90Hz IPS LCD (display)

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

cheap 5g phones 06 — Apple iPhone SE (2022)

Even though Apple was a bit behind Android in the 5G game for a while, they’ve since made themselves into a viable player. The 2022 version is the third model in the iPhone SE line and it’s very budget friendly, in addition to being 5G compatible. You can easily find this phone for $400-$450. Of all Apple devices with 5G, this is certainly the most inexpensive. It uses the same chip as Apple’s current flagship phone, and it costs many times less. Many users love the TouchID home button and prefer it over the FaceID of newer models.

When buying this phone, however, you are making two compromises that, according to some, are significant. Though it does support most C-band 5G services (Verizon and T-Mobile, primarily), the iPhone SE (2022) does not support the 3.4GHz band that AT&T plans to use in the near future and it does not support mmWave 5G. Whether this is a significant issue for you or not depends on your location. If you’re in an area where only mmWave 5G is available, it will be difficult for your device to experience top-end 5G speeds. If you don’t live in an area like this, then this issue doesn’t affect you.

Notable specs

IP67 dust/water resistance
7MP f/2.2 camera (front camera)
12MP rear f/1.8 wide (rear camera)
Three internal storage choices: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
3GB of RAM
A15 Bionic chip (CPU)
4.7 inches (1,334 x 750-pixel resolution) LCD (display)

Apple iPhone 12 & iPhone 13 mini

cheap 5g phones 07 — Apple iPhone 13 mini

Not only are these phones 5G compatible, but the iPhone 13 mini is also the lightest and smallest 5G currently on the market. The size and ergonomic design are what draws many 5G-privy users to these two models, but the prices are attractive, as well, considering average Apple smartphone prices. The iPhone 12 appears to be going for around $600 and the iPhone 13 mini for around $700. The cameras are reliable and you get Apple’s renown software support.

Notable specs

IP68 dust/water resistance
Weighs 135/141g
12MP f/2.2 (front camera)
12MP rear f/1.6 wide and 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide (rear cameras)
Four internal storage options: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
4GB of RAM
A14/15 Bionic chip (CPU)
5.4 inches (2,340 x 1,080-pixel resolution) OLED (display)

Honorable Mentions

Here are a few more cheap 5G phones that are worth looking into.

Google Pixel 5a 5G

Notable Specs

Average price: $450
Great battery life
IP67 dust/water resistance
Weights 183g
8MP f/2.0 (front camera)
12.2MP rear f/1.7 wide and 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (rear camera)
128GB of internal storage
6GB of Ram
Snapdragon 765G (CPU)
6.34 inches (2,400 x 1,080-pixel resolution) OLED (display)
No mmWave 5G support

Motorola One 5G Ace

Notable Specs

Average price: $300-375
Great battery life
No dust/water resistance
Weighs 212g
16MP f/2.2 (front camera)
48MP rear f/1.7 wide, 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, and 2MP f/2.4 macro (rear camera)
128GB of internal storage
6GB of RAM
Snapdragon 750G (CPU)
6.7 inches (2,400 x 1,080-pixel resolution) LCD (display)
1TB of MicroSD card support
Hard to see the screen in sunlight