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Flagship phones are getting more expensive, and with the current economic conditions, they might become exclusive. However, budget phones are getting better, with more features, more software updates, and upgrades. Today you can buy a $250 phone to handle anything you throw at it. So here are the 8 Best Affordable Phones Under $250 – 2022

• The minimum RAM for this category is 4GB. Thou some of the phones go as high as 8GB of RAM.
• Price not higher than 250USD
• The Minimum Storage is 128Gb
• The battery size minimum to fit in this list is 4500mAH, as that’s enough for full-day use.
• Acknowledging these phones for at least two Android upgrades plus up to 5 years for security updates is important.
• All phones have a USB Type-C port.
• Things like minimum video capabilities are 1080p @30fps for selfie and back cameras.

With that out of the way, here are the Best Affordable Phones Under $250 In 2022.

1. Best Affordable Phones Under $250 2022 – Xiaomi Poco M4 Pro

If you don’t need 5G and prefer a great OLED display over 5G, the Poco M4 Pro 4G will exchange one for the other when compared to the M4 Pro 5G, which we have reviewed.

The Dimensity 810 chipset is replaced in the 4G version by Helio G96, another Mediatek design that is just slightly less powerful and lacks next-generation networking. On the other hand, it receives a 6.43-inch OLED display, which is somewhat smaller than the 6.6-inch panel in the 5G, maintains the 90Hz refresh rate, and offers significantly higher brightness, on top of OLED’s other inherent benefits.

Light changes can also be seen in the camera area, where the primary unit now includes a 64MP sensor instead of the 50MP sensor found in the 5G edition, and a 2MP macro camera has cropped up where there previously was none. “the true definition of midrange phone”  The ultrawide camera on the rear and the selfie camera remain unaltered.

The Poco M4 Pro retains the 5,000mAh battery capacity as well as the 33W charging capabilities that has been a standard in the Xiaomi series. Other standard features include an infrared emitter, a headphone port, and a dedicated microSD card, rounding out the feature set.

Xiaomi Poco M4 Pro specs at a glance:

• Body: 159.9×73.9×8.1mm, 179g; Gorilla Glass 3 front, plastic back, plastic frame; IP53, dust and splash resistant.
• Display: 6.43″ AMOLED, 90Hz, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 409ppi.
• Chipset: Mediatek Helio G96 (12 nm): Octa-core (2×2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC2.
• Memory: 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• OS/Software: Android 11, MIUI 13 for POCO.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 0.7µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚, 1/4″, 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06″ 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 33W, Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 3+.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC; Infrared port; 3.5mm jack.

The Poco M4 Pro has a few shortcomings, and they’re neither major nor unusual in the throng with which it competes. More advanced video recording will be more expensive in 2022, and Night mode-capable ultrawide cameras in Xiaomi’s portfolio aren’t a certainty at the lower end of the pricing spectrum.

Some updated MIUI 13 features are considered outdated on this Poco release, not to mention that we should be seeing Android 12-based MIUI across the board by now, which isn’t the case here. The issue of design and appearance is subjective, and just because we don’t like the camera island doesn’t imply you have to.

The rest of the Poco M4 Pro is primarily a list of accomplishments. We enjoy both of the significant differences between the LTE and 5G versions. The OLED display is somewhat smaller but far superior. The primary camera is a noticeable upgrade, the ultrawide is comparable, and the selfies are also improved.

Other things haven’t changed, but they’re for the better. The IP53 certification has been seen on an increasing number of Xiaomi phones, and while it is not genuine waterproofing, it is better than nothing. The battery life is excellent, charging is really rapid for the market position, and no little convenience feature is lacking in the hardware.

2. Best Affordable Phones Under $250 2022 – Realme 9 – 4g

Realme has one main strategy: bombarding the budget segment with tons of phones. Sure, it provides consumers with a variety of alternatives to pick from, but it does so at the expense of increased confusion. That is the case with Realme’s 9 series, which has already seen six phones (all at competitive prices) in only a few months, including the recently announced Realme 9 — a 4G-only counterpart of its 5G sibling. Without the 5G cost, Realme is able to improve numerous other features of the phone, including display quality and charging speed. However, these enhancements may not be enough to compete with competing phones like Xiaomi, Samsung, and even Realme itself.

Realme 9 SPECIFICATIONS at a glance

• Storage: 128GB UFS 2.2, dedicated microSD card slot
• CPU: Snapdragon 680 with Adreno 610
• Memory: 6/8GB
• Operating System: Android 12 with Realme UI 3.0
• Battery: 5000mAh, 33W Dart charger included
• Ports: USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio jack
• Display (Size, Resolution): 6.4-inch OLED, 2400 x 1080, 20:9, 90Hz
• Camera (Front): 16MP
• Cameras (Rear): 108MP Samsung HM6 sensor, f/1.75 (main); 8MP, f/2.2, 119.9º (UW); 2MP (macro)
• Price: Starting ₹17,999 (~$235)
• Connectivity: 4G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1
• Others: In-display fingerprint reader
• Dimensions: 160.2 x 73.3 x 7.99mm
• Colors: Yellow, white, black
• Weight: 178g

Compared to its 5G sibling, the Realme 9 4G adds a nice OLED panel, an in-display fingerprint reader, Android 12, and a faster 33W charger. These are some solid reasons to get the 4G model, especially considering it costs just ₹500 (~$7) more and 5G connectivity is nowhere near fruition in India. However, all the other aspects of the phone are holding it back. The lack of a stereo speaker pair already puts it behind the competition, and Realme’s decision to use a middling processor (when its own 9 Pro uses a beefier chip for the same price) doesn’t seem right.

While providing consumers with a plethora of alternatives makes logical, Realme must draw the line someplace. In the current form, the business has numerous phones in the sub-$250 market, with the Realme 9 4G being the most confusing of them all. It’s not designed for entertainment (it lacks stereo speakers) or gaming (due to the CPU), and its low-light camera performance is among the worst of any phone at this budget.
So, for whom is this phone intended? If you want a no-nonsense phone with cutting-edge software that can handle your basic social networking and business applications, the Realme 9 4G is a no-brainer.

3. Best Affordable Phones Under $250 – Xiaomi Redmi Note 11:

Xiaomi’s current Redmi Note lineup naming is a shambles, and that’s just being polite. As things stand, don’t mistake the model we’re looking at with last year’s Redmi Note 11 for China or the Redmi Note 11 4G, even though the phone we’re reviewing today is also 4G-only.

At the time of writing this review, a Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 will set you back about EUR 200 in Europe. An entry 4GB/64GB unit is currently going for $177 on Amazon, which is a bit cheaper still. Not a bad price, but not necessarily the best deal either in today’s highly-competitive budget market.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 specs at a glance:

• Body: 159.9×73.9×8.1mm, 179g; plastic body; IP53, dust and splash protection.
• Display: 6.43″ AMOLED, 90Hz, 700 nits, 1000 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 409ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm): Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver); Adreno 610.
• Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• OS/Software: Android 11, MIUI 13.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 118-degree; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 13 MP, f/2.4, (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 33W, 100% in 60 min (advertised), Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 3+.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); Infrared port; 3.5mm jack; Virtual proximity Sensor.

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MY Thoughts

On paper, the Redmi Note 11 looks like a decent budget device that even manages to offer a few small upgrades over its predecessor without breaking the back. Notably, its excellent 90Hz AMOLED display, as well as its improved battery efficiency. The latter is a particularly impressive side of the Redmi Note 11. While it deserves credit for delivering in both of these aspects. The Redmi Note 11 is unfortunately not a well-balanced device.

When you go a little further, you’ll notice that the Snapdragon 680 soils a significant portion of the whole experience. It lacks power, notably in the GPU category. It frequently falls short of keeping up with the Snapdragon 678 inside the Redmi Note 10. The superb MIUI 13 mainly compensates for this out of the box and works perfectly great. However, some performance-related features, like as split-screen, appear to be missing. Xiaomi makes a big deal about storage and under-the-hood long-term performance enhancements. But we have to question how smooth the Redmi Note 11 will feel after a few months of running dozens of more demanding apps.

4. Best Affordable Phones Under $250- Nokia G21 review

The Nokia G21 launched in early 2022, a digit behind the times, seeking to give an inexpensive all-around package with an emphasis on battery life. Taking on Xiaomi and Realme at their own game is never simple, and Samsung has been launching aggressive entry-level options as well, for people who still look askance at the traditional Chinese companies. So how competitive is the $200 Nokia G21?

Nokia G21 specs at a glance:

• Body: 164.6×75.9×8.5mm, 190g; Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back.
• Display: 6.50″ IPS LCD, 90Hz, 400 nits (typ), 720x1600px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 270ppi.
• Chipset: Unisoc T606 (12 nm): Octa-core (2×1.6 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.6 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MP1.
• Memory: 64GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM; eMMC 5.1; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• OS/Software: Android 11.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 28mm, 1/2.76″, 0.64µm, PDAF; Macro: 2 MP; Depth: 2 MP.
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5050mAh; Fast battery charging 18W, USB Power Delivery 3.0.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); FM radio, RDS; 3.5mm jack.

My Thoughts

The Nokia G21 isn’t a dud; it gets a lot of things well. Battery life is one of its strongest points, and Android One implies a simple UI and quick upgrades. Selfies are decent, and there’s a slew of extras like a card slot and an FM radio. We also like the conservative appearance.

We’re not crazy with the primary camera, and the lack of an ultrawide lens irritates us even more. The basic video recording capabilities are also insufficient. The processor is unsuitable for gaming, and other little flaws like the low-ish maximum brightness delayed charging, and easily scratched camera bump add up in the end.

Nokia’s budget-conscious G21 is facing some stiff competition – from classic value-focused brands like Realme and Xiaomi’s Redmi, but also from Samsung and Motorola (if you’re into brands with heritage).

5. best phones under 250 USD – Vivo iQOO Z6

High-performance smartphones on a budget are always enticing. When you have a limited budget, however, not everything you desire is possible; there must always be some concessions. However, iQOO, Starting at Rs. 15,499, the iQOO Z6 5G not only claims to give an ultra-gaming performance but also has a long battery life and a competent camera. But that’s only a saying! And we’ve been putting it through its paces for the past two weeks to see if it excels in all areas. And here’s what I’ve discovered. 

INTERNAL

Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm)
CPU	Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver)
GPU	Adreno 619
Card	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Builtin	128GB 6GB RAM

DISPLAY

Type	IPS LCD, 120Hz
Screen Size	6.58 inches, 104.3 cm2 (~83.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution	1080 x 2408 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)

BUILD

Dimensions	164 x 75.8 x 8.3 mm (6.46 x 2.98 x 0.33 in)
Weight	185 g (6.53 oz)
Color	DynamoBlack, ChromaticBlue

REAR CAMERA

Triple	50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), PDAF 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)
Features	Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Video	1080p@30fps

SELFIE CAMERA

Single	16 MP, f/2.0, (wide)
Video	1080p@30fps

BATTERY

USB	USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go
Battery	Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Fast Charging	Fast charging 18W

MY THoughts

The iQOO Z6 5G is an excellent phone that tries to tick all the right boxes. A phone that supports 5G technology, runs on Android 12, and provides decent performance, battery life, and cameras at an affordable price is something to consider. Especially if you enjoy gaming, the iQOO Z6 5G is an excellent choice.

6. Best phones under 250 USD – Samsung Galaxy A13

The Galaxy A13 is the latest entry-level phone to join the Galaxy A series. We got the 4G version, which is already available in India and Europe, for evaluation. There is also a Galaxy A13 5G, which has a 90Hz screen and a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor but is otherwise quite comparable to our 4G model.

It should be noted that the Galaxy A13 is not the lowest-priced member of the Galaxy A family, since it is still priced more than the Galaxy A03. Samsung has been beefing up its offering recently. Unfortunately, this results in a vast number of gadgets that are quite identical.

The body of the Galaxy A13 is essentially identical to that of the A13 5G, albeit it does include Gorilla Glass 5 display protection, as does the Galaxy A23. The same size 6.6″ PLS LCD, but at 60Hz, as opposed to the A13 5G and A23, which can both do 90Hz.

Except for the loss of OIS on the main camera and the unfortunate 1080p video recording constraint imposed by the 8nm Exynos 850 chipset, the camera system on the A13 is essentially identical to that on the A23. The Galaxy A13 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700, while the A23 is powered by the Snapdragon 680, and both can record 4K video.

All three phones feature 5,000 mAh batteries, however, the A13 pair can only charge at 15W, whilst the Galaxy A23 can charge at up to 25W. As previously stated, the differences in various portions of Samsung’s lineup are minor.

Samsung Galaxy A13 specs at a glance:

• Body: 165.1×76.4×8.8mm, 195g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back.
• Display: 6.60″ PLS LCD, 1080x2408px resolution, 20.07:9 aspect ratio, 400ppi.
• Chipset: Exynos 850 (8nm): Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G52.
• Memory: 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM; eMMC 5.1; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
• OS/Software: Android 12, One UI 4.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 5 MP, f/2.2, 123-degree, 1/5″, 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.2, (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 15W.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); 3.5mm jack; Virtual proximity sensing.

My Thoughts

At the time of writing the Samsung, Galaxy A13 is listed for $200.

When creating a phone, especially one on a tight budget, there is a lot that may go wrong. The issue is that most of these gadgets appear to be extremely comparable on paper. You have to spend some time with them to unearth any faults hiding beneath the surface, and regrettably, the Galaxy A13 had a few major ones.

While the A13 is physically sound, it was clearly built cheaply with soft plastics that are prone to damage. In-person, it also seems and feels fairly cheap. The same is true for the display. While its FullHD resolution produces a crisp image, its pixel reaction time is slow, resulting in smearing and ghosting. It also has poor lighting consistency and since Samsung did not include a proper proximity reader or an ambient light sensor, you have to do a lot of manual adjustments.

It’s a real shame since the Galaxy A13 still delivers in other key aspects. It has stellar battery life, and its cameras, while not exactly impressive, benefit from mature processing and deliver decent results.