If you are planning to buy a smartphone and looking for the best phones under £500, then this article is for you. I will help you choose the best smartphones under 500 that come with great features and impressive displays.
After reading their reviews and seeing their specifications I selected some best smartphones that are for a budget of £500. These smartphones have all the features that one can expect from a £500 smartphone.
While you may not receive all of the latest bells and whistles at this price point, purchasing a good smartphone in the country does not imply that you will be missing out on all of the current features. So, for under £500, you can get a good smartphone with good cameras, a powerful chipset, a great display, and long battery life. You can’t ask for much more at this pricing. With that said, let’s go right into our list of the Best Phones under £500 in the United Kingdom. You might also like Best Phones under £200
These are the best phones under £500 in the UK
| Smartphone’s Name | CPU | RAM | Battery | Buying Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 7 | Google Tensor G2 | 8GB | 4355 mAh | Current Price |
| Google Pixel 6 | Google Tensor | 8GB | 4614 mAh | Current Price |
| iPhone 12 mini | A14 Bionic | 4GB | 2227 mAh | Current Price |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G | Snapdragon 888 5G | 6GB | 4500 mAh | Current Price |
| Xiaomi 11T 5G | Mediatek MT6893 Dimensity 1200 | 8GB | 5000mAh | Current Price |
| Samsung Galaxy A52s | Snapdragon 778G 5G | 6GB | 4500mAh | Current Price |
| Samsung Galaxy S20 FE | Snapdragon 865 5G | 6GB | 4500mAh | Current Price |
| OPPO Find Neo 5G | Snapdragon 865 5G | 12GB | 4025mAh | Current Price |
1. Google Pixel 7
One of the best phones under 500 is the Pixel 7 from Google. This is an Andriod-powered phone which comes with the Google Tensor G2 chipset coupled with 8 GB RAM that offers a smooth and fast performance. You get a selfie camera and two cameras at the back which let you click clear pictures even in low light conditions.
Speaking of the display, this phone comes with a Full HD display measuring 6.3 inches. The display has thin bezels on three sides but the lower bezel is quite wide. The refresh rate offered is 90Hz which is good enough for watching videos and for smooth scrolling. The peak brightness levels offered are also quite appreciable.
This phone comes with a battery capacity of 4355mah which can last an entire day on a single charge. The speakers offered on this smartphone are also loud and deliver a clear sound. You also get biometric features like a fingerprint sensor and face unlock support. Health-related features like cough and snore detection are also offered.
Specifications
| Brand: | |
| Display: | 6.3 inches AMOLED 90Hz |
| Front Camera: | 10.8 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 50 MP, 12 MP |
| Processor: | Google Tensor G2 |
| Storage: | 128GB |
| RAM: | 8GB |
| Battery: | 4355 mAh |
| Weight: | 195.5 g |
2. Google Pixel 6
Google Pixel 6 is one of the best phones under £500, it comes with a plethora of amazing features and is the most well-rounded smartphone. The 6.4-inch OLED screen on the Google Pixel 6 is flat and has a Full HD+ resolution. The front and back of this smartphone are primarily made of glass, and the edges are matted aluminium. The back is made of Gorilla Glass. The combination of glass and metal results in a phone that feels premium all around.
This smartphone’s display is very bright, with a maximum brightness of 500 nits under normal conditions and up to 800 nits under high brightness conditions for HDR content. At the lowest brightness setting, it is very dim and gets bright enough for outdoor use in direct sunlight. You can even further dim the screen using an accessibility feature. You can change the colour temperature and saturation on the smartphone using natural, boosted, and adaptive profiles.
The 90Hz refresh rate of the display makes it feel smoother overall, and I experienced no jittering while using it. The Google Pixel 6 is backed up with 8GB of RAM. This amount of RAM has been more than adequate for me to multitask.
The smartphone has a 50MP main camera that captures impressive photos with much more detail, and although you’ll be taking pixel-binned pictures, images don’t become fuzzier as you zoom in. The cameras on the Pixel 6 produce brighter, more saturated colours than in the past. Particularly in the images up top, there is a broad dynamic range.
The bottom middle image features a bright river during the daytime on the bottom half of the picture and a dark bridge ceiling above. The river and sky are as they were when I was standing there, and it is still quite dark. I don’t think the Pixel 5 could have handled that impressive shot. Overall, this smartphone can also be an amazing choice. Check out the full Google Pixel 6 Review
Specifications
| Brand: | |
| Display: | 6.4 inches AMOLED 90Hz |
| Front Camera: | 8 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 50 MP, 12 MP |
| Processor: | Google Tensor |
| Storage: | 128GB |
| RAM: | 6GB |
| Battery: | 4614 mAh |
| Weight: | 207 g |
3. iPhone 12 mini
Apple’s iPhone 12 mini is one of the Best Phones under £500. It is the best smartphone for portability and affordability. The Smartphone is made entirely of glass and surgical-grade stainless steel, and it is durable and long-lasting. Compared to other smartphones, it protects one’s privacy and lasts longer.
The Smartphone’s screen is about 5.42 inches and has rounded sides and an excellent curved design. It is genuinely incredible, with its advanced-dual camera of 12MP, Night mode, and 4K Dolby Vision HDR video recording. The Smartphone has a 64GB memory storage capacity.
Furthermore, the Smartphone has a decent battery life and is water-resistant thanks to its IP68 technology. Overall, this could be the perfect purchase for you with great performance and an impressive camera if you can be satisfied with its small display.
Specifications
| Brand: | Apple |
| Display: | 5.1 inches Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Front Camera: | 12 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 12 MP, 12 MP |
| Processor: | Apple A14 Bionic |
| Storage: | 64GB |
| RAM: | 4GB |
| Battery: | 2227 mAh |
| Weight: | 135 g |
4. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is one of the best phones under £500. The smartphone has a clean design with classic colours and polished contours that make it comfortable to hold and operate the screen. The smartphone comes with an impressive 6.4-inch AMOLED Display.
When it comes to battery life, the 4500 mAh battery, together with the energy-efficient display and fast processor, ensures long-lasting battery life, even on a 5G network, so you can binge-watch shows and keep up with the latest drops without having to put down your 5G smartphone. In terms of the camera, Portrait mode concentrates on the subject; merely applies an effect to change the atmosphere of the photo. The smartphone comes with 6GB of RAM.
The processor is both energy-efficient and powerful, allowing you to enjoy graphic-intensive gaming and multitasking on your phone to your heart’s content. Moreover, an immersive mobile phone screen is so good that you nearly forget what you’re looking at; the phone’s 120 Hz refresh rate ensures rich colours and brightness even in direct sunshine.
Specifications
| Brand: | Samsung |
| Display: | 6.4 inches Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz |
| Front Camera: | 32 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 64 MP, 12 MP, 5 MP, 5 MP |
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| Storage: | 128GB |
| RAM: | 6GB |
| Battery: | 4500 mAh |
| Weight: | 177 g |
5. Xiaomi 11T
Xiaomi 11T 5G Smartphone is another good smartphone that is entirely astounding and is one of the well-known mid-range series. The ultra-wide-angle and Tele macro lenses come with a higher 108MP triple camera.
The sides are contoured to better grip and hide the device’s thickness. The Smartphone comes with a 6.67-inch LCD 120Hz AdaptiveSync AMOLED display. The sound quality is excellent, and it also supports Dolby Atmos with dual speakers. The smartphone gets charged with 64W turbocharge and has a long-lasting 5,000 mAh battery that lasts up to two days and won’t let you down.
Specifications
| Brand: | Xiaomi |
| Display: | 6.7 inches AMOLED 120Hz |
| Front Camera: | 16 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 108 MP, 8 MP, 5 MP |
| Processor: | MediaTek Dimensity 1200 |
| Storage: | 128GB |
| RAM: | 8GB |
| Battery: | 5000 mAh |
| Weight: | 203 g |
6. Samsung Galaxy A52s
The Samsung Galaxy A03s Android Smartphone is one of the company’s most affordable models. Many people like it because it has a soothing, smoothing effect on the eyes. With a plastic cover, it has a lovely design. This Smartphone’s on-screen fingerprint sensor recognizes Smartphone fingerprints, making unlocking your phone secure and straightforward.
The phone has a 6.5-inch Infinity-O Display that keeps everything moving smoothly whether you’re gaming or scrolling. With the 64MP primary camera, you’ll be able to capture your favourite moments in high resolution. You can also capture wider photos by using an Ultra-Wide Camera.
You’ll have more time to do what you love thanks to a long-lasting 4500mah battery, and you’ll be able to recharge rapidly with 25 W of Adaptive super-fast charging power. You can do more with this Smartphone because it has a processing capability of up to 6GB RAM and 128 GB storage.
Specifications
| Brand: | Samsung |
| Display: | 6.5 inches Super AMOLED 120Hz |
| Front Camera: | 32 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 64 MP, 12 MP, 5 MP, 5 MP |
| Processor: | Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G |
| Storage: | 128GB |
| RAM: | 6GB |
| Battery: | 4500 mAh |
| Weight: | 189 g |
7. Samsung Galaxy S20 FE
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Smart Phone is another bold and attractive addition to our list of the best phones under 500 in the UK. It’s just as striking on the inside as it is out. With a 6.5″ FHD+ Infinity-O Display, you can get lost in your newest binge-watch.
With a 12MP Ultra-wide lens and zoom features like 30x Space Zoom and 3x Optical Zoom, as well as clear-as-day Night Mode. In addition, the long-lasting, clever battery is designed for those days that seem to go on forever. Plus, thanks to its decently fast charging, you can fast charge your phone quickly.
The fantastic Smartphone features a 6GB memory capacity, which is enough. With Samsung Knox, this device’s defence-grade security technology is included. Overall, it is just a decent choice, I would highly recommend you buy the newer S1 FE smartphone of its series.
Specifications
| Brand: | Samsung |
| Display: | 6.5 inches Super AMOLED 120Hz |
| Front Camera: | 32 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 12 MP, 8 MP, 12 MP |
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Storage: | 128GB |
| RAM: | 6GB |
| Battery: | 4500 mAh |
| Weight: | 190 g |
8. OPPO Find X2 Neo 5G
The Oppo Find X2 Neo is one of the most comfortable and stylish phones. The Neo seems sharp and purposeful thanks to small curves on the glass borders on both the front and back, which sandwich a light metal frame.
The smartphone comes with a 6.5-inch full HD display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The Snapdragon 765G processor in the smartphone is generally smooth and fluid. It also has a memory storage capacity of 12 GB, which is quite adequate.
The camera quality is excellent, with fours 48MP, a 13-megapixel telephoto, and an 8-megapixel ultrawide, capturing your best moments.
Specifications
| Brand: | Oppo |
| Display: | 6.5 inches Super AMOLED 120Hz |
| Front Camera: | 32 MP |
| Primary Camera: | 48 MP, 13 MP, 8 MP, 2 MP |
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 5G |
| Storage: | 256GB |
| RAM: | 12GB |
| Battery: | 4025 mAh |
| Weight: | 171 g |
FAQs about the best phones under 500
Which phone is best under £500?
Overall, the Google Pixel 6 is the best phone under £500. The smartphone comes with excellent camera censors, good battery life, and a decently powerful chipset.
Which is the best camera phone under £500?
Google Pixel 6 and iPhone 12 Mini capture excellent photos with good detail. Both smartphones are good, If we talk about the camera.
Which phone is the most powerful smartphone under £500?
For under £500, the iPhone 12 has the most powerful chipset which handles any task with ease. But the only problem with the smartphone is its size and battery life. Otherwise, it is a fantastic smartphone to go with under £500.
