BUDGET PHONES
- TIPS & TRICKS
- Don’t be afraid to dive into the quick settings panel to arrange things. Swipe down from the top of the page twice, tap the pencil icon and rearrange away.
- Want to rid your otherwise perfect picture of annoying background objects? Look for Object Eraser in the Gallery app – just circle what you want disappeared and… poof!
- Nobody really wants Bixby butting in. Head over to Settings > Advanced Features > Side key to change it to something more useful.
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G
R7 000 | game4u.co.za
Stretching the definition of the word ‘budget’ to its absolute limit comes the Galaxy A56 5G, complete with the usual Samsung gimmicks like Galaxy AI and a plethora of ‘Awesome’ colourways. Stick to the budget category and you’ll get a 6.7in FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 5,000mAh battery, and at least six years’ worth of OS upgrades. With up to 12GB of physical memory and the 4nm Exynos 1580 chipset running the show, the A56 can even prove itself to be a gaming machine if the situation calls for it. It probably does.
Stuff says ★★★★★
Wine taste on a beer budget.
• NOW ADD THIS
ANKER SOUNDCORE A30I
Face it. The headphone jack is gone. Anker’s Soundcore brand is more than happy to comfort you through this loss.
R600 | takealot.com
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G
R6 800 | incredible.co.za
You’d be forgiven for mistaking the A36 for one of Samsung’s more expensive options. That’s a good thing in our books. It won’t be mistaken when it comes down to performance, but Samsung’s second-best budget beater is second-best for a reason. It’s more than up to bashing out the basics, replete with a decent sensor and a
bigger battery than most folks will ever need.
Stuff says ★★★★★
This one’s special. And we mean that in a very good sense, obviously.
Honor 400 Lite
R8 000 | edgars.co.za
The Honor 400 Lite is a no-nonsense budget Android device that will put even R10k+ smartphones to shame. The plastic build doesn’t exactly scream premium, and it’s less of a gamer than your grandma, but Honor’s taken Apple’s dynamic island and dedicated camera control and wrapped it in a proper budget package. 8GB of RAM and the Dimensity 7025 Ultra SoC live inside, powered by a 5,230mAh battery.
Stuff says ★★★★★
iPhone on a budget. Trust us, that’s a good thing.
Samsung Galaxy A27
★★★★★ R6 000 | samsung.com/za
The 6.7in Super AMOLED is the real standout here, but don’t discount the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip, either.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro (4G)
★★★★★ R8 000 | incredible.co.za
There are better (and cheaper) phones on this list, but there’s value to be found in Xiaomi’s 6,500mAh battery.
Honor X7e
★★★★★ from R6 000 | vodacom.co.za
For what you’re getting, Honor’s latest budget attempt is surely a solid one. Just look at that 7,500mAh battery and 45W charging.
Packard Bell Daytona G16 Pro
★★★★★ from R2 000 | makro.co.za
There isn’t much inside the Daytona G16 Pro that’ll surprise you, but at R2 000, can you really complain?
TCL 505
★★★★★ R2 000 | tradeinn.com
At this price point you can’t expect a perfect phone, but TCL takes a good crack at it with a decent battery and better visuals.
Honor X7d
★★★★★ R5 000 | pepstores.com
Honor’s X7d goes low with an OK display, but soars to new budget heights with a 6,500mAh battery and triple-camera array.
Spectra Mobile J1 Pro
★★★★★ R2 000 | spectramobile.co.za
It may not be the most glamorous smartphone out there, but for R2,000, it’s a hell of a deal.