The year 2021 is almost half-way gone, and we have seen a lot of motion in the smartphone industry despite the global pandemic that has shaken the economic situation of most countries. New smartphones continue to be launched in an even more impressive way.
Many mobile users are looking for the best affordable devices. Which is why this article is focused on pointing out some of the best smartphones under $350. In order to make this list as compact as possible we took into consideration a few very important features such as:
- Design
- Processor
- Camera quality
- Software
Most noteworthy is the fact that most devices mentioned in this article were all launched this year 2021, so of course you can expect then to all run on the latest Android version, Android 11. So without any further delay let us get to the issue on the ground.
Top 10 Best Smartphones Under $350
The first smartphone on the list is one that was launched last year from the brand Vivo, it was and is still a delight to behold. Let us quickly go through the specs and reasons why this smartphone made its way into the group of the top 10 best smartphones under $350.
Vivo V20
The Vivo V20 is one smartphone that stands out of the crowd when it comes to design, from the glossy array of colours on the back panel to the interesting camera cutout that houses its triple camera setup with a 64MP main camera made this device stand out from the crowd. Noteworthy is also the fact that Vivo finally cleaned up its UI on this device, the newer FunTouch 2.0 OS gives a stock Android 11 feel to the smartphone.
When it comes to battery life it has a 4000mAh battery with 33W of fast charge. It also has a 6.4” inch AMOLED display with an under display fingerprint sensor. The processing it uses is the Snapdragon 720G from last year. Its specs are top-notch and with a price tag of $269, the V20 is worthy to be on this list.
TECNO Camon 17
TECNO Camon 17 has a 64MP quad camera setup and also features a 48MP selfie camera, when it comes to video taking the smartphone boasts of an “ultra pro video camera” but unlike its predecessor there is no video stabilization. The 25W fast charging powers up it’s huge 5000mAh battery. When it comes to screen size it has a large 6.8” inch IPS LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate. All these features are powered by the MediaTek Helio G95 chipset. It runs Android 11 with HiOS 7.6.
One very noticeable feature about this device is its design: it has a bold brand labelling at its back which I find really dull looking, asides from that this is a very nice device. How much dfoes the Camon 17 cost? $340.
Samsung Galaxy A32
This device is one of the most comfortable devices that I have used in a while thanks to its outstanding design, I can say that Samsung went out of their way with this design. The design features a 6.4” inch Super AMOLED screen with 90Hz refresh rate the fingerprint sensor is located right under the screen (thanks to the AMOLED display). When it comes to cameras it has a 64MP quad camera setup and a 20MP selfie shooter.
Powering the Samsung A32 is the MediaTek Helio G80 chipset, it also comes in a variety of storage options depending on what works for users. Samsung also fitted a 5000mAh battery in an 8.4 mm slim smartphone, and it supports 15W fast charging which for my point of view is very decent.
The smartphone runs Android 11 on One UI 3.1 and this device might see an Android update judging from the fact that most Samsung devices launched last year are now receiving updates to the more recent Android versions.
You will find the Galaxy A32 for around $235, depending on your location.
Redmi Note 10 Pro
One of the features of the Redmi Note 10 Pro that blows me away is the camera. The quad camera setup at the back has a 108MP main camera. This large camera sensor has proven great for taking crisp photos. It also has a 16MP selfie camera shooter that captures vivid and clear pictures.
Running Android 11 on MIUI 12 and powered by the Snapdragon 732G chipset, it has an 6.67” inch AMOLED screen that supports 120Hz refresh rate. 33W fast charge supplies power to its 5020 mAh battery. You can bag all this amazing features on these devices for less than $350.
OPPO Reno 5
A fine device from OPPO released early this year with impressive specs and a nice yet simple design. If you are the type of person who loves an impressive yet clean UI then the OPPO Reno 5 is a strong option for you. It runs Android 11 on OPPO’s own ColorOS 11.
On the back it has a quad camera setup with a 64MP main camera and a 44MP selfie camera (trust me the selfie is super crisp even in low light). Powered by the Snapdragon 720G. A very slim device at 7.7 mm thick. A pretty decent 6.4” inch AMOLED screen houses the fingerprint sensor. It is equipped with a 4310mAh battery that is powered by a massive 50W SuperVOOC charging speed.
With a $345 price tag, the Reno5 fits into our list by the whiskers of its teeth. Check out our OPPO Reno 5 review.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite
Personally I am a big fan of slim devices but when I first got my hands on this device, I screamed. Why? This is the slimmest device on this list with a dimension of 6.8 mm, and it is also very light, so if you’re a fan of lightweight smartphones then this is definitely for you.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite runs on Android 11 with MIUI 12 and is powered by the Snapdragon 732G chipset. It has an AMOLED screen which supports a 90Hz refresh rate. Triple camera setup with a 64MP main camera and a 16MP shooter. The screen is an AMOLED 6.55” inches which supports 90Hz refresh rate. Pushing all this good stuffs is a 4250mAh battery with a 33W charging speed.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite sells for $335.
Redmi Note 9T
We have seen a lot of devices from Xiaomi on this list and that is because Xiaomi are on over drive this period and the device in question is one launched early this year and at a price way less than $350 it has 5G support and run on the MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset. It has a triple camera setup with a 48MP main camera and a 13MP selfie camera.
The Redmi Note 9T runs Android 10 with MIUI 12, thanks to its chipset it supports 5G connectivity. The type of screen it uses is an IPS LCD screen with a 6.53” inches screen size. This device is powered by a 5000mAh battery with 18W of fast charging. Its design is really simple and elegant with it’s back being resistant to fingerprint stains.
The Redmi Note 9T has a $218 price tag.
OPPO A74
OPPO A74 is a recently released device from OPPO, and it comes with a 6.43” inches AMOLED screen, and it has an under display fingerprint sensor.
Its triple camera setup houses a 48MP main camera, and it also has a 16MP selfie camera. It runs Android 11 and ColorOS 11, to boost this smartphone is a Snapdragon 662 chipset. The battery is a 5000mAh that is powered by a 33W fast charge.
With just $235, you are good to go and will take an OPPO A74 home.
Motorola Moto G60
This device is the second device on this list with a 108MP main camera, but this time Motorola took the camera abilities to the next level. This smartphone houses a triple camera setup but with the abilities of four cameras, how? A main 108MP, a depth sensor and a third camera that houses both an 8MP ultra-wide camera and an 8MP macro lens camera, it has a 32MP selfie camera shooter.
The Moto G60 runs on Android 11 with a stock Android like feel. The chipset it runs on is the Snapdragon 735G. An IPS LCD 6.8” inch screen is used to give a vivid representation of colors on the screen. Battery life on this device is amazing with it’s 6000mAh battery and a 20W charging speed backed up by Quick Charge 4.
Price of the Motorola Moto G60 is a modest $240.
Realme 8
This smartphone is from a brand that has dared to challenge the global smartphone market and I can tell you that it is really doing a good job. This device was my first glimpse into what Realme phones, and from the packaging down to the smartphone itself, my verdict is that this company is doing a good job.
The design on this smartphone is “wow” from the camera setup on the back of the smartphone to the large write-up that says “Dare To Leap”, this smartphone is actually the first device that has a bold logo or write up that I really like.
It features a quad camera setup with a 64MP main shooter and a 16MP selfie camera. It has a 6.4” inch Super AMOLED screen with an under display fingerprint sensor. Like the others, it runs Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0, powering this smartphone is the MediaTek Helio G95. When it comes to battery life this device packs a 5000mAh battery with a 30W fast charge to give you the juice you need in no time.
The icing on the cake is that all of those features come at a pocket-friendly price tag of $213 only.
So there you have it, a list of the best smartphones to get under $350. Of course there are other devices under this price point, but we focused on a few of them, the ones we viewed as the best. Do follow me on Twitter for more gadget content and really affordable yet classy devices @KittysTech, and also stay glued to Mobility Arena for more articles.