Best affordable Android smartphones you can buy [February 2017]

There are new smartphones hitting the market constantly, but which is the best to pick up when you’re trying to save a buck or two? We’re expecting some great new releases over the coming months, but for now, let’s go over the best affordable Android smartphones you can go pick up today…

We’re heading into release season folks…

It’s been a quiet couple of months for smartphone releases, mainly because ‘release season’ is right around the corner. In the next two months or so, we’ll be seeing new flagships from Samsung, LG, Huawei, and more.

If you’re in the market for a new device right now, our biggest recommendation is to just wait. If you pick up a phone today, you might end up regretting it later on. Plus, when all these new devices do launch, current generation devices will have already gone down in price. So, unless your heart is set on owning a Google Pixel or Mate 9, or you need a new smartphone immediately, you should probably just give it a few weeks…

BEST FOR FEBRUARY:

Honor 8

One of the devices we need to talk about is the Honor 8. For just $399, this device is nothing short of great. It brings a great looking, premium feeling metal and glass build with a compact 5.2-inch display and rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Also on the back, you’ll find a dual-camera system similar to the Huawei P9.

Under the hood, the Honor 8 brings the Huawei-made Kirin 950 octa-core chipset, 4GB of RAM, up to 64GB of storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery with USB-C. The Honor 8 has been very well received so far, but it’s an even better device now that Android Nougat has landed with EMUI 5.0, which is exactly why it’s at the top of the list this month. Pricing starts at $399 and goes up to $449, although we’ve seen deals as low as $299 recently.

You can pick it up from Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Newegg, and Honor directly. The Honor 8 is compatible with all GSM carriers. You can also read our review here.

FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR:

Honor 6X

After debuting in China last year, Honor brought the successor to the popular Honor 5X, the Honor 6X, to the United States at CES 2017. As expected, the Honor 6X brings a 5.5-inch 108op display, Huawei’s in-house Kirin 655 chipset, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a new dual-camera system on the rear.

The dual-camera brings one 12MP sensor paired with a secondary 2MP sensor. Like the Honor 8 and Mate 9, the secondary camera is a monochrome sensor which helps sharpen photos especially in low light conditions. On the front, there’s also an 8MP camera. The Honor 6X also brings a fingerprint sensor on the rear and a large 3,340 mAh battery. Plus, the entire phone is built from aluminum and feels absolutely spectacular in the hand.

That all sounds pretty decent for a $249 device, but the Honor 6X isn’t without compromise. First of all, it runs Android Marshmallow with EMUI 4.1 out of the box rather than Android Nougat with the vastly improved EMUI 5.0 (although it is coming).

Further, the Honor 6X lacks NFC as well as USB-C. Rather, it uses the older microUSB standard. Those could be deal breakers for you, but if you’re interested in checking out the 6X, it’s currently available from Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, and various other retailers unlocked for $249.

ZTE Blade V8 Pro

CES 2017 didn’t bring us a ton of new Android smartphones, but one of the few that was actually relatively impressive was the ZTE Blade V8 Pro. Priced at $229, this new affordable option actually looks decent for a number of reasons.

The Blade V8 Pro packs a 5.5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 625 chipset, 32GB of storage, 3GB of RAM, and Android Marshmallow. Along with that, it brings a pretty large 3,140 mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, a front-mounted fingerprint sensor, a dual-SIM slot (GSM only), and dual cameras on the rear.

ZTE uses those two cameras like Huawei/Honor where users can create a bokeh effect using a feature named ‘Mono.’ Another standout feature is the built-in HiFi audio, something few other devices in this price range can challenge.

If you’re interested in picking up the Blade V8 Pro, it’s available now from several online retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and B&HPhoto.

Moto G4 Family

After debuting a while back, the Moto G4 family continues to be one of the best budget options available right now. Starting at $199 you’ll get the standard G4 with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. An extra $30 will double the storage. The G4 Plus, on the other hand, will start at $249 for the 16GB model with 2GB of RAM, but you can also upgrade to the top-tier model to get 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM for another $50 ($299).

Both phones share 5.5-inch 1080p displays with Gorilla Glass 3 and the Snapdragon 617 processor under the hood. They also both pack 3,000 mAh batteries with support for fast charging. Last but not least, they also both share near-stock builds of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The differences come into play in the camera department. Both have 5MP front cameras, but the standard G4 has a 13MP sensor with the G4 Plus getting a slightly better 16MP sensor with Lenovo’s ‘Hybrid Focus’ autofocus system. The G4 Plus also packs a fingerprint sensor on the front which can recognize and unlock the phone in less than 750 milliseconds.

One of the big highlights to keep in mind with this device is that it’s not only unlocked, but compatible with all major US carriers. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and just about everyone else — just pop in a SIM and go. Both devices are available now with full MotoMaker customization. You can also pick up the Moto G4 or Moto G4 Plus on Amazon, with a ‘prime-exclusive’ Moto G4 also available starting at $149.

The new Moto G4 Play brings a smaller size at just 5-inches, also with slightly lesser specifications. It also has the same software and design and starts at just $149 unlocked for use on any carrier. Alternatively, you can get it for as little as $99 if you opt for the ad-supported Prime Exclusive edition.

ZTE Axon 7

If you want a flagship experience, but at a slightly lower price point, the ZTE Axon 7 is an option worth considering. Starting at just $399, the Axon 7 packs a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, all-metal design, front facing speakers, and premium specifications including the top of the line Snapdragon 820 chipset.

It also packs an insane 6GB of RAM and support for Google Daydream. All of that combined makes for an absolutely fantastic smartphone, and at its price tag of just $399, it’s easily one of the best bang-for-your-buck deals out there today.

The ZTE Axon 7 is available for purchase from ZTE, Amazon, and many other retailers around the web for $399 unlocked for use on GSM carriers. It’s even been on sale for $349 recently. Plus, it now has the added bonus of Android Nougat.

ZTE Axon 7 Mini

Like it’s bigger brother, the ZTE Axon 7 Mini is a solid bang-for-your-buck smartphone, offering specs just below that of a flagship with the same premium build you’d find on smartphones double the cost. Coming in at $299, the Axon 7 Mini brings a 5.2-inch 1080p AMOLED display, Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a 2,705 mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0.

ZTE also keeps up its audio performance with dual front facing speakers, HiFi audio through the built-in DAC, and Dolby Atmos playback for improved quality across the board. There’s also a 16MP rear camera, 8MP front-facing shooter, and a fingerprint sensor on the back.

Retail pricing on the Axon 7 Mini usually lands at $299, but we’ve seen it go on sale already for $249. Like most other unlocked devices, the Axon 7 Mini is compatible with GSM carriers including AT&T and T-Mobile in the US. You can pick it up through Amazon, Best Buy, or B&HPhoto.

Moto Z Play

We first heard about the Moto Z Play at IFA 2016, and now the phone is on sale both through Verizon Wireless (for free with monthly financing) and Unlocked. This new $449 smartphone isn’t the least expensive device on this list, but it is the least expensive way to enter the world of MotoMods, by far. The device is compatible with the same MotoMods as the Moto Z and Moto Z Force, but this device changes things up by offering a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a 2.0GHz octa-core chipset, 3GB of RAM, and a 16MP rear camera.

The biggest highlight of the Moto Z Play is by far its battery. While the Moto Z Force impressed us with its great battery life, the Moto Z Play extends that battery life by over 10 hours by packing a 3,600 mAh battery. That’s 50 hours in total, pretty impressive to say the least.

ZTE ZMax Pro

Cheap phones are hardly ever good, but the $99 ZTE ZMax Pro is easily the best option at its price point. For that price you’ll get a massive 6-inch display, Snapdragon 617 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. It also comes with a 13MP rear camera, 3,400 mAh battery, and even a fingerprint sensor. These same specs are usually found on devices which are far more expensive, so for $99, this is a fantastic deal, however, it’s not without compromises.

The ZMax Pro is a fantastic device for its price point, but that price will depend on the network you purchase from. On MetroPCS, it costs as little at $99 after a rebate and can be unlocked after 3 months of service. T-Mobile recently also opened up sales of the ZMax Pro, but at a slightly higher price point.

You can learn more about the ZMax Pro in our full review here. If you’re looking to buy, it’s available now through MetroPCS as well as T-Mobile.