Why you don't need to spend more than £350 on a mobile phone

In a recent survey* of Which? members, the greatest primary consideration when buying a new phone was price - specifically models under £350. 37% often or always prioritise spending less than this on their next handset.

But do you really get value at this price? Our expert testing says yes, but it depends on what you're happy to compromise on. Once you know that, you can find the right device in this busy part of the market.

We've rounded up the best Android phone and Sim-only deals, and best iPhone deals this Black Friday so you don't have to.

Battery life on cheap phones

Manufacturers don't talk about upgraded batteries much when they launch their new phones, but it's frustrating having to charge your handset all the time. Choosing a phone with a long battery life is often or always a consideration for 45% of the Which? members we surveyed*. 

Which? tests reveal that phones under £350 are in fact more likely to have longer battery lives than ones over £350. In our lab testing we use a robot arm to replicate how most people typically use their smartphone through the day to see how long the phone should last. In the past year, the best battery lasted over 43 hours in our testing, and the worst only 18 hours, and would cost you over £1,000 to buy.

One easy trick to extend your battery life is to decrease your screen's brightness to a medium level. When we tested this on phones under £350, the battery life increased by 17% on average.

Want to see all our Best Buy and Great Value phones? Head to our smartphone reviews.

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Camera quality on cheap phones

The camera quality on a phone is often or always a primary consideration for 22% of the Which? members*. You're not going to get high-end cameras on a cheap phone, but in our testing, some were much more powerful than we expected.

The main compromises are to do with the versatility of the cameras. This involves how they adapt to tricky light conditions and how effective their shooting modes and styles are. Expensive phones usually have a third camera lens to enhance how far you can zoom in digitally and improve the quality of close-up shots. They might also have a TOF (time of flight) lens to measure depth accurately in shots, and 8K-resolution video recording that will play back stereo sound. The latest editing tools on premium phones are powered by AI. This includes editing objects and people out of pictures and having AI fill in the gaps. See our verdict on AI on the latest Samsung phones to find out more.

But these features are highly specialised. A lot of cheaper phones still have multiple lenses, 4K video recording and custom modes (such as portrait and night mode). In our testing, we find phones below £350 are most likely to have three-star cameras. However, we've found a couple under £350 that give you a four-star experience.

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Display quality on cheap phones

The display quality on phones £350 and less has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Equipped with OLED screens, the best have a high resolution and shine brightly whatever angle your viewing it from. A lot now have 120Hz refresh rates to keep scrolling buttery smooth when you swipe on the touchscreen. They are colourful, bright, and show crisp details whether you're reading emails or watching the latest film.

The quality of displays is high across the board, so you're not always guaranteed a hugely better display by spending more.

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Three phones under £350 to consider this Black Friday

Google Pixel 8a

* Average price in the past six months: £475. Cheapest price in the past six months: £349

• 6.1-inch OLED screen with 2,400 x 1,808 resolution
• Google Tensor G3 chipset with 8GB of Ram
• Two rear cameras with 4K video recording

The Google Pixel 8a is the scaled-back version of Google's flagship Pixel 8, but you still get premium screen and processor specs. It supports 5G and Wi-Fi 6E, and the camera lenses have a high resolution and clever editing tools.

Check out contract deals and read our full Google Pixel 8a review.

Samsung Galaxy A55

* Average price in the past six months: £360. Cheapest price in the past six months: £233

• Exynos 1,480 chipset and support for Wi-Fi 6 and 5G
• 6.6-inch OLED display
• Three rear cameras, including a 50Mp main lens

This is the highest-spec phone from Samsung's 2024 A-range, which aims to combine performance with more affordable prices. Its display is a good size, with a high 120Hz refresh rate to keep content loading quickly for smooth browsing. The main camera has a high resolution and IP67 certification, which means it should be dust-resistant and survive 30 minutes in water up to a depth of one metre.

See retailer prices below, compare contract deals or read our Samsung Galaxy A55 review.

Samsung Galaxy A15 5G

* Average price in the past six months: £174. Cheapest price in the past six months: £110

• Large, high-quality display
• Improved processor
• Improved charging time

You'll be hard pushed to beat the Samsung A15 based on pure value – it's part of the Galaxy range, but far undercuts the premium S-series. 

There are obvious compromises to be made, but if you're not too bothered about the latest camera technology (although it still has three rear lenses, including ultra-wide) or wireless charging, hardware improvements over its popular predecessor could make it an excellent lower-cost option. Also consider the 4G version of the A15 (SQUIRREL_TEXT_50013855).

Read our A15 5G review, check Sim-free prices below or compare contract deals.

Check our full list of the best Black Friday iPhone deals, or best Black Friday Android phone and Sim-only deals to grab a bargain.

*  based on a survey of 1,123 Which? members, conducted in August 2024.