As the space of tech and the internet evolves, the product gets cheaper. The same is the case with these under-$200 Android phones. Their price tag is easy on the pocket but they can provide you with a similar Android experience as that of those expensive flagships.
Don’t get me wrong here, I said Android experience and not the highest-end smartphone experience that comes with 100x zoom, tons of AI features, and more.
Speaking of which, manufacturers have to cut down on some things to make the phone affordable. I have been testing out these under-$200 Android phones to weigh out the cutdowns while keeping in consideration whether these cuts ruin the experience or not.
So, here are the safest bets on Android phones that will cost you under 200 bucks to have them in your pocket.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
The successor to their previously successful A14 5G is the new Galaxy A15 5G. Let’s talk about what’s new in A15 over A14.
Design-wise both of the phones are similar and there’s no apparent difference between the two apart from when you look at the front of the phone. The bezels on the A15 are thinner than that of the A14. The screen-to-body ratio on the A15 is 84.3% while the A14 has an 80.2% screen-to-body ratio.
If you are wondering what is screen-to-body ratio: it is the percentage of screen on the front of the phone when compared to the body (bezels, chins, forehead) of the phone.
Last year Samsung used an LCD screen for A14 but it’s good news for you with A15 if you watch a lot of content on your phone. The good news: Samsung has added a Super AMOLED panel of 90Hz and it looks great, it feels great for the price of this phone. Not many of the phone manufacturers have this kind of display quality with $200 phones.
Now, let’s turn our heads towards the performance of this phone. I played multiple online games using my Xfinity Internet at home and they were okay-ish. The processor on this phone is slightly weaker than last year’s A14s so, I was expecting not much on the performance side of this phone. Keeping gaming aside for a while, the phone works just fine for normal day-to-day usage.
The battery endurance is great on the A15 and the overall battery is enhanced through 25W Samsung’s Super Fast Charging.
Moto G 2024
Moto G is in a tough battle with the A15 with great value for money for its price which is $30-40 less than that of the A15.
Moto G comes with a refined design that is objective (some people might like it and some won’t), I personally like it though. An eco-leather feels nice in the hands. It doesn’t give it a premium feeling which you shouldn’t expect in this price range.
The display is an LCD but it takes the edge with 120Hz which is slightly smoother than the 90Hz of A15 and it has a hole punch camera cutout. The only downside to this display is its resolution which is 720p and it will be a bummer for most people.
Apart from that, the software experience with Moto G is nice and pretty clean. This phone will receive just one year of major OS updates which is another bummer for me.
About the performance of this phone, Moto G is better than A15 and might be the best overall performer in the price range of up to 200 bucks.
The battery pack on this phone is 5000mAh which makes it an easy 2-day phone on a single full charge.
All in all, it is another good choice if you have a budget of $200.
Blackview BV5200 Pro
This one might sound like an awkward inclusion in this article but I have read comments that many people use their phones too roughly and they need a budget option for a rugged phone.
So, here we go: BV5200 Pro from Blackview is one of the most rugged phones I have used. I have thrown it away multiple times and it was all OK apart from some invisible scratches.
It’s not like that this phone is just rugged and doesn’t offer anything else. BV5200 Pro smartphone has some other features that are included in my list of best phones under $200.
Those features are a huge 5,180mAh battery that can last for easily 2-3 days depending upon its use, it is dust/water resistant so you’ll be all set if your child will accidentally or maybe intentionally throw it in a pool, and not to forget, NFC support which will enable you to pay without using your credit card.
The bottom line is that it’s great for rough mobile phone users.
