New Great Value phones revealed: get a high-scoring smartphone for less

The smartphones market has long been dominated by leading brands Apple and Samsung, but the appeal of high-priced flagships is waning – great value alternatives are stealing the limelight.

To be a coveted Which? Great Value phone, its launch price must be at least 20% cheaper than the average price of the smartphones in our reviews. However, it still needs to be a quality item, so we make sure it scores at least 60%. Great Value phones might not have the very best cameras or screens, but they're solid, long-lasting performers and often excel in having long battery lives.

Great Value handsets must also have at least two years of security support remaining. Our guide to mobile phone security explains how regular security updates are important to prevent vulnerabilities in your phone being exploited – and you can use our free tool to check support on your own phone today.

Mobile phone reviews: see all of our Great Value phone recommendations.

Increasing demand for 'value' smartphones

At Which?, we review over sixty phones a year that will cost you from £99 to over £1,500. However, in the last five months, the most popular reviews read by Which? members aren't the ones with the highest price tags. 

When looking at the top 10 most popular mobile phone reviews, pricier phones aren't dominating the rankings.

Most popular mobile phone reviews on Which?

Half of the ten most popular reviews were for smartphones that launched for under £420. The OnePlus Nord 2 5G led the line - landing for £399, and the mid-priced Samsung Galaxy A52s came in third place. Most of the flagship phones that made the grade are older models, which usually see a discount once they've been out one year. The cheapest iPhone and the three mid-range Samsung Galaxy A phones beat almost all flagships from Apple, Samsung and Google.

In short, Which? members are well aware of the fact that you don't need to pay a lot for a great smartphone.

Check out the best deals on mobile phones and the best deals on iPhones to view our expert picks of discounted models.

Three Great Value phones to consider

With around 20 Great Value smartphones so far, there's plenty to choose from. Here are some of the most recently released Great Value mobile phones for £300 or less.

Samsung Galaxy A23 5G, original price £290

• Large 6.5-inch LCD screen
• Quick to charge if you buy a 25W fast charger
• Has four years of security updates guaranteed from its launch

The Samsung Galaxy A23 is the newest phone in Samsung's cheaper A range. It's equipped with a brilliant display and a decent battery life, but like a lot of cheaper smartphones, it doesn't have the best cameras. Find out the full story in our Samsung Galaxy A23 5G review, and check prices below. 

Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G, original price £260

• 6.43-inch OLED screen with 2,400 X 1,080 resolution
• It's 5G ready to help future-proof your phone
• Quick charging

The Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G is certainly better than basic. It has a user-friendly interface, reactive touchscreen and long battery life for more browsing time. Check out if this phone is one to shortlist in our Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G review. You can also compare contract deals, and see handset prices below. 

Motorola Edge 30 Neo, original price £300

• 6.28-inch OLED display with high 120Hz refresh rate
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset
• Easy to use

Motorola might still be best-known for it's noughties flip phones, but it's making a statement among mid-range smartphones. The Edge 30 Neo gives you a bright display, clear speaker quality and a charger that takes just 40 minutes to fully charge a flat battery. But it doesn't have a versatile front-facing camera. Find out the full scoop in the Motorola Edge 30 Neo review, buy it using the links below or see contract deals.

Shop smart for cheap smartphones

If you're trying to spend as little as possible on your next phone, you might be tempted by some of the cheapest smartphones that start around £99. A number of manufacturers make phones at this price including Alcatel, Motorola, Nokia, Realme, Samsung, TCL and Xiaomi.

However, we often find these phones have too many downsides to get our recommendation - with sluggish performances, long charging times and jittery displays. For a lot of us, the cameras on our phones have replaced digital cameras, but the cheapest phones are unlikely to give you more than elementary shots that struggle when zooming in or focus in dark lighting.

But not all these phones are Don't Buys and they could be worth a punt if you're only planning to do simple tasks and limited internet browsing. They're generally easy to use, robust, and have longer battery lives too. But beyond these basic features, you'll need to spend at least £180 to get a better all-round smartphone.

If you're looking to save money on your next phone, also consider buying a second-hand or refurbished handset to get a better device for less. Find out how to buy a second-hand or refurbished mobile phone  

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