Top Affordable Smartphone of the Year: Tech Advisor’s Choice 2025-26

Back in the day, opting for a budget phone meant compromising on a lot of features. The gap between budget phones and high-end or mid-range devices was significant, making it necessary to shell out more money for a reliable device.

However, things have changed drastically. In 2025, budget phones offer a solid user experience in all key areas while remaining affordable. At Tech Advisor, we classify a budget smartphone as any device priced below £300/$300 when purchased outright. With numerous options available, only the top three have made it to our list.

Top Budget Phone of the Year – Winner: CMF Phone 2 Pro

The CMF Phone 1 was the standout budget phone of 2024, and its successor, the Phone 2 Pro, brings meaningful upgrades that solidify its position. This is a remarkable achievement in a fiercely competitive market.

The Phone 2 Pro boasts significant camera improvements, enabling it to capture high-quality photos for its price range. It even features a 2x telephoto lens and an ultrawide sensor, providing versatility that few budget phones can match.

The 6.5-inch display is a standout feature, coupled with reliable performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset. The battery life is commendable, and Nothing’s customized version of Android is smooth and highly customizable, especially with six years of security patches (including three years of OS upgrades).

However, the phone’s standout feature remains its design. It stands out as one of the few smartphones that allow easy removal of the back cover (although changing the battery remains a challenge), giving users the freedom to experiment with colors and textures. Additionally, it includes a dedicated connector for lanyards, wallets, and other accessories, adding a nice touch.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro isn’t just about style – it excels in all areas, making it an easy recommendation.

Explore our detailed CMF Phone 2 Pro review.

Top Budget Phone of the Year – First Runner-Up: Samsung Galaxy A17 5G

Chris Martin / Foundry

The Galaxy A17 5G closely resembles its predecessor, the Galaxy A16 5G, which slightly impacted its rating. Nevertheless, it remains one of the top budget phones available, despite the lack of major innovations.

Surprisingly, the phone shares many features with premium Samsung models, including a stunning 6.7-inch OLED display and high-quality triple rear cameras, with the 50MP main camera – now stabilized – standing out as the most useful.

Although it lacks Galaxy AI functionalities, One UI 8 shines on the A17 5G, offering a significant advantage over competitors in terms of six years of OS and security updates. With reliable everyday performance, good battery life, and a sleek, sturdy design, there’s plenty to appreciate here.

Discover more in our comprehensive Samsung Galaxy A17 5G review.

Top Budget Phone of the Year – Second Runner-Up: OnePlus Nord CE 5

Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd

Priced at £299 upon launch (unfortunately not available in the US), the Nord CE 5 is just affordable enough to fall under the budget phone category.

Despite this, its combination of exceptional build quality, a captivating display, reliable performance, and decent battery life make it a standout choice. OnePlus has maintained its excellent OxygenOS software experience, benefiting from six years of security updates.

If the above options don’t catch your eye and you’re willing to stretch your budget slightly, the Nord CE 5 is a solid pick.

Learn more in our detailed OnePlus Nord CE 5 review.