It’s easy to feel that smartphones are getting further out of one’s budget year-after-year, with top-tier options starting at more than $1,000. However, there are a lot of affordable devices from some of the best brands which are fast, have fantastic photo-taking capabilities, and offer a host of modern-day features without breaking the bank. Here are some of the best top-brand smartphones for less than $500 in 2020:

• iPhone8: Even though it debuted in 2017, the iPhone 8 is still an amazing phone and is also one of the least expensive Apple iPhones that you can still buy for new. Priced at $350-400 on shopping websites, the iPhone 8 packs in tons of great features including some really good cameras, fingerprint scanner, wireless charging, and water resistance.
• Samsung Galaxy A50: Retailing for approximately $300, the Samsung Galaxy A50 is a part of the A-series from Samsung, which are much more economical than the brand’s top-tier S-series. This budget smartphone from the tech giant is one of the cheapest Galaxy smartphones in the market today. It features three cameras on the back which include a wide-angle lens as well as a depth lens; which is perfect for taking portrait shots with dramatic or blurry backgrounds. What’s more, it also has a headphone jack, an on-screen fingerprint reader, as well as 6.4 inches of crystal-clear display.
• Motorola Moto Z4: Available for approximately $400, the Moto Z4 launched sans much fanfare in May 2019. This is in spite of the fact that it is one of the very few phones in the market that are compatible with and can connect to 5G networks. The phone has a 25-megapixel front camera that uses quad Pixel technology. The phone comes with 6.4” of OLED display technology and a headphone jack, among other features. Despite all its offerings, the Moto Z4 is still one of the most affordable 5G phones available in the market now.
• LG G8 ThinQ™ with Alexa: With an original launch price of $850, the LG G8 is now selling along at a discounted rate on certain websites. As one of the last remaining high-end phones which come equipped with a headphone jack, the G8 is truly a rarity. The device also boasts of features such as water resistance, a fast processor that amps up the working of the phone, a Z camera that uses infrared light and is perfect for taking spectacular panorama and landscape shots, and a sharp and bright OLED Fullvision™ display.
• Google Pixel 3A XL: The Pixel 3A XL is everything loveable about the Pixel 3A wrapped up in a larger, more beautiful package. One of the top brand smartphones, this model sports a fabulous 6-inch OLED display as well as a larger 3,700mAh battery which ensures a longer battery life. Its specifications, hardware, and software make it a great buy for those who want the best for not too high a price.
• Motorola Moto G7 Play: Available for $200, the Moto G7 Play is one of the best affordable Android phones. It boasts of a water-repellant coating, Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 632 octa-core processor, and an ultrawide 5.7″ display that is perfect for hours of bingeing videos or playing the latest game.