The best budget smartphones of 2026 so far

Everything is getting more expensive these days, but that doesn't mean you need to spend $1,200 to get a decent smartphone.Even in the age of RAMageddon, there are solid deals to be found on phones for $700 or less. Companies like Apple, Samsung, Google, and OnePlus have all released such budget or midrange handsets in the past several months. So if you're in the market for a quality smartphone that won't break the checking account, here's our pick of the best currently available options.