The Best Sub-$1,000 Smartphones You Can Buy in 2024

The best sub-$1,000 smartphones in 2024

The best sub-$1000 Android: Samsung Galaxy S24

Shortly after its release, the Samsung Galaxy S24 quickly became our top pick for the best smartphones under $1,000. With this new model, Samsung has outdone itself once again, launching an impressive high-end device that not only features an exceptional 6.2-inch display but also delivers powerful performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.

Additionally, users can expect up to seven years of updates and innovative AI functions. Our review of the Galaxy S24 dives into what you can expect from these features.

• Also read: Best Samsung smartphones to buy in 2024

Samsung has remained true to its dimensions, and you can expect a compact semi-flagship with a good feel. Unfortunately, there are no innovations in the camera area, which is not necessarily a bad thing as the camera setup is still one of the best on the market. The battery also lasts a long time, but you are missing a modern quick-charging feature.

The best sub-$1,000 iPhone: Apple iPhone 16

With a streamlined selection of phones and with the discontinuation of the previous generation Pro model, the vanilla iPhone is the usual suggestion in this price category. For 2024, the demands of the AI trend dictated two discreet upgrades on the base model: Expanded RAM and a new A18 processor ready to power all the Apple Intelligence the phone can get and bring better energy efficiency to boot.

Additionally, the iPhone 16 has not one but two new buttons, the Action button which debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro family, and the Camera Control, a capacitive and dual-stage button that can be used as a shutter button, shortcut, and camera settings selector. All these upgrades make the iPhone a more versatile camera for both stills and video.

The best camera phone under $1,000: Google Pixel 8 Pro

The Google Pixel 8 Pro is a pricier option than before, starting at $999, and it comes in cool colors like light blue, black, and beige. It offers 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage as a base model, but you can choose versions with more storage (256 GB or 512 GB). It's important to note that you can't expand storage with a microSD card.

The phone's display is exceptional, with super bright settings that make it easy to use outdoors. It has a solid processor for everyday tasks, but it might not handle really demanding games as well as some competitors.

When it comes to photos, Google's software and artificial intelligence make the Pixel 8 Pro stand out. The battery life is decent for a day of use, but it could be better. The main downside is the higher price compared to previous generations, even though Google promises seven years of updates.

• Read also: Best camera phones to buy in 2024

Some people might compare it to iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, or Xiaomi phones, which also cost a lot. Those phones may have faster processors, but the Pixel 8 Pro shines in display quality and camera performance. However, it charges slowly, doesn't come with a power adapter, and some promised features aren't available right away. We'll have to wait and see if Google can keep its promise of long-term updates.

The best sub-$1,000 compact/foldable: Galaxy Z Flip 5

With the discontinuation of compact phones such as the iPhone mini and the Asus Zenfone, flip phones are the de facto compact smartphones nowadays. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 may not be the newest of those, but it offers almost the same features and performance as its successor, with a lower price (and more frequent deals).

The external screen was expanded to display selected apps (but there are workarounds here) so you don't need to open the phone all the time. And the Z Flip 5 got a couple of Galaxy AI features since its launch, with more to come. There are a few compromises in the Flip experience though: The camera is not as versatile, and battery life is shorter than our other selections.

Why are sub-$1,000 smartphones not real flagships anymore?

With phones long past the $1000 mark, we will inevitably deal with trade-offs when looking for an option under that price. A few features like 5G, eSIM, NFC, and wireless charging are still standard in this category, but in other categories, we still find some differentiation. So for this selection we concentrated on the following specs:

Our selection criteria

• Display: The screen characteristics influence not only how sharp (resolution) or smooth (refresh rate) content is displayed, they also indicate how big or small the phone is. We chose options that range from the pocket-friendly Galaxy Flip all the way to the big 6.7-inch camera alternative.
• Performance: Although all phones above should perform pretty well in both apps and games with their flagship SoCs. The amount of RAM will determine how fluid will be the multitasking performance, especially with the memory demands of AI features. Also, be careful to avoid 128 GB storage models if you like to have a lot of apps, photos, and videos stored on your device.
• Camera: The feature that separates these phones from those in the cheaper selections is mainly the cameras: Better image quality with bigger sensors, models with telephoto lenses for zoomed shots, and better image processing for night images and filters. If you like to photograph big vistas, make sure the ultra-wide lens has enough resolution for your photos, on the other hand, prioritize a telephoto lens if you usually struggle to get a good enough zoom on your subjects.

Buying advice

What to expect from a $1,000 smartphone in 2024

Smartphones that cost less than $1,000 have become less premium in nature, but they are still considered high-end smartphones. When buying a smartphone close to the $1,000 mark, it is clear that compromises will have to be made, although not to the extent of a $400 smartphone. To remain relevant at the $1,000 price point, these smartphones offer everything you need to have an almost flawless user experience.

You will benefit from an excellent update policy with at least five years of security updates. The finish and workmanship should be impeccable with IP68 certification and a glass back to boot. Battery life is not to be sneezed at, thanks to the huge battery capacities that lie between 4,000 and 5,000 mAh. When it comes to the camera, you can expect very good image quality and even a telephoto lens.

Compromises made in a sub-$1,000 smartphones

As mentioned earlier, there are compromises made in a smartphone that falls within this price range that will not make it a crippling experience. The user experience is still pleasant enough, and you can do almost anything you want with your smartphone.

However, just like the cameras help separate $1000 phones from $600 models, true flagship phones have even more advanced cameras. Manufacturers also differentiate their high-end smartphones with hardware elements such as a less impressive primary lens, an older SoC, or by using older connectivity and fast charging standards.

That's it for our buying guide of the best sub-$1,000 smartphones. Depending on what you are looking for, we hope you found your next flagship! 

What do you think of the fact that smartphones under $1,000 are not the 'real' flagships anymore? Do you have any suggestions for models that could have been part of this selection?

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Last updated in November 2024. Older comments were kept and may refer to older versions of this guide.