My two favorite budget Android phones of 2024 are both down to $380 for Prime Day
by Will Sattelberg · Android PoliceDuring major sales events like Prime Day , knowing the difference between great and not-so-great discounts can be tough. I've already picked out a few of the very best smartphone deals you can find right now — spoiler alert: that Pixel 8 Pro sale is going to go fast — but if you've got a hard budget cap at $400, I have good news for you. Two of my favorite budget phones of this year, Google's Pixel 8a and the OnePlus 12R, are both $120 off right now, offering two very different experiences at one excellent price.
The Pixel 8a offers the best of Google at a crazy-low price
When it's time to look back on my favorite phones of 2024, Google's Pixel 8a will land surprisingly high on my list. It's a good phone, to be sure, but it also represented a massive leap forward in what I expected from Google's A-series devices. I was not the biggest fan of the Pixel 7a, which creeped up to a $500 price point without, in my eyes, much to show for it. Sure, a 90Hz display and wireless charging were both welcome additions, but the actual panel was pretty poor, and at 5W, I'm not sure how many people actually utilized Qi on that device.
The Pixel 8a smooths out a lot of the issues with that phone. Wireless charging is still limited to 5W, but the display is leaps and bounds better. You'll have to deal with some uneven bezels, but at 120Hz, it's a buttery smooth experience, with higher brightness levels and improved viewing angles thrown in for good measure. Under the hood, the move to Tensor G3 helps make the Pixel experience feel a lot more trustworthy. While Google's 2023 SoC is still prone to occasional overheating, it's a big improvement compared to the Pixel 7a's Tensor G2.
To me, though, it's the design that won me over. The overly curved corners might've turned off some readers in our earliest Pixel 8a leaks, but in practice, it makes for a supremely comfortable device. The matte plastic back avoids fingerprints and smudges while keeping the overall chassis light. It's a device that never feels like it needs to be slapped in a case, which can be pretty freeing compared to the usual selection of glass and metal you'll find on store shelves.
Then there's the camera. While the Pixel 8a's camera system can't compete with more expensive flagships, it's undoubtedly the best you'll find on any device below $400. You'll also get access to Google's usual roundup of camera AI tools, including the entire Magic Editor suite. Not too shabby. Throw in seven years of guaranteed OS updates, and you're looking at a lot of phone for not much cash.
Bottom line: If you're a photographer, if you enjoy Google's Pixel experience over other Android skins, or if you're looking for a fun, portable smartphone, the Pixel 8a is for you. I'm a big fan of this one — it feels fun in a way that other Android phones often manage to find. While the standard Pixel 8 might tempt some buyers for less than $100 more, you can't beat how nice this particular plastic phone feels in your palm.
Google Pixel 8a
$380 $500 Save $120
The Pixel 8a wants you to forget the Pixel 8 ever existed. With some crucial upgrades over its predecessor, including a brighter display, faster processor, and larger battery, Google's latest mid-range smartphone is the perfect combo of speed and AI smarts. And with seven years of OS upgrades, it's the longest lasting $500 smartphone you can find today.
The OnePlus 12R is a flagship Android phone masquerading as a budget device
The Pixel 8a isn't for everyone. If you're a true Android power user — specifically with a focus on large displays, big batteries, or powerful gaming performance — you're better off leaping for the OnePlus 12R. The first R-series device to land in the US impressed with its pitch-perfect combination of excellent, high-quality specs at a price practically anyone can afford. Put simply, the OnePlus 12R is the OnePlus 11 with just enough corners cut to bring its cost down, and that's worth getting excited about.
It all starts under the hood, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that, nearly two years after its debut, still impresses with both performance and efficiency. The OnePlus 12R can handle practically any Android game you could dream of throwing at it without breaking a sweat, while its absolutely massive 5,500mAh battery simply cannot be stopped. Even if you manage to kill it in a single day, ultra-fast charging means you're back to a full charge in around 30 minutes.
The rest of the phone isn't too shabby either. The 6.7-inch display is more in line with typical Android flagships. While its curved edges might feel dated compared to modern flagships, they didn't bother me too much during my review period, and the 120Hz panel itself is quite good. It is slippery, though — I've had the phone fall out of my pocket on more than one occasion, so make sure you're using this week's savings to pick up a case.
In some ways, the Pixel 8a's strengths are the OnePlus 12R's weaknesses. You won't find much in the way of AI features here, nor should you expect much from the company's software policy, as the 12R is slated to get just three OS updates and four years of security patches. The cameras are nothing to write home about — without that signature Hasselblad tuning, everything looks pretty washed out — and while I wouldn't call it hefty, this is far from a small device.
Still, none of that makes the OnePlus 12R bad — it just makes it perfect for a very specific audience. If Google's smartphone efforts aren't doing it for you, consider the OnePlus 12R. It might just be the flagship killer OnePlus has been promising for years.
OnePlus 12R
$380 $500 Save $120
The OnePlus 12R is the cheaper sibling of the OnePlus 12, delivering almost the same experience as the flagship at a lower price point. It achieves this using a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, a 6.78-inch FHD+ OLED display, and a beefy 5,500mAh battery.