You Can Get a Great $300 Phone as Long as You Make One Choice

If you need a new phone for less than $300, there are a plenty of options that could fulfill your most important needs. But there's a big trade-off when it comes to phones in this more affordable range. A phone with modern specs like an eye-catching design, improved multitasking and wireless charging might still only receive one or two major software updates and three years of security patches. Some sub-$300 phones have a longer timeline of four years for software updates and five years of security updates. But those devices skimp on certain features, possibly leaving you wanting to upgrade sooner anyway. This is the dilemma I've been weighing after testing a variety of phones that cost less than $300. We take software and security timelines seriously in our reviews because these updates can dictate whether devices get new software features and critical fixes. Now that premium phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 and the Pixel 9 are promised seven years of software and security updates, ... Read full article.