The iPhone 12 is currently the best featured and most powerful iPhone but let’s be honest, those features and performance come at a cost. It has become customary to hear about an iPhone worth over $1,000 AUD, which means if you want a high-performing but cheap iPhone, you have to look elsewhere. Luckily with the release of each iPhone, the older ones become more affordable. But even among the newly released iPhones, there is usually a more affordable option in the range, and for the case of the iPhone 12 series, it’s the iPhone 12 mini. So, while the retail prices of new iPhones may be scary, it’s no reason to worry since there are plenty of affordable options you can rely on. Here is our rundown of some of the best budget iPhones you can buy from a reputable retailer like Phonebot, Jb-Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman.
iPhone 12
I know I just mentioned the prices of new iPhones can be hefty, but the iPhone 12 is an excellent proposal to ignore. It is rightly priced with the 64GB iPhone 12 costing $929 AUD, and the modern features, especially 5G, making it a great choice for a cheap new phone. While it may not have the highlights of the iPhone 12 Pro, it shares the same chip and 6.1-inch screen. It has a good balance of features and only has one less camera (telephoto). It also lacks a lidar scanner and offers fewer storage options. Still, these are not things you will miss. Hence why pay the extra $350 AUD to get the 128GB iPhone 12 Pro. Therefore, if you insist on having a new iPhone, then the iPhone 12 is the best you can get affordably.
iPhone 11
Now that it’s not the latest iPhone, the iPhone 11 makes a great option for the budget buyer. What it lacks in 5G support, OLED, and processing power it more than makes up for in the price. Powered by a high-speed Apple A13 processor and faster than most Android competition, this smartphone is sure to meet your performance needs. Like iPhone 12, it gives up the telephoto lens, but it’s powered by the same chip as the rest of the iPhone 11 range, which means camera performance is just the same. It offers IP68 water and dust resistance, improved stereo speakers including spatial audio, even Dolby Atmos support, and 17 hours of playback on a single charge. It has sufficient battery life to last you a full day’s use. It has 4GB RAM, and storage options are 64GB, 128BG, and 256GB, which means more options for a tight budget.
iPhone XR
If it’s screen real estate you want on a modest budget, the iPhone XR will not disappoint you. It has the same design as the iPhone X and iPhone 11 range, FaceID, wireless charging, and fun color choices for the device. It runs Apple’s A12 Bionic chip just like the iPhone XS series phones, which means it is still mighty fast 2 years after its release. It also receives software updates, including the latest iOS update. It features haptic touch instead of a 3D touch, making it more responsive even with the IP67 water resistance rating. Given that it also has 16 hours video playback, a contemporary design, and features to match, it is one of the biggest budget iPhones you can buy now.
iPhone SE
The iPhone SE 2020 shares most of the features of the iPhone 8 with only the addition of the A13 Bionic chip—similar to the iPhone 11 series. This is not a bad recipe, given that the same platform was used to make the iPhone X. Apple’s A13 Bionic chip means faster processing power and faster connectivity to an already proven iPhone 8 platform. Because the iPhone 8 still receives software updates, the iPhone SE 2020 becomes a future-proofed version only it’s more affordable than most phones you can buy at the moment. Combine that with the latest iOS, IP67 water resistance, 18W fast charging, TouchID, 12 MP camera, and 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage options, and the small price becomes an automatic bargain. You should note that you can still buy the iPhone 8 as a budget iPhone, but the iPhone SE 2020’s features make an excellent case for the best smallest budget iPhone in 2021.
iPhone X
We have already mentioned the more recent iPhone XR, but the iPhone X deserves a special mention because of its vastly understated features. With a dual-camera setup, Super Retina OLED with HDR10, and Dolby Vision support plus FaceID, this is one of the cheapest best-featured iPhones of recent times you can buy. It also shares many internals with the iPhone 8. However, because of its contemporary design and the subtle but impactful changes, it is the better phone.
Before you decide which one to buy, note that these devices are available as refurbished. Your choice of which best cheap iPhone to buy will depend on your budget, features you want, and how you use your phone. That said, these are great iPhones, and you won’t go wrong settling on any of them.
