You might think you have to spend close to £800 to get a decent phone with a great camera, software, and performance. What if I tell you that you can pick an excellent phone with a budget of around 400 pounds in the UK? Well, not so excellent but it will deliver in almost every aspect you can imagine. We are listing the best phones under 400 pounds here today.
Budget phones are closing the gap with high-end flagship phones. That wasn’t the case a few years ago had to spend a lot to get the best out of a phone. There are a lot of phones under 400 pounds, and it can be overwhelming to choose from. We are taking the stress away from you after we analyzed over 50+ phones to develop this list.
The phones listed below are the best under £400 in the UK. They have excellent software, design, and camera. Make sure you review them carefully to see which is best for you.
The 10 Best Smartphones Under £400 Pounds in United Kingdome 2023
1. Samsung Galaxy A54
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is already one of the best Samsung phones of 2023. It has a premium glass build, and if you place it side by side with the S23 ultra, you will see that there isn’t much difference. The phone also has an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, matching competing phones. It has a Super AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and Full HD+ resolution.
The display size is 6.4 inches and can reach peak brightness of 1000 nits outdoors. It is among the first Samsung phones to receive the upcoming Android 14 update, and it is powered by the Exynos 1380. The phone is suitable for running demanding games like PUBG and COD mobile.
You can get the model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage but it might cost more than £400. It has a 50MP primary camera and a 32MP selfie camera. You can also shoot 4k videos with the front and back camera. The battery is 5000mAh, and it supports 25 watts fast charging.
Samsung Galaxy A54 Specifications
- Display Size: 6.4 inches (1080 x 2340)
- Display Type: Super AMOLED, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 8GB & 128GB
- Operating System: Android 13, One UI 5.1
- Chipset: Exynos 1380
- Camera: 50MP + 12MP + 5MP Selfie: 32MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price:
2. Redmi Note 12 Pro
The Redmi Note 12 Pro is among the best phones under 300 pounds. It has a glass build like most of its competition and an IP53 water and dust resistance rating. The phone has an OLED display that can reach 900 nits under the sun, and the resolution is 1080p. It is protected by the corning gorilla glass 5, and the screen size is 6.67 inches.
You get a 50MP primary camera and a 16MP selfie camera. Only the rear camera can shoot 4K videos. The phone runs on Android 12, and MIUI 13 is the user interface. It is powered by the Dimensity 1080 with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. The battery is 5000mAh, and it supports 67 watts fast charging. it takes around 46 minutes to charge from zero to a hundred.
Redmi Note 12 Pro Specifications
- Display Size: 6.4 inches (1080 x 2400)
- Display Type: OLED, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 12GB & 256GB
- Operating System: Android 12, MIUI 13
- Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 1080
- Camera: 50MP + 8MP + 5MP Selfie: 16MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price:
3. Poco X5 Pro 5G
The Poco X5 Pro is another budget option with around 400 pounds. It has a glass build like most phones within its price category and an IP53 water and dust resistance rating. The display is AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution. It has a 6.67-inch size with up to 1000 nits of brightness outdoors. The display is protected by the corning gorilla glass 5.
It runs on Android 12, and MIUI 14 for Poco is the user interface. The Snapdragon 778G 5 G powers 8GB RAM and 256GB storage space. It has a 5000mAh battery, and it supports 67 watts fast charging. The phone charges from zero to a hundred in under an hour. It has a 108MP primary camera and a 16MP selfie camera, and they are both impressive cameras.
Poco X5 Pro Specifications
- Display Size: 6.67 inches (1080 x 2400)
- Display Type: AMOLED, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 8GB & 256GB
- Operating System: Android 12, MIUI 14 for Poco
- Chipset: Snapdragon 778G 5G
- Camera: 108MP + 8MP + 2MP Selfie: 16MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price:
4. Honor 90
The Honor 90 is arguably the best phone under 300 pounds right now. It has a unique glass build with an AMOLED screen and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The display can reach up to 1600 nits of brightness, making it the brightest display within the price range. It runs on Android 13, and Magic OS 7.1 is the user interface. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition. You can get up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage space if you want but it will cost more than £400. The primary camera is 200MP, and you get a 50MP camera for selfies. You can shoot up to 4K with front and back cameras. The battery is 5000mAh, and it supports 66 watts fast charging. you can also reverse charge other phones at 5 watts.
Honor 90 Specifications
- Display Size: 6.7 inches (1200 x 2664)
- Display Type: AMOLED, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 16GB & 512GB
- Operating System: Android 13, Magic OS 7.1
- Chipset: Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
- Camera: 200MP + 12MP + 2MP Selfie: 50MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price: 399
5. Realme 11 Pro+
The Realme 11 Pro+ has a sleek leather finish with a unique design at the back. It has an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution. The display size is 6.7 inches and can reach up to 1000 nits outdoors. It comes powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 with up to 12GB RAM and 1TB storage space. The primary camera is 200MP, and it has a 32MP selfie camera. You can only shoot 4K videos with the rear camera. It has a 5000mAh battery, and it supports 100 watts fast charging. There is an under-display fingerprint scanner on the phone, and it is fast.
Realme 11 Pro+ Specifications
- Display Size: 6.7 inches (1080 x 2412)
- Display Type: AMOLED, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 12GB & 1TBB
- Operating System: Android 13, Realme UI 4.0
- Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 7050
- Camera: 200MP + 8MP + 5MP Selfie: 32MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price:
6. OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is the more affordable option on the list, and it has a plastic build. The phone has an IPS LCD screen with a 120 Hz refresh rate and 700 nits of peak brightness. It has a display resolution of 1080, and the size is 6.72 inches. The Snapdragon 695G 5 G gives the phone 8GB RAM and 256GB storage space. It comes with a 108MP primary camera and a 16MP selfie camera. It has a 5000mAh battery, and it supports 67 watts fast charging. The phone is a good option with a budget way below 400 pounds.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite Specifications
- Display Size: 6.72 inches (1080 x 2400)
- Display Type: IPS LCD, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 8GB & 256GB
- Operating System: Android 13, Oxygen OS 13.1
- Chipset: Exynos 1380
- Camera: 108MP + 2MP + 2MP Selfie: 16MP
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price:
7. Samsung Galaxy A34 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A34 is one of the best phones under 400 pounds. It has a plastic build and frame with an under-display fingerprint scanner. The display is super AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution. It has a 6.6-inch size, which is decent enough for gaming. The phone has an IP67 water and dust resistance rating. It runs on Android 13 and One UI, and 5.1 is the user interface. The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 with 6 or 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. It has a 48MP primary camera and a 13MP camera. The battery is 5000mAh, and it supports 25 watts of fast charging.
Samsung Galaxy A34 Key Features
- Display Size: 6.6 inches (1080 x 2340)
- Display Type: AMOLED, 120Hz
- RAM & Storage: 6 or 8GB RAM & 128 & 256GB storage space.
- Camera: 48MP + 8MP + 5MP Selfie: 13MP
- Software: Android 13 One UI 5.1
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 1080
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Price: £348.00
8. Nothing Phone 1
When Carl Pei left OnePlus, many people anticipated his next move. He first released an earbud, the Nothing Earbud (1), with a transparent design. The first phone she released also came with a transparent design with over 700 LED strip lights that glow when there is a notification on the phone. It has a complete glass build with aluminum frames. The phone is also IP53-rated against water and dust.
It comes with an OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The glass is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, and we also have an in-display fingerprint scanner. It has 8 or 12GB RAM, and the Snapdragon 778+ 5G powers it. The software is Android 12 with Nothing OS 1.1; Carl also stated that the software will be open to modifications from the general public. It comes with a 50MP primary camera and a 16MP selfie camera. The Nothing Phone 1 has a 5000mAh battery and 33-watt fast charging support.
Nothing Phone 1 Specifications
- Display Size: 6.55 inches (1080 x 2400)
- Display Type: OLED, 120Hz
- RAM and Storage: 8 or 12GB RAM & 128 or 256GB Storage
- Operating System: Android 12, Nothing OS 1.1.3
- Chipset: Snapdragon 778+ 5G
- Camera: 50MP + 50MP Selfie: 16MP
- Battery: 4500mAh
- Price: £399.00
9. Pixel 6a
The Pixel 6a is Google’s budget offering for 2022 and it has generated a lot of buzzes online because it has only the Standard 60Hz refresh rate. It comes with a compact 6.1-inch display, and if you like small phones, you will love the Pixel 6a. The phone also has an optical under-display fingerprint scanner that is fast. It also has an IP67 dust and water resistance rating. Google also uses plastic on the rear to reduce the phone’s price. Plastic is more durable than glass in case of accidental falls.
The phone runs on Android 13 after Google released the upgrade. Pixels are usually the first to receive any Android upgrade. The Google Tensor powers the phone with 6GB RAM, sufficient to handle any task. The primary camera is 12MP, the great hardware we had on the Pixel 5 series. We have an 8MP selfie camera that is also great. The Pixel 6a has one of the best cameras for under £400. It also has a 4410mAh battery and supports 18 watts of fast charging. It is simply one of the best phones under 400 pounds.
Pixel 6a Specifications
- Display Size: 6.1 inches (1080 x 2400)
- Display Type: OLED
- RAM and Storage: 6GB RAM & 128GB Storage
- Operating System: Android 13
- Chipset: Google Tensor
- Camera: 12MP + 12MP Selfie: 8MP
- Battery: 4410mAh
- Price: £379.00
10. Xiaomi 12 Lite
The Xiaomi 12 Lite is a model of the Xiaomi 12 series, and it comes with a premium glass build at the front and back. It has plastic frames, one of the areas Xiaomi cut corners to keep it cheap. It has an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and full HD+ resolution. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 778 5G with 6 or 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage space. It runs on Android 12, and MIUI 13 is the user interface. The primary camera on the phone is 108MP, and it has a 32MP selfie camera. It has dual loudspeakers, and it also has an under-display optical fingerprint scanner. The battery is 4300mAh and can last a day on a single charge.
Xiaomi 12 Lite Specifications
- Display Size: 6.55 inches (1080 x 2400)
- Display type: AMOLED, 120Hz
- RAM and Storage: 6 or 12GB & 128 or 256GB
- Operating System: Android 12, MIUI 6.1
- Chipset: Snapdragon 778G 5G
- Camera: 108MP + 8MP + 2MP Selfie: 32MP
- Battery: 4300mAh
- Price: £384
A Quick Recap: The List of Best phones under 400 pounds:
- Samsung Galaxy A54
- Redmi Note 12 Pro
- Poco X5 Pro
- Honor 90
- Realme 11 Pro+
- OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite
- Samsung Galaxy A34
- Nothing Phone 1
- Pixel 6A
- Xiaomi 12 Lite
