Best smartphones under $600 – October 2025

In 2025, getting a strong phone for under $600 is no longer a fantasy. With tight competition, many brands now offer features once locked to flagships: fast chips, high-refresh displays, AI tools, long support, and good cameras. This guide will lay out five of the best phones you can aim to buy right now under $600.

Samsung’s Fan series has long aimed to blend cost and class. The Galaxy S24 FE 5G gives many top perks at a fair rate. It has a 6.7-inch AMOLED 2X panel that runs at 120 Hz, so all swipes and scrolls look neat and crisp.

The phone runs on the Exynos 2400e chip, which keeps apps fast and games smooth. The 4,700 mAh cell holds charge for a full day with ease, so you can use it from dawn till late with no rush to plug in.

For images, it has a triple camera setup: a 50 MP main, a 12 MP wide, and an 8 MP zoom lens with 3× optic zoom. With Samsung’s AI photo tech, shots stay clear and rich in both sun and dim light.

The build feels firm and slick, with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on top and IP68 dust and water guard. You can drop it or get it wet, and it will still run fine.

Samsung keeps up long patch and OS aid too, so your phone stays safe and fresh for years. This makes it a smart buy for users who plan to keep their phone long term.

The only hitch is cost: in some areas, it sits a bit above $600, so you may need to look for a fair deal. And while it runs well for most needs, long or heavy play can make it warm. Yet for most users, the mix of look, cam, build, and aid makes it one of the best picks in its price band.

Foldables are no longer only for the ultra-rich, and the Motorola razr+ shows how far things have come. Unlike many foldables, this model brings a compelling mix of style, utility, and performance.

Its inner display is large (around 6.9 inches) and likely uses a fast refresh rate to keep visuals smooth. It also has an outer cover display, useful for quick tasks without opening the phone. The hinge feels refined, and newer models improve dust and wear resistance.

Motorola pairs it with a Snapdragon-class chip (e.g. Snapdragon 8s Gen 3) and abundant RAM (e.g. 12 GB), which helps keep the experience snappy. The camera setup is strong: you get a 50 MP main lens and a 50 MP telephoto lens, giving you both wide and zoom capabilities.

Battery life is not perfect in foldables, but Motorola optimizes well. The phone also supports decent charging speeds, and its build and software finesse help it feel like a premium device in a somewhat accessible package.

You should pick the razr+ if you want a mix of novelty and real use — a foldable that works, not just a showpiece. If you push very heavy tasks or want the cheapest, other phones may offer more for the cost.

The HMD Skyline 5G is a lesser-known but very capable option in this tier. HMD brings quality design and solid hardware, often with a cleaner software experience.

Its display is a 6.55-inch pOLED panel with 144 Hz refresh, giving very smooth animation and fluid scrolling. HMD pairs that with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chip, a mid-to-upper mid chip that handles apps, multitasks, and many games comfortably.

On cameras, the Skyline offers a triple lens array: a 108 MP main sensor, 50 MP telephoto, and 13 MP ultrawide. The 50 MP front camera is also strong for selfies. These specs give it room to shine, especially in good light and balanced scenes.

Its battery is 4,600 mAh, which will get you a full day or more under moderate use. Because HMD’s software tends to stay close to “pure Android” with useful extras, users who dislike heavy skins may prefer this. Also, because it’s not as hyped as others, its price often stays lower, giving better value.

The weak spots: in tougher low-light scenes, the performance might not match top flagships, and build or software polish may lag a bit behind big brands. But for many users, Skyline 5G gives a rare mix of clean software, high camera spec, and good display in this price band.

Xiaomi pushes boundaries, and the 14T Pro Ai is a strong example of innovation at mid-high cost. This phone is built to rival flagships without crossing the $600 threshold (depending on region).

Display is 6.67-inch AMOLED, running at 144 Hz, with HDR support, wide color, and very high brightness peaks. The chip is a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, made on a 4 nm process. It handles heavy gaming, multitasking, and AI tasks with ease.

On cameras, Xiaomi gives a triple-lens setup: 50 MP wide, 50 MP telephoto, and 12 MP ultrawide. The presence of a telephoto lens is a plus in this tier, giving better zoom options. Selfies come via a 32 MP front camera.

Software is also a selling point: Xiaomi’s HyperOS includes AI tools like AI Interpreter, AI Notes, and other assistant features. The phone also carries IP68 water/dust resistance and decent build quality.

Its standout trait is offering a full-featured camera + display + AI mix. The trade-offs may be in heating under sustained heavy load or battery drain in very demanding tasks. But for many, the 14T Pro Ai delivers flagship-style perks in a more modest price band.

Most “rugged” phones are niche, but the Galaxy XCover7 Pro brings durability in a more mainstream shell. It is built for users who need a phone that survives rough use—think field work, outdoor tasks, or construction zones—but still does modern tasks well.

You get a display that is bright and usable outdoors, protected in a tougher shell. Its build meets military-grade durability specs and offers strong water/dust resistance. (Samsung’s XCover line is known for such rugged credentials.)

Internally, it balances performance and durability. The phone handles apps, maps, communications, and moderate media use without much fuss. It’s not built for heavy gaming, but it holds up under daily load. The camera is solid, focused on practical shots rather than pushing for creative extremes.

Where it shines is in its resilience and longevity in tough environments. If your phone must survive drops, dust, and water, the XCover7 Pro may outlast many phones built for nicer conditions. Its trade-off is that it won’t beat the camera or display quality of the top phones above, but in its domain (rugged use), it’s a smart pick.

When capping your budget at $600, you see compelling tradeoffs. The Galaxy S24 FE 5G is a well-rounded pick: great display, strong cameras, and long support. The Motorola Razr+ offers a foldable style with real usability. The HMD Skyline 5G gives you clean software, high camera specs, and a good display without hype. The Xiaomi 14T Pro Ai dares to bring flagship-level features—AI functions, telephoto, fast chip—in a mid-range price. And the Galaxy XCover7 Pro is your pick if you need ruggedness above all.