Costs are creeping up but you can still get a decent smartphone without having to pay premium prices.
But not every model can deliver great bang for your buck. Some are laggy and hard to use, others have poor battery life for the price.
Our latest review of 45 smartphones can help you find the best option that won’t break the bank.
It’s been a long, long time since good quality smartphones cost an arm and a leg. While prices have been creeping up as of late, affordable, entry-level to mid-range Android and iOS devices can still easily meet the demands of most consumers.
But that doesn’t mean the market is dud-free. Rather, what’s considered a poor performer in 2025 may have been a decent phone in 2020. It’s important to keep this context in mind if you can remember the very first iPhone – how are your joints feeling, by the way?
Some phones are cheap because they’re just not very good. Others really underperform for the price, especially when it comes to battery life.
In our comprehensive product tests, our experts have identified the smartphones you should avoid and the models with the worst batteries.
The worst smartphones in our test
The poorest performers in our smartphone test also happen to be the cheapest. Though the market is full of models that are arguably overpriced, the truth is that low-cost smartphones are often a case of getting what you paid for.
Nokia G42 5G
Nokia’s G42 5G is nothing to write home about.
Price (RRP): $449
CHOICE Expert Rating: 58%
Camera quality score: 52%
Battery life score: 58%
Performance score: 50%
Display score: 56%
Battery life (hours): 35:30
The G42 5G is just so middle of the road that it’s really only worth considering during a sale, because $449 is far too much for a phone that’s only OK.
Granted, it has a decent set of features that operate well and it is quite durable. But all the other features – display, overall performance, camera quality and battery life – are pretty mediocre. Actually, there isn’t much more to say, this phone is just that average.
Poor performance means the G24 runs slowly and the display is difficult to use.
Price (RRP): $229
CHOICE Expert Rating: 59%
Camera quality score: 51%
Battery life score: 61%
Performance score: 43%
Display score: 49%
Battery life (hours): 43:00
The G24 isn’t too bad when you consider the price, but it falls apart in some key areas. Performance, in particular, is poor, which means this phone runs slowly.
That may not be a deal-breaker depending on your needs, but the borderline quality screen is also difficult to use. These issues are enough to make this smartphone one to avoid.
Credit where credit is due, though: sound quality is great. Perhaps it is worth considering if you love listening to music exclusively through smartphone speakers (that’s a joke, please don’t do that).
Smartphones with the shortest battery life in our test
Google might be one of the biggest tech companies on the planet, but many of its smartphones bombed out in our battery tests. The recently released iPhone Air also struggles to hold a decent charge compared to other models from Apple.
These are the only models to score less than 50% in our battery life test, despite many being at the pricier end of the spectrum.
Many Google Pixel phones have the lowest scoring batteries in our test.
Google Pixel 8
Price (RRP): $1199
Battery life score: 48%
Battery life (hours): 19:30
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Price (RRP): $2299
Battery life score: 48%
Battery life (hh:mm): 18:00
Apple iPhone Air
Price (RRP): $1799
Battery life score: 49%
Battery life (hh:mm): 29:30
Google Pixel 8a
Price (RRP): $949
Battery life score: 49%
Battery life (hh:mm): 22:30
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Price (RRP): $1699
Battery life score: 49%
Battery life (hh:mm): 21:00
How we test battery life
A complete discharge of the battery from 100% charge based on a typical user day. This includes calls, navigation, camera use, web browsing and periods where the phone is on but not in use. The test cycle is conducted using a robot arm that simulates a human finger, for test consistency across devices.
Each device is tested with two brightness settings, 300 nits and maximum. Display is set to dim after one minute of inactivity. Two notifications per hour (display switches on / vibration alarm) are sent to the device under test. Charge time is also recorded and assessed at 15 minutes and to total charge.
Battery life in hours and minutes is recorded based on the typical user day scenario with the screen brightness set to maximum.
Text-only accessible version
Smartphones with the worst batteries
Google Pixel 8: Price (RRP): $1199, Battery life score: 48%, Battery life: 19 hours 30 minutes.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Price (RRP): $2299, Battery life score: 48%, Battery life: 18 hours.
Apple iPhone Air: Price (RRP): $1799, Battery life score: 49%, Battery life: 29 hours 30 minutes
Google Pixel 8a: Price (RRP): $949, Battery life score: 49%, Battery life: 22 hours 30 minutes.
Google Pixel 9 Pro: Price (RRP): $1699, Battery life score: 49%, Battery life: 21 hours.
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Peter Zaluzny is a Content producer in the Digital home team. He covers everything from home entertainment and personal safety devices to tech for your car and mattresses.
Peter enjoys cutting through the nonsense to help people understand the products they’re considering to buy. He helps consumers make educated, informed decisions.
Peter has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wollongong.
Peter Zaluzny is a Content producer in the Digital home team. He covers everything from home entertainment and personal safety devices to tech for your car and mattresses.
Peter enjoys cutting through the nonsense to help people understand the products they’re considering to buy. He helps consumers make educated, informed decisions.
Peter has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wollongong.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.
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