Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a is one of the best budget Android phones, and it's certainly the best camera experience in its entire bracket. This one is a great purchase even at the full $450, but when you can get it for $250, it's simply undeniable. And if you're wanting to test out the latest versions of Android, the Pixel 6a is eligible for the Android QPR beta as well as the Android 14 developer preview.
The Google Pixel 6a is a fantastic budget phone, and we truly enjoyed reviewing this device — and just using it as a daily driver. Given its price range, it wasn't hard to turn this particular model into our favorite budget phone of 2022. At its regular $450 price point, it's already a great recommendation. But we've seen the Pixel 6a available for $250 before, which makes it an absolute bargain, and now, it's down to this all-time-low again.
The $250 price tag is attached to one little condition over at Best Buy, namely "Activate Today." While the phone is completely unlocked, you do have to choose between one of the selected providers during the checkout process. Best Buy allows you to pick between Verizon, T-Mobile, Google Fi, and AT&T. If you want to gift the phone to someone else or simply pick a different provider, you'll have to pay $300 for the device, which is its price at both Amazon and the Google Store. This is still a fantastic price, of course.
What you'll love about the Google Pixel 6a
If you want a phone that you can comfortably use with a single hand, the Pixel 6a is perfect for you. This phone has a 6.1-inch FHD+ display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The phone runs on the Google Tensor chip and has 6GB of RAM, and you get 128GB of storage space for all your apps and pictures. While the Pixel 6a's cameras may not seem all that exciting on a spec sheet, Google's computational photography prowess allows this budget phone to punch well above its weight class.
The phone runs on a 4,400mAh battery, so you should get a full day's worth of use out of it, and recharging it shouldn't take too long, either. You shouldn't need to go running for an open outlet or a pocketable power bank the way you might on the Pixel 6.
With the Pixel 6a back to the best price of $250 with Activate today and $300 without it, you should really consider getting yourself one of these. We promise it's going to fit into your pocket, unlike most phones these days. Plus, since you're saving quite a bit of money, you may also want to get a case for the Pixel 6a so you can ensure you won't need a replacement after that first serious drop.