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8 Best Cheap Phones (2026), Tested and Reviewed

Wired / 19 February 2026 / Yesterday

Culture Index

Score Breakdown

Relevance

14/25

Freshness

13/25

Authority

14/20

Brand Signal

3/15

Depth

11/15

5-Axis Cultural Radar

There’s little reason to pay top dollar for a smartphone. These iPhones and Android devices—ranging from $100 to $600—stood up to WIRED’s testing.