We put ten cheap phones to the test – here are our favourite Samsungs, iPhones and Pixels for £500 or less

<p>A new smartphone needn’t cost a fortune. From Samsung, Google, Apple and more, these are the lower-cost models we rate most – and how to buy a refurbished handset</p><p>• <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/mar/27/from-smash-proof-cases-to-updates-how-to-make-