
Best $500 phone you can buy

Xiaomi
Best camera phone of 2023
Google Pixel 9a
Google Pixel 9a
Google Pixel 9a
A 6.3-inch P-OLED with 2,700 nits peak brightness (100 nits brighter than the Samsung S25 Ultra), 120Hz adaptive refresh, 1080p resolution, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Reviewers love the brightness in sunlight and the dynamic refresh between 60 and 120 Hz, but some flag a visible 'mura' or grain pattern on the panel and slightly chunky bezels for the price tier.
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Xiaomi 13 Ultra
Xiaomi 13 Ultra
Xiaomi 13 Ultra
The 6.73" LTPO AMOLED at QHD+ 120Hz with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ is among the best smartphone panels of 2023 — 2,600-nit peak brightness, though only briefly under direct sunlight as Wired notes.
Google Pixel 9a
48MP main camera (f/1.7, OIS, smaller sensor than Pixel 9 but bigger than Pixel 8a's 64MP) + 13MP ultrawide. Pixel image processing produces 'classic Pixel HDR look' that reviewers consistently rate the best camera in the under-$500 price bracket. Macro mode, Add Me, Night Sight, and Magic Editor all included; video capped at 4K 60fps rear / 4K 30fps front and ultrawide.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a camera-first phone — four 50MP cameras with Leica tuning, a 1" variable-aperture main sensor, and an accessory grip that turns it into a proper mirrorless workflow. The consensus across Wired, PetaPixel, Phone Arena, Android Authority, and Android Headlines: best camera phone of 2023.
Google Pixel 9a
5,100 mAh battery is the largest in any Pixel ever — bigger than the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra's. Tom's Guide measured 13h 8m web surfing on a single charge; reviewers consistently report 7-8 hours of screen-on time and comfortable two-day light usage. Charging is the obvious weak point: 23W wired (full charge in ~1h 41m) and 7.5W Qi wireless are slow vs midrange competitors hitting 50W+.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra
5,000mAh battery + class-leading 90W wired and 50W wireless charging — Reddit's drain shootout placed it ahead of S22 Ultra, OnePlus 11, and Pixel 7 Pro at 10h 26min total SOT.
Google Pixel 9a
At $499 retail (with frequent sale pricing of $349-$399), the Pixel 9a is the consensus best value in the midrange. Reviewers position it favorably against the iPhone 16e ($599), Samsung A56, Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and Xiaomi Poco F7 Pro. The $300 price gap with the flagship Pixel 9 makes the 9a 'almost comical' to choose against, per Trusted Reviews.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra
The 13 Ultra's value proposition depends entirely on region — at 5,999 yuan ($870) in China it's a steal; at €1,500 European import or US grey-market it's premium-priced and a niche purchase. Galaxy S23 Ultra at $1,199 wins the official-availability + 4+5-year update fight.