Best Phones Under $800 Right Now

Flagship phone prices keep creeping further past the $1,200 mark every year, but you genuinely don't need to spend anywhere near that much to get excellent, current-generation hardware. Right now, two phones in particular — the iPhone 17 and the Nothing Phone (3) — both land at exactly $799, offering real flagship-tier performance without flagship-tier pricing. Here's how they actually compare, and what else is worth considering under that $800 line.

iPhone 17: the safer, more mainstream pick

At $799 for 256GB, the iPhone 17 undercuts Apple's own Pro models by hundreds of dollars while still delivering the A19 chip, a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display at 120Hz, and a genuinely capable 48MP main plus 48MP ultra-wide camera system. For anyone already inside Apple's ecosystem — AirPods, Apple Watch, a Mac — this is the obvious budget-conscious entry point that doesn't feel like a compromise the way older "budget iPhone" models sometimes did. iOS's long software support window (typically five-plus years of updates) also means this phone won't feel outdated anywhere near as fast as a similarly priced Android phone from a smaller brand might.

Nothing Phone (3): the design-forward alternative

Nothing's $799 Phone (3) takes a completely different approach, leaning on a distinctive transparent-back design and Glyph lighting system that no other phone on the market replicates. Underneath the design flair, it packs a genuinely capable Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, and a triple 50MP camera setup. Its 5,150mAh battery is smaller than some rivals but still solid for a full day of typical use, backed by 65W wired charging that's meaningfully faster than the iPhone 17's charging speed. If you want a phone that looks different from everything else on the market and don't mind stepping outside Apple's or Samsung's ecosystems, this is one of the more interesting options at this exact price point.

What you're giving up compared to true flagships

Neither phone matches the absolute top-tier specs of a Galaxy S25 Ultra or Xiaomi 15 Ultra — you're giving up things like periscope telephoto zoom, the largest battery capacities, and the fastest charging speeds on the market. The iPhone 17 specifically lacks a telephoto lens entirely (that's reserved for Apple's Pro line), and the Nothing Phone (3)'s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, while capable, is a step below the full Snapdragon 8 Elite found in pricier phones. For the vast majority of everyday use — messaging, social media, browsing, photography, moderate gaming — neither limitation will be noticeable day to day.

Other phones worth checking under $800

The used and previous-generation market is worth a look too: last year's flagship from any major brand often drops well under $800 once its successor launches, while still running current software and getting several more years of updates. Carrier trade-in promotions can also bring newer phones — including some models above this list's $799 baseline — down into this price range for buyers willing to trade in an old device. Refurbished flagships from certified sellers are another route worth comparing directly against buying new at $799, since a lightly used previous-generation flagship can sometimes out-spec a brand-new budget phone for similar money — just make sure any refurbished purchase comes with a real warranty and a battery health disclosure before committing, since battery degradation is the single biggest hidden cost of buying secondhand.

Side-by-side: the numbers that actually differ

Display size is close — 6.3 inches on the iPhone 17 versus 6.67 inches on the Nothing Phone (3) — but resolution favors Apple's 460ppi LTPO panel over Nothing's less dense screen. Charging tells the opposite story: Nothing's 65W wired charging will refill the phone meaningfully faster than the iPhone 17's roughly 50%-in-20-minutes pace. RAM is another clear Nothing advantage, with up to 16GB available on the 512GB storage tier versus whatever Apple ships as standard (Apple doesn't always publicize RAM figures the way Android manufacturers do, but it's typically lower in raw gigabytes, offset by iOS's tighter memory management). Weight and dimensions are close enough that hand-feel won't meaningfully sway most buyers either direction.

Who this price tier isn't right for

If you specifically need periscope zoom for wildlife or sports photography, the largest possible battery for multi-day trips without a charger, or the single fastest chip available for demanding mobile gaming, neither of these $799 phones is going to satisfy you — that's genuinely what the extra few hundred dollars buys at the true flagship tier. Buyers chasing those specific use cases should look at the Galaxy S25 Ultra, OnePlus 13, or Xiaomi 15 Ultra instead, all of which cost meaningfully more but deliver hardware neither $799 phone on this list attempts to match.

How to decide between them

If you value ecosystem integration, long-term software support, and don't need a telephoto lens, the iPhone 17 is the safer, more broadly appealing choice. If you want a phone that stands out visually, are comfortable with Android, and want faster charging and more RAM headroom, the Nothing Phone (3) is the more distinctive pick. Both are genuinely good phones at this price — neither is a "budget compromise" phone in the way that term usually implies, and picking between them comes down to ecosystem preference and design taste more than any clear performance gap.

Verdict

Under $800, you no longer have to settle for outdated chips or mediocre cameras — both the iPhone 17 and Nothing Phone (3) prove that genuinely excellent phones exist well below the $1,000-plus flagship tier most brands push hardest. Decide based on ecosystem and design preference rather than assuming you need to spend more to get a phone that will still feel good to use in two or three years — resale value and software support timelines matter more to long-term satisfaction than an extra camera lens most people rarely use in practice. For phones that push even further past this price point on camera hardware specifically, our best zoom camera phones guide covers where the extra spending actually goes.