“Cheap phones are getting good. And good phones are getting cheap,” says a famous tech YouTuber (no prizes for guessing who). Although it’s been several years since that statement was first made, it still holds true today. For under RM500, you can find lots of decent budget smartphones that do the basic stuff very well. Plus, they also make good phones for elderly parents, kids, and even as a spare or backup phone for yourself. We’ve rounded up some of the best phones under RM500 that should be on your radar if you are shopping for a budget phone.
10 Best Phones Under RM500 You Can Buy Right Now
For those who need a good-enough phone without the extras.
1. realme c51
The realme C51 is one of the best choices for phones under RM500 packing a 5,000mAh battery with 33W SuperVOOC Charge that offers extended usage without needing to spend too much time tethered to the charging cable. Also, it is one of a few Android phones with a feature mimicking the iPhone’s Dynamic Island, offering important status info at a glance around its notch area.
Specs
| Display | 6.74-inch (1600 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Processor | Unisoc Tiger T612 |
| Storage | 128GB (expandable up to 2TB) |
| Rear Camera | 50MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 (with realme UI T) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh (with 33W wired fast charging) |
2. realme c30s
If you want an even more affordable realme smartphone without losing the big battery, the realme c30s is for you. On top of that, the ultra slim and light device also offers a fast side fingerprint scanner and a three-card slot for fitting in two SIM cards and a microSD card.
Specs
| Display | 6.5-inch (1600 x 720 resolution) |
| RAM | 2GB/3GB/4GB |
| Processor | Octa-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| Storage | 32GB/64GB (expandable up to 1TB) |
| Rear Camera | 8MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Operating System | Android 12 (with realme UI Go Edition) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh (with 10W wired fast charging) |
3. Oppo A18
It is not uncommon to find your smartphone feeling sluggish after years of using it, especially on budget smartphones. However, Oppo toutes that the A18 can run smoothly for as long as 36 months with 4GB extended RAM and a dynamic computing engine, ensuring that this phone can be long-lasting.
Specs
| Display | 6.56-inch (1612 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G85 |
| Storage | 128GB (expandable up to 1TB) |
| Rear Camera | 8MP primary + 2MP mono |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 (with ColorOS 14) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
4. Oppo A17k
What’s the difference between the Oppo A17K and Oppo A18, you ask? The few notable ones are the former only has a single rear camera, no 90Hz display, and lower water resistance. If you’re fine with these trade-offs, you can save around RM100 by going for the Oppo A17K.
Specs
| Display | 6.56-inch (1612 x 720 resolution) |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G35 |
| Storage | 64GB |
| Rear Camera | 8MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Operating System | Android 12 (with ColorOS 12.1) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
5. Infinix Smart8 Pro
Despite its RM399 price tag, the Infinix Smart8 Pro is among the best phones under RM500 that punch above its weight in terms of specs. For one, it offers up to 16GB of RAM with its extended RAM feature. Other hardware worth noting are a 6.6-inch display and 50MP AI Camera.
Specs
| Display | 6.6-inch (1612 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 4GB/8GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G36 |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB (expandable up to 2TB) |
| Rear Camera | 50MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 (with XOS 13) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
6. Redmi 13C
Redmi has always been one of the leading budget smartphone makers in the market, and their latest and best phone under RM500 to recommend is the Redmi 13C. Besides a decent set of specs which include a triple-camera setup, 6GB RAM, and a generous 5,000mAh battery, it also keeps a 3.5mm audio jack for those who still love using good old wired earphones.
Specs
| Display | 6.74-inch (1600 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 6GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G85 |
| Storage | 128GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP primary + 2MP macro |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 (with MIUI 14) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh (with 18W fast charging) |
7. Redmi A3
For a little less, you can also consider the Redmi A3. Despite it having slightly lesser specs than the Redmi 13C, it still maintains a sizeable display with 90Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery. If camera hardware is low on your priority list, this makes for a good option that can save you some bucks.
Specs
| Display | 6.71-inch (1650 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 3GB/4GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G36 |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB |
| Rear Camera | 8MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Operating System | Android 14 |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
8. Poco C65
You can’t go wrong with this popular value-for-money brand. The Poco C65 is one of their latest arrivals in the market, and it has the hardware chops to be one of the best phones under RM500 to buy. You’re looking at a 6.74-inch 90Hz display, plentiful 6GB RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Specs
| Display | 6.74-inch (1600 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G85 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP primary + 2MP macro |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 (with MIUI 14 for Poco) |
| Battery | 5,000mAh (with 18W fast charging) |
9. Honor X5 Plus
Like many smartphones in this list, you will find similar specs with the Honor X5 Plus. However, it does have a little leg up compared with the rest in the form of its 5,200mAh battery. The extra juice will definitely help if you value any extra minute you can squeeze out of your phone before plugging it into the charger.
Specs
| Display | 6.56-inch (1612 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G36 |
| Storage | 64GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP primary + 2MP depth sensor |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 (with MagicOS 7.1) |
| Battery | 5,200mAh |
10. Tecno Spark 20C
Tecno might be a name you are unfamiliar with, but don’t let that deter you from checking out their phones because there are some definite gems in there. Case in point: the Tecno Spark 20C is one of the best phones under RM500 contenders with a commendable spec list which includes a 32MP selfie camera and RAM that can go up to 16GB.
Specs
| Display | 6.6-inch (1612 x 720 resolution) 90Hz |
| RAM | 4GB/8GB |
| Storage | 128GB |
| Rear Camera | 50MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP |
| Operating System | Android 13 |
| Battery | 5,200mAh (with 18W fast charging) |
These Under-RM500 Phones Offer The Best Bang For Your Buck
Budget smartphones have come a long way. A few years ago, you would only find phones with basic and measly features at these price points. But now, you get ones that come with multiple cameras and massive batteries that rival some of their far more expensive counterparts. Sure, they may not have all the limelight-stealing bells and whistles, but some of the best phones under RM500 are more than enough to serve a lot of people’s smartphone needs. For them, value is the phone’s greatest feature.
Want more budget recommendations? How about checking out these eight laptops under RM2,000 for work-from-home and online classes?
