Top inexpensive smartphones of summer 2023 – hot new products up to 10,000 UAH

THIS SUMMER A few good budget ones came out.

The desire to buy a new smartphone and an inexpensive smartphone often come into conflict: everyone knows that the best budget phone is a cheaper flagship. But those who want to get a brand new smartphone out of the box without overpaying also have plenty to choose from – summer 2023 was rich in releases. We have already written about the top flagships of the summer season, so now it’s the turn of the cheapest smartphones.

Oppo K11

This is perhaps the most expensive phone in the top, but a real star. It can be called the cheapest camera phone thanks to the flagship Sony IMX890 sensor of the 50 MP main camera with optical stabilization. There is also an 8 MP sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2 MP macro lens. In fact, Oppo K11 is an analogue of OnePlus Nord 3 CE in a different design and at a significantly lower cost.

Other specifications of the Oppo K11 are also not far behind. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 782G processor is installed here, which is an improved version of the famous Snapdragon 778G. The chip, based on an efficient 6 nm process technology, does not overheat and demonstrates good performance in games.

The Full HD+ OLED flat screen produced by BOE has a diagonal of 6.7” and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Peak brightness is 1100 nits, PWM frequency is 2160 Hz. This is the best screen in this collection. Complementing this celebration is a 5,000 mAh battery that charges in just 26 minutes with a 100W charger.

This is the highest value among the models presented here; this charging speed is not available even to the flagships of Samsung and Apple. Oppo K11 has a linear vibration motor, an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, an IR emitter, an NFC chip, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth modules. Memory options are available in 8/256 GB, 12/256 GB and 12/512 GB.

Apparently, starting at $250, this phone is a very good deal, even if you were planning on a cheaper device. The reason is the best value for money, which even includes some flagship specifications.

Realme 11 5G and Realme 11x 5G

When this smartphone was released in Taiwan, it was, well, somewhat less budget (from $312 for the 8/128 GB model and goes up to $337 for the 8/256 GB model). But the Indian release, priced from $230, changed that. Realme 11 5G features a 6.72” Full HD+ 120Hz AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 550 nits.

In the middle there is a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor (a model based on the well-known and quite good Dimensity 810), 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128 or 256 GB of data storage. Memory can be increased using a microSD slot.

The main camera has a 108 MP ISOCELL HM6 sensor and there is also a 2 MP depth sensor. The 16 MP selfie camera is located in the center, which is a bonus in the design of the budget phone. The 5,000 mAh battery supports 67 W fast charging – good speed compared to other budget phones. There is a fingerprint scanner on the right side. The smartphone is available in Glory Gold and Glory Black colors.

The more affordable Realme 11x 5G features a 120Hz IPS screen with 680 nits peak brightness (which is excellent) and Full HD+ resolution. The processor is also 6100+, 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and only 128 GB of storage. The camera is only 64 MP, the selfie camera is 8 MP, also in a separate cutout, not a drop.

The battery in Realme 11x 5G is also 5000 mAh, but charging is only at 33 W. The smartphones run Realme UI 4.0 based on Android 13. In India, the price of 11x 5G starts at $194, which is very attractive for a smartphone with such a good design and equipment. The colors of the younger model are slightly different, Midnight Black and Purple Dawn.

Redmi Note 12R

This is the first smartphone with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor (2 A78 cores + nf6 A55 cores on a modern 4 nm process technology). The processor and several other camera parameters are the biggest differences from the regular Redmi Note 12. The smartphone has a 6.79” IPS with FHD+ resolution and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The main camera is 50 MP f/1.8, there is also an 8 MP macro. The 5 MP selfie camera is located in the cutout at the top center of the screen.

Redmi Note 12R comes with 4 GB, 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and 128/256 GB of storage, which can be expanded using a microSD card slot. 5000 mAh battery, charging only 18 W – in 2023 Redmi should be ashamed of this value. Available in three colors: Midnight Black, Time Blue and Sky Fantasy.

The price of the younger versions at $140-$150 makes the Redmi Note 12R an extremely attractive offer. RAM 4 GB or 6 GB is by no means critical for a budget employee. But for 256 GB of memory (8/256) you will have to pay an additional $100, which cannot be called adequate.



Poco M6 Pro

This smartphone can be considered a clone of Redmi Note 12R. It is also powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip, rivaling the powerful Snapdragon 778G and Dimencity 1080. The Poco M6 Pro features a 6.79” IPS FHD+ display with a frequency of 90Hz and a peak brightness of 550 nits.

Poco M6 Pro has exactly the same camera with a budget Samsung JN1 sensor, which allows you to take high-quality photos only in sufficient lighting. The smartphone does not have an ultra-wide-angle lens; the cutout on the screen, which is quite small, houses the 8 MP front camera. Poco’s traditional advantages are low price, body design in its own style, which distinguishes smartphones from others, and can be sold all over the world.


The battery is 5000mAh with an 18W charger, however it supports faster charging at 22.5W with any external charger. Priced at just $160 for the 6GB/128GB version in India, the Poco M6 Pro is a very attractive buy, with a cheaper 4GB version also available.

Vivo Y77t

This smartphone is here primarily because it is beautiful. All three color options are interesting and original, shimmering and changing color. In general, the design is more than pleasant for a budget phone costing from $190 (1399 yuan ($190) for the 8/256 GB version and 1599 yuan ($220) for 12/256 GB). The attractive Vivo Y77t shell houses the Dimensity 7020 processor, and the storage capacity is only 256 GB.

The main camera of the Vivo Y77t has a 50 MP sensor, next to it is a 2 MP depth sensor. In the center of the screen is a hole for an 8 MP selfie camera. The 6.64” IPS display has Full HD+ resolution and a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz.

The 5000 mAh battery supports fast charging up to 44 W – like the future flagships Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Ultra and more than some of the above models. The smartphone is very similar to the recent Y78, but cheaper and more balanced in terms of characteristics.



Most of these smartphones are not yet on sale, but some of them can already be ordered on Aliexpress, for which you can use detailed instructions. Also, in the event of an official appearance on the market, the price may differ slightly from those given here, but at the same time they will remain favorable in terms of price and quality ratio.

Publication date:
09/17/2023