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Cell Phone Radar

Updated Nov 12, 2026

Best cell phone up to $1,600 dollars today

Today’s picks

  1. No proven discountThe best up to $1,600 · score 8.7
    score 8.7

    Apple

    iPhone 18 Pro

    256 GB12 GB RAM

    $1,439

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forSmall cell phone

    Prosthe RAM 12 GB · above average

  2. No proven discountBest value · score 8.4
    score 8.4

    Samsung

    Galaxy S26 FE

    128 GB8 GB RAM

    $600

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forBig screen for shows

    Proswireless charging · NFC · eSIM

    Consthe storage 128 GB · below average

  3. Good dealChat, social media and video · score 6.3
    −3%score 6.3

    Samsung

    Galaxy A57 5G

    128 GB8 GB RAM

    $532$551

    3.4% below the previous check

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forChat, social media and video

    Pros5,000 mAh · above average

    ConsNo wireless charging

  5. No proven discountBig screen for shows · score 8.5
    score 8.5

    Apple

    iPhone 18 Pro Max

    256 GB12 GB RAM

    $1,549

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forBig screen for shows

    Prosthe RAM 12 GB · above average

Partner store links: the Radar may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money

The best cell phone up to $1,600 today is the Apple iPhone 18 Pro, $1,439 (score 8.7).

All models: Cell phones up to $1,600

See the 24 highest-scoring modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Apple iPhone 18 Pro12 GB RAM · 256 GB$1,439at Amazon8.7Buy on Amazon
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max12 GB RAM · 256 GB$1,549at Amazon8.5Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy S26 FE8 GB RAM · 128 GB$600at Amazon8.4Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy S2612 GB RAM · 256 GB$789at Amazon8.4Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy S2512 GB RAM · 256 GB$740at Amazon7.7Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy S228 GB RAM · 128 GB$310at Amazon6.6Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A57 5G8 GB RAM · 128 GB$532at Amazon6.3Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A054 GB RAM · 128 GB$150at Amazon4.5Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$90at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G Play4 GB RAM · 64 GB$128at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A06 4G4 GB RAM · 64 GB$143at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A16 4G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$159at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G Power8 GB RAM · 128 GB$200at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tcl 60 Xe Nxtpaper 5G2 versions · 128 GB a 256 GB$200at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Oppo A66 GB RAM · 256 GB$293at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G8 GB RAM · 256 GB$340at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Oppo Reno 15 F8 GB RAM · 256 GB$349at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tcl Nxtpaper 70 Pro8 GB RAM · 512 GB$360at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Edge 20258 GB RAM · 256 GB$380at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G8 GB RAM · 256 GB$382at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor Magic 8 Lite2 versions · 256 GB a 512 GB$420at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor X9d12 GB RAM · 256 GB$440at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Oppo A174 GB RAM · 64 GB$445at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor X9c12 GB RAM · 256 GB$450at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon

Cell phones up to $1,600 in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 39 phones cost up to $499; the range with the most models is from $400 to $600, with 9.

How many models there are in each price range, from $0 to $1,600. Half cost up to $499; across the whole catalog, the median is $599.7 models between $0 and $2007 models between $200 and $4009 models between $400 and $6007 models between $600 and $8003 models between $800 and $1,0003 models between $1,000 and $1,2003 models between $1,400 and $1,60077973303$0$400$800$1,200$1,600
  • half cost up to $499
  • whole catalog: $599

Cheapest $90 Samsung Galaxy A16 5G

Most expensive $1,600 Honor Magic V3 5G Fcp N49

See the table by price range
Cell phones up to $1,600 by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Under $200774.54.5
$200 to $30012
$300 to $50012126.66.6
$500 to $1,00013158.18.1
Over $1,0006148.68.5
See these models on the price and score map

What changed

This section compares today’s check with the previous one: what got cheaper, what got more expensive and what came in or left.

Brands

9 brands have a model here; Honor has the most, with 12 models.

and 4 brands more

Confirmed features

Counts only what each model’s listing confirms.

  • 7 of 39 have 5G confirmed

  • 7 of 39 have NFC confirmed

  • 2 of 39 have a 5,000 mAh battery or larger

Against the whole catalog

  • −17%median price below the catalog’s
  • +0.4median spec score: 8.1 vs 7.7
  • 78%of the catalog: 39 of 50 models
See the full table
Cell phones up to $1,600 against the whole catalog
IndicatorCell phones up to $1,600Whole catalogDifference
Models395078% of the catalog
Median price$499$599−17%
Median score8.17.7+0.4 ponto
Lowest price$90$90igual
Highest price$1,600$2,499−$899

What the numbers say about cell phones up to $1,600

  • Memory versions: 3 models have more than one version within the cut, and storage ranges from 64 GB to 1 TB. The model’s price is that of the cheapest version; the others appear on the card and in the list.

How to read these numbers

Pick 1, best score for the price: Apple iPhone 18 Pro, $1,439 at Amazon, on 12/11/2026. The median price of the 39 models on the list is $499.

How we choose
  • The picks combine a high rating and a price in line with the list: each one fits a way of spending, a use, or the brand that shows up most. The pros and cons come from each model’s spec sheet.
  • Stores: Amazon. We include stores we read through an open source or an affiliate program. A store that failed to load today is left out.
  • The same model in two stores is only merged with a catalog code, GTIN or the manufacturer’s full code. When in doubt, only one store is kept. A price far from the collected one (below 60% or above 150%) is left out.
  • Amazon appears without a price, only with the link: we don’t read Amazon prices in bulk.

Next step

See each phone on the chart

Open the chart already filtered to Cell phones up to $1,600.

See on the chart

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best cell phone up to $1,600 today?

Today it is the Apple iPhone 18 Pro, for $1,439 (score 8.7).

Which cell phone up to $1,600 has the best value today?

The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE, for $600 (score 8.4).

Is it worth paying more and moving up to up to $2,000?

Today, not much: in up to $2,000 the highest spec score is 8.7, almost the same as up to $1,600 (8.7, Apple iPhone 18 Pro for $1,439).

How much does a cell phone with a price up to $1,600 cost?

In the Nov 12, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 39 models in the segment is $499, and prices range from $90 to $1,600. The final price is the one at the store.

Which cell phone with a price up to $1,600 has the highest score?

Among the models in the segment on Nov 12, 2026, the highest spec score is the Apple iPhone 18 Pro: 8.7, at $1,439. The one with the lowest price is the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G, at $90. Spec score doesn’t measure real-world photos or durability.

How does the Radar count the models in this segment?

Models with at least one version whose lowest collected price is $1,600 or less are included. Each model counts once: if it has more than one memory version within the rule, the price is that of the cheapest version and the others show on the card.

What changes between "up to $1,600" and the neighboring ranges?

The range is cumulative: everything that costs less is in it too. To see only what costs between two values, use the price range table on this page or the chart’s price filter.

How does the Radar choose the phones on the "best score for the price" line?

From cheapest to most expensive, the phone that has a higher spec score than all the cheaper ones in the segment makes the line. Anything that costs more and has an equal or lower score is left out. The line doesn’t say which phone to buy: it only shows which ones don’t lose on both score and price at once.

How often does this page change?

Every day, with each collection: numbers, chart, ranking and the "What changed" section are rebuilt with the day’s catalog. This edition is from November 12, 2026.

Read next

Cell phones up to $1,500: median of $455Cell phones up to $2,000: median of $572All Radar overviewsOverview of new cell phones: price, score and brandSee on the chart
Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product on Amazon.com, shipped to New York 10001, on the day it was read, before sales tax.

The price is the one recorded on the date shown. The spec score doesn’t measure real-world photos or durability.

Data from Nov 12, 2026.