Even now, I still find it terribly hard to convince myself to shell out over $1,000 on a new phone — but that’s exactly the premium you’re looking at to get the best phones around. That’s why I consistently look at cheaper alternatives, including Samsung’s most affordable option: the Galaxy A17.
Launched earlier this year in the U.S., its $199 starting cost is unbelievable when I think about how the best cheap phone I’ve tested this year, the Pixel 10a, still costs more than double that. As much as I might be seduced by this low price — which gets you a phone with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, triple camera system, and 6 years of software support — I have to be mindful of the compromises involved in choosing a phone this cheap.
