One short decade ago, smartphones were expensive no matter where you looked. What few cheap devices existed didn't offer experiences good enough for daily use, leaving anyone on a budget stuck between a rock and a hard place. Luckily, as smartphones matured, more powerful components trickled down into lower-end phones, creating some truly great experiences for well below the price of your standard flagship device. Google's Pixel A-series was a good example, offering similarly great phones with just enough caveats to stay pleasingly affordable for the average buyer.
