Best Phones under 1000 AED in the UAE for 2023: Smartphones that don’t break your bank

Not everyone wants or can afford the best flagship phones, which is fine, as budget phones have made great strides in features and performance. Brands like Poco from Xiaomi, Honor and Realme have figured out how to stretch your dirham or Dollar to the max, which is great. In this guide, we’ve selected the best phones under 1000 AED (roughly US$ 250). More than just being cheap, these are good phones that offer great value for your hard-earned money.

What is the best phone under 1000 AED in 2023?

We’ve included phones from 2022 that have come down in price and the new phones launched in 2023. Prices for these phones are updated daily and sometimes go north of AED 1,000. If they do, wait it out, and you’ll surely find an offer where they are priced below the AED 1,000 mark.

While you have a good selection of phones in this guide, you can find better phones if you can raise your budget slightly. In fact, phones under 2,000 AED can sometimes be found in our list of top Android phones.

Returning to this list, you’re not necessarily looking at a list of the cheapest phone in the world. These are all good, affordable phones- the best budget phones 2023 in the UAE that cost under AED 1,000. We’ll help you find a cheap and best smartphone in UAE.

This guide has recently been refreshed and is sorted by the pricing of phones, with the cheapest phone at the bottom. This means that the first phone here isn’t the best cheap phone, but at its price level, it is one that I’d pick.

Poco X4 Pro

Xiaomi has set the trend with its Poco lineup of phones of “almost unbelievable” value. The Poco X4 Pro 5G phone is priced a bit under AED 1,000 (US$ 270) and for that price tag, you’re getting the best bang for the buck.

The phone comes with a capable Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, and a gorgeous 6.6-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. This makes it an ideal phone for gaming and consuming content. The only real drawback here is the inconsistency of the camera despite it coming with a 108MP main snapper. For better camera performance at just a slightly higher price, you can consider Poco X5 Pro 5G.

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Samsung Galaxy A33 5G

Despite having a few drawbacks, like slow charging compared to other phones in this list and a lower 90Hz screen refresh rate, the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G is still a great deal because of its stunning Super AMOLED display and the upgraded Exynos 1280 Chipset.

The camera on this phone is also good for the price, with decent processing and colour reproduction, even though it doesn’t have the highest pixel count. You’ll also get the great Samsung’s One UI 5.1 interface which is arguably one of the best and most stable Android skin.

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OnePlus CE 2

The OnePlus CE2 doesn’t have much of an appearance makeover going out for it compared to its predecessor and it continues to use the same 90Hz AMOLED display in the same 6.4-inch size. What has changed is an upgraded MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset and faster 65 Watt charging. For AED 907 (US$ 250) the phone still gives you a good deal for your money with its blazingly fast Oxygen OS.

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Poco X5

The Poco X5 is pretty close in specs to the Poco X4 Pro we’ve listed above and shows a trend in the mobile phone industry where the “Pro” model of the previous generation becomes the standard model of the current generation with a lower starting price. That’s a good thing as you don’t have to wait for the phone to get cheaper before you can buy it.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro

It’s clear that this list is dominated by Xiaomi’s phones, and that’s due to the company’s strategy of releasing a plethora of great value phones in the mid-range and budget segments (like Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 we reviewed a few days back). Even though this phone has been around for some time, it’s hard to write the Xiaomi Redmi 11 Pro off this list considering it can now be picked up for close to AED 850 (US$ 230.) It comes with the Mediatek Helio G96 processor, a 108MP main snapper and a super fast 67-watt charging.

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Honor X8A

The Honor X8A is a new entry to this list and can be dubbed as the Jack of all trades and master of none. It provides you with everything you’ll need in this segment without mastering any. The phone has a beautiful design that shimmers in direct light and is one of the best-looking budget phones. The Mediatek Helio G88 has decent performance in web browsing and other light tasks, but don’t expect the Honor X8A to wear any performance crowns.

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Realme Narzo 50

Realme (Oppo’s sister company) has been in the market for quite a while now and has a reputation for releasing good value phones. The Narzo 50 phone is priced at AED 786 (US$ 215) which gets you a Mediatek Helio G96 with 6GBs of RAM. That’s enough to handle most apps you’ll use. Another good thing about the Realme Narzo 50 is the 5,000 mAh battery which will keep your phone powered up for two full days.

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Huawei Nova 9SE

Huawei phones have been known to have great cameras and overall good value. The Huawei Nova 9SE isn’t the fastest of the bunch with its older Snapdragon 680 chipset but it makes it up with its 108MP main camera and super fast 66-watt charging capabilities. Also worth noting is the release of the GBox app that, once again, lets Huawei phones run some of the Google apps.

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Best budget phones FAQs

Bottom Line – What Budget Phone Is a Great Long-Term Option?

After reviewing several options for the best phones under 1000 AED in UAE, the bottom line is that the Poco X4 Pro and Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro are great long-term options if you are a budget-conscious shopper.

Both phones come equipped with powerful processors, ample RAM and storage, impressive camera systems (for that budget), and a solid battery life. They offer good value for their price range and provide users with a near-premium experience without breaking the bank.

While there are many budget options available on the market, these two devices stand out due to their well-rounded features and reliability. Whether you’re a student, professional, or someone who simply wants a great smartphone that won’t cost a fortune, the Poco X4 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 are excellent choices that won’t disappoint you in the long run.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a great budget phone in UAE for this year (and even upcoming years), these two are the top choices to consider.

Good luck with your choice, and we invite you to share your experience with us in the comment section below or on our social media pages.