The Best Unlocked Cell Phones under $490
OnePlus 7 Pro
★ Top Choice
BUY NOW
From $439.99
Features
- Triple cameara lens - 48MP Main, 16MP Ultra Wide Angle, 8MP 3X Telephoto, Hidden away Pop-up front camera lens.
- 6.67 inches, 3120X1440 pixels QHD+ AMOLED Display, 90Hz refresh rate, HDR 10+. In-display fingerprint sensor - Simply touch the screen to unlock your device in just 0.21 seconds.
- Snapdragon 855, Android 9. 4000 mah battery with "Warp Charge 3.0" which can charge battery in 20 minutes.
- FDD LTE: Band B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/66/71, TDD-LTE: Band B34/38/39/41/46/48, UMTS(WCDMA): Band B1/2/4/5/8/9/19, CDMA: BC0/BC1, GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz.
- OnePlus 7 Pro, US Version model GM1917, This factory unlocked phone is compatible worldwide. In US it’s compatible with carriers like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, H20, Simple Mobile, Consumer Cellular, Metro PCS, Cricket, Straight Talk GSM, Tracfone GSM, Ting GSM, Project Fi GSM and other prepaid carriers.
Pros
- ⊕ All-day battery life.
- ⊕ Novel pop-up front camera.
- ⊕ Brilliant all-screen display.
- ⊕ Fast performance and charging.
- ⊕ In-display fingerprint scanner.
Cons
- ⊖ No headphone jack.
- ⊖ Not for small hands.
- ⊖ 'Only' full HD display.
- ⊖ Camera is good, not great.
- ⊖ Camera is good, but not great.
Specs
- Front camera: 16MP.
- Weight: 206g.
- RAM: 6/8/12GB.
- Battery: 4,000mAh.
- Screen size: 6.67-inch.
- OS: Android 10.
- Resolution: 1440 x 3120.
- Storage: 128GB/256GB.
- CPU: Snapdragon 855.
- Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 16MP.
- Dimensions: 162.6 x 75.9 x 8.8mm.
Huawei P30 Pro
♥ Runner Up
BUY NOW
From $474.99
Features
- 128GB + 6GB RAM - NM (Nano Memory), up to 256GB (uses SIM 2) - HiSilicon Kirin 980 Octa-core 2.6GhZ - Non-removable Li-Po 3650 mAh battery.
- 6.1 inches 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~422 ppi density) - IP53 dust and splash protection - Android 9.0 + EMUI 9.0.
- Unlocked cellphones are compatible with most of the GSM carriers ( Like T-Mobile or AT&T ) but please be aware that are not compatible with CDMA carriers ( Like Sprint or Verizon Wireless for example ).
- Rear Camera: 40 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide) + 16 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide) + 8 MP, f/2.4, 80mm (telephoto) - Front Camera: 32 MP, f/2.0, (wide) - Video: 2160p@30fps.
- 3G HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - 4G LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 6(900), 7(2600), 8(900), 9(1800), 12(700), 17(700), 18(800), 19(800), 20(800), 26(850), 28(700), 32(1500), 34(2000), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300) - Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) > (ensure to check compatibility with your carrier before purchase).
Pros
- ⊕ Powerful.
- ⊕ Impressive camera.
- ⊕ Great battery life.
- ⊕ Fast wireless charging.
- ⊕ Hidden fingerprint scanner.
Cons
- ⊖ Dull screen.
- ⊖ Bloated EMUI.
- ⊖ Slippery to hold.
- ⊖ Not available in the US.
Mentioned
Huawei P30 Preview - pcmag.com
Best Camera
The 9 Best Smartphones of 2020 - lifewire.com
Best High-End
The 9 Best Huawei Phones of 2020 - lifewire.com
BlackBerry Key2
Best Keyboard
BUY NOW
From $486
Features
- Compatibility with all Canadian Carriers including Bell Telus, Rogers, MTS, SaskTEL, Videotron, Eastlink, Freedom Mobile, Sub-Brands, Virgin Mobile, Koodo, Chatr, Fido, PC mobile, Lucky Mobile, WOW mobile.
- Durable Series 7 aluminum alloy frame, textured diamond grip non-slip back, impact-resistant frame with stunning 4.5-inch touch screen display with Corning Gorilla glass protection.
- 12MP + 12MP dual real camera with dual tone LED flash, portrait mode, optical superzoom, 4K video recording; 8MP fixed focus front camera with selfie flash, 1080p video recording.1620 x 1080 IPS LCD.
- Powered by Android 8.1 Oreo with access to over a million apps and services from Google play, GSM Unlocked (AT&T, T-Mobile), DTEK by BlackBerry security monitoring.
- Redesigned smart keyboard with speed key, touch navigation, flick typing for faster predictive text, customizable shortcuts and embedded fingerprint sensor.
Pros
- ⊕ Elegant design.
- ⊕ Useful Speed Key.
- ⊕ Improved keyboard.
- ⊕ Great battery life.
- ⊕ Robust security features.
Cons
- ⊖ Lackluster performance.
- ⊖ Strange 3:2 aspect ratio.
- ⊖ Poor multimedia experience.
- ⊖ Terrible portrait mode camera.
- ⊖ Frustrating physical keyboard.
Specs
- Battery capacity: 3,500mAh.
Samsung Electronics Galaxy S9
Best for VR Gaming
BUY NOW
From $488.99
Features
- IP68 rating: withstands splashes, spills, and rain so it can take a dip, worry free.
- Infinity Display: edge to edge immersive screen, enhancing your entertainment experience.
- Bluetooth v5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps).
- Battery: AOD off: Up to 326 hours (13.6 days), AOD on: Up to 82 hours (3.5 days).
- Super Speed Dual Pixel Camera; Music Play Time: AOD off: Up to 90 hours, AOD on: Up to 51 hours.
Pros
- ⊕ Excellent camera.
- ⊕ Loaded with power.
- ⊕ Sleek, premium build.
- ⊕ Gorgeous Quad HD screen.
- ⊕ Easy to use with one hand.
Cons
- ⊖ Design is a little dated.
Specs
- RAM: 4GB.
- Ports: USB-C.
- Weight: 5.6 oz.
- Platform: Android.
- Battery Capacity: 3,000mAh.
- Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB.
- Camera: 12MP (f/1.5-f/2.4).
- Product Dimensions: 5.18 x 2.7 x 0.33 in.
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845.
- Waterproof: IP68 water/dust resistance.
- Color: Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple.
Best for VR Gaming
The 7 Best Phones for Gaming in 2020 - lifewire.com
Best Bang for the Buck
Best Samsung Phones - bestreviews.com
Best of the Best
Best Camera Phones - bestreviews.com