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The under AED 2,000 category is a very interesting one. There are a lot of really good smartphones you can get their hands on in this price range. Now whether that might be a slightly older flagship or a current mid-tier device, there are a lot of options.
Smartphones like the Samsung S21 FE come into this category with a solid flagship usage experience. You also find phones like the Apple iPhone 11 or iPhone SE 2022 in this category which, thanks to Apple's strong software support, prove to continue being worthy buys. Then there are also recent mid-tier devices like the Xiaomi Mi11T Lite which offer excellent value for money.
To help you decide, we’ve put this guide together that highlights the very best smartphones under AED 2,000. Whether you need flagship performance or a strong camera set or a great display, one of these phones will definitely fir the bill for you.
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Best smartphones under AED 2,000 in the UAE
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The Samsung S21 FE 5G continues to be one of our favourite pick for an affordable smartphone with a flagship experience even a whole year after its release. The phone brings with it strong performance thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G, up to 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The 4500mAh battery provides all-day battery and also comes with 25W fast-charging.
The display is a gorgeous 6.4" FHD+ 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with HDR10+ support boasts a phenomenal content consumption experience. The device continues to bring the old a 12MP (wide) + 12MP (ultra-wide) + 8MP (telephoto) setup from previous generations but is still a capable one. The selfie snapper on the S21 FE is also the same 32MP sensor from the previous generation. Both cameras can record up to 4K 60fps. The body on the Samsung S20 FE 5G comes with a glass front but a plastic back. If you're going to add a case to the phone this really shouldn't matter though.
This year's S21 FE comes standard with 5G across all models and can be easily found for under AED2,000 in the market across the region.
If you're on a limited budget and want to make your way into Apple's ecosystem, the iPhone SE 2022 is a great option. While it does come with an old iPhone design, it features the powerful A15 Bionic chipset and a reliable 12MP main camera which can record great video at up to 4K 60fps. Being an Apple product, expect to get iOS updates for a few years to come.
While the display is not Full HD, it is a Retina display from Apple. The addition of 5G and a slightly larger battery definitely make this a better buy than the previous generation.
Another great affordable offering from Samsung is the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. This year the phone comes with a Super AMOLED 120Hz FHD+ display, the Exynos 1280 (5 nm) processor, up to 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage.
It has the same decent quad camera setup from last year with a 64MP (wide) + 12MP (ultra-wide) + 5MP (macro) + 5MP (depth) sensor setup. While the body is plastic inside and out, the phone is light-weight and comes in some pretty unique colours.
The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G definitely fits the bill for a lot of people at budget levels under AED 2,000.
Dethroning the Oppo Reno 6 Z from our previous list, this phone brings a great design and some good specs to this price range, the Oppo Reno 7 5G is the middle child of the series providing you with the most premium features you’ll need without breaking the bank.
The design of the phone is one of the most beautiful designs on a smartphone you can find around with its gorgeous colours and slim design.
The camera on the Oppo Reno 7 5G comes with a triple camera setup of a 64MP main camera, An 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera, the camera setup on this phone is sure to give you great shots and with a 32MP selfie camera, you’ll get some good selfie cameras as well.
The Color OS that comes bundled with this phone is our least favourite part, but if you like that UI then this phone will be a good choice for you.
You can see that Xiaomi has gone all out with the display in this phone providing an AMOLED display which is a great upgrade from the inferior LCD screen found in the Poco X3 of last year.
The Xiaomi Poco X4 Pro 5G remains to be the cheapest phone on this list with a price around the AED 1200 mark in most retailers, The Xiaomi Poco X4 Pro 5G comes with a formidable quad-camera array championed by a 108MP main camera sensor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It has a massive 5,000mAh battery accompanied by a fast charger of 67W.
While this might not be the best phone for content creators, it's a value for money package for those who need a powerful phone- especially for gaming. That being said, While still on the heavy side with 205g, Xiaomi has dealt with the thickness of the phone bringing it down to an 8.1mm from the previous 9.4mm.
Unlike the Poco X3 Pro above, the iPhone 11 (even after being 2.5 years old) comes in as one of the most expensive phones on the list. While the phone is sold officially by Apple for AED 2,099, it is easily possible to find the phone under 2,000 during offer periods.
The Apple iPhone 11 comes with a Liquid Retina HD+, a 12MP (wide) + 12MP (ultra-wide) rear camera setup with another 12MP camera on the front for selfies. With Apple's software optimization chops, the 3,110mAh battery makes for one of the longest battery-life on iPhones.
Like the iPhone SE 2022, it's a great entry way into the Apple ecosystem and even though its two years old, it's bound to see iOS updates for a few years to come.
This phone is a mixed bag of good things and (not so great) specs, first of all, it comes with a very fast display with 144Hz, and it has got an updated CPU for the year, but the phone has an LCD display, not an AMOLED one, and it comes with a bulky, Heavy design with the weight of 200g, and 8.9mm thickness.
Xiaomi has taken advantage of the big body though with a big 5080 mAh battery that comes supported by a 67W charger.
If you’re a Gamer, this phone will be a great choice for you with its big, Fast screen, Although the LCD display might be a deal-breaker for users who prefer better visuals over high refresh rates.
Honor’s latest entries to the market after independence from Huawei is offering a solid experience in the mid-range, coming with a good CPU Snapdragon 695 5G and a triple camera setup with a 48MP camera accompanied by two 2MP cameras for macro and depth effect.
The phone also comes at a great price starting at AED 1,099 and 1,199 for the version with higher storage capacity.
You’ll also get one of the best looking phones on the market with Honor’s great design, and the better part is that we’re finally getting Google apps support back with Honor.
