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Smartphones you buy for your older family members don’t have to be the most powerful, but it should be a priority to ensure that they’re responsive, up-to-date with many of the newest features, and affordable to buy and repair. In 2024, these are your best options.
1Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
This list wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from Samsung’s A-series smartphones. In the US, these devices have offered some of the best value-for-money hardware in recent years, and the Galaxy A25 5G follows a similar trend.
It ships with a 6.5-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Outdoor visibility shouldn’t be a problem, thanks to a rated peak brightness of 1,000 nits. It packs the Exynos 1280 chip with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage—expandable with microSD cards (up to 1TB). It also has a 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W charging.
Additionally, it has a respectable rear camera setup with a 50MP main shooter, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro camera. For selfies, it has a 13MP camera on the front.
The Galaxy A25 5G also stands out because it’s one of few budgetphones with long-term software support, with the promise of four OS upgrades and five years of security patches. The Galaxy A25 launched at $300, but you can find it for less onAmazon.
2OnePlus Nord N30 5G
OnePlus built its brand around smartphones that offer an excellent price-to-performance ratio, so when we thought of choosing a phone that would function smoothly and tackle most tasks, the OnePlus Nord N30 5G came to mind.
The OnePlus Nord N30 5G ships a massive 6.7-inch FHD+ LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, so reading on it should be a breeze. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, which has 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, expandable via microSD (up to 1TB). So, whether you jump from one app to another or need a device that can zip throughsimple word games, this phone has you covered.
The Nord N30 5G packs a 5,000mAh battery that should provide all-day battery life—with support for 50W fast charging if you’re ever in a pinch. The primary camera is a 108MP shooter that should be able to capture great details in photos. Plus, there’s a 16MP front camera for taking high-res selfies.
While the phone is a great package, the OnePlus Nord N30 will only receive security updates until 2025. The OnePlus Nord N30 5G retails for $300 and is available unlocked onAmazon. So, if it’s your preferred choice, keep an eye out for deals.
3Moto G Power 5G
Like the OnePlus Nord N30 5G, the Motorola G Power 5G is another well-balanced device. There are quite a few similarities between it and the OnePlus Nord. Most notably, the Motorola ships with a similar 6.7-inch FHD+ LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery—although it only supports 30W fast charging.
On the inside is a MediaTek Dimensity 7020 processor with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage (expandable via microSD). As for the camera system, you’ll find a dual-camera setup on the rear with two lenses—a 50MP wide camera and an 8MP ultrawide camera. On the front, you have a 16MP camera for selfies and video calls.
The clean software experience on Motorola phones has often been a great selling point, but this device will only receive one OS upgrade—to Android 15—and three years of security updates until 2026. If you’re hoping for a device that stays updated and secure for a long time, you may want to explore other options. The Motorola G Power 5G launched at $300 and is available unlocked—often at a much lower price—onAmazon.
Google’s Pixel devices have always promised great cameras and timely software updates (seven years of support). Since the Pixel 6, we’ve seen hardware take the front seat. So, if you’re willing to spend a bit more, the Pixel 8a is one of the best mid-range phones you can buy. It’s also extremely compact and easy to hold.
The Pixel 8a ships with a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate (up to 120Hz). It’s powered by the Tensor G3 processor, which has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The processor was first seen on the flagship Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.Our Pixel 8a reviewdetailed that the Tensor G3 remains stable and performs well in most use cases.
Among other hardware, the phone has a 4,500mAh battery that can deliver all-day battery life. It also has a dual camera system on the back—64MP wide and 13MP ultrawide—which captures images that would put some flagship phones to shame. The front camera is also a respectable 13MP shooter. Overall, the Pixel 8a is a great package that costs $499 and is available unlocked onAmazon
5iPhone 14
The iPhone 14 is the oldest phone on this list yet the most expensive, but if you need a phone that ties into the Apple ecosystem and will last well into the future, this device is hard to argue against.
It features a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate. A larger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus model is also available if you’re shopping for larger screens. It’s powered by the A15 Bionic processor, which is still more than adequate for most users. Although, the 3,279mAh battery seems lackluster on paper, the iPhone 14 should be able to last a day under normal use. The phone can also charge up to 50 percent capacity in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter.
The iPhone 14 features a dual-camera setup on the rear that includes a 12MP wide and 12MP ultrawide lens. On the front, you have a 12MP camera that’s part of the TrueDepth camera system which enables FaceID authentication.
The iPhone 14 is available unlocked fromApplefor $599. The larger iPhone 14 Plus costs $699 and offers a similar experience to the iPhone 14 with the benefits of a larger screen and battery.
Buying a phone for seniors can be tricky because narrowing down the right combination is often difficult, given the number of devices on the market. The options above strike a reasonable balance, making them the ideal picks for your older family members or relatives in 2024.
