Purchase these 5 low-cost Android telephones earlier than the RAM scarcity ruins them

It’s laborious to consider, however 2026 is nearly upon us. It’s a brand new 12 months for renewed resolutions, contemporary begins, and — sadly — costlier smartphones.

As AI continues to get larger, firms are constructing extra and bigger knowledge facilities to maintain the lights on. These knowledge facilities require great quantities of RAM to operate, and as you may need heard, that’s shortly resulting in a RAM scarcity. AI firms are shopping for RAM at considerably greater ranges than ever earlier than, resulting in much less of it to go round and dramatically greater costs for the stock that’s out there.

Though smartphone manufacturers largely ate the price of this reminiscence scarcity in 2025, that’s going to alter in 2026. There are already rumors that Xiaomi’s subsequent Android cellphone will see a ten% worth improve as a direct results of RAM shortages, and consultants predict that lower-cost price range telephones may very well be hit even more durable.

In different phrases, if you happen to anticipate you’ll want a brand new low-cost Android cellphone in some unspecified time in the future in 2026, you’re nearly actually higher off shopping for proper now whereas costs are secure. In the event you determine to take action, these are the 5 finest choices.

I’ve beneficial the Google Pixel 9a a number of occasions in varied articles all through 2025, and for good purpose. Google has at all times had success with mid-tier/price range Android telephones, and the Pixel 9a is its finest but.

This isn’t as a consequence of any single function or specification; it’s how the Pixel 9a comes collectively as a whole package deal. Its cameras are so good and so constant, its day-to-day efficiency is nice, it has intelligent AI options, its battery life is stable, and Google’s seven-year software program replace assure is likely one of the finest within the enterprise. You additionally get all of this housed in a cushty, well-built physique with just about no digicam bump.

Google is engaged on the Pixel 10a, which is predicted to be launched within the first half of 2026, however I wouldn’t suggest ready for it. Not solely is it anticipated to be very just like the Pixel 9a, however the present RAM scarcity might simply push the value to $550 or extra. When the Pixel 9a is on the market for $499 (or much less throughout frequent gross sales), it makes far more sense to purchase the Pixel 9a now if you happen to’re available in the market for a lower-cost Google cellphone.

Don’t consider me that the RAM scarcity will make 2026 telephones costlier? Don’t take my phrase for it — take a look at what occurred with OnePlus. The OnePlus 13R launched in January 2025 and shortly turned the most effective Android telephones in its class, delivering glorious {hardware}, efficiency, battery life, and charging for simply $600. Its successor, the OnePlus 15R, launched simply a few weeks in the past, and it’s a little bit of a large number.

When put next facet by facet with the 13R, the 15R isn’t practically as compelling. It has a extra generic design, severely downgraded cameras, no wi-fi charging, and no alert slider — probably the most iconic options of OnePlus telephones for the final a number of years. The very best half? The OnePlus 15R is $100 costlier than its predecessor, beginning at $700.

The 15R is nearly actually a teaser for different cellphone releases we’ll see in 2026: getting much less for extra. If that doesn’t sound good to you and also you’re contemplating a lower-priced OnePlus cellphone, do your self a favor and purchase the OnePlus 13R now when you nonetheless can. It stays an impressive Android cellphone as we head into 2026, and a few retailers, together with Finest Purchase, presently have it discounted to simply $550.

One other Android cellphone value contemplating is the Nothing Cellphone 3a. Though not as a lot of a house run because the OnePlus 13R, the Nothing Cellphone 3a remains to be a very enticing possibility. Its cameras are stable, its software program is clear, and — after all — its design is not like absolutely anything else in the marketplace.

Past the design, maybe probably the most spectacular facet of the Cellphone 3a is its spec sheet. Even with out contemplating the value, it’s a stable setup. We’re speaking a few 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh charge, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and 50W wired charging. The truth that you get all of that for under $379 is nothing (pun supposed) in need of spectacular.

All indicators level to a Nothing Cellphone 4a launching someday in 2026, and whereas it ought to nonetheless have 12GB of RAM just like the Cellphone 3a, one leaker claims its worth will go all the way in which as much as $475 — practically a $100 improve. That will make Nothing’s price range cellphone loads much less interesting, and assuming that rumor is true, you’re a lot better off shopping for the Nothing Cellphone 3a as an alternative of ready round for its successor.

Though we are able to’t predict with 100% certainty how RAM shortages will have an effect on Android telephones in 2026, one issue appears clear: the cheaper an Android cellphone is, the extra doubtless it’s to be negatively affected. If any Android telephones will really feel the brunt of restricted RAM within the new 12 months, it’ll be fashions just like the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G.

Launched in January 2025, the A16 5G presents unbelievably good worth for such a low asking worth. Its 50MP major digicam is nice, battery life is stable, the AMOLED show appears good, and the Exynos 1330 chip paired with 8GB of RAM supplies respectable efficiency for a cellphone this low-cost — which occurs to be simply $200.

There aren’t many high-quality Android telephones out there at this worth, however the Galaxy A16 5G is one among them, and it’s completely value shopping for — particularly as a result of telephones like it might quickly be inconceivable to search out. Stories recommend that telephones sometimes believed to have 8GB of RAM could also be downgraded to as little as 4GB in 2026, alongside greater costs. As such, different Galaxy A fashions Samsung launches in 2026 are more likely to have much less horsepower and steeper worth tags. If getting probably the most bang on your buck is your primary precedence, purchase the Galaxy A16 5G in the present day, as a result of tomorrow isn’t wanting very promising for telephones of this caliber.

My fifth and last choose is the Moto G Stylus (2025). Motorola releases numerous Moto G fashions yearly, and amongst the entire ones that got here out in 2025, the Moto G Stylus stands out because the spotlight. It has an excellent AMOLED show, stable cameras, a nice software program expertise, and really quick wired charging. And, after all, it’s one of many few telephones with a built-in stylus. The place lots of the 2025 Moto G telephones have been difficult or inconceivable suggestions, the Stylus was a straightforward one at its (typically discounted) $400 worth.

Though we don’t but know what the 2026 model of the Moto G Stylus will appear like, Motorola has introduced the Moto G Energy (2026), and it’s not precisely an thrilling improve over the 2025 variant. Evaluating the 2026 and 2025 Moto G Energy, each telephones have similar designs, shows, chipsets, cameras, battery capacities, and wired charging speeds. Curiously, the 2026 mannequin removes wi-fi charging — a function the 2025 mannequin had — whereas conserving the identical $300 worth.

What does this imply for the Moto G Stylus (2026)? It doesn’t appear promising. Will Motorola additionally must take away wi-fi charging from it to maintain prices down? What about downgrading the RAM from 8GB to 4GB? Will the $400 worth stay the identical? It’s all up within the air, and given the present market situations, it doesn’t look like not off course. You may roll the cube and watch for the 2026 Stylus, or you can play it secure and purchase the 2025 model now. Personally, I’d suggest the latter.