Cheapest 5G Phones that You Can Buy in Australia

5G is no longer an exclusive feature, especially with midrange devices now shipping with it. Since it is not limited to premium phones, cheap phones can now deliver impressive 5G speeds at head-shaking prices. Here's our roundup of the cheapest 5G phones in Australia that offer more than fast download speeds but great all-around features.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

The Galaxy S21 series are Samsung's latest flagship devices that offers top Android features and impeccable design. Upfront, Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus has a 6.7inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ screen with 1080x2800 resolution. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus to keep it tougher than most. Under the hood, the S21 Plus runs One UI 3.1 on top of Android 11 and is powered by either the Exynos 2100 chip or the Snapdragon 888 chip for ultra-fast performance. You get 8GB RAM with either 128GB or 256GB storage all UFS 3.1. 

It has a triple rear camera pack with 12MP, 64MP telephoto, and 12MP ultra-wide sensors. The selfie camera is a capable 10MP shooter. You miss out on the headphone jack but get stereo speakers, USB Type-C 3.2, under-display fingerprint (ultrasonic), Samsung DeX. Powering all this is a Li-Ion 4800mAh battery capable of 25W fast charging. Overall, it's a gorgeous device with unmatched performance

Apple iPhone 12 5G (64GB)

The iPhone 12 brings gorgeous design and 5G support on top of great cameras and unbeatable performance. Its attractive new design with MagSafe features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED (2532x1170) display similar to the one on the iPhone 12 Pro. The refurbished iPhone 12 comes with the Apple A14 Bionic chip. It runs iOS 14 out of the box, upgradable to iOS 15.3. and sports a small but impressively long-lasting 2815mAh battery that supports MagSafe. You get a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP sensor and a single 12MP front camera shooter.

The cheap iPhone 12 has a flat-edge aesthetic with a small compact form factor that makes it quite easy to use in one hand. The shrunk bezels, flat edges, and tall aspect ratio make media consumption and casual browsing easier. The second-hand iPhone 12 is a great choice for anyone looking to upgrade to 5G within Apple's ecosystem.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 from Samsung Galaxy Flip phones has a sleek foldable sharp, notched 6.7-inch 2640 x 1080 Dynamic AMOLED  120Hz display with excellent colour vibrance and a smaller 1.9inch Super AMOLED cover display. It is powered by the Snapdragon 888 and has a 3300mAh battery. You get up to 256GB of storage on the Galaxy Z Flip and a dual rear camera lineup with two 12MP shooters plus a single 10MP selfie camera. It runs on Android 11 out of the box, and you can get the base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage or the 12GB RAM, 512GB storage model.

The Armor Aluminum body is solidly built, and the hinge makes the clamshell form factor bearable with a regular phone feel. The cover screen displays your notifications and other customizable details, including step count. You will miss out on the headphone jack and in-display fingerprint scanner for a side-mounted scanner. The Z Flip 3 has an IPX8 rating with a Gorilla Glass Victus back. It's impressive small design fits well in most pockets, and the small compact design makes it easier to handle.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G Exynos Chipset

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G is an impressive device by all standards. However, the power-hungry Exynos variant inherits the same sus attitude everyone has of Exynos chips, despite improved performance with the Exynos 990 on the Note 20 5G. The benchmark scores for the Snapdragon 865 and Exynos 990 variants paint a different story compared to how the devices face off. On paper, it is slow, but the Exynos variant delivers adequate performance in real-world usage.

The Exynos Note 20 variant has the same hardware, including a 6.7-inches Super AMOLED Plus, HDR10+ 1080x2400 display, 128GB 8GB RAM or 256GB 8GB RAM, Triple rear cameras (12MP wide, 64MP main telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide), and a single 10MP front camera. They both also run on a 4300mAh battery. The stark difference, however, only comes in with comparisons and benchmarks.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G

The Note 10 Plus 5G is a dynamic flagship device with excellent internals and a gorgeous design perfect for media consumption and also can be used as a gaming phones with unbelievable 5G speeds. It has a huge 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED HDR10+ 1440x2340 screen with Gorilla Glass 6. It is upgraded to One UI 4 on top of Android 12, powered by either the Exynos 9825 or the Snapdragon 855 processor. It supports all the major 5G wavebands.

It has a quad-camera rear setup with 16MP ultra-wide, 12MP wide-angle, 12MP telephoto, and a DepthVision camera. You can get it with higher storage up to 12GB/512GB. The Note 10 plus 5G phone has premium internals and arguably the best screen on a smartphone. Its hand-stretching 6.8-inch screen takes advantage of most features and makes the phone a no-brainer for anyone looking for a cheap Samsung smartphone.

Price is no longer a barrier to bagging yourself a 5G phone. There are plenty of cheap 5G smartphones on market today, with many of them being comparable to 4G LTE phones. Grab yourself a 5G phone today and future proof your technology toolkit.