As you'd expect, there was no shortage of phones released in 2024, with many of the usual suspects topping our list of best phones. But as good as many of those handsets are, we shouldn't let them overshadow some of the best underrated phones that delivered strong features and great value.
My colleagues and I spent a great deal of time testing a ton of phones, and while flagship devices remain a constant staple that drives the industry, there were surprises that came along the way that impressed us — long after they were formally announced. Being the underdog can be tough, but these underrated phones deserve recognition for combining their excellent performances with a robust features set.
I think it’s also worth pointing out that you don’t need to spend a fortune on a phone to get the best performance, as these phones no doubt have proven to me after testing them out extensively.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
Why it’s underrated: Past ‘Fan Edition’ phones were low quality flagship wannabes, but the Galaxy S24 FE proved it belonged in the same breath as the rest of the S24 lineup.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is the most underrated phone in 2024 for a number of reasons. When it was first announced, the specs sheet doesn’t really do justice to what the FE actually offers. For starters, it boasts a higher quality AMOLED display that turned out to be brighter than the one in the Galaxy S24 Plus.
One of the more delightful aspects of the S24 FE is how Samsung didn’t hesitate to give it the same exact Galaxy AI features as its other flagship phones. This is a big deal because AI was the biggest trend we saw among phones in 2024, and I wasn’t confident that Samsung would extend those capabilities outside of its flagship range.
What’s even more astounding about the Galaxy S24 FE is that it’s the cheapest new Galaxy phone that supports Samsung DeX. This desktop PC-like experience further cements its status of being the most underrated phone in 2024 because it’s literally having the power of a PC in your pocket, by simply connecting it to an external display or monitor (with a wireless mouse and keyboard connected to it) and accessing DeX.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
CMF Phone 1
Why it’s underrated: Inexpensive phones like this traditionally don’t get an intriguing design, but the CMF Phone 1 does.
As I’ve seen with the best cheap phones, one area where phone makers compromise when trying to cut costs is the design. This doesn’t come as a shock because this practice is pretty consistent throughout the tech world. But the CMF Phone 1 proves that you can still achieve a unique design without premium materials.
Even though the chassis is still dominated mostly by plastic, it’s the modular design of the CMF Phone 1 that puts it in a class of its own. Not only can you easily swap out the back covers for different colored ones, but I love how there are optional accessories that you can fasten to the phone, like a kickstand or lanyard.
Outside of the modular design, Nothing (the company that makes the CMF Phone 1) leverages the same Nothing OS 2.6 experience that its other phones use — complete with the same dot matrix-styled widgets and icons. For a phone that costs less than $250, I’m also impressed by the CMF Phone 1's long 15-hour-plus battery life and speedy charging. All of these reasons make for a compelling case for the CMF Phone 1 as an underrated phone.
Read the full review: CMF Phone 1
Motorola Razr 2024
Why it’s underrated: Motorola gave the 2024 version of the Razr a bigger upgrade than its sibling, the more expensive Razr Plus 2024. Plus, the standard Razr has everything you want in a foldable without the typical foldable phone cost.
For a second year in a row, the basic Motorola Razr proves that foldable phones are no longer obnoxiously overpriced. Seriously, the 2024 eddition already enjoys a big advantage with its $699 starting price, but the reason why it’s underrated is because it compares well to other foldable flagships including the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the aforementioned Razr Plus.
Nevertheless, you can't overlook what changes were made to this year’s standard Razr — like how its outer screen grew to a more usable size, making it even more suitable for vlogging. Speaking of that, it also kept the ultrawide camera as before, which the Razr Plus 2024 regrettably dropped in favor of a telephoto camera.
And given the Razr's 4,200 mAh battery, I was astounded that it managed to reach a peak time of 14 hours and 37 minutes in Tom’s Guide’s battery benchmark test, which is even longer than notebook style foldable phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open.
Read the full review: Motorola Razr 2024
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