Best Value: Samsung Galaxy A26 5G (~$300)

• Pros: 6.7″ 120 Hz Super AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Victus+, IP67 water/dust resistance, expandable storage (microSD), 5,000 mAh battery, and six years of software updates androidcentral.com+1thesun.co.uk+1en.wikipedia.org+4androidauthority.com+4en.wikipedia.org+4.
• Performance: Feels snappier than the pricier A36 on daily tasks thanks to the optimized Exynos 1380, with smooth UI and reliable fingerprint reader en.wikipedia.org+2wired.com+2androidauthority.com+2.
• Battery life: Typically a full day’s use, leaving 30–40% by bedtime wired.com.
• Cameras: Good daylight shots; secondary ultrawide and macro are basic youtube.com+15androidauthority.com+15amazon.com+15.
• Overall: Samsung’s most future‑proof and safe pick under $500