What £300 gets you in 2026
This budget sits right at the point where recent-generation flagships — not just capable mid-range phones — become genuinely available refurbished. Every price below is the real, current lowest price we're tracking across UK retailers, updated daily.
1. iPhone 13 Pro Max — best overall pick
From £299.95 refurbished
Apple's largest Pro model from the 13 generation, with ProMotion 120Hz and a genuinely strong triple-camera system that still holds up well against far newer phones.
Why buy it: flagship-tier display and camera at the top of this budget, with the performance and longevity Apple's Pro line is known for.
Don't buy it if: you want the smallest, most pocketable option — this is a large phone.
Compare iPhone 13 Pro Max prices →
2. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra — best for S Pen and productivity
From £289.95 refurbished
Samsung's top-tier model from the S23 generation, with the S Pen stylus built in and one of the best displays available at this price point.
Why buy it: S Pen features no iPhone offers, genuinely excellent screen, strong all-round camera system.
Don't buy it if: you have no use for a stylus — you'd be paying for a feature you won't use.
Compare Galaxy S23 Ultra prices →
3. Google Pixel 8 Pro — best camera value
From £219.95 refurbished
The newest Pixel on this list, built around Google's computational photography — genuinely excellent low-light and portrait shots that punch above this price point.
Why buy it: among the best cameras available at any price on this list, clean Android software experience.
Don't buy it if: you're specifically invested in iOS or Samsung's ecosystem already.
Compare Pixel 8 Pro prices →
4. iPhone 14 — best standard-model value
From £229.95 refurbished
A genuine step up from the 13 with Crash Detection, satellite Emergency SOS, and an improved front camera, without paying Pro prices.
Why buy it: newer than the 13 Pro Max above without the Pro price tag, real safety features the 13 doesn't have.
Don't buy it if: ProMotion, Dynamic Island or the Pro camera system matter to you — those stayed exclusive to Pro models this generation.
Compare iPhone 14 prices →
5. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra — best S Pen option with budget to spare
From £179.95 refurbished
An older S Pen flagship than the S23 Ultra above, at a genuinely lower price — a strong pick if stylus support matters to you but you don't need the newest generation.
Why buy it: S Pen productivity for well under this budget, leaving real headroom.
Don't buy it if: you want the newest camera and chip improvements — the S23 Ultra above is the more current option.
Compare Galaxy S21 Ultra prices →
6. Google Pixel 7 Pro — most budget headroom
From £149.95 refurbished
The most affordable Pro-tier phone on this list by a clear margin — genuinely capable computational photography at roughly half this budget.
Why buy it: leaves significant money spare while still delivering Google's strongest camera processing.
Don't buy it if: you want the newest Pixel hardware — the 8 Pro above is a meaningful step up if budget allows.
Compare Pixel 7 Pro prices →
How to choose between them
If you want the single best phone this budget can buy, the iPhone 13 Pro Max or Galaxy S23 Ultra are the two strongest picks, depending on whether you value Apple's ecosystem or Samsung's S Pen more. If you'd rather spend less and keep money spare, the Pixel 7 Pro delivers genuinely strong photography for roughly half this budget.
Why £300 is a genuinely interesting price point
This budget sits at an unusual crossover: it's high enough to reach genuine flagship-tier phones from two or three generations back, while being low enough that you're not paying a meaningful premium for "newness" alone. The phones on this list were, in most cases, £700-900 or more when new — buying refurbished at this budget means capturing most of that original engineering and build quality at a fraction of the original cost.
A note on choosing between older flagships and newer standard phones
It's worth being deliberate about one genuine trade-off this budget presents: an older flagship (like the 13 Pro Max) versus a newer standard-tier phone. Flagships from a few years back generally still outperform current-generation standard phones in build quality, camera hardware, and display technology, since they were engineered to a higher standard originally. If in doubt, an older flagship is usually the stronger pick over a newer but lower-tier phone at a similar price.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to buy an older flagship or a newer mid-range phone at this budget?
Generally, the older flagship — phones like the iPhone 13 Pro Max or Galaxy S23 Ultra were built to a higher original standard than most current mid-range phones, and that quality carries through even a few years later.
How do I know which grade to choose at this price point?
Check the specific battery health percentage and cosmetic grade listed for each offer — Premium and Excellent grades show minimal wear, Good and Fair grades are more affordable but may show visible signs of use, though function identically.
Will an S Pen phone work if I've never used a stylus before?
Yes — most people adapt within a few days, and the S Pen is entirely optional to use; the phone functions perfectly well with touch alone if you decide it's not for you.
Is £300 enough to get a phone with a genuinely good camera?
Yes — several options at this budget, particularly the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra, offer camera systems that were considered genuinely excellent at launch and remain strong performers today.
All prices above are live and checked daily — compare every option side by side to see today's actual figures, since refurbished pricing shifts regularly.
Related reading: Best Phone Under £500 UK 2026 · Best Phone Under £400 UK 2026 · Should I buy an iPhone 14 in 2026? · Should I buy an iPhone 13 in 2026? · Best Samsung Phone 2026 · Compare all refurbished phones · Condition grades explained
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