Two years back, if you had wanted a good smartphone under $400, your only option was the universally-acclaimed LG Nexus 5. The original Moto X could be added to that list, even though the its price dropped to $399 only in January 2014. But all that has changed since the launch of the OnePlus One in April 2014. In October 2015, with a budget of $400, there is a plethora of options to consider. Here are my personal favorites.

Google Nexus 5X by LG

Image Courtesy: Google

Google’s latest flagship compact phone ticks all the right boxes

In my opinion, the version of Android that is pure, unadulterated and straight from Google is the best version, even though it might lack the advanced functionalities other forks like Samsung’s Touchwiz and HTC’s Sense might offer. Starting at just $379 for the 16 GB version (even though I recommend forking over the extra $50 for the 32 GB version), Google’s latest flagship compact phone ticks all the right boxes — vanilla Android, day 1 updates straight from Google, 5.2 inch 1080p display with Gorilla Glass 3, 2700 mAh battery, a 12 megapixel rear camera with a big 1.55 μm sensor size that should help with low light performance, a fingerprint sensor, and a USB-type C charging port, which is reversible. It also supports Qualcomm’s QuickCharge since it is rocking a 64-bit Snapdragon 808 CPU. Though it keeps the same 2 GB of RAM from its predecessor, the original Nexus 5, initial hands-on impressions of the device among the tech-verse has been fairly positive. You can pre-order the Nexus 5X from the Google Store right here.

Moto X Pure Edition (2015) by Motorola

Image Courtesy: Motorola

The Pure is comparable to the Nexus 5X in a lot of ways

Motorola made its mark among Android enthusiasts due to its affordable prices, stock Android skin and the promise of fast software updates (though how the latter fares under Lenovo’s leadership is a bit of a question mark right now). Its latest flagship phone, the Moto X Pure (known as the Moto X Style outside the USA) continues to build upon its previous efforts. The Pure is comparable to the Nexus 5X in a lot of ways simply because they are very similar in pricing. The Pure sports the same SD 808 chip, but it has a bigger battery rated at 3000 mAh, comes with 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage (for the $399 model, expandable with microSD card), a 5.7 inch Quad-HD display, dual front-facing speakers and a 21 megapixel rear camera. It also has a 5 megapixel front camera with a front-facing LED flash for your selfie needs, and supports quick charging. The Moto X Pure can also be customized with your own color schemes using the Moto Maker, and with an optional bamboo or leather back. You can purchase the Moto X Pure from Motorola starting at $399 here.

Google Nexus 6 by Motorola

Image Courtesy: Google

Comes with an added bonus of wireless charging

Sure it may not be the latest and greatest, but the Nexus 6, which was Google’s 2014 flagship, still packs a lot of punch. Originally launching at a premium price of $649, the price has been reduced at various online retailers to just $349. That is an amazing price for this phablet, which comes with a 5.96 inch Quad HD AMOLED display, 13 megapixel rear camera, 3220 mAh battery and a Snapdragon 805 CPU, which is plenty enough power for every task imaginable. It comes with an added bonus of wireless charging, and would still get updates straight from Google. Sure it’s screen may not be very bright, and the camera may not be as good as the current generation flagships, but it is still an excellent deal for $349 for a 32 GB version, and $399 for the 64 GB model. You can purchase it from Amazon with free 2-day prime shipping right here.

2 by OnePlus

Image Courtesy: OnePlus

The decision to not have NFC is mind-boggling

OnePlus may have shot themselves in the foot by calling their second flagship, the OnePlus 2 (OPT) a 2016 flagship killer even though it lacks a lot of features even the 2015 phones have (cough, NFC, cough), but it is still a good phone. OnePlus made their name by partnering themselves with CyanogenMod while launching their first flagship, the OnePlus One, but that partnership got sour last year. They are now shipping the OPT with OxygenOS, which is still pretty close to vanilla Android. Other specs include a SD 810 64-bit CPU, 5.5 inch 1080p display, 13 megapixel rear camera, 3300 mAh battery, a fingerprint scanner, and comes with either 3 GB of RAM for the cheaper 16 GB model, or 4 GB for the 64 GB model. The decision to not have NFC is mind-boggling, especially since Android Pay is just beginning to pick up pace in the US. But at the price of $329, you might want to overlook that. You can only purchase the OPT with an invite (sigh), so if you have one, then head on to here to buy the phone.

G4 by LG

Image Courtesy: LG

The G4 is an Android power user’s dream phone

To round up the bunch, we have LG’s 2015 flagship, the G4. It may not be under $400 if you buy it from your wireless carrier, but it has regularly been on sale through eBay for under $400 over the last two months. The G4 is an Android power user’s dream phone — large removable 3000 mAh battery, microSD card slot, 5.5 inch Quad HD display with minimal bezels, SD 808 processor, 32 GB internal storage, 3 GB RAM, an exceptional 16 megapixel camera with full manual controls, 8 megapixel front camera, and an optional leather back which comes in different colors. In my opinion, some of the reasons the G4 has dropped in price are probably the lack of brand value the Galaxy S6 has, and may be its horrendous UI. But if you can forgive all that, you won’t get a better phone with a removable battery in 2015. Purchasing it for less than $400 may be tricky, so keep an eye out for a sale on eBay’s Daily Deals page.

If you are on a really tight budget

If you are on a college student budget, even $400 might be a little too expensive. In that case, there are some other cheaper options that you may want to consider. For example, the Moto G for $179 is a great phone for its price. The ASUS Zenfone 2 for $199 is a power-packed device, and for $299, the original OnePlus One is an excellent buy.