Best Budget Head Unit For Car Stereos This 2024

Shopping for a car stereo is next to impossible nowadays since there’s an astounding amount of options that are available on the market. 

In addition, car stereos units can be expensive, making them unavailable to a lot of consumers who need entertainment while they are driving. Fortunately, we’ve got your back. Our team has gotten together to rank the best car stereos for 2022. 

In this guide, we’re going to discuss five awesome options that are budget-friendly and talk about everything else that you may need to know about the topic

What Size Is My Dash?

Before even considering what car stereo you should get, it’s important to know the size of your car’s dash. That way, you will not end up with a car stereo head unit that doesn’t end up fitting.

Single Din Size

You’ll find a single din head unit car stereo installed on most older vehicles. The majority of them come with only a handful of features and lack touchscreens. Size-wise, they measure approximately 2×7 inches in size, making them quite tiny by today’s standards.

Because of their small size, don’t expect single din car stereos to have lots of features. With that being said, the best single din units can pack a surprising amount of amenities you can utilize.

Double Din Size

A double din-sized head unit car stereo is twice as large as its single din counterpart. Though manufacturers may differ in their sizing, double din car stereos are most often 4×7 inches tall, giving them space for a greater set of features.

It’s not uncommon for double din-sized car stereo head units to have user-friendly touchscreen interfaces, Bluetooth connectivity, GPS, wireless CarPlay, and music capabilities on Spotify.

1.5 Din Size

1.5 din-sized car stereo head units are quite uncommon nowadays. Nevertheless, if you drive or have ridden in a factory GM vehicle, then chances are you’ve encountered one of them. As their name implies, 1.5 din car stereos are sized between a single and double car stereo head unit. A few rare examples are even bigger than a double-sized car stereo.

Don’t worry. Your 1.5 din-sized head unit will not prevent you from installing more conventional car stereo head units. For you to install a standard 1.5 or double din stereo, all you’re going to need is a fascia kit, which can be bought from nearly all physical and digital automobile stores.

5 Best Budget Head Unit Review For This 2021

So what are the 5 best budget head units for 2021? I’m going to exclusively talk about single as well as double-sized car stereo head unit dins in this article. 

We’ll exclude 1.5-sized dins since they are often only found in GM’s factory cars and are quickly being phased out for their more standardly-sized counterparts.

ATOTO F7 Standard Version - $169.90

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The ATOTO F7 Standard Version is one of the best budget-friendly double din car stereo head units out there. It has a load of features that any driver would appreciate. Furthermore, it’s an absolute breeze to install, making a DIY job a no-brainer, meaning you’ll get to save money.

Features:

Here are some of the ATOTO F7 Standard Version’s primary features and specs:

• GPS Navigation – The ATOTO F7 Standard version has GPS navigation with CarPlay as well as Android Auto. Because of that, it’s suitable for users of Android and Apple’s devices. 
• Capacitive Touchscreen Display – ATOTO F7 Standard Version’s screen is good for its price. It’s packing a 7-inch touchscreen 1024 x 600 HD IPS display. 
• MirrorLink – For those unaware, the ATOTO FT Standard Version maintains a feature known as MirrorLink. To put it simply, the feature lets you cast your phone’s display to your head unit.
• Bluetooth, Radio, & Fast Charging – Like many of its competitors in the budget segment, the F7 Standard Version comes with Bluetooth, fast charging, and radio capabilities.
• Adopts Live Rear-View (LRV) – Quite interestingly, despite its pricepoint, the ATOTO F7 adopts LRV. This allows drivers to have a live view of their car’s rear while they’re reversing, which is an excellent thing from a safety standpoint.

Final Thought

The ATOTO F7 Standard Version car stereo head unit is among the best around. For its price alone, a large chunk of the device’s competitors don’t stand a chance. With that being said, ATOTO’s F7 isn’t perfect. It can sometimes malfunction and become difficult to operate. In addition to that, customer support following your purchase will become nearly nonexistent.

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Kenwood KMM-BT328U - $159.95

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Kenwood is a brand that’s known to many. It’s one of the most famous car stereo manufacturers in the world. The brand managed to attain this fame largely by putting out quality products that are very competitively priced. An example of this is the Kenwood KMM-BT328U head unit car stereo system. It’s single din-sized and fully digital. Many consider it to be the best of its kind.

Features:

Below is what the Kenwood KMM-BT328U has to offer:

• Front USB & AUX Port – Do you have a flash drive full of music? Then all you need to do is hook that up to your Kenwood car stereo head unit to listen. Now if you wish to use your headphones, then you may because the Kenwood KMM-BT328U boasts an AUX port.
• Customizable Illumination – Your Kenwood KMM-BT328U’s general aesthetic can be changed because its colors may be altered. This means you shall be able to customize the overall look of your vehicle’s interior.
• Spotify Compatible – Spotify is only the world’s most popular music streaming app. Hence, it’s only right that you may access it easily on your Kenwood KMM-BT328U car stereo head unit.
• Alexa Ready – Kenwood has decided to partner with Amazon to make their KMM-BT238U car stereo head unit compatible with Alexa. If anything, this makes it so much easier to use.
• Bluetooth Equipped – As you might’ve already expected, the Kenwood KMM-BT328U car head unit is equipped with Bluetooth. That means you may easily answer your calls without difficulty.

Final Thoughts

The Kenwood KMM-BT328U is a speaker that’ll surely leave you impressed. It boasts a myriad of features along with many customization options. Sadly though, it only fits vehicles that’ve got single din car stereo head units. Moreover, it doesn’t have any analog capabilities, meaning it’s not suitable for old-timers.

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BOSS Audio Systems Elite BV765B - $174.95

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The BOSS Elite BV765B is one of the more expensive products in this guide. However, we think that its cost is justified by everything that it has to offer. The car stereo head unit is among the best that’s currently available. By choosing it, you will surely not end up being disappointed.

Features:

Here are the best that the BOSS Elite BV765B has to offer:

• LCD Touchscreen – Given that it boasts a capacitive LCD touchscreen with an interface that is beyond user-friendly, it shouldn’t surprise your that the BV765B only fits double din spaces.
• CD & DVD Player – At first glance, you’d think that the Boss Elite BV765B is a modern device that lacks any analog capabilities. Quite interestingly though, it has a CD and DVD player.
• AUX Input – Besides having an AUX input, the BV765B also has a USB port. Furthermore, the device has a version that comes with both front and rear cameras.
• Bluetooth Capabilities – With the BOSS Elite BV765B, it’ll be easy to play music, listen to the radio, and take calls using your phone. All that is thanks to its excellent Bluetooth capabilities.
• Has A Remote – Do you want your rear-seat passengers to be in charge of your car’s music? If so, then you’ll be glad to know that the BV765B comes with a remote controller.

Final Thought

It would be wrong to leave out the BOSS Elite BV765B in any discussion about the best stereo head units available. After all, it comes with a plethora of features and is extremely easy to set up in any vehicle. However, it’s not the best option if you want solid Bluetooth connectivity and many features to play with.

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JVC KD-X260BT Digital Media Receiver - $124.95

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If a simple single din car stereo head unit is all you need, then JVC KD-X260BT Digital Media Receiver will be perfect for you. It’s equipped with all the basic features that you’d your stereo head unit to ever need. On top of that, it looks great and is rather easy to install and configure.

Features:

Below are the primary features the JVC KD-X260BT has to offer:

• Vibrant Text Display – For starters, the JVC KD-X260BT has a very vibrant display that makes sure you’ll be able to operate it under any lighting condition. Also, it has a Spanish-language mode for anyone who prefers to use Spanish instead of the device’s default English.
• Compatible With Android – JVC’s KD-X260BT car stereo head unit is exclusively compatible with Android devices. As such, it’s not suitable for loyal users of Apple’s products.
• Bluetooth 3.0-Enabled – Like other car stereo units of its price range, the KD-X260BT is 100% Bluetooth 3.0-enabled. That in combination with its support for Android makes it capable of letting you change music and make hands-free phone calls on your Android smartphone.
• AUX & USB Inputs – The JVC KD-X260BT has AUX and USB input slots that let you utilize your headphones and flash drives with the device. 
• A2DP – A2DP or Advance Audio Distribution Profile lets your KD-X260BT stream high-quality audio from other devices. Moreover, it also allows for distortion-free wireless conversations.

Final Thought

The JVC KD-X260BT maintains all the amenities that anyone would want from a single din car stereo head unit. However, it’s not the unit for you if you’re an Apple device user. Furthermore, you also shouldn’t get it if you want a touchscreen interface or a CD player.

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JENSEN MPR210 - $36.99

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Got less than $100 bucks to spend on a single din head unit? The Jensen MPR210 is the ideal car stereo for you. Despite being super budget-friendly, it definitely doesn’t disappoint. It’s got every basic feature that you would ever want your single din car stereo head unit to have.

Features:

Below is a list of every major thing that the Jensen MPR210 has to offer:

• 1A USB Charging – The people behind the Jensen MPR210 integrated a USB port into its front panel so that you may charge your smartphone easily during long road trips.
• AUX Input – Would you rather use your speaker or headphones for listening on the road? With a Jensen MPR210 in your car that won’t be a problem as it has one AUX input.
• Bluetooth Connectivity – Jensen’s MPR210 doesn’t have conventional Bluetooth connectivity, which is a bummer. Instead, the device connects to a proprietary app, which allows you to use the device with your smartphone.
• Push-To-Talk Voice Assitant – Meant to be used alongside Jensen’s MPR210 car stereo head unit is a push-to-talk voice assistant button. To put it simply, it’s great for convenience’s sake.
• 1-Year Warranty – You’d assume that a single din car stereo head unit would have inferior build quality. However, it has manufacturers that are very confident with their product. In fact, they’ve even offered a 1-year warranty to everyone who buys it.

Final Thought

The Jensen MPR210 is the best single din car stereo head unit that you can get for lower than $100. With that being said, expect to get what you’re paying for. Although the unit is great with no doubt, it is subpar when compared to all the other options that we previously talked about.

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How to Pick the Right Head Unit For Car Stereos

Here are some features that you should be our for when looking for a car stereo head unit:

1. Size of the unit
2. Pleasing aesthetics
3. Bluetooth capability
4. Touchscreen controls
5. CarPlay & Android Auto
6. FM/AM Radio
7. CD Player
8. Flash drive input
9. Spotify connectivity
10. User-friendly controls

How to Install a Car Stereo

Installing a car stereo head unit can be rather tricky. However, it’s possible to do it yourself and avoid spending hundreds of dollars at your local mechanic’s shop. That being said, here is one of the best videos that explains how to get the job done:

What Are The Benefits Of This Type Of Budget Head Unit?

Both single and double-sized din car stereo head units can get very expensive. The more you spend, the lesser value for money you’ll get. Budget head units offer a sweet spot between functionality and luxury. Often, they’re loaded with all the features that you’ll ever need.

It should also be noted that you’ll be saving big if you opt for a budget-friendly car stereo head unit. This is great since nobody would want to end up spending unnecessarily.

Which Car Head Unit is The Best?

Best Single Din Head Unit – Kenwood KMM-BT328U - $159.95

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Out of all the single din units that we talked about, the best has got to be the KMM-BT328U from Kenwood. After all, it looks great and is equipped with all the features that you’d ever need your single-sized car stereo head unit to have. 

If anything, its only major weakness is the fact that it has zero analog capabilities. Hence, on the device, you’ll find no CD, DVD, BlueRay, or cassette player.

Best Double Din Head Unit – BOSS Audio Systems Elite BV765B - $174.95

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The Boss Elite BV765B is the most expensive option that we recommend. Needless to say, it is still easily among the best bang-for-buck car stereo head units out there. 

For one it looks great. Moreover, it also packs an amazing set of features. Most of which can only be found on luxury car stereos. For example, it comes with a remote and a DVD player.

Wrapping Everything Up…

Finding the right car stereo head unit for your vehicle is easier said than done. With a plethora of options on the market, it can be difficult for average consumers like yourself to make a pick.

You should also have some knowledge about how you can fix a car stereo.

Thankfully, our team is here to help you out. Every one of the five car stereo head units that we talked about earlier is guaranteed not to leave you disappointed. More importantly, they’re not going to leave your pockets empty which is great if you’re want to get the best monetary value.