It's funny you mention a $50 phone as I currently use a $30 phone (a Moto E from 2015) and I keep wondering what what my $250-$500 will get me over this old phone. The Moto has a garmin mount glued on the back and I use Komoot as the ride software. Sure, it's slow, the battery only lasts 4 hrs (or 12+ with a pack) and it sucks in the rain but this old thing runs the latest android and can run any app but in it's old age is starting to get glitchy.
So I was looking at the Explore to replace it or just get another sub $50 Android phone with a small screen (A Sony xperia compact for example) but spending $500+ on a big screen Garmin does not seem like value, seeing how I don't use half the features it offers.