Budget battle: the best smartphones
Who says you can’t get more for less?
Sure, there are still plenty of bad phones out there.
But, with our comparisons
The bad budget smartphone is dead.
The best budget smartphones - reviewed
Looking for a sub-mid smartphone? We've tested every budget handset that matters
Never again should you put up with pixelly screens, sluggish web speeds and cameras so bad that a built-in Etch-a-Sketch would be preferable, because you can now get an all-round reliable phone for affordable price.
Sure, there are still plenty of bad phones out there - but you needn't concern yourself with them any more.
We’ve taken all the cheap smartphones that matter and tested them against each other, with our comparisons and verdicts tidied up neatly into the individual reviews below.
Mention budget and you'd get a
skeptical response. How can anything that costs so little be any good?
That was then, but this is now and everything has changed.
Easily the hottest things in the smartphone world right now, these affordable specced-out mobiles are giving the flagships a serious run for their money with their not-so-budget features. Want to see how they compare? Read on and be enlightened.
Nokia and Lumia might have parted, but the Microsoft Lumia 535 looks and feels just like the budget Lumia phones of last year. The point of this particular one is to bring screen size up while keeping the price super-low. And It has a 5in screen, SIM-free. Sounds ace.
But the build isn’t up there with the Motorola’s, especially where the flimsy cover for the back and sides is concerned. And while the resolution has been pumped up, it’s not by enough to really impress: next to all of those 720p rivals it looks soft, and contrast is weaker than what you get from the Moto G.
Most surprising of all is that it’s rather sluggish in use. This will be down to a combo of it using a low-end Snapdragon 200 CPU and Windows just not being quite as carefully optimised for its devices as it used to be. A sad day? Perhaps, but with a Windows 10 upgrade on the way it may well be fixed. There’s a good long wait for that, though. And while we’re on the subject of speed, there’s no 4G either.
Still, it’s fairly good looking if you like your phones in bright colours, and the 8GB of storage and camera combination (a reasonable 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a downright good 5-megapixel selfie camera) are pretty solid for the money. Just make sure you know what you’re sacrificing to get those niceties.
Easily the hottest things in the smartphone world right now, these affordable specced-out mobiles are giving the flagships a serious run for their money with their not-so-budget features. Want to see how they compare? Read on and be enlightened.
Microsoft Lumia 535
Nokia and Lumia might have parted, but the Microsoft Lumia 535 looks and feels just like the budget Lumia phones of last year. The point of this particular one is to bring screen size up while keeping the price super-low. And It has a 5in screen, SIM-free. Sounds ace.
But the build isn’t up there with the Motorola’s, especially where the flimsy cover for the back and sides is concerned. And while the resolution has been pumped up, it’s not by enough to really impress: next to all of those 720p rivals it looks soft, and contrast is weaker than what you get from the Moto G.
Most surprising of all is that it’s rather sluggish in use. This will be down to a combo of it using a low-end Snapdragon 200 CPU and Windows just not being quite as carefully optimised for its devices as it used to be. A sad day? Perhaps, but with a Windows 10 upgrade on the way it may well be fixed. There’s a good long wait for that, though. And while we’re on the subject of speed, there’s no 4G either.
Still, it’s fairly good looking if you like your phones in bright colours, and the 8GB of storage and camera combination (a reasonable 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a downright good 5-megapixel selfie camera) are pretty solid for the money. Just make sure you know what you’re sacrificing to get those niceties.
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✩✩
2015's first budget Lumia is bigger and better than before, but it's still behind the best of Android
Nokia Lumia 535 in figures
- Operating system: Windows Phone 8.1
- Screen: 5in 960x540 (220ppi)
- Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 @ 1.2GHz
- RAM: 1GB
- Camera: 5MP 480p rear, 5MP 480p front
- Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- Storage: 8GB (microSD expandable by up to 128GB)
- Battery: 1905mAh
- Dimensions/weight: 140.2 x 72.4 x 8.8mm / 146g
Lumia 550
If you’ve always enjoyed the tiled Windows Phone experience, you can now get it Windows 10-ed on the cheap(er). The Lumia 550 is capable of handling most tasks and packs a 1.1GHz quad-core processor that puts it in the same multitasking mode as the higher-ended phones, although you can expect a little lag, but not so much that it drags you back into the stone age of smartphones.The camera is all of 5MP which should do more than fine for your casual shots. Wrapped in a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display, the affordable polycarbonate-d Lumia resembles its more sophisticated family members, and also offers up the flexibility of style changes in the form of vibrantly coloured shells for those who get bored easily. Don't worry about its 8GB storage offering if you're a media hoarder, memory is expandable up to 200GB via microSD card.
Least budget-like feature: That enormous expandable memory that's similar to what the flagships offer. If you should utilise all of its potential, you could turn it into a mobile mediahouse. Very useful for those who have to endure long commutes. Also, it's worth noting that its display is 315ppi sharp, close to the iPhone 6s' 326 ppi.
Never again should you put up with pixelly screens, sluggish web speeds and cameras so bad that a built-in Etch-a-Sketch would be preferable, because you can now get an all-round reliable phone for less than RM800. Sure, there are still plenty of bad phones out there - but you needn't concern yourself with them any more.
We’ve taken all the cheap smartphones that matter and tested them against each other, with our comparisons and verdicts tidied up neatly into the individual reviews below.
Additional text by Tein Hee Seow and Erna Mahyuni
Moto G 4G
The 2013 Moto G is now ludicrously cheap - but 4G makes this new model ever better.
It's sturdily built and fits snugly into one hand, while its use of swappable Motorola Shells give you the option to customise its look on a daily basis. The 4.5in, HD, 326ppi screen is the real selling point over its fuzzier-screened rivals; it matches the much pricier HTC One Mini 2 on this front. Next to most other phones in its class it looks pin-sharp, with vivid but natural colours and good contrast.
It’s not without problems - the 5MP camera does still disappoint sometimes, especially in low light, and you only get 8GB of built-in storage. But the addition of a microSD card slot means you can now add up to 32GB of space, and in day-to-day use nothing comes close.
Moto’s also left the 4G with an almost-untouched version of Android KitKat, adding a few genuinely useful features but nothing more. That helps everything run smoothly and you can can expect speedy downloads, streaming and browsing over 4G. The best bit? Even with more pixels to push than most cheap phones, the Moto G still lasts a day between charges.
If you have specific criteria - for instance you’re a n00b who likes the look of Windows Phone or taking pics is your priority - then other budget phones down this list might make more sense. But for most people, the Moto G 4G will do very nicely indeed.
It's sturdily built and fits snugly into one hand, while its use of swappable Motorola Shells give you the option to customise its look on a daily basis. The 4.5in, HD, 326ppi screen is the real selling point over its fuzzier-screened rivals; it matches the much pricier HTC One Mini 2 on this front. Next to most other phones in its class it looks pin-sharp, with vivid but natural colours and good contrast.
It’s not without problems - the 5MP camera does still disappoint sometimes, especially in low light, and you only get 8GB of built-in storage. But the addition of a microSD card slot means you can now add up to 32GB of space, and in day-to-day use nothing comes close.
Moto’s also left the 4G with an almost-untouched version of Android KitKat, adding a few genuinely useful features but nothing more. That helps everything run smoothly and you can can expect speedy downloads, streaming and browsing over 4G. The best bit? Even with more pixels to push than most cheap phones, the Moto G still lasts a day between charges.
If you have specific criteria - for instance you’re a n00b who likes the look of Windows Phone or taking pics is your priority - then other budget phones down this list might make more sense. But for most people, the Moto G 4G will do very nicely indeed.
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✭
Fantastic and futureproof, this is as close to budget phone perfection as you can get in 2015
Motorola Moto G 4G in figures
- Operating system: Android 4.2.2
- Screen: 4.5in 1280x720 (326ppi)
- Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 @ 1.2GHz
- RAM: 1GB
- Camera: 5MP 720p rear, 1.3MP 720p front
- Connectivity: 3G/4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- Storage: 16GB (expandable with microSD)
- Battery: 2070mAh
- Dimensions/weight: 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6mm / 143g
Asus Zenfone 2 Laser
Asus Zenfone 2 Laser
The Zenfone 2 Laser might have a fancy name, but it gets it from its camera - Asus says it has a super accurate, laser autofocus. Apart from that though, it has some pretty good specs that complement its better than decent camera.
At its heart is a quad-core CPU and a 5.5-inch HD IPS display with Gorilla Glass as well as an anti-fingerprint coating. All the better to enjoy the results of the 13MP rear camera and its 5MP front camera has a large f/2.0 aperture for maximum selfie goodness.
Then there's the 3,000mAh battery which makes sense when you take into account the extra-large screen. So you want a not-too-expensive phablet with a really good camera? The Zenfone 2 Laser can deliver that without burning a hole into your pocket.
The Zenfone 2 Laser might have a fancy name, but it gets it from its camera - Asus says it has a super accurate, laser autofocus. Apart from that though, it has some pretty good specs that complement its better than decent camera.
At its heart is a quad-core CPU and a 5.5-inch HD IPS display with Gorilla Glass as well as an anti-fingerprint coating. All the better to enjoy the results of the 13MP rear camera and its 5MP front camera has a large f/2.0 aperture for maximum selfie goodness.
Then there's the 3,000mAh battery which makes sense when you take into account the extra-large screen. So you want a not-too-expensive phablet with a really good camera? The Zenfone 2 Laser can deliver that without burning a hole into your pocket.
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
Great camera with a solid spec and featureset, with a winning display
- Operating system: Android 5.0
- Screen: 5.5in 1280x720 (267 ppi)
- Processor: Qualcomm MSM8916 QuadCore 1.2GHz
- RAM: 2GB
- Camera: 13MP/1080p rear, 5MP front
- Connectivity: FDD-LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- Storage: 16GB (microSD expandable by up to 128GB)
- Battery: 3000mAh
- Dimensions: 152.5 x 77.2 x 3.9mm / 170g
It helps that the Zenfone 2 Laser is a thing of beauty, measuring only 3.5mm at its thinnest, and fronted in a 5-inch 1280 x 720 HD IPS+ display. Memory is boostable up to an additional 128GB on top of its domestic 16GB supply.
The rear camera is a 13MP affair that packs PixelMaster tech and a handy Low Light mode that will handle less light more easily, something not even flagships can claim to be experts at. Complete with features like Super HDR mode and a Super Resolution mode for photos up to 52MP, you can chuck your compact back into the cupboard.
Least budget-like feature: The laser autofocus of the Zenfone 2 Laser's eye. Why else would it be named thus? It promises to lock onto your photography subject as soon as you frame the shot and turn it out with significantly less blurring. Well, the autofocus will take 0.03 seconds to be specific, but unless you're The Flash, that's as good as negligible.
Xiaomi Mi 4i
Xiaomi is no longer a mere shadow in the wake of giants.
Today, it manufactures some of the most wanted phone that you can’t get - the humongous Xiaomi Mi Note Pro comes to mind. And there’s the metal-clad Xiaomi Mi 4, which has not left its homeground since it was unveiled last year. That’s not the end of the world though - at least, not with what Hugo Barra showed during the Xiaomi Mi 4i launch in India.
Though it has shed the metal skin of its Mi 4 sibling and chose a non-glossy plastic body, the Mi 4i’s design philosophy, right down to the hardware selection, is true to Xiaomi’s mantra. Giving the best possible hardware, at a fraction of the cost.
This is a smartphone built with an octa-core processor, an impressive full HD display and a lightweight yet sturdy body.
If you’re set on getting the Mi 4i, it’s a wise choice. It’s absolutely value for money, giving you beyond decent hardware, performance and most of all, looks of envy for a fraction of the price tagged to flagship smartphones.
From a strictly hardware comparison, it’s miles ahead of what you get with the iPhone - a bigger display, higher screen resolution and solid feel. But lest you think it’ll convert the horde of iPhone fanatics, it’s going to take a while more. For one, there’s work to be done to reduce the slight lags that occasionally pop up - a problem that's rarely seen on the top-end devices.
While it doesn’t match up to the glass and metal looks of the Samsung Galaxy S6 or HTC One M9, the fine machining done on the Mi 4i has made it equally desirable. Plastic or not, this is one of Xiaomi’s finest work, and it doesn’t require you to break the piggy bank.
Today, it manufactures some of the most wanted phone that you can’t get - the humongous Xiaomi Mi Note Pro comes to mind. And there’s the metal-clad Xiaomi Mi 4, which has not left its homeground since it was unveiled last year. That’s not the end of the world though - at least, not with what Hugo Barra showed during the Xiaomi Mi 4i launch in India.
Though it has shed the metal skin of its Mi 4 sibling and chose a non-glossy plastic body, the Mi 4i’s design philosophy, right down to the hardware selection, is true to Xiaomi’s mantra. Giving the best possible hardware, at a fraction of the cost.
This is a smartphone built with an octa-core processor, an impressive full HD display and a lightweight yet sturdy body.
If you’re set on getting the Mi 4i, it’s a wise choice. It’s absolutely value for money, giving you beyond decent hardware, performance and most of all, looks of envy for a fraction of the price tagged to flagship smartphones.
From a strictly hardware comparison, it’s miles ahead of what you get with the iPhone - a bigger display, higher screen resolution and solid feel. But lest you think it’ll convert the horde of iPhone fanatics, it’s going to take a while more. For one, there’s work to be done to reduce the slight lags that occasionally pop up - a problem that's rarely seen on the top-end devices.
While it doesn’t match up to the glass and metal looks of the Samsung Galaxy S6 or HTC One M9, the fine machining done on the Mi 4i has made it equally desirable. Plastic or not, this is one of Xiaomi’s finest work, and it doesn’t require you to break the piggy bank.
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
Xiaomi has once again set the gold standard for affordable smartphones, blurring the lines between flagship and budget devices
Xiaomi Mi 4i in figures
- Operating system: Android 5.0.2 with MIUI 6
- Screen: 5in IPS 1920x1080 (441ppi)
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core @ 1.7GHz
- RAM: 2GB
- Camera: 13MP rear, 5MP front
- Connectivity: 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- Storage: 16GB internal
- Battery: 3120mAh
- Dimensions: 138.1 x 69.6 x 7.8mm / 130g
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
The Chinese phone maker that made “budget” a desirable word in the world of smartphones set the bar high.A 2.0GHz octa-core MediaTek processor powers this 5.5-inch phone encased in 1920 x 1080 full HD display for clearer viewing angles. That works out to 400 ppi of sharpness which bests even the iPhone 6s' 326ppi and comes close to the iPhone 6s Plus' 401ppi.
Packing dual-SIM capabilities, it removes the hassle of toting around two phones and comes with the option to add another 32GB of storage via SD card to its in-phone 16GB. For those who like getting snappy on the road, the Redmi comes with a wide-eyed 13MP camera. And who can forget the MIUI - Xiaomi's interface that receives updates and fixes way more frequently than any other Android manufacturer.
Least budget-like feature: That sharp, sharp resolution, big phat 3060mAh battery, and phablet power that’s flagship-worthy, but at a fraction of what the combination of these specs usually costs.
This little Mi phone comes from a long line of affordability so it's inevitable that we have high hopes for it. With storage that’s expandable up to 32GB via microSD, you get a lot more flexibility than with the default 16GB you’re doled out.
But when it comes to power, the 4.7-inch Redmi 2 Enhanced is ready to leave the other budget phones in the dust. Boosted with 2GB RAM and a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, the Redmi 2 Enhanced is equipped to handle as much multi-tasking as you can possibly hurl at it without missing a beat. It also challenges the flagship phones with its impressive battery size - 2200mAh battery that can handle quick charging. In comparison, the similarly-sized Alcatel Idol 3 has a 2000mAh battery while the iPhone 6s has a 1715mAh juicepack.
Least budget-like feature: The battery for a phone of this size. After all, what's the point of having all those smartphone smarts if you don't have the energy to use them?
The 1.2GHz power pack of the Honor 4C is the little engine that could. Octa-cored to keep your multitasking seamless, the Honor 4C is a value buy for those who would like a taste of the Huawei experience without jumping into the costly deep end.
If you enjoy watching movies on the go, the Honor 4C has a beautiful 5-inch 720p display to make every colour pop off your screen. And you won't even run dry on battery after you're done with Slumdog Millionaire; the Honor 4C has a 2550mAh battery that will not cut short your movie marathon. Combined with built-in Smart Power 2.0 tech, your phone will last and last, at least until you get to the next power outlet.
Least budget-like feature: The 64-bit octa-core CPU and sleek design that's befitting the higher end Huawei phones. Huawei calls the design tech used to make the Honor 4C feel like silk in your hands Silk Bionic Technology. Go figure. Who says an affordable phone has to look cheap?
Oppo Neo 7
Oppo's Neo 7 is a beauty -
what you'll first notice is its shiny, reflective surface created by a
unique assembly of cut-glass sections giving the phone what Oppo calls a
mirror surface. Think the Mirror 5 but with more emphasis on its
picture-taking skills.
The phone's processor is a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor complemented by 1GB of RAM with an Adreno 306 GPU.
It's the 8MP f/2.0 rear camera and 5MP f/2.4 front camera that will probably be of most interest - Oppo lets you use the display itself as a flash, promising better illumination than the standard tiny flashes most smartphones come with.
The 5-inch QHD 540 x 960 display is of a lower resolution than we'd like, but coupled with the 2,420 mAh battery does give it a decent battery life.
The build and camera combined gives the phone a polish that belies its very reasonable price.
The phone's processor is a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor complemented by 1GB of RAM with an Adreno 306 GPU.
It's the 8MP f/2.0 rear camera and 5MP f/2.4 front camera that will probably be of most interest - Oppo lets you use the display itself as a flash, promising better illumination than the standard tiny flashes most smartphones come with.
The 5-inch QHD 540 x 960 display is of a lower resolution than we'd like, but coupled with the 2,420 mAh battery does give it a decent battery life.
The build and camera combined gives the phone a polish that belies its very reasonable price.
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
Slick design and good features, only the screen could be better
Oppo Neo 7 in figures
- Operating system: Android 5.1
- Screen: 5.0in 540x960 (220 ppi)
- Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 @ 1.2GHz
- RAM: 1GB
- Camera: 8MP/1080p rear, 5MP front
- Connectivity: LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
- Storage: 16GB (microSD expandable by up to 128GB)
- Battery: 2420mAh
- Dimensions/weight: 142.7 x 71.7 x 7.55mm/ 141g
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