Best budget smartphones based on buyers' reviews

What are the main functions of a modern smartphone? Calls, the Internet, playing music and video, running games and web applications, photography and navigation. If you compare expensive smartphones with the available ones, suddenly it becomes clear that absolutely all devices are equipped with the basic set of the function.

If you do not want to spend sky-high sums for the freshest top-end smartphones, you can certainly find the best model for yourself among the available devices. We have tried to present the most diverse choice of actual models of 2015-16.All of them have their pros and, of course, cons, but each has its own trump card, which can become a decisive argument "for".

Budget smartphone which firm to buy

Homtom, Doogee, UMI

They can be removed in one section, as they are describedapproximately the same. Previously unknown manufacturers from China, not providing in other countries, no official support, no service, no warranty obligations. But the cost of their smartphones is much lower than that of analogues from A-brands. The purchase of smartphones from such brands is a risk, but often justified.

HTC, Samsung

Grandes of the world smartphone building. Guaranteed build quality, authorized service centers in each more or less large city, branded stores, advertising on TV, on boards and in the press. But the price is noticeably higher than that of unnamed analogs.

Lenovo

A peculiar "golden mean" between "basement Chinese" and "majors".Making budget devices on standard inexpensive components( plastic cases, Mediatek chipsets, etc.), Lenovo provides quite decent quality, albeit without pathos.

Highscreen

This brand belongs to the Russian company "Vobis", so in the post-Soviet countries Highscreen is offered with an official guarantee and a good service. Nevertheless, assembly of models is made in the same China from inexpensive components.

Micromax

An Indian company whose main task is to conquer the local market at the expense of low prices. This allows Micromax to produce extremely inexpensive models, though, sacrificing everything, than it is possible.

Rating of the best inexpensive smartphones

When choosing devices for rating, in addition to the cost, we took into account:

• Fame of the manufacturer( albeit sometimes relative);
• Year of announcement / release of the model;
• Availability of the model on sale( as of August 2016);
• The presence of some distinctive properties( power, build quality, dimensions), which could highlight this model among others.

The best inexpensive smartphones to 5000 rubles

HOMTOM HT17

Chinese manufacturers have learned to do not only superflags like OnePlus, but also inexpensive smartphones that do not want to immediately bang against the wall. HomTom HT17 - an example of ultrabudgetary, coping well with their tasks. If you are not afraid to buy a device of a little-known company without official service, then it is worth considering this model.

Pros:

• Android Marshmallow "out of the box";
• Quality screen( 5.5 inches, HD resolution);
• LTE;
• Fingerprint scanner;
• Worthy autonomy.

Cons:

• Budget chipset MT6737;
• Not the best materials;
• Very weak camera;
• Lack of official support.

Such smartphones usually take with full understanding that for this amount of miracles does not happen. As a result, buyers are usually happy, but to put up with a poor-quality camera and shaky plastic are in general ready.

HTC Desire 320

Budget devices are rare guests in the expensive line of HTC.Desire 320 was announced as early as 2015, but still meets on sale and finds its followers. Although it is based on the budgetary chipset Mediatek 6582, HTC engineers have managed to make the processor work in it much more efficiently than in the nameless Chinese devices. And the corporate style of HTC, too, has not gone anywhere.

On the other hand, there are some disruptions in operation, brakes, overheating. What to do: usually engineers and programmers HTC are guided by more powerful and high-quality components. Pros:

• Not a bad 5-megapixel camera, and no ultra-pixels;
• Upgrade to Android 6.0;
• Traditionally good sound( true, only with headphones);
• Branded design.

Cons:

• Chipset MT6582 with disadvantages of Mediatek;
• There is not enough internal memory, and applications can not be transferred to the memory card;
• There are often problems with the quality of the sensor;
• No LTE.

In general, HTC has never been famous for its budget models, focusing on flagship devices. Many customers are disappointed with the shortcomings: loss of network, weak GPS, buggy display. We ourselves doubted whether to include this device in the collection. But HTC, and for that kind of money! Of course, Samsung is not famous for its "budget", especially now, when the company is loved for its flagships. But the J1 Mini has no competitors. Which of the manufacturers of the first echelon in our era of "shovels" produces Android-smartphones with a diagonal of 4 inches? However, this is its main advantage: in the rest the possibilities of the device are limited by a weak chipset. And on the "obvese" developers have saved on everything, on what you can.

Pros:

• Compact;
• Qualitative assembly;
• Software shell Samsung;
• Nice design.

Cons:

• Weak chipset Spreadtrum SC8830, low performance;
• Not impressive autonomy;
• Somewhat overpriced( however, gradually it falls);
• No autofocus, flash, proximity sensor;
• There is no update above Android 5.1.1.

It is worth taking, only if you are willing to accept the extremely modest possibilities for the sake of a loud name or official support. Or if you are so disgusted with shovels that even such an unfinished "baby" will be more convenient.

Lenovo A2010

Lenovo has a unique gift: to take the same components as other Chinese manufacturers, and to build well-working devices on the same Mediatek chipsets. Lenovo A2010 is built on an economical MT6735M, and the display resolution seems archaic - 854x480.However, this modesty allows him to have excellent autonomy with a battery of 2000 mAh. A combination of inexpensive components makes the smartphone itself extremely affordable.

Pros:

• Good assembly;
• Relatively new version of Android( 5.1);
• Good support from the manufacturer;
• LTE.

Cons:

• Weak camera;
• Insufficient power for "heavy" applications and games;
• Non-expressive design.

Typically, these smartphones are taken by customers who are used to counting money. Disadvantages of the model seem to them quite acceptable.

DOOGEE X6 Pro

Doogee is a Chinese manufacturer, gaining weight recently. Like other companies from the Middle Kingdom, Doogee starts with the release of compelling budget models. X6 Pro - a powerful inexpensive smartphone with a 5.5-inch HD-screen, a chipset MT6735, 16 GB of internal memory and 2 GB of RAM.About three years ago, these were almost flagship parameters.

Pros:

• Large amount of memory;
• LTE;
• Battery for 3000 mAh;
• Strict stylish design;
• Upgrade to Android Marshmallow.

Cons:

• A little-known brand without well-established support;
• Multi-touch with just 2 touches;
• Incomplete russification of Android.

Given that today producers like Doogee are popular mainly among enthusiasts, able to fix most of the problems themselves, the owners of the device most often from him are delighted. However, ordinary users will have to turn to ordinary repair services, for lack of an official guarantee.

UMI Rome X

The main feature of the Chinese company UMI, which produces devices with approximately the same stuffing that others have - design. The Rome X model with a 5.5-inch display features a "frameless" style( like the latest Samsung, LG and Motorola models) and a metal case. Especially effectively, the "Roman" smartphone looks in a golden color version. Otherwise, Rome X does not stand out particularly: MT6580, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB drive and a memory card slot, plus a rather modest 2500 mAh battery( and the measurements show that its real capacity is even lower).

Pros:

• Design;
• Metal housing;
• HD-display of high quality;
• Verified chipset.

Cons:

• Multitouch for 2 touches;
• Weak autonomy;
• Unfinished firmware( the fixes are fixed in the update, but they must be installed manually);
• Lack of official support.

For some time geeks can get not only interesting iron and an excellent screen for modest money, but also a chic look. UMI Rome X - a smartphone for mods and women of fashion, but really happy with people who can reflash it or get root yourself.

Highscreen Pure F

Compact devices today are mainly represented in the budget segment. The model Pure F offers a rare today screen size - 4 inches. In the sense of filling it is quite a standard budget for the MT6582, differing primarily in the relatively fresh Android - 5.1.

Pros:

• Compact;
• Relatively powerful chipset;
• Available in various bright colors;
• Android 5.1 "out of the box."

Cons:

• Mediocre TN display with low resolution;
• Strange design;
• Weak autonomy( 1 working day);
• No OTG;
• Very bad camera.

As in the case of the Samsung J1 Mini presented above, the main reason to take this particular model is the dimensions. Buyers who are not spoiled for choice, are forced to put up with other shortcomings of the device, but, as a rule, are ready to accept them.

Micromax S300 Bolt

Indian company Micromax is forced to equal the market, where for obvious reasons in the course of inexpensive devices. However, the fanaticism of the Indians pushes them to create masterpieces that are inaccessible even to their Chinese neighbors. If you have too little money, pay attention to the model S300 Bolt( you can joke about the tractor driver and about the bolts).Of course, for such money the device will differ not so much from modesty, but from asceticism of master yoga.

Pros:

• Price! For today, this is the cheapest Android-smartphone available on the Russian market;
• Compact: 4-inch display;
• Not a bad quality of voice communication;
• Android 4.4( for its class this is already an achievement);
• Pretty nice design;
• Funny name( and why not).

Cons:

• The main camera is 0.3 MP.No, it's not a typo: zero three-tenths of a megapixel. The main VGA camera in 2016, Carl!
• Battery for 1200 mAh, providing the whole day of work;
• Archaic processor SC7715;
• No GPS;
• Cheap stuff.

It is clear that with such a limited budget, there is not much to choose from. Therefore, users complain about a problem with a smartphone called Bolt.

Which budget smartphone to choose

1. If you need a phone with maximum functionality, it is worth paying attention to the "Chinese".They offer chipsets and screens of the same quality as that of A-brands, there is noticeably more money. A re-patch can improve stability.

2. Brands like Samsung or HTC are good for their relative reliability. They should be taken if you do not trust the devices without a guarantee( or if you are not understood in your environment with the "Chinese")

3. If you have any problems with money or just need an additional "dialer", you can take Micromax. However, with the remaining tasks this device will be able to cope exactly with its price - that is, in any way. But the synchronization of contacts, good voice communication and convenient applications for calls and mail you will.