Best budget mobile phones
- — 24 August, 2010 14:00
Paying less for a mobile phone doesn't mean you should be forced to skimp on features, and the good news is, many budget phones now have capabilities well beyond what you would expect given their price tags.
Whether it's accessing your social network profiles, downloading apps, or sending and receiving e-mails, many mobile phones with entry-level price points offer great features — even some prepaid handsets. Keep in mind that the main trade offs when it comes to cheaper, entry-level phones come in the form of a smaller screen with a low resolution, or a plastic body rather than metal.
If you're buying your mobile phone outright, we've limited our selection to phones that retail for $500 or under. And if you're purchasing it on a plan, we've opted for phones that are available for $0 upfront on $29 plans and under. Note that some phones in our list may list an RRP higher than $500 — in this case, these are definitely available on $29 plans and under through one or more Australian telcos: Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, 3 or Virgin Mobile.
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HTC Wildfire
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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini Pro
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RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520
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LG GW620
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Nokia N97 mini
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Garmin-Asus A10
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LG Optimus
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Motorola Quench
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Nokia C5
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Samsung GenoA (C3510)
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Motorola DEXT
The lack of 3G and GPS and a poor display are downsides, but the excellent optical trackpad and user interface make the BlackBerry Curve 8520 a decent smartphone. This entry-level BlackBerry isn't for everyone, but budget users who are willing to sacrifice some features for a lower price should consider the Curve 8520.
- Review Date:
- Reviewer:
- Manufacturer:
- 29th Sept., 2009
- Ross Catanzariti
- RIM
- Rating:
- Price:
- From $ 158.00
- Pros:
- Optical trackpad, external multimedia controls, compact and lightweight frame, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Cons:
- No 3G, no GPS, poor display, bulging rubber keys require a firm press, lock key removed, keyboard could be improved
