3 Cheap Smartphones That Would Be Great Gift Ideas

When deciding which smartphone to buy for a loved one this year, here’s three phones that should not be overlooked!

In many cases, it’s true that you get what you pay for.  However, for nearly a third of the cost of a high-end phone, you can’t complain about these.

ZTE Nubia 5S Mini Android for $280.  

This smartphone is slim and light, which gives it a comfortable hold.  It has a 4.7-inch screen – the same size screen as the iPhone 6.

Why so cheap?

The quality of the features is a notch or two below the latest high-end smartphones.

Nubia’s display measures at 1280 pixels by 720 pixels, which is far less than the latest iPhones and Samsung Galaxy devices.  Also, the resolution is only enough for 720p high-definition video.

The camera is decent on this phone.  The rear camera takes 13 megapixel shots, which is common; and the front camera takes 5 megapixel shots, which is better than typical.

The upside?

In addition to the lower price, it comes with 4G connectivity and 16 GB of memory.  Not too shabby.

Motorola Moto G Android for $180.  

This smartphone has a 5-inch screen and a curved back for a better grip.  It’s covered with the durable Corning’s Gorilla Glass, which is more common with more expensive phones.

The display is, like the Nubia, 1280 by 720 pixels.

Is there a catch?  As [almost] always, yes.

The rear camera is 8 megapixel and the front camera is 2 megapixel.  Depending on your needs, that may or may not be an issue.

The main flaw of the Moto G is that you’re stuck with the slower 3G network and 8 GB of memory.

Microsoft Lumia 635 Windows for $179.

This mid-grade Lumia is not as sleek as its top-end Lumia cousins, but its much better than its bulky Lumia 530 cousin.

It has a 5 megapixel rear camera and no front camera.  The display resolution is not as good as the Nubia or the Moto G, and the memory is, again, only 8 GB.

Any upsides besides price?  Yes.

The 635 does have 4G connectivity.

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Which smartphone do you think has the most bang for your buck?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!


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Author Profile: Consumer Expert Daniel Reinhardt

Dan is a freelance writer, blogger, and tech enthusiast. Good food, good conversation, and good beer or wine are all he needs - preferring his wine dry, like his humor. Lastly, Dan gets a kick out of writing about himself in the third person; it makes him feel important.

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