Top 5 budget smartphones
When it comes to smartphones, “budget” isn't the constraint it used to be. There's a good choice of devices now available if you're watching your expenditure and, owing to continued research and development, you won't have to sacrifice many demands if you are trying to save a few pounds. So in the spirit of collective belt-tightening we've put together a list of the best budget smartphones around that won't clean out your bank account.
BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100
The BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 packs the best of BlackBerry into a budget handset, which will by no means leave you feeling as though you've compromised. With a half QWERTY keyboard, a vibrant 2.25-inch screen and an optical trackpad, the hardware is more than adequate and when coupled with the famous BlackBerry e-mail, 3-megapixel camera and built-in document editing, the Pearl is perfect for business as well as social use.
Its compact form-factor also means that it'll never ruin the line of your suit, or feel too bulky in hand.
Nokia C3
Although the C3 was released 6 months ago, it still competes with the other smartphones on the market, and with a price point around the £95 mark for a SIM free handset, it's easy to see why.
The C3 boasts a full QWERTY, a vibrant 2.4-inch screen, 2-megapixel camera as well as many other features you'd expect on a smartphone of a much higher price range. There have been a few criticisms levelled at the ageing Symbian 40 OS, and though it lacks 3G, the Wi-Fi more than makes up for it. It's available on O2 from as little as £10 a month, which seems like a steal to us, plus it's available in a range of colours.
HTC Wildfire
The Wildfire is HTC's effort in the budget smartphone market, and it rarely disappoints. Whilst it lacks a hardware QWERTY, those familiar with Android will know that this is hardly a downside. The Wildfire is an attractive handset, very similar to its more expensive sibling, the HTC Desire, and boasts all of the usual features that Android devotees have come to love, such as the Android Market, where you can download a plethora of free apps. The Wildfire also sports a 5-megapixel camera with a flash and combined with its other virtues, it's hard to find anything to dislike about it.
Samsung Galaxy Apollo
Released in July of this year, the Galaxy Apollo is Samsung's offering to the mid-range smartphone market. It's available for as little as £15 a month and sells SIM-free for around the £200 mark.
As well as the usual Android goodness, the Galaxy Apollo has a 3.2-inch screen, a 3.15-megapixel camera and a sleek design, coupled with Samsung's outstanding build quality, which should please even the most discerning of users.
LG Optimus One
The LG Optimus One was released in October and runs the latest iteration of the Android OS, 2.2, also known as Froyo. It features a 600MHz processor, which is more than enough to keep it jogging along nicely. It's also happens to be one of the most attractive handsets around. It's available in six tasteful colours, which, combined, with its slim form factor, make it a must for the fashion conscious among us. At £199 SIM-free, it certainly won't break the bank, and with monthly deals starting at £15 a month, you can save the pennies and still look stylish.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it. It is possible to get your hands on a competitive, attractive and capable handset without committing yourself to an expensive monthly plan or forking out hundreds of pounds on a SIM-free device. We'd also like to tip a nod to Google, whose Android operating system, and the open principles on which it's based, for enabling these budget devices to keep up with the market leaders.
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