Group test Budget phones
The smart way to spend your dosh
What’s the story?
Network-branded phones aren’t exactly known for their flash looks, so that makes EE’S Hawk quite the sight to behold: with a glass front and back, it could easily pass for a mid-price Samsung. And it’s got a special trick up its sleeve: the ability to tune into EE’S 4G+ data for hyper-speedy downloads. So long as you happen to be in one of the few spots where the signal is available...
Is it any good?
Ignore its 4G+ boasts and EE’S Hawk is a little less impressive, but still not half bad for the money. It’s fast enough darting between apps, offers battery life of a day and a bit, and has a camera that can do a job when there’s enough light. With only 720p resolution its 5in screen is a little disappointing; but as long as you’re happy to make a few sacrifices in looks, the Hawk will do you just fine. £150 / stuff.tv/hawk
Stuff says
It’s not a spec monster, but you rarely get a glass phone this cheap
What’s the story?
When it’s not preoccupied with being the world’s new superpower, China also does a decent line in wallet-friendly smartphones. You’ll have to be careful when choosing one of these handsets, but the Doogee BL7000 is well worth your attention. If you’re the kind of person who hates scrambling around for a charger every night, consider this phone and its two-day battery life your salvation.
Is it any good?
Aside from its astounding stamina, the BL7000 prides itself on a dual-lens camera for 2x low-loss zoom shots. Alas, the results aren’t quite as spectacular as this makes out, with middling amounts of detail to enjoy and dubious results at night. But with a fingerprint scanner, 64GB of storage and a respectable Full HD display, there’s really not much to complain about here. £170 / stuff.tv/bl7000
Stuff says
The BL7000’S killer battery life makes it a winner despite otherwise average specs
What’s the story?
A sub-£100 phone that’s actually worth owning: they don’t come along often, and that makes the Smart N8 all the more special. So long as you can get over its slow camera, this is a really impressive piece of kit that even comes with extra trimmings like a fingerprint scanner. You’ll struggle to find a better phone for this kind of cash… even though you will see the difference from spending a little extra.
Is it any good?
The Smart N8 isn’t flash, but it’s tidy enough and doesn’t have the boring ‘bare plaster’ grey finish you find on similar-priced phones. And it follows through on its promise, from the 5in screen to the stripped-back take on Android and full day’s battery life. Phones like the Moto G5 and Sony Xperia XA1 feel faster, but the Smart N8 isn’t painful to use like some ultra-budget phones. £85 / stuff.tv/smartn8
Stuff says
In a world of rising prices, the Smart N8 is a shining beacon of bargainhood