the contenders

OnePlus 5

With such a drool-worthy spec, it’s difficult to fathom how OnePlus was able to get away with the 5’s sub-£500 price tag. A Snapdragon 835 processor processor and 8GB of RAM make it one nippy multi-tasker, and dual cameras, a Full HD 5.5-inch display and all-aluminium chassis are the icing on the cake.

Huawei Nova

Why fork out around £700 on a premium handset when the Nova is such a compelling package and at less than half the price? The Snapdragon 625 processor, 4K camera and 3D fingerprint sensor are all killer features, but it’s the monumental two-day battery life per charge that really seals the deal for us.

Samsung Galaxy A3

The smallest phone in the Galaxy line-up is also the best for affordable functionality. An octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM take care of business while the 2350mAh battery will drive the A3 for a couple of days before it needs charging. The 13MP rear camera is a bit of a beast, too, and takes stellar pics.

WileyFox Swift 2 X

WileyFox’s Swift 2 X is a stunning example of British engineering. The dazzling 5.2-inch Full HD display is the jewel in this budget blower’s crown, but you also can’t go too wrong with a 16MP camera, rapid charging and integrated NFC and Android Pay either. You get all this, and for just £220? Go on then!

Moto G5

Only just beaten to the finish by the Honor 9, Motorola’s wallet-friendly Android handset certainly packs a punch for the dough. The sleek diamond-cut aluminium chassis houses a 1.4GHz octa-core processor for all your viewing, gaming and app needs, plus a five-inch HD display and 13MP camera.