TOP 5: best smartphones under $200
From our immense catalogue of smartphones we chose 5 models, the cost of which at the time of writing was in the range of $150-200. They also added one more model as a bonus, which is a bit over low-cost and was released more than 1.5 years ago, but still remains an interesting solution.
To begin with, a comparison of technical characteristics for each item in the list.
| Managed a special, modified version of Android 4.3. Visually, the interface resembles Windows Phone (as you can see in the photos), Android apps are supported, but the device works with Microsoft services instead of Google. Apps must be downloaded from Nokia Store, not Google Play. Of course, there are much fewer of them, but no one will forbid you to install APK files directly. At the same time, Nokia declines responsibility for compatibility, but experience shows that most applications work correctly on Nokia X2. The most important thing is the hardware. The system is performant and works without slowdowns, which the first generation X-models sinned. The Nokia X2 features an updated 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 Cortex-A7 dual-core processor, Adreno 305 graphics accelerator and 1GB of RAM. The smartphone handles with all tasks, except for heavy games: Real Racing 3 will start, but in some places it may slow down. Everything you need can be placed on an internal drive of a budgetary capacity of 4 GB, what will not fit on a microSD memory card. It's nice that the design of the smartphone is similar to the recognizably bright Lumia models: nice angularity, removable coloured polycarbonate back, in case of X2 glossy with transparent coating. Under it are hidden two slots for SIM-cards, a microSD slot and a battery that allows you to watch HD video for about 6 hours. not a problem. But in small fonts it will be noticeable. But here is an IPS-matrix with good colour reproduction and a ClearBlack polarization layer (increases the visibility of the screen in the sun), an oleophobic coating and Gorilla 3 glass. much more interesting than the previous ones, despite the fact that this symbiosis itself is a strange and dubious undertaking. |
.jpg)
 high-quality case, good performance for a low-cost class, long battery life, dual SIM support not top quality display, low memory, outdated operating system | HTC Desire 310 Dual Sim 4 GB / 1 GB Very rarely HTC pleases its own admirers of smartphones for relatively little money. The model is a small candy bar, which is not much different from other representatives of this price category. But the family traits of the manufacturer are guessed, and a certain individuality is still inherent. We are talking about the same colour of the “back” (black, white or red) and the speaker located above the screen. The rear panel is slightly rubberized, removable, under it is a 2000 mAh battery. On the one hand, this increases the battery life (at maximum load, that is, during a 3D game at high brightness, it lasts for 4 hours, and in normal mode during the day you will not need a recharging cord), and on the other hand, makes the smartphone quite thick. The average screen size is 4.5", the resolution is 854x480 pixels. Alas, this model has a simple TN-matrix, which means smaller viewing angles than most smartphones. However, how often do you look at your smartphone from the side? But on a sunny day, it will not be easy to read the text on the screen. The rejection of the IPS-matrix, even the simplest one, is an obvious step towards reducing the cost, but is it really necessary to save so much on the main element of the smartphone? The screen is not so bad, but technology and progress make it possible to put something more advanced into the device. There are also some limitations with the operating system: the user will have to be content with Android 4.2, which looks and looks like modern 4.4, but worse optimized. But the performance of the smartphone is good, thanks to a 4-core processor at 1.3 GHz and 1 GB of RAM. But the performance margin of the ARM Mali-400 MP2 GPU is unlikely to be enough for modern games, even with a screen with not the highest resolution. Yes, and you need to save space for games: there is about 2 GB of free memory, and there are problems with launching from an external memory card (according to users). In a word, we have a smartphone with many advantages and disadvantages. It seems that trust in the brand and a stylish appearance will be the decisive factor in favor of the purchase. |
 good five-inch display with HD resolution and IPS matrix, dual SIM support, nice ergonomics, slot for external memory cards bad camera, not the best battery life | Fly IQ452 Ego Vision 1 16 GB / 1 GB Buying "state-owned" first-tier manufacturers is a dubious undertaking. Often, models of not so famous manufacturers bypass them in all respects. An example of this is the majority of Fly smartphones showing excellent value for money /features. And if someone remembers not the highest quality phones from five to seven years ago, marked with this name, and believes that the company has not progressed since then, he is mistaken. Most of the new Fly smartphones are comparable in terms of build level and other important parameters with their more eminent colleagues. The model that got into our top is simple in appearance, but the sensations from it are light and pleasant. The smartphone is small and elegant: the thickness was 9 millimetres, and the weight is 158 grams. Under this cover is slots for two SIM-cards, a connector for microSD and a 2000 mAh battery. At first glance, it seems that it is removable, but in fact it will not work without tools or brutal actions. The battery is small for a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, so if you are an active user, at the end of the day, a smartphone will have to be recharged. But the screen itself pleases: the matrix is made using IPS technology, it has excellent viewing angles, pleasant colour reproduction, decent brightness and contrast. A 4-core processor with 1 GB of RAM and Android 4.2 is installed. Performance records are not to be expected, but heavy games will slow down largely due to the high screen resolution. We can't recall a single more or less decent camera in Fly smartphones, and this model did not correct the situation. Even in bright daylight, the pictures taken by the camera are not impressive. Feelings from the smartphone are more positive than negative: good ergonomics and a good large screen affect. |
.jpg) good 5.3" HD screen, dual SIM support, decent performance battery life, microSD slot not enough system memory | This smartphone was not born as a state employee, but became one after a year of life. Last year's s920 was once one of the most performant devices from Lenovo and belonged to the middle price category. A huge 5.3-inch screen with an IPS matrix and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, which is a pixel density of 277ppi. The display uses OGS technology: glass without an air gap, colours are warm, a good and responsive sensor. All this is good, just remember that the smartphone is large, which may not be to everyone's liking. The cover can be easily removed, and you can install two SIM cards and a microSD card under it. I am glad that the battery is removable and capacious: 2250 mAh. It allows you to recharge your smartphone once every one or two days, depending on the load. The 8-megapixel camera is good for an inexpensive smartphone, but in general, nothing special. Light sensitivity is average, stabilization and focus are not the best. Nevertheless, it allows you to shoot something on the go, and this is the main thing for a mobile camera. The smartphone is equipped with the good old 4-core MTK 6589W processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, which is often put in two-SIM “state employees” . Most applications run smoothly, although demanding games can be problematic in the form of long loading times or stuttering. Probably, the small amount of memory available to the user affects: only 1 out of 4 GB. Therefore, it needs to be cleaned regularly and transfer applications to a microSD card. This trick does not work with all applications. The smartphone performs well as a video player (especially in combination with the MXPlayer application) and for Internet surfing. Still, given the large and high-quality screen. |
 great battery life, good performance, tap unlock, Android 4.4.2 Kitkat relatively small resolution screen | With a classic design, the white matte back panel makes a pleasant impression and allows you to hold your smartphone without the risk of slipping, unlike glossy counterparts. A nice detail is a thin metal rim that borders the edges of the device. Probably, it is he, along with a thin frame around the screen, that gives the L90 a more expensive look than it really is. The smartphone is equipped with an infrared port, which is often used to control equipment. Knows how to "command" TVs and video players. The only pity is that air conditioners and other household appliances are beyond the control of the device. The 4.7-inch screen is an average size with an average resolution of 960x540 pixels, the pixel density is 235ppi. This is enough for a "state employee", especially since the brightness of the screen is high, the colour reproduction is good, and the colour gamut is close to the canonical sRGB. The filling of the smartphone corresponds to the level in the good sense of the word: it has a 4-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8226 processor with 1 GB of RAM. The built-in memory is 8 GB, which is not much, but typical for its class. In addition, you can always buy a microSD expansion card for an additional 32 GB. It runs on the new version of the Android 4.4.2 Kitkat operating system, which is very cool and not available to all inexpensive smartphones. There are nice "chips" of control and unlocking through "taps". Some users ignore this feature, but it's actually a handy and fun feature. The camera isn't stellar, but it's decent. It can be launched using a sliding gesture across the screen, as is customary with LG, or a mechanical power button. It starts quickly and focuses well. The capacious 2450 mAh battery really pleases the smartphone. Thanks to him, with an intense load, the LG L90 can be recharged once every two days, unlike the vast majority of Android smartphones. |
 great design, good sound, decent battery life < div class="clr"> small viewing angles, smartphone is more expensive than competitors in this collection | (+ bonus) Sony Xperia SP 8 GB / 1 GB Finally, we left a smartphone that two years ago would have been close to the flagship, a year ago — to a solid middle class, but today he joined the ranks of worthy middle-low-cost employees. He is already over a year and a half old, but he is still good! Outwardly, it is perhaps the most interesting in our selection. The famous Sony-style decides: in the lower part of the case we can observe an organic and original insert made of transparent polycarbonate, and an aluminium frame with screws borders its sides, for greater solidity. A transparent insert is not an easy element of a static design: while playing music, it shimmers in different colours, and when viewing photos, it can adapt to the colour scheme on the screen. This is, of course, a toy, but it pretty much gives the phone emotionality. These effects can be customized if you wish, and if they annoy you, turn them off completely. The screen has a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and a diagonal of 4.6", which implies a clear picture. In this he is good, but the viewing angles and contrast are less than we would like. But the brightness margin is fair. The battery of the device is capacious, 2370 mAh, so it will work for a long time: a little more than a day with active use and a couple of days with average use. And HD movies can be played for about 7 hours straight. Initially, Sony Xperia SP comes with Android 4.1, but it can be upgraded to version 4.3, which is good news. The hardware platform is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro (MSM8960T) with a 2-core Krait ARMv7 processor running at 1.7 GHz, an Adreno 320 graphics coprocessor and 1 GB of RAM. The user has access to about 5 GB of storage out of a total of 8, but the smartphone also supports microSD cards. Today, these characteristics look rather modest (some two cores, albeit with a frequency of 1.7 GHz!), Nevertheless, it will be enough for most games, and even more so for other tasks. Finally, in the smartphone detects good sound, which is typical for Sony devices. |
Based on comprehensive statistics of the popularity of a particular model among the Internet audience.
An overview of the unique features of top smartphones from the most famous manufacturers
The brightest Here are some ideas on how modern gadgets can help you exercise.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions by new users of the popular operating system.
The smartphone is perfect for the role of an exemplary device for taking photos.
Articles, reviews, useful tips
All materials
