Display: IPS matrix with Full HD resolution

Choosing a display based solely on technical characteristics is quite difficult. Even the same matrix and similar display resolution does not guarantee the same picture quality. Like the sound, it is better to evaluate such things with your own eyes and ears, rather than buying from bare figures from the Internet. Nevertheless, general recommendations can be given.

Conclusion: Choosing an inexpensive smartphone, we suggest focus on such a checklist:
  • For inexpensive devices, an IPS display with a diagonal of 5.8 to 6.5". It all depends on your preferences: it's more convenient to watch videos or play on a large display, and it's more convenient to control a small smartphone with one hand.
    • For devices for $200, the resolution must be at least Full-HD. That is, 2340 x 1080 pixels with a diagonal of 6.3 – 6.5". In cheaper models, they mostly put HD displays with a resolution like 1520x720 pixels. In everyday use (messengers, social networks, applications), the graininess on such a screen is not very striking. But for games and video content, a Full HD display will be preferable. As for the matrix type, we would avoid inexpensive AMOLED displays with acidic colours.
Popular smartphones with FullHD display

Storage capacity: 32, 64 or 128 GB?

How much memory is needed is up to you, it's difficult to advise something here. Users who actively use the camera, often play with toys and watch TV shows on their smartphone may find that the 64 GB storage, which was once taken with a margin, is 95% full. Therefore, ideally, it is better to immediately take either 128 GB or, as much as you like, but with a slot for a memory card. But we would consider options for 32 GB only if the phone is bought exclusively as a means of communication, and not a pocket computer with a bunch of installed games, applications and downloaded content. This is always the case with memory, at first it seems that there is a lot of it, but one day a notification "memory is full" appears on the screen.

Conclusion: 64 GB is optimal for a multimedia device for $200. And 128 GB is even better. 32 GB is enough for dialers and messengers. If it's still not enough, then a memory card slot will come to the rescue.

RAM: ideally, we are looking for 4 GB


For models with a price tag in the region of $ 200, 4 GB of RAM has become the norm, which allow you to freely switch between resource-intensive applications and run demanding toys. Sometimes there are options like the Redmi Note 8 Pro with 6 GB of RAM. So far, these are exceptions to the rules, but in the next year or two there will be more and more such smartphones. If we lower the price threshold to $ 120 – 150, then most of the smartphones we come across will be equipped with 2 or 3 gigabytes of RAM. 3 GB ― it's OK, but it's better not to take 2 GB. The fact is that as an Android operating system, it runs on Java and uses additional memory when closing the programme. This process is called garbage collection and over time, when the number of installed applications grows, it needs more memory.

Conclusion: at least 3 GB. 4 GB is optimal, and 6 GB is generally perfect.
Smartphones with 6 GB of RAM

Cameras: is it better to have more or fewer modules?

Previously, smartphones had a front-facing camera for selfies, and a main camera for creating photos and videos. Then there were dual cameras with an auxiliary module. Then triple and quad cameras. Unlike really expensive camera phones, where modules can work in a team, and software stitches pictures from several cameras into one photo, in low-cost devices 3 – 4 cameras rather solve the issue of variability, not quality. A $200 smartphone can't physically shoot at the Galaxy S10 level just because both have triple cameras. Although, the quality of images in such tubes has significantly increased and some of them can hardly claim to be an entry-level camera phone. The same Redmi Note 8 Pro, which went on the market in the fall of 2019, is able to shoot slow-motion videos, as well as snaps good night shots and portraits. Or the Meizu Note 9, which shoots really great in daylight, but is expected to lose ground in night photography.

Conclusion: a lot of cameras is not a panacea. The same goes for megapixels, bigger does not mean cooler. Better check the quality of the pictures and videos in the reviews. In general, buying a smartphone for $ 200 dollars, you can not worry about the quality of the camera, it will shoot very well, especially in good lighting. But the cameras in very inexpensive devices do not shine with quality.

NFC: Wallet in your pocket

A chip for contactless payments is a very useful thing. A smartphone with an NFC can play the role of a universal payment card from a supermarket or a travel card on public transport. A smartphone is always at hand, you won't forget it at an ATM, and a fingerprint scanner or Face ID (in more expensive devices) protects against hacking. Previously, NFC was used only in top-end devices, now even entry-level models are increasingly getting this feature. However, in models up to $200 NFC has not yet passed into the category of vital pieces, like a fingerprint scanner, so when choosing, look carefully, in some popular low-cost companies like Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and Realme 5 Pro NFC, for example, is not.

Conclusion: a must-have for those who do not want to carry a plastic card with them.

Security: Fingerprint scanner and Face ID

Fingerprint scanners have long passed into the category of necessity and now it is difficult to find a smartphone that does not have such a sensor. Therefore, it is clearly not worth abandoning it. Especially if you are looking for a smartphone with NFC, with which you will go to the store. But face scanners in devices of this class are rare, because for their correct operation there is not enough of one front camera, additional sensors like a depth sensor and high-quality software are needed.

Conclusion: it's better with a fingerprint scanner than without it.
Smartphones with Face ID

Battery and fast charging

Once upon a time, in an advertisement for the new Galaxy S, Samsung trolled Apple for the fact that iPhone owners literally have to live near an outlet. And then she released a new tube with a low-power battery, which sat down in the evening. The situation changed dramatically in 2019, when the de facto standard for batteries became a capacity of 4000 mAh. In a gentle mode, such a battery lasts for a couple of days of use. However, smartphone manufacturers did not stop there and now you can find inexpensive devices with 5000 mAh batteries (OPPO A52) and even 6000 mAh (Galaxy M21) on the market. Of course, these similar values are not an absolute guarantee of long-term operation of the gadget, since much depends on the filling, display and software optimization, but it is still a good indicator. Well, fast charging is almost a must-have. Especially for tubes with a price tag of $150.

Conclusion: we are looking at a battery of at least 4000 mAh and fast charging.
Smartphones with fast charging

Processor: what to choose so as not to slow down?

In good models with a price tag around $200, Qualcomm processors are most often found. Basically, these are Snapdragon 600-series and less often 700-series models. There is less trust in Mediatek products, since many of the company's processors famously stuff virtual parrots in synthetic tests, but in fact they are not so fast. However, the recent liquid-cooled Helio G90T proved to be a good mid-level gaming processor. Such, for example, can be found in the popular phablet Redmi Note 8 Pro. If the low-cost is tight and you need to go down the price list, then here we are waiting for more products from Mediatek and the old Snapdragon 400 family.

Conclusion: An excellent choice will beSnapdragon 665 and 710 or Mediatek G80 and G90T. These are performant eight-core chips, the capabilities of which are enough for almost any modern tasks, except for particularly demanding toys at maximum graphics settings. If you do not want to deal with specific processor models, you can simplify the choice and refer to the results of the AnTuTu benchmark. For a smartphone with a price tag just above $100, a good result would be 9,000 points or higher. With a low-cost in the region of $ 200, we look at processors that have scored from 17,000 points.

Wireless communication

Ideally, you should look out for a smartphone with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi receivers of the fifth version. With Bluetooth, the issue is less fundamental, since many wireless headphones, fitness trackers and smart speakers work on Bluetooth 4.2. The advantage of Bluetooth 5.0 is a longer range, higher bandwidth and energy efficiency. Wi-Fi should be taken more seriously, since support for 5 Hz networks provides a higher connection speed due to the fact that this frequency is less busy compared to Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz.

Conclusion: Wi-Fi is necessarily five-hertz, Bluetooth 4 or 5.
Smartphones with Wi-Fi 5 (ac) support

What else: housing materials, safety glasses and ports

Finally, let's go over the little things, since there is nothing vital here. Smartphones for $200 and below do not often have premium cases with glass panels and metal frames. In most cases, there will be plastic. In our opinion, this is never a minus, because in many situations plastic is more practical than glass.

The choice of USB ports is more a matter of religion. In the sense that USB-C is more practical and modern, but it does not give any specific advantages in a $200 device. In some cases, the old micro USB, on the contrary, will be more convenient, especially if the house is not littered with modern appliances, and for the sake of USB-C, the manufacturer has removed the usual headphone output.

As for the protective glass, the Corning company with its Gorilla Glass rules the ball here. These are really proven glasses that get better from one generation to the next, and cause much more trust than just "protective glass" from an unnamed factory on the outskirts of China. A must-have for those who often drop their smartphone on the floor.

Which series/manufacturers of smartphones should I pay attention to?

A couple of years ago, the answer to this question was quite simple and consisted of manufacturers: Xiaomi, Meizu and Huawei/Honor. Now the list has changed noticeably. Firstly, more famous players appeared in it: Samsung and Nokia. The first one has made a lot of noise with its A and M lines, and the second one annually produces perfectly balanced models with pure Android. Secondly, after the trade war with the United States and the ban on the use of Google services, the situation with Huawei is unclear. Buying such smartphones at a standard price is a so―so idea.

However, the holy place is never empty and other players from China like Oppo and Realme have entered the east european market, which this year managed to mark a couple of very interesting OPPO A52 and Realme 5 Pro devices. Over the past year, Samsung has released an interesting Galaxy M21 with a capacious battery, an optimal Galaxy A31 with a Super AMOLED display and an unusually cheap Galaxy A01. Nokia recently released a very successful model5.1 Plus, but go find it in the store now. It was replaced by Nokia 2.3, which will attract many with a price tag just below $ 100. Well, Xiaomi traditionally has every second or third model claiming to be the people's favorite. Of the latter, these are Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi 9 and Redmi Note 9.

Conclusion and general tips

A smartphone should not be a spontaneous purchase. In order not to be disappointed, it should be chosen carefully, compared with others, and studied the advantages and disadvantages of each model.

Finally, a few generalized tips on how not to buy a pig in a poke:

  • For the sake of saving, you will have to sacrifice something, for example NFC in favor of a more capacious battery, or a USB-C port in favor of a headphone output. Therefore, it is better to write out your priorities in advance and choose based on them.
  • Google reviews and read reviews. An perfect smartphone on paper may have unexpected problems in life, such as burning out the corners of the display, a jamming tray for SIM cards, etc.