TOP 5 affordable smartphones under $150

Meizu M2 Mini 16 GB / 2 GB

Simplified version of the smartphone Meizu M2 Note 16 GB has a Mini prefix, but the tongue does not turn at all to call a 5-inch device a "baby".

Meizu M2 Mini is one of the best models in terms of price-quality ratio. It is equipped with a MediaTek 6582 processor (4 cores of 1.3 GHz each), which is performant, as for low-cost segment devices, and has 2 GB of RAM. In synthetic tests, this bundle gives good performance results (31,000 points in AnTuTu). Paired with the HD-resolution display, the "filling" ensures smooth operation of the interface and the absence of lags. Android 5.1 OS is covered with its own Flyme shell, about all the charms of which you can read in the article "Why the Flyme account is important, or what the purchase of the "grey" Meizu threatens." Its main distinguishing feature is the absence of a menu as such — all shortcuts and applications are placed on desktops.

Smartphone control is implemented through a touch interface, as well as the "Home" key and the input of various gestures. Many people fall in love with the "Home" button from the first time — it is both mechanical (a strong press returns to the home desktop) and touch (a light touch allows you to return one position back). Sign language has a developed structure and allows you to perform a lot of manipulations with a touch of one finger.

The model has a 16 GB drive on board, of which approximately 11.5 GB is available to the user. You can expand the memory, but for this you will have to sacrifice one of the two SIM cards — the memory card slot is combined with a SIM card. But it will not work at all to remove the battery — the back cover of the gadget is not removable and there is no access to a 2500 mAh battery. In active mode, the charge lasts exactly for the day of use.

The phone's camera lacks stars from the sky: in good light, the main 13-megapixel module with a maximum aperture of f/2.2 gives a good picture, but it's worth starting to take pictures in low light conditions — the photo quality drops. The front module is equipped with a 5-megapixel sensor and has software "buns" to improve selfies.

Ultimately, a smartphone from Meizu can offer a set of decent features for a reasonable price. It will be the choice for those who are looking for a low-cost device that can cope with everyday tasks 100%.

Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual 8 GB / 1 GB

Solutions from Microsoft are a great alternative to Android smartphones, which have become almost monopolists in the modern market.

Microsoft Lumia 640 is a typical representative of a family of gadgets running on Windows OS. The classic tiled interface of the Windows Phone 8.1 operating system makes it easy to control touch devices, which cannot be said about desktop computers. However, there is one nuance that is associated with the limitations in applications for Windows Mobile as a whole: some of them come out very slowly, and some are not sharpened at all for this platform.

The hardware filling of the gadget consists of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor (4 1.2 GHz cores), 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory. The hardware is time—tested and provides normal performance — games on medium settings will start without problems. The amount of memory can be expanded up to 128 GB via microSD cards.

The 5-inch smartphone screen with HD resolution has one cool "bun", which is called ClearBlack. This is a special polarizing layer that provides visibility in bright lighting. That is, on a sunny day, it will not be difficult to see the picture on the display. With this resolution, the 2500 mAh battery provides 2 full days of work, which is worthy of respect.

The main 8-megapixel camera module with a maximum aperture value of f/2.2 makes quite good pictures of average quality. The front—facing camera is worse — photos from it do not differ in a high degree of detail, which is not surprising, as for a 1-megapixel resolution.

Balanced characteristics make the smartphone a very attractive option for purchase. With only one "but" — if the Windows platform does not hold you back.

LG Spirit DualSim 8 GB / 1 GB

Among the huge number of models on the market, LG Spirit stands out for a couple of important features — a curved body and the placement of control keys on the back of the device, which is inherent in the new line of LG phones.

The curvature does not give any special privileges, especially considering the small physical size of the screen (4.7"). These are more design and marketing moves designed to attract attention to the smartphone. Although when the screen falls down, the bulge of the case can theoretically play into the hands and save the display from damage. The screen itself has an HD resolution (1280x720 pixels). It perfectly conveys colours, and the picture can be seen from any viewing angle. However, there is also a "fly in the ointment" in it — the absence of a light sensor and an oleophobic coating, which makes the automatic brightness adjustment function unavailable, and fingerprints and other contaminants will also be more visible.

The smartphone has 8 GB of internal memory on board, half of which is reserved for the Android 5.0 operating system. The amount of memory can be expanded using microSD cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB. But one thing to keep in mind is that applications are still installed in internal memory and they need to be transferred to a USB stick manually. The platform on which the phone works is represented by a 4-core MediaTek MT6582 processor (1.3 GHz) and 1 GB of RAM. Paired with Android Lollipop, you should not count on ultra—fast responsiveness and the launch of heavy games — the hardware does not shine with novelty and the smartphone's performance is at an average level (about 19,000 points in AnTuTu).

The manufacturer hid the mechanical control keys on the back side, thereby freeing the sides of the smartphone. This "chip" was first used on the flagship of 2013 LG G2 32 GB .

The low-cost orientation of LG Spirit is strongly manifested in the cameras. The main module with a resolution of 8 MP does a good job on a bright sunny day. But in rooms or in conditions of lack of light, the pictures are not very good. The front camera is completely 1-megapixel and does not shine with detail.

As for low-cost-class models, LG Spirit has good characteristics, and also stands out with its own unique style. Geeks will appreciate it only in terms of design, but a simple undemanding layman will have enough smartphone capabilities for all occasions.

Lenovo K3 Note 16 GB / 2 GB

The smartphone from the Chinese company Lenovo got the "Note" prefix for a reason — it is equipped with a 5.5-inch screen with a high resolution.

The IPS matrix, which has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, is responsible for the image on the phone's display. The picture on such a screen looks clear and rich, you can look at it from any viewing angle. This is especially felt in games that run on good graphics and without any slowdowns. All thanks to the powerful MediaTek MT5762 processor, which has 8 cores of 1.7 GHz each, and the Mali T760 graphics accelerator. Benchmarks confirm high performance — during the AnTuTu test, the smartphone scored approximately 46,000 points.

The smartphone looks attractive and youthful, which is facilitated by the bright colours of the case (yellow, green or blue). For fans of conservative style, standard palettes (black and silver) are available. The case is plastic, but it is assembled well — creaking and backlash are not observed. Users are upset by only one nuance in the design — the lack of illumination of the touch control buttons.

The gadget from Lenovo stands out with its proprietary VibeUI shell, rolled on top of Android 5.0. Like colleagues in the shop, which include Chinese companies Xiaomi and Meizu, it is characterized by the absence of a separate menu with applications — all programs are located on desktops.

The Lenovo K3 Note battery has a capacity of 3000 mAh. A large screen with FullHD resolution actively consumes energy and one battery charge lasts for about a day and a half of work. If you actively use the camera, the battery will run out in a day. The main camera, by the way, has a resolution of 13 MP and gives a decent picture.

A powerful hardware platform is revealed on a 5.5-inch phablet in all its glory. And another of its attractive abilities is high-quality sound. And both from headphones and from an external speaker.

Xiaomi Redmi 3 16 GB / 2 GB

The low-cost model, released at the dawn of 2016, has an attractive appearance and a solid set of characteristics more inherent in the middle segment.

Xiaomi Redmi 3 is rightfully considered one of the best smartphones for little money. Its stylish metal case accommodates a high-performance 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor (2 GHz), a good 13-megapixel camera with an aperture of f/2.0, equipped with fast phase autofocus, and a capacious battery of 4100 mAh. Given the presence of the Adreno 405 graphics accelerator, HD screen resolution and 2 GB of RAM, any applications and games will go on such a hardware. At the same time, you can completely forget about charging — the built-in battery provides up to 3 days of battery life of the gadget. A nice bonus from Chinese engineers is the presence of an infrared port through which you can control home appliances.

The matrix of the smartphone is made using IPS technology. There is no air gap between it and the protective glass. The display itself has a typical HD resolution (1280x720 pixels) and a high pixel density (294 ppi), which is very good, as for a low-cost solution.

16 GB of internal memory is allocated for storing user data, the fourth part of which is occupied by the Android 5.1.1 operating system with the MIUI 7 shell rolled on top. The possibility of memory expansion exists, but you will have to choose — either a second SIM card or a USB flash drive. In fact, this is the only drawback of the model.

Xiaomi has significantly upgraded the phone Xiaomi Redmi 2 8 GB / 1 GB . According to her assurances, the third version works as much as 80% longer, which is associated with both optimizing resource consumption and using a high-capacity battery. This is not at all a characteristic feature for low-cost models, which has set a significant pace for the growth of the segment of inexpensive smartphones in the future.