How to Buy a Smartphone that Fits Your Budget

Can’t afford to buy the latest iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy? No worries, you can still buy a smartphone that fits your budget. If you are looking for a smartphone to make phone calls, play games, watch movies, and browse the net, there are phones that cost as little as $50 that can accomplish all of this. Here is a very brief guide on how you can own a smartphone without breaking the bank:

Overcome the Branded Marketing Nonsense

First of all, you won’t be able to make a budget purchase if you insist on buying a branded phone. You won’t be able to buy an iPhone for $100, not even a counterfeit one. So you will have to make up your mind about getting a branded phone. BLU R1 HD is a very decent budget smartphone you can get for about $60. But you won’t be able to brag about owning a “Blu.” But once you overcome this, you will be able to get a really good smartphone for less than $200. For recommendations, check out this list.

Adjust Your Expectations and Set a Budget

Most budget smartphones are just as good as the expensive branded ones. But you may have to forgo some features. For example, high-end Samsungs and iPhones have good water resistant abilities. Budget smartphones may be water resistant, but not as much. There are certain gimmicks companies include in new releases, like touchscreen features, that you may not get with budget phones. Other than that, you can still enjoy great standard features.

Once you have adjusted your expectations in accordance with your budget, you can set a budget. It’s recommended to spend $200 or less on a phone, though you can set your budget to $100 or $300 depending on how much you are willing to pay.

Get Good Battery Life

If you settle for a budget smartphone with low-res graphics display, there’s an upside to that: longer battery life. Most budget smartphones are better at preserving battery life because they don’t have the same gimmicks high-end phones have. So, aim for 2,000mAh battery in the least, which should be enough to last through the day. Though if you are a gamer or a movie lover, you may want to buy a cheap power bank as well.

Don’t Spend Money on Processing Power

Don’t spend too much on a good processor. You are buying a phone, not a computer. Your phone may not be super-fast, but it won’t be super slow either if the processor is not the hippest in the market. You will be able to use any app that’s compatible with the OS of the phone. Apps are developed to be compatible with all processors, so everyone can download them. The only caution you should exercise here is buying a smartphone with a processor that is over five years old. Then you may experience some lag.

Choose an Android

If you are looking for a budget phone, Android is the choice operating system for cash-strapped users around the world. There is really no way to buy a budget iPhone unless you are okay buying a used device. The other option is to buy a certified refurbished phone. Keep in mind though that for the same price, you may be able to buy a smartphone running the latest Android OS. So, get used to Android platform if you are on a budget.

I recommend buying certified refurbished phones from big titles if you insist on having a branded phone. Buying refurbished is better than buying used.

About the Author:

Eduardo Bridges is a former software engineer and current gadget enthusiast. He spends his day scouring the internet for ways to buy truly excellent budget electronics.  He blogs about his findings afterwards.