Best Cheap Android Phones (December 2013)

 

In our always-connected world, it’s coming to a point where you’re pretty much expected to have a smartphone. Of course not everyone can afford the latest and greatest.
The good news is that technology has advanced to the point where you can actually get a great smartphone without breaking your bank — this is even more true now that Motorola has taken the veil off the Moto G.
In this article, we take a look at some of the best low-cost Android phones on the market.
In order to be included on this list, said device must meet the following criteria:

• From a major brand (Samsung, LG, HTC, Sony, Motorola, Huawei, Lenovo, ASUS)
• Be under $350, unlocked.

Editors note – we will be updating this list as more devices hit the market. This article reflects things from a US/EU centric perspective.

#1 – LG Nexus 5

The much awaited successor to the LG Nexus 4 has arrived, and it is easily the most powerful device on this list. Of course, it’s also the most expensive, flirting with the line between “cheap” and mid-priced at $349 for the 16GB model. Still it’s worth mentioning because there is no better way to get a high-end Android experience without breaking the bank (or signing a contract).
The LG Nexus 5 is powered by a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU and has 2GB of RAM. The new Nexus also ships with Android 4.4 KitKat right out of the box.

While the KitKat update has started rolling out to several other Nexus (and non-Nexus) devices, the Nexus 5 has the distinction of being the only Android device with Google’s brand new “Google Experience Launcher”.

LG Nexus 5 Specs

• 4.96-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution
• 2.3GHz Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU
• 2GB of RAM
• GSM/3G/LTE
• NFC, A-GPS, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, Wireless charging
• 16GB and 32GB storage options
• 8MP rear cam with OIS, 1.3MP front
• 2300 mAh battery
• 130g, 137.84 x 69.7 x 8.59mm
• Android 4.4 KitKat’

For more on the LG Nexus 5, including our review, click here.

Buy now on Google Play $349

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#2 – Motorola Moto G

The Moto G is a major game-changer in the mobile world, offering mid-range specs at a killer price. Motorola’s new budget handset features a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU and includes 1GB of RAM.

The Moto G essentially runs on stock Android 4.3 with few modifications, and already has an upgrade available for Android 4.4.2 KitKat. While the handset doesn’t have tons of special features, it has reasonably solid specs and a price tag that’s under $200.

Motorola Moto G Specs

• 4.5-inch LCD display with 1280 x 720 resolution
• 1.2GHz Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU
• 1GB of RAM
• 3G/GSM
• 8GB and 16GB storage options
• 5MP rear cam, 1.3MP front cam
• 2070 mAh battery
• 143g weight, 129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6mm
• Removable colored backs
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

Buy Now on Amazon $180 (8GB) / $200 (16GB)

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#3 – Sony Xperia L

Sony’s Xperia L features a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 CPU and 1GB of RAM. It only has 8GB of internal storage, but there is a microSD slot to increase that by 32GB.

As for software, it’s reminiscent of stock Android, taking on the Ice Cream Sandwich theme. Finally, it has very little in terms of bloatware, which is often hard to come by.

Sony Xperia L Specs

• 128.7 x 65 x 9.7 mm
• 137 grams
• 4.3-inch FWVGA display
• 1Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor
• Adreno 305 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable via microSD upto 32GB
• 8MP rear camera with HDR mode for both pictures and video, 0.3MP front camera, autofocus, LED flash
• dedicated camera button
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
• 1,750 mAh battery
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

For more on the Sony Xperia L, including our review, click here.

Buy Now on Amazon $270

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 #4 ZTE V956

The ZTE V956 is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8625Q CPU with 512MB of RAM. The handset also features a larger 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 854.
ZTE might not be a very well known brand, particularly in the United States, but the specs here are actually reasonably decent considering the handset can be yours for just a little over $100.

ZTE V956 Specs

• 133 x 65 x 9.8 mm
• 138 grams
• Quad-core 1.2 GHz CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8625Q
• 4.5-inch display with resolution of 480 x 854, 218 ppi
• 512 MB RAM
• 4 GB built-in storage
• 5MP rear cam, .3MP front cam
• 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz (SIM 1 & SIM 2)
• 3G: UMTS 850 / 2100 MHz (SIM 1)
• microUSB 2.0
• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Lithium-ion 1600 mAh

For more on the ZTE V956, click here.

Buy Now on Amazon $110

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#5 – LG L5 II

The LG L5 II is powered by a 1GHz Mediatek MT6575 1GHz CPU with a PowerVR SGX531 GPU. The handset also has 512MB RAM and a 4-inch IPS display with a resolution of 480 x 800.
Sure, the LG L5 II isn’t going to win any awards or blow anyone away, but at under $200, you’ll find the L5 II is a reasonably solid-performer with enough oomph to provide an enjoyable basic Android experience.

LG L5 II Specs

• 118.4 x 62.2 x 9.2 mm
• 100 grams
• 4-inch IPS display with 480 x 800 resolution, 233ppi
• 1 GHz Cortex-A9 (MT6575)
• 4GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
• 5MP main cam
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• 1,700 mAh battery
• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

For more on the LG L5 II, click here.

Buy Now on Amazon $179

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Any particular favorites in your list? Did we miss one? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below. We’ll be updating this piece regularly — especially considering there are quite a few interesting handsets heading our way over the next few months.
There’s a lot of great phones coming from lesser known players, and we’ll be sure to include them if they meet our criteria as well. Let us know what devices you think we should include!