Best smartphone buys: January 2012
Looking for a new smartphone but only have a limited budget? Check out our best smartphone buys.
- — 07 February, 2012 10:13
Want a new smartphone but only have a limited budget? Check out PC World Australia's best buys. These smartphones are a rank of the top 10 handsets based on perceived value for money leading up to January 2012.
Google's Android platform that dominates the lower end of the market. A new entry for January is the the LG Optimus Spirit: it provides decent value for money so long as you're not expecting it to rival more expensive Android phones.
Other notable best buys for January 2012 include the Huawei Sonic, which sells for just $188 in supermarket chain Woolworths, Big W and electronics retailer Dick Smith, the HTC trio of the Desire S, the Salsa and the Rhyme, and Sony Ericsson's XPERIA Ray.
1. Huawei Sonic Android phone
The Huawei Sonic provides a reasonable features list for quite a low price. As long as you can live with its limitations, such as the lack of Flash and a poor camera, it's very hard to beat for value.
Review Date: 1st Aug., 2011
2. LG Optimus Spirit Android phone
The LG Optimus Spirit provides decent value for money so long as you're not expecting it to rival more expensive Android phones. It can be a little sluggish to use at times and the cramped screen makes text messaging difficult.
Review Date: 13th Jan., 2012
3. HTC Rhyme Android phone
The HTC Rhyme Android phone might have intended to target females, but this sleek and stylish Android phone is good enough to appeal to a broader gender base. Excellent build quality, slick software and a generous amount of included accessories ...
Review Date: 31st Oct., 2011
4. Huawei IDEOS X5 Android phone
If you want to buy a fully fledged Android smartphone without breaking the bank, the Huawei IDEOS X5 should be seriously considered. It offers all the features and functions of a top end Android smartphone for an excellent price.
Review Date: 30th March, 2011
5. Huawei IDEOS X1 Android phone
The Huawei IDEOS X1 is a pretty impressive smartphone considering its low price. The capacitive touchscreen is reasonably responsive, and although its performance, screen size and the plastic build quality aren’t anything to crow about, the IDEOS X1 remains great ...
Review Date: 28th July, 2011
6. HTC Salsa Android phone
The HTC Salsa provides easy integration with the world's most popular social networking service, but its ultimate appeal will depend on how much you use Facebook on a daily basis. The Facebook key is not a deal breaker, but putting ...
Review Date: 18th July, 2011
7. HTC Wildfire S Android phone
HTC's Wildfire S offers decent value for money, but doesn't come without compromises. However, those looking for a relatively compact and affordable smartphone are likely to be pleased with its combination of excellent build quality and intuitive software.
Review Date: 4th July, 2011
8. HTC Desire S Android phone
The HTC Desire S is an evolutionary rather than revolutionary upgrade over the original Desire. It remains an excellent smartphone, but it hits the market at a time when competition is fiercer than ever. We think it's a good all-rounder ...
Review Date: 6th June, 2011
9. Huawei IDEOS (U8150) Android smartphone
Huawei's IDEOS smartphone has a small, low-res display and lacks multitouch, but it still represents excellent value. It runs the latest version of Android and it is reasonably well built; it's an absolute bargain at this price.
Review Date: 11th Nov., 2010
10. LG Optimus Me (P350) Android phone
The LG Optimus Me has a low-res display, and its price tag isn't as low as some of its competitors, but it still offers most features and functions of higher priced alternatives.
Review Date: 3rd May, 2011
Be the first to comment
Users posting comments agree to the Good Gear Guide comments policy.
