Bang for buck: 5 smartphones that cost less than R1500

FILE - Depending on user preference, smartphone demands can vary, and if you’re not too familiar with what to expect out of a more affordable device, here are features to look out for. File image: IOL

FILE - Depending on user preference, smartphone demands can vary, and if you’re not too familiar with what to expect out of a more affordable device, here are features to look out for. File image: IOL

Published Aug 2, 2022

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Johannesburg - With a plethora of high-end smartphones available today, tech fiends seem spoiled for choice – but maybe you’re not looking for the greatest, just a point A to B, here are a few that will cost just a few hundred randelas.

The smartphone equivalent of a fuel-efficient “A to B” isn’t hard to find. More apt is the analogy when realising that “fuel efficient” implies lower data usage, especially when more affordable smartphones consume a little less than their Mercedes equivalents.

Today, South African tech-naysayers are as spoilt for choice as much as those who typically line up outside a store on smartphone release day. The bonus is that affordable smartphones today generally pack in scores of features and are generally the premium smartphones of about five years ago.

Depending on user preference, smartphone demands can vary, and if you’re not too familiar with what to expect out of a more affordable device, here are four minimum features to look out for:

Camera quality – With the progression of technology, more affordable smartphones today feature better cameras than the grainy ones they were once noted for back in the day. Look out for a smartphone with a camera of 5MP and above. These cameras will produce decent images.

Biometric unlocking – For convenience and better ease of use, try to find a smartphone that features face or fingerprint unlocking. While biometric unlocking was a premium feature several years ago, it is standard in most devices today but especially helpful as more banking apps use it for authentication.

Battery life – While it is difficult to say just how long any smartphone will last, looking for an affordable smartphone with a battery capacity of 2000mAh and above will offer at least a full day’s use.

Design – Today, more and more smartphone manufacturers are making their smartphones more aesthetically pleasing. Luckily this was one of the first features that more affordable smartphones borrowed from premium ones.

Now the moment you’ve been waiting for… *drum roll*

Here’s our pick (in no particular order) of the best smartphones available in SA for under R1500:

Nokia C20 Dual SIM – from R1399

6.5” display

720 x 1600 resolution

5MP rear camera

5MP selfie camera

3000 mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy A03 Core – from R1499

6.5” display

8MP rear camera

5MP selfie camera

5000 mAh battery

Nokia 1.4 – from R1499

6.5” display

8MP + 2MP dual rear cameras

5MP selfie camera

4000 mAh battery

Tecno Pop 2X Plus – from R1299

6.0” display

5MP + QVGA rear cameras

5MP selfie camera

4000 mAh battery

Mobicel R7 – from R1199

5.7” display

5MP + 0.08MP rear cameras

2MP selfie camera

2350 mAh battery.

IOL Tech