Ranking of the best smartphones before 98 $

Today for many people smartphones have become a necessary tool, without which they feel uncomfortable. No wonder - these pocket assistants allow you to communicate with friends around the world, play various applications, search and track information, work with specialized programs and much more. And it is not at all necessary to buy an expensive model for this - it is quite enough to choose a budget smartphone that meets all your requirements. Each phone has certain advantages over others. How not to get confused with such a rich assortment? Especially for this, we will compile a rating of the best smartphones before 98 $ for 2020, trying to mention different models in it so that any reader will find in it the option that would completely suit him.

TOP 12 smartphones up to 98 $

Improving production processes allows you to create high-quality smartphones even in the budget price category (98–112 $). The limited performance of smartphones does not allow running heavy games with maximum settings. However, for solving most typical tasks, the computing power is quite enough.

For a comprehensive assessment, in addition to the marked details, it is recommended to pay attention to the following parameters:

• appearance;
• photo and video shooting capabilities;
• Memory;
• battery capacity and autonomy;
• build quality;
• availability of NFC, fast charging, and other additional functions.

Read also:

1. Best smartphones before 70 $
2. Best smartphones before 112 $
3. Best low-cost smartphones

1. BQ 6040L Magic

Topping the TOP is a smartphone from the relatively new brand BQ. As noted above, modern production methods allow smaller companies to offer competitive products to consumers. Model 6040L Magic meets modern needs in many ways. The slim bezels emphasize the elegance of the exterior. Practical users will appreciate the non-slip black finish. Lovers of a spectacular appearance can choose blue or burgundy with a trendy "gradient" design.

The stylish design of the smartphone is harmoniously complemented by a flawless build. A detailed acquaintance with the technical characteristics leaves a good impression. For a 6.09 ”diagonal, the resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels provides a fairly high pixel density - 282 PPI. The main 13MP camera paired with a 2MP module is suitable for shooting with bokeh effect. The octa-core processor, supplemented by 2 GB of RAM, performs the basic functions correctly. In video mode, continuous playback at medium settings takes more than 10 hours without recharging.

Pros:

• high-quality smartphone with NFC support;
• capacious battery;
• reasonable price;
• neat appearance;
• good indicators of autonomy;
• face unlocking.

2. Philips S561

To buy a good and inexpensive phone without mistakes, carefully study the joint work of hardware and software. Appreciate the smooth functioning of individual applications positively. Particular attention is paid to the autonomy of the smartphone. According to this parameter, Philips S561 confidently takes a leading position. The solid capacity of the battery (4000 mAh) only indicates the potential. However, 16 hours of video playback at high brightness settings should be called an outstanding result.During normal use, the charger is used no more than 2-2.5 days later.

Neutral appearance. High-quality communication and a fairly high quality of the picture. Accuracy of unlocking, other typical actions. Smartphones with such characteristics are called "workhorses". At a reasonable cost, such smartphones receive high ratings from customer reviews.

Pros:

• inexpensive smartphone model with excellent battery life;
• good amount of RAM considering the price category;
• solid screen;
• the size of the case, convenient for everyday use;
• good call quality.

Minuses:

• at the stage of the start of sales, difficulties were noted with the purchase of a protective film, a bumper.

3. Prestigio S Max

High-quality cheap smartphones destroy the usual image of a nondescript budget product. The Prestigio S Max looks modern. The color of the rear panel smoothly transitions from a light shade to deep black. On the display - a fashionable "drop" with a front camera. Thin bezels (side and top) help to accommodate a large 6.1 ”screen in a compact smartphone body. A good scanner is built in to identify the user using a fingerprint method.

Taking into account the democratic price, one should not count on high performance. However, this phone has a rather "smart" processor Spreadtrum SC9863 (8 cores, 1600 MHz). For operational data storage, the smartphone is equipped with 3 GB of RAM. The volume of permanent storage can be increased with a card up to 128 GB using a separate slot. The back cover can be removed without service. If necessary, the user will install a new battery himself.

Pros:

• affordable cost;
• good characteristics;
• removable cover;
• good equipment;
• only basic applications in the standard set of pre-installed software;
• separate slots for expanding memory, SIM cards.

Minuses:

• the front camera is not suitable for high-quality selfies.

4. HUAWEI Y5 (2019) 32GB

A detailed market research will help to buy a high-quality phone without overpayments. In the segment of budget smartphones, HUAWEI offers the Y5 model, which has attractive consumer characteristics. 5.7-inch diagonal does not cause any difficulties in the process of using the screen. IPS technology is not the latest solution. However, the owner of this smartphone will not see the PWM artifacts that are typical for AMOLED on the screen. The brightness of 600 nits is sufficient for comfortable work in high ambient light levels. This compact smartphone fits comfortably in the hand. For storing large amounts of data, you can install memory cards up to 512 GB.

To preserve the objectivity of the analysis, it should be noted:

1. limited performance of the Helio H22 series processor (4 cores);
2. modest night shooting capabilities;
3. lack of a fingerprint scanner.

The noted shortcomings are compensated by minimal purchase costs. Responsible assembly of a well-known manufacturer does not raise any complaints.

Pros:

• reliability in work;
• excellent speaker volume;
• attractive design;
• good matrix;
• light weight (146 g);
• high-quality signal reception at a great distance from mobile communication towers.

Minuses:

• There is no oleophobic coating, but a quality protective film is offered as standard.

5. Alcatel 1S (2019)

A very cheap phone these days shouldn't be associated with overly limited functionality. "Operative" 3 GB complete with an eight-core processor provide the necessary performance for surfing the Internet and watching videos on YouTube. You can use face or fingerprint identification to unlock. The standard USB micro connector is suitable for connecting external devices using OTG technology. In addition to convenient desktop settings, the owners of this smartphone note the possibility of video capture of images, the correct setting of shooting in automatic mode.

Pros:

• good technical equipment for the price range 98 $;
• sufficient performance;
• work with two SIM cards;
• the presence of a notification indicator;
• precise automated setup for shooting photos and videos;
• compactness;
• long-term preservation of performance without recharging.

Minuses:

• multitouch supports only 2 touches;
• poor speaker quality.

6.ZTE Blade V10 Vita 3 / 64GB

A preliminary analysis of the operating features is needed to correctly answer the question of which one is better to choose a smartphone. If you rarely use heavy applications, you don't need high performance. If there are no plans to create a collection of flawless photos, a high-quality sensor is removed from the list of preferences. However, the presence of an NFC block is useful for convenient payment for goods and services. With VoWiFi, you can maintain a conversation without connecting to a mobile network. Face ID unlocks your smartphone in a user-friendly way. The listed features of the ZTE Blade V10 Vita should be considered when choosing.

Pros:

• "Pure" Android without unnecessary add-ons;
• good sound;
• an excellent combination of price and opportunity;
• support for contactless payments;
• extended functional equipment (NFC, VoWiFi, VoLTE).

Minuses:

• modest pixel density per inch.

7.realme C2 3 / 32GB

When choosing budget smartphones, you have to rely on limited computing power. However, according to the owners' reviews, realme C2 supports the stable operation of PUBG even at maximum game settings. The performance of the smartphone according to the AnTuTu test is 129,500 points, which confirms the subjective speed of performing typical tasks. Many users like the ability to optimize the interface to suit their own preferences, which is provided by the "proprietary" software shell ColorOS.

Pros:

• performance;
• solid assembly, without backlash and creaks;
• thanks to a 4000 mAh battery, autonomy is not questionable;
• advanced user settings.

Minuses:

• sensor quality;
• no event LED.

8. HUAWEI Y6 (2019)

A good smartphone up to 98 $ not easy to find. The search for a suitable option becomes more difficult if increased requirements for aesthetics are added to worthy technical parameters. The 2019 HUAWEI Y6 model is an acceptable solution. The refined style of the smartphone is emphasized by the design of the back cover in leather. The high-quality texture ensures the similarity to the original material, even upon close examination. The design is well assembled without any backlash in the buttons. Fingerprint unlocking is fast and accurate. The IPS display is inferior to AMOLED counterparts in maximum brightness, but the image is distinguished by natural color transitions and the absence of frequency interference.

The processor of the smartphone does not impress with its speed. However, there will be no complaints if you exclude the download of heavy games. At the same time, rational power consumption improves autonomy, which is useful given the relatively small battery capacity.

Pros:

• excellent budget device with unique aesthetic characteristics;
• thanks to good optimization it keeps the battery charge for a long time;
• solid materials, high-quality assembly;
• good photos under favorable shooting conditions.

Minuses:

• weakly pronounced low frequency range when playing through a standard speaker.

9.Xiaomi Redmi 8 3 / 32GB

The corresponding position in the rating is explained by the ambiguous responses of experts and ordinary consumers. Compared to the previous model of the smartphone in the series, performance has deteriorated, but the screen occupies a larger area on the front surface. The manufacturer removed a convenient LED notifying about missed calls and incoming SMS messages. Improved moisture resistance. However, it is not recommended to experiment with submerging your smartphone in water. According to the official data, there is no IP certification.

Pros:

• loud sound without distortion;
• high-quality screen with excellent viewing angles;
• availability of USB Type-C;
• productive chipset;
• correct expansion of the dynamic range of shooting;
• the ability to install a Google camera;
• large battery capacity - 5000 mAh.

10. Honor 8A

Rational energy consumption is explained by the manufacturability of the MediaTek processor. However, the Helio P35 modification is designed for medium workloads. The humble AnTuTu score of 77,800 is due in part to slow memory. One main camera of a smartphone is not capable of creating spectacular bokeh. However, daylight shots are good with minimal noise. The front camera is suitable for quality selfies. Sharpness of images is complemented by fast focusing, accurate rendering of white balance.

Pros:

• modern design;
• the quality of the communication modules;
• smart processor for a state employee;
• high-quality cameras capable of shooting in low light;
• good autonomy (more than 10 hours when playing video);
• NFC support.

Minuses:

• by modern standards, 2 GB of RAM may not be enough for conformation work;

11. ZTE Blade A530

This is an inexpensive smartphone with a good battery and excellent battery life. The battery capacity of 3020 mAh allows it to work in music listening mode for 62 hours - a very good indicator. The screen of this smartphone is not too big - 5.5 inches. But, thanks to the resolution of 1440x720 pixels, the image quality is simply excellent - even a very picky owner will appreciate it. It's nice that there are 2 slots for SIM cards and a separate slot for an external memory card, and not combined, as on some models.

The cameras are also pretty good - the main one boasts a resolution of 13 megapixels. The second, of course, is weaker - only 5 megapixels. But for selfies or communication via video conferencing, this is quite enough. The quad-core processor is complemented by 2 gigabytes of RAM. This makes it possible to work with most modern applications. And there is a lot of built-in memory - as much as 16 GB. The light and proximity sensor, together with a sufficiently powerful flashlight, significantly increase the functionality of the smartphone, making it worthy of our review.

Advantages:

• Good performance.
• High quality photos.
• Excellent autonomy.
• Fits nicely in your hand.

Disadvantages:

• No protective screen cover.

12.Xiaomi Redmi 6A 2 / 16GB

Users who appreciate the richness of body colors are better off buying this model. It is available in blue, gold, silver, gray and black, so any customer can easily choose the option that suits him completely. The large screen (5.5 inches diagonal) boasts an excellent picture thanks to a resolution of 1440x720 pixels. The cameras are also pretty good - especially for their price. The resolution of the front is 5, and the rear is 13 megapixels.

The battery boasts a capacity of 3,000 mAh, so you don't have to charge your smartphone too often. Two gigabytes of memory and a processor with 4 cores are enough to run the vast majority of modern programs. The built-in memory of 16 gigabytes is enough for many owners. For those who are not enough, you can use the slot that allows you to work with memory cards. True, judging by the video review of the smartphone for 98 $, many owners do not like the fact that this connector is combined with a SIM card connector.

Advantages:

• Good performance.
• High-quality picture on a large screen.
• Serious autonomy.
• Quite good cameras.

Disadvantages:

• Weak speaker.
• 9 GB of internal memory is used by system applications.

Which smartphone to buy before 98 $

This concludes our review of inexpensive and high-quality smartphones before 98 $ comes to the end. Surely after reading it, you have become better versed in modern technology and you will easily choose the option that completely suits you.