Top 5 budget smartphones, as recommended by Computer Village vendors

From communication and entertainment to productivity at work and education, smartphones have become woven into the fabric of our daily lives, offering a streamlined and convenient way to manage our tasks.

Today’s digital world revolves around smartphones, single devices that compress a vast array of technology and innovation in a small frame.

However, the affordability of this technology isn’t universal, especially with the ever rising inflation and the foreign exchange crisis besetting the Nigerian economy. This price disparity has definitely caused people to temper their appetite for the liberating functionalities in a phone, thereby making them settle for what their money can buy.

In this piece, The Record lists the reviews of five smartphones you  can buy without breaking a bank. This is a first in a series on gadgets you can buy from Computer Village, Ikeja.

Choosing a feature-packed smartphone can be tricky especially when one’s concern is affordability. To navigate this challenge, vendors within the Computer Village guided The Record to explore the top options under 100,000 Naira in the first quarter of 2024.

• Itel A70

The Itel A70 is a budget-friendly smartphone that aims to offer a balance between affordability and features, launched January 7, 2024. It is a decent option for someone looking out for a big screen, long battery life, and enough storage for basic needs. It boasts a 6.6-inch IPS LCD with an HD+ resolution (720 x 1612 pixels) coupled with  a processing power comes from a Unisoc T603 chipset, paired with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM that runs Android 13 (Go edition), a lightweight version of the operating system optimized for budget phones.

• Infinix Smart 8

The Infinix Smart 8 launched January  13, 2024, comes with a large display that betrays its price tag. It offers a smooth experience and long battery life. It is available in mostly black and blue options. The phone comes with a design that prioritizes a high screen-to-body ratio for a bezel-less look. Its processor accommodates multitasking adequately.

• NOKIA G10

The Nokia G10 is a budget-friendly smartphone known for its long battery life, and commitment to software updates with a screen size that is one-inch shorter than the ones earlier mentioned. It has a MediaTek Helio G25 chipset, which is suitable for basic tasks and light gaming. Unlike other phones on this list, NOKIA G10  still uses the micro USB charger as against the newer type C USB charger, and the fingerprint is placed at the back.

• Itel A05s

Itel A05s has a design that incorporates a trendy dewdrop notch at the top, housing the front camera with a 6.6-inch display with an HD+ resolution (1612 x 720 pixels) for an immersive viewing experience. It is an affordable phone with basic functionality, and long battery life.

• Tecno POP 7

The last on the list is Tecno POP 7, originally announced on March 28, 2023. It was launched in the Nigeria market on April 7, 2023. The phone is perfect for users with light expectations of their phone. It has a relatively good screen and storage with a processor that is suitable for basic activities. It ranked the least on the list for the quality of camera and effectiveness of processor to handle multitasking activities.