Affordable, not cheap: 8 best low-cost smartphones (February 2016)

Does it even exist, an affordable phone that is also good?
With technology advancing at a crazy fast pace, the answer is a definite 'yes'. We now have phones that are cheap without being downright ruined by terrible issues - those affordable devices do not lag terribly, they have decent cameras, and some of them even come with an extremely alluring design.
But which are they? We've picked the best affordable phones, where affordable does not mean ‘cheap’ in any embarrassing way. Take a look at these best value-for-the-money phones you can get right now, in February 2016, and let us know which you think is the best low-cost smartphone.

#8: Huawei P8 Lite
Price: $170

The 5" screen with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution is sufficiently sharp for our taste, but there are two caveats: Android 4.4 on board with no clarity about update plans, and a fairly middling camera.
#7: Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (4.7" | 5.5")

A $170 phone with the upper mid-range Snapdragon 615 system chip and with a good, 13-megapixel camera, that OT Idol 3 ticks all the boxes except one - it's not particularly exciting in terms of design. If you don't mind that, this handset offers an overall excellent value for the money.
#6: Moto G (2nd gen)
Price: $100

Let's get back to reality, though: this is a $100 phone and for a $100 phone it's brilliant. Where it does shine is performance and a fairly recent version of Android. The Moto G runs a very clean and well-running skin, has a display that looks very good considering the price and its battery lasts through the day.
#5: Asus Zenfone 2
Price: $200

#4: honor 5X
Price: $200

It is a 5.5" phone with a Full HD display and it runs on the Snapdragon 615 system chip, which might not be a titan in terms of performance, but it's still decent and we can't complain. The honor 5X comes with a fairly generous 3,000mAh battery as well, which lasts around a day (average for the class). The honor custom user interface on top of Android 5.1 is a bit unusual and does not feel well-polished. At the end of the day, though, it is about value for the money, and those look like non-major issues. And if you're after looks and the fingerprint scanner, this would be a great affordable option.
Note: The honor 5X does support all AT&T 4G LTE bands, but lacks support for T-Mobile's band 12, which means that if you use T-Mobile in particular states and places, you won't get solid 4G LTE connectivity.
#3: Motorola Moto G (2015, 3rd gen)
Price: $180-$220

#2: OnePlus X
Price: $250

Now that the OnePlus X is on sale without the need for an invitation, it's easy to recommend: it features a (slightly bluish) 5" 1080p AMOLED display, runs on the super fast Snapdragon 801 system chip, features a clean and mostly well optimized version of Android 5.1, features a very good camera for its class. Battery life is not particularly outstanding and heavy users might not make it through a full day, but for its price, it's easily one of the finest you can buy.
Note: 4G LTE connectivity on the OnePlus X is very limited. In particular, it does not support AT&T's band 17, nor T-Mobile's band 12. For AT&T, lack of band 17 support means that in most markets, you won't get any 4G LTE connectivity, and will have to rely on slower HSPA speeds. For T-Mobile, band 12 is its main band in only some markets, so it really depends on your location - in some places you will get LTE, but in many others you won't be able to use 4G LTE.
Note: 4G LTE connectivity on the OnePlus X is very limited. In particular, it does not support AT&T's band 17, nor T-Mobile's band 12. For AT&T, lack of band 17 support means that in most markets, you won't get any 4G LTE connectivity, and will have to rely on slower HSPA speeds. For T-Mobile, band 12 is its main band in only some markets, so it really depends on your location - in some places you will get LTE, but in many others you won't be able to use 4G LTE.
#1: LG G Flex 2
Price: $200 - $250
Our top pick for the best affordable phone you can buy at the moment is easily the LG G Flex 2. A top-tier phone from last year, the LG G Flex 2 has dropped surprisingly sharply in price and you can get it for less than $250.
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