PhoneArena Awards 2015: Best value-for-money phone
posted by PhoneArena Team
/ Dec 14, 2015, 6:37 AM
Smartphones exist across a broad range of price points. On one hand, it is totally possible to buy a new brand-name smartphone for less than $100. On the other, the price of a high-end, flagship-grade smartphone hovers around the $650 mark. Of course, in a perfect universe, we would all be using the best smartphones – the phones from the latter part of the price spectrum – but in reality, many of us have a budget to fit into. That is why when we give our opinion as to whether a phone is worth getting, we usually take into account its value-for-money ratio. Thankfully, in between the aforementioned price extremes exists a middle ground where a considerable number of good value-for-money phones reside.
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition
The Moto X PE is far from the prettiest, thinnest, or lightest smartphone out there. It is not the most technologically advanced either. But its excellent value-for-money ratio makes it well worthy of the top spot. Seriously, there's a lot to like about Motorola's phone – the large, high-resolution display, the smoothness of near-stock Android driven by the Snapdragon 808 SoC, the outstanding customization flexibility delivered by Moto Maker, and the protective coating that guards the handset against splashes, to give a few examples. Sure, the phone's battery life could have been better, and the camera can't quite impress with its low-light shots, but considering that the Moto X PE costs $400 unlocked, these are imperfections we're more than willing to accept.
Runner-up: Motorola Moto G (2015)
As we already mentioned, Motorola knows how to make a smartphone that's both cheap and good. Take its low-cost Moto G lineup as proof – all Moto G-series phones have been launched to positive reviews and have been selling really well worldwide. That is why to not mention the 2015-edition Motorola Moto G in this article would have been quite the goof. With a starting price of $180 unlocked, this is certainly one of the greatest cheap smartphones right now – snappy, fun, and functional with its lightweight software, highly customizable design, and solid battery life.
Story timeline
This story is part of:
PhoneArena Awards 2015 (6 updates)
Related phones
- Display 5.7" 1440 x 2560 pixels
- Camera 21 MP / 5 MP front
- Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, Hexa-core, 1800 MHz
- Memory
- Storage 64 GB + microSDXC
- Battery 3000 mAh
- Display 5.0" 720 x 1280 pixels
- Camera 13 MP / 5 MP front
- Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 410, Quad-core, 1400 MHz
- Memory
- Storage 16 GB + microSDHC
- Battery 2470 mAh
46 Comments
1. mahima
Posts: 708; Member since: Nov 20, 2014
i would take mi4i anyday over moto g...but i get why moto g is runner up
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 6:55 AM 5
37. Good-Is-Better
Posts: 104; Member since: Nov 12, 2015
This is another ad from Motorola.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:02 PM 0
2. phonearenarocks
Posts: 604; Member since: Mar 26, 2015
I was expecting 1+2 or Mi 4c instead of Moto X Pure
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:19 AM 1
3. NonFanBoy
Posts: 180; Member since: May 28, 2015
Best value-for-money phone: Mi 4c
Mi 4c and Moto X pure edition have similar specs, the camera is better in the 4c, the software is arguably better with more features and the stable MIUI 7 which is popular worldwide, the screen is also slightly better. Where it loses out though is faster upgrades for Motorola, wider availability and better customer support (even though Xiaomi has the best customer support compared to other Chinese brands at least here in India).
However there is no comparison when we take the price into consideration. Mi 4c costs about 220$ while Moto X pure edition costs 400$. Mi 4c is the clear winner.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:22 AM 0
5. jellmoo
Posts: 2526; Member since: Oct 31, 2011
Mi 4c is a... cute little device... But really it shouldn't be compared to the Moto X Pure. The Moto X Pure has more bands, faster LTE, a much better screen, more storage options, expandable storage, better battery life, much nicer build materials, much better audio, better video, etc... The Mi4c comes in at a great price, but there's a reason for that. It isn't in the same league as the Moto X Pure.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:49 AM 5
46. NonFanBoy
Posts: 180; Member since: May 28, 2015
"Moto X Pure has more bands". That is because Mi 4C wasn't meant for the US and therefore doesn't support US bands.
It has a bigger screen but you cannot call it better. By that logic, the iPhone screen has been far inferior to Android devices.
Better video? What does it even mean.
I agree that Moto X pure is a better all round package but the price difference in huge. As far as value for money is concerned, there is simply no comparison, I mean we are talking about a 250$ (32 Gb model) and 449$ phone.
posted on Dec 16, 2015, 6:22 AM 0
11. thedrunkencow
Posts: 19; Member since: Mar 02, 2015
I believe that the mi4c shoukd replace the moto g atleast as the runner up
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:10 AM 0
12. xocomaox
Posts: 195; Member since: Dec 14, 2015
The Xiaomi Mi 4c is actually more like $260 USD, given that you should compare the 3GB RAM model tot he Moto X Pure.
The Mi 4c is also a way smaller screen. 5.0" vs the 5.7" Pure screen.
The Screen-to-body ratio is also much worse on the Mi 4c (71.7% vs 74.9%).
The Mi 4c also charges much slower than the Pure. The Mi 4c has a slightly larger battery (3080mah vs 3000mah), but the battery life is actually less than the Pure, even with the much larger screen.
The Mi 4c also has an inferior camera. No 4K video recording, and pales in comparison tot he camera on the Pure.
Another glaring detail is that the Mi 4c has no expandable storage via Micro SD. So the most space you can have on the phone is 32GB, where as the Pure can have 16GB/32GB/64GB and still have room for more space with MicroSD.
All around, the lower cost of the Mi 4c is proven in the specs of the device. It's inferior to the Pure in almost every way.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:17 AM 0
47. NonFanBoy
Posts: 180; Member since: May 28, 2015
Then consider the Moto X pure 32Gb model, which is 449$ as the 260$ Mi 4C is 32GB as well.
And I quote myself again, "I agree that Moto X pure is a better all round package but the price difference in huge. As far as value for money is concerned, there is simply no comparison"
posted on Dec 16, 2015, 6:23 AM 0
4. jellmoo
Posts: 2526; Member since: Oct 31, 2011
Nothing to argue with here. The Moto X Pure/Style is pretty much the top value device you can get (assuming you can get one, us Canadians got screwed here).
This is really a case of where the runner up is so far behind that it is simply irrelevant.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:40 AM 1
7. bambamboogy02
Posts: 827; Member since: Jun 23, 2012
Moto won't ship to Canada?
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:56 AM 0
23. Scott93274
Posts: 6025; Member since: Aug 06, 2013
Bull crap! Are you serious!?! Not even renamed as the Moto X Style? That just doesn't make any sense. Not calling you a liar or anything, I'm just shocked to hear that is all.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 9:47 AM 0
36. jellmoo
Posts: 2526; Member since: Oct 31, 2011
Yup. As dumb as it sounds. It's not at all available on the Canadian Motorola site, and you can't order one to a Canadian address on the main .com site. You have to use a 3rd party vendor like Expansys or something if you want one.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 2:38 PM 0
6. iusshpandeh
Posts: 250; Member since: Jul 23, 2014
No Apple product as runner-up over here?? PA, you are doing it wrong!
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 7:49 AM 5
19. Commentator
Posts: 3722; Member since: Aug 16, 2011
Right? I was half expecting the iPhone 6s Plus as the runner-up.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:46 AM 3
9. may_czos
Posts: 954; Member since: Nov 22, 2014
PA, you're not US portal, try to look around the world. Outside US the Moto X Style costs as much as Galaxy S6 which means it's nowhere near value-for-money phone.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:00 AM 9
13. Commentator
Posts: 3722; Member since: Aug 16, 2011
Maybe they'll do an "around the world" article.
Generally speaking though their articles are aimed at a US audience. It just so happens that it has a very large international readership.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:32 AM 3
14. HugoBarraCyanogenmod
Posts: 1408; Member since: Jul 06, 2014
The title should change to, best money to value phone in USA
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:35 AM 6
18. Shocky unregistered
It's a US site, so they don't give a crap about the rest of the world.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:43 AM 2
20. HugoBarraCyanogenmod
Posts: 1408; Member since: Jul 06, 2014
There're more readers here from India rather from USA, go figure
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 8:49 AM 0
22. Commentator
Posts: 3722; Member since: Aug 16, 2011
That's not PhoneArena's fault. If they want to cater to US readers they have the right to do so. They're not obliged in any way to write for a global audience.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 9:41 AM 3
24. Shocky unregistered
It kind of is, most of their readers are NOT from the US.
Ignoring them probably isn't a good idea.
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 9:56 AM 1
26. Commentator
Posts: 3722; Member since: Aug 16, 2011
Their only fault is arguably not taking advantage of a market segment. Nothing wrong with that from a consumer perspective. If non-US readers don't like what they have to say they can go somewhere else.
You don't blame McDonalds for not serving spaghetti even if their customers might want spaghetti (not the best example but I'm hungry.)
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 10:25 AM 2
32. Shocky unregistered
Umm, actually they do sell Spaghetti at McDonald's in some countries because in those Countries the people, they want Spaghetti.
Really good example. :D
posted on Dec 14, 2015, 1:00 PM 1
