A (165)

Buyer’s Guide

Otterbox Commuter Series

»Price£24.99/$39.95

»Website

http://www.otterbox.co.uk

The Commuter series is a

familiar face from Otterbox,

but the newer versions for

the HTC One (M8) and the

Samsung Galaxy Alpha

have been updated with flashy new

colours and a smoother feel to them.

Glam Champagne for S5

»Price£25/$TBC

» Website case-mate.co.uk

Okay, so the Glam

Champagne case for the

Galaxy S5 is a bit too

fl ashy for most, but it’s

solidly built and caters for

the S5’s numerous ports

really well – even if the camera

window is a little too wide.

OfficialNote4SVie

» Price^ £39.99/$6

» Website

http://www.mobilefun.

Samsung’s official

View case is of the

customary high qua

portion of the case ha

been cut out for users

open up the Camera app.

LG G3 QuickCircle Snap On

In case you missed it...StylishdevicecasesRead more in issue 45

WINNER

IF YOU’RE SHOPPING FOR A SMARTPHONE ON A SHOESTRING, CHECK

TOP10BUDGETBUYSOUTTHESELOW-COSTMOBILEMUST-HAVES

1

Moto G 4G

The Moto X’s budget cousin set new standards for the low-cost phone with support for 4G. While it’s

madeofacheapplastic,theMotoGhasnotcompromisedonscreenquality,whichis4.5inchesof

sturdy Gorilla Glass 3 and offers 1280 x 720 pixels. The small memory can be boosted thanks to a

microSD slot. Running near-stock Android, MotorolahasconfirmedMotoG4G’snextupgradewillbe

Lollipop, ensuring future-proofing for some time despite the launch of a new Moto G (2014) model.

From £158

See issue 42

2

Moto G (2014)

Whilethesecond-genMotoXhaswonusover,theMotoG(2014)hasfallenshortofthetopduetoa

lack of 4G despite the similar price point. However, this is a trade-off if you would rather have the

slightlylarger5-inchscreenortheusefuladditionofadualSIM.

£149.99

See issue 44

3

Moto E

Availableforunder£100,SIM-freeandnocontract,theMotoEistheultimateno-strings-attached

smartphone.Withasturdy,splashproofcase,1980mAhbatterythatwillgothedistanceandmicroSD

slottoexpandthetiny1GBmemory,theMotoEisanimpressivebuildthatwon’tbreakthebank.

£99

See issue 40

4

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3

WhileSamsung’shigh-endhandsetsgetalotofattention,thecompanyhasamuchbroaderrange.

TheGalaxyAce3isnowonitsthirdincarnation,andat£174itsitsneatlyinthebudgettomid-range

category.Thisisa4GhandsetwithadistinctiveSamsunglookandfeatures.

£174

See issue 34

5

EE Kestrel

OnlyavailablefromtheEEnetwork,itsown-brandKestrelphoneisoffering4Gdataspeedsatavery

reasonable price. Produced by Huawei, the handset has a curved design, which gives it a unique flair.

Good battery life ensures it can handle its quad-core engine and 4G’s inevitable drain.

£100

See issue 40

6

HTC Desire 510

At4.7inches,withabudgetpricetagandLTEconnectivity,thisisHTC’sanswertotheMotoG4G.

However, cost-saving measures such as a 5MP camera and poor screen quality mean it just can’t

compete.HTC’sSense6UIisstillherethough,offeringoneofthebestcustominterfacesforAndroid.

£165

See issue 44

7

Acer Liquid Z5

Agood-lookingphonewithtaperededges,theAcerLiquidZ5offersastylishalternativetomostblack

brick handsets. Its innovative Float Apps interface also makes it easy to multitask apps. However,

humdrum specs, like a low-res screen, leave it ranking low in the competitive world of budget phones.

£95

See issue 39

8

Nokia X

The launch of the slimmer, faster Nokia X2 has driven the price of the Nokia X down, but this original

Microsoft-Android hybrid still deserves attention. A bestselling handset in India and Pakistan, it has

great build quality with a tough polycarbonate chassis available in a range of colours.

£89

See issue 38

9

Alcatel OneTouch Idol Mini

The understated style and low-end specs make the Alcatel OneTouch Idol Mini a great option for

first-time or light users. SwiftKey as the default keyboard is a welcome addition; however, it’s hard to

justifytheexcessivebloatwareonaphonethatonlyhas4GBstorage.

£79.99

See issue 39

10

Huawei Ascend Y300

While only offering a dual-core processor is going to damn this Huawei in the eyes of many potential

buyers, it shouldn’t be dismissed quickly. The well-reviewed Ascend Y530 is only a slight spec upgrade

on the Y300, but is around double the price. Ideal for young or cash-strapped users.

£69.95

See issue 28

» Price^ £29.99/$48.99

» Website

http://www.mobilefun.com

What we like most about

the QuickCircle case for

the LG isn’t its super-sleek

design, but in fact the beautiful clock

that appears on your screen when the

case is closed. It’s like having your very

own pocket watch!