Which smartphone to buy for 100 euros
Fortunately, there is no longer a need to spend astronomical sums to buy a smartphone. Indeed, making some sacrifices in terms of performance and build quality you can bring home more than decent phones by spending less than 100 euros. Do not you believe it? So let me tell you about some devices that, while not costing more than 100 euros, are able to satisfy all the most common needs for messaging, online browsing and multimedia.
To find out which smartphone to buy at 100 euros, read carefully the tips I’m about to give you and analyze the technical characteristics of the models I’m about to offer you. Don’t forget to read the online reviews and comments on Amazon and other online stores: only in this way can you be sure that a smartphone truly lives up to your expectations. This applies both to phones that cost 100 euros and to the top of the range, it is a rule that always applies and is good to follow in all circumstances.
Just one last thing before getting to the heart of this buying guide: many of the smartphones that you can buy for 100 euros are imported directly from China. Before buying them, therefore, make sure they have an operating system translated into Italian and be well informed about the terms of the guarantee, which may not comply with Italian standards. Clear? Well, then stop the chatter and take action.
Index
- How to choose a 100 euro smartphone
- Display
- Processor and RAM
- Battery
- Internal memory and microSD support
- Camera
- Dual-SIM support
- 4G / 5G support and Wi-Fi connectivity
- Operating system
- Fingerprint sensor and face unlock
- OTG support
- Notification LEDs and backlit keys
- NFC support
- Brand or No Brand
- Things to know before buying imported smartphones from China
- Best smartphones to buy for 100 euros
How to choose a 100 euro smartphone
Choosing a 100 euro smartphone is easier than choosing a medium or top-of-the-range smartphone, this is because certain features and functionalities are not available due to obvious limits imposed by the price and therefore the variables that must be taken into consideration first are reduced buying the phone. That said, here’s a quick list of the features you need to look at in a low-cost mobile.
Display
There are those who love to use devices equipped with large screens, over 4 inches, and those who prefer portability. It is a subjective evaluation. Instead, what is objective is the number of pixels that make up the display, that is its resolution: the more pixels there are on the screen, the clearer the writings and images displayed on it.
The technology used for the displays of inexpensive devices is, in the vast majority of cases, the IPS LCD that ensures excellent performance under sunlight and a fairly natural color reproduction. Obviously the quality of the screen must be evaluated from device to device, not all IPS are of the same quality and therefore you could have more or less wide viewing angles and more or less faithful color reproduction depending on the smartphone purchased.
Some smartphones are equipped with OLED / AMOLED type displays, in which the pixels emit their own light and do not need backlighting. This leads to lower power consumption and a greater depth of blacks (which are actually reproduced through dead pixels and not through backlighting), but unfortunately we are talking about a technology that is quite rare to find on cheap devices.
In the context of cheap devices, however, it is easy to find touch screens that are not reactive at best. Before proceeding with the purchase, therefore, it is good to inquire about the quality and precision of the touch, which in some cases may not be perfect.
Another detail I advise you to pay attention to is the one relating to the presence or absence of the brightness sensor: if a smartphone is not equipped with a brightness sensor, it will force you to manually change the brightness of the screen based on the light of the surrounding environment, while with the sensor this operation takes place automatically.
Finally, the aspect ratio of the display must be evaluated, which can be classic, of 16: 9, or of 18: 9, on bezel-less phones, that is, on phones whose screen covers almost the entire front surface and do not have buttons. frontal. In terminals of this kind, the front camera can be set in a front “notch”, called notch, which can have various dimensions (the more compact ones are defined as a teardrop ).
As an alternative to the notch, there may be holes in the corners of the display with the camera inside or automatic pop-up mechanisms with the retractable front camera (which activates itself if necessary).
Processor and RAM
These are the components that determine the power of the smartphone and its ability to manage multiple applications at the same time (the so-called multitasking).
The processor is a bit like the brain of the phone. Consequently, the greater its power – the more Hz and cores it has – and the faster the smartphone is in carrying out daily operations.
The RAM instead is the memory in which the data is located of system processes and applications in use: the bigger, then there are more GB of RAM, and less slowdowns or blocks there are in transition from one app to another.
Battery
Battery power is indicated in milliamper hours (mAh). The higher the amperage and potentially the greater the autonomy of the smartphone. I say potentially because the level of software optimization weighs heavily on the real autonomy of a smartphone: a smartphone with well-optimized software can last as long, and perhaps even longer, than a smartphone with a larger battery but with less optimization at software level.
Another important thing to know is that the battery can be fixed or removable. Phones with removable battery allow you to easily change the battery in case of damage or simply in an emergency when you run out of charge.
Internal memory and microSD support
If you intend to install many apps, take many photos and record many videos with your smartphone, make sure that it has a large enough internal memory or that it offers the possibility to expand it with microSD.
But be careful, because not all smartphones with expandable memory offer the possibility of setting the microSD as primary memory (this means that they do not allow you to automatically save apps, photos, videos, etc. on the external memory card). Another important thing to know is that from the nominal value of the internal memory, that is the value indicated by the manufacturer, the space occupied by the operating system and the apps installed “as standard” on the latter must be subtracted.
Camera
If you intend to take a lot of photos with your next phone make sure it has a good camera and, if you are a selfie freak, that it also has a good front camera. The number of megapixels is not always indicative, on the contrary, the quality of the sensor is much more important. If you want to be sure about the photographic qualities of a smartphone, look for sample photos and videos made on it.
Dual-SIM support
If you need to manage two phone numbers at the same time, it is essential that you choose a smartphone with dual-SIM support. Be warned though, dual-SIM phones are not all the same. There are the Dual-SIM Dual Stand-by terminals that make the second SIM be occupied when the first is engaged in a call and the Dual-SIM Full Active terminals that keep the second SIM-free even when the first is engaged in a call. Most of the cheap devices are dual stand-by with the ability to switch the 3G / 4G connection from one SIM to another without physically moving the cards inside the phone (called hot switch ).
Another important thing to check is that the second SIM slot is not shared with that of the microSD, otherwise, you have to choose whether to use the second SIM or whether to expand the memory of the phone: you cannot do both at the same time.
4G / 5G support and Wi-Fi connectivity
To take full advantage of the speed of current mobile networks, you need to buy a smartphone with 4G / LTE support. In the price range of 100 euros there are many compatible with this technology, but there are still few that support high-speed LTE networks (LTE Advanced at 300 Mbps in download). Smartphones that support high-speed LTE networks are those that show compatibility with the LTE Cat 6 standard in the technical datasheet. This is even more true for 5G: at the moment it is almost impossible to find compatible 100 euro smartphones with this network.
Obviously, to take advantage of 4G / LTE and 5G connections you need to have a special data plan with your operator (otherwise you can still surf in 3G / 4G). Another important detail to take into consideration is that many Chinese smartphones that have 4G / LTE support are not compatible with the 800MHz frequency band (also called band 20) , which makes the 4G connection unusable in some areas with certain operators. Thoroughly analyze all these details before proceeding with the purchase of your next smartphone.
As for Wi-Fi networks, all smartphones are able to connect to classic 2.4GHz networks (the most widespread Wi-Fi networks supported by all routers), while it is rarer to find 100 euro smartphones compatible with 5GHz networks (therefore with dual-band support) and with the wireless AC transmission standard that allows data to be transferred at a maximum speed of 1.3Gbps.
Operating system
All the phones that I am about to present to you are equipped with Android, the very famous operating system from Google.
In this regard, also inform yourself about the frequency of the operating system updates guaranteed by the manufacturer. In general, Android terminals are supported for 18 months and then, especially in the cheaper segment of the market, they are “abandoned” as they no longer undergo updates to their software.
Fingerprint sensor and face unlock
Many cheap smartphones are now equipped with a fingerprint sensor. The sensor is used to unlock the phone, to authorize the purchase of applications and to authenticate in various apps.
It can be placed on the front of the device or on the back and can have varying degrees of accuracy. Let’s say that on cheap phones it is difficult to find a fast and precise fingerprint sensor like the one you can find on mid-range or high-end terminals, but slowly the situation is improving even in the economic range.
Also on cheap devices it is then possible to find a facial unlocking system , through the front camera of the phone. This is an interesting feature, sometimes complementary and sometimes alternative to fingerprint release. The choice, and therefore the preference, is subjective.
OTG support
Would you like to be able to connect a USB stick to your smartphone and access its content? Would you like to drive your smartphone with USB mouse and keyboards? Then make sure you buy a phone compatible with OTG (USB On-The-Go) technology and that you have keys and keyboards or mice compatible with the latter.
Thanks to OTG technology it is in fact possible to use USB sticks, portable hard drives, keyboards, mice and other USB devices with smartphones just like on a PC.
Notification LEDs and backlit keys
Other variables that you should take into consideration are those related to the presence of notification LEDs and backlit keys . The first lets you know of the presence of new notifications through a small light on the body of the smartphone, which can have variable colors and behaviors. The backlit keys instead serve to use the smartphone more easily in low light conditions.
NFC support
L ‘ NFC (abbreviation of Near Field Communication) is a technology that allows to carry out micro-payments with the smartphone and to quickly communicate with other devices compatible with this technology, for example for exchanging data, with the simple contact with the latter. Unfortunately, its presence in 100-euro phones is rare.
Brand or No brand
Smartphones can be sold in branded versions by mobile operators, which are cheaper than non-branded ones but have apps and customized content (e.g. wallpapers and boot screens) within them that are extremely difficult to remove.
No problem, however, regarding the freedom of choice of SIM to use. The brand of a smartphone does not affect the type of SIM that can be used in it, so you can buy a smartphone branded from one operator and use it with another operator’s SIM.
Things to know before buying imported smartphones from China
As mentioned above, many smartphones below the 100 euro mark come from China. By purchasing them directly from there, through well-known stores such as Gearbest, you can save a few euros compared to Amazon or other European stores, however you have to deal with a lot of compromises.
By purchasing from China, in fact, the shipping times get longer (let’s say it takes no less than a couple of weeks to receive the product), you have to choose the correct shipping method to avoid customs duties and there is the risk of finding yourself with a Chinese or English language device. Another important thing to underline is that some “made in China” devices are supplied without the Play Store and therefore you have to “fiddle” a bit to install it.
In short, before buying a smartphone from China, think about it and carefully check the descriptions available on the various stores!
Best smartphones to buy for 100 euros
At this point I would say that we can go “to the point” and see which smartphone to buy for 100 euros (and around ). Identify which of these models is best for you and buy it directly online, just one click!
Blackview A60 / A60 Pro
If your budget is up to 100 euros but you intend to spend as little as possible, this Blackview A60 could be the right choice for you. Among the best-selling smartphones ever on Amazon, for less than 70 euros it allows you to take home a good device with a 6.1 display, 13MP + 5MP rear cameras, 5MP selfie camera, 4,080mAh battery of excellent duration, 16GB of internal memory (expandable with microSD), 1GB of RAM and dual-SIM support. Operating system: Android 8.1 Unfortunately, 4G support is missing.
If you need 4G support, you can opt for the Pro model, but it costs a little more.
Blackview A80 Plus
Another Blackview device that you could consider around 100 euros is the Blackview A80 Plus, which features a 6.49 “HD + display with drop notch, a 2.6FGz Helio P25 Octa-core chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of integrated memory (expandable via microSD up to 256GB) and a 4,680mAh battery. It also mounts a quadruple rear camera with 13MP main sensor combined with 8MP + 0.3MP + 0.3MP sensors, an 8MP selfie camera with face recognition unlock, 4G support, dual-SIM support and fingerprint sensor on the back. The operating system that animates it is Android 9.0.
realme C11
realme C11 has a very low price so you shouldn’t expect a smartphone with incredible performance. However, it can be used daily with basic apps and everything you need for calls, messages and even web browsing. The display is large 6.52 ″ with a small notch for positioning the front camera for selfies. At the processor level it comes with a MediaTek Helio G35 which is combined with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory for storage. Two 13MP and 2MP rear photographic sensors. Finally, the battery is 5,000 mAh, an advantage that allows those who use it to have incredible autonomy.
realme C21
realme C21it is a very interesting phone for the price and the features at which it is offered. What will you find on a technical level? Meanwhile, a large 6.5-inch HD resolution display that sees a very small notch at the top, i.e. a notch, where the front camera for selfies with artificial intelligence has been positioned. Speaking of rear cameras, you will find 3 different ones: the main 13MP for sharp and bright shots while the other 2MP for native black and white shots or for close-up objects or subjects. The processor is a MediaTek Helio G35 which allows you to run even graphically demanding games and can reach 2.3GHz clock. There are 4GB of RAM and a storage space of 64GB which can however be expanded with microSD up to 256GB. Battery from well 5.
DOOGEE X95 (2020)
DOOGEE X95 (2020) is a smartphone to definitely take into consideration below the 100 euro threshold. It has a well-made design with a drop notch (in which there is a 5MP selfie camera with facial unlocking support) and a good level 6.52 “FHD + display. The battery is 4.350mAh and ensures good autonomy, RAM and storage are, respectively, of 2 and 16 GB (expandable up to 128GB with microSD via dedicated slot). There are dual-SIM support, 4G and a rear photo compartment with 13MP main sensor and 2 + 2 auxiliary camera MP. Operating system: Android 10.
OPPO A15
Among the smartphones in this price range, I cannot fail to consider OPPO A15 which not only has good technical characteristics but also a design that does not make it look like a too cheap smartphone. The specifications speak of a 6.52-inch LCD type display with HD resolution. The processor is instead a MediaTek Helio P35 (2.3GHz) which is associated with 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage that can still be expanded. In terms of photographic sensors, here we are talking about a 13MP (f / 2.2) main camera and two classic 2MP macro and depth sensors. The battery is 4230 mAh and clearly there is also the possibility of using two SIMs.
Redmi 9
Always remaining above the 100 euro threshold but moving on to much more well-known brands, Xiaomi’s Redmi 9 must be taken into consideration: a 6.53 “device with Full HD + IPS display (2340 x 1080 pixels), full design -screen with drop notch and technical equipment of all respect. Under the body there are, in fact, a MediaTek Helio G80 chipset with 8 cores of maximum 2 GHz, 3 / 6GB of RAM and 32/64 / 128GB of internal memory (expandable via microSD). The battery is 5,020mAh, the rear camera from 13MP with support for portrait mode, while the front camera is from 8MP. Operating system: Android 10 customized with the Chinese manufacturer’s MIUI. In general there are more powerful devices at a lower price, but in this case, the plus of the known brand has to be evaluated.
Motorola moto E7 Power
Slightly exceeds the 100 euro threshold but the Motorola moto E7 PowerI advise you to consider it because it has an excellent almost stock software but also a well-made construction that is certainly not easy to find at these prices. Its specifications see a 6.51-inch LCD-type front panel with an HD resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. Small upper notch for the front selfie camera and instead at the rear it has two photographic sensors for basic photos. One is the main 13MP and the other comes in handy for the 2MP depth. The processor is a MediaTek Helio G25 (2GHz) which is assisted in everyday work by 4GB of RAM and storage space equal to 64GB expandable with microSD. It is a dual SIM smartphone and finally has a 5,000 mAh battery for long autonomy.
Motorola moto E7i Power
Slightly cheaper than the previous one but just as interesting is the Motorola moto E7i Power which I certainly want to recommend for purchase if you do not want an exaggerated smartphone in performance but compact, well made and also capable in daily operations. Here Motorola puts its own in the software that sees Android 10 (GO Edition) very little customization to the benefit of use. On a technical level we find a 6.5-inch Max Vision panel with HD resolution of the IPS type. So a UNISOC SC9863A processor clocked at up to 1.6GHz and aided by 2GB of RAM and a storage space of 32GB expandable. 5000mAh battery as well as 13MP and 2MP cameras for depth.
Nokia C20
There is also the Nokia C20as a smartphone in the 100 euro threshold. A latest generation phone that meanwhile sees a display with HD + resolution and a size of 6.5 inches. Wide therefore but also well done for the vision of the contents. The processor in this case is an Octa-Core with 2GB of RAM and a 32GB internal memory capable of being expanded up to 256GB with a simple MicroSD. At the rear there is a simple 5MP camera with LED Flash and also HDR function as well as the front, also from 5MP, with the possibility of using the LED Flash present on the device frame. What else to add except that the phone has a 3,000 mAh battery and that it is sold with Dual SIM support and especially with Android 11 in GO Edition (guaranteeing 2 years of software and security updates).
Huawei P40 Lite E
Above the 100 euro threshold, if you are looking for a device made by a well-known brand, you can also evaluate the Huawei P40 Lite E which, however, despite being based on Android 9 (with EMUI) does not have the services of Google and the Play Store of the giant of search engines: in its place are Huawei’s HMS services and the HUAWEI AppGallery store, which are very valid but at the moment they are unable to offer a complete experience like that of the Google platform (standing for much more years). That said, the price-quality ratio of the device is truly remarkable. We are talking, in fact, of a 6.39 “terminal. It is equipped with a 720 x 1560 pixel IPS LCD display. Under the body it houses a Kirin 710F Octa-Core Quad-core 2GHz chipset, 64GB of internal memory (expandable with microSD, slot shared with the second SIM) 4GB of RAM and 4,000 mAh battery. Its photographic compartment consists of a triple 48MP rear camera, an 8MP and a 2MP camera, while the selfie camera is 8MP. fingerprint release.
Redmi 9C
It does not cost 100 euros: a little more; but you can bet that some even more tempting offers will come out, so I want to tell you about it. Redmi 9C of Xiaomi is a great smartphone equipped with an IPS LCD display from 6:53 “and 720 x 1600 pixel resolution with, under the shell, a chipset MediaTek Helio G35 Octa-Core, 32G / 64GB of storage (expandable with microSD, with dedicated slot), 2 / 3GB of RAM and a 5,000 mAh battery. Its photographic compartment consists of a triple rear camera from 13MP (main) + 2MP (macro) + 2MP (depth) and a 5MP front camera. It is animated by Android 10 with MIUI 12. It also supports face unlock.
Other interesting smartphones
If at the end of this article you have realized that a 100 euro smartphone is too limited for your needs, you can take a look at my buying guide dedicated to smartphones and discover the best phones currently available in all ranges of price.
