Having a smartphone that can send SMSes, WhatsApp messages, connect you to Facebook and allow you to Snapchat (or use Instagram Stories) is vital in the 21st century, the problem is that most smartphones can cost a small fortune.
If your budget is tight but you’re in need of a capable smartphone, we’ve rounded up 5 of the best smartphones currently available in South Africa for under R1500!
Samsung J1 Mini
Samsung is known for their high-end Android smartphones but the company makes low-end and mid-range handsets which pack a punch.
The J1 Mini might not pack the heavy hitting internals of the Galaxy S7 or Note 7 but it’s a more than capable budget handset.
Available in black, gold or white, the J1 Mini has a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 0.3MP front-facing camera. It also features 8GB internal storage which is expandable thanks to the inclusion of an SD card slot.
Weighing only 126g and rocking a 4-inch display, the J1 Mini will give you hours of use thanks to its 1500mAh battery.
This might not be a flashy Android smartphone, but it’s one that will definitely get the job done.
The Samsung J1 Mini retails for R1469
Huawei Y5
Huawei is known for their rapid rise in the smartphone world, now sitting at the number 3 spot in terms of global smartphone sales.
Despite being a recognised name in terms of high-end smartphones, the company has a history of building budget smartphones which are packed full of features.
The Y5 is part of Huawei’s low-cost range of handsets. It features a 2000mAh battery, a 4.5-inch display, 1GB RAM and has 8GB internal storage (expandable via SD card).
Huawei has also packed a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing camera into the handset, which means that you’ll be getting some really good selfies.
Available in a range of colours and running Android Lollipop, the Huawei Y5 will cost you R1399
Nokia Lumia 520
The only Windows Mobile handset on the list, Nokia’s Lumia 520 was one of the last handsets manufactured under the Nokia brand.
Weighing in at a scant 124g, the Lumia 520 runs on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 OS, has a 5MP rear-facing camera (no front-facing camera unfortunately) and is available in a range of eye-popping colours.
It packs a 1430mAh battery, 8GB internal memory (expandable via SD card) FM radio and a 4-inch display.
Despite a few cutbacks, the Lumia 520 proves to be packed with essential features that you’ll be using every day, all at an affordable price of R1199
Hisense Infinity Pure 1 Mini
Many people don’t know that Hisense makes Android smartphones as well as home electronics.
The same ethos of low-cost, high quality found in the rest of their products can be found in their smartphones.
The Infinity Pure 1 Mini is a dual-SIM smartphone with a 5-inch display.
It has 4GB internal memory (which is expandable via SD card), a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 0.3MP front-facing camera.
According to Hisense, the 2000mAh battery will provide up to 130 hours standby time and 180 min talk time.
The Infinity Pure 1 Mini does weigh slightly more than other handsets on this list, coming in at 154.2g.
The recommended selling price for the Infinity Pure 1 Mini ranges from R1 299 -R1 399.
Alcatel Pixi 3(4.5)
Alcatel was once a darling of the smartphone world before they were called smartphones.
These days, the French company appears to have faded into the woodwork thanks to the more well-known smartphone brands from South Korea and China, however, they do still make smartphones.
The Pixi 3 aims to bring mobile connectivity to more people in South Africa.
The handset features a 5MP rear-facing camera and a VGA front-facing camera as well as a 4.5-inch display.
Internally the device is packing a quad core 1.0 GHz CPU and runs Android Lollipop 5.1 out of the box.
It has a 1780mAh battery and has 8GB internal memory (which is expandable via SD card).
The Alcatel Pixi 3 (4.5) is available from R1141.
Hisense Infinity U972 (Bonus)
This smartphone is a bonus addition.
The Hisense Infinity U972 features an 8MP rear-facing camera (with an LED flash), a 2MP front-facing camera and a 2000mAh battery.
It has a 5-inch HD IPS display, 8GB internal memory (expandable via SD card slot) 1GB RAM and runs Android L straight out of the box.
The Hisense Infinity U972 currently retails for R1599 but is expected to drop to R1499 in September 2016, according to Hisense South Africa.
