Image via Complex Original
The holiday buyers' season has officially commenced. So in other words, time to pull out the wallet and start scratching items off the Christmas wish list. Sitting at No. 1: a new smartphone. Though not everyone can afford to drop several hundreds on a premium handset, especially after wasting their upgrade over the past several months or breaking the bank on others such as family members and wifey. But with a number of carriers introducing new plans that make it possible to pick up a new device within the two-year timeframe, you can still cop a dope, recently launched cellular for the asking price of a Benjamin or less. Ball on a budget by scoping out The Best Smartphones Under $100.
HTC One
Price: $75 (w/two-year contract, AT&T), $99.99 (w/two-year contract, Sprint), $50 (w/two-year contract, Verizon)
The year's best-reviewed Android phone brings forth the three facets we all seek in a premium smartphone: beautiful aesthetics, dynamic UI features, and a robust spec sheet. Sense 5.0 spearheads the entire One experience introducing two new features like the newsfeed-ready BlinkFeed and GIF-forming HTC Zoe camera function. Other notables include an alluring 4.7-inch (1080p) LCD panel, strong 1.7GHz Snapdragon quad-core, and awesome-sounding BoomSound front speakers.
Nokia Lumia 1520
Price: $99.99 (w/two-year contract, AT&T)
Nokia's first attempt at the phablet market makes a huge impression backed by a phenomenally vibrant 6-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD, speedy processing, and unbeatable price tag. The massive screen real estate is ideal for business users looking to update spreadsheets and mediaphiles yearning Netflix time on the go. Qualcomm's 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chip comes paired with 2GB of RAM and kicks ass on the benchmark front. Speakerphone quality also excels when screening calls and blasting music in small environments like a hotel room.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
Price: $99.99 (w/two-year contract, AT&T)
The latest extension in the Galaxy S4 line serves as a hybrid compact camera and handset tailored for Instagrammers and smartphone shutterbugs. Fire up the Zoom's 10x zoom lens by hitting the shutter button and capture sharp imagery through its wide feature set: including a Xenon flash, optical image stabilization, and tripod mount. Samsung also offers more shooting modes here than on the GS4. Expect solid call quality and LTE speeds for instant uploading as well.
iPhone 5C (16GB)
Price: $99.99 (w/two-year contract, AT&T/Sprint/Verizon)
Most of the critics label Apple’s low-cost smartphone the iPhone 5 with a color case. Hard to debate, yes, but the 5C introduces a handful of upgrades that differentiate the phone from its discontinued counterpart. The new front-facing 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera comes equipped with low-light abilities to achieve high-quality selfies. Wireless coverage gets a speed boost with the 5C supporting 13 LTE bands globally. And iOS 7 brings forth a cleaner UI loaded with other user improvements.
LG G2
Price: $50 (w/two-year contract, AT&T), $99.99 (w/-two-year contract, Sprint)
LG’s phablet has earned notoriety for its killer spec sheet and well-designed image stabilization shooter. A beautiful 5.2″ IPS LCD display sits in the front generating vibrant visuals, while the rear packs a 13MP Sony IMX135 Exmor sensor that captures footage at near-instant shutter speeds. It has been said that a car is only as good as its engine, and thankfully the G2’s motor comes in the form of a commanding Qualcomm 2.26GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor capable of seamless multitasking performance. It's the most powerful $100 and under handset available at the moment.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Price: $99.99 (w/two-year contract, AT&T)
We said it before and will say it again—this is what the original GS4 should have been out the gate. The Active flaunts a sporty, water-resistant chassis designed to protect all high-powered internals, sustaining damage when submerged underneath the surface at three-feet deep. Samsung’s will to squeeze in the same paramount hardware and hi-tech features scream in loud volume. And even though the GS4’s 13MP camera is absent, the 8MP alternative does a good job with photos and allows for underwater shooting via Aqua Mode feature.
Nokia Lumia 928
Price: $99.99 (w/two-year contract, Verizon)
So what if the Lumia 1020 is exclusive to AT&T subscribers? Big Red’s WP8 variant stands out as one the carrier’s elite camera phones, boasting a dynamic 8.7MP shooter with Xenon flash that captures beautiful shots in low-light environments. Nokia’s decision to run with an AMOLED display pays off huge providing great outdoor viewability and crisp visuals. And believe us when we say the hot spot service on this thing is a godsend when trapped in Wi-Fi heavy settings.
HTC One Mini
Price: $50 (w/two-year contract, AT&T)
The scaled-down version of HTC's flagship phone is a mid-range stunner that carries over the dynamic UI, good call quality, and strking design of its bigger sibling. Capture high-quality photos and smooth 1080p HD clips using HTC's patented 4MP "UltraPixel" shooter, plus bump your Google Music library through the ear-piercing BoomSound twin speakers. Its less-powerful 1.4GHz Snapdragron 400 CPU might not hold weight against the One's 1.7GHz chip, but does good enough to keep the device moving at lag-free speeds.
iPhone 5 (16GB)
Price: $99.99 (w/two-year contact, AT&T/Sprint/Verizon)
Just because Apple stopped production on its last-gen iPhone doesn't mean you can't still score one. Take in the same luxuries found on the 5C such as a beautiful 4-inch display, great camera results, faster performance, and the latest iOS 7 update. Not to mention the premium exterior finish is also a better look than the 5C's plastic cover. Just sayin'.
Motorola Droid Mini
Price: $50 (w/two-year contract, Verizon)
Fast, long lasting, and small—Moto's entry-level handset proves to the best buy among all three Droid models. The Mini runs on the manufacturer's new X8 mobile computing system, which is compromised of a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor that combines a 1.7GHz dual-core Krait chip and a 400MHz quad-core Adreno 320 GPU to optimize overall performance. Google Now serves as the centerpiece for the phone, promoting a responsive and touchless mobile experience managed through efficient voice commands.