We get it— not everyone is willing the break the bank on a brand new smartphone that was released just last week. Some just like to invest in an older device or a newer phone with mid-range specs. For this reason, I’ve compiled a list (in no particular order) of the best devices that you can buy right now for under $100. So hit the break and lets get started.
DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, nothing really stood out for me in T-Mobile's current lineup (their top devices under $100 had some pretty hefty payment plans attached to them) so you will not find any T-Mobile devices in this list! Sorry!
1. HTC Droid DNA- $49.99 (Verizon, w/ new 2-year contract) — BUY
The best deal on this list is most likely HTC's Droid DNA. For only $49.99 (w/ new 2-year contract) on Verizon, you get an extremely solid phone with both great hardware and software. From my own experience with the device, it feels amazing in the hand and is small enough to fit in (most) pockets. It's a 5-incher, but trust me, it really doesn't feel that big. For this low price you get a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, NFC, wireless charging, a 2,020mAh battery, an 8MP rear camera, a 2.1MP front-facing camera, and Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. This is a phone that isn't going away for a while— that processor is definitely nice to have, and for the price, I'd recommend this phone.
2. Motorola Droid Mini- $99.99 (Verizon, w/ new 2-year contract) — BUY
This is one of the newer devices on my list, and also one of the nicer ones as well. One of my buddies recently got the Droid Mini— he complained that the battery only lasted him a little under two days without a charge, and he said that he "barely used it." I couldn't believe what I was hearing until I learned that his last phone was a Nokia "Dumbphone" that lasted weeks on a single charge. Anyway, for anyone already using an Android phone, you will truly appreciate the battery life on this thing. It's pretty cheap, considering it's so new and going for $99.99 on Verizon (w/ a new 2-year contract). It feels great in the hand, designed with a DuPont Kevlar fiber unibody, a 4.3-inch HD display, 10MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, 2,000mAh battery, and comes with some of the same features as the Moto X, including Touchless Control for hands-free access to Google Now. This phone will definitely have Kit Kat support, and most likely support for the the next version of Android as well.
3. Samsung Galaxy S III- $99.99 (Verizon, w/ new 2-year contract) — BUY
Sure, it isn't Samsung's latest flagship device, but their entire Galaxy lineup has proven to stand the test of time. The S III is expected to get Android 4.3 by the end of the year, and still has some pretty nice specs considering its age. Right now, you can get the 16 GB S III for $99.99 (w/ new 2-year contract) on Verizon. The device is complete with most of Samsung's latest software add-ons, an 8MP rear shooter, 1.9MP front camera, Bluetooth 4.0, a 2100 mAh battery, 2GB RAM, a dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz, and microSD card support up to 64GB. It's truly an excellent device, and if you don't want to shell out the cash for the S4, I definitely recommend the S III.
4. HTC One mini- $99.99 (AT&T, w/ new 2-year contract) — BUY
If "small" is your thing, I'd definitely recommend the HTC One mini, which is currently going for $99.99 on AT&T's network. Its 4.3-inch screen is smaller than the 4.7-incher that is on the HTC One and has lower specs. The internals include a 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 CPU, Adreno 305 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 4MP UltraPixel front camera (BSI, f/2.0, 1/3" sensor size), 1.6MP front camera, BoomSound, Bluetooth 4.0, 1,800mAh battery, and Android 4.2.2 along with Sense 5.0. It's certainly nice and very well-built considering its mid-range internals. I would certainly recommend going out to get the One mini.
5. HTC One- $99.99 (Sprint, w/ new 2-year contract) — BUY
Sure, you can get the HTC One's little brother from AT&T for $99.99, but why go with that when you can get the full package for the same price from Sprint? That's right, Sprint is currently offering the HTC One for $99.99 (w/ new 2-year contract). The HTC One is widely considered one of the greatest phones ever built with superior specs both inside and outside the device. For this price, you get a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 2GB RAM, a 2300mAh battery, and Android 4.1. And don't forget, you also get those super-gimmicky Beats Audio speakers, along with HTC's BlinkFeed interface! Jokes aside, this is clearly one of the premier smartphones on the market right now, and for $99.99, you really can't turn this offer down.
6. Motorola Moto X- $99.99 (Sprint, w/ new 2-year contract) — BUY
Sprint has a really nice deal going on right now for the 16GB Moto X. This was perhaps one of the most hyped smartphones in the past few years, and rightfully so. Although some may say the specs aren't the best in the world, Motorola worked very hard at optimizing the phone's internals so that the software runs perfectly. Who could ask for anything more if everything works well and is perfectly zippy? It has no bloatware whatsoever and is practically stock Android, and it should get OS support from Google/Motorola for at least a couple more years. You're certainly investing into the future with this one. Don't pay too much attention to the specs— like I said, even though it has a dual-core processor, it has the Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System. The X8 includes a dual-core for apps, a quad-core for graphics, one core for contextual computing, and one core for natural language. The phone comes with a 4.7-inch OLED display, a dual-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 16GB internal storage, 2GB RAM, and a 2200mAh battery. And don't forget, you're also getting all of Motorola's (actually useful) software enhancements including Touchless Control, Quick Capture, and Active Display. I'd recommend this phone the most out of any on the list, but that also may be my “Motorola bias” speaking, which I've obtained over the years…
These are just some of my favorite phones under $100. I know there are many others available, so if I missed one of your favorites, let me know in the comments below.
Come comment on this article: Best Android devices currently available under $100 [September 2013]
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