A good smartphone does not have to be expensive at all. PC-Active tests three smartphones under 350 euros, two of which even cost less than 250 euros.
Rens Blom
Good smartphones become cheaper every year, which is partly due to the fierce competition. Brands are putting increasingly better specifications in affordable devices, so that you can enjoy them more and use such a phone for longer. That is also because the software support is getting longer – how long do you read per device tested. In this test we discuss smartphones from market leader Samsung, the smaller Motorola and the emerging Poco.
BKR REGISTRATION
We already mentioned it: two of the three tested devices cost less than € 250. An interesting price limit if you purchase a smartphone in combination with a subscription. Because if the value of a smartphone is higher than € 250,- when you take out a mobile subscription, you will automatically be registered with Stichting Bureau Kredietregistratie. You will receive a BKR registration, which means you can get less mortgage, for example. A smartphone with a sales price below € 250 saves a BKR registration. You can also avoid BKR registration by partially paying for a device that costs more than € 250 when you take out the subscription. If you choose a telephone of € 350 and you pay a one-off € 101 during the closing process, you will not receive a BKR registration. This also applies if you buy a more expensive smartphone, as long as the value after closing is a maximum of € 250.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATIONS
The specifications of affordable smartphones differ. Think of the screen size, which determines how handy the phone is. Or the size of the battery, which contributes to how long the smartphone can last on a battery charge. The cameras also differ greatly, both in quantity (more cameras is not necessarily better) and in resolution. Again, more megapixels does not equal better pictures. Interesting to keep in mind are the amount of working memory (RAM) and storage memory. The working memory determines how quickly you can switch between recently used apps and games. The storage memory determines how many photos, apps and other media you can store without using a micro SD card.
SOFTWARE UPDATES
The three tested smartphones run on Google’s Android operating system. Those from Poco and Motorola still use version 11 during our test, where the Samsung phone runs on the latest version 12. The software shells of the three brands differ visually and add extra functions and apps. We mention how many version updates a device can expect, which add new functions from Google and the manufacturer. We also mention the period of security updates, which protect the smartphone against (resolved) vulnerabilities. The longer the phone receives security updates, the longer you can use it with peace of mind.
THREE SMARTPHONES TESTED
We recently tested three budget smartphones: the Poco M4 Pro, the Samsung Galaxy A13 4G and the Motorola Edge 20.
Budget smartphones |
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Poco M4 Pro |
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G |
Motorola Edge 20 |