Today, I will rate my phone, my mom's phones, my dad's phones, and one of my sister's phones.
1. My Samsung Galaxy A14 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is a solid budget phone, particularly for its $200 price point. It features a 6.6-inch FHD+ display with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, a 50MP main camera that performs well in daylight, and a large 5,000mAh battery that can last over a day with normal use. Its performance, powered by the Exynos 1330 chipset, is decent for everyday tasks but may struggle with heavy multitasking. While it lacks fast charging and premium features, it's a great value for the price. I would rate it 7.5/10.
2. My dad's Moto E (2020)
The Moto E (2020) is a budget-friendly phone with decent features for its price of around $150. It comes with a 6.2-inch HD+ display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 chipset, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage (expandable with microSD). Its 3,550mAh battery offers good longevity, lasting about a full day with moderate use. However, its performance can be slow, especially with heavy apps, and the cameras (13MP primary and 2MP depth) tend to struggle with quality, especially in low light.
The phone's build is mostly plastic, but it includes a fingerprint sensor, a splash-resistant design, and runs on Android 10 without future updates. Overall, the Moto E is great for basic tasks but lacks speed and camera performance compared to higher-end models.
I would rate it 6/10 considering its limitations and aging specs.
3. My dad's old ZTE Tempo X
The ZTE Tempo X is a very basic, budget-friendly phone from 2017, initially priced at around $80. Its specs reflect its low cost, with a 5-inch 480p screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor, 1GB of RAM, and only 8GB of internal storage. The cameras are also quite underwhelming, with a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. Additionally, its 2200 mAh battery is decent but falls short compared to other budget phones at the time.
Considering its limited capabilities, low resolution, and basic performance, the Tempo X is not ideal for anything beyond basic tasks like calls, texts, and light web browsing. For an entry-level Android phone in 2017, it does the job, but it feels outdated and sluggish by today's standards. I’d give it a 4/10, as it only satisfies the minimum needs for a smartphone.
4. My mom's Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G is a solid budget phone, offering decent features for its $200 price tag. It has a 6.5-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, providing a smooth viewing experience. Its triple-camera system includes a 50MP main camera, a 5MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro, though the latter two are less impressive. The main camera takes good quality photos, but the ultra-wide and macro lenses aren't as sharp.
Performance-wise, it uses a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chip, which can struggle with multitasking and heavier tasks. Apps tend to reload often, and the phone may lag when unlocking or switching between apps. While its battery life and display are highlights, the overall performance lags behind more expensive devices.
For its price, I'd give it a 7 out of 10—good for basic tasks, but with noticeable performance limitations.
5. My mom's old Nokia C100
The Nokia C100 is a very basic, budget-friendly smartphone that was released in 2022. It features a 5.45-inch 720p display, which is decent for its price, offering good color accuracy. It’s powered by a MediaTek Helio A22 processor with 3GB of RAM, making it suitable for simple tasks like texting, browsing, and social media, but it struggles with multitasking or heavier applications.
The camera setup includes an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. Both are quite basic, with the rear camera producing passable photos in good lighting, but it lacks advanced features like image stabilization or high zoom capabilities.
One of the stronger points of the Nokia C100 is its 4,000mAh removable battery, which provides good battery life for day-to-day use. It also runs on Android 12, offering a more modern software experience than many other phones in its price range.
Overall, for a phone that costs around $39-$90, it performs adequately as a basic smartphone. I’d rate it 5.5/10, considering its limitations in performance and camera quality, but it’s still a decent option for those on a tight budget.
6. My mom's oldest and my sisters oldest Alcatel Raven
The Alcatel Raven is a budget-friendly phone, typically priced around $30, but it's clear from user feedback that it has some limitations. Common complaints include poor volume control, low-resolution cameras, and inconsistent performance. However, many users appreciate its basic functionality for such a low price. It's described as reliable for simple tasks like calls, texting, and some apps, and it even supports Bluetooth for hearing aids, which some users find helpful. For the price, it's a decent option, but expectations should be kept low. I'd give it a 4/10 overall.
