Motorola announced the new Moto X and G, Moto Hint and Moto 360 by opening its headquarters for media to meet the engineers and designers committed to offering people more choice, control and accessibility in their personal technology. (Photo : Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Motorola)
Android smartphones do not always need to sport the latest and fastest chip available. There are individuals who prefer basic features but would want a decent and reliable device that they can use for checking their emails, sending and replying to SMS messages, surfing the web, and making those calls any time, especially for this holiday season. This is a short list of unlocked smartphones that are under $200.
Moto G4 Play ($130)
The Moto G4 Play offers a 5-inch screen with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB internal storage. It has a memory card slot that can accommodate a microSD card of up to 128 GB microSD for additional storage. It sports an 8 MP main camera with an LED flash and a 5 MP secondary camera. It also packs a 2800 mAh battery that can last for a whole day affair, depending on the usage. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and is compatible with major U.S. carriers. BestBuy offers the device, which has garnered a rating of 4.4 out of 5, for $130.
ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser ($180)
One can also consider the ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser. Although it is priced a tad higher than the Moto G phone, it is more beefed up than Motorola's device. The ASUS smartphones has a 5.5-inch display screen with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon 430 processor, 2 GB RAM and 32 GB internal memory (expandable up to 128 GB via a microSD card.) It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Photo buffs can use the 13 MP rear-facing camera and the 8 MP front-facing shooter. The device also includes fingerprint security and offers dual-SIM functionality. It is also available at BestBuy for $180.
Honor 5X ($160)
The Honor 5X is offered by Amazon for $160 and is compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile only. It features a 5.5-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, a 64-bit octa-core processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with EMUI 3.1 on top. The smartphone also has a fingerprint scanner and a 13 MP main camera, and it is enclosed in an all-metal body. One of its unique features is its three-card slot that can accommodate 2 SIMS and up to 128 microSD card all at once.
Moto G (4th Gen, $199)
There is another smartphone from Motorola that is priced below $200, but this one is on the higher end. It comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, 1.5 GHz Snapdragon 617 processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, works flawlessly with the four major U.S. carriers, and features a charging boost that loads up a fully depleted battery in up to 6 hours of power for 15 minutes of charging. The main camera is pegged at 13 MP, equipped with dual LED flash, while the front-facing shooter is at 5 MP. Amazon is offering the device for $199.
Samsung Galaxy J5 ($170)
A Samsung Galaxy J5 is also offered online for $170. It has 5.0-inch AMOLED screen protected by the scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, 1.2 GHz quad core Snapdragon 410 processor, 2 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage that is expandable up to 256 GB via a microSD card. The main shooter is a 13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and the selfie cam is at 5 MP. A 3100 mAh battery supply's the device that runs on Android Lollipop.
These are just five of the many Android smartphones that are under $200.
