While the smartphone market across other categories has tough competition,  the entry-level segment in 2024 is less crowded than in previous years. That is not to say brands haven’t launched phones in this range, but not all of them are a great bargain for their prices.

Fortunately, we’ve been able to put together a list of the best entry-level smartphones that we believe are worth your money. Keep in mind that the entry-level segment focuses on the essentials, so you won’t find premium features here. 

However, one thing we made sure of while creating this list is that every phone supports 5G. While leading software support or top-tier cameras may not be a priority in this segment, securing a 5G handset is essential in 2024, regardless of the price.

Let’s get started.

Tecno Pop 9 5G

Tecno may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of smartphones, but its Pop 9 5G brings a lot to the table, especially for its price.

The Tecno Pop 9 5G is surprisingly sleek with its 165 x 77 x 8 mm frame and a weight of 189g. While its build is nothing fancy – a glass front and plastic back – it is a unique-looking phone for the segment. It has a squircle camera island and the sensors are aligned vertically with an LED flashlight to their right. Tecno even ships two skins in the box if you wish to customize the design.

It’s also IP54 dust and splash-resistant, which is a nice bonus for a budget phone. The 6.6-inch IPS LCD display features a 120Hz refresh rate but has an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1612 pixels (~267 ppi). It’s not the sharpest display in this list, but it should be good enough for everyday use like social media and videos.

It is powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6nm) which is one of the best smartphone chips in its segment. Accompanying this is 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage).

The phone is fueled by a 5000mAh battery that supports 18W wired charging. The camera setup includes a 48MP rear camera with dual-LED flash and an 8MP selfie camera that also comes with dual-LED flash for better low-light selfies. Video recording tops out at 1080p@30fps.

Poco C75 5G

Poco C75 is the company’s most recent offering for the global market. The phone is a bit hefty at 204g weight and is a bit on the large side, with a 6.88-inch display (720 x 1640 resolution). But that extra real estate can be a plus if you watch a lot of videos. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and 600 nits of brightness.

This phone is powered by the Mediatek Helio G81 Ultra (12nm), paired with 6GB or 8GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The latter can be expanded up to a terabyte via a microSD card.

It has a 5160mAh battery that should easily last a full day. The cell gets its juice back from 18W wired charging and surprisingly, for the price, the Poco C75 even has PD charging support. It has a 50MP main camera and a 13MP selfie camera.

Honor Play 9T

Honor’s Play 9T brings some premium touches to the budget space, making it a compelling option for those who prioritize battery life and design.

At 197g, the Play 9T feels robust, and its IP64 water and dust resistance adds an extra layer of reassurance. The 6.77-inch TFT LCD display offers a 120Hz refresh rate and decent colors, though its 720 x 1610 resolution isn’t the sharpest in the category. 

The phone runs on the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset (4nm), which is a step above many of its competitors in efficiency. The memory option includes 8GB or 12GB RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. 

This phone truly shines with its massive 6000mAh battery. It’ll easily last two days for average users, and the 35W wired charging is faster than most phones in this price range. 

Its dual-rear camera system includes a 50MP main sensor and a 2MP depth lens. On the front, there’s a basic 5MP selfie camera.

Motorola Moto G35 5G

Motorola’s budget offerings have long been about balance, and the Moto G35 5G is no different. It’s practical, reliable, and doesn’t try to do too much.

At 188g, the G35 is lighter than most competitors. It features Gorilla Glass 3 on the front for added durability and comes with a water-repellent design. The phone is slim at 7.8mm, making it comfortable to hold. 

The 6.72-inch IPS LCD display offers a 120Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution, which is a clear step up from the competition in terms of sharpness (~392 ppi density). It also supports HDR10 and can hit 1000 nits peak brightness.

Powered by the Unisoc T760 chipset (6nm), the G35 handles day-to-day tasks smoothly. You get up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, plus a dedicated microSD slot for expandable storage. 

The 5000mAh battery is reliable and should last a full day of moderate use. Charging is capped at 18W. The dual-camera setup includes a 50MP main lens and an 8MP ultrawide sensor. A 16MP camera sits on the front for selfies with video recording support of up to 4K@30fps.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for the most balanced option, the Motorola Moto G35 5G could be the best bet with its sharper display, decent cameras, and solid build quality. For battery lovers, the Honor Play 9T has a massive 6000mAh cell and faster charging support. 

The Poco C75 5G also offers excellent value for budget users, while the Tecno Pop 9 5G keeps things basic but functional for first-time smartphone buyers.

No matter which you choose, all of these phones deliver the essentials without skimping too hard.

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The post The Best Entry-level Smartphones of 2024 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Earlier this month, Honor unveiled the Honor Play 9T, an affordable 5G phone, in China. It was made available for purchase for the first time on September 13, and the brand released an official confirmation that the Play 9T broke the first-day sales record of the Honor Play series.

Honor Play 9T price

The Honor Play 9T comes in three variants, such as 8GB+128GB, 8GB+256GB, and 12GB+256GB. These are priced at 999 Yuan (~$140), 1,099 Yuan (~$155), and 1,299 Yuan (~$183), respectively. The device comes in three shades like black, white, and green.

Honor Play 9T specifications

The Honor Play 9T has a 6.77-inch LCD panel that offers an HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. For security, it has a side-facing fingerprint sensor. It comes preloaded with Magic OS 8-based Android 14.

The Play 9T is powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset. It is coupled with LPDDR4x RAM, UFS 2.2 storage, and a 6,000mAh battery with 35W charging support.

The Play 9T has a 5-megapixel camera on the front and its back panel has a 50-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The post Honor Play 9T breaks the first-day sales record of Honor Play series appeared first on Gizmochina.

Honor just unveiled a bunch of new products like the flagship Magic V3 in the global market. But in its home market of China, it has released a fresh new budget phone. The Honor Play 9T dropped with some capable specs and a massive battery, so here’s what you need to know.

Honor Play 9T Specs

Honor’s new Play 9T arrives as the direct successor to the Play 8T, which launched back in 2023. It sports a tall 6.77-inch TFT LCD display that offers an HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the Honor Play 9T is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 gen 2 SoC, which is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

A humongous 6,000mAh battery pack powers this device, which supports 35 wired fast charging. For optics, the rear features a 50-megapixel primary camera (offering up to 8x digital zoom), along with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Meanwhile, the front offers a 5-megapixel shooter for selfies and video calls. Other notable features include Hi-Res audio with 300% volume boost and up to 8GB of virtual RAM expansion.

Looking at all of these specs, the Play 9T seems quite similar to the 8T at least in battery, charging speeds, and camera. However, the company has shifted to Snapdragon chips and runs on the Android 14 OS based Magic OS 8 custom skin.

Pricing and Colors

Honor launched the Play 9T in multiple color options in the Chinese market. It arrives in Black, White, and Green. The Play 9T has a starting price tag of 999 Yuan (roughly 141 US Dollars) for its 8GB + 128GB option. On the other hand, the 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB variant costs 1,099 Yuan and 1,299 Yuan respectively (roughly 155 and 183 US Dollars).

The post Honor Play 9T launched in China: New Budget Phone with Behemoth 6000mAh battery, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 appeared first on Gizmochina.