It’s back to school time and many students will be returning to class with their first smartphone. There are plenty of sub-$500 smartphones for parents to choose from so they can stay in touch with their child.
A December 2020 study by the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) showed 46 per cent of children aged six to 13 used a mobile phone with 33 per cent owning the phone they use.
With phones becoming an integral part of our lives parents have a lot to consider when purchasing a smartphone for their child.
But the good news is that they don’t have to spend big money to find a quality device.
Here are some of the best choices of smartphones priced under $500.
ALCATEL 1SE – $199
Parents on a tight budget will find the Alcatel 1SE a value choice because it provides quality smartphone features and performance for under $200.
It has a 6.22-inch HD+ Vast Display and a 13-megapixel triple rear camera with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage.
It also has a fingerprint reader for added security.
TCL 10L – $449
The TCL 10L features everything you need in a first smartphone.
The device has four rear cameras, a 6.53-inch FHD+ display with 64GB of internal storage and 6GB RAM.
The immersive high-quality display has TCL NXTVISION technology onboard which includes HDR (high dynamic range) and smooth playback of your content.
SAMSUNG GALAXY A21 – $249
The Samsung Galaxy A series offer tremendous value and an impressive list of features starting with the 6.5-inch TFT Infinity-O display and triple rear camera which includes an ultrawide lens plus an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
Design-wise, the Samsung Galaxy A21 has a premium look and feel and features that were considered flagship a couple of years ago.
And with the 4,000mAh battery, users can rest assured there’s enough juice to get through a couple of school days.
MOTO G9 PLAY – $299
The moto g9 play is an all-round device that offers two days battery life thanks to the huge 5000mAh battery.
On the camera side the moto G9 play has a 48-megapixel camera system takes sharper photos and slick videos as impressive portrait shots.
OPPO A53S – $349
The Oppo A53S is a new smartphone that has the design and features of a flagship phone but the price tag of an entry-level device.
It has a 6.5-inch Neo display with a 90H refresh rate and a 13-megapixel triple camera system and an 8-megapixel front camera.
And with a 5,000mAh battery, the A53S will easily run for almost two days on a single charge.
NOKIA 3.4 – $249
The Nokia 3.4 features a 6.39-inch display with a punch hole display front camera along with a rear triple camera system.
The device also has 3D nano-textured rear cover and introduces a new colour palette with an iridescent finish that changes colour as you move it.
Fjord is a cyan blue that shifts to purple, Dusk is a deep purple that shifts into a golden red tone and Charcoal is a classic grey with a subtle golden tint.