Vkworld T5 Review: A Good Smartphone Worth Its Price

Are you looking for the best cheap smartphone? Something under $100 that still can offer a lot? It is hard to say which is the best, as it depends on what you want from a smartphone. But VKworld T5 is for sure one of the best in this price range.

Unboxing

The package looks quite cheap. It contains a 5V charger, screen protector, micro-USB to USB cable, battery and the usual manuals. Unfortunately there are no headphones included.

Design

These phone is made entirely in plastic without a metal frame unlike many other cheap smartphones. On the front there is the 5 inch screen and under it there are the three usual buttons which aren't illuminated.  Above the screen there is the 5 MP camera. On the back side there is the 8 MP camera and the speaker. On the right side there are the usual power and volume buttons while on the left side of the frame there is nothing. On the top there is the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the micro-USB port while on the bottom there is the microphone. It is a solid phone. I particularly like the version with the gold cover. A metal frame would have added to its appeal though.

Hardware

Inside the VKworld T5 there is a MTK6580 quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz. There are 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory which can be expanded through a memory card. The GPU is a Mali-400MP. There are the usual GPS, Wifi and Bluetooth 4.0 too. The phone can hold two SIM cards and has a 2000mAh battery. The specs are really good for the price and are the main advantage this phone has, considering its price. The downside is that you can't enjoy 4G on this phone. For many people this wouldn't be that important as 3G internet is capable of performing very well most tasks, but if you are into gaming and other activities that require a speedy internet connection this may be important.

Display

VKworld T5 has a 720*1280 display which is really good for its price. It has a pixel density of 294 ppi. The brightness is a bit high on the minimum but its very bright in its maximum and therefore usable in broad daylight outside. The curved display is a unique feature for its price.

Software

The phone comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop. For a new smartphone Lollipop is an old system now that we have Marshmallow and the new version of Android is set to arrive in September. However, it is very pleasing that VKworld has offered us a nearly stock Android OS with no bloatware. Unlike many Chinese smartphones here you will not find those weird unusable apps in Chinese and badly translated menus. Even the most popular 3D games like Modern Kombat 5 or Dead Trigger run smoothly on this cheap smartphone. Well done VKworld!

A cool thing on the software side is that you can launch certain apps by gestures when the screen is turned off. Draw a C to launch the camera, O for internet and so on.

Cameras

VKworld T5 has a 8MP back camera and a 5MP front camera. Although nowadays the 13MP camera is the norm among cheap smartphones it is hard to expect more from this phone considering its price. The cameras perform well although there is nothing special about them.

Conclusion

With a good processor, a large amount of RAM and internal memory as its main features this phone is worth the price. If you want a simple smartphone or if you want to give one as a preson to a child, this one might do for you.

Pros

1. Good processor

2. 2GB of RAM

3. 16 GB of internal 

Cons

1. Old operating system

2. Mediocre camera and battery

3. No 4G.

Best sites to buy cheap smartphones online

If you are thinking where and how to buy cheap smartphones online hopefully you will find an answer in this article and upcoming ones. Actually there are going to be many answers.

Let's start our list of sites where you can buy cheap smartphones with the most obvious.

Amazon

Amazon has so many products and so many offers. By conducting some research you can find some good phones at excellent prices. Like I found an LG G3 for $148! Amazon has many sites dedicated to some of the biggest countries such as USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy etc.  So there are more chances of finding a good price for the phone you like in either one or another. In Amazon you can find used smartphones in good condition which undoubtedly cost way less than a new one.

eBay

eBay is another big name. here you can find good mobiles either at fixed price or by taking part in an auction. Be careful to avoid frauds though.

Aliexpress

Aliexpress is similar to Amazon and it is based in China. You can find all sorts of phones there, Chinese or not. Be careful though as there are reported cases of ordering a particular smartphone and getting a counterfeit version of it.

Gearbest

Gearbest is a serious Chinese site which among others sells smartphones. You will find only new smartphones here and they are almost entirely Chinese brands.  They are very good phones though and come at very favourable prices. Even the best flagships dont cost more than $500. You won't have to stick to 3G smartphones to save money. Here you can find plenty of cheap 4G smartphones even under the $100 mark.

As for how to buy a smartphone online I must say the process is simple but you must be careful before deciding.

First thing note that what is important for a phone to function is for it to support the bands of your local mobile companies. And supported bands can differ even within versions of the same phone (like Samsung Galaxy S7 for example) but which are built for a different market. So first check which bands of frequencies your local companies use and which are supported by the phone. If they match to a satisfactory degree then you can proceed.  Also be careful not to buy a locked phone. A locked phone was customized so that it can be utilized only through a sole mobile company. So, most likely it won't work for you.

Another thing to take in consideration is that in specific cases, depending on where you live, you may have to pay customs duties besides the price of the phone.

Now let's go to the final step. You have found the phone that suits you and now you want to buy it. Now you have to enter your personal information such as address, card number etc. Before doing that remember to check that the site has a https prefix. That means secure connection and your data will be safe.

Finding the cheapest smartphone deals is like a sport to me so check my site from time to time to stay updated. I welcome your contribution through comments.

Elephone S3 Review: The First Borderless Smartphone

In the myriad of phones that are presented every year it is hard to find one that stands out the crowd. Even some very expensive phones from big brands find it difficult to differentiate themselves. What many high-end smartphones fail to do, though,, this Elephone S3 achieves. With its unique design, good specs and affordable price this smartphone can be a very good companion for your next several years. But do these upsides make this phone good enough? Is it the right phone for you? Read my in-depth Elephone S3 review.

Unboxing The Phone

Inside the package you will find the phone, the 2A charger, USB to Micro-USB cable, a tool for removing the SIM cards and the usual manuals. Unfortunately there are no headphones included. As the box is made of aluminum it is very durable and of a high quality.

Design

Looking at this phone reminds me of the high-end OnePlus 3. Considering the price I think this is a point in favour of this smartphone. Moreover its borders and back are entirely in aluminum. Besides these good features what really makes this phone stand out of the crowd is its practically borderless display. The front side has very thin side bezels and a 2.5D screen. What I don’t like though is that the screen curvature is too defined. In this aspect it could use a little refinement. This can happen in an upcoming smartphone though.

On the left side of the border you have the space to insert a micro-SIM or a memory card. On the right side there are the power and volume buttons. On the upper side there is the 3.5 mm headphone jack whereas on the opposite side there is the single speaker, microphone and the micro-USB port. On the back cover you will find the camera, the LED flash and a precise fingerprint scanner.

The phone is 8.3 mm thin and weighs 165 g which is a bit above average. It is hard to comprehend why it weighs 165 g considering the small battery it has.

Technical Specs

The phone has at its heart a MediaTek MTK6753 processor of 1.3GHz and eight cores. There are also 3GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, which is a considerable quantity considering the price of this phone. The GPU is a Mali T720. The display is 5.2 inches with a Full HD definition and a pixel density of 424 ppi. The technology used is IPS which means very natural colours. This technology is used by many of this sector’s heavyweights such as Apple, LG, HTC, Sony etc. but not Samsung who prefers more saturated colours for its smartphone displays. The battery is of 2100mAh which is small for a phone with such specs.

Software And Performance

This phone comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Unlike many other Chinese phones the soware is well optimized therefore the phone shows a good performance even when put in a lot of stress like playing the latest games. It is advisable to change the launcher as with the default one lags can be noticed from time to time. The phone comes with software translated in many languages. There might be issues of incomplete translation for some languages though. This is a general problem of Chinese smartphones.

Display

The display is a 5.2 inch Full HD and it is one of the best features of this phone. The colours are rich and vivid and it looks good even from challenging viewing angles. Colours may look over-saturated to some people but it isn't a problem per se. It is more a matter of taste. After all, Samsung Galaxy S7 has a similar level of colour saturation and many people love that screen. The black is very natural and doesn’t tend towards grey as iin many other cheap smartphones. The downside is that the screen is a fingerprint magnet so you need to clean it from time to time. By means of a visual effect the side borders are hardly visible while you are using it. This adds credibility to the “borderless smartphone” gimmick.

Camera

Elephone S3 has two cameras. The back camera is a 13MP Sony MX 135 while the front camera is of 5 MP. This phone should not be bought for taking photos which are acceptable at best. The front camera can be said to perform better as selfies require less definition. The back camera can record videos of 1080p, which corresponds to Full HD. The camera software is the usual MediaTek app used by most Chinese phones. That means it won’t have an appreciated camera app.

Battery

As I have mentioned above the 2100mAH battery is simply inadequate for such a smartphone as it makes it hard to reach the evening even with a moderate use. If this smartphone is updated with Android 7.0 Nougat the situation will be improved significantly.

Conclusion

Being the first borderless smartphone is quite an achievement for this smartphone and a feature you can show your friends with pride. Besides that this phone is well designed and has a good display. But since the price is low you will have to compromise is you want to have it. The camera is just acceptable while the battery fails at its task, although this might change in the future. In my opinion it’s a nice phone and I would recommend it to everyone who wants a good looking and well-performing smartphone at a low price.

About this blog

Not being rich enough, or better valuing my money, I am always in search of cheap smartphones and other smart devices that are as good as possible. Researching this market I have discovered that you can get great smart devices at a really good price if you research enough.

So far, you must have understood that I don’t approve impulsive decisions. This is true. It might happen that you find the best choice for you at the first sight but this isn’t always the case. In fact this is rarely the case. A smartphone or tablet might seem attractive on the outside but may be slow, or may have a dated software, ugly screen colours and so on. Or it may look unattractive but be a real gem in terms of usability and enjoyment.  Or sometimes you can find a fantastic smartphone…and I mean really fantastic: cheap, well –designed, snappy, up-to-date but if you research a little more you may find something even better than that.  All these situations happen in real life because there is so much to choose from.

So my advice is: Even if you are in a hurry (unless it is urgent) don’t buy the first smartphone or tablet that catches your eye. Instead, take time to research the market and compare various models.  

The key factors that should be taken into account when comparing models are: design (including dimensions and materials used), hardware, software, camera performance and last but definitely not least, price. In my reviews these will be the key areas I will consider when evaluating the quality of an item. Using the same layout in my reviews will help you compare different smartphones or tablets so that you will find the one which better suits you. 

I welcome your thoughts on my posts and of course questions, suggestions and even friendly critique about this blog.