$10 Smartphones: LG16 and Lumia 530

As the wars between smartphones continue, flagship models from tech giants such as Apple and Samsung usually take the lead. However, on the low-end smartphone market, devices that are very useful while also being very light on the budget are worth looking at.

Take for example the TracFone-branded prepaid Lucky LG16 smartphone. According to Digital Trends, it's a bargain at $10 with its capabilities and specs. The phone is currently available in Walmart.

The LG16 has a 3.8-inch touch display, runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of storage, and a 3-megapixel rear camera. Although it only runs on Android 4.4 Kitkat and can only offer 3G coverage, it's still a steal for that low price.

Motherboard reported that the sole review on Walmart's website gives the phone four stars out of five. “The phone’s screen is a decent size, and the touch accuracy feels good enough for typing in spite of the limited screen space for a keyboard,” the review notes as per DT. “Overall, while this is not the best smartphone, it’s definitely a steal for $9.99,” the review concludes, “I don’t regret buying it.”

On the other hand, those who don't want an Android phone have an alternative in the $10 Lumia 530, which is available from US Mobile. This cheap smartphone, although certainly not a powerhouse, still packs a punch.

The Lumia 530 is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor and 512MB of RAM. It also has 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via the use of a MicroSD card up to a huge 128GB in size. It has a 4-inch 854 x 480 resolution display and a 5-megapixel rear camera, specs just slightly higher than the LG16.

This phone was launched last July, and was initially sold by T-Mobile for $80 a piece, while Cricket Wireless had it sold for $50. US Mobile will reportedly sell the phone for $10 per unit starting midnight on November 30.

DT noted that some might prefer the LG16 over the Lumia 530 due to the apps that are available. Although the Lumia may boast of a little more than the LG16 in terms of hardware, the LG16 is still an Android phone capable of running Android apps available on Google Play.

The Lumia 530, while running on Windows 8.1, might not be upgraded to Windows 10. However, if performance versus price is what matters, then this phone deserves a look.

And at $10, both of these phones will still be a steal.