Continuing with our series of smartphones available in Zimbabwe we decided to add an extra twist for the last installment by compiling a list of smartphones with LTE capability available on the local market for under $150 (Zimbabwe uses LTE Band 3 (1800) ).
We decided to take this approach to show that LTE is not only an issue discussed or enjoyed by high-end smartphones users but you too can experience LTE speeds on a $150 budget.
By “available in Zimbabwe” we mean if you go into town with $150 right now you will go home with any of the devices mentioned below, on the same day. Yes, we do realize that there are other devices in the international market but we want to deal with what we have readily available in Zimbabwe first.
So here is our list of LTE-enabled smartphones under $150:
Sony Xperia E3
Network: GSM/HSPA/LTE | OS: Android KitKat | Screen: 4.5 inches IPS |Resolution: 480 x 854 pixels | CPU: Quad-core 1.2 GHz | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 4GB | Battery: 2330 mAh | Rear camera: 5MP | Front camera: VGA | SD-Card Slot: Yes, expandable to 32GB
Local Price: $150
Samsung Galaxy Core Prime
Network: GSM/HSPA/LTE | OS: Android Lollipop | Screen: 4.5 inches AMOLED |Resolution: 480 x 800 | CPU: Quad-core 1.2 GHz | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2000 mAh | Rear camera: 5MP | Front camera: 2MP | SD-Card Slot: Yes, expandable to 64GB
Local Price: $125-$150
Lumia 625
Network: GSM/HSPA/LTE | OS: Windows Phone 8.1 | Screen: 4.7 inches IPS LCD |Resolution: 480 x 800 | CPU: Dual-core 1.2 GHz | RAM: 512MB | Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2000 mAh | Rear camera: 5MP | Front camera: VGA | SD-Card Slot: Yes, expandable to 64GB
Local Price: $110-$150
Lumia 550
Network: GSM/HSPA/LTE | OS: Microsoft Windows 10 | Screen: 4.7 inches Capacitative |Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: Quad-core 1.1 GHz | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2100 mAh | Rear camera: 5MP | Front camera: 2MP | SD-Card Slot: Yes, expandable to 256GB
Local Price: $140-$150
Samsung Galaxy J2 
Network: GSM/HSPA/LTE | OS: Android Lollipop | Screen: 4.7 inches Super AMOLED |Resolution: 540 x 960 | CPU: Quad-core 1.3 GHz | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2000 mAh | Rear camera: 5MP | Front camera: 2MP | SD-Card Slot: Yes, expandable to 256GB
Local Price: $130-$150
So yes, it is possible to enjoy LTE on a budget. What is surprising is that even though the list is limited to 5 phones, you do get the variety of selection based on manufacturer and even OS, it’s not simply a case of Samsung or Android devices dominating the list. More device manufacturers are slowly realising the need to create “entry-level” smartphones which may not have as much processing ability but should at least compete on the networking/connectivity front.
Let us know if you have any other locally available devices to add to our list also check out:
What are the cash prices for Gtel lte enabled smart phones?
what good is LTE when your social media bundle speeds are throttled to 50kbps?
LTE is all about high internet speed, like 20 – 80Mbps high, no one is getting those kinds of speeds in Zim, so again, what good is an LTE device?
You should note that for devices (like Core Prime and J2) LTE is generally available for the F/M/Y/Z variants not the H variants. Like the Core prime SM-G360(1)H do not have it, but the F variants do. This continues to the upper midrange, even the premium A500(10)H do not have LTE. And in terms of availability, the H variants are actually the most common ones at the lower price points.
Thanks for the heads up Eddie! How best can a buyer check their phone variant?
Lenovo A2010 price $75 good battery 1 GB Ram, 8GB rom, 4.5 inch display
Where?
samsung galaxy j1 ace neo
for 120 dual sim and lte for both lines. though not at the same time
Kindly provide an in-depth research into your article like the various retail outlets that sell these devices,the pros and cons of these devices and then maybe nominate what you deem to be the best device under $150.00(that’s what l ought to have done)
Hi Thabani, the angle for the article was more on LTE+Price+Availability not really concentrating on the device review, we tried that for previous articles and found the information not really necessary above the specs we provided, we did add links to reviews on each device name for anyone with more interest on it.
Bought a brand new Hisense F20 for $130. Awesome phone. Loving it.
As if that LTE is giving 20% of their full capacity speeds in Zimbabwe, these 3Services providers econet, telecel & netone when will the stop this day light robbery?
#DataMustFall