$50 Smartphone: Amazon Launches Blu R1 HD, Arguably The Best-Value Smartphone Today [VIDEO]
In the hyper-competitive tech market, there are times when products emerge that prove that sometimes, consumers don't really get what they pay for. Sometimes, they get significantly more. This is the case with the Blu R1 HD, available right now for Amazon Prime members for a measly $50.
Yes, that's right. While the device is no $4 Freedom 251 from India, nor is it as capable as the $200 Huawei Honor 5X, the Blu R1 HD nonetheless offers a lot for its price. For $50, customers would be getting a 4G-LTE capable phone with a 5-inch 720p curved display. The phone runs Android Marshmallow 6.0 out of the box too, so the software is actually pretty updated, compared to other devices in its price range.
The $50 phone only comes with 8GB of storage and 1GB of RAM, however, but for customers who would like a little more oomph for their device, a $10 addition to the price would boost the Blu R1 HD to a 16GB, 2GB RAM device. Even with the additional $10, it would be hard to get a phone as capable for $60.
What is particularly great about the device is the fact that it does not, in any way, feel like a hyper-affordable phone. Though the Blu R1 HD is essentially a plastic phone, it is nonetheless solidly built, with its soft touch plastic back and its curved edges. The device also seems very solid to the hand, making it feel like a device that is more expensive than it really is.
Of course, at its price, the Blu R1 HD does have a number of shortcomings, most noticeable of which is its 8MP rear shooter and 5MP selfie camera with flash. Though 8MP and 5MP cameras do sound very capable, reviews of the handset have proven that the R1 HD's imaging capabilities are limited at best.
Also, the device's speaker has been found to be very tinny and low-powered. For those who would like to stream music through the device, a good pair of headphones is definitely required.
Nevertheless, at its price, it's really hard to complain and nitpick. After all, what is particularly great about the Blu R1 HD is the fact that it does not try to be a rip-off of a flagship unit; rather, it is a budget device that makes the most of what it has. For $50, who can really complain?
