android firmware download free: The best cheap Android phones

There's never been a better time to buy a cheap Android phone and still get a top quality experience.

It used to be the norm that to get a good phone you'd have to spend a good chunk of change. But while the high end continues to progress at a predictable rate, the mid-tiers have suddenly become where the action is at. It's easier than ever to get a quality Android smartphone without paying too much for it. We daresay you can call it a "cheap" Android smartphone at this point and not feel bad about it.
For around $250 it's now possible to get a good phone by any standard. Here's our roundup of the best you can get right now.

Motorola Moto G (2015)

Still one of the best value phones around

Pros

Solid build quality
No manufacturer bloatware
MicroSD card slot

Cons

No NFC
Only a single speaker compared to previous model
No quickcharge or wireless charging

Motorola is arguably responsible for reinventing the budget phone space when it tore up the rule book with the original Moto G. Now three generations in and it's no more difficult to recommend to anyone looking for the best on a budget.
The hardware is more than ample for the price and Motorola's signature software experience of value added to stock Android remains. The camera is improved on its predecessor, Moto Maker allows for some customization on the color schemes and all-in-all the essence of what made this phone great hasn't gone away. It's hard to do better at $200. And we'd definitely recommend the 16GB/2GB RAM model. It's worth the extra.

ASUS Zenfone 2

A surprise contender

Pros

Great price
Long battery life
Decent camera

Cons

Awkward button placement
Cheap feeling materials
Software won't be to everyone's taste

ASUS announced the Zenfone 2 at the beginning of 2015 but it would soon become one of the better value for money buys for the budget conscious smartphone buyer. With the cheapest model coming in at $199, for $299 you can get the highest-end variant with some specs that easily outdo even some of the most expensive phones on the market.
It's not perfect by any means, with software that's best described as an acquired taste, and some cost cutting in the materials used to build it. But make no mistake, you're getting a solid phone with long battery life, a decent camera and more besides for not a whole lot of your hard earned.

Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 5.5

Upside down

Pros

Use it either way up
Long battery life
Full HD 1080p display

Cons

Some added bloatware
Sluggish while installing apps
The back cover doesn't feel all that great

Alcatel OneTouch is another of those smartphone makers that can hold their heads high having made huge strides forward in 2015. The Idol 3 comes in two sizes, but it's the larger 5.5-inch model that's most impressive. For $250 you get a great looking 1080p display, a 13MP camera and some pretty hot sounding speakers with JBL audio.
The party piece of the Idol 3 is that you can use it either way up. The speakers on the front are both also earpieces and the phone's user interface will flip depending which way up you're holding it. Just remember which end the camera is before snapping a selfie.

OnePlus X

Never settle

Pros

Looks fantastic
Simple, good looking software
Full HD 1080p display

Cons

Weak camera
Invite system to buy is still ridiculous
Below average battery life

OnePlus has traditionally gone hunting for the high-end but the OnePlus X is the first time it truly targeted the budget sector. What you get is a mixture of premium design with glass and metal both present encasing internal specs that would have been in flagship class phones not all that long ago.
The glass back makes the OnePlus X a slippery customer but the 1080p display and simple, unbloated software around the front makes up for it. In true OnePlus style there's an invite system in place to get hold of one, but it doesn't look nearly as restrictive as past attempts at selling phones.

Wileyfox Swift

A Cyanogen powered marvel

Pros

Absurdly cheap
Great performance
Decent battery life

Cons

Not the strongest camera
No NFC
Annoyingly bright LED notification light

The Wileyfox Swift is the British company's first Android phone and has every right to be taken notice of. It cost's a ridiculously cheap £129 and packs Moto G matching hardware while undercutting it on price.
The display is nice, the battery life is pretty good, the overall appearance is on point and the software provided by Cyanogen is slick, speedy and bloat free. It's not available officially outside Europe right now, but it's absolutely one of the best cheap phones money can buy.

Huawei Honor 7

A most honorable choice

Pros

Premium design and construction
Fingerprint scanner
Bright, vibrant display

Cons

EMUI isn't the greatest software around
Hit and miss camera
More expensive than the rest of the phones on this list

The Honor 7 is stretching our price point to the limits, but since where it is available it can be had for £250 (often less than this) it just about makes the cut. What you get from Huawei's 'other' brand is a metal made phone that boasts a high-end design without the price.
While the Honor 7 offers everything good about Huawei at an affordable price point, it also offers the biggest issue the company still has: the software. But, if you're OK with some weirdness and some irritations, you'll be getting a hell of a lot of phone for not a lot of money.