The mobile world is starting to narrow, which is a good thing. For those late to the smartphone game, going into a store to buy a phone has been a confusing nightmare for the last few years. iPhones are overpriced, Android phones are way too fragmented (“Don’t get that one! That one can’t get Ice Cream Sandwich!?!??”) and Windows Phones have ranged from bad to not-quite-bad-but-not-quite-good.

But that’s starting to calm down a bit. Most stores and carriers focus on delivering the latest from Apple, Samsung and HTC, with Nokia to soon re-emerge as the manufacturer-of-choice for Microsoft. All of these companies have carved out successful market share (with HTC and Nokia still getting settled, but with their reputation intact) and are now making incremental improvements. This helps customers to not feel cheated when their super whiz-bang phones get made obsolete just 6 months after they’ve bought it, which is rough when the standard contract length is still 24 months.

That said, there are plenty of handsets and manufacturers making excellent phones that are selling at bargain basement prices. These aren’t just ‘budget’ phones – they’re often as powered-up as their flagship cousins, with just a small exception. This could be a slightly lower powered camera, or a slightly thicker build. But often the difference in price is in the hundreds.

I like Samsung

Google’s relationship with their Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) is an odd one. They can’t exist without each other, but at the same time there’s competition amongst them, just because they’re all large companies with the know-how to do it all themselves. To a degree.

So Google has carved out a niche hardware brand all their own – Nexus. This is the blanket brand to cover any hardware which Google has designed to tailor to their strengths – which is software. The first Nexus device was made by HTC, but Google switched to Samsung when the Korean giant started to dominate the market. The current Google Nexus phone is a direct competitor to the Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung’s own flagship model which shows off Samsung’s own software tweaks, but mostly its hardware muscle.

Where does that leave the Nexus? Unloved by Samsung, it enjoyed only a smattering of promotion, even from its other parent, Google. It’s fallen in the cracks, and it’s very hard to see why. The core appeal might be the clean, un-Samsung’d build of Android, but it’s hardly a minnow in the hardware department either.

The Nexus is 2 grams heavier than the S3, with a screen that’s about 1 cm smaller diagonally than the S3. So the dimensions are all but equal. It boasts an amazing 316 pixels per inch – roughly the same as the iPhone’s ‘Retina’ display.

Of course, it has no 4G (and there likely won’t be a 4G version, instead waiting for a full update) and the camera is a little weak at 5MP. There’s also only 16GB on board with no expandable storage. This seems to be enough to knock this handset down in sales, but bargain seekers can scarcely do better.

Outright – Dodo sell the phone outright for $499. Call 1300 136 793

Plan – iPrimus come through with a great plan at $49, which includes the handset, $700 cap credit, Unlimited calls to other iPrimus mobiles and 2Gb data. Call 1300 137 794

I want 4G on the cheap

Getting a 4G connection right now is tricky – you have to live within 5km of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Pert or Adelaide (Telstra) or within a patchier footprint around Melbourne, Perth, Sydney or Newcastle (Optus). Most of the handsets are in the top end range – iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3 or HTC One XL.

But there are a handful of handsets available right now that are a little less powerful –or just as popular but lacking the ‘flagship’ image.

Telstra

The Motorola RAZR HD (above) boasts a big 4.7 inch screen, beastly internals and expandable memory. It’s only cheap because of Motorola’s nebulous state right now.

Motorola RAZR HD 4G - $65/month, with $600 credit, Unlimited text and 1GB data. Call 13 22 00

Optus

The only 4G handsets available so far are the pricey Galaxy S3 and pricier iPhone 5. If you’re the enterprising sort willing to buy a cheaper 4G capable phone from grey-market sites like Mobicity or Kogan, then you might want to check out the LG P936 Optimus True. Overlooked probably because it’s running Android 2.3 (though it’s upgradeable to 4.0), the Optimus True can be had for under $400.

When paired up with a BYO Sim-Only plan from Optus, the best option is the $34 plan, which comes with $550 call value and 1.5GB of data. Call 1300 137 897

I want an iPhone

There isn’t really a ‘budget’ line of iPhones; instead, when a new handset goes out, last year’s handset quietly goes down in price.

The iPhone 4S is still a little pricey for many, so it pays to look at the iPhone 4. Though it boasts no Siri and only a 5MP camera, it still has what most people are getting an iPhone for – retina display, iOS 6 and the App Store. The 3GS has lasted 3 years and is still inter-operable with the latest operating system; it stands to reason that the even more popular and powerful iPhone 4 has another 12 to 24 months in it before it starts to significantly look past its use by date.

Optus – iPhone 4 8GB model - $55/month, $500 included value, 1GB data, unlimited text, Call 1300 137 897

I want an excellent camera

Mobile phone camera technology is a funny thing. Mostly it comes down to the number of megapixels, but the quality of lenses, on-board software and other hardware tricks can mean the difference in getting quality pics.

For sheer beastly power, it seems like Nokia is keen to stamp its foot as the camera phones of choice. It’s Pureview 808, with a ridiculous 41 megapixel sensor skipped Australia by, but you can find it online for under $600. Just beware – it runs Symbian, limiting your options for apps.

Sony’s approach to mobiles has been to use them as little showcases for their various other technology ‘brands’, Bravia (screens), Playstation (games) and Cybershot (cameras). Their XPERIA S is often overlooked against other Android powerhouses, but it stands on its own when it comes to camera performance.

Besides a 12MP sensor, the camera also uses Exmore image technology to increase performance in low light. It comes packed with a 720p display (with more pixels per sq inch than the iPhone) and HDMI out to put those gorgeous photos onto your HDTV. Really, this is an all-round superphone, but it can be gotten cheaply simply because Sony has lost its sheen a little.

Vodafone – Voda sell the XPERIA S for $0 on plans as low as $30, but the $50 is the sweet spot for bargain hunters, with 750MB of data, 4500 credit and infinite calls to other Vodafone numbers OR infinite text to all networks. Click here to sign up online or call us on 1300 106 571.

Conclusion

There’s some last-gen and overlooked beauties out there that still hang pretty well with the current range of superphones. The XPERIA S is probably the best of the bunch overall. We always recommend considering a purchase outright if you can find it, and then trying on a cheaper SIM only plan. This gives you the flexibility of not being on contract, and often SIM-only plans come with better value than contract plans.

The Amaysim $39.90 Unlimited plan (unlimited calls, txt, MMS and 4GB of data) is always our star pick – Call Amaysim on 1300 302 942.

TPG Super Value Cap Plans offer excellent value - $550 credit and 1.5GB of data for $18 a month, or $1000 credit and 3GB data for just $35. Call us on 1300 106 571 for more details.