Compared to Apple's iPhone, the open-source nature of Google's Android OS means that a lot of third-party manufacturers can come in and put out their own take on the phone. That results in a lot of choices, both good and bad, in both ends of the price spectrum. Most Android fans already know which brands to go for when they want something high-end, such as Samsung and Huawei, to name a couple, but what about budget choices?
Let's take a look at three contenders. Mobile & Apps ran the LG V20 against two other budget smartphone competitors, the Xiaomi Redmi 4 and the Motorola Moto M, both new entries this year. From all accounts, the LG V20 seems to be the better-performing phone overall, packing a quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor, as opposed to the Snapdragon 430 the Redmi 4 has and the octa-core Helio P15 processor of the Moto M.
As for the display, the LG V20 comes in with the biggest display for those looking for big screens, with a 1440x2560-resolution 5.7-inch screen. It's not Super AMOLED like the Motorola Moto M's display, as it's only IPS LCD, but the LG V20 and the Redmi 4 as well come with tough Gorilla Glass 4 that makes the screen hard to crack. The LG V20's big weakness is its battery life, putting it in the middle of its competitors with only 3200 mAH; the Redmi 4 packs a 4000 mAH battery.
TechRadar agrees with the assessment that the LG V20 is one of the best budget Android phones for your money right now. It also has three (!) cameras, a dual 16 MP and 8 MP rear camera that takes great photos, and a 5 MP front camera as well, making it a huge score for photography enthusiasts on a budget. The LG V20 is available now for $799 unlocked, but you might be able to get a better deal on it on Black Friday today.