Kogan’s New $200 Smartphone Actually Looks Decent

As we’ve stated in the past, most people do not need a $1000+ smartphone – but that doesn’t mean you need to skimp on the bells and whistles. The Kogan Agora 8 is the latest entry-level Android to promise big things in an affordable package. Here are the specifications and availability.

The Agora 8 boasts a roomy 5-inch screen finished in curved scratch-resistant glass. The display has a modest resolution of 1280×720 pixels which is to be expected at this price point. Naturally, the phone is 4G compatible. It’s powered by a Quad-Core processor, 2GB of RAM and runs on Android 7 out of the box.

There’s also a 13-megapixel camera, a fingerprint sensor and a dual SIM card slot – although one of these is 2G-only, which makes it pretty useless in Australia.

Here’s a look at the chief specs:

• Android 7.0 Nougat
• 5-inch 2.5D Curved Dragontrail Glass screen
• Fingerprint sensor
• 2400mAh battery
• Quad-Core 1.3GHz processor
• 13MP rear camera with autofocus
• 5MP front facing camera
• Expandable storage up to 128GB (using the second SIM slot)
• 4G LTE connectivity
• Dual SIM (2G+4G, SIM 2 is 2G only)

If you chiefly use your phone to browse the web, check emails and watch occasional videos, the Kogan Agora 8 will get the job done, no problem. The 8mm-thick aluminum alloy chassis should also help to give it a premium feel, if you care about that sort of thing. Provided the touch screen is adequate and the software avoids frequent crashing, this could be a real winner.

The Kogan Agora 8 won’t be available until 9 June, although you can pre order it now on Kogan’s website. Let us know if you’re keen for a review and we’ll make it happen.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/02/the-best-smartphones-under-500/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/02/Grey-410×231.jpg” title=”The Best Smartphones Under $500″ excerpt=”For well under $500, it’s possible to snap up a great smartphone with all the essential features – including fast performance, an excellent camera and decent battery life. Here are five of the best.”]