One of the best cheap Android phones I’ve tested isn’t from Motorola or Samsung

What’s up?

Outkitel is currently selling the C50 for only $169a $100 discount off retail price, before Labor Day weekend.

ZDNET’s key findings

• The Oukitel C50 is available now and has specifications that are well worth its $200 price tag.
• This $200 Android phone has more than enough power and performs like a device twice its price.
• The lack of an app drawer (by default) was a turn-off, but this can be overcome with a configuration change or a third-party homescreen launcher (such as Nova Launcher).

I’ve been testing Android phones for a long time. What I’ve noticed recently is the quality of the cheap phones. When I first started testing Android devices, every time I got a cheap phone, I knew exactly what to expect: underpowered, made from cheap materials, and specs barely enough to run the operating system.

View at Oukitel

In recent years, however, $200 Android phones have come a long way to the point where they’re not only viable alternatives, but often quite good. No, they can’t compete with the Google Pixel or the latest Samsung Galaxy, but for anyone looking to buy a budget phone, these devices are no longer the be-all and end-all.

Also: I’m a diehard Pixel user, but I’m considering switching for two reasons (and I’m not alone)

This is the case with the Oukitel C50. The Oukitel brand has really impressed me lately, and this phone is no exception. Even the camera is hard to fault (more on that in a moment). Sure, there are differences that set the flagship phones apart from the C50, but if you can’t afford the premium price, those differences are easily negligible.

Before I get to my experience, let’s talk about the specifications.

• CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 6100+
• Memory: 8GB RAM + 128GB storage (up to 1TB)
• Display: 6.8 inch HD+ at 90 Hz
• Battery: 5,150 mAh
• Operating system: Android 14
• Color: Gray, Green, Blue
• Weight: 208g
• Supported providers are: Sprint, T-Mobile

My experience

When I first unboxed the C50, my reaction was that it wasn’t a bad looking phone. It certainly won’t make the top 5 lists for aesthetics, but it won’t be automatically dismissed either. Thanks mainly to the placement of the camera lens and the flat edges, the device does resemble an iPhone a little. I’m sure this was intentional, and I don’t blame Oukitel for this decision. The phone even comes with a clear case to protect the sides and back.

Also: I changed 10 settings on my Android phone to dramatically improve battery life

Once I finished setting it up, I was really impressed with the C50. For a $200 Android phone, it works remarkably well. I’ve used phones twice as expensive and they didn’t run as smoothly. Animations are smooth, apps open quickly, and switching between apps is quick.

The only performance issue was with image processing. Unlike the Pixel 8 Pro’s instant capture, the C50 lags slightly when taking photos. Initially, I was worried this would result in blurry images, but the camera performed admirably, although it lacks a depth of field setting for background blur.

As for apps, I was surprised by how little bloatware there was on the device. Usually with phones like this there are a number of unnecessary apps that you should remove. The C50 included the usual Google apps, an FM radio app, a SIM toolkit and not much else.

There is one small criticism I’ve discovered with many of these types of phones, however… the homescreen launcher. The C50 looks like it has a fairly standard Android homescreen, but you’ll quickly notice that there’s no app drawer. All apps are installed on the homescreen, resulting in a cluttered UI. If you want to add an app drawer, you’ll need to install a third-party homescreen like Nova Launcher, or simply modify the Settings app. Open the home settings (long-press the homescreen and tap the Settings icon). Next, tap Launcher Style, then enable the app drawer. After enabling the app drawer, you can also configure Android to not install new apps on the homescreen, and you’re good to go.

Also: Nova is my favorite Android home screen launcher – I’ll show you why

Battery life was solid too, I easily made it to the end of my day on a full charge. I charged the C50 to 100% and after light use found that it can go well past the 24-hour mark. Of course, runtime may vary (depending on which apps you use and how often you use them).

Finally, the display is bright, so I can see what’s on the screen in all lighting conditions. It was only when taking photos outdoors in the bright sun that I had trouble seeing well enough. To really see enough clarity, I had to find a little shade, but with everyday apps like Gmail and Chrome, there were no issues.

Buying advice from ZDNET

It’s simple: If you need a cheap Android phone, then this is Oukitel C50 is hard to beat. Currently priced at less than $200, this device performs well above its price point and looks much more premium than it has any right to. With a good enough camera, very good performance, a solid battery, and a bright display, you could do far worse.

My only advice would be to install a third-party homescreen launcher to add an app drawer back. Other than that, the Oukitel C50 is worth every penny.