The top cheap mobile phones at the moment

The most talked-about smartphones tend to also be the most expensive, which is a bit of an issue if you are on a budget. However, you can still get top-tier functionality even at the affordable end of the market these days, so here are just some of the best cheap handsets available at the moment.

Nokia Lumia 610

The Windows Phone operating system is one of the best choices if you are looking for an affordable mobile, largely thanks to Microsoft’s insistence on consistent hardware and performance from all of its manufacturing partners.

The Lumia 610 may be much more affordable than its range-leading siblings, but it still has virtually all of the software features you will find elsewhere.

There is the excellent Internet Explorer web browser, the impressive Xbox Live integration for gaming and more than 135,000 applications available to download from the Marketplace service.

In addition, the Lumia 610’s interface is very intuitive, with a tile-based homescreen which lets you arrange your favourite apps for easy access and plenty of social-networking integration, allowing you to make quick updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Huawei Ascend G300

If the Android operating system is more to your taste then the Ascend G300 from Chinese manufacturer Huawei might be more suitable.

It has a four-inch display, a 1GHz single-core processor and a relatively straightforward version of Android to play with, so you can customise multiple homescreens, download apps and browse the web without any problems.

Unlike some budget Android handsets, the Ascend G300 never feels as if it is overburdened by the software on board and there is even a decent five-megapixel camera built in for photography purposes.

Orange San Diego

The specifications of this phone will really impress, particularly if you thought that you would have to make compromises when choosing from a range of cheap mobile phones.

It comes with a high-resolution 4.03-inch display and has an impressive 16GB of built-in storage space, which is surprisingly generous for a phone at this price point.

Everything is powered by an Intel Atom processor, which may only have one physical core but is at least clocked at 1.6GHz, giving it a very slick feel and allowing you to record full HD 1080p video clips with the primary eight-megapixel camera.

Sony Xperia U

Sony remains the top purveyor of fashionable budget phones and the Xperia U is no exception. It may not come with particularly high-end specifications, but with a colourful and cool design it is likely to attract plenty of attention.

Add in the latest version of Android and a durable build quality and you have a cheap smartphone that is still going to impress those who want to put something with a premium look and excellent functionality in their pocket.

Richard Davey is a writer and blogger who regularly engages with the mobile industry in order to find out about the best cheap mobile phones available, as well as which high-end handsets will be making an impact in the coming months.