Vodafone Smart N8

Fingerprint scanner ; Good screen ; Reasonable performance

Tinny speakers ; Poor battery life ; Rubbish camera

Below a certain point, cheap phones can be difficult to recommend. But with a decent screen, a fingerprint scanner, NFC for mobile payments, and just about enough power for day-to-day use, the Vodafone Smart N8 comes closer than most.

Fingerprint reader ; Camera performance (at this price) ; Android 7 Nougat

Poor battery life ; Sluggish performance

The Vodafone Smart N8 is an improvement over last year’s Prime 7, mainly in its camera performance and the inclusion of a fingerprint reader. Is that enough to justify the price tag? Answer: it depends on what you’re looking for.

Excellent value ; Finger scanner works, and works well ; Plenty of storage ; Inoffensive software

Slow camera ; Some lag and longer app load times

A bit slow in parts, but in a world of rising prices the Smart N8 is a shining beacon of a bargain

Parental controls ; Colourful screen ; Expandable storage ; Fingerprint sensor

Very basic camera ; Carrier locked

If you’re on or switching to the Vodafone network and need a seriously affordable handset that can be used to get online and stay connected, the Smart N8 is a very solid selection. Performance is good enough for everyday basic tasks, while the parental...