Microsoft now sells the inexpensive Lumia 435 Windows Phone — should you buy it?

Microsoft now sells the inexpensive Lumia 435 Windows Phone — should you buy it? May 5, 2015 • By Mihaita Bamburic Share Tweet + 1 Mail

Low-end Windows Phones make great first smartphones for those on a budget. They deliver a solid user experience, offer expandable storage, are dependable and feel fast, generally at sub $100 prices. The low cost also makes them good backup smartphones.

There are a couple of very-affordable, interesting Windows Phone 8.1 devices around, like Lumia 530 and Lumia 635, but Microsoft just added the newer Lumia 435 to its online store lineup. Should you get it?

At Microsoft Store, Lumia 435 is offered solely in T-Mobile trim, which means that if you want to stick with another carrier you will have to get another handset. It costs $70 off-contract, which, believe it or not, makes it one of the more expensive low-end Windows Phones in Microsoft's portfolio.

The only other low-end Windows Phone 8.1 devices to feature the magenta carrier's branding are Lumia 530 and Lumia 635. The former goes for a mere $49, while the latter costs just $9 more than Lumia 435, coming at $79. Choosing between them is tricky.

Because it is the only handset to come with 1 GB of RAM, Lumia 435 is better positioned to handle gaming and multitasking well, compared to Lumia 530 and Lumia 635, which only come with 512 MB of RAM. It also bests Lumia 530 when it comes to internal storage, offering 8 GB instead of 4 GB, with the former capacity matched by Lumia 635.

Lumia 635 packs the best cameras (5 MP at the back, 0.3 MP in the front), fastest processor (1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400), extra 4G LTE cellular connectivity, and larger screen (4.5-inch panel), making it the best option overall. And it is only $9 dearer than Lumia 435.

So, which one should you choose? Well, if you are fine with paying around $70 for a low-end Windows Phone, then you should definitely get a Lumia 635. Otherwise, stick with the cheaper Lumia 530.

Of course, if you are not on T-Mobile, or do not wish to jump ship, Microsoft also sells the AT&T Lumia 635 for as little as $49. For the money, it's the best option. There is nothing for Verizon in this price range, nor for Sprint — the only low-end Windows Phone that's Sprint-branded costs a whopping $179, and it's only a Lumia 635.