The BLU R1 HD redefines what you can get for under $100

The definition of good value in the world of smartphones continually gets redefined. As solid high-end components from years before steadily filter into mid-range and entry-level devices of today, the general standard of Android experience is elevated. But every now and then a new device comes along that radically shakes the whole system up. So it is with the BLU R1 HD.

If you caught the news yesterday about the latest Amazon offer – a $50 discount in exchange for some pre-installed Amazon apps and lock screen ads – then you’ll know that you could have this phone for as little as $50. That’s insane. We’ve all seen $50 smartphones before, but I guarantee none of them looked this good. And even at the regular BLU R1 HD price of $99.99 it is still an incredible bargain.

So what does $100 gets you these days? Basically a device with the same specs as a third generation Moto G but in a metal chassis. In fact, the BLU R1 HD’s MediaTek 6735 chipset outperforms the Snapdragon 410 found in the 2015 Moto G. But everything else is the same, with the exception of the Moto G’s main camera which is of higher resolution. The BLU R1 HD arrives with Android 6.0 Marshmallow with a guaranteed update to Android 7.0.

So what else do you get? A 5-inch Full HD display, 8/16 GB internal storage with 1/2 GB of RAM respectively, a 2,500 mAh battery, f/2.0 aperture 8 MP primary camera, 5 MP 84° wide-angle front-facing camera with flash and a much thinner build than the Moto G (8.5 mm compared to 11.6 mm). All this housed in a stylishly minimal metal frame. And all for under $100.

To upgrade to the 16 GB/2 GB of RAM version will only cost you an additional $10 ($109.99)

To upgrade to the 16 GB/2 GB of RAM version will only cost you an additional $10 ($109.99), which should make it the default option. To give you some context, the base model third gen Moto G is still priced at $50 more than that on Amazon and it’s a year old. I can’t tell you how good the performance or stability on the BLU is yet, but for this price, it looks like the perfect budget-friendly phone.

What do you think of the BLU R1 HD? Would you expect these specs for this price?