Yahoo Finance The most expensive cell phones in Canada, and some inexpensive alternatives
- 1/10
The most expensive cell phones in Canada
No. 5: LG V30
Price: $1,100
LG Canada’s slick new bezel-free phone will be available in the country on Oct. 20. The company’s new flagship device will retail for $1,100 outright or about $400 on a two-year term with partial financing, according to Android Central.
(Digital Trends) - 2/10
Inexpensive cell phones for Canadians
Alternative: Motorola Moto E4
Price: $200
If you’re looking for a barebones smartphone at a bargain-basement price, the E4 may be your best bet. The device has a five-inch HD display, 2800 mAh battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, 16 GB of storage and an 8 MP rear camera. You can buy it outright for $200 from Freedom Mobile or for $250 at Walmart.
(Digital Trends) - 3/10
The most expensive cell phones in Canada
No. 4: Samsung Galaxy S8+
Price: $1,115
Despite being out since April, Google has yet to drop the prices on its two flagship phones. If you can’t justify spending more than a $1,100 on a device outright, the S8+ is available on two-year terms from Bell and Rogers for $360.
(The Independent) - 4/10
Inexpensive cell phones for Canadians
Alternative: OnePlus 5
Price: $649 (64GB) or $719 (128GB)
While the OnePlus 5 may be the most expensive alternative option on this list, it may provide the best bang for your buck. According to Digital Trends, its features outstrip Samsung’s Galaxy S8, which currently retails for $1,035. It has the same processor, the Snapdragon 835, as the aforementioned S8 while offering more RAM (6GB with 64GB model and 8GB with the 128 GB). It also boasts a 3,300 mAh battery, fast-charging and a dual-lens rear camera that has been extremely well-received. While the device isn’t being sold by any Canadian carriers, you can get it through the OnePlus store.
(BGR) - 5/10
The most expensive cell phones in Canada
No. 3: Google Pixel 2 XL
Price: $1,159 (64GB) or $1,289 (128GB)
Google’s latest smartphone offering, which is slated to be available in December, is arguably its most impressive, but also its most expensive. Though it’s priced more competitively than the Note 8 and iPhone X, it’s still a big hit for most consumers. The device can also be had starting at $450 with a two-year plan with Bell, Rogers and Telus.
(Getty Images) - 6/10
Inexpensive cell phones for Canadians
Alternative: Moto G5 Plus
Price: About $330
While the G5 Plus’ specs won’t blow anyone away, many experts consider it to be the best budget phone on the market. The device has a Snapdragon 625 CPU, which is also in the well-received Moto Z Play, and strong enough to play games and run multiple apps simultaneously. It also has a large 3000mAh battery, 32GB of storage, a 5.2-inch full HD screen, a fingerprint scanner, rapid charging and a 12MP camera that creates photos that are nearly on par with the Samsung Galaxy S7, according to Android Central. However, it’s trickier to get your hands on one compared to other phones on this list, as Motorola only sells the G5 and G4 Plus on its website in Canada. It is available through Amazon and other online retailers, though.
(Begeek) - 7/10
The most expensive cell phones in Canada
No. 2: Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Price: $1,300
The newest model in Samsung’s larger device line-up and the successor to the infamous Note 7 comes in at second in our rankings. While the device carries a substantial cost directly from the South Korean company, it can be had for about $500 on a contract from many major mobile carriers.
(Emily Prapuolenis/The Wall Street Journal) - 8/10
Inexpensive cell phones for Canadians
Alternative: Moto G4 Plus
Price: About $240
If you can’t get your hands on a G5 Plus, last year’s G4 Plus is still a great budget option and is more widely available in Canada. The device boasts a 5.5-inch full HD display, 32GB storage, 3000 mAh battery, a fingerprint reader, rapid charging and a 16 MP camera. The phone is available through online retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon for about $240, but you can also get it free on two-year contracts from Virgin and Koodo.
(International Business Times) - 9/10
The most expensive cell phones in Canada
No. 1: Apple iPhone X
Price: $1,319 (64GB) or $1,529 (256GB)
iPhones are hardly known for their affordability, but Apple’s new flagship phone will carry its heftiest price tag yet when it comes out in November. You can get a bit of discount if you purchase it with a two-year contract from some mobile providers. Rogers and Bell are offering the device for $599. - 10/10
Inexpensive cell phones for Canadians
Alternative: iPhone SE
Price: $469 (32GB) or $599 (128GB)
If you’re ardent Apple user who wants to save some cash, your top option may be the SE. The tech giant claims the device is the “most powerful” four-inch phone ever. Under the hood, it uses the same chip (the A9) as the iPhone 6 and has 2GB of RAM. It also boasts a 12-megapixel camera. According to Digital Trends, while it only boasts a 1,642 mAh battery, because of its reduced size, that still results in “above average stamina.”
(Business Insider)
It’s an unavoidable expense: To be an independent, socially aware and (for the most part) fully functioning adult in 2017, you need a smartphone. But as tech companies continue to boost their devices processing power and features, they’re also boosting their prices. That means consumers have to dish out top dollar to ensure that their devices keep up with that ever-increasing rate of change.
With that in mind, click through the gallery to see how much the top-of-the-line phones currently cost in Canada and for those who don’t have enough in their budget, five frugal alternatives.
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