Few phones are inexpensive without being cheap, but the LG Tribute from Virgin Mobile is one of them. This $80 phone not only has a sturdy and stylish exterior, it's also armed with a speedy processor, Android KitKat and a capable camera.
What's lacking here is size; the phone has a small 4.5-inch screen that's a bit of an anomaly in today's market. But for its low price, I'm not disappointed by the petite display.
The Tribute was released alongside Virgin Mobile's new Unlimited prepaid plans, which get you unlimited talk, text and data for $35, $45 or $55 per month, depend on which data level you pick. If you reach your data limit, Virgin Mobile will throttle your data speeds, but you won't be charged for any extra mega- or gigabytes.
Design
Compared to today's pocket-busting smartphones, the Tribute is on the small side. It's just 5.02 inches tall, 2.67 inches wide and 0.42 deep (127.5mm by 67.8mm by 10.6mm), compact enough to slip into any pocket and easy to wrap my smaller hands around it. Weighing 4.90 ounces (138.9 grams), it's a bit heavy for its size, but the heft makes the phone feel sturdy and more premium that it really is.
The Tribute has a simple, rounded rectangle design, similar to the LG Nexus 5. It has an all-black front bezel and matte white battery cover and the two colors meet on the edge, creating a nice effect. The front of the phone is mostly empty, with just an earpiece, front-facing camera lens and light sensor. The only two buttons are on the side; a power/lock button on the right edge and a short volume rocker on the left.
On the back, there's the main camera, flash, and small grill for the speaker. Though I like that the battery door wraps around the sides of the Tribute and sits snug against the phone, that makes it difficult to remove the cover to get to the SD card, SIM card and battery. You need to wedge your fingernail under the cover near the microUSB port to pop it off. Luckily, the SD card slot is separate from the battery, which means you can install a card or swap it with the phone on, which is helpful.
There's a 4.5-inch, 800x480 pixel WVGA screen which isn't remarkable sharp, but not fuzzy either. On paper, the screen doesn't sound all that impressive, especially when you compare it to higher-end smartphones, but in person, it looks vibrant and clear. The colors are rich and natural. The screen's easy to view in direct sunlight, especially at full brightness.
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