Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo

Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo price in Malaysia starts from RM1019, putting it in budget territory even by the standards of its 2014 release. Under the hood sits a Snapdragon 400 chipset with a quad-core Cortex-A7 processor and Adreno 305 graphics, paired with 1.5 GB RAM and 16 GB storage that's expandable to 64 GB via microSD. The 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen runs at 720 x 1280, which works out to roughly 306 ppi, sharp enough for everyday use though not in flagship class.

The 8 MP rear camera handles autofocus and comes with an LED flash, capable of 1080p video at 30fps, while the front 1.9 MP camera covers basic video calls at 720p. A 2100 mAh battery powers the whole thing, modest by today's standards but reasonable for a phone of this size and era. Dual SIM support and NFC round out the connectivity, useful if you're juggling two lines or tapping into contactless payments.

Android 4.3 ships out of the box, upgradable to 4.4.4 KitKat, so don't expect current app support without some workarounds.