Sony Xperia J

A single-core 1 GHz Cortex-A5 chip and 512 MB RAM put this squarely in budget territory, and that's reflected in how it handles multitasking; it's built for calls, texts and light browsing rather than anything demanding. Storage sits at 4 GB with only 2 GB usable out of the box, though a microSD slot takes that up to 32 GB if you need more room. The 4.0-inch TFT screen runs at 480 x 854 pixels, around 245 ppi, fine for basic use but not sharp by today's standards.

The 5 MP rear camera comes with autofocus and LED flash, covering casual photos without much fuss, while the front camera stays at VGA for basic video calls. A 1750 mAh battery powers the whole thing, paired with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, upgradable to Jelly Bean 4.1.2. Sony Xperia J price in Malaysia starts from RM550.

It ships in Black, White, Gold and Pink, and at 124 g with a 9.2 mm profile, it's light enough to carry without a second thought.