9 best clamshell phones

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Despite the widespread distribution of modern multifunctional smartphones and their ever-increasing affordability, conventional push-button phones still remain in demand and occupy a significant market segment. A separate notable category is the clamshell phones, which many users prefer for both practical and aesthetic-tactile reasons. Experts have compiled a rating of such solutions, picking up the best “clamshell” for one or another parameter.

Rating of the best clamshell phones

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best inexpensive clamshell phones	1	Alcatel 2051D	RUB 1,920
	2	INOI 247B	RUB 1,890
	3	teXet TM-317	RUB 1,890
The best clamshell phones with a powerful battery	1	Wigor h3	RUB 4,990
	2	BQ BQ – 2807 Wonder	RUB 2 030
	3	ONEXT Care-Phone 6	RUB 2 190
Best flip phones with big screen	1	LG G360	RUB 3,875
	2	VERTEX S106	RUB 1,490
	3	Irbis SF20	RUB 1,690

The best inexpensive clamshell phones

The first selection is budget models designed for the most massive user. Three devices came to the attention of our experts – two of them are local Russian brands INOI and teXet, one is from a French-American brand Alcatel.

The characteristics common to all three models are as follows: plastic case; color screen with a diagonal of 2.4 inches; TFT-matrix with a resolution of 320×240; support for two SIM cards for telephony with alternating work; polyphonic ringtones, vibrating alert; mp3 support, built-in FM radio; wireless interface Bluetooth, charging and connecting to a PC via micro-USB.

Alcatel 2051D

Rating: 4.8

Let's start with a telephone manufactured by a famous international company, which for a long time was exclusively French, but after merging with Lucent Technologies in 2006, it became French-American. The head office remained in Paris.

Folded dimensions of the device – 52.5×105.7×17.25 mm, weight – 97 g. Available in two colors – white and silver.

This model has quite good communication capabilities in comparison with other phones in the group. In addition to telephony coverage – from GSM 900 to 1900, there is also Internet access via WAP and GPRS. One SIM card slot is designed for a regular SIM card, the other for a micro SIM.

The electronics and integrated devices on the phone are as follows. Processor at 312 MHz, RAM and built-in memory – 8 MB each, support for external memory cards up to 32 GB (separate slot), TN-matrix pixel density – 167 per inch, rear camera 2 Mpix without flash, removable 750 mA battery h.

Individual features of the software part of the device: a set of games is installed, a laconic organizer with a calendar and an alarm clock, a set of games, the number of allowed contacts in the phone book is 100, one number per contact, no more than 19 characters in the name of a contact.

The package includes the phone itself, battery, charger, headset. The manufacturer's warranty period is 12 months.

Advantages

• famous brand;
• ease of use;
• holds a charge for a long time (up to a week);
• the strongest camera in the group;
• there is internet access.

disadvantages

• no external indication of events.

INOI 247B

Rating: 4.7

Now, in the rating of flip phones from we will consider a completely new model, the start of sales of which falls on May 2018. INOI is a Russian local brand, the manufacturing company is also very young – it entered the market in 2016.

The dimensions of the folded phone are 58×100.5×16.5 mm, the weight is 82.5 g. It is equipped with large buttons. An important characteristic of the model is adaptation to the capabilities of older people. In particular, the phone has a special programmable button SOS, when pressed, depending on the program, a loud sound signal can be heard, a call to a given number and an SMS with a request for help can be sent.

Compared to the previous model, this clamshell phone runs on much more powerful electronics: processor – MediaTek MT6261, RAM and internal memory – 32 MB each, support for external memory up to 8 GB. On the contrary, the camera in this model is much weaker – only 0.1 megapixels.

In terms of telephony, the device covers standards from GSM 900 to 1800. SIM card slots are designed for ordinary mini SIM. Internet access is not provided.

The autonomy of the phone is provided by a 800 mAh lithium-ion battery. Manufacturer's warranty – 12 months.

Advantages

• autonomy;
• high-quality assembly;
• adaptation for the elderly (clear movement of large buttons, loud clear sound, button SOS);
• powerful electronics.

disadvantages

• no internet access.

teXet TM-317

Rating: 4.6

The final position in this rating group is a product of another local Russian brand, teXet. The trade mark was founded in 2004, belongs to the Alkotel Electronic Systems company. The brand's phones, like both of the above, are manufactured in China.

Dimensions of the device – 55x113x15 mm, weight – 115 g. On the outer side of the case there is a mini-screen with indicators that signal events – missed calls, SMS, low battery. Available in deep black and bright red colors.

The clamshell phone contains 32 MB of internal memory and an additional slot for external memory up to 32 GB. The manufacturer does not specify the amount of RAM and the type of processor, as well as the resolution of the camera. The device is capable of recording and playing back videos.

Telephony covers standards from GSM 900 to 1900. Call acceptance by opening the lid can be deactivated, as well as key lock. Internet access is not provided. The phone book is designed for 300 contacts.

The TN-type sensor with a pixel density of 167 per inch can be adjusted for contrast. Autonomy is provided by a 800 mAh Li-Ion battery.

Advantages

• loud speaker;
• button illumination;
• indication of events on the external panel.

disadvantages

• no internet access.

The best clamshell phones with a powerful battery

The second group in the ranking of the best clamshell phones from the list describes three models equipped with powerful batteries. Our experts have included three notable models in the review – two from local Russian brands Wigor and BQ, and one ONEXT (Hong Kong).

The models in this group have a number of the following common characteristics: plastic case, color TFT-screen, support for two SIM cards for telephony with alternating work, polyphonic melodies, vibration alert, support for mp3, FM radio, wireless interface Bluetooth , coverage of cellular telephony standards from GSM 900 to 1900, Internet access is not provided.

Wigor h3

Rating: 4.9

First, let's take a look at the most powerful and most expensive model in the group. This is a phone from the local domestic brand Wigor. The brand is owned by a young Russian company focused on the production of hardy electronics. All products are manufactured on a contract basis in China.

The dimensions of the device are 57.5x115x22 mm, weight – 140 g. The 2.4-inch screen has a 320×240 image detail with a pixel density of 167 per inch. There is also an additional 2-inch screen with 128×128 detail on the external panel for quick indication of events. The housing is protected against dust and moisture according to IP68 class.

This clamshell phone has the most powerful electronics in the group. At the center of everything is the processor MediaTek MT6261. RAM-memory as much as 32 MB, built-in twice as much – 64 MB. There is an expansion slot for external memory up to 32 GB.

The multimedia capabilities of this model are as follows. The rear camera with a resolution of 0.3 Mix is ​​equipped with an LED flashlight. The device can shoot and play videos in popular video formats, including MP4 and AVI. Supported audio formats – MP3, midi, AMR, aac. There is a built-in speaker and noise canceling microphone. The antenna for the FM radio is integrated, which means that a headset is not required for the radio to work.

Long-term work without recharging is provided by Li-Ion with a capacity of 1200 mAh.

Advantages

• spectacular design;
• external display;
• powerful electronics;
• protected case.

disadvantages

• quite expensive.

BQ BQ – 2807 Wonder

Rating: 4.8

Next in our rating is the phone of another well-known local Russian brand BQ. The brand holder is the Novaya Liniya company. Electronics BQ in 2018 entered the top five best-selling in Russia. All products are manufactured on a contract basis in China.

The dimensions of the device are 55.2×105.8×16.9 mm, the weight is 99 g. The screen of this model is slightly larger than that of all the models discussed above – 2.8 inches, but the image detail is the same – 320×240 with a pixel density of 143 per inch. There is also an additional screen on the outer panel with a diagonal of 1.77 inches and a resolution of 160×128. Available body colors – deep black, bright red, dark blue, brown, dark gray.

RAM in this phone is twice as much as in the previous one – 64 MB, built-in the same amount – 64 MB. However, the expansion slot supports external memory of no more than 8 GB.

The rear camera has a resolution of 0.3 megapixels, but, unlike the previous model, it is no longer equipped with a flash. There is support for popular audio and video formats, as well as a call recording function.

In terms of autonomy, this model is slightly inferior to the previous one in the group – the battery has a capacity of 1100 mAh. But this drawback is only nominal, since the average power consumption is lower.

Advantages

• a lot of RAM;
• enlarged screen;
• many body colors to choose from.

disadvantages

• not quite well thought out keyboard in the area of ​​the navigation panel (erroneous presses).

ONEXT Care-Phone 6

Rating: 4.8

And the model of the well-known brand of electronics and accessories ONEXT completes the rating group of the most non-volatile folding phones. The brand holder is based in Hong Kong, but there is very little reliable information about the manufacturer in open sources, and there are reasonable assumptions that it is of Russian origin. Nevertheless, the products on the whole are quite good, and experts considered the ONEXT Care-Phone 6 worthy of inclusion in the review.

The unfolded dimensions of the device are 180x100x52 mm. The screen diagonal is 2.4 inches, the image detail is 220×176, the pixel density in the matrix is ​​128 ppi. The external panel contains a large red emergency call button SOS. The phone has other properties of adaptation to the capabilities of elderly people – large buttons with a clear stroke and large numbers, ease of use. There is a built-in speaker through which you can turn on the speakerphone. There is a LED flashlight.

The rear camera has a resolution of 0.1 MP, no flash is provided. The clamshell phone can record and play videos. The FM radio is complemented by an integrated antenna, so there is no need to plug in a headset to listen to the radio. There is a separate slot for external memory. In addition to wireless communication Bluetooth, this model also supports WiMAX technology.

The autonomy parameters of this model are as follows. A 1000 mAh battery is installed, and according to the manufacturer, this should be enough for 10 hours of talk time or 220 hours of standby.

Advantages

• there are separate speed dial buttons;
• button SOS (5 numbers are programmed to which messages will be sent if pressed);
• large buttons with large numbers.

disadvantages

• poor location of the volume buttons on the case (accidental pressing by elderly people with a disconnection);
• low conversation volume.

The best flip phones with big screen

In the final third group of devices from the ranking of the best clamshell phones, we will look at three models that will suit those users who prefer a combination of compact size and a larger screen. Our experts identified three models – the South Korean LG G360, and two from the local Russian electronics brands VERTEX and Irbis.

The characteristics common to all three models are as follows: color TFT screen, support for two SIM cards with alternating operation, polyphonic and mp3 ringtones, vibration alert, FM radio, wireless communication Bluetooth, charging and connection to a PC via microUSB.

LG G360

Rating: 4.9

The first number in this group is a clamshell phone made by a South Korean company that does not need any introduction or description – LG. Made in a plastic case, available in two colors – red and titanium.

The folded dimensions of the phone are 58x108x19.5 mm, the weight is 125 g. These dimensions accommodate a screen with a diagonal of 3 inches. Image detail is 320×240 with a pixel density of 133 ppi.

The phone contains 20 MB of internal memory and can be expanded with an additional 16 GB of external flash memory. The card slot is separate. Coverage of communication standards – from GSM 900 to 1900. Internet access is not provided. The phone book contains 1,000 contacts, two numbers per contact.

The device is equipped with a rear 1.3 megapixel camera without flash. The phone is capable of recording video in VGA mode with a resolution of 640×480 and mono sound. There is a voice recorder function and a speakerphone through the built-in speaker.

A battery with a capacity of 950 mAh is responsible for autonomous operation. According to the manufacturer, the battery should provide 13 hours of talk time or 485 hours of standby.

Advantages

• the largest screen in the group;
• 1000 contacts;
• large buttons with uniform illumination;
• high quality of speech transmission;
• loud bell;

disadvantages

• no flashlight;
• inexplicably high price.

VERTEX S106

Rating: 4.8

Further in this rating group we will consider the phone of the Russian brand VERTEX. The company's products are manufactured in China on a contract basis, but overall, its quality is mostly positive.

The clamshell phone is made in a plastic case with dimensions of 55x105x14.8 mm. A screen with a diagonal of 2.8 is placed in these dimensions. Image detail – 320×240, pixel density – 143 per inch. Five colors of the case are available – titanium, gold, pink, red, black.

The device covers cellular standards from GSM 850 to 1900. It is also possible to access the Internet via GPRS (2G). Contains 32 MB on-board memory, which can be expanded with an external flash card up to 16 GB.

The rear camera resolution of this model is 0.3 megapixels. Other multimedia features are voice recorder, built-in speaker with speakerphone, MP3 support. As an additional function – LED flashlight. The capacity of the rechargeable battery is 800 mAh.

Advantages

• Internet access;
• ergonomic keyboard;
• design;
• Lantern.

disadvantages

• insufficiently thought out firmware in terms of intuitive understanding.

Irbis SF20

Rating: 4.7

And now let's look at the final model of the clamshell phone in the rating from. This is a phone from the local Russian electronics brand Irbis, which has existed on the domestic market since 2002. The holder of the trademark is the Treolan company, which is part of the LANIT holding, one of the largest IT holdings in Russia. All equipment is manufactured in China on a contract basis.

The phone is made in a metal and plastic casing with dimensions of 56.4x110x13.5 mm. The weight of the device is 110 g. The screen diagonal is 2.8, the resolution is 320×240, the pixel density is 143 per inch.

The electronic 'stuffing' of the phone is controlled by the Spreadtrum SC6531 processor. There is RAM and built-in memory of the same size – 32 MB each. The possibility of expanding the built-in memory due to an external flash card – 8 GB. The rear camera with a resolution of 0.1 Mpix is ​​complemented by an LED flash.

The phone covers cellular standards from GSM 900 to 1800. Internet access is not provided. The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 800 mAh.

Advantages

• design and metal-plastic body;
• the most affordable price in the group;
• audibility of a call and conversation in a crowded place;
• powerful electronics.

disadvantages

• no internet access.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.