This is the cheapest 256GB smartphone that comes with 8GB RAM

(Image credit: Elephone)

We have found memories of the Elephone Soldier, a rugged smartphone that sported a rather unique analogue compass and a price point that earned it some top marks in reviews around the world. 

Elephone now has a new flagship, the U3H (reviewed on our sister website), and although it may not have the same rugged credential as its sibling, it more than makes up for it elsewhere.

At $184.89 (about £142, AU$268) after using an exclusive couponat AliExpress, the Elephone U3H is the cheapest smartphone that combines 256GB storage with 8GB of system memory, as much as some flagship laptops on the market.

Elephone U3H | $184.89 at Aliexpress

Elephone U3H | $184.89 at Aliexpress

You can bag yourself an Elephone U3H for a rock-bottom price of just under $185, which includes free delivery and a $6 new user discount. This is an mid-range smartphone running Android 9.0 (upgradable to 10), with 8GB of RAM, a 48-megapixel camera, 256GB onboard storage and a massive 6.6-inch, 3.7-megapixel screen.

Elephone U3H

There’s also two rear cameras including a 48-megapixel one from Sony, the IMX586, a rather big 6.53-inch FHD+ display and a not-so-small 3,500mAh battery.

Add NFC and wireless charging and you get a device that, on paper, is difficult to beat if storage is what you’re after. It currently rocks Android 9.0 but the manufacturer has confirmed that it will get Android 10 in a few weeks.

As a disclaimer, buying from Chinese retailers like Aliexpress means that you may have to wait a long time to get your item, up to two months.

There’s also a slim chance of getting stung by extra charges and products from China may not be 100% compatible with local voltage or mobile network bands, with returns often a pain to complete.

Desire Athow
Managing Editor, TechRadar Pro

Désiré has been musing and writing about technology during a career spanning four decades. He dabbled in website builders and web hosting when DHTML and frames were in vogue and started narrating about the impact of technology on society just before the start of the Y2K hysteria at the turn of the last millennium.

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