IMO Q review

The 'Q' definitely doesn't stand for quality

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Budget phones have improved massively over the last three years. The IMO Q is a reminder that there are still major compromises involved if you can’t afford the cash that all-but guarantees you a good baseline quality level, though.

Even though the phone is available for peanuts at certain spots online, we’d suggest you spend a little more on a mobile with better performance.

Who's this for?

The IMO Q is for people who want to spend as little as possible on a phone, but don’t want to drop down to the sort of feature phone that only makes calls and sends texts. In theory, you can do almost anything on this phone possible on a much more expensive model.

We wouldn’t go as far as to call it a disposable Android when it costs more than a lot of us like to spend on someone’s birthday present, but the low price is clearly the whole point here.

Should you buy it?

Penny-pinchers of the world are likely to be drawn in by the IMO Q. It’s cheap, and yet it gets you a reasonably complete Android experience, technically.

However, you feel the budget cuts a little too harshly. Poor general performance and a lack of optimisation in core parts of the hardware including the touchscreen are a constant reminder the phone you’re using isn’t all that great.

If the issues were restricted to the camera and gaming, we wouldn’t mind so much. When every app takes so long to load, and there’s even a wait for the keyboard to finally show up when you tap a text input box, we think you deserve better.

Using the IMO Q is a frustrating experience. It’s far too slow and the touchscreen is flat-out unreliable, making the most basic of phone tasks a chore. You probably don’t want this mobile.

The IMO Q is cheaper than almost any other smartphone, but for not too much more money you can get a whole lot more phone. Here are four handsets you might want to consider instead.

Motorola Moto E3

The tiny budget phone of choice is the Motorola Moto E3. It’s a little larger, more expensive, and nowhere near as widely-sold as the popular Moto G4. However, it’s a real step up from the IMO Q if you can afford it.

Its screen is better, as it has a 5-inch 720p IPS LCD display, performance is superior and the design slightly less bland too. While not a like-for-like competitor for the IMO Q, it’s worth considering.

Wileyfox Spark

Wileyfox’s cheapest Android is the Spark, and it has a much better screen than the IMO Q, making it better for watching videos.

It suffers from similar performance problems, although to a slightly lesser extent. Using the Spark at its worst is the phone equivalent of being whipped. Using the IMO Q is like being whipped and then having vinegar occasionally flicked into your flesh wounds.

Neither is a great option, but the Spark is slightly less of a hardship to put up with.

Nokia 222

If your budget really can’t stretch any further, you might want to consider going all-in with the belt-tightening and buy a feature phone like the Nokia 222.

This is a lot like the phones we used to use before 2008, when Android arrived. It’s only good for calls and texts, taking utterly dreadful photos and, blast from the past, listening to FM radio.

However, its battery lasts for ages and while it can barely do anything, it will at least be quick and easy to use.

Cubot Rainbow

Stuck between not wanting to spend any real cash but not wanting a dud or dumb phone? It’s time to get feisty. You might want to consider one of the Chinese import brands that never make it into phone networks.

The Cubot Rainbow has actually made it into some retail stores in the UK, though, and offers great value for money. For £59/$75 (around AU$100) you get 16GB of storage, a 5.0-inch 720p screen and a 13MP rear camera.

We haven’t reviewed this ourselves yet and its 1GB of RAM sets off some alarm bells, but when the IMO Q is the alternative, it’s one to consider.

First reviewed: December 2016

Andrew Williams

Andrew is a freelance journalist and has been writing and editing for some of the UK's top tech and lifestyle publications including TrustedReviews, Stuff, T3, TechRadar, Lifehacker and others.

Latest in Phones
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Man using iMessage on an iPhone
Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time
Android 16 logo on a phone
Android 16 Beta 3 has arrived – here are the 4 features I think will be the most useful
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background with big savings text overlay
Total Wireless' latest iPhone 16e deal gets you $300 off plus a cheap plan for a year
Apple iPhone 16e REVIEW
Some iPhone 16e owners are reporting Bluetooth audio issues that could be an iOS problem
The Apple iPhone 16e held at a slant at a window
From iPhone to Android and (almost) back again – the iPhone 16e failed to lure me back to iOS
Latest in Reviews
WWE 2K25
I've spent days in the ring with WWE 2K25, and it's like a five-star match ruined by the Million Dollar Man
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro electric toothbrush
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro review: A powerful seven-mode, Swiss-made sonic brush
Atelier Yumia
I was already sold on Atelier Yumia as an RPG, but I wasn’t expecting it to have my favorite crafting system in all of gaming
Alienware 27 AW2725Q monitor on desk displaying a scene from Cyberpunk 2077
I played games with Alienware's new 27-inch 4K OLED monitor and now I don't want to see another LCD panel
PLAUD NOTE
I tested this AI voice recorder, and now I'll never take meeting notes manually again
MacBook Air 15-inch with M4 chip on a creative's desk with screen open
I've reviewed the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) - and it remains the best 15-inch laptop I'd recommend for most people