Despite the operators' tempting contracts with oodles of free minutes and texts, there's still a lot of Brits who prefer the no-strings approach of a pay-as-you-go mobile. And while this can mean you pay through the nose for a top-spec handset (earlier on we explained how Nokia sells its N95 SIM-free for £499), it doesn't have to be an expensive business.
We've rounded up five prepay phones that'll cost you under £70 in the shops, but will still give you a decent performance and more cutting-edge features than you'd think.
1. Nokia 5300 (pictured left). This compact slider handset might not be 3G, but it's been designed to work well as a music phone, with dedicated keys and up to a 2GB memory card to store your tunes. It's well-rounded, with definite appeal to younger users. Read a review
2. Sony Ericsson W300i (right). Another cheap-as-chips music phone, this is part of Sony Ericsson's well-regarded Walkman range. It's got the same software as more pricey Walkman handsets, plus a camera that while not high-resolution, is fine for taking snaps to send to friends or display on screen.
3. Samsung E900 (left). Just because a phone is cheap doesn't mean it has to be cheerful (i.e. ugly). The E900 is a bona-fide fashion phone, complete with Chocolate-style touchkeys and a minimalist design. It's also got music capabilities and a two-megapixel camera. Read a review
4. Motorola MOTORAZR V3 (right). Crumbs, a RAZR V3 for under £70 on prepay? Absolutely. This was one of the most powerful handsets in its day, and just because it's a bit dated now doesn't mean it's not a worthy pay-as-you-go phone. Plus, it's still got bags of style with its super-slim clamshell design.
5. Nokia 6111 (left). Another stylish yet compact Nokia phone, which might be dinky yet squeezes in some decent features. If you want a basic phone that won't leave you looking like a Stone Age reject, this is just the thing.
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