BLU G35 Gray 32GB

The BLU G35 is a super cheap unlocked phone with a nice design but bottom-tier performance. It scores 23.2 out of 100 overall, with gaming at a dismal 14. The $65 price tag on Amazon is tempting, but you're better off saving up for something like the Moto G Power.

The Unisoc 9863 is an octa-core chip running at 1.6GHz, but those cores are ARM Cortex-A55s, which are efficiency cores, not performance cores. Paired with 3GB of RAM, this thing chugs through anything heavier than basic apps. Gaming scores 14 out of 100 in our testing, which is one of the worst we've seen. Multitasking will feel tight too. The 32GB of storage fills up fast, though the microSD slot gives you room to breathe up to 256GB. For calls, messaging, and light social media, it's fine. For anything else, you'll feel the lag.

The Motorola Moto G Power 2024 5G absolutely destroys this phone in battery life and performance, though it costs more. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Google Pixel 7 Pro are in a completely different league, but they're also several times the price. The FNCOCO I26 U is another budget option worth checking out if you want something in the same price bracket with better specs. Honestly, even a used iPhone 12 or Pixel from a few years back will run circles around the G35 for not much more money.

At $65 to $89 in the US, the G35 is one of the cheapest unlocked phones you can buy. Amazon has the best deal at the low end of that range. But cheap doesn't always mean good value. The 3,000mAh battery, weak camera, and sluggish performance mean you're getting exactly what you pay for. If you need a backup phone or something for a kid's first device, it's passable. If this is your daily driver, you'll probably regret it within a few weeks.

The BLU G35 is a budget Android phone that looks nicer than it performs. You get a 6.5-inch HD+ display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and an 8MP main camera for under $90 in the US. That's about as cheap as unlocked phones get, and the design does punch above its price point. But the specs tell a rougher story once you start using it.

Our database puts this thing at 23.2 out of 100 overall, which is rough. Performance lands in the bottom 10 percent of phones we track. The Unisoc 9863 chip with 3GB of RAM will handle calls, texts, and light browsing, but don't expect much beyond that. It's a phone for people who need a phone, not a pocket computer.

Skip this if you do anything beyond calls, texts, and light browsing. Gamers should run far away, the 14 out of 100 gaming score speaks for itself. If you need a phone that lasts all day on a charge, the 3,000mAh battery will frustrate you. And if you value reliability, the mixed build quality reports and short return window make this a risky buy. Spend a bit more on a Moto G Power or a used flagship instead.

The BLU G35 is for people who need a basic phone and have almost no budget. It makes calls, sends texts, and runs lightweight apps. The design is genuinely nice for the price. But the performance is bottom-tier, the battery is small, and build quality is a gamble. If you can stretch your budget even $50 more, you'll get a dramatically better phone. If you can't, this will get you by, just don't expect it to last.