VF-Smart_Speed_6_anthracite_largeVodafone has a track record of producing cheap, well-specced phones and even tablets that can be ideal first choices for users. And many British and European users will be tempted by the Vodafone Smart Speed 6, just announced with an impressively low price tag. In the UK, it’s on offer for just £50 ($75.60). But if you use your phone as an ereading device, is it the right choice for you?

The Speed 6 comes with Android Lollipop 5.1 out of the box, a 4.5-inch screen, and 4G connectivity. The latter will be a big plus for many, but as usual with Vodafone, this device will likely be locked to the Vodafone network. Vodafone Ireland is offering the phone with bundles starting at EUR 35 per month – a good guide to prices elsewhere in the EU. One Italian source quotes a handset cost of EUR 100, but in the Czech Republic it’s apparently available at an equivalent of EUR 87.

The phone’s display is 480 x 854 pixels. That’s a fairly basic spec for most devices these days, and should give an average, if not marvellous, reading experience. However, a lot will depend on the actual quality of the screen, and that will need testing hands-on.

If you’re already a Vodafone subscriber especially, this could be a persuasive choice. But do try it first, and remember there are plenty of other (admittedly no-brand) phones out there offering at least the same screen size and pixel density, before you plump for this as your portable ereading device of choice.

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