The high-end segment of the smartphone space is dominated by Apple and Samsung. This has been the case for a good couple of years now, and most other OEMs seldom get a look in.

Apple shifted over 70 million iPhones during its last financial quarter; that is an insane number of units – even more so when you consider how much iPhones cost.

For this reason – and plenty more besides – many Android phone makers are focussing their efforts on the sub-£150 segment of the phone market. Here things are equally competitive, as tech brands constantly innovative and redefine what we consider to be a budget-friendly phone, but, importantly, there is no Apple and there’s more room to manoeuvre.

The LG K8 is a handset that has its sight firmly set on dominating this segment; it packs in great software and decent specs in a bid to outdo titans of the space like the Moto G4.

So is the LG K8 a viable option for those looking for an accessible, feature-packed Android phone? Let’s find out shall we.

LG K8 Review: Design

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LG KNOWS how to make great phones. The LG G5 was one of my all-time favourite Android phones. It didn’t sell particularly well, unfortunately, but sales in the mobile space aren’t the only way to measure how good a phone is.

A lot of LG’s pedigree for design and innovation is present on the LG K8; the handset looks very smart and not too dissimilar to 2014’s LG G4. It features a useful fingerprint scanner on the back for easy-access and Android Pay, as well as good-looking front with a decent sized 5in display.

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The LG K8 is great for one-handed use and the build materials really do feel great in the hand. Aesthetically, it is definitely one of the more attractive budget Android phones you can buy right now – it’s easily as attractive as the Sony Xperia E5 and Moto G4.

If you’re after a smart, compact Android phone you NEED to check out the LG K8 – it looks and feels great. I have zero complaints about how this handset looks.

LG K8 Review: Display

This is a compact phone, meaning it has a 5in display. This makes it an ideal choice for those looking for a phone that is small enough to use one-handed. And, believe me, these types of phones are rare in the Android space which is now dominated by 6in smartphones.

The resolution is HD 720p, so, quite a bit lower than the now-standard QHD visuals present on flagship Android phones. However, the LG K8 is a mid-range phone that is targeted at the sub-£150 price bracket. For this price range the display is perfectly adequate.

Don’t believe me? This is the same resolution Apple uses in its iPhone 7 – and you don’t hear many people complaining about that phone, do you?

A 5in display, for many, is the perfect size for a phone’s display: it’s big enough for media like YouTube and the like, but small enough to interact with singlehandedly. The display is bright, detailed and crisp – video and images and text are sharp and defined.

Again, no complaints here.

LG K8 Review: Specs

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• Processor: Quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735
• Screen Size: 5in
• Screen resolution: 1,280x720
• Rear camera: 8 megapixels
• Storage: 16GB
• Wireless data: 3G, 4G
• Size: 145x72x8.7mm
• Weight: 157g
• Operating system: Android 6.0.1

The LG K8 is kitted-out with a fairly comprehensive range of specs and hardware for its price point. The MediaTek CPU is decent, though, while it won’t give anyway near the same level of performance as Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon setup, it is perfect for users that only need a more casual user experience.

If you’re the type that does some browsing, a bit of Facebook and Twitter and the odd bit of gaming, the LG K8 will be perfectly suited to your needs. It’s not flagship-powerful, but then it’s about a fifth of the price of a new flagship. In this respect, you’re still getting a lot of bang for your book.

And that’s the most important thing about these phones: value for money, bang for your buck, and the ability to do more for less.

LG K8 Review: Battery

Battery life is decent as well; you’ll get a solid day’s worth of use from the LG K8 providing you don’t push it too hard with things like graphically-intensive gaming, video calling and lots of photography.

In my tests, the LG K8 consistently had juice left in the tank when it came time to retire to bed. It’s not the best in its class, but it is by no means the worst – again, I don’t really have any complaints in this regard.

For a budget phone, the battery performance was perfectly on the level.

LG K8 Review: Verdict

I love the way the LG K8 looks. I think it is one of the best looking budget Android phones on the market right now.

The camera is decent and performance, providing you’re not expecting Galaxy S7-levels of grunt, is more than adequate for normal usage.

The software is useful, well executed and adds in lots of utility. If you’re in the market for a very cheap and very capable Android phone that also looks rather snazzy the LG K8 should high on your watch list.

This thing’s a real beauty.