We compare Vodafone’s Smart Prime 6 and Smart Ultra 6 to see which affordable phone you should stump up for.
At just £79, the Vodafone Smart Prime 6 offers incredible value for money with its HD visuals and dependable 8-meg camera. However, for just £125 you could upgrade to the Smart Ultra 6, which bumps the specs and makes for an even better mobile experience.
So, is the Smart Ultra 6 worth the extra fifty quid, or will the Smart Prime 6 suffice? Here’s our full comparison review to help you decide.
At a glance
| Phone | Smart Prime 6 | Smart Ultra 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 155g | 159g |
| Screen size | 5-inches | 5.5-inches |
| Screen resolution | 720×1280 | 1080×1920 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 410 quad-core | Snapdragon 615 octa-core |
| RAM | 1GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 8GB + microSD | 16GB + microSD |
| 4G? | Yes | Yes |
| Cameras | 8-megapixel/2-megapixel | 13-megapixel/5-megapixel |
Screen and media
If you want a wallet-friendly phone that can keep you entertained with movies and games on the go, the Smart Prime and Smart Ultra are both solid choices.
The Smart Prime packs a 5-inch 720p screen just like the new Moto G and it’s both sharp and vibrant, impressive for the price. However, if you really want to make the most of those high-def films, the Smart Ultra is a worthy upgrade. The screen size gets boosted to 5.5-inches for a more comfortable viewing experience, while the resolution is also bumped to 1080p for razor-sharp images.
As for storage, the Smart Prime gives you 8GB of space to carry around your media, while the Smart Ultra boasts 16GB. However, as both phones have a microSD slot for quick and easy expansion, that’s no reason to choose the Ultra over the Smart.
If money is tight then the Smart Prime will definitely more than suffice, but the gorgeous and spacious Smart Ultra screen is a seriously good reason to upgrade if you watch a lot of video on the go.
Performance and battery life
One area where the Smart Prime 6 sadly stumbles is performance. The quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor can’t quite keep up with everyday life and we saw a fair few pauses and stutters when trying to switch apps or scroll through menus.
Thankfully the Smart Ultra 6 upgrades the processor to an octa-core Snapdragon 615, which runs the show effortlessly along with an extra gig of RAM. So if you’re hoping to play with apps often or get your game on, or you simply can’t stand tapping your foot while waiting for something to load, we’d recommend splashing out on the Smart Ultra.
As for battery life, there’s no gap between these phones. Both handsets will give you all-day life and can stream video for seven hours on a single charge.
Cameras
Again, both handsets more than hold their own when it comes to photography, but the Smart Ultra 6 has the edge with a 13-megapixel snapper compared with the Smart Prime 6’s 8-megapixel effort.
The Smart Prime still captures attractive everyday shots, but the Smart Ultra packs in more detail and the fast auto-focus means less blurry photos. And selfie fans will prefer the Smart Ultra too, with a decent 5-megapixel front-facing camera compared with the basic 2-megapixel shooter on the Smart Prime.
Verdict
If your needs are basic – a spot of web browsing and maybe the odd bit of camera use or movie watching – the Vodafone Smart Prime 6 will do you just fine, despite the odd stutter. However, if you’re planning on spending a lot of time on your portable pal, watching loads of video or snapping every last thing you see, then consider upgrading to the Smart Ultra 6. Slick performance, that boosted display and improved camera all make it a worthy purchase.
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