There’s Not Many Things You Can Score for Under $170 These Days … But This SmartPhone is One of Them

By Marie-Antoinette Issa
on 23 May 2025

Thanks to the cost of living crisis, $170 doesn’t go far these days. It might get you a dinner for two (maybe), a few pantry staples at your local supermarket, or a parking ticket you forgot to pay. But now, thanks to HMD Aura 2, it can also get you a fully-fledged smartphone. With change to spare.

The HMD Aura 2 is a new budget-friendly Smartphone that proves you don’t need to remortgage the house for a decent device. At just $169, this slick little number is serving up serious value in a world where premium phones are climbing past the $2K mark.

So, what do you get for that oh-so-satisfying price tag? Quite a bit, actually. For starters, a whopping 51 hours of battery life. That’s more than two full days of scrolling, streaming, snapping, and swiping without desperately hunting for a charger. It’s like the Energizer Bunny of smartphones — it just keeps going.

Speaking of snapping, the 13MP rear camera comes loaded with all the bells and whistles: Night Mode, Portrait, Pro Mode, even Slow Motion. Whether you’re capturing sunsets or your cat doing something weird (again), it’s all there – plus 12 built-in filters to level up your Insta game.

HMD Aura 2

Running on the Android 14 Go edition, the HMD Aura 2 keeps things clean and fast. It’s designed specifically for affordable devices, so you’re not dealing with bloated apps or sluggish performance. Add to that a generous 256 GB of storage (enough for all your apps, pics, and Spotify playlists), and the ability to turn some of that storage into extra RAM when needed.

The HMD Aura 2 is also self-repairable, so if you’re a bit clumsy or just hate being held hostage by repair shops, this phone has your back (and screen).

Bottom line? The HMD Aura 2 is the perfect plus-one for anyone looking to stay connected, shoot sharp pics, and breeze through their day without blowing the budget. Whether it’s your teen’s first phone or a savvy sidekick for yourself, it’s hard to believe this level of tech comes with such a tiny price tag.

You can grab the HMD Aura 2 for $169 from Harvey Norman and other leading retailers. Because, while you may have cut out your daily coffee to save some coin, you don’t need to scrimp on your smartphone too!

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