Sonata 4G sings a cheap tune (pictures)

True, the ZTE Sonata 4G doesn't offer the latest and greatest in mobile technology. However, with its reasonable $80 prepaid price and consistent data speeds, this device is a decent Android value.

Though compact in size (coming in at 4.9 inches tall and 2.56 inches wide), the Sonata 4G sports an unflattering and thick 0.45-inch profile that renders it a snug fit in jean pockets.

The left edge houses a volume rocker and a microSD card slot for up to 32GB of expandable memory. Up top you'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a sleep/power button. Finally, the Micro-USB port for charging is located on the bottom edge.

As for the 4-inch display, it has a 480x800-pixel resolution. The touch screen has a narrow viewing angle, and while its brightness is fine indoors, the screen is difficult to look at in direct sunlight.

On the back is a 5-megapixel camera with flash and there's a small slit for the audio speaker to the left. You can take off the battery door using a small opening at the bottom, and access the removable 1,785mAh battery and SIM card slot.

The phone runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and as such contains several Google apps: Chrome, Gmail, Plus, Hangouts, Maps, YouTube, and access to the Play Store's Books, Games, Movies and TV, Music, and Newsstand portals.

Inside the handset is a 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor. This will you give enough power to execute daily tasks like returning to the homescreen, calling up the keyboard, and flipping through your app drawer.