BLU launches crazy-cheap Tegra 3 Android phones, phablet

Budget phone maker BLU Products has added three new devices to its line-up, and all run Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor. The wallet-friendly phones come in two screen sizes — 4.5 and 5.7 inches — and will sell for between $249 and $349. Best of all, they’re all unlocked from day one. No need to get carrier permission to avoid any legal complications here.

The BLU Quattro 4.5 HD stacks up nicely against the Nexus 4. In addition to the 1.5GHz Tegra chip, it’s got 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a capable 8MP rear-facing camera with an f/2.4 aperture lens. The 4.5-inch screen offers the same native resolution as the Nexus 4 and its ever-so-slightly smaller diagonal means there’s an equally slight increase in pixel density — but not enough that anyone would really notice. It’s also clad with Gorilla Glass for added durability. At $10 less than the Nexus 4, it’s a solid alternative.

For those who think that 4.5 inches is still a bit undersized, there’s the Quattro 5.7 HD. That’s bigger than just about everything except Huawei’s 6.1-inch beast. The Quattro 5.7 HD will be substantially more affordable at just $299, but it does come with a few caveats. First, the display isn’t full HD — it’s 1280 x 720. There’s also no LTE support and only 4GB of internal storage. But there is a micro SD expansion slot, and that $299 price tag is hard to beat for a device this size that runs a real processor.

Rounding out the trio is the Quattro 4.5. It’s a scaled-back version of the 4.5 HD with a qHD display and a 5 megapixel camera. As with the Quattro 5.7, internal storage is bumped down to 4GB. Again, that’s not a lot of space built-in, but it’s expandable and the $249 price tag is hard to argue with.

For budget-conscious shoppers who don’t want to sacrifice performance, the new BLU Quattro phones are well worth checking out. At $350 or less for unlocked phones that run on AT&T or T-Mobile’s HSPA networks, they’re hard to beat.