Samsung Focus 2

If you want an LTE-capable Windows phone on AT&T with a bottom bargain price, up until now you've been a bit stuck. Fortunately, at CTIA 2012, Samsung unveiled the Samsung Focus 2.
The Focus 2 is a $49 Windows phone that performs admirably - even when compared to heavyweight contenders like the Nokia Lumia 900.

While the Lumia 900 will certainly beat it in a variety of tests, like best display, most internal storage, as well as outdoor reading tests - because Microsoft so strictly regulates Windows Phone specs it was only a matter of time until cheaper alternatives overtook the industry.

The Samsung Focus Flash packs LTE, and comes pre-loaded with WP 7.5 Mango. It has a 4-inch Super AMOLED, a 1.4GHz single-core processor (all Windows Phones are single-core), 8GB memory and a 5MP rear facing camera and an industry-standard front-facing camera.

The device feels solidly constructed in the hands, and we found the ridges to give it a sense of durability. The lights that illuminate the home buttons initially seem like an awesome addition, but quickly deteriorate into semi-gimicky and give the device a slightly cheaper feeling.

But at $49, none of that really matters. This is the phone you can recommend to your mom's friend who knows nothing about phones. It's solidly constructed, boasts an impressive OS, and looks unique in its all-white (a decidedly un-Samsung design decision).

The only real problem is that the Samsung Focus 2 isn't alone at the $49 price range, where it is joined by the Lumia 900 (at least in street price).