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The handset delivers a stunning OS, good phone functionality and a healthy battery life all packaged within an acceptable design. It never once feels like a dumbphone trying to play smart.

With its fast, responsive user experience and superb camera, the Lumia 610 could be the perfect handset for new smartphone users, or those just looking for a bargain.

... a cut above its budget Android rivals, despite the lowly tech spec. It offers a silky smooth experience that's often missing from cheap Google phones. The blissfully intuitive Windows Phone UI is sure to appeal to cost-conscious mobile newbies.

If you are looking for your first smartphone, be strong, you won't be disappointed.

Nokia is aiming to set the entry-level market ablaze with the Lumia 610, but we can’t help but feel it’s too little too late. It simply doesn’t make sense to pick up the 610 over the 710 as things currently stand thanks to a combination of hardware and software issues.

...you should be able to get one for about $250 ... which makes it a decent entry-level offering. On the other, you will have to accept the incompatibility of select applications and the occasional software lags caused by the smartphone's modest hardware.

The Nokia Lumia 610 is a budget Windows Phone 7.5 handset. Hardware cuts have been made to get the price under £200, but most must-have smartphone features are included.

We did say that it's all about what you get and not what you miss in this class but, as things currently stand, its competitors will give you more without extra charge.

But it's not just cheap; it's also quite good value for money. You get almost the complete Windows Phone experience, along with a solid camera, decent build quality and strong battery life ... That said, it's not without its problems ... you'll quickly realise why it was so inexpensive.

If you want to be sure to have the full Windows Phone experience you should save up for the Lumia 710, but as long as you're aware of its compromises the Lumia 610 is still a great handset. It's a Budget Buy.

If you are looking for a budget smartphone to either be your or someone else’s first — and you don’t want to go with similarly or even lower-priced Android devices — the Lumia 610 is a nice companion.