BLU G75 G1170WW Black 256GB

The BLU G75 is a $160 unlocked phone with an enormous 6,000mAh battery and IP68 water resistance, an almost unfair combo for the price. It's one of the longest-lasting phones we've tested, and the 120Hz screen and Android 15 out of the box are nice touches. But the Helio G81 processor is painfully slow, and the camera isn't great. Buy it for endurance and durability, not for speed or photos.

BLU isn't a name that gets a lot of hype, but the G75 is quietly one of the most interesting sub-$200 phones we've picked up this year. For $160 you get a massive 6.9-inch display, a battery that seems to go on forever, and an IP68 water resistance rating, something you usually don't see until you cross the $400 mark. If you just want a dependable daily driver that can survive a dunk in the sink and won't die by dinnertime, this thing is worth a serious look.

The spec sheet has some eyebrow-raising highlights. That 6,000mAh cell is an absolute chonker and pairs with a reasonably efficient MediaTek Helio G81 chip to deliver multi-day battery life for light to moderate users. You also get 256GB of built-in storage with a microSD slot for up to a terabyte, a side-mounted fingerprint reader that works quickly, and Android 15 out of the box. The 120Hz refresh rate on the 6.9-inch IPS panel makes scrolling through feeds feel a lot nicer than you'd expect at this price, even if the resolution is only 720p+. And the soft-touch chassis feels solid in hand, not like the cheap plastic you might be bracing for.

But here's where the budget shoe drops. That Helio G81 processor and 4GB of RAM are entry-level hardware, and it shows the moment you push beyond one or two apps. The camera system, a lone 50MP sensor with digital tricks, lands firmly in mediocre territory. And there's no 5G support, which might matter if you plan to keep this phone for a few years. This is a device built for a very specific mission: keep it simple, keep it charged, and keep it out of harm's way.

Pulling raw numbers from our performance database, the Helio G81 in the G75 is, frankly, one of the slowest chipsets we've benchmarked recently, landing down near the bottom of the charts. It's fine for calls, texting, scrolling through Instagram, and streaming YouTube, but it doesn't handle heavier tasks gracefully. In Geekbench 5, the single-core and multi-core scores are closer to what you'd expect from a budget phone three years ago. That doesn't mean the phone is unusable, but you'll feel the lag if you try to flip between a browser, a messaging app, and your photos all at once. Casual games like Candy Crush run without a hitch, but forget about Genshin Impact or even demanding 3D titles.

The silver lining is that this sluggish chip sips power, and paired with the gigantic 6,000mAh battery, the G75 becomes an endurance champ. In our standard video loop test, it ran for nearly 22 hours, putting it in the absolute top tier of all phones we've tested. For real people, that translates to a solid two days of normal use, sometimes three if you're not glued to the screen. The 18W charger isn't blazing fast by any means, but it tops up that huge tank in about two hours, which is acceptable. So while performance is a notable weakness, the battery life more than makes up for it if your priority is staying unplugged.

At $160, the BLU G75 is aggressively priced for what it offers. You won't find another phone with a 6,000mAh battery, IP68, and this much storage anywhere near this price bracket. The closest competitors like the Moto G Stylus (around $200) give you 5G and a much snappier processor, but sacrifice that rugged water protection and a bit of battery capacity. Others like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G cost nearly twice as much and deliver better displays and cameras, but that's a different budget entirely. If your main checklist is battery life and durability on a shoestring, the G75 punches above its weight. But if you can stretch to $200 or $250, you'll get a significantly more well-rounded phone with far fewer compromises.

Stacking the G75 against the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2024) is telling. The Moto runs on a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, which is in a completely different performance league, and it includes a built-in stylus and a better camera setup. You do lose IP68, the battery isn't quite as massive, and the price is about $40 more, but for everyday speed and future-proofing, the Moto is clearly ahead. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G packs an AMOLED screen, a more capable 108MP camera, and 5G, but at a significantly higher price. If photography or display quality is important, the G75 can't compete.

But here's the thing: the BLU G75 occupies a niche no one else is really filling. It's a big, battery-focused, tough phone that you can literally drop in a puddle and not worry about, all for $160. That's a specific value that appeals to someone who needs a phone for outdoor work, a kid's first device, or a reliable backup. So it's not a head-to-head winner in most categories, but it's a specialist that does one thing, battery autonomy and basic toughness, better than almost any other phone at this price.

Skip the G75 if photography matters to you at all. The single 50MP camera is serviceable in perfect light but struggles everywhere else. Video recording is basic, and there's no optical zoom, so if you want to capture moments that look good on social media, this isn't your phone. Also, if you're a heavy multitasker or a gamer, the sluggish Helio G81 will frustrate you within days. Pick up a Moto G Stylus or a used Pixel 6a instead. Finally, if 5G is a must-have for future connectivity, the G75's LTE-only modem means you're stuck with slower data; the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G or even last year's Samsung A54 5G offer better network support for not much more money.

If your phone priorities don't include photography, heavy gaming, or running a dozen apps at once, the BLU G75 is a genuine bargain. It's built for the person who wants their phone to last through a weekend camping trip, survive a sudden rainstorm, and still have juice to call an Uber. The battery is a beast, the IP68 rating is unheard of at $160, and the storage capacity is generous. For a grandparent, a younger kid, or anyone who just wants a simple, durable, long-lasting smartphone, this is a smart pick.

But if you're someone who regularly snaps photos you care about, needs snappy performance for multitasking, or lives in an area where 5G is the norm, you'll be better off spending a bit more. The Moto G Stylus or upcoming Google Pixel 10a are better all-rounders, even if they cost extra. The G75 is a tool with a narrow focus, and it nails that focus. Just make sure that focus lines up with what you actually need.