Kogan Agora 8: Plans | Pricing | Specs

Where to buy

Kogan began operating in 2006 and has grown considerably since its early days as a small online retailer selling LCD TVs. Today it offers a broad range of products, having launched NBN services under the Kogan Internet brand in April 2018, and having partnered with the Hollard Insurance Company in mid-2017 to launch a Kogan Home insurance product. As part of this growth, the Australian brand now markets its own range of affordably-priced smartphones under the Kogan Agora label.

A relatively recent addition to its handset line-up is the Kogan Agora 8, which hit the market in June 2017. It launched at just $199 and aimed to deliver high-end performance sans the premium price tag associated with your average flagship handset. While that might be more marketing copy than objective fact, the handset is quite a capable device that represents impressive value for money. If you don't need a top-of-the-line smartphone but still want a handset with all the modern conveniences, the Kogan Agora 8 warrants your consideration.

Design

• Dragontrail glass protection on the 5-inch IPS screen is a welcome surprise.
• No shortage of features thanks to Android 7.0.

• Read more on the Kogan Agora 8's design

  As with most budget smartphones, the Kogan Agora 8 sticks with the rounded-oblong design that has become standard in recent years. A slightly curved 5-inch IPS screen covers most of the phone's face, with three capacitive (non-physical) buttons below it for navigating the Android operating system. In an unusual move for a budget handset, the Agora 8 features a Dragontrail reinforced glass screen for added protection against scratches and knocks. Coupled with the phone's aluminium body, this makes the Agora 8 surprisingly hardy in comparison to many other budget smartphones.

  On the specs front, the Agora 8's screen clocks in at a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels (p). While this is often marketed as "HD", bear in mind that it's not "Full HD"; that would require a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080p.

  The Agora 8 comes with a reasonable 16GB of internal storage out of the box, and you can expand this by as much as 128GB by purchasing a microSD card. If you want to use all that storage to rock out with your favourite tunes, you'll be pleased to know the Agora 8 features both a 3.5mm audio jack and Bluetooth 4.1 support for hooking up wireless headphones. Other key connectivity features include 4G compatibility for accessing high-speed mobile networks, as well as support for Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n wireless networks.

  Another surprising feature Kogan has slipped into this budget model is a fingerprint sensor. Located below the camera lens on the back, this sensor can be used for preventing other people from unlocking your phone as well as blocking unauthorised transactions through payment platforms such as the Google Play store.

  Kogan's emphasis on high-end performance also extends to the software. The phone comes pre-installed with the Android 7.0 "Nougat" operating system. This is the version that introduced key features such as the ability to run two apps side-by-side on a single screen, as well as finer control over notifications and the quick settings toolbar. Sadly, Kogan has yet to release an official update to Android 8.0 for the Agora 8.

Camera

• A 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera place the Agora 8 ahead of most budget smartphones.

• Read more on the Kogan Agora 8's camera

  The Agora 8 continues to defy its budget pricing with an impressive pair of high-resolution cameras. At the back sits a 13-megapixel (MP) sensor with an auto-focus feature, a flash and support for a variety of configuration options including face detection and low-light oversampling. This is complemented by a front-facing 5MP sensor for snapping selfies.

Performance

• Quad-core 1.3GHz processor and 2GB of RAM is a solid pairing for a budget smartphone.
• Should be powerful enough to handle average smartphone use.

• Read more on the Kogan Agora 8's performance

  It typically pays to temper your expectations when judging the performance of a budget smartphone. High-powered hardware fetches a premium price, which is why most affordable handsets opt for older and less capable components to keep costs down.

  However, once again Kogan challenges this trend by including a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6737 processor in the Agora 8. While far from top-of-the-line, the MT6737 is a cut above the chips you'll find in many other budget smartphones, and this allows the Agora 8 to deliver a smoother experience than a lot of its competitors. For most people, this will mean solid performance in the majority of day-to-day tasks like browsing the Internet and checking social media. Multi-tasking and basic gaming performance should also be decent, thanks to the 2GB of included RAM.

Battery

• The 2,400mAh battery is par for the course for a budget smartphone.
• It should still deliver all-day battery life under typical use.

• Read more on the Kogan Agora 8's battery

  Battery capacity is the one area where the Kogan Agora 8 doesn't quite live up to its high-performance claims. That's not to say it's bad; at 2,400mAh, the battery is right on par with what most budget smartphones ship with. Still, we're starting to see more and more handsets include batteries of 3,000mAh or more, with associated battery life extending beyond the standard all-day power. The Agora 8 is unlikely to deliver that kind of longevity under dedicated use, but thanks to its relatively power-efficient processor, it should have no trouble lasting through the day under moderate usage.

Pricing and availability

• Price: RRP $199
• Where to buy: Kogan

Compare SIM-only plans for the Kogan Agora 8

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Optus Flex Plus $35 PrepaidNo lock-in contract $35 SIM for $12. Ends 9.5.24. Activate by 3.6.24 for 60GB on 1st, 40GB for 2nd & 3rd recharges, then 20GB/recharge. Excludes eSIM. New services only. T&Cs apply Optus Flex Plus $35 Prepaid $35 SIM for $12. Ends 9.5.24. Activate by 3.6.24 for 60GB on 1st, 40GB for 2nd & 3rd recharges, then 20GB/recharge. Excludes eSIM. New services only. T&Cs apply	Unlimited national calls & texts Optus 5G/4G network	20GB	$35 per 28 day recharge	Go to site View details	$35 SIM for $12. Ends 9.5.24. Activate by 3.6.24 for 60GB on 1st, 40GB for 2nd & 3rd recharges, then 20GB/recharge. Excludes eSIM. New services only. T&Cs apply Unlimited standard national calls & texts 20 GB Data $35 per 28 days expiry Go to siteView details		loading Fetching your data...
felix Subscription Unlimited SubscriptionNo lock-in contract $20/mth for the first 3 months, then $40/mth with code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 30.6.24 felix Subscription Unlimited Subscription $20/mth for the first 3 months, then $40/mth with code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 30.6.24 Finder Award	Unlimited national calls & texts Vodafone 4G network	Unlimited data At speeds up to 20Mbps	$20 per month	Go to site View details	GREEN COMPANY $20/mth for the first 3 months, then $40/mth with code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 30.6.24 Unlimited standard national calls & texts Unlimited data At speeds up to 20Mbps $20 per month Go to siteView details		loading Fetching your data...
iiNet Medium Plan PrepaidNo lock-in contract $12.50/mth for the first 6 months, then $24.99/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. iiNet Medium Plan Prepaid $12.50/mth for the first 6 months, then $24.99/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.	Unlimited national calls & texts Vodafone 4G/3G network	16GB	$12.50 per month	Go to site View details	-50% $12.50/mth for the first 6 months, then $24.99/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Unlimited standard national calls & texts 16 GB Data $12.50 per month Go to siteView details		loading Fetching your data...
TPG Large PrepaidNo lock-in contract $15/mth for the first 6 months, then $30/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. TPG Large Prepaid $15/mth for the first 6 months, then $30/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Finder Award	Unlimited national calls & texts Vodafone 4G network	45GB	$15 per month	Go to site View details	-50% $15/mth for the first 6 months, then $30/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Unlimited standard national calls & texts 45 GB Data $15 per month Go to siteView details		loading Fetching your data...
Southern Phone Finder Exclusive PostpaidNo lock-in contract 100GB for $20/mth for the first 3 months, then 100GB for $25/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 29.4.24 Southern Phone Finder Exclusive Postpaid 100GB for $20/mth for the first 3 months, then 100GB for $25/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 29.4.24 Exclusive	Unlimited national calls & texts Optus 4G/3G network	100GB	$20 per month	Go to site View details	Exclusive 100GB for $20/mth for the first 3 months, then 100GB for $25/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 29.4.24 Unlimited standard national calls & texts 100 GB Data $20 per month Go to siteView details		loading Fetching your data...
Dodo $25 PostpaidNo lock-in contract 50GB/mth for the first 3 months, then 25GB/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 2.5.24 Dodo $25 Postpaid 50GB/mth for the first 3 months, then 25GB/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 2.5.24	Unlimited national calls & texts Optus 4G/3G network	50GB No excess data charges	$25 per month	Go to site View details	50GB/mth for the first 3 months, then 25GB/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 2.5.24 Unlimited standard national calls & texts 50 GB Data $25 per month Go to siteView details		loading Fetching your data...

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Kogan Agora 8 specs

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