Optus X Lite: Plans | Pricing | Specs

Matt Sayer

Last updated: Apr 8, 2019

By focusing on basic tasks like calling and texting, the Optus X Lite makes using your phone simple and stress-free.

2.4 inches

Display size

240 x 320px

128MB

Internal storage

0.3 MP

Rear camera

950 mAh

Battery size

Finder rated as Average vs similar phones

Display

Display Size

2.4 inches

Resolution

240 x 320px

Pixels per inch (PPI)

167 ppi

Camera

Rear camera megapixels

0.3MP

Rear camera aperture size

N/A

Video recording

N/A

Physical Dimensions

Dimensions

124mm x 51.5mm x 12.8mm

Weight

88g

Connectivity

NFC

Wi-Fi

N/A

Network category speed

N/A

Power, storage and battery

Processor

N/A

RAM

64MB

Operating system

ThreadX

Internal storage

128MB

External storage support

Up to 32GB

Battery capacity

950mAh

Device features

Headphone jack

Yes

Fingerprint sensor

Water resistance rating

N/A

Wireless charging

Launch price (RRP)	$39
Launch date	N/A

Go to Optus's site More info

Matt Sayer

Matt Sayer is a technology writer and editorial engineer for Finder, combining industry expertise with data-driven solutions to help people make better decisions. His extensive portfolio spans investigate reporting on the roll-out of 5G, statistical analysis on the legacy of E3 and guides for popular products like mobile phones and smart speakers. Matt has a Bachelor of Computer Science from RMIT University and is passionate about finding ways that technology can better our lives.

Where to buy

What's in this guide?

Design
Camera
Performance
Battery
Pricing and availability
Specifications

Hearkening back to the simple, non-smartphone days of the early 2000s, the Optus X Lite eschews features like touchscreens and high-resolution cameras in favour of a basic menu interface and a physical keypad. This is a compelling proposition for folks exhausted by the complexities of modern smartphones as well as anyone looking for an affordable backup phone to keep for emergencies.

Design

Compact candy-bar design and physical keypad channel the simplicity of early 21st-century mobile phones
Built-in FM radio, calendar and other apps provide extra functionality on top of basic calling and texting

If you can recall the Nokia phones of the early 21st century, you'll be immediately familiar with the Optus X Lite. Adopting the so-called "candy bar" design, the X Lite is relatively compact at just 124mm tall and 51mm wide. It won't weigh down your pocket, either, as it tips the scales at a meagre 88g.
Being so small, the Optus X Lite makes do with a 2.4-inch QVGA screen that renders at a resolution of 320 x 240 – functional enough, though not necessarily ideal for looking at photos or watching videos. Below the screen is a classic physical keypad with buttons for placing calls, navigating menus and dialling phone numbers.
While the Optus X Lite is geared primarily towards making and receiving calls and texts, it does pack a few extra features up its sleeves. There's a built-in FM radio, for instance, and you can listen to it either via the phone's speaker or by connecting a pair of wired headphones to the included 3.5mm audio jack. There's also support for Bluetooth 2.1, allowing you to sync up a pair of wireless headphones.
If you prefer grooving out to your own music collection, the Optus X Lite supports that, too. Just bear in mind that it only comes with 128MB of storage out of the box, of which just 25MB is actually usable. Thankfully, you can expand this by purchasing a microSD card, though the X Lite will only accept cards of 32GB or less.
While the custom operating system powering the Optus X Lite doesn't feature any sort of app store, the phone itself comes loaded with a few handy utilities beyond the standard contact list and SMS inbox. There's a video player with support for QVGA video files at 25fps, a calendar for recording important events, a calculator, a note-taking app and even a few built-in games. There's also a basic web browser in case you want to use the X Lite's 3G connection to browse the Internet. Given the small screen size and the browser's limited features, don't expect to be engaging in any heavy-duty web surfing, however.

Camera

VGA camera is handy for recording information for later reference
Low-resolution photos don't lend themselves well to sharing

Turn-of-the-century phones rarely had cameras in them at all, but the Optus X Lite makes a concession to modernity here by incorporating a basic VGA camera on its rear. VGA resolution equates to 640 x 480, a notable increase over the X Lite's native resolution but still a long way from the high-resolution cameras in modern smartphones. Nevertheless, it should prove adequate for taking snaps of a visual-note variety such as advertisements, interesting products and other information you don't want to forget. Family photos are probably a bit out of its league, though.
The Optus X Lite can also capture video, albeit at a lower quality than static photos. Resolution maxes out at 352 x 288, and the framerate is locked to a chunky 15fps. Not great, but functional enough for very basic recording.

Performance

Low-power hardware is sufficient for the basic tasks the Optus X Lite is designed for

Handsets like the Optus X Lite operate on a completely different scale of performance to your average smartphone. Since they don't need to power massive high-resolution screens or run complex apps and mobile games, they can get by with only the most basic hardware components.
The Optus X Lite, for example, packs a humble 460MHz processor and just 64MB of RAM. In a smartphone, this would be wholly inadequate, but it's sufficient for the basic menu-based interface and simple capabilities of the Optus X Lite.

Battery

Can deliver up to four hours of talk time or 160 hours on standby, according to Optus

The compact design of the Optus X Lite doesn't leave a whole lot of room for the battery, as is evidenced by its light 950mAh capacity. Small batteries don't matter so much on low-power handsets like the X Lite, though, and Optus claims that a single charge can deliver as much as four hours of talk time or up to 160 hours on standby. Those numbers aren't outstanding by any stretch, but they're still decent for a phone that's intended for infrequent use or as an emergency backup.

Pricing and availability

Price: RRP $39
Where to buy: Target | Australia Post | Big W

Specifications

Display

Display Size

2.4 inches

Resolution

240 x 320px

Pixels per inch (PPI)

167 ppi

Camera

Rear camera megapixels

0.3MP

Rear camera aperture size

N/A

Video recording

N/A

Physical Dimensions

Dimensions

124mm x 51.5mm x 12.8mm

Weight

88g

Connectivity

NFC

Wi-Fi

N/A

Network category speed

N/A

Power, storage and battery

Processor

N/A

RAM

64MB

Operating system

ThreadX

Internal storage

128MB

External storage support

Up to 32GB

Battery capacity

950mAh

Device features

Headphone jack

Yes

Fingerprint sensor

Water resistance rating

N/A

Wireless charging

Latest Optus news

How does Optus’s unlimited mobile top-up stack up?

$5 for unlimited data for 24 hours, so what's the catch? Read more…

Optus and Vodafone now offering the Google Pixel 4 at half price

We compare the two offerings and which plans they're available on. Read more…

Telstra, Optus & more offer free data and calls for working from home: How much more do you get?

Telstra and Optus are offering free data and services to help Australians work remotely. Read more…

Image: Shutterstock

Ask an expert

To ask a question simply log in via your email or create an account.

Click here to cancel reply.

Display Name

Your Email (will not be published)

Your Question

Subscribe to the Finder newsletter for the latest money tips and tricks

Notify me via email when there is a reply

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and Privacy & Cookies Policy.

Ask a question

Get the Finder app 🥳 Connect your accounts & save 🥳

Find a better energy deal right now.

Choose from our selection of the best mobile plans on offer.

Find the best NBN plan for your needs

Check out the 10 top budget phones you can buy right now

Find a better NBN plan to suit your needs

Discover your next favourite show

Smartphones

Best Phones

Mobile Phone Brands

Guides

Optus X Lite: Plans | Pricing | Specs