Two budget phones from Samsung and Nokia were revealed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, giving price-sensitive consumers the chance to enjoy the basic mobile power wielded by Android and Windows 8.

Nokia is very specific on its price range as it indicated that the new Lumia 520 will hit global stores, the emerging markets especially, no higher than $US180.

The attractive price tag comes with a 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU with 512MB of RAM, which is enough muscle for a cheap phone that displays its decent might on a 4-inch IPS LCD display.

The Lumia 520 body is protected by the polycarbonate signature material of Nokia with a 2D hardened glass serving as the screen shield. The Finnish firm noted that besides its durability, the 520 glass is super sensitive that it responds to touch even when users' hands are in gloves.

The Galaxy Fame on the other hand is the upgraded Galaxy Y. Most notable about the handset is the JellyBean that comes with it, CNET said.

Packing specs of a single-core 1GHz processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage, the Galaxy Fame at least bumps up the mediocre serving of its predecessor, which by the way was stuck with Android Gingerbread.

With JellyBean on board, the Android function of the Galaxy Fame is unlimited in theory. But in reality, its hardware capabilities are anaemic and stretching it to breaking point will lead to lags or even a crash.

The price you pay for the Fame is what you get, CNET said. Though Samsung has yet to provide actual pricing for this phone it is expected to sell no higher than the $100 mark as its predecessor, the Galaxy Y, retails at around the same price point.

The two handsets boast of an identical 5MP rear snapper though the Lumia 520 has underlined its promise of capturing 720p video clips, with lots of these moving images can be accommodated on a built-in 8GB of storage. If more space is needed, this affordable Lumia will accept microSD card for up to 64GB.

According to Engadget, the 520 will simply extend the reach of the recently issued Lumia 620 as the two handsets share the same Nokia and Windows 8 features. This phone is Nokia's attempt to capture budget-hunting Lumia fans unwilling to pay more than $300 for the 620 package.

As for the Galaxy Fame, CNET is impressed with a bit of reservation.

"The Samsung Galaxy Fame is a budget phone, efficiently done. It's well-made and packs the latest software, but the screen and processor hold it back from the more cutting-edge delights of Android," the tech site said.