Anyone living in one of America’s largest urban areas in 2013 has undoubtedly seen the claim: “Everybody’s moving to Metro.” And the claim isn’t that far off; in the past year, contract-free, budget-friendly carriers have boomed both in terms of subscribers and coverage. The industry’s growth can be attributed to a lot of things, including incredible rate hikes from the nation’s three largest carriers, though the most important factor has been the rapid evolution in smartphone technology.

Case in point: the LG Spirit 4G, a knockout device in terms of both style and functionality. Where the Spirit really shines, though, is its price tag—at $199 with no contract and MetroPCS’ unlimited plans starting at just $40, the Spirit is perhaps the most capable of all economy Android devices on the market today.

As someone who is consistently unimpressed by LG’s hardware, I admit that the Spirit 4G is one of the nicest devices to ever grace the OEM’s portfolio. It’s got an undeniably budget-conscious plastic design, and lacks the wow factor that come with flagship devices, but this device doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t, and smartphones have finally reached a point that flagships aren’t the only devices worth carrying.

At .37 inches thin, the Spirit 4G feels phenomenal in the hand, thanks in large part to its curved design. The slate grey design with silver accents and bezel give the device a handsome quality, although the plastic finish isn’t quite durable enough for heavy-duty wear-and-tear. I’d be happy to flash this phone to my friends and colleagues—I’d be wary of dropping it on the ground.

One of the things I was most skeptical about was the Spirit 4G’s display—on paper, its 960 x 540 resolution is truly disappointing. In use, I had a hard time finding much fault. It’s got beautiful viewing angles thanks to LG’s signature IPS technology, ample saturation and accurate color reproduction., along with a sturdy and durable coating of Corning Gorilla Glass. It’s not nearly as sharp as it could be, but again, this is probably the best display $200 off contract can buy.