Samsung Illusion Black

The Samsung Illusion scores 12.2 out of 100 in our database, with performance at the 10th percentile and gaming at 7.5. It runs Android 2.3, has 1GB of RAM, and is locked to Verizon Prepaid. Not worth $130, not worth your time.

The 1GHz single-core processor and 1GB of RAM put this at the 10th percentile for performance. That's one of the worst we've seen. Apps will crawl, multitasking is basically a suggestion, and gaming scores a 7.5 out of 100. You're not playing anything on this beyond maybe Snake if it existed. The 1500mAh battery lands at the 27th percentile, so expect to charge often. Android 2.3 can't run most modern apps anyway, so the performance ceiling is low no matter what you do with it.

Stacked against the Google Pixel 9a, Motorola Moto G 2025, or Apple iPhone 16e, the Illusion isn't even in the same conversation. Those phones have modern processors, 5G, multi-lens cameras, and batteries that last all day. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G offers a massive display and fast charging for not much more than that $130 asking price. Even the FOXX S13, whatever that is, probably has a better shot at running a current app. The Illusion's 3G connectivity alone disqualifies it in 2025.

There's a listing at $130 USD, which is absurd for a phone this old. You can get a used Pixel or Moto G for less that runs circles around this thing. Even as a dumb phone replacement, the battery life is too weak to justify it. The only value here is nostalgia, and nostalgia doesn't make calls faster.

The Samsung Illusion is a relic from 2011 that somehow still has a listing. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread on a 1GHz processor with 1GB of RAM. That was modest even when it launched, and it's ancient now. The 3.5-inch LCD, 3MP camera, and 1500mAh battery all scream budget phone from over a decade ago.

It's locked to Verizon Prepaid, which limits who can even use it. The 4.8-star rating from four reviews is cute, but four people liking a phone in 2011 doesn't make it a good buy today. Our database puts it at 12.2 out of 100 overall. That's not a typo.

Skip this if you need a phone for daily use, any modern app, decent photos, or battery life beyond a few hours. Also skip it if you're not on Verizon Prepaid, since it won't work anyway. If you want a cheap backup phone, buy a used Moto G or Pixel instead.

Buy this if you need a prop for a 2011 period piece or want to show your kids how slow phones used to be. Otherwise, hard pass. The Samsung Illusion was a budget phone when it launched, and time has not been kind. Anyone who actually needs a phone should spend the same money on a used modern device.