1 min readHMD's latest bid for the hard-earned cash of budget-friendly smartphone buyers makes a big bet on battery life.
According to the manufacturer, the new HMD Aura 2 will offer around 51 hours of usage on a single charge. If the reality lives up to that promise, that alone might make it a compelling choice for those looking for modest hardware that can go the distance. That said, it only includes 2 years of security updates.
Priced at a thrifty RRP of $169, the HMD Aura 2 comes powered by Android 14 Go, a Unisoc 9863A processor, and a 5,000mAh battery. Other key specs here include 4GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage.
That last one represents a pretty big increase on the 64GB that came with its predecessor. Like that device, the front-facing side of the HMD Aura 2 features a 6.5-inch IPS screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, HD resolution and a 5MP selfie camera.
Meanwhile, the back of the handset is host to a single 13MP wide-angle lens camera. These humble specs are unlikely to sate photography fanatics or those looking for the kind of high-performance available from 2025's many fine mid-range devices. Aside from the longer battery life, which isn't uncommon with cheaper handsets like this one, the price is the biggest selling point for the HMD Aura 2.
Price-wise, the new device sits above feature phones like the HMD 110 and right below the HMD Pulse, HMD Pulse Plus and HMD Pulse Pro. Like HMD's other recent device, the Aura 2 is also built to be repaired easily via a set of instructions available on the iFixit website.
In Australia, the HMD Aura 2 through the HMD website from this week. It's also available through Harvey Norman and will be coming to other retailers later in the year.
At the time of writing, the device isn't available to buy on a plan through carriers. If you're planning to pick it up anyway, you'll need to pair it up with a SIM-only plan like those seen in the widget below.
