Help me chose a budget android phone

[The Cosworth]

I swear there was a thread about this recently but I can't find it VIA search or browsing....

Anyways I currently rock an S7-Edge. I'm happy with it but it is starting to get really degraded battery, vibration motor is dead, sometimes notification doesn't work. However if it was working like a new S7-Edge I'd be happy to stick with it. Therefore you know the rough performance envelope I am looking for:

Requirements:
- Expandable memory
- Would really like AndroidOne or some really raw android
- Wireless charging
- Decent camera.
-Sub $500, but lower the happier of course.

Phone is mostly used for browsing reddit, listening to music / podcasts, and taking photos.

Front-Runners:
- Xiaomi Mi A1/A2/A2 Lite (no wireless charging)
- Nokia 6 (also no wireless charging)
- ASUS ZenFone Max Plus M1a
- BLU Life One X3 (looks lower quality but really cheap and huge battery)

All are available on Amazon for about $300-$400.

Edit: Should mention I'm kind of prepping for Black-Friday. So doesn't have to be amazon or those above.

[Thaco]

I have a zenfone 3, its a but older but its been rock solid for the price... i just bought my kid a Xiaomi redmi note 4 for xmas, one of the top budget phones, tons of support on xda to install a stock rom on it.

(edit, note 5 not note 4.... dont bother with note6, there isnt a lot of 3rd party support and the stock rom kinda sucks

[ExtraSlow]

Samsung A8?

[revelations]

haha, read 'budget' and immediately thought of my 50$ (new) android backup phone .... i guess $500 is 'budget' these days with phones !! (most seem to be >1000$).

[The Cosworth]

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Samsung A8?

Never thought to look at Samsun's offerings.

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I have a zenfone 3, its a but older but its been rock solid for the price... i just bought my kid a Xiaomi redmi note 4 for xmas, one of the top budget phones, tons of support on xda to install a stock rom on it.

Interesting, I'll read up on them. I always only get to the Mi section of the webpage. Edit damn, the Redmi Note 6 pro looks pretty badass. Have to do more reading on that.

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haha, read 'budget' and immediately thought of my 50$ (new) android backup phone .... i guess $500 is 'budget' these days with phones !! (most seem to be >1000$).

Realistically I would like $200-$300 but I don't want to miss out on a $300-$400 phone. The reading I've been doing, anything north of $500 and I won't use the features. The pixels, F1 phone, etc all seem great but I don't really do any of that on my phone anymore.

Shit I was considering going to the new Nokia 3310 but I can't work out music.

[dj_rice]

I got my HTC 10 when it was on sale for $499. Decent flagship for me

[D'z Nutz]

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I swear there was a thread about this recently but I can't find it VIA search or browsing....

https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/408...nd-smartphones

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Interesting, I'll read up on them. I always only get to the Mi section of the webpage. Edit damn, the Redmi Note 6 pro looks pretty badass. Have to do more reading on that.

I was going to suggest the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but it doesn't have wireless charging and isn't Android One. It does have a faster processor and bigger battery over the Mi A1/A2/A2 Lite though. The battery on this thing is ridiculous. I don't think I've ever hit under 80% on my regular day-to-day stuff, though of course that largely depends on what you do on your phone. It only costs about $300 with DHL shipping and taxes from Aliexpress so you can't be too choosy I guess. They're supposed to be cutting prices now that the Note 6 Pro is out.

If Android One is important to you, I'd also be looking at the Nokia 7.1 from B&H Photo. Unfortunately like the 6.1, it also doesn't have wireless charging.

[Tik-Tok]

If you want a smaller phone, Sony ZX1 Compact. Awesome battery life, Snapdragon 835, photos are fantastic (even has 960-fps slow motion video) , fairly raw Android, not nearly the bloatware others have, Pie rollout has already started (likely the last one for this phone though). $350 USD right now, but Im sure Black Friday will have some blowout prices.

If you want something newer/better, and don't mind not having a headphone jack, the ZX2 Compact is even better. I just personally didn't like the curved back.

[Thaco]

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https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/408...nd-smartphones



I was going to suggest the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but it doesn't have wireless charging and isn't Android One. It does have a faster processor and bigger battery over the Mi A1/A2/A2 Lite though. The battery on this thing is ridiculous. I don't think I've ever hit under 80% on my regular day-to-day stuff, though of course that largely depends on what you do on your phone. It only costs about $300 with DHL shipping and taxes from Aliexpress so you can't be too choosy I guess. They're supposed to be cutting prices now that the Note 6 Pro is out.

If Android One is important to you, I'd also be looking at the Nokia 7.1 from B&H Photo. Unfortunately like the 6.1, it also doesn't have wireless charging.

i went with the note 5 because of its significant amount of 3rd party support on XDA, You can easily flash vanilla-ish android

[D'z Nutz]

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i went with the note 5 because of its significant amount of 3rd party support on XDA, You can easily flash vanilla-ish android

Yeah, but some people just don't want to have to deal with that. I install LineageOS on my devices when the manufacturers no longer provide updates, but if I can get pure Android from the manufacturer, it's a no brainer. I appreciate the developers who do work on custom roms with their spare time, but I hate having to rely on them to come out with updates.

[Thaco]

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Yeah, but some people just don't want to have to deal with that. I install LineageOS on my devices when the manufacturers no longer provide updates, but if I can get pure Android from the manufacturer, it's a no brainer. I appreciate the developers who do work on custom roms with their spare time, but I hate having to rely on them to come out with updates.

i agree, but those are the perks of going cheap

[The Cosworth]

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I got my HTC 10 when it was on sale for $499. Decent flagship for me

For some reason I just do not like HTC ROM's. I had one a long time ago (don't remember which one), and it kind of turned me off the brand.

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https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/408...nd-smartphones



I was going to suggest the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but it doesn't have wireless charging and isn't Android One. It does have a faster processor and bigger battery over the Mi A1/A2/A2 Lite though. The battery on this thing is ridiculous. I don't think I've ever hit under 80% on my regular day-to-day stuff, though of course that largely depends on what you do on your phone. It only costs about $300 with DHL shipping and taxes from Aliexpress so you can't be too choosy I guess. They're supposed to be cutting prices now that the Note 6 Pro is out.

If Android One is important to you, I'd also be looking at the Nokia 7.1 from B&H Photo. Unfortunately like the 6.1, it also doesn't have wireless charging.

Man, how did I miss that. Maybe because it didn't say android..... thanks. I just read your post, you mention you'd spend a little more and get an Android One version. Do you mean of the Note 5 or were you thinking something else like the Mi A2?

For the wireless charging / Android One thing. So Android one is because of the same thing you mention about ROM's. I just don't care to tinker too much to get a phone clean and running. My S7 has so much bloatware that I had to flash ROM's on it, but they're just never as stable. Wireless charging is mainly because I built a stand at work that holds my phone but keeps it fully charged while I listen to music. I dont NEED it (not like I have wireless charging in my vehicle or anything) but it would be a nice feature.

I kind of went down a Xaomi hole after the post from @Thaco and I'm impressed actually. Was even thinking about seeing if the F1 Poco goes on sale on black friday. It is top of my budget but even $550 isn't insane for the specs. If not, the Note 5 Pro does seem pretty killer of a device. The new ones get worse reviews it seems.

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If you want a smaller phone, Sony ZX1 Compact. Awesome battery life, Snapdragon 835, photos are fantastic (even has 960-fps slow motion video) , fairly raw Android, not nearly the bloatware others have, Pie rollout has already started (likely the last one for this phone though). $350 USD right now, but Im sure Black Friday will have some blowout prices.

If you want something newer/better, and don't mind not having a headphone jack, the ZX2 Compact is even better. I just personally didn't like the curved back.

I'll have to see if I can find one. The super sqaure design is not pleasing to me.

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i went with the note 5 because of its significant amount of 3rd party support on XDA, You can easily flash vanilla-ish android

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Yeah, but some people just don't want to have to deal with that. I install LineageOS on my devices when the manufacturers no longer provide updates, but if I can get pure Android from the manufacturer, it's a no brainer. I appreciate the developers who do work on custom roms with their spare time, but I hate having to rely on them to come out with updates.

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i agree, but those are the perks of going cheap

Yeah that's my biggest thing. I hate the bloat-ware. But the Note 5 Pro really seems to be a front-runner right now. https://goo.gl/PyMKmY

[Sugarphreak]

...

[The Cosworth]

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Zenfones are pretty much the best bang for your buck, plus reliable. That would be a great way to go.

My wife has had 2 Xiaomi phones... they both started to shit the bed within 6 months. Wouldn't recommend that brand.

Also... blackberry... seriously. They have some lower cost phones that have amazing battery life, solid tech., and blackberry supports them with major updates regularly. Plus you get the convenience of Android with the security of a BB.

I've had a new BB for almost 2 years and compared to the Samsung shit I had before I love it. My next phone will be another BB for sure.

Im thinking of doing a zenphone for the wife and a xaomi for me. Both our phones are getting a bit grumpy (she has a S7, I have the S7-Edge). The zenphone is quite a big cheaper (25%).

Apparently the new BB camera is terrible (from what I've read).

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Thaco]

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Yeah that's my biggest thing. I hate the bloat-ware. But the Note 5 Pro really seems to be a front-runner right now. https://goo.gl/PyMKmY

yeah that's the one i got for my kid, was $187USD during their 11.11 sale

[D'z Nutz]

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Man, how did I miss that. Maybe because it didn't say android..... thanks. I just read your post, you mention you'd spend a little more and get an Android One version. Do you mean of the Note 5 or were you thinking something else like the Mi A2?

For the wireless charging / Android One thing. So Android one is because of the same thing you mention about ROM's. I just don't care to tinker too much to get a phone clean and running. My S7 has so much bloatware that I had to flash ROM's on it, but they're just never as stable. Wireless charging is mainly because I built a stand at work that holds my phone but keeps it fully charged while I listen to music. I dont NEED it (not like I have wireless charging in my vehicle or anything) but it would be a nice feature.

In the time I wrote that, my opinion has changed slightly. If you compare the hardware between the Note 5 Pro and the A1/A2/A2 Lite, the Note 5 Pro is the winner (for me, at least). It's got the fastest/newest processor of the four AND it's got the biggest battery. The processor differences probably aren't a big deal for most things and you'll only notice it if you're gaming. Everyone was raving about the battery before I got this and I thought, big fucking deal, and now I can't even look at other phones cause of it! I still like smaller phones and once or twice a week I think maybe I should get a Nokia 6.1 or 7.1 as my daily driver, but then I always go back to the battery size hahaha

Now as far as the Xiaomi MIUI interface, I was a little hesitant to get the phone cause of it. I'll preface this by saying I am absolutely anal about the way my phones are set up. My icons and buttons have to be set up in a certain way, I don't want any apps installed that I'm not going to use, my settings have to be set up in a specific way, text size has to be a certain size, even the way I get my notifications. With that in mind I can say MIUI isn't bad. What bloat it has isn't terrible and a lot of it can be uninstalled or debloated without needing to unlock the bootloader or rooting it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Xiaomi/comm...at_the_note_5/

If you aren't weird like me (and most people aren't), it's really easy to get used to MIUI. It's got a lot of settings and customizations in it. So much so that it's even overwhelming sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I still installed the Pixel launcher and when the LineageOS comes out with an official Pie ROM and it's fully matured I'm going to switch to it, but until then I can live with it.

tl;dr: If I were to do it all over again I'd still go with the Note 5 Pro, but if the same phone came with Android One out-the-box, I'd pay more for it. I really think Xiaomi hit the ball out of the park with this model.

[The Cosworth]

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yeah that's the one i got for my kid, was $187USD during their 11.11 sale

:'( daym. Hopefully it drops some for Black Friday.

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In the time I wrote that, my opinion has changed slightly. If you compare the hardware between the Note 5 Pro and the A1/A2/A2 Lite, the Note 5 Pro is the winner (for me, at least). It's got the fastest/newest processor of the four AND it's got the biggest battery. The processor differences probably aren't a big deal for most things and you'll only notice it if you're gaming. Everyone was raving about the battery before I got this and I thought, big fucking deal, and now I can't even look at other phones cause of it! I still like smaller phones and once or twice a week I think maybe I should get a Nokia 6.1 or 7.1 as my daily driver, but then I always go back to the battery size hahaha

Now as far as the Xiaomi MIUI interface, I was a little hesitant to get the phone cause of it. I'll preface this by saying I am absolutely anal about the way my phones are set up. My icons and buttons have to be set up in a certain way, I don't want any apps installed that I'm not going to use, my settings have to be set up in a specific way, text size has to be a certain size, even the way I get my notifications. With that in mind I can say MIUI isn't bad. What bloat it has isn't terrible and a lot of it can be uninstalled or debloated without needing to unlock the bootloader or rooting it:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Xiaomi/comm...at_the_note_5/

If you aren't weird like me (and most people aren't), it's really easy to get used to MIUI. It's got a lot of settings and customizations in it. So much so that it's even overwhelming sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I still installed the Pixel launcher and when the LineageOS comes out with an official Pie ROM and it's fully matured I'm going to switch to it, but until then I can live with it.

tl;dr: If I were to do it all over again I'd still go with the Note 5 Pro, but if the same phone came with Android One out-the-box, I'd pay more for it. I really think Xiaomi hit the ball out of the park with this model.

Nice, OK that sounds like where my head is at as well. Especially if I can pick it up for even cheaper. I never found it on Amazon though. Looks like I am going to be waiting for AliExpress. :/

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If you aren't weird like me (and most people aren't)

Forgot what I am like hey? hahahaha

[The Cosworth]

If anyone else is following this, the Note 5 Global 64gb version is going on sale on Black Friday: BLACK FRIDAY SALE US $176.88 - 213.99

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Glob...9-7269186157a2

[D'z Nutz]

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Nice, OK that sounds like where my head is at as well. Especially if I can pick it up for even cheaper. I never found it on Amazon though. Looks like I am going to be waiting for AliExpress. :/

I bought mine from Amazon over the summer, but they're no longer in stock anymore.

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If anyone else is following this, the Note 5 Global 64gb version is going on sale on Black Friday: BLACK FRIDAY SALE US $176.88 - 213.99

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Glob...9-7269186157a2

Don't forget the Aliexpress coupon and eBates hahaha