Budget Android 4.0 dual-core smartphones

[gino_76ph]

Hi there!

I currently have an HTC Sensation Android 4.0 phone. But, i'm looking at scaling back and wanted a similar-speced budget Android 4.0 phone.

My budget is around the £200-£250 mark. I want something that does the usual bits like an iPhone, has a Google Play Store, at least a dual-core processor but most importantly it has to sound good. What i mean by that is the sound chip (or sound capability when a headphone is put on) has to be really crisp clear and support some form of surround sound and has to have equalizers that you can customise. Better, it has to support Dolby Mobile or an equivalent.

I know HTC phones does have some form of Dolby chip/enhancements in their phones (like the Sensation) but how about those new Huawei/ZTE phones? And how about Samsung? I heard that Sammy tend to change their sound chips in every phones so it isn't that consistent. With Sony i had those older pre-Experia Android 4.0 phones last year and it sounded awful. I know LG has Dolby chip/capability but you don't tend to hear them around this days and they are quite slow in updating their phones.

Shall i stick to my Sensation? Wait for HTC phone prices to come down? Or try Huawei?

Please advice. Thanks.

[Bunjiweb]

Have to say for £200-250 you are unlikely to get anything better than the Sensation at the moment. It's still a great phone.

What do you mean by scaling back?...

[Terbinator]

Stick with the Sensation.

[jimborae]

Samsung Galaxy Nexus from Amazon.de for about £260 or 325 Euros. Not a buget phone but just about in your price range & worth it!

[gino_76ph]

I just thought there is anything in the market now that can replace my Sensation which is within my budget.

The Huawei Ascend P1 looks amazing for its specs. But i do question the Dolby Mobile bit if one can customise its equalizers settings and if the camera has a continious or burst-mode in it.

[mikemikemi]

The Xiaomi 2 looks interesting (awesome specs at a low price):
http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/16/x...e-2-quad-core/

Engadget says $310, which google equates to £191, bargain.

Downside is that it seems there won't be a Europe release, however, if the price is for real I'm sure they'll start popping up on Ebay, albeit at a premium, but can't imagine there won't be a demand for it.

[dbbloke]

Good article on www.gizchina.com for 200$ phones. Obviously the JiYau G3 seems best if you can get one from fastcardtech or somewhere.

[lhayati]

You can get the Acer Liquid Gallant Duo (Black)
http://www.expansys.com/acer-liquid-...-black-234432/ for only £159

[mikemikemi]

This is £252:
http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php...nlocked--grey-

[gino_76ph]

I have just upped my budget to around £300. I think that still qualify for a "budget" phone.

I try to avoid those China/Hong Kong-made phones as i had a bad experience when i bought one on Ebay. Still prefer those "well known" ones like LG, Acer, HTC, Samsung or Sony. But unless there is a really good chines-made one then i will have to just check it out.

I am due for an upgrade this June 2013 and i feel its still a long way. my HTC Sensation still does the job but i want something a bit faster (than 1.0Ghz processor), faster RAM (than my 768MB), a good 8MP (or more) camera (HDR, BSI, low light, burst mode, very good strong/warm colours, 1080p stereo record, etc.), a 4.3" (or more) screen, very good (or user-replaceable) battery and one that has really good sound like Dolby Mobile and not those gimicky Beats Audio or Xloud or DNsE.

[dbbloke]

The phone to buy without doubt or anything to touch its spec for under 300 quid as well is the Chinese
Oppo finder 5.

[mikemikemi]

If you're not due to upgrade till June 2013 which is a long time in technological advancements, then if you're waiting you should consider the higher end phones out now, because by June next year as newer models get released they'll drop into the £300 range.

Although, a quick look on line shows that the S2 is now ~£300 and the One-X is ~£350 now.

[gino_76ph]

I know June 2013 is a long way off. That is why at the moment my list goes this way:

HTC One X or One S
LG Optimus 4X HD or Optimus G (aka Optimus Nexus)
Huawei Ascend P1 or D Quad
Samsung Galaxy S3 (not the S2)


It is hoped that by January Sales there will be a field day for these phones. What do you think?

Any other recommendations?

[Bonebreaker777]

They are hardly budget are they?

Under budget I would assume something like Galaxy Ace 2 or so...

[technodean]

I too have the sensation xe, been looking into a new phone as the battery life isn't too good. Everyone I know has an S3 so been looking at other brands/ models. New HTC's are too pricey at the moment. I have had the LG 4X in my ebay watch list for sometime, Looks to be good phone and even has a quad core 1.5ghz with an extra low ghz core to save battery. Was £250 when I put it in my watch list and is now £225 from e-cell/ ebay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-SIM-FR...item2c6e308d2a

[dbbloke]

[QUOTE=technodean;2955693]I too have the sensation xe, been looking into a new phone as the battery life isn't too good. Everyone I know has an S3 so been looking at other brands/ models. New HTC's are too pricey at the moment. I have had the LG 4X in my ebay watch list for sometime, Looks to be good phone and even has a quad core 1.5ghz with an extra low ghz core to save battery. Was £250 when I put it in my watch list and is now £225 from e-cell/ ebay.


The 4X is very old and expensive and it's LG which makes it annoying from a support/how well it works perspective (I've still got a 2X).

Oppo release a new phone tomorrow, find5 mini, but Oppo are an expensive make.
JaiYu have a new S1 which uses a snapdragon 600 with 25000 antutu.
iocean has an x7 for £140 shipped and x7 elite for about £190.
umi have the x2
Then there are things like the zopo980, THL w8+

The 6589T chip is the one to go for. Usually you can get - 15k antutu, 1080p/720p screen, 13mp camera, 2GB memory, 32GB rom, dual sim (one for internet, one for phone), sdhc all for about £150-£200 max.

Yeah, they are chinese phones but we live in a global world nowadays unless you are a madly patriotic, build quality is fine esp when considering price

I like www.gizchina.com for a chinese review info site myself, but there is gizmochina as well and loads of other info out there. Seriously, to consider double the money for an average spec Euro phone is crazy. Especially as mobiles have no import duty or tax.

Google will have a new phone out in what is it, October? Funny you even entertain the idea of a 4X over a nexus 4 (granted it's a bit small). So finding a company with rom support as android v5.0 will be out soon. Like LG took yrs to bring us the ics update for the 2X and its still rubbish.