How about something like the Nokia 4.2
32Gb Storage, decent enough camera, costs around £130 & decent battery life. Another plus is that out the box it is running Android One (stock Android system so no clutter) so you will get updates quickly.
https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_gb/nokia-4-2
Kicker at the moment is that you can't get hands on with something to get a feel for it. An alternative to the Nokia I have mentioned is the Motorola G7 Play which you can get at Argos for around £100 and is a bit snappier when using it
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8835...la%20g7:1:56:1
Saracen999 (17-05-2020)
as Cat says Pixel 3A <£300 is a good deal. The storage is a bit meagre these days at just 64GB but otherwise a very very solid phone.
Hey guys. I'm currently considering a Huawei P20 pro as an upgrade to my ageing Samsung S7, which I've found great tbf, but wouldn't mind a camera upgrade, alongside a new battery.
I imagine the P20 won't have any issues re android?
An offer of £23 per m. on EE 4gb Inc no upfront cost is grabbing my attention.
Alternatives? Camera priority for me.
Saracen999 (18-05-2020)
Whilst theoretically true given they both use MMC protocols, internal storage does impact phone benchmarks and the manufacturer knows the precise spec and can make sure their Linux kernel in the phone is negotiating at the highest possible rate with that device.
As for actually using an SD card, some phones are better than others at that. The Sony I had was pretty good at sweeping stuff over, some are good at keeping photos and videos on the card, but usually I just put my music collection on a card and hope that's enough.
Motorola since Lenovos buyout essentially don't update the phones at all post launch, so if any big android security holes are discovered you're out of luck. Good phones for the price though.
I got a Nokia because at the time it was the cheapest available Android One handset with a USB C port. It does everything I ask of it which admittedly isn't too much as I don't game or otherwise stretch the CPU.
I bought it last summer with Android 9 out of the box, it updated to Android 10 around Xmas and both before and after it gets the monthly security patches fairly regularly. It's currently on the April 2020 security update.
Have to say that battery life and being able to use MicroSD are also amongst my top priorities.
Of the Samsungs I'd add the M30s into the mix:
https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php...&idPhone3=9818
The big 6,000mAh battery lasts really long despite the big AMOLED screen.
Not sure what the story is with Samsung's A versus M, but the A50 and the M30s (which was recently updated to the M31 with improved camera and Android 10 vs 9) seem fairly similar.
Compared to similar budget phones, Samsung A's and M's tend to have slow processors though.
Of the hungry Chinese budget brands, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is pretty good value:
https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php...idPhone3=10079
Although if lack of expandable memory is not a deal-breaker (I'm stubborn that way and while I'm resigned to no more user-replaceable batteries, the anti-consumer lack of SD card slots automatically rules out Google Pixels etc.), the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G at around £270 is pretty good value: AMOLED, Snapdragon 855, reasonable battery, etc.
Based on info on the net (hence potentially wrong) is that the M-series is a budget version (in build quality, and some features like in-screen fingerprint sensors, designed for direct sale not via stores and, initially at least, in India only. Being online-only meant aggressive priced ss no middlemen cuts were involved.
Most hardware specs seem to be directly comparable, with some M models having slighly later variants, due probably to being more recent launches.
HOWEVER .... they always see to have chunky batteries (like 6000 mAh as opposed to A-series more like 4000-ish mAh).
But from what i can see, kompucare, you're dead right that they deserve to be in the mix.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
@ spacein ....
Looked at the Nokia 9. It looks good, except that (unless I misread it) no external card slot. That is a deal-killer for me. And (IMHO) inexcusable at £350.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
If you want any guarantee of updates,Android One is realistically the best way forward,otherwise you are relying on manufacturer support.. A lot of the skins also add bloat to the devices,slowing them down. Samsung cameras tend to a bit average unless you go to the S series ranges,and they can bundle slow SOCs,so look carefully at the ARM cores types they bundle in the SOC compared to competitors.
Saracen999 (18-05-2020)
Currently .... tempted by Sammy A-71.
So much for me NEVER spending anything like that on a phone.
So before some of you Hexus old-timers soil your underwear in uncontrollable laughter at the amount of u-turns I'm currently doing as Hexus' long-standing dinosaur discovers the modern world (and I admit to starting to feel dizzy) .... I would point out I never said I wouldn't spend several hundrrd quid on a tablet. And my Sammy Tab4 7" is both showing it's age, and playing up.
So .... the A71 might be my tablet replacement, y'see.
And by a strange coincidence, it has a built-in phone. I'm shocked.
So I havent u-turned and am not considering £400 on a phone.
I hope you're all impressed by my dazzling logic. Next, I'm going to cover how many angels can dance (simultanously) on the pointy end of a pin.
PS. If anyone bougnt that, please PM me for some special offers on genuine fake Rolexes that would be perfect for you. Great ptices too. Honest.
No takers? Damn.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
Not familiar with that model, mine is a bit older now, Nokia 7.1 which does have one.
A good place to check phone specifications (ignore the pricing they list though, tends to stay as the original MRRP) is https://www.gsmarena.com/
It'll let you select multiple models and run a comparision too.
Honestly if you are spending £400+ on a A71,you might as well look for a deal on Samsung S10e,which has gone below £500. The Redmi K30 is around half the price of the A71 for similar specifications!
Just realised,the list on the Android website,didn't have any of the Xiaomi phones. The Mi A3 is stock Android,and is an Android One,so none of the MIUI on top.
Starts about £200ish IIRC,although not the highest resolution screen.
Depend what "looking" involves, Cat. I'm still highly traditional in where I order from, and that means sellers I know and trust to not be hassle if anything goes wrong. e.g. Amazon themselves, yes, but Marketplace? Only for low value transactions. Ebay> Not for about 10 years. I even avoid PcWorld / Carphone watehuse if I can.
It's about hassle avoidance and even peace of mind.
A71 now ordered. From John Lewis.
Can I thank everybody for their generosity with their time, answering questions and nudging me along. Every suggestion expanded my knowledge, even if only to rule things out.
A lesson learned from PeterB about dignity in adversity, so Peter, In Memorium, "Onwards and Upwards".
ik9000 (18-05-2020)
Carriers often do deals,ie,O2 shop and places such as Laptopsdirect(excellent reviews on Trustpilot). Amazon also. Because the Galaxy S20 is out,the previous generation gets dropped in price,especially with 5G being the newest standard,slightly older flagships get dropped in price. I think the cheapest I saw about two weeks ago was around £450 new for an S10e,and £300 from Argos,but the latter was "refurbished",so probably new warranty replacement stock in a brown box.
Last edited by CAT-THE-FIFTH; 18-05-2020 at 05:49 PM.
Saracen999 (18-05-2020)
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