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Cheap Android phone recommendations

Looks like I need to get a new phone sooner than expected as the current one may be about to fail completely and my PC is coincidentally on its last legs too ...

Not looking to spend too much - I paid £231 for my Moto G4-plus in Jan 2017 - so 7 years ago and has had a wonky screen all this time - so I imagine anything around the same price is going to be an upgrade...

It will need to be 5G...
 
Chz said:
Should also probably add... If you just want a basic 5G phone and don't care about a half arsed camera and performance from 5 years ago, there are options.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 5G, 6.67 AMOLED, 4GB 128GB, 33W 5000mAh, Dual SIM for £109 at Xiaomi | hotukdeals

www.hotukdeals.com www.hotukdeals.com

I don't recommend it, but we all have our own budgets.
Click to expand...
I have the model 2 version earlier (redmi note 10) and it works fine so unless you need some megacomputing power on your phone a very good cheap choice
 
Been using a new Samsung A15 quite a bit last week at work to test Intune. Seems pretty capable for the money, certainly quite a step up from the A13 they gave me when I started. I see you can get the 4g version for less than £100, which for something with an OLED screen I find a bit mind blowing. When I finish the project, I think I'll try and hang on to it and give the older one back.
 
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giffgaff are selling the pixel 7a cheap - I imagine that's tied to them ?
I'm hoping to leave the country (eventually) so I'll need to be able to buy a plan from a French company...

but it says :-

Why choose giffgaff?​

  • 21-days no quibble returns
  • Unlocked to any network
Click to expand...

How to unlock your iPhone or any phone, on any network

Bought a phone direct from a network provider before December 2021? If so, it might be locked to their network. Find out how to unlock it here.
www.giffgaff.com
 
gentlegreen said:
giffgaff are selling the pixel 7a cheap - I imagine that's tied to them ?
I'm hoping to leave the country (eventually) so I'll need to be able to buy a plan from a French company...

but it says :-



How to unlock your iPhone or any phone, on any network

Bought a phone direct from a network provider before December 2021? If so, it might be locked to their network. Find out how to unlock it here.
www.giffgaff.com
Click to expand...

I think it's far less common for phones to be locked than it once was. I've not had a locked phone for a long time. Many phones have dual SIM and this would defeat the point somewhat.

I think you need to ask
 
gentlegreen said:
giffgaff are selling the pixel 7a cheap - I imagine that's tied to them ?
I'm hoping to leave the country (eventually) so I'll need to be able to buy a plan from a French company...

but it says :-



How to unlock your iPhone or any phone, on any network

Bought a phone direct from a network provider before December 2021? If so, it might be locked to their network. Find out how to unlock it here.
www.giffgaff.com
Click to expand...
they're unlocked
 
going for it then :)

Is there more than one model of Pixel 7a ?

Can I simply put the giffgaff SIM in from my old phone and keep number and everything ?

Given I'm using a 6 year old Moto G4 plus with a wonky screen I think I ought to just order one
Get a replacement PAYG giffgaff SIM for the old one for dire emergency use
 
I've just bought a Pixel 8a and traded in my old Pixel 3a. The 3a with a cracked screen had a return value of £40 and the Google store added another £150 giving me a total £190 off the price (down from £499 to £309).
My main reason for replacing my old phone is that the 3a had fallen out of support a couple of years ago and the new 8a is offering seven years support.
The 8a is a fair bit heavier than the 3a but it has a larger screen in the similar body size.

I don't know how long the trade-in deal lasts - but below is the link. I have just posted back the old phone - so I haven't had the refund yet.

 
Thanks - but my old phone has no trade-in value... :(

But as you reminded me I checked and giffgaff had them available again at 269 so I ordered one.
So I just plug in the the Giffgaff sim from my current phone to keep my old number ?

I'll make my old phone PAYG and keep it for emergencies

I now need to order a USB to 3.5 adaptor for my earphones since my Chinese BT adaptor broke ...

I feel a bit decadent buying a new phone when my old one is only 6 years old ...
 
Last edited:
gentlegreen said:
Thanks - but my old phone has no trade-in value... :(

But as you reminded me I checked and giffgaff had them available again at 269 so I ordered one.
So I just plug in the the Giffgaff sim from my current phone to keep my old number ?

I'll make my old phone PAYG and keep it for emergencies

I now need to order a USB to 3.5 adaptor for my earphones since my Chinese BT adaptor broke ...

I feel a bit decadent buying a new phone when my old one is only 6 years old ...
Click to expand...
you can just migrate your whole phone content onto the new one then bung the new chip in (or even before transferring everything)
gentlegreen said:
Has anyone bought one of these and can recommend a decent one ?
And / or a cheap BT adaptor that isn't terrible ?
Otherwise I'm going to have to use my phone upside down in my bag.

View attachment 428027

Amazon.co.uk : usb c to 3.5mm angled

www.amazon.co.uk
Click to expand...
bought a couple of cable from them and they were ok
 
So after a bit of searching I installed Google Contacts and can now see my phone contacts in Gmail...
And it's made me discover google messages so I can send and receive texts via my PC - hopefully less clunkily than Airdroid of another one I tried....

I've ordered my standard faux leather wallet ...

I'm thinking of getting this ... 0.2 metres - effectively something of a socket-saver - then I have more choice of USB to 3.5 DAC adaptor ...
Ultimately I need to go BT and I may well try wireless charging even though it's slow and inefficient ...

1717929479150.png
 
Giffgaff just offered to buy my (6 year) old phone...
I'll stick a PAYG SIM in it and keep it for emergencies..
My 14 year old phone is still limping along though O2 are threatening to cut me off for non-use - which is a lie as I always sent a text when they warned me... I apparently have £5.47 credit on it.
:p

I suppose I ought to sort out the handful of places that have that as my number - I wonder if that SIM would work in my middle-aged phone ...

1717938273992.png
 
Pity, there are some Google trade in schemes with a minimum. I got £125 fornl my Galaxy S6 last year when I bought the Pixel 7.
 
So it's arrived.
Oo er I don't like change :p
My old phone is Android 7
I noticed how much heavier it was - 138g compared to 117g.
The screen aspect ratio will take getting used to.
The stereo sound from the speakers is impressive and it makes a change to be able to turn up the screen brightness without it self-selecting random stuff ...a shame you have to touch the actual screen for the fingerprint sensor...

Bloody hell the wallpaper has moving waves !

The charging cable is USB C both ends and the adaptor is the wrong way - as if people have USB A to A cables in the house .. luckily I had a charge cable from a cheap torch and I think I'm going to opt for slow charging as much as possible to make the battery last a bit longer than the Motorola one has ...
 
I recently ordered a 3 pack of C to C by mistake. I went to return them and Amazon said to keep them and gave me a refund. So now they're sat in the draw for some point when I move into the future and replace my chargers. But that time is not yet and the only C adapter I've got is a 65w laptop one which I'm not sure i should use with cheap cables.
 
gentlegreen said:
So it's arrived.
Oo er I don't like change :p
My old phone is Android 7
I noticed how much heavier it was - 138g compared to 117g.
The screen aspect ratio will take getting used to.
The stereo sound from the speakers is impressive and it makes a change to be able to turn up the screen brightness without it self-selecting random stuff ...a shame you have to touch the actual screen for the fingerprint sensor...

Bloody hell the wallpaper has moving waves !

The charging cable is USB C both ends and the adaptor is the wrong way - as if people have USB A to A cables in the house .. luckily I had a charge cable from a cheap torch and I think I'm going to opt for slow charging as much as possible to make the battery last a bit longer than the Motorola one has ...
Click to expand...
It doesn't really fast charge. I think it tops out at 20W or something, which isn't going affect the life of it. Not compared to the 65W and 100+W chargers out there.
 
Chz said:
I still have mini-USB in the house because some of the bike lights take it. You name it, I have a cable.
Click to expand...
A male to A male was the one I always struggled to find, because I only have two of them and they don't get used very often, but they're essential for flashing and unbricking a lot of the Android boxes. But I have probably 20 or more USB C cables, so I just have C-A adapters scattered around the house. You can never have enough adapters and gender changers.
 
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