Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

#198198 30-Jun-2016 08:07
Send private message

My Mum has an S4 mini and a 9" tablet, but wants to go with one device, partly because the tablet broke. Her specification is:

 

  • Must be suitable for both use as a phone and playing games like solitaire
  • No slower than the S4 mini - note that she doesn't need a flagship, but does want good quality
  • 5.5" screen - needs to be a practical size for a 5 foot tall woman. The Galaxy note is too large for her.
  • $300 to $600. Prefer a very good phone at $600 to a good phone at $300.
  • There must be a decent quality case available, as Mum tends to drop phones on a fairly regular basis.
  • Update: A good camera would be useful, suitable for an overseas trip. Working overseas (Thailand / Cambodia) would be handy too.

Suggestions appreciated.  Mauricio suggested the Huawei P8, which is 5.2", so probably not quite big enough but I'll put to her as an option.


Filter this topic showing only the reply marked as answer View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic
 1 | 2
Wade
2225 posts

Uber Geek


  #1583243 30-Jun-2016 11:36
Send private message

Is the Vodafone Smart Ultra not an option?

 

 

 

 




timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1583250 30-Jun-2016 11:49
Send private message

Possibly, but Mum's on 2 degrees. Can you buy it and move it over?


shk292
2855 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

  #1583251 30-Jun-2016 11:50
Send private message

Meizu M3?  I don't have one but they sound great




cshwone
1070 posts

Uber Geek


  #1583252 30-Jun-2016 11:50
Send private message

+1 for the Huawei P8. just got one for SWMBO and she is delighted with it.


vexxxboy
4244 posts

Uber Geek


  #1583253 30-Jun-2016 11:52
Send private message

timmmay:

 

Possibly, but Mum's on 2 degrees. Can you buy it and move it over?

 

 

yes , it's not locked to Vodafone, it just wont work on the Spark network. Ideal phone. 





Common sense is not as common as you think.


timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1583268 30-Jun-2016 12:14
Send private message

M3 sounds good, Smart Ultra sounds good. Can anyone compare them? I'll obviously look at reviews, but the Vodafone has limited reviews. A good case is really important.

 

How about when I add this requirement: a decent camera, suitable for being the main photo on an overseas trip. Oh and working overseas would be a bonus.


jonb
1771 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #1583281 30-Jun-2016 12:30
Send private message

P8 Lite at 5" is a great phone for the price, with good camera.


 
 
 

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).
timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1583283 30-Jun-2016 12:32
Send private message

jonb:

 

P8 Lite at 5" is a great phone for the price, with good camera.

 

 

Too small, but thanks for the idea.


shk292
2855 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

  #1583301 30-Jun-2016 12:58
Send private message

timmmay:

 

How about when I add this requirement: a decent camera, suitable for being the main photo on an overseas trip. Oh and working overseas would be a bonus.

 

 

I was about to say "don't be stupid, a phone will never substitute for a decent camera", then saw your signature

 

I'll still say that IMHO, using a phone as a primary camera for an overseas trip is not a good idea.  Factors such as the limited optics and battery life inherent in a phone just don't stack up


timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1583303 30-Jun-2016 13:01
Send private message

Interesting idea, at that price. I've asked Mum if she'd rather have a good $300 phone (Smart Ultra, Meizu, etc) or a very good but slightly smaller $500 - $600 phone (P8, Nexus)./

 

One review of 5X says "The Nexus 5X is a phone that hasn’t stood the test of time all too well. Deteriorating battery and performance are a noticeable and ongoing frustration at the moment Hopefully a future Android update will fix the issues, but for now you’d be better of paying a little more and getting the larger Nexus 6P if you want the best unskinned Android experience.

You can read my original Nexus 5X review below.
Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/nexus-5x-review#QXpx0l4A6Omv2LKu.99"


timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1583308 30-Jun-2016 13:08
Send private message

Yes, I told Mum to use her camera, but she wants to use a phone.

 

She's now said she's happy paying $500 - $600 if the phone will be significantly better than a $300 phone.


jonathan18
7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #1583849 1-Jul-2016 08:29
Send private message

timmmay:

 

Yes, I told Mum to use her camera, but she wants to use a phone.

 

She's now said she's happy paying $500 - $600 if the phone will be significantly better than a $300 phone.

 

 

What about a LG G4? http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=3117839

 

I was kinda tempted by the Nexus 5X, rather than the G4, but in the end I've read similarly critical comments of the 5X, plus the smaller size and lack of SD card...


timmmay

20580 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1583885 1-Jul-2016 09:22
Send private message

LG G4 looks like a great option. Bigger higher resolution screen, plenty of RAM, and reviews are generally good. It has a strange leather back, but cases are available that would hide it anyway. Costs $1100 at Harvey Norman but only $512 at Expert Infotech who have pretty good trademe feedback. Any thoughts on that as a place to buy?

 

Any thoughts on LG G4 vs Nexus 5X (comparison)? Nexus has slightly newer technology, USB C, standard back, and updates by Google regularly.


jonathan18
7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted

  #1583895 1-Jul-2016 09:38
Send private message

timmmay:

 

LG G4 looks like a great option. Bigger higher resolution screen, plenty of RAM, and reviews are generally good. It has a strange leather back, but cases are available that would hide it anyway. Costs $1100 at Harvey Norman but only $512 at Expert Infotech who have pretty good trademe feedback. Any thoughts on that as a place to buy?

 

Any thoughts on LG G4 vs Nexus 5X (comparison)? Nexus has slightly newer technology, USB C, standard back, and updates by Google regularly.

 

 

The G4 can be purchased with a standard back - the Pricespy link I included in my post is to that version. You can also purchase "Quick circle" cases for the G-series phones (eg from eBay) that replace the back cover of the phone, so add little in bulk (these are the ones with the round hole in the front cover).

 

I'm also planning on purchasing from Expert Infotech for the reason that they have a proper NZ presence, ie they're not an o/s-based drop-shipper.

 

Given this is for your mother - I'm getting the G4 for my wife, who's chosen to go with this over other phones including the 5X. She's used to a 5.5" inch screen and doesn't want to go smaller.

 

As it happens, I posted for advice on phone options at a similar price point a few months back, which may be worth your time reading - see http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=97&topicid=193645&page_no=1.

 

Note that the G4 has been superseded by the G5, but it's still an excellent performer. (Both the G4 and G5 are difficult to find at NZ high street retailers; HN is one of the few selling, but I'm pretty sure the price you quote there will be for the G5?)

 

 


 1 | 2
Filter this topic showing only the reply marked as answer View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15









Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.