... AKA the sequel to "Best Android phone options <$400?"
Back late last year I sought some advice re sub-$400 Android phones, as per that link; the phone I ended up getting my wife was a Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which has generally been good but has an occasional but still fatal flaw that makes it unsuitable for a work phone (which is what she now needs), so I'm back looking.
Generally, I'm after overall better features to last time (given it's intended use as a business phone), and acknowledge the need to lift the budget to get something suitable.
Must haves (the key ones are captured in this Pricespy search):
- $700 or lower (could stretch a little more for something brilliant)
- screen at least 5”, preferably 5.5" (her current size)
- work on all networks (rules out Vodafone Ultra, but the recent reports of screen probs would also rule it out)
- 4G (again, on all networks)
- has a decent camera
- minimum of 16GB RAM; 32 or 64 if no SD card slot
- running at least 5.0
- be appropriate for and reliable as a business phone
Preferable features:
- SD card slot
- decent screen resolution of at least 1080
- still be supported for the next couple of years in terms of updates (even if not to new Android versions, at least receive patches)
Must not:
- be only available as a Chinese import (a la Xiaomi etc) - not willing again to risk buying something half-baked that the manufacturer shows little interest in putting back in the oven
- have lots of bloatware - I'm not keen on Samsungs, partly on this basis, partly just 'cos for some reason I don't generally like their phones, irrational though this may be
Happy if it's:
- a parallel-imported version of a phone otherwise available here; just needs to be available from a reputable retailer that'll issue a legal NZ tax invoice; would prefer a standard NZ retailer, but realise it's unusual to get a truly decent phone at a good price from such a shop (that said, saw the post where HN's had the G4 for mid-600s).
- an oldie but a goodie (ie, former flagship); would prefer this to a more modern but compromised phone
Appreciate any recommendations on such a phone, and thoughts on the ones thus far identified (as per list below). Thanks!
Possible models identified thus far:
- LG G3 (mid $400s for 32GB D855)
- LG G4 ($600sh up; don't want the leather back)
- HTC One E9+ 32GB (mid $500s)
- Nexus 5x ($600sh for 16GB; $700sh for 32GB)
- Moto X2 ($500sh for 16GB)
- Huawei P8 (mid $600s for 16GB)
- If I must: Samsung S5 ($400s) or S6 (around $700)
At this stage, I'm tilting towards the G3 as it's a known quantity (I've got one) and gives a lot of bang for buck despite its age; alternatively, may look to the (plain-backed) G4, the price of which should drop when the G5's released.
(Edit: edited to sort formatting; numbers used only as bullets wouldn't format correctly.)