Phone recommendations

Forums › Android › Phone recommendations - $350 budget

SomePostman

139 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 27

#208465 13-Feb-2017 12:32

Hi all,
My wife smashed her phone yesterday and needs a replacement for her Moto G2, so I'm looking for something around $350. I've been reading online but a lot of the recommendations they have are only available through the parallel importer places.

Is the Samsung J5 prime any good?

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794 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 79

#1719334 13-Feb-2017 12:41

The J5 Prime is quite good, seems to do most things well enough. You could also looks at this: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=77&topicid=208458

I see someone here is selling a Nexus 5x in your price range might be worth a look. Note Im not recommending this just noticed it, thought it would be worth the mention.

SomePostman

139 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 27

#1719337 13-Feb-2017 12:50

Looks like jb HiFi have the Sony Xperia XA for $299. It's very similar on most stats to the J5 but octo-core. Anyone have experience with either?

CitizenErased

208 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1719384 13-Feb-2017 13:36

Huawei P9 Lite would be my pick. I picked one up in the Waitangi weekend sales for $299 (JB Hi-Fi). They're often on special for $349 (normally $399).

SomePostman

139 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 27

#1719390 13-Feb-2017 13:39

The only thing that puts me off the P9 lite is the battery size. How do you find it?

sxz

761 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 194

#1719397 13-Feb-2017 13:47

Stick with Moto G:

$359 with free shipping (edit: not free shipping)

https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/motorola-moto-g4-plus-4th-gen-xt1642-dual-sim-16gb-black/

CitizenErased

208 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1719484 13-Feb-2017 16:19

SomePostman: The only thing that puts me off the P9 lite is the battery size. How do you find it?

The battery capacity is 3,000 mAh. I'm a very light user and it looks like I'll get three days out of a full charge.

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

CitizenErased

208 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1719486 13-Feb-2017 16:19

SomePostman: Looks like jb HiFi have the Sony Xperia XA for $299. It's very similar on most stats to the J5 but octo-core. Anyone have experience with either?

The Sony has terrible battery life. That's why they've had to discount it so much. A shame really, because I love the size and shape of this phone.

lNomNoml

1841 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 521

ID Verified

#1719511 13-Feb-2017 17:03

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MPHMZU3100/MEIZU-M3-note-Silver-4G-LTE-55-FHD-Display-3GB-Ram

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MPHMOT1036/Motorola-Moto-G-3rd-Gen-2015-XT1550-IPX75-HD13M-Re

SomePostman

139 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 27

#1719512 13-Feb-2017 17:08

Seems like incredible value for money. But I wonder if my wife would find it too big? (No comments about my wife being used to sub 5.5" lol)

33coupe

1024 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 75

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#1721239 16-Feb-2017 13:25

I know it's just above your budget but I got my ex gf this

http://www.parallelimported.co.nz/mobile-phones/huawei-p9-lite-vns-l31-gold-mobile-phone.html

3gb ram, very snappy.

Only problem is that it's limited to 2 degrees and Vodafone.

foxy38

360 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 10

#1722498 18-Feb-2017 22:56

p9 lite...great phone ex battery life..399$ hd screen

foxy

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CitizenErased

208 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 50

#1722538 19-Feb-2017 09:39

foxy38: p9 lite...great phone ex battery life..399$ hd screen

Correction: Full HD screen

What's more, if you register your phone with Huawei within 90 days of purchase, they'll replace the screen for free if you accidentally break it in the first year of ownership. In addition, if it develops a hardware fault within the first 28 days, they'll replace it with a new one. It also comes with a two year warranty.

At this price point, you don't get a Gorilla Glass screen. The phone comes with a factory-installed plastic film screen protector, but this doesn't provide much protection (I found a scratch in mine within a few days). I replaced it with a tempered glass screen protector, which I got off Trade Me for $4.

I couldn't be happier with my P9 Lite, especially since I got it for just $299.

sultanoswing

818 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 160

#1722722 19-Feb-2017 17:15

I've been contemplating an upgrade for my ol' i9300 (admittedly running Nougat, but still...).

Amazed at how much phone you can get these days for a few hundred dollars. Options in this price bracket I'd been lookin' at were the Moto G2, P9 Lite and Xiaomi Redmi 4 (5") and Redmi Note 4 (5.5"). The Xiaomi's look like great value - aluminium cases and very decent specs (3GB RAM, 64GB on-board storage, deca core Snapdragon 625, 4100maH battery, fingerprint sensor...). Only couple of downsides seem to be no Gorilla Glass, fixed battery, and LED rather than OLED. The Redmi 3 and Note 3 are also very good value, albeit last year's models (SD 650 SoC). A feature these phones have which the high end ones lack is FM capability, if (like me) that remains important for you.

And if you don't mind taking the chance on parallel importing your own, you can get 'em for well less than $300 (http://www.banggood.com/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-4-Fingerprint-5_5-inch-3GB-RAM-64GB-MTK-X20-Deca-core-4G-Smartphone-p-1080995.html)

TeaLeaf

6436 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1241

#1725114 23-Feb-2017 12:44

Id go the Mi 5 over the p9 lite or the moto g plus, simply for superior camera and far better CPU and GPU. The one thing you lose is the countryside 4G band, but you still get 3G, so to me its a no brainer. Behind the Mi 5 id go the asus zenfone 3 for a better camera. Depends whats most important to you.

But in saying this, id wait for the Mi 6 to be released soonish (1-2 months supposedly). That is what I am doing.

Heres the first 3 compared.

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=6948&idPhone2=7983&idPhone3=8050

sultanoswing

818 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 160

#1725315 23-Feb-2017 17:19

Id go the Mi 5 over the p9 lite

So long as you don't want FM capability.

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