Which mid-range Phone?

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gcorgnet

1078 posts

Uber Geek

#251353 20-Jun-2019 19:31

Hey guys,

My wife is in need of a new phone and I have been tasked to look at options:

- Android

- Decent to good camera

- Decent battery life

That's about it, really. We're probably looking for a mid range device that's good enough for most people and won't be slow as hell. Hoping to spend about $300-400...

Huawei Nova seemed a good option but it seems wrong ti be buying Huawei right now. What else is good?

Thanks,

Guillaume

1 | 2

237 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#2262054 21-Jun-2019 15:55

https://www.coolmobile.net.nz/mobile/mobile/1276-samsung-galaxy-a10-sm-a105.html

very nice phone for the price

gcorgnet

1078 posts

Uber Geek

#2262056 21-Jun-2019 15:57

Thanks for that. Sorry should have specified that we'd rather avoid Samsung and would prefer to be as close to Vanilla Android a possible.

mattwnz

20141 posts

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#2262058 21-Jun-2019 16:01

Nokia?

rb99

3422 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#2262059 21-Jun-2019 16:02

Some kind of Nokia ?

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

nzkc

1571 posts

Uber Geek

#2262061 21-Jun-2019 16:04

rb99:

Some kind of Nokia ?

Exactly what I was thinking and you replied before I could finish grabbing some links! :D

At that price, probably the Nokia 6.1

499 @ Warehouse Stationary: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/nokia-61-64gb-bluegold/

279 + postage @ DSE: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/nokia-61-64gb-bluegold

rb99

3422 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#2262064 21-Jun-2019 16:09

nzkc:

rb99:

Some kind of Nokia ?

Exactly what I was thinking and you replied before I could finish grabbing some links! :D

At that price, probably the Nokia 6.1

499 @ Warehouse Stationary: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/nokia-61-64gb-bluegold/

279 + postage @ DSE: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/nokia-61-64gb-bluegold

399 at The Warehouse apparently

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

3422 posts

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#2262065 21-Jun-2019 16:11

I did get a Xiaomi Note 7 for about $310 recently, but its not stock and hasn't got Band 28, but good bang for buck.

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

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ShinyChrome

1575 posts

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#2262074 21-Jun-2019 16:54

gcorgnet: Thanks for that. Sorry should have specified that we'd rather avoid Samsung and would prefer to be as close to Vanilla Android a possible.

If you haven't used a Samsung phone in a while, I would encourage you to give one a go the next time you are passing a retailer. I only mention it as it was a trap I myself fell into, owning only 'mah Nexuses' until I bought a Note 9. One UI is a completely different experience and I now find vanilla Android bland and incomplete by comparison. In saying that, you would expect it to be good on a $1500 phone. But still.

Personally I would be taking a good hard look at the recently released Galaxy A series. Or for slighty more money. The specs seem pretty competitive for the price range, but I haven't had a chance to play with one though.

There is the Nokia series, but honestly the ones I could find in that price range, most had pretty dire looking specs and were older releases. Slightly more money will get you the 7.1, but I don't think the value for money is great.

Another one that might be worth looking at is a few of the Xiaomi offerings, the Redmi Note 7 or Pocophone if you can get it in stock, but beware that a few of the lower spec phones don't seem to have NFC. I have heard good feedback about some of Xiaomi's mid range phones, but personally, I dislike most of the Chinese OEM's implementations of Android.

If you want a few more mid-range options though, you probably want to bump your budget up a couple of hundred dollars really.

EDIT: Say no to double negatives kids

vexxxboy

4243 posts

Uber Geek

#2262080 21-Jun-2019 17:13

the Nokia 7 plus has been on sale for $399 the last couple of weeks , maybe wait for another sale.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

zyo

513 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2262082 21-Jun-2019 17:21

Pixel 3a

Pure Android directly maintained by Google
3 year guaranteed os update
Amazing camera
399usd
OLED screen
Global lte including Band 28 support

NikT

1710 posts

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Trusted

#2262107 21-Jun-2019 17:35

I would suggest keeping an eye out for the upcoming launch of Moto G7 Power, G7, G7 Plus, and Moto One Vision to satisfy your desire for vanilla Android.

In other flavours of Android: Samsung's new A-series is very good value if you can find stock, it's in shortage around the country. Huawei's exceptionally-specced Nova 3i is on sale for $299 in various places right now. Then there is of course Redmi Note 7.

rb99:

I did get a Xiaomi Note 7 for about $310 recently, but its not stock and hasn't got Band 28, but good bang for buck.

Local stock of Redmi Note 7 has band 28 (and two year warranty).

zyo: Pixel 3a

Pure Android directly maintained by Google
3 year guaranteed os update
Amazing camera
399usd
OLED screen
Global lte including Band 28 support

That's twice his budget mate, ~$700 inc GST + shipping with no warranty...

Product Manager @ PB Tech

Smartphones @ PB Tech | Headphones @ PB Tech

ShinyChrome

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#2262109 21-Jun-2019 17:52

zyo: Pixel 3a

Pure Android directly maintained by Google
3 year guaranteed os update
Amazing camera
399usd
OLED screen
Global lte including Band 28 support

If they were sold here maybe, but unless someone reputable decides to bring them in, honestly why bother?

Either you get a hefty customs bill for importing it, or you have to have an 'in' in Australia/overseas, just to get it here. And then you have no NZ based support and no CGA either. Which you probably want given how Google's hardware QA has been lately.

All that for a good camera, 'meh' everything else phone just so you can have Pixel flavored Android. There are many more suitable options sold in NZ.

Even if they did setup them here, they certainly wouldn't be the value for money powerhouse that the Nexus range was. The pixel line really is a hot mess. Although the Nexus range QA was a bit of a lottery towards the end, they certainly punched well above their price tag.

zyo

513 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2262129 21-Jun-2019 18:42

ShinyChrome:
zyo: Pixel 3a

Pure Android directly maintained by Google
3 year guaranteed os update
Amazing camera
399usd
OLED screen
Global lte including Band 28 support

If they were sold here maybe, but unless someone reputable decides to bring them in, honestly why bother?

Either you get a hefty customs bill for importing it, or you have to have an 'in' in Australia/overseas, just to get it here. And then you have no NZ based support and no CGA either. Which you probably want given how Google's hardware QA has been lately.

All that for a good camera, 'meh' everything else phone just so you can have Pixel flavored Android. There are many more suitable options sold in NZ.

Even if they did setup them here, they certainly wouldn't be the value for money powerhouse that the Nexus range was. The pixel line really is a hot mess. Although the Nexus range QA was a bit of a lottery towards the end, they certainly punched well above their price tag.

At OP's price range he'd have to look at grey import market to get value for money. Local retailer is easily 100+ more than imports for the same model (RedMi etc).

DickSmith does sell them for less than 700 but granted it'd still be a big strech with the budget.

old3eyes

9119 posts

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Subscriber

#2262139 21-Jun-2019 19:07

nzkc:
rb99:

Some kind of Nokia ?

Exactly what I was thinking and you replied before I could finish grabbing some links! :D

At that price, probably the Nokia 6.1

499 @ Warehouse Stationary: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/nokia-61-64gb-bluegold/

279 + postage @ DSE: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/nokia-61-64gb-bluegold

From what I've seen of the specs on phones that DSE sells there is no LTE band 28 on most of them.

Regards,

Old3eyes

nzkc

1571 posts

Uber Geek

#2262185 21-Jun-2019 19:44

rb99:
399 at The Warehouse apparently

It is indeed! I'd get this.

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gcorgnet

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