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  #1  
Old 06-05-2019, 9:16 PM
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Default Android phone under $200

What unlocked Android phone would you recommend for under $200? I was looking at moto g6 or g7..

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  #2  
Old 06-06-2019, 3:57 AM
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I REALLY like the LG V20, although since 2 updates it is not as zippy, so I would enable dev mode, and disable updates OOTB... Bluetooth worked better OOTB too.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...Condition=1000

However, I would get your provider's model, even if unlocked...
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  #3  
Old 08-06-2019, 7:32 AM
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I've got a Blu Vivo XL4 that I'm pretty happy with. $139 from Amazon. I've used it in the Philippines and Thailand on their networks with no issues. Currently on T Mobile here, works good.
Xiaomi sounds good on the surface but I haven't looked into them much.
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  #4  
Old 08-06-2019, 7:40 AM
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Wanna buy my lg g6 for $175 shipped? Charge holds up for about 12 hours maybe 8 hrs if you watch 1 2 hour movie.
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Old 08-06-2019, 7:40 AM
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Moto G6/7 are good choices. Take a look at the G7 power, slightly stepped down processor and screen resolution, paired with a giant battery for all day staying power. Great if you need a phone for browsing and consuming media thoughout the day.

IME I would avoid BLU, they're very functional but basic Android phones that won't be catching any software updates in the future (safety issues) and they are relatively poorly built compared to the other budget options of Motorola, Honor, Huawei etc.

Forgot to ask, which network will you be using the phone on? A GSM (at&t, T-Mobile) or CDMA network (Sprint, Verizon)?

Dan
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  #6  
Old 08-06-2019, 7:50 AM
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G6.
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  #7  
Old 08-06-2019, 8:26 AM
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Flip Fone.
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  #8  
Old 08-06-2019, 10:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ex231 View Post
I've got a Blu Vivo XL4 that I'm pretty happy with. $139 from Amazon. I've used it in the Philippines and Thailand on their networks with no issues. Currently on T Mobile here, works good.
Xiaomi sounds good on the surface but I haven't looked into them much.
Can you post a Speedtest screenscrape with 4g on t-Mo?
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  #9  
Old 08-06-2019, 10:58 AM
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I got a Xiaomi Redmi 7 for $150 for 4 months now to replace my Samsung S8+ and very happy with it.
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  #10  
Old 08-06-2019, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by the86d View Post
Can you post a Speedtest screenscrape with 4g on t-Mo?
I'm on a prepaid plan and I suspect the speed on the prepaid is throttled but I can't prove it. I haven't done a speed test in a while so I'm surprised this one is as good as it is. Last I checked it was about half that.
I was on Straight Talk running on ATT for a long time and decided to try ATT prepaid thinking it would be faster. It was actually slower.
There are Blu haters as evidenced by a poster above, but for the money I think they're a pretty good value. I'm not into expensive phones. As for the Motos they may be good now but my experience with them in the past was not good.
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  #11  
Old 08-06-2019, 1:14 PM
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I bought a Tracfone pre-paid for 40 bucks on Black Friday. Don't think it's unlocked though.
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  #12  
Old 08-06-2019, 7:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RookieShooter View Post
I got a Xiaomi Redmi 7 for $150 for 4 months now to replace my Samsung S8+ and very happy with it.
A mobile phone made in China,like Huawei.
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  #13  
Old 08-07-2019, 3:28 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ex231 View Post
I'm on a prepaid plan and I suspect the speed on the prepaid is throttled but I can't prove it. I haven't done a speed test in a while so I'm surprised this one is as good as it is. Last I checked it was about half that.
I was on Straight Talk running on ATT for a long time and decided to try ATT prepaid thinking it would be faster. It was actually slower.
There are Blu haters as evidenced by a poster above, but for the money I think they're a pretty good value. I'm not into expensive phones. As for the Motos they may be good now but my experience with them in the past was not good.
Good enough, and THAT is better than I get with T-Mo at work (I keep telling them the tower's horked), generally I only get .1-.4Mbps/1.2-5Mbps around work, but generally get 5-45Mbps/15-30Mbps anywhere else.

I was looking at Blu phones before I saw what I can get last-gen T-Mo LGs on eBay NIB for (~$200).

I was thinking one would only get like 2g speeds, like 3g iPhones used to only get 2g speeds if unlocked and on another provider (friend's unlocked ATT 3g iPhone on T-Mo maxed at 2g during unlocking infancy).

Last edited by the86d; 08-07-2019 at 3:35 AM..
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  #14  
Old 08-08-2019, 8:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ex231 View Post
I'm on a prepaid plan and I suspect the speed on the prepaid is throttled but I can't prove it. I haven't done a speed test in a while so I'm surprised this one is as good as it is. Last I checked it was about half that.
I was on Straight Talk running on ATT for a long time and decided to try ATT prepaid thinking it would be faster. It was actually slower.
There are Blu haters as evidenced by a poster above, but for the money I think they're a pretty good value. I'm not into expensive phones. As for the Motos they may be good now but my experience with them in the past was not good.
Not a BLU hater, actually picked one up a while back. Literally the only phone who's charging jack died a month after the 12 month warranty was up. It was a light use backup phone that would only be charged every 3-4 days as needed, so it wasn't due to excessive wear and tear, just poor build quality. And, essentially, BLU are rebranded Gionee phones. Never heard of them? Yeah, that's why they're relabeledd as BLU.

I contacted BLU when the phone essentially crapped out and they offered me a replacement phone at a "discount" (everyday Amazon prices) if I wanted one.

I passed.

But hey, if you know you need a smart phone with a big screen, outdated mediatek processors (no knock on the mediateks, as they make some great processors, but the ones BLU uses are outdated), no firmware updates and the build quality of a 81 Hyundai Accent, you know exactly where to look.

If you intend on spending your own money on a phone you'll use and abuse, I've got no problems recommending the other Chinese phone companies of Motorola and Honor/Huawei. Motorola being able to do CDMA and GSM netwoks while Honor/Huawei are GSM phones.

Dan
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  #15  
Old 08-11-2019, 12:51 PM
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You can still get refurbished Galaxy S5 with removable batteries

I still use my orignal bought new when it was the Flagship, works great no problems ever

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Unloc...46771800&psc=1
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  #16  
Old 08-24-2019, 9:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fragthefreaks View Post
You can still get refurbished Galaxy S5 with removable batteries

I still use my orignal bought new when it was the Flagship, works great no problems ever
Do you use Waze? If so, does it freeze up? I've had problems using waze on my Galaxy S3.
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  #17  
Old 08-24-2019, 2:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Anonymous_Ghost View Post
Best deal on the internet right now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LG-G6-AS993...ss!98032!US!-1
Looks like the same specs as the V20, but the V20 has a smaller battery, however replaceable, the back is metal, and 16MP back camera, however the V20 is 64GB out of the box.
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  #18  
Old 08-25-2019, 2:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Anonymous_Ghost View Post
Indeed. However, memory cards are cheap for music and photos and the Android system (with a decent amount of apps included) only requires about 12.5 gigs to operate, still leaves plenty of space for additional storage. Plus you have to factor in the higher price of the V20. Some of the deals are, specifically that are "14 day shipping", coming from China and are not north American variants. Other than that cheapest option are individuals selling handsets that may be used/abused with poor battery performance. Hence the opinion of being the best value that I stated.
...
I verify NIB.

I am not sure if this applies to phones, but I understand it is best to leave an SSD with about 50% free for wear-leveling to move data around, and at a bare minimum 25% free.

I usually run my phones pretty-lean, <50% used on this V20 (14.33GB used/64,) and still pretty-snappy, but does anyone know if this applies to the storage on phones internal storage tech?

Last edited by the86d; 08-25-2019 at 2:40 AM..
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  #19  
Old 08-25-2019, 7:56 AM
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if the g6/g7 are what you're looking at, check into getting them through google under a fi plan...g7 is $199 activated, and the g6 is $99 activated, and a month of fi with, sans data, is $20...and just cancel before the first month is up.

we used fi when the kiddo was travelling internationally, as it was the most reasonable option we found, and cancelled at the end of the month.
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  #20  
Old 09-03-2019, 11:58 AM
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I've had back luck with lower end android stuff. Either full of software flaws or, even if you find a good one, the hardware will be too slow or low on ram.

If there is any way to finagle a higher end (they make low end stuff too; avoid / low ram) samsung....
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  #21  
Old 09-03-2019, 5:29 PM
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Hardware wise the Motos are good phones. However, do some research... the latest Android 8 update caused all kinds of invalid SIM errors. I’m about to launch mine into orbit with some tannerite.
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  #22  
Old 09-04-2019, 3:40 AM
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Originally Posted by sl0re10 View Post
I've had back luck with lower end android stuff. Either full of software flaws or, even if you find a good one, the hardware will be too slow or low on ram.

If there is any way to finagle a higher end (they make low end stuff too; avoid / low ram) samsung....
I just google specs like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site...m+LG+v20+specs
or
https://www.google.com/search?&q=sit...msung+s9+specs

Anything with 32GB internal storage or better, as if you put/set pix and music to/on an external (card) MicroSD, you will be better (not an option for iPhruity devices).

Last edited by the86d; 09-04-2019 at 3:43 AM..
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  #23  
Old 09-06-2019, 10:27 PM
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My kids sell and buy Cel. phone on this site https://swappa.com/ . For me I have not done it yet, I don't know how it works, he said buy Cel phone condition MINT or NEW (?) .

Good luck.
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  #24  
Old 09-07-2019, 1:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the86d View Post
I just google specs like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site...m+LG+v20+specs
or
https://www.google.com/search?&q=sit...msung+s9+specs

Anything with 32GB internal storage or better, as if you put/set pix and music to/on an external (card) MicroSD, you will be better (not an option for iPhruity devices).
It may have been changed in newer OSes but Android did not usually allow all the storage to be used for applications. Another pitfall of a lower end device. The off brands would not expand this base amount and I'd consider it a bug (you were stuck with hardly and space for programs)... but the high end vendors would..

might be better now but there was some really bad android stuff out there from off brands.
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