Mid-range smartphone recommendations

[guzzi850m2]

Yes Chinese phones are fine but I see the point about repairs, my beloved UMI are still sitting in a drawer after the screen went dead(my own fault, I killed it when sweating heavily during a lengthy phone conversation)

I paid 200$ for that phone on gearbest, my J7+ was 12k baht last year. Same rom+ram +most specs but UMI has usb-c and a huge battery, screens both full HD.

The Sammy been asking me about 10.000 times to log into my Sammy account which is a pain and where is Android 8??

 

My son's Ipad mini2 is made in China, go figure, the amount of abuse it's taken the last 2-3 years is staggering but it still works fine.

 

I am getting a Chinese phone next time but a brand that is sold here so repairs are possible if needed and max 400-500$.

 

 

[thedemon]

1 hour ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Yes Chinese phones are fine but I see the point about repairs, my beloved UMI are still sitting in a drawer after the screen went dead(my own fault, I killed it when sweating heavily during a lengthy phone conversation)

I paid 200$ for that phone on gearbest, my J7+ was 12k baht last year. Same rom+ram +most specs but UMI has usb-c and a huge battery, screens both full HD.

The Sammy been asking me about 10.000 times to log into my Sammy account which is a pain and where is Android 8??

 

My son's Ipad mini2 is made in China, go figure, the amount of abuse it's taken the last 2-3 years is staggering but it still works fine.

 

I am getting a Chinese phone next time but a brand that is sold here so repairs are possible if needed and max 400-500$.

 

 

 

That budget will get you a great phone. A few months ago I bought a Xiaomi Mi6 for my wife for THB11,700 (USD370). It came from Lazada but fulfilled by the Xiaomi official store in Thailand. Performance wise, it compares to a Samsung S8.

 

In a week or so the Xiaomi Mi8 (they skipped 7) will be released and should cost approx USD450. It has the same Snapdragon 845 as the Samsung S9 but 6GB of RAM vs the S9's 4GB. The S9 beats the Mi8 in water resistance, SD card support and display resolution.

[evadgib]

huawei nova 2i

 

The search function directed me to this thread. I have the above-mentioned phone and have accidentally activated the pedometer (footstep counter).  Can someone please tell me;

- How I managed it &

-How I can turn it OFF?

Thank all ?

[grkt]

Xiaomi is also invading Europe and USA. Are they cheap there also ?

 

[Rolanddrums]

Hi, I to am looking for a new 'mid range' phone. 

Criteria are  : -

8-15k baht price. Can buy it in ' Power Buy 'etc . Mid screen size ,  At least 64 GB / 6 GB Ram/Rom Memories, half decent camera that's good in low light, a good clear screen, but I'm not interested in video. Half decent battery life, reliable at least for say 2 years, 2 sims  with 4G on both ( If possible/If needed ?..I have Thai Sim and UK Sim) 

Don't want :- 

Complicated , the less complicated but better quality the better tbh.  ie Loads of Apps that are not needed. Loads of updating . Don't want gaming. Don't want to be needing an SD card ,  I have one in my old Samsung...loads of problems with that.

I'm open to both the Chinese or Samsung etc route.  Maybe 3 or 4 recommendations to look at is enough. Not worried about saving 200 baht ...2000 baht ? ..maybe....Cheers

ps I'm no expert . I've read all this thread but still non too sure ..ooh decisions decisions...Thanks

Edited June 2, 2018 by Rolanddrums

[jvs]

Well looking at all of the replies it seems almost impossible to select a phone you want (and need) Almost the same as looking for a relationship,you like what you see and what it feels like but it will take some time to truly get to know your phone.(partner)

Maybe the best approach is to eliminate what you dont want and take it from there.

 

[Rolanddrums]

I'm hoping to buy a phone within next few days. Recommendations from here plus 30 minutes final browsing/choice made in Power Buy. Language always a slight problem in the shop hence want to narrow it right down here . 

 

[scubascuba3]

Well looking at all of the replies it seems almost impossible to select a phone you want (and need) Almost the same as looking for a relationship,you like what you see and what it feels like but it will take some time to truly get to know your phone.(partner)
Maybe the best approach is to eliminate what you dont want and take it from there.
 

Interesting comparision, you're probably right.

There is a reason to go with a big name though, support will be a lot better than smaller companies. I.e.software fully tested. My limited experience of a chinese make was that they clearly didn't test the functionality thoroughly enough. My LG and Samsung phones have been the opposite.

[Fat Prophet]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Interesting comparision, you're probably right.

There is a reason to go with a big name though, support will be a lot better than smaller companies. I.e.software fully tested. My limited experience of a chinese make was that they clearly didn't test the functionality thoroughly enough. My LG and Samsung phones have been the opposite.

You will have no serious problems with the software on Asus, One+; Huawei, Xiaomi (I would delete the word "serious", but minor problems come with all phones, even iPhone and Samsung, especially new models). An examination done a few years ago is absolutely no measure of what is available today. And the quality of the hardware, certainly on a per dollar spent basis, is outstanding and beats your "big name" counterparts by a huge margin. And, as I said in my earlier post, why anyone would buy into the fiasco named "Samsung" is beyond understanding -- it is appearance over substance to an absolutely shocking degree.  

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

My wife has owned and used a Thai bought Samsung J7 for the past couple years, and had absolutely no problems with it. Originally paid about 7500b for it several years ago, and been working fine ever since. Others here on TVF also seem to have had good experiences with the J7 line, which has newer updated models pretty much coming out almost every year.

 

I've had an Asus Zenfone 2 Laser, also Thai bought for the past several years, and it's proved to be a very functional, reliable phone. Only two knocks on it: 1) It only ever got one major OS upgrade from 5 to 6.01. And 2), its battery began to swell and had to be replaced after a couple years, though fortunately, it is a removeable battery phone, so I could easily buy a replacement for a couple hundred baht.

 

The only part that worries me is I also along the way bought a new ASUS MemoPad tablet, and just lately, its battery also became swollen. The tablet battery is not technically replaceable, meaning not the pop in, pop out kind. But supposedly can in fact be replaced by a technician after taking the tablet apart, etc etc.  So given that I had batteries go bad on both an ASUS phone AND tablet after a couple years of use, it makes me wonder, just coincidence, or something more.

 

[scubascuba3]

why anyone would buy into the fiasco named "Samsung" is beyond understanding -- it is appearance over substance to an absolutely shocking degree.  

Maybe you are referring to the top of the range samsung which i agree, same iphone, but mid range Samsung for example J7 would suit most people, but people like buying the most expensive available

[grkt]

Anybody owns this one ?

 

Product details of Xiaomi Mi A1 (EU) 32GB - Black 

• หน้าจอ FHD ขนาด 5.5 นิ้ว
• หน่วยประมวลผล Octa-core Snapdragon 625
• RAM 4GB หน่วยความจำภายใน 32GB
• กล้องหลังคู่ 12 ล้านพิกเซล + 12 ล้านพิกเซล
• กล้องหน้าความละเอียด 5 ล้านพิกเซล
• รองรับ microSD ได้สูงสุดถึง 128 GB
• ระบบปฏิบัติการ Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
• แบตเตอรี่ขนาด 3080 mAh

 

Edited June 2, 2018 by grkt

[Fat Prophet]

58 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I've had an Asus Zenfone 2 Laser, also Thai bought for the past several years, and it's proved to be a very functional, reliable phone. Only two knocks on it: 1) It only ever got one major OS upgrade from 5 to 6.01. And 2), its battery began to swell and had to be replaced after a couple years, though fortunately, it is a removeable battery phone, so I could easily buy a replacement for a couple hundred baht.

 

The only part that worries me is I also along the way bought a new ASUS MemoPad tablet, and just lately, its battery also became swollen. The tablet battery is not technically replaceable, meaning not the pop in, pop out kind. But supposedly can in fact be replaced by a technician after taking the tablet apart, etc etc.  So given that I had batteries go bad on both an ASUS phone AND tablet after a couple years of use, it makes me wonder, just coincidence, or something more.

 

My Asus computer (TP550L) began to swell, as did my Asus Zenfone 5 (older model, not the new Zenfone 5). Both had to go to the service center to have the battery replaced. If they have the battery in stock, it is a 1 hour wait. The phone was under warranty and done for no charge. The computer was out of warranty and the cost was around B1,200 installed (they did not charge me for the labour, about B600, because the warranty had only expired a few weeks before, and I explained that the problem with the battery had started several weeks earlier while the warranty was still in effect, but it took me some time to get to BKK). I feared that the swelling may cause some permanent bending of metal parts or other problems, but both the phone and computer looked and have worked perfectly after the batteries were replaced. I have now moved on to a Zenfone 3 Laser and a new Zenfone 4 Max Plus and have added an Asus Ultrabook as a travel computer. No battery problems with any of them (or the repaired computer and phone) thus far. So, while it may be annoying, and a problem that comes with Asus products, it is not a major issue that should, I think, dissuade someone from buying an Asus phone, which are great value for the money and generally excellent products. 

[Rolanddrums]

Went to look at new Huawei Nova 3E today , 10,995 baht, Android 8 ,high spec cameras, 4GB/128GB octacore memory ..nice.

Edited June 2, 2018 by Rolanddrums

[grkt]

11 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

My Asus computer (TP550L) began to swell, as did my Asus Zenfone 5 (older model, not the new Zenfone 5). Both had to go to the service center to have the battery replaced. If they have the battery in stock, it is a 1 hour wait. The phone was under warranty and done for no charge. The computer was out of warranty and the cost was around B1,200 installed (they did not charge me for the labour, about B600, because the warranty had only expired a few weeks before, and I explained that the problem with the battery had started several weeks earlier while the warranty was still in effect, but it took me some time to get to BKK). I feared that the swelling may cause some permanent bending of metal parts or other problems, but both the phone and computer looked and have worked perfectly after the batteries were replaced. I have now moved on to a Zenfone 3 Laser and a new Zenfone 4 Max Plus and have added an Asus Ultrabook as a travel computer. No battery problems with any of them (or the repaired computer and phone) thus far. So, while it may be annoying, and a problem that comes with Asus products, it is not a major issue that should, I think, dissuade someone from buying an Asus phone, which are great value for the money and generally excellent products. 

 

 

You had evidences that Asus is crap and you buy more ?1

 

I bought once and will never never never buy any asus thing anymore.

 

 

[Rolanddrums]

..Bought Huawei 'Nova 3E' today  ( New model) . 1,100bt  saving at Lazada compared to PowerBuy. 

Just 9,895 baht couldn't resist that, and will probably come in 3 days,.... quicker than PowerBuy will get fresh stock.

[Fat Prophet]

12 hours ago, grkt said:

 

 

You had evidences that Asus is crap and you buy more ?1

 

I bought once and will never never never buy any asus thing anymore.

 

 

Not sure how you get from my post that "Asus is crap". I had 2 batteries go bad, which does not qualify as making the phone "crap". And what phone does not need to have the battery replaced after several years. Indeed, even the phone/computer makers that give a 2 year warranty on the phone/computer only give a 1 year warranty on the battery because they are "consumable". I think it is outrageous that Samsung puts batteries in phones that overheat or catch fire and were actually banned from most major air carriers. That, IMO, makes a phone "crap", but consumers keep on buying Samsung phone. But, as I said, the swelling batteries (which I believe is not an uncommon problem in phones generally -- swelling batteries result from a buildup of gas inside the battery due to electrochemical oxidation of the electrolyte, which occurs usually due to overcharging caused by a faulty battery or faulty charging electronics in the phone or charger) is not a huge or especially expensive problem. I would prefer if all phone and computers came with consumer replaceable batteries, but the trend is in the opposite direction. I would give Asus phones and computers an A- for quality and A for value-for-money, with only a very minor reduction for the swelling battery issue -- they really are great phones/computers and great value for the money spent. And except for the swollen batteries, none have ever missed a beat. My first 2 smart phones were Samsung, and like you, I will never buy another Samsung product. But that approach to Asus is, IMO, a serious mistake; YMMV.  

[lamyai3]

On 5/28/2018 at 11:53 AM, evadgib said:

huawei nova 2i

 

The search function directed me to this thread. I have the above-mentioned phone and have accidentally activated the pedometer (footstep counter).  Can someone please tell me;

- How I managed it &

-How I can turn it OFF?

Thank all ?

If you're referring to the notification on the lock screen you can disable it in:

Settings - Security and privacy - Screen lock and passwords - Show step count on lock screen

[daocat555]

Xiaomi has just announced the Mi 8 SE.  I know you said it doesn't have to be the latest or greatest, but I think because the technology of mobiles is advancing so quickly that it is generally wise to buy a newly released phone.  It has a 5.88 super AMOLED screen with 81.3% screen-to-body ratio, the brand new Snapdragon 710 chipset, and for me who likes a small and light phone, the 147.3 x 73.1 x 7.5 mm form with 164 gram weight is very nice.  

 

Xiaomi tends to get phones to Thailand distributors fairly quickly after they announce a phone; at 1,799 yuan in China (8,965 Thai Baht) this phone seems like a midrange beast.  But they are listed for pre-sale at Aliexpress for $378 ( 12,094 Thai Baht) so it might take a short while for the price to settle down.

 

My only criticism of this phone's specs is that it has a single, down firing speaker, so the sound can be muffled, and I believe that new phones should have dual speakers with at least one speaker at the top of unit.  Other than that concern (which for me would be a deal breaker), the phone seems great.  

 

Well, you know, don't get your hopes up.

[grkt]

23 hours ago, daocat555 said:

Xiaomi has just announced the Mi 8 SE.  I know you said it doesn't have to be the latest or greatest, but I think because the technology of mobiles is advancing so quickly that it is generally wise to buy a newly released phone.  It has a 5.88 super AMOLED screen with 81.3% screen-to-body ratio, the brand new Snapdragon 710 chipset, and for me who likes a small and light phone, the 147.3 x 73.1 x 7.5 mm form with 164 gram weight is very nice.  

 

Xiaomi tends to get phones to Thailand distributors fairly quickly after they announce a phone; at 1,799 yuan in China (8,965 Thai Baht) this phone seems like a midrange beast.  But they are listed for pre-sale at Aliexpress for $378 ( 12,094 Thai Baht) so it might take a short while for the price to settle down.

 

My only criticism of this phone's specs is that it has a single, down firing speaker, so the sound can be muffled, and I believe that new phones should have dual speakers with at least one speaker at the top of unit.  Other than that concern (which for me would be a deal breaker), the phone seems great.  

 

Well, you know, don't get your hopes up.

 

Hello, can you tell me what is the best deal for phones released just before this new device ? I do not need the latest technology. Thanks.

 

 

[daocat555]

Okay, here are 3 phones compared on gsmarena:

 

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?&idPhone3=8959&idPhone2=9098&idPhone1=8445

 

and on devicespecifications:

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/db56107da1

 

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, I think, is a great mid range phone; it's the largest and heaviest of the 3, with the weakest camera and the strongest battery and sound output.  It is selling for 5,690 at Lazada.

 

The Huawei p 20 Lite ( called the Nova 3e in China) has the best chipset, screen, and camera, and it has the weakest sound output.  It is selling for 9,800 at Lazada.  However I do not know if this phone, as sold on Lazada, supports multi language, google play, and OTA upgrades, and I would ask the Lazada sellers about that before I bought it; and would only buy it if it does.

 

The Meizu Pro 7 is the oldest model of the 3, but when it was announced it had a list price of 400 Euros and sells on Lazada 7,990, so you would be getting the deepest discount on this phone.  It's a weird phone in that it has a second display on the back.  It has nice, small, dimensions, and Meizu tends to make phones with good audio however I could not find out the specifics of the audio output on this device.

 

All 3 phones have a single down firing speaker, which I do no think is optimal.  But all 3 phones, I think, have a lot of value for the price, and I can recommend all 3.

[Rolanddrums]

Well I got my Huawei Nova 3E today... so far very pleased. Yes it has multi language & Google Chrome etc. Sound levels seem fine to me but not tried in noisy environment. Camera amazing , very fast, tons of storage, 2 sims ( 4g on one) Includes a case to. Seems easier to use/understand than my old Samsung tbh

[daocat555]

Xiaomi Redmi 6 announced today and to me it is a disappointment, really falling below the mid level phone niche.  As an entry level phone I guess it is worth mentioning.  At 71.5 mm wide it is much narrower than the Redmi 5, and so will be easier to hold.  It's light, has an adequate chipset, no real weaknesses except the screen is only 5.45 inches with a 72.7 screen-to-body ratio, which is not very good, and it is priced at about 4,600 Thai Baht.  Usually Xiaomi offers upgraded versions of their Redmi phones, such as a Redmi Plus or a Redmi Pro, or, gasp, a Redmi Pro Plus; so maybe there will be a version with a better screen-to-body ratio; until then I cannot recommend this phone.

[lamyai3]

On 6/5/2018 at 8:51 PM, Rolanddrums said:

Well I got my Huawei Nova 3E today... so far very pleased. Yes it has multi language & Google Chrome etc. Sound levels seem fine to me but not tried in noisy environment. Camera amazing , very fast, tons of storage, 2 sims ( 4g on one) Includes a case to. Seems easier to use/understand than my old Samsung tbh

Yes I just got the Nova 2i, it's lower spec predecessor. These are great phones for the money. 

[grkt]

14 hours ago, daocat555 said:

Xiaomi Redmi 6 announced today and to me it is a disappointment, really falling below the mid level phone niche.  As an entry level phone I guess it is worth mentioning.  At 71.5 mm wide it is much narrower than the Redmi 5, and so will be easier to hold.  It's light, has an adequate chipset, no real weaknesses except the screen is only 5.45 inches with a 72.7 screen-to-body ratio, which is not very good, and it is priced at about 4,600 Thai Baht.  Usually Xiaomi offers upgraded versions of their Redmi phones, such as a Redmi Plus or a Redmi Pro, or, gasp, a Redmi Pro Plus; so maybe there will be a version with a better screen-to-body ratio; until then I cannot recommend this phone.

 

Yes, sad that the 6 is not as good as the 5.

 

So should I wait or buy the Redmi 5 now ?

 

Or do you know any other Xiaomi that is good for less than 10000 thb ?

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

[pilou]

I have used a Xiaomi Mi Max 2 for the last 6 months or so. still sold for 9490 bahts , price should drop a bit with the announced arrival of the Max 3 in a few weeks.

 

With its 6.44 inches display, it is not for everyone, for sure ( I like big phones, I used to have the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, another great phone )

 

I love this phone ( and I have had many ... ), it covers all my needs, not a beast processor wise but decent camera, very big battery ( 2 days easy ), quick charge, 4/64 gB , MIUI os ( updates are done quite often ), IR shooter, nice display.

 

I am waiting the Max 3, because it will be even bigger ( 7 inches..)

 

Phil

[daocat555]

There are many variants of the Redmi 5 available now, with versions having different cameras and RAM/ROM etc.  The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Ram 4 GB/ROM 64 GB is available now at Lazada for 5,690 Baht.  

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/xiaomi-redmi-5-plus-ram4grom64gb-599-2sim-i170186588-s212167728.html?spm=a2o4m.my_wishlist.price_observing.6.12946108i4tYEv&mp=3

 

That's a fine value, the seller KSMART has a 86% positive seller Rating on Lazada, and the phone has been selling very well (one seller on Aliexpress has sold more than 10,000 units already).  But for me the phone is too large (75.45 mm x 158.5 mm x 8.05 mm) the screen-to-body ratio (77.68) is too small, and I don't need a 4000 mAh battery which brings the weight up to 180 grams (too heavy),

 

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE improves over the Redmi 5 Plus with a body 73.09 mm x 147.28 mm x 7.5 mm (much smaller), a screen-to-body ratio of 81.23, and a SUPER AMOLED screen (vs the Redmi Note 5 Plus IPS screen).  So the Mi 8 SE screen will be easier to see outdoors, will have better contrast, and has higher resolution.  The weight of the Mi 8 SE is 164 grams and it has a 3,120 mAh battery.

 

The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, to me, seems to be worth waiting for.  So when will it come to Thailand and what will it's price be?  Right now it is available for pre-sale at the international dealers, with one dealer promising to ship the unit in 8 days.  Top Brand (98.6 % positive seller feedback on Aliexpress) has pre-sold 72 units in the 10 days since the phone was announced, and the current price is $349.99 (11,238 Baht) for the Gold color.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Pre-Sale-Original-Xiaomi-Mi8-SE-Mi-8-SE-Snapdragon-710-4GB-RAM-64GB-ROM-Octa/32883203128.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.cc272e0ensuoGf

 

Only the Chinese version of the phone is available right now, which means only Chinese or English language support, no Google play installed, and no guarantee of OTA (Over The Air) upgrades of the phone.  As I mentioned before, I bought my Meizu 15 from Aliexpress and my seller installed multi-language support and Google play store for me.  Google Maps is very important to me, and since I have had the phone the Google maps and Google play store has upgraded OTA.  I use English for my phone but having the Thai language will be helpful, for example if I choose to sell the phone in Thailand.  The buyer of most Chinese version phones which ship without Google play store already installed can instal Google play store and there are guides on the internet on how to do this.  But, waiting until the Global version of the phone is being sold by a Thai store has a lot of advantages;  multi language support and Google play store on the phone when you get it and no worries about Thai import duties.

 

On June 3 the Mi 8 SE was announced  at a price of 1,799 yuan in China (8,965 Thai Baht).  So here is my best guess.  The phone should be available from the Thai stores within a month at less than 10,000 Baht for the Global version.  Just a guess.......but my general recommendation for the best value mid-range smartphone right now is to wait for the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE.

 

I often check Priceza:

 

https://www.priceza.com/

 

or Priceprice:

 

http://th.priceprice.com/

 

to see if the phone has reached Thailand yet, and will post here when it does.

[grkt]

9 hours ago, pilou said:

I have used a Xiaomi Mi Max 2 for the last 6 months or so. still sold for 9490 bahts , price should drop a bit with the announced arrival of the Max 3 in a few weeks.

 

With its 6.44 inches display, it is not for everyone, for sure ( I like big phones, I used to have the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, another great phone )

 

I love this phone ( and I have had many ... ), it covers all my needs, not a beast processor wise but decent camera, very big battery ( 2 days easy ), quick charge, 4/64 gB , MIUI os ( updates are done quite often ), IR shooter, nice display.

 

I am waiting the Max 3, because it will be even bigger ( 7 inches..)

 

Phil

 

Thank you ! I didn't know it!

 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/xiaomi-mi-max-2-snapdragon-625-4gb64gb-global-rom-i120212426-s125300644.html

 

 

[NoshowJones]

I have a Huawei, I am pleased with it except for one thing, I cannot download songs straight from Youtube from

my desktop to my phone, if you plan to do this then don't get a Huawei.

[mtls2005]

Xioami has really beefed up their direct sales effort with at least seven (7) retail outlets: MBK, Seacon, The Mall Bangkapi, Mega Bang Na, Panthip, Imperial World, Seacon Bangkae. Along with dedicated shelves at a lot of the larger retailers. They have on-line 'official' stores at 11 Street, Shopee and Lazada.