Affordable Smartphone Recomendations

[jvs]

1 hour ago, Ks45672 said:

Easy to root Samsung and remove bloatware, unlike Huawei 

Maybe easy for you but i have no idea how to go about that.

Youtube is not much help either.

[Ks45672]

Just now, jvs said:

Maybe easy for you but i have no idea how to go about that.

Youtube is not much help either.

If you can't follow simple instructions in a step by step tutorial then yes, rooting is probably not for you..... 

[daocat555]

Comparison between: UMIDIGI One Pro, Meizu 16X, Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite, Leagoo S9

 

Here are three phone, I think, with great value. Along with the similarly priced (6,000 baht exactly) Leagoo S9 which I only include to show how much better the other phones are.  I took some shots with the Umidigi One Pro and I would say the camera is good, perhaps about the same as the Xiaomi.  I believe the Meizu 16X will have a super-duper camera.  It will run you a bit more than 6,000 baht; and it will be released in about 2 weeks (we think).

 

If a good camera is your main concern it might be worth waiting for (wait a bit longer to buy the Global version).

[daocat555]

 

[guzzi850m2]

Interesting about the UMIDIGI phones, I had a UMI super and I loved it (sadly I "killed it").

 

I am now looking at the Z2Pro.

 

Hard choice between the Poco F1 and the Z2Pro, about same price, hmm

 

 

[daocat555]

Here they are as compared, guzzi.

 

UMIDIGI Z2 Pro VS. Pocophone F1: Comparison

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/f0631162c9

 

Let us know, please, if you choose one and also give us a review please.

[toniwascoke]

ty,  great advice

[Jessi]

To the OP. Thank you very much for all of the information

you have done a great job, BUT I am totally brain dead when it come to phones computers etc. I have just about decided on buying this phone.

You thoughts please.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/xiaomi-redmi-6a-216gb-i248488041-s382665406.html?

 

Cheers

Jessi

[daocat555]

On August 30'th I posted here:

 

I have gotten feedback from a hands on user of the Xiaomi 6A that the speaker output is indeed poor as the speaker fires out of the back of the phone.  So I am removing the Xiaomi Redmi 6A from any recommendations I make in the future.

 

So I do not recommend the Xiaomi Redmi 6A, which is a shame because Xiaomi seems to have gotten everything except audio output right with the 6A.  Jesse, I suggest that you start with post #1 in this topic and, I know it's arduous, read every post and you will find many alternatives.  True, not many alternatives at the price point of the 6A, but I don't think you will get a free ride with the 6A.  

 

 

[daocat555]

My Umidigi One Pro arrived from dealextreme with a screen protector and a paper rear protector glued to the phone.  I don't like or use screen protectors so if I was keeping the phone I would take it to my local shop and have them remove it and remove the protector on the back of the phone.

 

The speaker output is fairly clean but it doesn't seem very loud.  Since that was a major selling point for me I am disappointed in audio output,  The wireless charger works well and is convenient.  The weight of the phone is 180 grams and with only a 3,250 mAh battery that's a bit overweight.  Build quality I would subjectively rate as below average as the edges where the glass meets the metal border feels a bit sharp when holding it.  It has no "gallery" application and to see stored pictures I need to open up the camera and access them from there.

 

In summary I would say that I am disappointed in this model, and can not recommend it going forward.

 

Meanwhile LazMall at Lazada which had the lowest Prices on the Pocophone F1 6/64 dropped its price today to 9,990 baht in black and got in the blue color for 10,990 baht.  This is an outstanding phone at great price, a price which is lower than any International seller.

 

[stud858]

If sound through headphones is important to you, take your headphones and ask to demo a Motorola phone. The Moto g has the best clarity, presence, brilliance of sound I have ever heard. I'll assume newer models will use same audio circuitry. Next I would recommend Sony.

The Chinese phones usually have pretty uninspiring headphone sound output.

I use my phone for headphone music a lot. I've stuck with Sony for awhile because of the compact models. 

 

[daocat555]

My current best lists.

 

Best 6,000 baht phone: the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite from Lazada.

 

Best 10,000 baht phone: the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 from Lazada.

 

Best 22,000 baht phone: the Huawei P20 Pro from Lazada.

 

Most anticipated upcoming phones:

 

1) Meizu 16X

2) LG V40 ThinQ

 

Best phone with April 2018 release which is my current phone and I'm sticking with it:  Meizu 15

 

Best phone less than 3,000 baht:  Cubot Nova from aliexpress for 2,400 baht.

 

Phones which I hyped a lot and then subsequent reviews brought them down; Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Umidigi One Pro, and Xiaomi Redmi 6A.

 

Best phone for 4,860 baht: Samsung Galaxy J6 2018 from Lazada.

 

Readers; did I leave out anything?

[stud858]

18 minutes ago, daocat555 said:

My current best lists.

 

Best 6,000 baht phone: the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite from Lazada.

 

Best 10,000 baht phone: the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 from Lazada.

 

Best 22,000 baht phone: the Huawei P20 Pro from Lazada.

 

Most anticipated upcoming phones:

 

1) Meizu 16X

2) LG V40 ThinQ

 

Best phone with April 2018 release which is my current phone and I'm sticking with it:  Meizu 15

 

Best phone less than 3,000 baht:  Cubot Nova from aliexpress for 2,400 baht.

 

Phones which I hyped a lot and then subsequent reviews brought them down; Xiaomi Mi 8 SE, Umidigi One Pro, and Xiaomi Redmi 6A.

 

Best phone for 4,860 baht: Samsung Galaxy J6 2018 from Lazada.

 

Readers; did I leave out anything?

Baddest rip off price phone?

iPhone X

 

[daocat555]

I left off my most anticipated upcoming phone, which is the upcoming phone I am most likely to buy; the Google Pixel 3.  This is likely to be a niche phone that will suit very few people.

 

I think the phone only has a slot for one SIM card.  That suits me as it seems that any SIM card can lead to Spam calls; so I prefer to just have just one, AIS, SIM card.  The phone is  likely to be expensive.  The screen-to-body ratio is not expected to be great, or even good when compared to any run of the mill Vivo or Oppo.

 

The phone will have two attributes, and I expect  they will be outstanding attributes.  A compact and light  form with a narrow body for my old arthritic hands to hold, and stereo speakers with loud and clear sound output for my old, hard of hearing ears to hear when in a call.

 

Call it my Grandpappy phone.  As the joke goes about the BMW convertible goes, you have to be a grandpappy to afford it.

[JAS21]

On 9/4/2018 at 11:36 PM, guzzi850m2 said:

Interesting about the UMIDIGI phones, I had a UMI super and I loved it (sadly I "killed it").

 

I am now looking at the Z2Pro.

 

Hard choice between the Poco F1 and the Z2Pro, about same price, hmm

 

 

Did you try to root it ....

[guzzi850m2]

2 hours ago, JAS21 said:

Did you try to root it ....

The UMI has a defect screen, any touch on it isen't doing anything.

 

I actually started it yesterday and all the apps was updated.

 

You can buy a screen for it on Lazada for 25$, a bit tempted but I just got a new phone soo.

[jvs]

On 9/4/2018 at 8:32 PM, Ks45672 said:

If you can't follow simple instructions in a step by step tutorial then yes, rooting is probably not for you..... 

Can you send me a step by step manual for this?

[daocat555]

I think that unless you have a compelling reason to root a phone that you should not do it.  As soon as a phone is rooted it becomes less secure.  I don't keep sensitive material on my phone but a motivated hacker could use info from my phone to start an identity theft.  Rooting is generally a bad idea.

 

To the guy deciding between the Umidigi and the Pocophone I can say that based on my experience with the Umidigi One Pro that the Pocophone is better

 

The build quality of the Umidigi One Pro was not good.  It had sharp edges, a cheap chrome looking metal ring around the perimeter.  The gradient finish is not great and the stereo so called High-Fi speakers I did not find subjectively to be very loud.

 

The Pocophone has a rave review on gsmarena with excellent, objectively measured, audio output, and is sure to have better build quality than the Umidigi.  That's my take on the two models.

[SooKee]

Only two things that put me off the Pixel 2 were lack of wireless charging, not essential but once you've had it it's PITA to go back to plugging a phone in every time you need to top it off. That and the lack of support over here. Sure you might be lucky not to need it but I'd rather take risks with stuff that costs 1-2k warranty wise than with something costing 25-30k.

 

I'd hardly call it a niche phone though, one of the main runners against the iPhone and Samsung. Plus it has the benefit of pure Android. Great camera too. If you're willing to take the risk warranty wise. I'm 50/50, shit DOES happen.

 

 

[dddave]

On ‎9‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 8:45 PM, jvs said:

Can you send me a step by step manual for this?

There are a lot of model specific rooting tutorials on YouTube.  The problem is many are by guys who may know a lot about phones but little about making a coherent video presentation.  Most are very hard to follow and they use a lot of cryptic terms that unless you're a geek, you have no idea what they're talking about.

 

Edited September 11, 2018 by dddave

[daocat555]

The first sub 3,000 baht phone with a 6.18 inch screen has been announced, the Oukitel C12 Pro.  It has meager specs but should be workable; 2 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM, 179 ppi, 1.92 MP selfie, and a surprisingly generous 3300 mAh battery.

 

These are indeed minimum specs, here it is compared with the also sub 3,000 baht Cubot Nova.

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/b70d11c2b9

 

The Cubot has a better camera, a smaller screen with 293 ppi, and otherwise very similar specifications.

[daocat555]

My Cubot Nova arrived a week ago which I bought for 2,579 baht at Aliexpress on a flash sale.  The price is now 3,093 baht and I feel this is a very good value phone.

 

I would rate the build quality as excellent; the edges are round and smooth, the control buttons are just right, the screen is nice, and sound output is clear and loud enough.  The camera is adequate and the battery and memory is enough to get you a working phone but no more than that.

 

The body is compact and easy to hold and carry around.  I have found no flaws with this very affordable phone model.

 

The Oukitel C12 Pro would seem to be its biggest competitor.  For a similar 3,198 baht from dealextreme it has a 6.18 in screen with less pixel density, a worse camera and a bigger battery (3300 mAh) at about the same weight.

 

Having been disappointed by the build quality of the Umidigi One Pro recently I would say that the Oukitel  build quality is unknown.  If it is up to Cubot Nova standards then it is a great value for a phone with a 6.18 in screen.

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/b70d11c2b9

 

Speaking of phones with 6.18 in screens the Pocophone is down to 10,490 baht from on seller at Lazada, and that is my best recommendation for anyone interested in buying a phone today.  Will I change my tune tomorrow about that?  Yes!  As the Meizu 16X is due to be announced today; and although it is not expected to be immediately available I think this will be the best value mid-range phone for all of 2018.

[Henryford]

On 9/11/2018 at 11:17 AM, SooKee said:

Only two things that put me off the Pixel 2 were lack of wireless charging, not essential but once you've had it it's PITA to go back to plugging a phone in every time you need to top it off. That and the lack of support over here. Sure you might be lucky not to need it but I'd rather take risks with stuff that costs 1-2k warranty wise than with something costing 25-30k.

 

I'd hardly call it a niche phone though, one of the main runners against the iPhone and Samsung. Plus it has the benefit of pure Android. Great camera too. If you're willing to take the risk warranty wise. I'm 50/50, shit DOES happen. 

 

 

I can't understand the fuss about wireless charging. For a start it's not wireless, you still have to plug in the charger, so why not spend 3 seconds plugging in the phone. Plus it's much slower than a plugged in phone.

[melvinmelvin]

kinda digression, but;

 

any of you guys know of freeware for interfacing android phones with Outlook (contacts - names -numbers )?

 

(windows 10 / Outlook 2013)

 

Edited September 19, 2018 by melvinmelvin

[WonnabeBiker]

What about second hand phones? I like Apple. The IOS is easier for me and the camera seem better, irrespective of megapixel numbers.

 

A used Iphone 5S?

 

Some Samsung S4?

 

Just wondering. And no, I would not like some Chinese phone I haven't heard of before.

[jvs]

2 hours ago, daocat555 said:

My Cubot Nova arrived a week ago which I bought for 2,579 baht at Aliexpress on a flash sale.  The price is now 3,093 baht and I feel this is a very good value phone.

 

I would rate the build quality as excellent; the edges are round and smooth, the control buttons are just right, the screen is nice, and sound output is clear and loud enough.  The camera is adequate and the battery and memory is enough to get you a working phone but no more than that.

 

The body is compact and easy to hold and carry around.  I have found no flaws with this very affordable phone model.

 

The Oukitel C12 Pro would seem to be its biggest competitor.  For a similar 3,198 baht from dealextreme it has a 6.18 in screen with less pixel density, a worse camera and a bigger battery (3300 mAh) at about the same weight.

 

Having been disappointed by the build quality of the Umidigi One Pro recently I would say that the Oukitel  build quality is unknown.  If it is up to Cubot Nova standards then it is a great value for a phone with a 6.18 in screen.

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/b70d11c2b9

 

Speaking of phones with 6.18 in screens the Pocophone is down to 10,490 baht from on seller at Lazada, and that is my best recommendation for anyone interested in buying a phone today.  Will I change my tune tomorrow about that?  Yes!  As the Meizu 16X is due to be announced today; and although it is not expected to be immediately available I think this will be the best value mid-range phone for all of 2018.

I am stil looking and i kind of enjoy comparing phones and not yet buying.I have been looking at the Samsung a5 2017,an older phone but with very good specs?Would it make sense to buy an new phone ,already a few years old from a higher segment compared to a brand new(just releasid)lower segment phone?

You could get a better camera plus you would now what the issues are because there are a lot of reviews?

Wonnabebiker mentioned second hand phones,i would like that also but how sure can you be you are not getting someones else nightmare?

I have mostly bought second hand stereo equipment before and never had any problems,high end stuff for a low price,nice?

 

[Henryford]

23 minutes ago, WonnabeBiker said:

What about second hand phones? I like Apple. The IOS is easier for me and the camera seem better, irrespective of megapixel numbers.

 

A used Iphone 5S?

 

Some Samsung S4?

 

Just wondering. And no, I would not like some Chinese phone I haven't heard of before. 

Apple phones are made in China. For the price of a second hand Apple you can get a new phone with upto date specs.

[Ks45672]

39 minutes ago, WonnabeBiker said:

What about second hand phones? I like Apple. The IOS is easier for me and the camera seem better, irrespective of megapixel numbers.

 

A used Iphone 5S?

 

Some Samsung S4?

 

Just wondering. And no, I would not like some Chinese phone I haven't heard of before.

Those are  practically electronic scrap thesedays... ? 

[faraday]

I wouldn't buy a second hand phone here, probably a short, useless warranty.

 

 

 

[daocat555]

In my opinion it is a mistake to buy second hand mobiles or older model mobiles.  The technology of mobiles is rapidly improving.  To me the best strategy for buying a mobile today is to look at just released models.  Or alternatively look at soon to be released models and buy as soon as they are released.

 

An old model such as the Samsung S4 has a 5 in screen and a 72.53 % display area.  Newer phones offer 80% - 90% display area.  So you get a much bigger screen with the same body size.  Advances in CPU mean real advantages such as better battery utilization and longer battery life with the same size battery as older phones.  Older phones tend to have weak, poor quality audio output and newer phones tend to have loud and clear audio output.  There are not too many stores currently selling the Samsung S4, I could not find a single one.  Moving up to the Samsung Galaxy A5 I found it for sale at Amazon USA for a laughable $483 (15,660 baht) and for that you are pretty much getting "electronic scrap".

 

So newer phones tend to have a bigger screen with longer battery life in a smaller and lighter form with better audio output than older phones.  To me these are strong, real usage advantages in favor of the newer phones.

 

WonnabeBiker tells us he doesn't want to buy a Chinese brand he has never hear of.  That does make it hard to recommend a phone to him as I have no idea if he has heard of any Chinese brand or which Chinese brands he has heard of.  Huawei sold more phones in the world in Q2 of 2018 than Apple did (54 million units compared to 41 million units), and is now the world's second leading Vender after Samsung.  Has he heard of Huawei?  Has he heard of Xiaomi?  Meizu?  If he hasn't heard of these Chinese brands then I think he should make it a point to hear of them.  They make nice phones.

 

From Business Tech:

 

Samsung led the smartphone market by volume with a market share of 20% in Q2 2018 even though it registered an annual decline of 11% due to weak sales of its flagship Galaxy S9 series smartphones.

 

In terms of value for the money I have read where Samsung makes about a 50% profit on every phone sold and Xiaomi about a 10% profit.  So in very rough terms (as supplier and retailer also get a cut), the 10,000 baht Samsung phone you buy was made and delivered by Samsung for 5,000 baht.  The 10,000 baht Xiaomi phone you buy was made and delivered by Xiaomi for 9,000  baht.  I would expect that Xiaomi can manufacture a better phone for 9,000 baht than Samsung can for 5,000 baht.  Case in point is the Pocophone as you won't find a Snapdragon 845 CPU in a Samsung phone for 10,000 baht, or a 4000 mAh battery, or a 6.18 in screen.  The most similar Samsung phone is the S9 Active which Samsung may actually decide to abandon plans to release and which would have carried a 30,000 + price tag in Thailand.  Well, yeah Samsung, since the 30,000 baht Samsung S9 Active would have similar specifications as the 10,000 baht Pocophone there probably would not be a big demand for it.

 

Yes the Samsung would have had a better camera, and a Super AMOLED screen as compared to the Pocophone, but the bottom line of 30,000 baht vs 10,000 baht is a very significant difference.

 

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a great phone, no doubt, and can be bought at Lazada for 31,790 baht, about twice the price of the Meizu 16th Plus which has similar specifications.

 

Moving to Meizu the screens on the mid-range and high end Meizu's are Super AMOLED and the older Meizu 15 which can be had for $360 (11,659 baht) from Aliexpress has stereo speakers with a maximum voice level of 77 dB as measured by gsmarena.  Compare that to 66 dB for the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017).  The dB scale is exponential not linear, so 77 dB is a whole lot louder than 66 dB.  Ever go to a bar and get a phone call?  With the Samsung you might not even hear your phone ringing let alone understand what the party on the other end is saying!

 

I will back down from one thing that I have been saying about a Meizu phone.  The Meizu 16X was announced today and I find it disappointing in several areas.  The main camera might not have OIS (so far 1 specification site says it has OIS and 2 specification sites say it doesn't have OIS).  If it doesn't have OIS, for me, that is an absolute dealbreaker.  The other major problem, which may sort itself out over time is the price and right now I can only find the 16X for pre-order at one site for $399.99 (12,948 baht).  At that price there is no way that I can recommend the phone.

 

The more interesting Meizu announcement today is the Meizu X8.  If Xiaomi nailed the High End specs with the Pocophone then Meizu may have nailed the Mid-range and affordable specs with the X8.  A 6.2 inch LCD screen, a Snapdragon 710 CPU, a 3210 mAh battery, and good, not great camera for $233 (7,548 baht).  Yet to be determined is whether it will have stereo speakers.  If it does it may rule the 7,500 baht segment.

 

Lazada sells Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi phones, often at a nice discount.  Lazada does not sell the newer Meizu phones yet.  So if buying from an International selling such as Aliexpress, dealextreme, or Sunsky is not your thing then Meizu is not for you.  Huawei will have some exciting new phones coming out in the next month.  Along the lines of my theme for this post, the Mate 10 Pro, released November 2017 does NOT stand up to the newer models, and in my opinion would be money poorly spent.

 

For me the Pocophone is still standing tall.  The Meizu 15 and 16th should be considered by people who don't need a huge battery and who like a light and compact body with great audio output.  And the Meizu X8 may prove to be a very nice phone for about 7,500 baht.