Affordable Smartphone Recomendations

[daocat555]

Yeah, that's a tank allright, but sure, it has good stuff if you don't mind the size and weight; 85 mm wide and 230 grams.  That's a pretty reasonable weight for a 5000 mAh battery, but you can get close to 7 inch screens in a sleeker body with some other high end phones.  On October 9'th the Google Pixel 3 XL will be announced with a 6.71 in screen and a body width of 76.6 mm, as a high priced example.

[jvs]

Well afer a long time thinking and comparing i got   ne phone today.I was going to get the xiaomi note 6 pro but at the last moment decided against it and got the mi ma 2 lite instead.

Reason number one,i do not need a 20 mpix selfie camera.

In two years of having a smart phone i only took one selfie and that was by accident.I almost feel sorry for the people who have to look at my face all the time lol.

Second reason it was on sale at my local AIS office so it was possible to see and try it first.

Looks and feels very good and it is very fast in rresponding.

The camera is better compared to my old j5 2016 and that is the main reason i got another phone.I gave my j5 to Ann,her phone was a j3 mini i think so she has something better also.

 

[daocat555]

I think the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite is a great phone.  It has a much more compact body vs the Redmi 6 Pro, is less expensive, and offers the same 4000 mAh battery.  It runs on pure Android OS vs MIUI 9 for the Redmi 6 Pro.  Unless you like video conferencing, the selfie camera doesn't mean much to me either, and the Snapdragon 625 is good enough, I think, for anybody who doesn't play graphic intensive games.  I think you made an excellent choice.  That is, if you got it in the powder blue color but you probable got in in black.  Oh well, I try.

[stud858]

2 minutes ago, daocat555 said:

I think the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite is a great phone.  It has a much more compact body vs the Redmi 6 Pro, is less expensive, and offers the same 4000 mAh battery.  It runs on pure Android OS vs MIUI 9 for the Redmi 6 Pro.  Unless you like video conferencing, the selfie camera doesn't mean much to me either, and the Snapdragon 625 is good enough, I think, for anybody who doesn't play graphic intensive games.  I think you made an excellent choice.  That is, if you got it in the powder blue color but you probable got in in black.  Oh well, I try.

Have you tried wireless casting to TV with xiaomi phones?  How smooth? 

[SooKee]

With the popularity of the A2 Lite I wonder if Xiaomi will get round to releasing a Mi 8 / Poco equivalent in a pure Android version.  The Mi 8 is already good enough to pull me from Samsung next time round (I prefer MiUi over Samsung Experience), a pure Android Mi 8 would nail it.

[Nyezhov]

Daocat what do you think of the Nokia 7. I see it for like 9K B. It is a bit bigger than my 6.1. Is there a market for used phones here?

[daocat555]

I think the Nokia 7.1 is a very nice phone and a nice upgrade from the 6.1.  I think you mean a smaller body, and it's also lighter with the same battery size and a bigger screen and a slightly better CPU.  I don't know about selling used phones here.  I have three phones I want to sell so one of these days I will put them in a bag and set off to sell them.  I expect I can get something for them, but nowhere near what I paid for them. 

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/0ff41202c5

 

[Nyezhov]

9 minutes ago, daocat555 said:

I think the Nokia 7.1 is a very nice phone and a nice upgrade from the 6.1.  I think you mean a smaller body, and it's also lighter with the same battery size and a bigger screen and a slightly better CPU.  I don't know about selling used phones here.  I have three phones I want to sell so one of these days I will put them in a bag and set off to sell them.  I expect I can get something for them, but nowhere near what I paid for them. 

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/0ff41202c5

 

If I get the other Nokia, I will just ditch my old Hauweii...

[jvs]

4 hours ago, daocat555 said:

I think the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite is a great phone.  It has a much more compact body vs the Redmi 6 Pro, is less expensive, and offers the same 4000 mAh battery.  It runs on pure Android OS vs MIUI 9 for the Redmi 6 Pro.  Unless you like video conferencing, the selfie camera doesn't mean much to me either, and the Snapdragon 625 is good enough, I think, for anybody who doesn't play graphic intensive games.  I think you made an excellent choice.  That is, if you got it in the powder blue color but you probable got in in black.  Oh well, I try.

Yeah i would have liked the blue but i did get the black.

Normally i kep my phone in a case so you can not see the color anyway,The case i will have to find somewhere online i think,shops do not have them.The J5 ringtone was always very soft and i missed calls because i just did not hear my phone .The a2 lite has a much higher volume!!I had to turn it down.

Will test the camera and have to learn a lot about the phone but sofar i like it a lot!

[daocat555]

The ringtone of the Mi A2 Lite is 86 db per gsmarena, and not missing calls is one reason why I keep talking about audio output.  The Poco has a ring tone of 86 dB as well, and gsmarena has yet to review the Redmi 6 Pro.

 

My compact Meizu 15 only has a ringtone of 80 dB, but its maximum voice level of 77 dB does beat the Mi A2 Lite and the Poco.

[daocat555]

I agree that there is anxiety when buying from aliexpress.  I have bought four phones from them.  My Meizu 15 and three inexpensive phones.  The only problem I had was that I ordered one of the  inexpensive phones in blue and I was sent it in black.  But I agree that it would be aggravating if I ordered from aliexpress and received a defective phone.

 

For those willing to put up with the anxiety of ordering from aliexpress there are benefits to be had.  Take, for example, the Meizu X8.  This model is unlikely to ever be available online from a Thai seller.  It has a Snapdragon 710 CPU, a 6.2 inch screen, a 86% useable display area, a 3210 mAh battery, and decent cameras.  Like most Meizus the body is relatively svelte and light, at 74.6 x 151.2 x 7.8 mm and 160 grams heavy.  

 

This can be had for 7,605 baht from aliexpress.  That's a lot of phone for a pretty small price.  The seller is the one I bought my Meizu 15 from, so I can report a buyer with one good experience in buying from them.

 

I am considering buying the Huawei Mate 20 Pro from aliexpress but the seller has less good buyer feedback than the Meizu Online store, so that's a concern to me.  And I am going to wait and see what Lazada sells it for, and wait for the reviews to come out on it before I make such an expensive purchase online.

 

I am just really grateful that the Google online store rejected my purchase of the $900 Google Pixel 3 which I tried to buy.  I think that if I am going to buy an expensive phone in the next month or so that it will be the Huawei Mate 20 Pro; which for $140 more than the Pixel 3 would give me quite a few better features.  So in the future I will try to be more considered before I click on "buy now".

 

Oh, and for people unfamiliar with the Meizu brand the build quality tends to be excellent and it is a major brand in China.  How does the Meizu X8 stack up to the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite?  Well for an additional 1,605 baht you get USB type C charging vs micro USB, you get more memory a much better CPU, better cameras, a bigger screen, a better usable display area, and a lighter phone.  Because the Snapdragon 710 is so battery efficient you probably get about the same battery run down time.  

 

Yes, it means aliexpress and not Lazada, so it might not be for the risk averse.  But for me it's a whole lot better phone for not much more money.

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/dbcb1237c2

 

[jvs]

I must be old fashioned to not buy a phone online,the Mi a2 lite is available anywhere in Thailand and you can see it and try it out.

Maybe the Meizu is a better phone but i am very happy with the

a2 lite after about 3 weeks use or so.

I looked at the comparison you posted and i think the main difference is the selfie camera and that i can do without.

Yesterday i happend to see a woman making selfies and i was truly amazed but not impressed .

Edited October 21, 2018 by jvs

[daocat555]

I am almost completely with you, jvs, on your Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite buy.  I say almost because I would be with you 100% if you had gotten it in powder blue instead of black, :).   Not to be argumentative because Antutu is like a selfie camera in that some people want it and some people don't need it.  But the Antutu of the Meizu is 164,726 and the Xiaomi is 76,500.  To me that and the USB type C port are two potentially big advantages of the Meizu.  The charger port is not huge but it is a bit easier to yank in a USB type C port vs a micro USB.

 

I think the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite is like the Poco; an enduring, great, value phone.  The Meizu X8 wasn't available when you bought your Xiaomi, nor is it available right now, it is pre-sale.  It is another option that people might want to consider.

 

https://www.kimovil.com/en/compare/meizu-meizu-x8-global,xiaomi-mi-a2-lite

[daocat555]

The Cubot P20 is on special at GearBest for 5,179 baht and you get a fair amount of phone for that price.  Such as a 6.18 inch display with a 82.11% usable display area, a 4000 mAh battery, a decent camera set up, 4/64 memory, and a working CPU.

 

https://www.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_009977433620.html?wid=1817324

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/83c44998

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/editor-review/ed907a/9

 

I am a fan of Cubot and I bought a 2,300 baht J3 and tested it out and to me the build quality was quite good.

[rwilem]

On 10/21/2018 at 4:22 PM, daocat555 said:

 

 

For those willing to put up with the anxiety of ordering from aliexpress there are benefits to be had.  Take, for example, the Meizu X8.  This model is unlikely to ever be available online from a Thai seller.  It has a Snapdragon 710 CPU, a 6.2 inch screen, a 86% useable display area, a 3210 mAh battery, and decent cameras.  Like most Meizus the body is relatively svelte and light, at 74.6 x 151.2 x 7.8 mm and 160 grams heavy.  

 

This can be had for 7,605 baht from aliexpress.  That's a lot of phone for a pretty small price.  The seller is the one I bought my Meizu 15 from, so I can report a buyer with one good experience in buying....

 

Yes, it means aliexpress and not Lazada, so it might not be for the risk averse.  But for me it's a whole lot better phone for not much more money.

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/dbcb1237c2

 

I'm interested in this Meizu X8. Apparently, it's not available right this moment. I found some word that Meizu has pushed back the rollout date till later this week? I searched Ali Express, best I could find was just a single X8 (4GB/64GB) on offer, starting around $260, but then the link for the sale, with details, goes to a Spanish language page, that I could not find any way to have it switched to English. That's not going to cut it.

 

Anyway, I might want to buy this one, but get a 6GB/64GB Global model, if that ever does become available. And I would agree that it seems to be more bang for the buck than the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite.

 

If you do come across any further info on the X8 please post.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by rwilem

[daocat555]

I suggest you join AliExpress (it's free and gets you a new user coupon).  I have found that when I link to AliExpress from different sites that I may find it in different languages (Russian, Spanish, etc) but then on the top right of my screen I click on "go to global (English) site", and that gets me where I want to be.

 

Yes it's pre-sale, but it should be shipping fairly soon.  It comes in 4/64, 6/64, and 6/128 but I only see it listed in either 4/64 or 6/128 (I didn't check all sellers.  I give the link to the Meizu Online Store here which has a very high buyer rating and is where I bought my Meizu 15 with a good result.  In 6/128 including shipping and not deducting by a new user coupon I get $285.67 or 9,385 baht.  Down side is you are paying a fair amount for the 6/128 memory upgrade and it is only available in the black color.  The Meizu piano white, to me, really has bling.  And you can take the Mid-range phone out of the bar but you can't take the bar out of the Mid-range phone.  Which is my way of saying that when buying a Mid-range phone if you pay a lot more for more memory you will still be getting a Mid-range phone, just you will be paying a lot more for it.  

 

The Antutu score of the 4/64 version is 164,725 (better than 92% of all devices).  Why do you need more than 4/64?  In the 4/64 Global version you can order it right now (pre-sale) in the white color for $240.67 (7,906 baht).

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Global-version-Meizu-X8-4G-64G-4G-LTE-Cell-Phone-Snapdragon-710-Octa-Core-6-2/32932544458.html?spm=2114.10010108.1000013.2.38922a8aLNWzet&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.90158.0&scm_id=1007.13339.90158.0&scm-url=1007.13339.90158.0&pvid=e16f37e3-5bd7-4377-a049-03e21fa7e275

 

Like I said before, that's a lot of phone for 7,906 baht.

[daocat555]

I have been thinking about base models, memory configurations, and Antutu scores.

 

The Poco in 6/64 has an Antutu score of 265,152 and goes for 10,490 baht at Lazada.  I would rate that phone as a better value than the Meizu X8 (okay, I would rate it as a better value than any other phone, period, for the average buyer).  But it depends upon what features you like.  The Meizu has a slower but more battery efficient CPU and a smaller, lighter body.

 

The Meizu 15, available from AliExpress for 10,490 baht has an Antutu score of 134,170 but it has pristine audio output and a really small and light form factor.  That's the phone I have used since May 2018 and it is easy to carry in a pocket, hold with one hand, and has all the processing power and memory that I need.

 

So in general the base version of any given model is the most cost effective.  And it is helpful to know what memory and processing power you want.

[daocat555]

If you wanted to get the lowest price possible on the Meizu X8, Meizu 15 or 16th, that is at TMALL.  I am unable so far to register an account with TMALL.  When I try to do so i get a "phone number must be in proper format" message.  I've tried all sorts of formats to no avail.

 

If anybody can register at TMALL and tell me how they did it that would be great.  faraday?, jvs?, you guys are computer savvy, could you help me on this one?

 

https://www.tmall.com/?spm=a2107.1.1000340.1.3cae42656IDeT7

[daocat555]

The Meizu Note 8 has been announced and I think it gives people another nice option in the 6,000 baht range of phones.  Here it is compared to the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite and the Redmi Note 6 Pro.  All three phones are about the same price, the Redmi Note 6 Pro has the biggest screen and the Mi A2 Lite the smallest screen.  They have similar CPUs and cameras, with the Redmi Note 6 being the most expensive with the best specs, and the Meizu in kind of an intermediate position.

 

I still prefer the narrow body of the the Mi A2 Lite, but the Meizu is thinner and lighter than the other models with the smallest body volume.  All three models charge via Micro USB, for me, a downside of these phones.

 

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9384&idPhone2=9247&idPhone3=9333

 

https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/33c8124851

 

[jvs]

Nice job ,not a lot of difference but i am keeping my a2 lite un til

it dies.

I looked at the Tmall site,i have no idea.Can]t even find the English language but there should be a part that allows you to contact them.Just tell them your issue and hopefully they will respond?

By the way,i am charging my a2 lite only twice a week.Great battery life.

[daocat555]

Between the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, the Meizu Note 8, and the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite I would choose the Mi A2 Lite as a gift to me.  Because I like the narrow body, very good audio output, and the 4000 mAh battery.

 

I tried to contact TMALL in a number of ways with no luck.  I tried live chat and got only the Chinese language, I tried to find a way to email them and couldn't.  No biggie, thank you for also looking into it.

[jvs]

1 hour ago, daocat555 said:

Between the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, the Meizu Note 8, and the Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite I would choose the Mi A2 Lite as a gift to me.  Because I like the narrow body, very good audio output, and the 4000 mAh battery.

 

I tried to contact TMALL in a number of ways with no luck.  I tried live chat and got only the Chinese language, I tried to find a way to email them and couldn't.  No biggie, thank you for also looking into it.

Did you try here?

https://www.facebook.com/MEIZUThailand/

[howto]

daocat555, thank you for all the detailed info, on both threads !!!

I purchased two Motorola - Moto G6 late yesterday.

Not my prime choice but was out of time.

I reside in Chattanooga TN

Have T-Mobile (sux),

Need to change carriers, and must port my number

Wanted a universal + unlocked phone

I want/need CDMA and GSM as I could use ATT or Verizon.

Cons, -IPS, -no OIS, -battery 3000 mAh (nonreplacable), -all glass frt&bck -no NFC

 

My current phone is Samsung Galaxy S4 i9500, from BKK.

Sons phone is a Samsung J3 (2016) J320A purchased here

 

I have an issue,

this moto G6 insists I do "setup", migrate data/contacts.

Can't bypass it to the system config.

 

I need to bkup my S4 and sons J3 to my desktop

I don't know how, nor what app to use.

I did try to search TVF for prior posts.

All comments/suggestions welcome

Links are very welcome as I don't want to hijack the thread.

Rarely log in so dont see PM's

Many Thanks

[daocat555]

Thank you for posting howto, I'm sorry but I do not know the answer to your question.  I'm a hardware oriented guy who knows very little about software.  I hope somebody here can help you.  If nobody does then maybe start a new Topic with your question.

 

Does your Google account save some of the data you want to have on your new phones?  The last time I bought a new phone I admit, I just started the contacts again and manually put them in from my old phone as I don't have many contacts, and I wondered the same thing, "is there a way to get data from one phone to another via a computer app or a phone app?".  Again, I don't know the answer but I hope somebody here does know the answer.

 

I will comment on the Motorola Moto G6 from a hardware point of view.  It's a small and fairly light phone with excellent audio output, which is my type of phone.  Gsmarena measured the earpiece speaker volume at 81 dB for voice which is as good as any phone out there.  I just read the entire gsmarena review and it was favorable pretty much saying that the phone is a good all rounder.  There are two weaknesses of the phone that I see.  The first is battery life.  Although a general user should have no problem with the battery life with a 3000 mAh battery and a CPU with 14nm process technology gsmarena complained that the phone uses more battery during standby than expected, so battery life is not great.

 

The second weakness of this phone concerns me a lot more.  It does not seem to cover many bands in the USA.  You want CDMA and GSM and sadly the Moto G6 is not very good at this. 

 

 https://www.kimovil.com/en/where-to-buy-motorola-moto-g6

 

I wish you had posted here before you bought the G6's.  I would have probable tried to talk you out of buying that model because of it's poor band coverage in the USA.  I hope you have enough bands for it to work well for you.  It covers all bands in Thailand but in Chattanooga TN it is not the best.

 

To get back to your software issue, readers, can some people be of assistance here please?

[howto]

Many thanks for the comments and the call out to others to assist.
I read those reviews plus several others.
They all reviewed a different model of G6.
I have the XT1925-6, the USA model.
BestBuy website uses product ID PAAE0000US.

 

The battery issue was resolved w/ a system update in September.

The BestBuy website lists the bands,,,
 Data Transmission Type
GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
 Network Type
CDMA, GSM
4G LTE Band
1, 12, 13, 17, 2, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 3, 30, 38, 4, 41, 5, 66, 7, 8
GSM 2G Frequency
1800, 1900, 850, 900
CDMA 2G Frequency
1900, 850
GSM 3G Frequency
2100, 1900, 1700, 850, 900
CDMA 3G Frequency
1900, 850
4G LTE Frequency
700, 800, 850, 900, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2300, 2500, 2600

This should suffice I guess.

 

I was able to push thru setup, battery was at 81%
it then downloaded moto apps and alot of google stuff (over wifi 5gHz).
I tweak some settings.
Went into system and check for updates.
Got a security update, installed/reboot.
Checked again got a system update
which clearly stated was for the battery issue, installed/reboot.
Went into system and checked memory, have 26 GB avail.
Battery down to 51%, plug in the turbocharger.
finished at 100%, took 30 minutes.

 

Handed it to my son, he tested lots of stuff.
Very impressed (mind coming from a J3 (2016).

 

I found ONE issue, the keyboard does NOT have the symbols [ ].
That is annoying as I use those in passwords.

 

Note I am 13 hours behind Thailand. Soon to be 12 hours.
I find the TVF search function lacking.

Thanks again for the comments.

[daocat555]

That's great news.  I am glad to find out that I didn't check Kimovil for bands covered with the correct model.  The battery is also a non-issue it seems, but I passed it along to you as an issue raised by gsmarena.

 

So good job, it does seem like a good all around phone with particularly good audio output.  And you can't beat stock Android either.  

[howto]

Forgot to mention the Moto-G6 reviews were also wrong as

this battery is not removable and

the back seems to be plastic instead of glass,

(sounds like it when one taps it w/ fingernail).

 

[stud858]

I've just scored a cheap deal on s7 and s8 Sammy galaxy phones.  Imei blocked down under but will use in Thailand.  a good way to get a flagship on affordable price. 

Just make sure they are network unlocked. EBay has many imei blocked deals. 

[daocat555]

Stud858; I am sorry to be a big troll here, but in my opinion the best price on a sammy S7 and S8 is to not buy them.  The S7, released in February 2016, to me, isn't as good as, oh i don't know, pick an inexpensive but newly released phone, for example, the 3,935 baht Meizu M8C.

 

The sammy S8, released in April 2017, has a nice narrow (68.1mm) body width with a nice Super AMOLED screen.  But its maximum in call voice volume of 66 dB is weak, it's 3000 mAh battery is just okay, and the Snapdragon 835 is a fine CPU but not up to the speed of the Poco for example.  I would prefer the Xiaomi Mi A2 lite which has a similarly narrow body and similarly sized display but a bigger battery and better audio output.  That's just me, well, and a few others who have posted here.

 

It is my opinion that in general newer phones tend to beat older phones.  And getting an older phone on a deep discount is a trap to be avoided usually.

 

A newly release model in the base configuration often gives you the best value.  And get the color that fits your personality.  White, blue, red, actually sammy has the S8 in a nice red, lilac, or blue, among other colors.  I hope you got yours in that nice red color, but Ebay sales on older models tend to offer the black color.  Oh well.

[stud858]

5 hours ago, daocat555 said:

Stud858; I am sorry to be a big troll here, but in my opinion the best price on a sammy S7 and S8 is to not buy them.  The

I agree,  my lady insists though on galaxy cause it's sexiliscuous.  The main point though,  which ever flagship tickles your fancy get a reduced price buying imei blocked.