What type of unlocked smartphone to buy???

[moontang]

I may pick one up in the States next trip, probably less.  Just a bit confused on what type to buy.  3G, 4G, 5G???  Looking to minimize cost, but it needs to work here in BKK, and not be obsolete.  I have both 2.4 and 5 Ghz wifi in my home.  Thanks for your assistance!

[lopburi3]

Really believe you might be better buying locally as they have cheap here as well as expensive and local dealer can set up and advise and fix, if economical to do so.  Plus you can use it with the service you want and be sure it works OK.

[Crossy]

6 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Really believe you might be better buying locally

 

+10^6

 

One thing I wouldn't buy back home (UK) is a mobile for use here, too many bands and protocols.

 

Buy local, guaranteed (?) to work, and you have comeback if when it doesn't.

 

[moontang]

some of the brands have international warranties...but really just want to know what protocol to get.  I am an AIS pre-paid custome, and there good deals are never in stock, and they really want you in a contract.

[sfokevin]

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/apple-iphone-se-16gb-th-i7553823-s9428507.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlistbrand.list.2.2c3361e7RvrOpb&search=1

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/iphone-6-64gb-space-gray-i113702540-s117432988.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlistbrand.list.4.2be161e7VB7xkp&search=1

Edited July 8, 2018 by sfokevin

[lopburi3]

I was not suggesting you buy from provider - phones are not locked here so you can buy from any seller and they will install your card and check for you before you part with any money.  

[CanuckThai]

Samsung S8 or S9 works beautifully.... no need to unlock if bought here, but probably lower price elsewhere (Canada/US)...

Edited July 8, 2018 by CanuckThai

[sirineou]

 I would Agree with the "Buy locally" advise.

I have an Unlocked Galaxy S6 that works fine both here and in the US where I purchased it, While in Thailand I broke the camera lens cover and no one could fix it,  I even went to the Samsung service place, they said that they did not have the right part as some parts on US  version are different, ( don't know how true , but that's what they said) 

Anyway not a big problem for me 'cause I Travel between the US and Thailand often, and got it fixed there upon my return.

[shadowofacloud]

If you travel a lot, a dual SIM phone may be useful. Definitely go for 4G, LTE internet is much faster.

 

As for specific models - I use an Asus Zenfone Go (dual SIM, but only 3G), got it at MBK last year for 3 or 3,5k THB.

 

I am quite fond of the Zenfone family - the current one is my second one, been using them for 4 years now. Cheap and reliable.

Edited July 8, 2018 by shadowofacloud

[scubascuba3]

Assuming the US now use the same sims as Europe, Asia (not sure about this), buying a phone with 2 sims is useful it means you don't have to keep swapping sims. Check bands work in both countries. I bought the Samsung J7 Pro, circ 8000 baht, 2 sims, nice phone, no need to buy the top of the range, most people won't even tell the difference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[topt]

The OP may want to have a look in the Mobile forum for ideas where there are a no. of threads dedicated to specific price levels - low, mid and high range

Eg - 

 

[chingmai331]

Bought 2 months ago a  Motorola 4e+ thru Lazada at 5K baht.  Excellent and some money goes back to USA, Motorola a USA company.

I use it only as WiFi device as not interested in 3/4 G SIM cards, have old 2G phone for calls.  

Excellent device, great batt life, clear and big screen, Android (natch), stealth appearance. Very happy.

Highly recommended. 

[Jeffrey346]

I highly recommend the Xiaomi MI A1. 4G RAM 32G Memory.  Under B5000. It's Pure Android 8.0 and gets updated every per their agreement with Google. Probably one of the best phones I have ever owned.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.search.8.57857dbac9NB5m&q=xiaomi mi a1 32gb&_keyori=ss&from=suggest_normal&sugg=xiaomi mi a1 32gb_7_1

[ICECOOL]

Buy local as Thai authorised repairers do not want to touch items purchased elsewhere. I just purchased an oppo A83 2018 model after having Samsung for years.  Great phone, lighter than Samsung. 

[Canuckabroad]

If you want to save a few dollars then you can buy it after you arrive.  But there are some safe options if you want the convenience of being able to buy a SIM at the airport and hit the ground running.

 

If you’re an iPhone person, a GSM iPhone 5 or later will work in Thailand.

 

If you’re an Android person, a ZenPhone 2 or later is cheap and a safe bet.

 

To be sure, check the bands of the model you’re considering to make sure they work in the destination countries.  There are a few websites that make this easy - https://www.frequencycheck.com/ is one of them.

 

It goes without saying that your phone needs to be unlocked (carrier unlocked, aka SIM unlocked) to use it with different cell providers.  You can pay to have most phones unlocked online, if necessary, but better to buy one that’s already unlocked.

 

[mercman24]

check out the HUAWEI range brilliant spec and not the stupid overpriced  SAMSUNGS,  thats the only word they know in Thailand. (yes, i have had 3,) had this HUAWEI 4 years now, still takes great pics, in fact out with people using Samsungs they have seen the same photos and have asked me to take and send to them. I know what my next phone will be, and it wont be a Samsung lol, (oh i gave 1 away to a needy person) so some good did come out of it for somebody, the other 2, in the skip.

[chingmai331]

Huawei a State Owned Enterprise = owned by the Chinese government and totally subject to orders ordained by the chinese communist government.  According to US government.

Huawei no longer welcome in USA, or in Australia. 

[FishbowlFX]

Go for Android phone Nokia 6.1 2018 or Nokia 8.

[sfokevin]

If your from the US I think it would be better to buy a dual sim phone from here as they are very useful but hard to come by in the States...

 

My dream is for Apple to offer one ?

Edited July 9, 2018 by sfokevin

[impulse]

16 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

check out the HUAWEI range brilliant spec and not the stupid overpriced  SAMSUNGS,  thats the only word they know in Thailand. (yes, i have had 3,) had this HUAWEI 4 years now, still takes great pics, in fact out with people using Samsungs they have seen the same photos and have asked me to take and send to them. I know what my next phone will be, and it wont be a Samsung lol, (oh i gave 1 away to a needy person) so some good did come out of it for somebody, the other 2, in the skip.

 

I gave my Huawei away.  The phone's spec's were amazing for the money.  But the OS and the Chinese bloatware made it pretty much unusable.  And I couldn't find anyone who could root it for me.  That was 2-3 years ago, and maybe they've advanced since then.

 

[williet98248]

I had a Samsung Galaxy phone, bought new in Thailand.  When after three years I was told it couldn't be repaired, "Just buy a new one!" I switched to Apple iPhone.  I have purchased three second hand iPhones from eBay in the US.  All unlocked and substantially cheaper than new.  They all work in Thailand.   First was an iPhone 5.  I lost it and bought a 6s, which I love and then I bought another 6s for my girlfriend after her new Oppo went tits up after a year and a half.  "Sorry cannot repair.  Buy a new one."  I have gone totally Apple because of the experience of Chinese made crap dying too quickly and being unrepairable.  Yah I know Samsung is Korean.  I have replaced all my computers and phones with Apple products.  Apple products will last and I prefer the Apple OS as well.  

 

 

[moontang]

1 hour ago, Jeffrey346 said:

I highly recommend the Xiaomi MI A1. 4G RAM 32G Memory.  Under B5000. It's Pure Android 8.0 and gets updated every per their agreement with Google. Probably one of the best phones I have ever owned.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.search.8.57857dbac9NB5m&q=xiaomi mi a1 32gb&_keyori=ss&from=suggest_normal&sugg=xiaomi mi a1 32gb_7_1

How is the camera?  Looks. like a bit more horsepower than ASUS, but ASUS is reputable..I did notice they advertise Canada/US warranty in the States, so yes, the international warranties may be something that died.  ASUS is shipped from ROC, and I would generally choose them over PRC.

[moontang]

Another thing on wifi, which I will be using the phone mostly with is....my new router is set up with both a 2.4 Ghz and a 5 Ghz frequency domain, listed as separate entities when you sniff for wifi.  The 5 is faster, but my old chrome book and Fire tablet only connect with 2.4 Ghz..So where do they start being able to connect to 5.  Will 4G L,HE connect to 5?

[grkt]

I was one of the idiots buying Samsung because it was easy and available everywhere.

Now I will only buy Xiaomi, the best phones for the bucks, and especially Xiaomi Mi A1, which is Android one, with stock android and without any $hit interface.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

Another thing on wifi, which I will be using the phone mostly with is....my new router is set up with both a 2.4 Ghz and a 5 Ghz frequency domain, listed as separate entities when you sniff for wifi.  The 5 is faster, but my old chrome book and Fire tablet only connect with 2.4 Ghz..So where do they start being able to connect to 5.  Will 4G L,HE connect to 5?

All new phones should be both 2.4 and 5 but check before you buy

[moontang]

not a fan of Apple or Samsung....Apple is just too expensive, just like their computers.  You rarely see them in business...unless it involves lots of art.  Samsung...seems to be their own worst enemy...they know how to make good stuff, but it seems to fail where someone engineered a cost saving measure to save a penny on a hundred dollar microwave or phone or expensive TV.  Some of it is great when it works, but I just dont have confidence in them. I am actually typing this on a samsung notebook, that has a large bubble warp in the keyboard from the battery overheating...total design flaw.  It still works though.  Samsung AC made horrible noises, but worked great.  Had trouble with a cheap phone, and it was repair, repair, and wait at the service center...never, here is a new five dollar phone, go away...it was "have to send engineer in BKK."

[Jeffrey346]

1 hour ago, moontang said:

How is the camera?  Looks. like a bit more horsepower than ASUS, but ASUS is reputable..I did notice they advertise Canada/US warranty in the States, so yes, the international warranties may be something that died.  ASUS is shipped from ROC, and I would generally choose them over PRC.

I do very little with the camera, but my wife is camera crazy. She said that the Xiaomi camera takes better pics then her iPhone7.

[pmarlowe]

Agree with the buy local advice. I would look for a new iphone 6plus or, preferably, 7plus. Unless you are a real gadget hound, these are all the "smart" you'll need for awhile and the prices are down and coming down

[dundas]

I have a 32gB Moto G5S, bought a while ago in Australia with dual SIM, and so far it's worked for me in the US, Australia, and Thailand,  (but I understand this phone comes in many different configurations, so it would be useful to check specs before any purchase). Camera is OK, not great, but in every other way this is a great phone, especially considering its low-mid price (currently less than $US200 in Australia, including 10% tax) 

[moontang]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAFKE6SH3915

 

 

what I can get in the US.  No tax, free ship.