China-Phone

[Bezpoleznyak]

I'm going to buy a smartphone from China on-line shops. It's going to be a smartphone with a quite a good camera and 4.3 display's size like, let's say, Galaxy 2. I don't know actually what I want, but basically it should be a normal modern smartphone for about $200-250. The price is possible for sure for that kind of a phone as I know.

So what smartphone would you recommend me?

[stoneyboy]

Not one from China.

[jbrain]

It's going to be a smartphone with a quite a good camera and 4.3 display's size like, let's say, Galaxy 2.

Well, that's how they present it on their website or alieexpress page.

Good luck.

[JetsetBkk]

Not one from China.

Aren't they all made there?

[Bezpoleznyak]

The question is not "to order or not to order?". The question is "which one to order?".

[stoneyboy]

Not one from China.Aren't they all made there?

.

The ones I use aren't no

[ShopBoy]

shop.goophone.com

[akampa]

well i am going to buy a lenovo A789 smart phone from Aliexpress for $124 with free shipping it is orignal Lenovo i buy from them quite often with no problems

[bangkoklad1]

From experience (and living in China a while): When you buy an android based phone in ANY China located store (and onine) a lot of features will be blocked. No google play etc.

Usually with lots of bloatware as well.

You can go to MBK etc and get it rebooted (or whatever needs to be done) for about 400bht though.

[phil2]

Read about the different phones on offer ( reviews ) at:

www.gizchina.com, www.gizmochina.com

Decide which to buy.

[WhizBang]

Not one from China.

Why? I have two. One is a Galaxy Note clone and the other is a Galaxy S3 clone.

Both were less than $200 each and each works flawlessly.

[WhizBang]

 

From experience (and living in China a while): When you buy an android based phone in ANY China located store (and onine) a lot of features will be blocked. No google play etc.

Usually with lots of bloatware as well.

You can go to MBK etc and get it rebooted (or whatever needs to be done) for about 400bht though.

I guess it depends who you buy it from. The China phones I have do not have any bloatware, no features that I am aware of are blocked and google play works just fine thank you.

[TwentyBaht]

Yes, as per WhizBang, I also have a "Note" clone (4" screen) for Thai half, and an "S3" clone (4.3" screen) for me. Android ICS. Good service from both. Play Store functional. Bought from eBay, about $100US each.

Thai half's previous smartphone was also a China clone (Android 2.2 - 3.4" screen). Still working after almost two years.

Should note, the battery on the China clone phones may, or may not, be of standard dimension. But, a good battery shop can rework an expired battery, if required. The older clone required that (due to severe Facebook usage). Was reworked to a larger capacity. About, 300 baht.

So, in my experience, there appears to be good value in the China phone clones. (Also, tablets. Android mini-PC. And, laptop batteries.)

But, the normal caveats apply.

Cheers