New Phone

[Bruinator]

I am looking to buy a budget phone for under $200. I am hoping someone who actually has the model they are recommending coz I am looking for one that has a specific ringtone that I can select so I know which account I am getting a new email from without out looking at the phone. I would like a pretty good camera for it that is unlocked. Can I get some ideas plz?

 

TYVM

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

where are you located?

[Bruinator]

1 minute ago, Jason S. said:

where are you located?

USA

[fusi0n]

I would check out this phone.. Good Specs for the price,

https://www.amazon.com/Honor-Unlocked-Smartphone-Dual-Lens-Expandable/dp/B078NCL7GK

 

[+Biscuits Brown MVC]

There are many decent low to mid level Android phones available for about that price. I think pretty much all Android phones let you assign different ringtones to contacts so that's an easy one. Different tones for email, that's not a phone thing. That would be dependent on the email  program and I'm not aware of any email apps that have that feature.The biggest challenge is 'pretty good camera'. Daylight, they all do pretty well. Low light, probably not getting 'pretty good camera' on a 200 dollar phone. 

[Bruinator]

10 minutes ago, fusi0n said:

I would check out this phone.. Good Specs for the price,

https://www.amazon.com/Honor-Unlocked-Smartphone-Dual-Lens-Expandable/dp/B078NCL7GK

 

Do/did you use this phone? If so, is the camera as bad as described or is it pretty good?  thx

[Bruinator]

6 minutes ago, Zag L. said:

There are many decent low to mid level Android phones available for about that price. I think pretty much all Android phones let you assign different ringtones to contacts so that's an easy one. Different tones for email, that's not a phone thing. That would be dependent on the email  program and I'm not aware of any email apps that have that feature.The biggest challenge is 'pretty good camera'. Daylight, they all do pretty well. Low light, probably not getting 'pretty good camera' on a 200 dollar phone. 

So It is the app(s) and not the phone coz I used to have it working the way I on my blu vivo xl and then it stopped, otherwise it is a very good phone.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

with the Samsung S10 on the horizon, you could probably score a pretty good deal on an S9.

 

personally, im using an HTC U11 from 2017. it's a great phone. They have new ones now, of course.

[Bruinator]

17 minutes ago, Jason S. said:

with the Samsung S10 on the horizon, you could probably score a pretty good deal on an S9.

 

personally, im using an HTC U11 from 2017. it's a great phone. They have new ones now, of course.

Thx Jason for recommendation but I am looking for a phone under $200.

[fusi0n]

1 hour ago, Bruinator said:

Do/did you use this phone? If so, is the camera as bad as described or is it pretty good?  thx

I have friends that use it. You're not going to find a phone that has good speed and a great camera for $200.. You're best bet is to look for a used Galaxy S7.. 

[Brandon H Supervisor]

3 hours ago, fusi0n said:

You're not going to find a phone that has good speed and a great camera for $200.. You're best bet is to look for a used Galaxy S7.. 

agreed, though if OP can help it I'd say aim for at least the S8 as the S7 won't be getting Pie it sounds like.

 

Though the S7 likely has custom Pie roms on XDA if OP doesn't mind unlocking the bootloader

4 hours ago, Bruinator said:

Thx Jason for recommendation but I am looking for a phone under $200.

I'm sure you could find used for a reasonable price.

 

If you want new though I'd recommend checking out the Samsung A series, that is their mid-range and several carriers have been discounting it; I got a Galaxy A6 for $40 when I switched from cricket to Mertro by T-Mobile recently and it's a surprisingly nice phone.

[Bruinator]

1 hour ago, Brandon H said:

agreed, though if OP can help it I'd say aim for at least the S8 as the S7 won't be getting Pie it sounds like.

 

Though the S7 likely has custom Pie roms on XDA if OP doesn't mind unlocking the bootloader

I'm sure you could find used for a reasonable price.

 

If you want new though I'd recommend checking out the Samsung A series, that is their mid-range and several carriers have been discounting it; I got a Galaxy A6 for $40 when I switched from cricket to Mertro by T-Mobile recently and it's a surprisingly nice phone.

Brandon, the a6 which you got, how  is the video and pic quality? Also, is it a newer phone but an old version of it? And are there any issue buying a phone from a carrier?

 

thx

[Brandon H Supervisor]

29 minutes ago, Bruinator said:

Brandon, the a6 which you got, how  is the video and pic quality? Also, is it a newer phone but an old version of it? And are there any issue buying a phone from a carrier?

 

thx

It's the Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018) model. Currently it has Android Oreo but is due to get Pie in April.

 

The screen is 720p which honestly is plenty IMO for the screen size, anything more just eats away battery.

 

camera is pretty standard. it's not bad but doesn't blow anything out of the water. though you're not likely to get much better in the mid-range market. It tends to be the flagships that get the superior cameras.

Picture quality is still great though. Still pictures capture at 12MP with 4608x2592 resolution and videos take at 1080p.

One interesting thing about it is it has both rear and front facing flash.

 

It has a fingerprint reader and NFC as well. the only real flagship feature missing is Wireless Charging.

 

As for buying from a carrier I usually prefer to buy unlocked directly from the OEM website or Amazon but I got the A6 with a deal when I switched from Cricket to Metro so it was a convenient upgrade; my fiance got my Honor 6X that I was using before.

Metro by T-Mobile is a no contract carrier so their phones, while branded, are still unlocked as far as I'm aware so I can still jump ship if I decide I don't like Metro down the line  which doesn't seem likely right now; Metro by T-Mobile has been treating me well so far.

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

 

I have a Motorola Moto X⁴ and am very happy with it.  Currently it is on Amazon for $210, but it regularly goes on sale for under $200--I think I paid $189 at the time for mine.  The camera works well for me, and the phone is speedy enough for me that I don't have any issues with lag.

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

[jnelsoninjax]

I have and have used(not currently using it, but have in the past) The LG Nexus 5X, it is $99.99 right now, and it does decent pictures and has decent call quality.

[+DoctorD Subscriber²]

I have a Google Pixel running Pie, quite happy with it.  Bought it used for under 100, I refuse to buy new hardware anymore due mostly to the insane cost.

[PGHammer]

DoctorD - I get the love for used Pixels; my mom has one (refurbished Original Pixel).  The big reason I support them is because the pricing is sane AND stock Android (and starting with 9, and especially 10) is not only NOT sucky, but is actually as-is usable.  Since beta 3, I have run 10 dead stock.  No rooting, no TWRP, no nothing.

 

The somewhat odd reality is that I have not run stock Android - on anything - since Lollipop (Android 5), and I have never (as in "at all") run stock Android on a smartphone; yet Android 10 blew that up. The ONLY reasons to run non-stock Android - on anything - are on specialty devices (mostly specialty devices - like Fire devices - which is done to fill the holes in comparison TO stock Android.  My Fire tablet (and Mom's Fire tablet) - are hacked for precisely that reason.  What reason have I to run non-stock Android on a phone today?  Surprisingly - and I'm someone that has never run stock Android on a phone - none. (You read that right - none!)  Everything that is typically handled by either TWRP or Titanium Backup is now backed up - automatically - by Android itself - and has been since Oreo.  (Have a Samsung Android device?  It's backed up using your Samsung Members app - in addition to Android's own backups. Since Android 7 (Nougat) - something I tripped over when I got my S7 - (remember, I got it as a used device).