Chasing a B28 Phone for ~ $250 or Less, with 32GB ROM / 3GB RAM / Android 6 or Better if Possible... Suggestions Please

LustStarrr on 15/07/2017 - 15:43

Hey OzBargainers,

I'm struggling a bit in my search for a new phone. I recently had my beloved HTC One M8, which I purchased as a pre-order, cark it, & I've been relegated back to my HTC One X since then - it's woefully underspecced for my purposes & struggles to perform the basics of what I demand from it on a daily basis. I'd love to hear your recommendations to aid me in my search for a new phone, & know you're all usually in the know in terms of bargains available, so if you can think of any suitable candidates you've spotted lately, please let me know.

My wishlist for specs, etc. is as follows:

  • B28 essential, because I'm with Optus, & it's definitely one of the bands used in my area (I've checked)
  • 32GB ROM +, preferably with memory card slot
  • 3GB RAM or more
  • Android 6, but 7 would be ideal
  • A half-decent camera would be wonderful, but I'm probably pushing it here…
  • I have a been given a $250 budget by my partner to get a new phone, although I may be able to convince him to go a little higher, but sadly not quite this high, which is such a pity because it's perfect!

Where batteries are concerned, I'm a bit of a size queen - I think bigger is better - & need as much power as possible for my telecommunication needs. And I'm pretty open to whatever screen size & resolution, etc. too, as long as the other specs are worth any sacrifices in quality level. I'm not too fussed about dual-SIM capability, the product's source (grey import, overseas, etc.) or NFC capability, really. Refurbished items or similar are also fine by me, within reason, if they fit the above qualities - with a warranty or similar to go with them, of course.

Thanks in advance, everyone - I appreciate your expert assistance on this.

Mobile

Comments

  • supatight on 15/07/2017 - 15:59

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-ASUS-ZenFone-2-ZE551ML-2-3GHz…

    The stock rom is android 6 and is okay but i suggest you put the resurrection remix android 7 custom rom if you know how, also I am unsure if this has band 28

    • scrimshaw on 15/07/2017 - 16:06

      That actually does mention B28, but B28 only exists in the Taiwanese model. There's no guarantee that the seller would ship you a Taiwanese one as opposed to the global version.

      There are only a handful of phones that meet your criteria (Band 28, price less than 250 Euro, 3GB RAM min, 16GB storage min, Card slot, Android 6 or Android 7).

      http://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2015&nPriceMax…

      If you relax the RAM to 2GB, you get slightly more choices, but the best choice out of all of them is the Motorola series.

      My strong recommendation is still the Moto G5 Plus. Why not sell off your old phone and use it to finance your new one?

      • supatight on 15/07/2017 - 16:16

        am using it as current phone only minor annoyances with stock rom I want to put resurrection remix nougat but don't know how so just sticking with stock rom

        • Slippery Fish on 15/07/2017 - 17:02
          +1

          I got a Moto g5plus for 298 (16gig version) I get 3-4 days per charge as a casual use phone, just light ozb and calls ect.

          Very happy with it.

      • CyberMurning on 15/07/2017 - 16:52
        +1

        250 euro? Not AuD?

        • scrimshaw on 15/07/2017 - 19:05
          +1

          Filter that you can apply for a search… there's no setting for AUD option, since GSM Arena is german.

      • lovepeoplenotmoney on 01/08/2017 - 10:57

        $250 is pretty tight budget nowadays, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Kate was the best value (cheapest $185), I should have bought a 2nd one as a backup because their price remains high.

        I agree with you that Moto G5+ is the cheapest ($285). Prices are really going up. I remember over 10 years ago subsidised locked prepaid phones upper end was $200, so inflation and market competition are doing well. These days I thought phones have to be under $200 to be considered budget, closer to $100, but now I'm not so sure.

        Going for practicality and functionality rather than identity status, I don't think I'd spend more than $400 on a phone ever again

  • CyberMurning on 15/07/2017 - 16:51
    +1

    My huawei mate 8 has band 28,but not sure about mate 7, check Google.
    Mate 7 second hand will be within your budget.

  • wei13 on 15/07/2017 - 19:43
    +2

    The Zenfone 3 fits your criteria and was able to be had for $254 before

  • josetann on 15/07/2017 - 21:05

    I was going to mention the Zenfone 3 as well, specifically the ZE520KL. I purchased one brand new plus a cheap case (separately) in June for $257.55 total. Other than a Facebook app that kept crashing until I updated it, wife is more than happy with it.

    Quick ebay search for "ASUS ZenFone 3 ZE520KL" shows a used one for $270, 64GB/4GB. I know nothing about the seller or the accuracy of the listing. I do know that my trigger finger is getting itchy and if it's still available later tonight, I might jump on it for the heck of it.

    Excuse me while I go see if there's an ebay coupon I can use with it.

    Edit: Ok, even with the same model number, it may or may not have Band 28, depending what part of the world it was made for.

    https://www.asus.com/Phone/ZenFone-3-ZE520KL/specifications/

    Ours has Band 28, but I can't vouch for others.

    C5OZ is good for 5% off.

  • pennymiser on 29/07/2017 - 20:43
    +1

    Both of Kogan's Agoras have B28. Nokia 6 under HMD Global also supports B28. However, not a user in any of these phones. So no idea if they are any good. Agora 8 is the least expensive among them.
    www.kogan.com/au/c/kogan-agora/shop/phones/android/?ref=cate…

  • [Deactivated] on 29/07/2017 - 23:05

    Recommend a handset that has support for a zerolemon battery.

  • LustStarrr on 31/07/2017 - 22:35

    UPDATE:

    Thank you all for your advice, it really helped me decide in the end. I ended up grabbing the Moto G5+ that was a tiny bit more than we were spending, from eGlobal with the 32GB/4GB RAM. Holy heck, it's a great phone for that price point! Really impressed with my purchase & grateful to everyone who offered opinions to aid me in my search too - you're all awesome :)

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