Recommend Me a Phone- ~ $500, Band 28, Great Camera, Stock Android, Easy to Repair, Not a Phablet

mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 09:02

Hello all,

I'm not sure if its possible to get a phone that ticks absolutely all my boxes, but maybe you can give me some ideas.

Budget: around $500, but I could possibly go to $600
Band 28: I've survived without it, but nice to have if possible
Great camera: My phone IS my camera, and I want to be able to take great photos in all conditions
Stock Android: I'd like to have either stock Android / Android One, OR have great aftermarket rom support (unlockable bootloader, LineageOS support etc)
Easy to repair: I hate phones that use heaps of adhesive, would like one that I can get at stuff like the battery without a heat gun
Not a phablet: Maximum screen size of around 5.5" as I like to carry my phone in my pocket

As far as I know, there isn't really a phone that meets all the above criteria. But maybe you guys can help me get close.

Unless you can tell me differently, I think that a 64GB Pixel 2 might be the nearest I can get.

Thanks

Mobile Google Mobile Phone Android

Comments

  • pyramid on 27/10/2018 - 09:03
    +3

    Pixel phones meet your needs except repairing..

    • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 09:14
      +1

      That's the conclusion I've come to, so far.

    • zootv on 27/10/2018 - 11:36
      +1

      and except ~$500

      • md333 on 28/10/2018 - 18:41
        +1

        Paid 300 for mine - just don't get the current generation.

  • rendev on 27/10/2018 - 09:14
    +2

    Think Pocophone will fit your criteria

    • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 09:15
      +1

      Aren't these 6.18" screen size? Bit big for me.

      Not stock android either?

      • rendev on 27/10/2018 - 09:23
        +1

        Pixel 2 - 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm
        Pocophone - 155.5 x 75.3 x 8.8 mm

        Not a huge difference in size. But what you'll get is latest specs and good value for money.

        Yes not stock.

        • mr626 on 30/10/2018 - 10:20

          Thanks, as I've just posted, I ended up ordering the Pocophone

  • ranap on 27/10/2018 - 09:25
    +1

    I was searching with similar criteria. Depending on the quality of camera you can check out the Moto X, Nokia 7 Series OR Xiaomi A2. All Stock Android or Android One series. Decent battery. Camera mileage may vary but you can check the reviews. I have a Moto X Style and quite content with the camera and compares well even in low light with my spouse' Galaxy S8.
    Ease of repair may be an issue as all new phones seems to have non-removable batteries.

    • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 09:50
      +1

      I don't mind too much about 'non-removable' batteries, as long as I don't need to deal with adhesive when I disassemble the phone.

      Thanks for your feedbaack.

      • pegaxs on 27/10/2018 - 10:29
        +4

        How often do you disassemble your phones? I would move that requirement right doooooown the bottom of the list and nearly off the page.

        With the advent of people wanting thinner and lighter phones, the only way to get the strength in them is to double side tape everything inside the phone to give it rigidity. The days of pop-off backs and flicking out the battery are long gone or very few and very far between.

        • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 10:37
          +1

          I actually repair phones fairly often (for family and friends).

          Personally (if it were an option) I'd much rather have a phone that is slightly thicker / heavier, if it meant that it was more easily repairable. Are there really that many people out there with a smartphone who are demanding that phones continue to be made thinner / lighter at the expense of repair-ability?

          I guess in some sense that must be the case (or at least, that's what manufacturers think people want).

          I just don't like things (phones or otherwise) that can't be economically repaired.

          To clarify though, I'm not expecting something like what an LG V20 has with regards to battery- I know that ship has sailed. I'd just be happy with a phone that can be pulled apart without needing a heat gun. I've fixed a few phones that require the adhesive to be heated up for disassembly- never a fun experience.

          Your point is fair though- in reality needing to pull apart the phone is not something you need to do every day.

  • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 09:52

    I can't believe I'm going to say this but…

    What iPhone would I get for $500-$600? Would that take good photos?

    Would I still be able to use the Google products that I like? (mainly Google Maps and Google Photos)

    I've always had Android, but maybe I should try something different?

    • smuggler on 27/10/2018 - 10:04
      -3

      maybe you should stop be so demanding of a budget smartphone and just get a flagship?
      Stock Android is overrated and for people who can't manage their phones. Just use accessibility mode.

      • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 11:58
        +2

        Interesting comment.

        Am I being demanding? I don't think so. I know what features are important to me, and what I want to spend. So I'm asking here to see if its possible to match those things up. I appreciate that I'm not going to get everything on my list though- important to be pragmatic about these things

        $500-$600 is budget? Granted, you can pay $2k + for a phone now, but I don't think that makes my price range 'budget'

        Your…err…'compelling' argument against stock android has not won me over, sorry. Not exactly sure how wanting stock android translates into 'can't manage a phone'

  • hawkeye on 27/10/2018 - 09:57
    +2

    Band 28 Why does Telstra always have to be difficult

    • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 10:39
      +1

      I know right!

      I've survived without B28 for a while now though (current phone is Mi A1) so I could probably live without it again if everything else about the phone suited what I was after.

      • Diji1 on 27/10/2018 - 11:46
        +1

        I've survived … could probably live

        Just to be clear we're talking about having possibly slower data transfers indoors in case you thought mr626 is in mortal danger. :p

        • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 11:48

          Figure of speech my man.

    • dazweeja on 27/10/2018 - 14:18
      +1

      Optus has more band 28 towers than any other 4G frequency: https://oztowers.com.au/Bands

  • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 11:03
    +1

    Maybe I should just get the Mi A2. After watching this video, I'm pretty happy with the camera quality (especially compared to the flagships in the video)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNyjeNgl7sM

    • zootv on 27/10/2018 - 11:41

      Nice phone but doesn't meet your screen size or Band 28 requirement.

      I'm also looking for a phone at the moment with similar requirements and it's hard in the $500 price range!

      • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 11:52

        It is hard, hence this post.

        And the reality is, some of my 'wants' like repair-ability are hard to find at any price these days. At least the A2 appeals to my anti-adhesive agenda ;-) If you watch a teardown for it, you can get at all the major components without needing a heat gun.

  • dazweeja on 27/10/2018 - 14:10
    +3

    Nokia 7.1 is $499. Main disadvantage is the mid-range CPU and 3GB RAM. I have the Nokia 7 Plus and it's pretty good. Everything is very smooth due to Android One. You should be able to load the Pixel camera software on there to use with the primary rear camera - I have on mine - but the Nokia camera software is getting pretty good too.

    https://www.nokia.com/en_au/phones/nokia-7

    • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 14:13

      Thanks, that does seem to be a good contender

    • skidexa on 27/10/2018 - 19:06

      What is the difference between 7.1 and 7 plus?

      • dazweeja on 28/10/2018 - 00:48

        I think the 7 Plus is the better phone but it's a bit bigger and more expensive, usually around $650. It has a Snapdragon 660 and 4GB of RAM but for me the best thing about it is the 3800mAh battery which lasts for a couple of days. It's also is one of the few non-Google phones with Android Pie.

        The Nokia 7.1 is cheaper and better looking but not quite as good in terms of CPU, RAM and battery life.

  • windale on 27/10/2018 - 14:59

    My wife just got a hauwei nova 3e for $350. Nice phone for the money.

  • Bystander on 27/10/2018 - 20:42
    +1

    Snapdragon 835 is still a good processor…

    Xiaomi Mi6. MIUI is annoying but I believe Lineage is available. The camera on this is awesome and decent battery life too.

    Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact. Great camera, awesome battery life, Sony OS isn't too bad compared to stock, and it fits easily into a pocket. This can be used underwater so, yeah, it's not going to be easy to take apart. Cheaper when the eBay sales are on.

    B28? I dunno, never bothered me whether I have it or not.

    • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 21:11

      Thanks, good food for thought. I'll have to research the Mi6 some more, not that familiar with it.

      Sony I'd certainly consider. How are they with software updates these days?

      Yeah B28 I've done without for a while now, just thought I'd put it in there as a 'nice to have'. Probably the least important of my list.

      • Bystander on 28/10/2018 - 20:36

        Sony are really good/fast with updates. From what I understand they are a part of the working group that trials beta versions of Android and as such they get uodates out sooner than other brands. eg Pie starts rolling out in November

    • jasong on 27/10/2018 - 22:15

      I've got the mi6 and put lineage on it right after opening it. Never misses a beat and battery easily lasts a whole day with a lot of use. Can't comment on repairability as I haven't yet had anything go wrong. For the price though it's been nothing but amazing.

      • mr626 on 27/10/2018 - 22:55

        Thanks for posting. Can I ask you a few questions about it?

        -I'm assuming you are using Magisk for root? If yes, no issues passing SafetyNet Check?
        -What is the camera like?
        -Where did you get yours from (at what price) ?

        Thanks

        • jasong on 28/10/2018 - 00:16
          +1

          Yep using Magisk for root. Pretty simple through TWRP. Never had any issues with SafetyNet. The Magisk Manager app lets me scan to check the SafetyNet status and it's still showing as all good! :)
          BTW, I'm now using Resurrection Remix, based on CM, and I'm having no issues with stability and everything has worked well so far: https://forum.xda-developers.com/mi-6/development/rom-resurr…

          Not sure if you've used Xiaomi phones before, but if you're looking to unlock the bootloader you'll have to register an account and apply to have the 'bootloader unlocking' permissions for your account. You can do that now here: https://en.miui.com/unlock/
          Process itself is quite simple, just a mild inconvenience.

          I'm impressed by the camera, especially considering the price of the phone. I'm not a photographer and I really only take pics of anything I find interesting, or things to remember for later, and everything has been super clear. In good natural light photos come out clear and sharp. In lower light, depending on how much light there is, can be hit or miss. I use the app 'A Better Camera', which may or may not affect this.
          I found this link though with pics that are similar to what I've experienced: https://www.kimovil.com/en/xiaomi-mi-6/camera

          I bought mine from LightInTheBox.com, which was the cheapest at the time (Nov '17) USD$388. I've bought previous Xiaomi phones from aliexpress too, though can't remember which seller. Something like 'Xiaomi Authorised Dealer' or something.

          • Bystander on 28/10/2018 - 20:40

            @jasong: SafetyNet was the only reason I didn't put a different ROM on my Mi6. I need NFC payments and don't want any security issues. But you're saying Lineage passes SafetyNet. Awesone! Do you use NFC payments? Why did you change to Resurrection Remix? Does it also pass SafetyNet?

            • jasong on 28/10/2018 - 23:24

              @Bystander: TBH I haven't even tried using NFC payments before, so I've never even considered needing to pass SafetyNet in that regard. In my experience, my device has always reported passing SafetyNet through the Magisk Manager apps scanning function. Both with Lineage and RR.

              I changed to RR when the default camera app randomly started crashing in Lineage. Couldn't be bothered figuring out if it was the OS or something I'd done, so just decided to try RR as it looked good at the time. Happy to report it's still working quite well with no stability issues. I should mention I also never had stability issues with Lineage either.

  • HeWhoKnows on 28/10/2018 - 14:46

    Easy to repair - thats an easy one…..
    Make sure the phone has a removable Back cover!
    And stick with popular brand names

  • HeWhoKnows on 28/10/2018 - 14:47

    Aftermarket ROM support - another easy one

    SAMSUNG by far!

  • HeWhoKnows on 28/10/2018 - 14:48

    Great camera on an android phone - another easy one

    SAMSUNG Premium range phones

  • mattyman on 28/10/2018 - 16:49

    LG v20 doesn't meet your Android One specs but by far is the easiest to repair phone I've ever seen.

    Amazing sound recording too, it gives you minute control over gain and Low Pass Filter so if you want to record something that's really bass-y (ie at a concert) you can adjust the recording levels so that it doesn't record static mush on each beat.

    • mr626 on 28/10/2018 - 17:31

      Thanks, I actually had a V20 previously. It was a great phone in almost every way. I really, really didn't like the software though. Unfortunately LG are really weird about unlocking bootloaders too- they'll only do certain regions (and never AU it seems).

  • nathan-drake on 28/10/2018 - 17:50

    get a pixel 2 off gumtree
    or you could go for a nokia 7 plus or nokia 7.1

  • ozbjunkie on 29/10/2018 - 02:24

    Nokia 8? Grey imports below 400.

    Not sure about repairability, or camera.

    For camera go the pixel or an iPhone 6.

  • mr626 on 30/10/2018 - 10:19
    +1

    Many thanks for all the replies and suggestions all.

    I ended up ordering a Pocophone F1. Was able to get it for under $450 posted from an Aussie ebay seller, with the 10% off for ebay plus members today.

    Not that I was specifically looking for a powerful phone, but for the price it is a bit of a beast!
    Doesn't tick ALL my boxes, but comes very close. No B28 I've decided I can live with.
    Doesn't have stock Android, but a)Treble is coming for it and b)bootloader can be unlocked, and LineageOS works on it.
    A bit bigger than my current phone, but I'll have to live with that.
    'Repairable' in the sense that it is very easy to get at the internals of the phone- just a couple of screws and you can remove the back cover.
    I know its missing Widevine L1, but that really doesn't impact my usage

    Hopefully its as good in real life as it sounds on paper.

  • mr626 on 05/11/2018 - 15:14
    +1

    Got the F1 today. First impressions are great.

    -Other than thickness, it is basically the same dimensions as my old Mi A1. But screen is way better. Notch is a little odd, but bearable
    -Overall speed when just using the phone day to day is amazing. As is everything with the camera (HDR processing, reading QR codes etc).
    -Camera seems to work great in all condtions
    -I don't even mind the MIUI that is on here- not too bad at all. Was able to uninstall most of the bloatware (not that there was much)
    -Reception seems better than my A1. Maybe because it's not a unibody metal phone?

    I can see why so many people like this. Specs for the money, I can't think of a phone that would beat it.

  • sangem81 on 31/07/2019 - 22:56

    Hi mr626,

    I just wanted to know how good or bad is your experience with Pocophone F1. Also and more importantly, how good the phone performs in terms of network reception and 4G data speeds considering not having Band 28. Could you also mention which network operator you are with on Pocophone F1 so to find out the effects of not having B28.

    For the first time, I want to buy a budget smart phone with impressive specs for my wife but the main issue I face is lacking B28. I always used high end flagship phones but recently when wife broke display screen of her Samsung Galaxy S8, I checked with Ass Samsung that the repairs would cost $350. I hate Samsung for its display screen in S8 so soft and easily breakable and expensive repair cost that I do not want to buy Samsung again.

    Thanks.

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