First phone for a 12yo

RangaWal on 20/10/2019 - 17:22

Looking for a first phone for my 12yo. I notice Aldi have the Nokia 5.1 for $19, but also the Motorola G6 marked down from $279 to $199. Which of these wins?

Alternatively, was considering the LG V30+ currently on sale (again) at JB HiFi for $399. The price doesn't really bother me, but worried how long any phone will survive in the hands of a 12yo!

Another option is hand her down my wife's immaculate Pixel 2, but not sure if the V30+ would really be an upgrade, or should I look for something new. What does the Pixel 3 (on sale lately) have over a Pixel 2?

Any recommendations?

Mobile

Comments

  • kahn on 20/10/2019 - 17:39
    +16

    The price doesn't really bother me

    Hand in your ozbargain membership card to your nearest Harvey Norman store.

    • RangaWal on 20/10/2019 - 18:05
      +1

      Yeh, that probably didn't come out right :)

      I meant price-point doesn't bother me too much, but whatever I decide on must be a bargain!

  • CrazyBargainCatcher on 20/10/2019 - 17:41
    +1

    Xiaomi A3 from Aliexpress around $250 with tax
    SD 665
    4GB Ram
    64GB/128GB Storage
    32MP Camera
    4030 MAH Battery

    IMO Good specs for the money

    • IVI on 20/10/2019 - 20:30

      +1 for AliExpress

      Our ASUS RedMi 5+ fone has ~5,000 mAh battery
      altho it could help a kid learn not to charge
      their fone regylarly.

      A subtle kid-specific feature of our '5+ is:

      Two SIM-sockets, & you can Open the fone to
      plug a SIM in; nothing to Drop+Lose (eg SIM-
      holder, for fones that don't let you access
      the inside by remov'g the back)

      Only a 5.5" screen

      We're now up to 6.9" -via XiaoMi's Mi Max 3
      $317 w/ 6gb RAM & 128gb ROM (AU-based shop,
      now it's ~$295.9x, but may have low-stocks)

  • thatonethere on 20/10/2019 - 17:42
    +1

    Just get a good case and that stick on glass protector for the screen. I got thru a lot of stick on glass but at $5 @ replacement better than replacing the actual phone screen…

    • IVI on 20/10/2019 - 20:33

      +1

      We like a "hard rubber" (or equiv.)
      cases with a KickStand,
      to hold it up on desk,
      or stack of books.

      Do kids have any books
      in schools of 2019…?

  • theHMASfriendship on 20/10/2019 - 17:43

    iPhone 11 pro max

    • RangaWal on 20/10/2019 - 18:04
      +1

      Can these run Instagram?

      • cruiserbruiser on 20/10/2019 - 18:18
        +7

        Only the 512GB versions

      • Numlock on 20/10/2019 - 18:31
        +1

        Why are you giving a 12 year old access to instagram? To look at all the freethenip chicks?

  • brotherfranciz on 20/10/2019 - 18:25

    My vote goes to:

    Motorola G6

    Seriously, I have an LG V30+ and love it. I would definitely recommend it. Obviously, you'll need to buy a case and a tempered glass screen protector (like you must with any phone nowadays).

  • Godric on 20/10/2019 - 18:27

    Note 10

  • SnoozeAndLose on 20/10/2019 - 18:34
    +3

    Samsung A20? Around $250

    • IVI on 20/10/2019 - 20:35

      Locked can be $159 (Optus,
      & Voda seen in sep. deals)

  • mskeggs on 20/10/2019 - 18:37
    +1

    $200ish gets a phone with good specs and performance, like the two you linked. If you go with a grey market model from Toby deals or similar you can probably get the model up.
    I think these are more than adequate for a kid starting high school. Get a good case and screen protector. Make sure the kid knows it is a privilege and they must take care of it.

  • AustriaBargain on 20/10/2019 - 18:46
    +1

    Preowned iPhone 5 I think could be good, if you can't afford the SE. She may want to carry a battery back though because these preowned iPhones tend to have well loved batteries.

  • Nutrino on 20/10/2019 - 19:06

    Never too young to get them on facebook, snappy and tinder…

  • fatherchicken on 20/10/2019 - 19:12
    +5

    My advice, unless you want to buy 2 phones (1 now and another soon after) get any iphone 6 or better.
    from my 2 phone experience with a 13yo all others have no cred in the school yard and will end in tears & tantrums. Don't do it to yourself. What you & I know is good value, function & spec is irrelevant unless it can emoji, facetime and easily swap <$10 covers once a week.

    • mskeggs on 21/10/2019 - 07:07
      +1

      When do you teach them brands are a waste of money, if you don’t do it at that age?

  • kenzstar on 20/10/2019 - 19:26
    +1

    I agree with @fatherchicken, get a iphone 6 or better. Also get a rugged phone case, kids tend to drop phones alot and screens need to get replaced which cost alot of money(happened to my neice a few times).

  • loropy9 on 20/10/2019 - 19:26
    +2

    Get your 12yo a phone with huge battery. Rugged case too. This is if you have a boy. If girl, and especially if in a school with affluent girls, then iphone or she'll get destroyed at school.

    • Diji1 on 20/10/2019 - 20:38

      Australia's nasty, morally bankrupt society of brainwashed idiots, where social worth is determined by the goods you display to other people.

    • IVI on 20/10/2019 - 20:39

      RedMi 5+ (5.5" scr.) has 5,000 mAh battery

      Mi Max (6.9" screen) has 5,500 mAh

  • try2bhelpful on 20/10/2019 - 19:28

    You can get a brand new iPhone 7 for $499 at Office works at the moment. Old technology, yes, but given the iPhone 6s gets you $100 Apple changeover, and a fair bit more at other sites, it is worth a consideration if the little darling wants Apple. It also runs the latest IOS. We decided on this path because my man is considering playing with the Apple Watch 3 and he needs a latest IOS Phone to do that. We figure we should get a reasonable trade over for a pristine young phone when we decide to upgrade.

  • elgrande on 20/10/2019 - 19:51
    +1

    Your child must be patient to wait until they are 12..

  • spackbace on 21/10/2019 - 01:46

    Why buy one? Just give them the hand-me-down from mum or dad, and mum or dad upgrade to a new one.

    • RangaWal on 21/10/2019 - 12:59

      That's a fair call. I'm more than happy my with my Nokia 7 Plus. Other than performance, the only function I can think of that this doesn't have is wireless charging, which doesn't really appeal to me.

      I could upgrade the wife's Pixel 2, but she's pretty happy with that also.

      I think I'll buy the 12yo a new one. It is their birthday present, so a hand-me-down is probably a bit ordinary (not that it would bother me!). I'm tossing up between the LG V30+, Samsung A20, Motorola G6 or Nokia 5.1, unless someone can offer a better solution/deal.

      Having owned a Redmi Note 3, which was fine until the charging port failed, I'd have no issues buying a grey import, except I've run out of time for delivery.

  • whooah1979 on 21/10/2019 - 05:25

    An iPhone 4s. It can make calls, receive calls and find my iphone.

  • mskeggs on 21/10/2019 - 07:08

    These look interesting:
    https://www.techradar.com/au/news/budget-smartphone-maker-re…

  • netjock on 21/10/2019 - 08:01

    Definitely a $200 odd dollar phone. You got to hand in your ozbargain membership if you giving anything more. If the pixel 2 is redundant (if you can sell it for $400 and buy the kid a $200 phone then go for it) then hand it down.

    Xiaomi A2s have still 2 years of security updates and one year of OS updates going for $200.

  • juzza87 on 21/10/2019 - 08:08
    +2

    Kids gets your old phone, you get the latest and greatest. If your partner is in need of a phone your partner gets your old phone (unless they can't stand Android, then it goes to the kid).

    • try2bhelpful on 21/10/2019 - 08:08

      I agree with that.

    • loropy9 on 24/10/2019 - 10:33

      Yeas, this is how the mobile phone hierarchy works.

  • golfer dad on 21/10/2019 - 08:19
    +1

    I went through this a few years ago and the most important thing to found out is - are all his/her friends are iPhones users? If they do, stick with an Apple phone. Almost all my twins friends' have iPhones and they 100% will not consider anything else. Not even my wife's used Samsung even though was a new model with more features. They will also start yearning for a new model/more memory quite quickly so it won't take long before they will start complaining about many apps are not available or is no longer supported if you give him/her an older models such as the iPhone 4S

  • [Deactivated] on 21/10/2019 - 08:22

    What do you want out of the phone for your child and what type of plan will they have? Also how responsible is your child? Will the phone get lost or broken in a few weeks?

    Cheap phones are great if it’s just for text and calls. Easy and simple.

    If they need to commute around the city of suburbs some data and access to google maps might be helpful in an emergency/train delay etc. They might also use the phone to access the internet at home to do homework. Invest in decent phone (older model) which they can use for the next few years. (Yes I know they will probably want to use it for social media, that’s fine just teach them to be responsible).

  • jonkvh on 21/10/2019 - 09:23
    +1

    I'd just get the A20 Samsung. Brilliant battery life and really cheap phone for the specs.

  • onetwothreefour on 21/10/2019 - 11:15

    I'm in a similar situation, nearly 12 year old starting high school next year.

    Kogan seems to have a lot of refurbished iPhone's for sale, has anyone had any experience with them and are they any good?

  • smalltime0 on 21/10/2019 - 12:53

    2017 version of the Nokia 3310
    duh.
    If it was good enough for us, it is good enough for her.

  • RangaWal on 21/10/2019 - 13:01
    +1

    Forgot to mention the 12yo has been using s sim-less Android phone and tablet, and has no desire for an iPhone (for now). I'm sure peer-pressure might kick in sooner or later, but they can buy that themselves if/when the time comes.

  • Out24q on 21/10/2019 - 14:31

    I'm in a similar vote with my 11 year old.
    For his 12th, he might be getting a mobile.

    Something else you need to look at is what SIM you will get, and that might help determine which. Mobile to get..

    You can find cheap prepaid, which then gives you access to cheaper phones.
    Just simply swap out the sim card..

  • [Deactivated] on 22/10/2019 - 01:21

    Buy a new 1 for yourself and give them your old 1.

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