Hello Fellow OzB,
I'm an Iphone user for many years, but considering moving to Android.
Before I buy a flagship android phone with all the bells and whistles, I'm inclined to try out a budget android phone to test the waters. I'm not too worried about the hardware (camera etc), I'm inclined to test the operating system.
Any recommendations for a budget android phone which will give a feel for the operating system? Budget is $350.
Thanks in advance :)
Appreciate your response :)
Might end up going with Poco X4 pro.
Poco X4 pro will give you some pretty decent hardware for the price, but be aware that Xiaomi phones use a very heavily customised Android OS that is chock full of their own ecosystem applications — your phone will likely come preinstalled with a lot of "Mi" stuff, all of which are alternatives to Google's own suite of apps. For example you'll find their own web browser, media player, cloud sync and gmail / calendar applications that come preinstalled (and can't be removed).
The experience of using an MIUI device is quite different from say, Google Pixel or a Samsung Galaxy. One of the reasons why Xiaomi phones can price their devices so cheaply is because they make money off their auxiliary software services, even going so far as to put advertisements on their device (which thankfully you can remove).
This isn't to say you shouldn't buy a phone that runs MIUI, just that you need to be aware the open-source nature of Android allows the manufacturer a lot of freedom to do what they want with the OS, meaning your experience with one Android phone (brand) doesn't necessarily mean it'll be the same with another.
Thanks for your response kind Sir.
Gives me a lot of clarity on what to expect.
Are there any devices you recommend to get a feel for the OS?
The idea is to enter the OS with a budget phone, and then buy something with all the bells and whistles later in the year (currently waiting for Iphone 14 pro, upgrading from Iphone X)
I am also considering Oppo A74 and A76, any thoughts on those devices?
@HHH-888: I don't know much about Oppo, however the following brands will usually give you the most "stock" android experiences
@HHH-888: What you don't seem to understand is there really isn't a "feel for the OS" in "Android" like there is with iOS …
Android is fully customisable with many different apps that can greatly change the experience ..
Android has many UI (user interfaces - Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, Nokia, etc all use different UIs, so all the gestures on all these devices are different, but with some customisation), launchers (screen layout app, even Microsoft has a launcher), phone apps (to handle phone calls - from Google to HTC all have different "phone, SMS and Contact" app), messaging apps (from Nokia simple SMS to google CHAT), etc etc
A simple example, the Google "Phone App" will automatically show you suspected SPAM calls (by looking up caller ID), but HTC phones using the HTC "Phone" app won't by default … even with phone calls, on Google you tap the green icon to answer the phone, with HTC you slide left / right for answer / decline …
Another example, the Google "Contacts" app will let you assign individual ringtones to callers, the HTC default contact app will not …
I wouldn’t lol. I made the switch when there was a great deal to get a s8 via ozbargain wizardry for $50 a month;
Not being able to easily sideload apps outside of jail breaking is a huge negative but most android devices I’ve used start to go haywire when you tinker with them.
If you want one just look at the cheaper options on ozbargain that run the full system, not the cut down android go
Appreciate your response.
I have not used an android device before, hence very keen to test the waters of the operating system. Been jailbreaking iphones for few years now, they tend to act up too when jailbroken.
Pardon my ignorance, could you please elaborate on what do you mean about the devices that run the full system? Any examples of devices that run the full system?
Android GO is a stripped down version of Android and is made for extremely low end devices (think RAM less than 2GB's, internal storage less than 8 Gigs, display resolution in 480p). These typically run on phones that are priced so low you see them on supermarket shelves.
Thanks, the devices I am looking at come with 4-6GB of RAM and 64-128GB of memory.
Also, would you recommend going for a pre-owned Flagship device or a newly launched budget phone?
@HHH-888: MrWhoseTheBoss has a youtube video answering that exact question but the TLDR is a pre-owned flagship will have better cameras, faster performance (especially in games), more features but the downside is shorter battery life, because it's a used device.
A new budget device won't have as many features, the cameras will be most certainly be satisfactory (but not amazing) and will feel slower, but at least you're getting a warranty, battery efficiency and the full length of the software support lifecycle (this will depend on what year your device came out though and the manufacturer's software update policy)
@HHH-888: I've said this a dozen times, the Samsung A52s is the best phone to get.
It has a flagship display, a flagship battery, flagship Software Support, and a flagship processor. Where it comes short is the lack of Reverse-Wireless Charger, and it's Camera System is good/not great (about early-2020 level). However, you get a 3.5mm Headphone Jack, microSD slot, DualSIM, and a better durable construction.
All in all, it is "nearly" flagship but at a "very" midrange price… so it is a "flagship-killer" at the AUD $400 price. Just stay away from the Samsung A53, A52-5G, and the Base-level A52. We are looking for the "s"-variant.
the Android OS for whatever reason turns into a slow dog over time: I had a Samsung tablet as well and it turned into a paperweight
that's probably a result of the hardware degrading. have had similar experiences with samsung.
Same happens with IOS devices too, my IPad is super slow and almost of no use.
i think apple did it on purpose, they got in trouble for doing that if i remember correctly.
@[Deactivated]: To compensate for ageing batteries iOS used to make sure the processor doesn't run at full power under certain circumstances.
@AustriaBargain: It’s a bit of a con though for sure, like my iPad 2 is totally useless for practically everything!
Yeah which iPad is it, though, bro
Don't get some cheap piece of junk, get a used pixel or similar so you get a proper android experience, not one loaded with bloatware and rubbish.
Not the pixel 6
<$350
Better off getting a Pixel. Google integrated with android, highly recommend.
Regrettably budget android devices is what gives android a bad rap. See if you can pick an s10 up for a good price.
Budget devices are usually slow.
When ya drop it and bugger the screen, it makes no difference $150 or $1150, buggered is buggered.
In advance… Welcome to the Android Dark Side.
Poco x4 pro 5G is currently ~330 AUD on Amazon. Probably the best android experience you’re gonna have for under $350. Or you could pick up a used Pixel 4A for roughly the same, for a pure android experience.