Are ChinaPhones worth it? Or am I just unlucky?

Adz81 on 07/11/2013 - 06:50

Hi All,

I got myself an Lenovo phone from this post:

http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/114386

And was fairly happpy with the phone once I recieved it, however last, the screen just died (not displaying anything other than black, but screen is still powered) and I haven't been able to get it to come back… Is it worth messing around and getting the supplier to fix under warranty or do I wash my hands of it and move on? I ask because in order for me to post it, I will lose an hour off work and what ever time it takes organising the return with the supplier…

Alternatively, I get myself something local OR try my luck at another "Chinaphone"… any thoughts folks?

Thanks,
Adz

Mobile

Comments

  • ozhunter on 07/11/2013 - 07:22

    China phones or branded name phones can both be lemons(though Lenovo isn't exactly one of those cheapy Chinese phones) but situations like this is why people rather pay more and purchase local stock.

    I'm guessing for you to send it back it would be a few weeks wait before you'd get it back.

    Here is a similar phone from Dicksmith. http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/122008

    It's very similar to that Lenovo phone: http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=5327&idPhone2=…

  • zfa on 07/11/2013 - 09:41
    +1

    I had a THL W100 and got rid after a couple of weeks. Using it for more than 30mins at a time made my head hurt and 'buzz' and I became paranoid that in the absence of it having trustable SARS figures published I was frying my brain. No bargain is worth killing myself for. Also the GPS was shit and the outbound call quality was awful. Fortunately not long after I received it the N4 came on sale so what I lost flipping the W100 I saved on the price reduction of the N4.

    Nexus only for me from now on, like a breath of fresh air compared to all my previous handsets. Well worth ponying up the (slightly) extra cash for in my book.

    • scotty on 07/11/2013 - 13:13
      +1

      ChinaPhones should all come with a complimentary tin foil hat. Of course not for the conspiratorial government funded spying programs and all that, but just to block out the buzz :)

  • Adz81 on 07/11/2013 - 12:09

    Thanks gents… I'm thinking I'll just grab ANOTHER prepaid and see if I have better luck with that… I really should have just forked out and got myself a decent phone once my Galaxy 2 died :/

  • May4th on 07/11/2013 - 13:43

    they can be good value for the price, you just got to be sure you go for the reliable brands with good reviews.
    personally i never buy them because of the resell value. tech gets out of date really fast so for me i like to sell them just before the warranty runs out. works out to be as cheap if not cheaper than chinese hardware and much easier to offload

  • Toph Beifong on 17/11/2013 - 18:17

    I have a Huawei, every time I use it for 5 or more mins, the phone is sitting around 40 degrees celcius.
    So no, I would play it safe and get something better.

  • nzcid on 18/11/2013 - 09:32

    I have used unbranded phones dropshipped in from China for quite a while now with no major issues. BUT I do not buy the cheap ones I tend to buy their top of the range which have comparable specs to the main branded ones. The cost is of course half the cost of the branded ones but they seem to perform reasonable well and last at least as long.

    Like anything else I guess you pay for what you get, buy something cheap and that what you get, but I am picky spec wise as I dont want to have to spend more money in a short space of time.

    Yes, one thing I have come across is the support side of things which means if something does go wrong you have to send it back to their warehouse at your cost after their online support has run you through the hoops (nothing you would not get from any of the branded version support teams). Then they send it back at their cost after repaired. Has not happened to me (yet).

    When people see my phone currently a 5inch one they think it is a Samsung and when they look at it and play with it all I get back from them is really positive comments.

    So my thought is think about what you are are wanting to buy spec wise and spend the money to buy one either branded from within the country or unbranded from outside the country. Either you are going to have some issues as electronics these days are not built to last and they tend to date very quickly.

    Happy unbranded China mobile user.

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