Ok, so I need to replace my MotoG (2nd Gen). It has 1GB RAM which is pathetic.
I am wondering what peoples thoughts are on the best Sub $350 Android phone. I was tossing between the OnePlus X and the Xiaomi Mi4c, and swaying slightly to the OnePlus due to its SD card slot. The biggest issue that people talk about with this phone is no Band 28 (Aus-LTE) but this isn't a concern for me.
Was hoping for advice from the knowledgeable OzBargain crowd.
Thanks
Could it be that the OS is forcefully closing down stuff in the background? That is ok if you don't notice it, but say you are running several things in the background, eg. using Google navigation while listening to Google Music in background and the music keeps stopping. That is why I needed more RAM.
Nope, just does a great job at managing ram. I have Spotify and gmaps running at same time also.
I have found that lower end phone's like the zte fit are better at managing ram than my 3gb note 4 ever was. Which used to always lag and often reload apps and tabs. Really odd.
I wouldn't spend that much on a phone that doesn't have band 28
What's special about band 28? To quote a user from my previous thread
If it doesn't support 700MHz run very very far away
I think the current issue I am facing is finding a phone with band 28 compatibility AND 2GB+ RAM and other decent features.
In my ownership of my current MotoG, I've managed without LTE without too many complaints.
But in light of your suggestion, have you any suggestions of a band 28 equipped phone? I'd even consider stretching budget to $400.
The p8 actually looks like what I'm after. But not at the current retail price.
There's not too much that's decent at that price.
Band 28 gives better 4G strength in building and better 4G range in the country.
Worst case, you'll fall back to 3G in these areas if you don't have Band 28 support.
For a few hundred $ extra, Band 28 is just a (very) nice to have. Not essential at all.
Not sure if Huawei P8 is right for you. But i have it and it works on Telstra 4G flawless. and its for $349.
Ronnnie, the reason I'm not concerned about band 28 is that I am with Optus and don't see myself with Telstra for a while
Pyramid, do you know where that phone is advertised for $349?
The P8 seams like a decent phone, but the OnePlus X is some $60 less, and still has 3GB ram, slightly more outright processing power. Much of the other specs appear similar to me.
My only real concern with the OnePlus is the front and back glass (I have cracked and self-repaired the screen on my MotoG 7 times in my ownership).
P8 for $349 here Dick Smith -> https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/224353
Benefit is its local stock plus Huawei will replace your screen for free during first year.
Second thing its metal body..so may not break easily(I have not done break test)….3 GB RAM..yes …powerful and good camera…But if you are into flashing ROM etc then you might be disappointed with P8 as developer community for P8 is very small or almost not exist.
Optus uses Band 28 too…
The only reason to not go for a Band 28 phone is if you're on Telstra Wholesale (which has no 4G, so 4G bands are irrelevant).
Hmmm, ok I was not aware of this.
I still find the OnePlus really attractive as I don't do a great deal of web browsing.
Do any sub $350 phones exist with a decent amount of RAM AND band28?
P8 listed above
Oh I'm sorry I thought it did. There was some confusion last time I read whether it did or didn't. Oh well.
Could you perhaps flash Cyanogenmod or Slimrom onto it to make it faster if it is lagging for you?
Do you mean my current MotoG 2nd Gen?
I have not explored this option, but it is hopelessly slow at the moment. For instance, my whatsapp crashes ATLEAST once a day. My Camera can take about 10 seconds to actually load once I press the button. Etc. Pretty much all apps on it are hopelessly slow.
And also, I have cracked the screen a few weeks ago, so I thought it might be time to upgrade.
As a final attempt to hang onto your phone, backup all of your data, do a factory reset to wipe everything clean and reinstall whatsapp.
This should provide you with the minimal operating system and no excuses for the O/S to perform slowly.
Given I will be waiting for a few weeks if I do get the OnePlus X, I might give this a go. Thanks.
Yes, you can either factory reset or you could root it and flash a rom. Custom Roms usually have less background apps running and can make your device perform even faster. It is easy as there are heaps of guides on XDA that can help you.
@K3NNY99:
Thanks mate. I did a cache delete that had helped. But it's actually high time I actually got a decent(ish) phone. Might just repair my MotoG and give it to my dad.
I'm pretty happy with my OnePlus X, got it for about $396. Didn't want anything bigger and this size is good.
Came from a Sony Z3 Compact, which had Band 28. Can't say any of these things are really bothering me:
- no Band 28 (I'm on Telstra too)
- no NFC
- no dual band wifi
The battery life is no where near as good as the phenomenal battery life on the Z3 Compact. So prob the only thing I miss is having Quick Charge.
Also the camera in low light is not great at all.
Can't speak to the comparison of the Xiaomi.
I am baffled as to why you downgraded from a Z3 Compact to a One Plus X???
I went from z3 compact to oppo r7 …
And i am preety happy!
Better camera, more ram, quicker charge and runs more smoothly!
@datzed look into oppo r7 … 349 atm just missed it sale for 299
I'm really surprised about all of those things. The only thing preventing me from going back to my Xperia Z2 from my LG G4 is pride…I really miss my Z2 and did not appreciate its stellar battery life and quality build until I moved away from it (to a much more expensive device!)
On paper it looks like a downgrade, but in hand it doesn't feel like one. The screen is much nicer on the OPX and things run a bit smoother. The 1GB of extra ram prob helps there.
Prob the only other thing I didn't try was a full reset of my z3 compact after OS updates. Maybe that might have made it run a bit better?
does the z3 compact have quick charge? as in 2.0?
Yes it does.
get redmi note 2 for 185AUD delivered, 5.5 inch
So guys, it seams the P8 is sold out at the aforementioned $349. In light of this, would people recommend the OnePlus X as the next best thing?
I am pretty keen on buying this probably tomorrow, but am unsure of what is hot in the mobile phone world (and especially in the Chinese brands) so any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
No point buying a phone that doesn't support all the important bands of your carrier. The Pixi 4.5 from Optus is $69 and supports 700MHz. The $63 Telstra Buzz supports 700MHz. 700MHz is critical for Telstra and Optus plus the higher up ones too (1800MHz, 2600MHz). You want speed and reception you want proper 4G support not some knockoff Droid from China.
I'd argue there's no point buying a cheap, nasty phone that is so slow you barely use it despite it having support for super fast/range networks.
When for the same money, you could buy a mid-high end handset that can cope with everything you throw at it that occasionally has to fall back to 3G.
Doubly so when you consider that when you're budget constrained for a handset, you're likely similarly budget restrained for network access and not all reseller networks even have 4G access!
Both the Pixi and Buzz have 1GB RAM with quad core processors and 8GB ROMs. Read the specs before you moan about slow. Mid high end isn't some Asian cheapie that doesn't even do 4G in 2016. How is that mid high end when a $69 phone has better band and warranty support?
"Mid high end isn't some Asian cheapie that doesn't even do 4G in 2016."
Correct,but most (if not all) do have 4G capability, but the band support is limited to the pre Digital dividend spectrum. You still do get 4G support, but the 4G coverage wont be as good.
"Read the specs before you moan about slow."
Slow is all about perception and use.
I rate my current handset, 2Gb RAM, 32GB ROM, Quad Core Snapdragon flagship from 2013 as slow, therefore 1Gb RAM and 8Gb ROM which is 2011 flagship spec is glacial to me….
Network performance is but one aspect of a phone's performance.
If you're on WiFi for the majority of the time anyway, or on a network with no 4G anyway (ALDI, Telechoice, Woolworths, Boost), then screen size, screen quality, camera quality, CPU, GPU, RAM and ROM all matter far more.
I don't deny that you get a lot of phone for your money with your suggested phones, but the requirement for fast mobile data, which is all 4G is (no voice over 4G yet) is a pretty niche use case in terms of priorities.
So I'm most likely gonna do this.
Current price is 209USD here
Anyone think it will get cheaper at all in the new year, or should I just buy it now?
any other local sellers to recommend? my last experience with a foreign chinese website was an absolute nightmare (jd.com).
i impulse purchased the 32gb nexus 5x from HN but realised I wouldn't really need such bleeding edge tech, and would prefer something with a more premium built instead.
I recommend Mi4C. 808 Hexa-core 5 inch screen not so big ;Dimension: 138.1mm x 69.6mm x 7.8mm
Weight: 126g
Network
FDD-LTE: Bands 1(2100 MHz)/ Bands 3(1800 MHz)/ Bands 7(2600 MHz)
TDD-LTE:Bands 38(TD 2600) / 39(TD 1900) / 40(TD 2300) / 41(TD 2500)
TD-SCDMA:Bands 34 (TD 2000) / 39(TD 1900)
WCDMA:Bands 1(2100 MHz) / 2(1900 MHz) / 5(850 MHz) / 8(900 MHz)
CDMA 2000:Bands BC0 / BC1
GSM: Bands 2(1900 MHz) / 3(1800 MHz) / 5(850 MHz) / 8(900 MHz)
CDMA 1X:BC0 / BC1
So a bit of an update. Ended up buying this phone via the jd deal for $290 delivered (delivery took almost a month). Ive had it for about a week now, and am totally in love with it.
Just such a snappy phone with some cool little featuers. Ended up with the E1003 model. Dont listen to anyone who criticizes it for build quality. It is top notch, and much better than the MotoG it replaces (which is probably not saying much).
My only criticism would be that its really thin and given the glass at the back, VERY slippery. I couldn't see myself using this without the standard soft plastic cover that was provided with the phone. I was concerned that perhaps a 5.5inch phone would have been better, but since using this phone, 5" is also perfect.
What is the average screen on time? Can you post some screenshots of battery graph near the end of day?
I usually charge my phone during the day at work (at my desk) so battery graph is probably not all that relevant. I also hardly use my phone during the day except maybe a bit of whatsapp.
I usually end up with maybe 25-30% battery life left at the end of the day (If I don't charge it during the day).
So far the battery life has been decent. But I am coming from a 2nd Gen MotoG which had an even worse battery specification so this is a big improvement for me.
My thoughts are that I wouldn't spend that much on a phone that doesn't have band 28. It doesn't even have dual band wifi from one review I seen. It's a nice phone otherwise.
The thing that I don't get is how some Android phones with only 1gb of ram can perform really well while others with 1gb of ram are supposedly laggy. I have a zte fit, it only has 1gb of ram and performs awesome for general use. Even browsing you can have many tabs open and switch back to old tabs and it never needs to reload them. Something which you would expect on a phone with only 1gb of ram.