5G and IR - Should I Buy a New Phone That Supports It?

OZBMate8911 on 12/01/2020 - 11:22
Last edited 12/01/2020 - 11:24

So my partner and I will need new handsets soon - both are over 24 months old and starting to have issues. Wondering what the OzBargain collective has to say on my thoughts.

Currently we have:

  • Me - Xiaomi Mi9 - 24mths old - earpiece is dying and battery is starting to wear fast
  • Partner - Xiaomi Mi5 - 33mths old - Already replaced battery once, battery life getting poor again
  • Both on the Boost prepaid 80GB deal that keeps popping up here, handsets are outright.

So far my criteria in buying a new device is that it has

  • An IR blaster - as we and our family have plenty of dumb devices so it is REALLY handy,
  • Supports all Optus/Telstra bands - for obvious reasons, and
  • Has active ROM development on XDA - as I prefer AOSP
  • Dual SIM - as I have a personal and work SIM
  • Under $600 AUD to purchase outright, preferrably ~$500 AUD as that's what our handsets have cost in the past
  • At least as powerful as my Mi6

So far the only phone to meet that criteria is the Xiaomi Mi9, which I'll begrudgingly accept the small battery size for the tradeoff of the IR blaster.

However, with 5G on the horizon and my intention to keep a handset for at least 24 months, I'm starting to think that I should add 5G to my criteria. Is there any point?

All of the phones that meet all the criteria WITH 5G are well over $1,000 and are all Huaweis. So I'm wondering - is it worth losing the IR blaster over, or should I just put off 5G to the handset upgrade ~24 months from now?

Mobile Mobile Phone

Comments

  • kusama on 12/01/2020 - 11:39
    +1

    If the devices are all in the same room, get a Logitech harmony device that has an app, then choose a phone, should have more choice

    • OZBMate8911 on 12/01/2020 - 11:53

      They aren't - I use it at my office as well as home. Having said that I don't need to be using the IR blaster, it is just incredibly convenient.

  • stirlo on 12/01/2020 - 11:55
    +3

    No. 5G is basically a gimmick. You'll get most of the benefits as people move from 4G to 5G and the congestion on current 4G bands clear up. Mid-band 5G which is what you'll be on unless you're in the middle of the CBD right next to a tower is only about 10% faster than 4G anyway.

    That said IR blaster is a weird requirement. Just buy a IR transmitter like Logitech Harmony or Broadlink and then you can use any phone on the market.

  • spackbace on 12/01/2020 - 13:08
    +1

    2 years is pretty bad, I'm surprised you'd stay with similar brands

    • whooah1979 on 12/01/2020 - 13:11

      They like the ads.

      • OZBMate8911 on 12/01/2020 - 13:32

        Both phone run LineageOS or other ROMs and generally do so from around a month after they're purchased - to weed out any issues if there is any, and is around the length of time it takes me to get annoyed with manufacturer ROMs.

        Having said that I should probably give MIUI (xiaomi.eu, not stock because of aforementioned ads) another stab

    • OZBMate8911 on 12/01/2020 - 14:02

      I actually just reefed through my E-Mails to figure out how long they've all lasted in the past to reply lol.

      On average our upgrade cycles has been around 24 months - some a month or two less, some more.
      My missus' handsets tend to last longer than mine lol.
      Average cost of handsets has been $422.03.

      Given GST from Aliexpress now it makes it much less competitive to buy internationally though :(

      • spackbace on 12/01/2020 - 17:07
        +1

        At least your cost of ownership is low, but so far my last phone (Galaxy S5) lasted 3 years and sold for about $150-$180, and current phone (Galaxy S8) just passed the 2 year mark and no issues.

        I'd be annoyed if a phone was ready for the scrap after 2 years and force an upgrade

  • scrimshaw on 12/01/2020 - 13:55
    +2

    I also recommend getting a broadlink or a Logitech Harmony remote if you want to control all your dumb devices using just one device. They are also Alexa / Google compatible models as well, meaning you can just control devices with your voice without even needing to reach for a remote.

    Snapdragon has recently announced mid-range SoC's (snapdragon 765) that have 5G modems built in and is towards mid-range to upper end devices. The advantage of having a 5G modem that's built in is better power efficiency, meaning less battery drain when switching between 4G LTE and 5G networks. It might be worth waiting a while for the new SOC to hit the market.

    • OZBMate8911 on 12/01/2020 - 14:03

      I didn't realise the 5G modems weren't integrated! Definately making my decision easier, thanks

  • Bargain80 on 13/01/2020 - 10:46
    +1

    given your average lifetime of mobile phone is 2 years, I'd give 5G a pass.

  • noodlefan on 05/02/2020 - 11:42

    Mi9's only released early last year, less than 12 months so far.

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