Hi Guys found this realme c21 on the Thornlie Woolworths in WA … not sure if this is a clearance to a particular store but worth to check while shopping
Not a bad phone for a $49 and looks like we have NFC too..!
Product Features:
6.5" Mini-drop Fullscreen
5000mAh Massive Battery
Instant Fingerprint Sensor
13MP AI Triple Camera
NFC Enabled
Note: Nationwide offer. Not available in all stores, limited stock.
The price updated to $29 today. Riverwood Sydney has a few left (unlocked). Got be quick guys:)
No Woolworths state wide now
Returned the phone at Woolies for $49 refund. Bought the same phone back for $29.
Username checks out 😁
Surprised you were allowed to do that. I thought phones could only be returned if faulty.
ingenious
dude at Karrinyup was like: "pretty good phone for $29!" yep…mother's day sorted lol
Has anyone tried GCam on this phone? Seems to be a link here: https://www.naldotech.com/realme-c21-google-camera-gcam-apk/
Looks interesting, lets us know how you go :-)
Very good deal indeed, I managed to get the A54 5G for $99 on Gumtree 😎
Well, I finally got around to unboxing mine. Found the setup and settings somewhat overwhelming. Glad to see readable "large" and "extra large" fonts are available. My biggest criticisms so far is that realMe could set better default permissions on the standard apps, e.g. its a bit stupid I need to set a permission to have a photo wallpaper display on my lockscreen but not on the homescreen. I refused most things in the guided wizard. I found the SIM tray didn't slide that easily I hope it won't be afuture point of failure.
Is it not possible to IM Optus now except via their app? Wasn't working for me via Firefox earlier. Or does it keep business hours?
Some links for your enjoyment:
"Quick Guide" that came with phone (7MB)
User Guide (applicable to all phones with realmeUI 1.0) - 243 pages (8.4MB)
https://realmefirmware.com/realme-c21-firmware/
Since the NFC model only seems to be available here its possible that anyone of these firmwares will disable NFC or more differs in the hardware other than just the SIM tray. I'd pick the Global version myself. I'm guessing that is the one for European phones and may have greater data protections, note GDPR in the file name. It looks like 3GB/4GB phones share the same firmware.
The links point to realme.net not realme.com. I have not been able to verify whether that belongs to Realme but it seems that Realme does takes action in WIPO to recover domain names with their brand.
Some unlinked MTK flash tool is required. I haven't looked into where the Flash tool-MTK referred to can be obtained from. (The C21 has an MTK chipset)
Some more links on changing the region can be found above
Good information, thanks. I also noticed that the SIM tray was poorly constructed.
Why change the firmware?
My motivation would be to try and enable dual SIM functionality. I can't claim to fully understand the process but I doubt changing the region is enough to enable it. Of course, dual SIM requires the underlying hardware to support it - which I am now beginning to doubt given the lack the lack of NFC in other markets. I reckon dual SIM could potentially be more useful to me than NFC but having to choose makes it tougher. A different reason would be to take advantage of region specific features whatever those might be.
Fair enough. For me NFC is a necessity for tap and pay so a big plus for this phone to include it. Why not email Realme and ask if they are dual sim capable if a dual sim slot was inserted.
Fair enough. For me NFC is a necessity for tap and pay so a big plus for this phone to include it.
My default card still doesn't have Google Pay support. Regardless, at best, I'd still need to carry a physical chipped card for places where scheme debit/credit transactions are surcharged as well as cash even if I could virtualise everything else and be prepared not to carry backups in case of phone failure. Are you cardless?
Why not email Realme and ask if they are dual sim capable if a dual sim slot was inserted.
I have low expectations of getting an accurate and truthful answer.
@Stingo: I use NFC with my Commbank card. I don't use cloud based payment systems like GooglePay, Apple etc.
If you ever find out about dual SIM capability, do let us know.
I've read for other realme phones in the UK with single sim, people have been able to get dual sim working by changing region and getting a dual sim tray.
@huntress_love: I'm worried that this phone could be an exception. The only other region (with latin script) that I and Google could find where NFC is offered on the realme C21 is Mexico and this is also a single SIM model albeit with a superset of the bands we use here, and dropping the European B20 band. Would realme significantly vary the physical hardware for Australia? Seems more likely they might do that for Mexico. Before you think more bands, great! I think flashing base band firmware, as I think people refer to software for the modem/radio is perhaps even more of an effort, if only to find the firmware at least in finding the firmware.
One other problem that people have claimed to encounter is the reflashed phone still having a single IMEI. That would prevent you from using SIMs from the same carriers regardless of whether they are from different MVNOs as carriers consider multiple devices with the same IMEI suspicious.
Disclaimer: I know relatively little about this sort of thing so I could be talking through my a**.
If you've upgraded to Android 11/realme UI 2.0 you'd probably refer the user guide for that rather than realme UI 1.0. Like the previous version its available under the realme support page but below is a direct link
If you have or are still on the fence there's a post in the Indian section of realme community covering the new features and issues. There is also link to a "rollback package" for Android 10, but beware it may be region specific. If you look at the URL you'll see it refers to the RMX3061 rather than RMX3021 which is the internal number of C20 which looks to be a lower spec version of the C20 so possibly these models share the same firmware.
Is it not possible to IM Optus now except via their app? Wasn't working for me via Firefox earlier.
Looks like you need to use Chrome.
Cheers bought one for $29 this morning
Put vodafone sim in and seems unlocked.
(Optus Sim card says no credit on packaging)
$29! where at?
Woolworths has updated the price down to $29
Check the woolies shopping app
It tells you if your local store has any.
Shop in store or pickup in store?
@Smallman: Purchase at store ( smokes counter )
Service desk that is.
Btw my sim said it had no value…but when I activated it had $30 credit !
Just a reminder to scan or photocopy your receipts as they may have faded by the time you may need to make a warranty claim. Remember this phone has a warranty period of 2 years.
I do this with all purchases (within reason). Take a pic of invoice save it to an Invoice folder by year on PC, I have an Excel workbook where I note the date, Invoice number, item desc (incl warranty period), vendor and cost.That way it's easy to refer back to. I link the Invoice number to the actual invoice pic, pdf or whatever.
Saves a lot of time when things go wrong and also a good way to check if something is still in warranty or for looking back at purchase history. Crap……did I really buy that, must have been Ozb fault! :-).
.
Swung past a Woolies today that I don't normally frequent, and the staff had attached a sticker on the display model saying "This phone is currently unavailable". Must have been getting a lot of enquiries!
Don't think there's any left in Perth at $29, good fishing if you do get one this late.
Finally got one! Gawler SA at $29. App said they had stock (thanks @snappy1234) so called them up and got them to hold their last one.
Its locked. Message Optus support and they say I have to wait 2-4 days to receive unlock code?
I got one earlier, assuming 16 random characters is what you get.
Did they give immediately in chat or did they text/email to you later?
In the chat. Maybe, you ended up with a different team.
The newer Realme C21 phones are unlocked and come with a screen protector already applied. The older ones are locked to Optus and do not have a screen protector.
Sounds plausible. What's your sample size?
figures. i thought there was something seriously wrong with my eyes when i couldn't see any screen protector on my [previously] locked phone
Is this true? The one that I got come with a screen protector but I am already using an optus sim and doesnt have non optus sim to try it out.
Can confirm. No screen protector. Locked.
What are the dates of the SIM expiry and initial Android versions of the old and new? Just curious. I wonder what the price of the remaining stock will be in the future.
Sim on mine = Dec 2022. Initial Android = 10 and updated to 11.
I'm curious what the differences are between the locked and the supposedly unlocked screen protector versions out of the box. I have no screen protector on mine and according to Optus it is locked.
SIM expiry: 1 Dec 2022
(following values from Settings/About)
Android Build: RMX3201_AU_11_A.23 (Version Base Band and Kernel)
Android version: 10
Android security patch level: 5 February 2021 (Android version)
Sometimes, I'm a bit slow. The bottom of the inner realme box inside the Optus sleeve has what is likely a manufacturing date just above the regulatory marks. Mine (apparently locked, no screen protector) was manufactured on 15/4/2021. When were the ones with screen protectors manufactured? Initial state of charge was about 53%. Not too shabby I thought.
Oh, just a heads up. You may not want to get more than one phone unlocked, at least not more than one in the same chat session. I was trying to get a code for my mate's phones as I promised him I would and he's useless and then had of a bit of a saga trying to get a code for my own possibly because I was using my existing account rather than the included SIM.
I succeeded with the first phone without any real difficulty apart from the hour long wait for the agent, and the gaps where the agent multitasks between chats which took about another half hour.
The trouble began when I asked for a second IMEI to be unlocked using my same mobile number, and got referred to secure-unlock.com.au and when I explained that site wasn't working correctly that got me transferred to an "expert" in a "dedicated technical team." where the real fun started and we went around in circles with me being asked if I was prepared to pay, me asking how much, then being referred to the broken web site, me explaining again the site was broken and advising them that I learned of the brokenness from "social media." Despite their own system telling them it was locked I was asked various questions to determine whether it really needed to be unlocked which I was unable to assist with, well apart from providing the wrong name of the "social media" site where I learned of their system being broken for everyone.
Somehow, I managed to break the loop and I was advised the price was "around $25" and I refused so I eventually got referred to another "dedicated team" who identified as the "service team" where they gave me the code and a method to unlock without further questions. And also another method when I questioned the need for Internet in the first method.
Between the transfers to dedicated teams I got transferred to the sales team twice and on the 2nd transfer the CSR tried to up-sell me on converting my prepaid to post-paid plan. I should have said no, but I enjoy a laugh. The offer was a $45 post-paid plan based on my requirement for a "super-cheap plan" with zero data and international calls. He transferred me when I thanked him for his efforts and added I also had a $0 post-paid plan.
Total time taken ~ 3.5 hours much of it waiting. Final result: codes for 2 phones for free. I am a longer term Optus customer, and I use that word loosely. I probably have "recharged" that old service with more than $80 if you count recharges from credit included as SIM replacements or other transfers from starter kits from transfers, or Optus credit reinstatements resulting from their botches. Perhaps their system only reflects proper recharges - we didn't get into that. Perhaps it was my expressed desire to have the phone unlocked for use on Singtel when I next visit Singapore. Or was the last sales person? I don't know if any of that helped. As I mentioned in the wall of text above I have a $0 post-plan too. Did that help? No idea.
I'm definitely, not looking forward to the next time I have to ask Optus to unlock a phone.
lol yeah, i didn't even think about unlocking my second one yet (well, it's still in the box) 'cause i was already stunned and suspicious about how easy it was to get the first one unlocked.
gonna give it a breather before i try again ;)
$25 to unlock isn't bad considering the cost of the phone but i know it can be had for free so why pay?
Dumb question, possibly, but do I need to upgrade the phone to Android 11 / realme UI 1.0 before I can unlock it? I couldn't bring up the unlock menu using the *#475838912# code and some alternatives.. I did not have a SIM in the phone. I did manage to bring up some very basic engineering menu prompt for an unlock code using another dial string from this Oppo support article but that responded with an invalid code error. I didn't give it access the internet as previously instructed and I see the Oppo article doesn't mention that as a requirement either.
I don't believe it's locked out of the box so not really a concern…….is yours?. The issue is when one updates the OS and software that one then needs to unlock (for most not all).
I've no idea if mine is locked other that what Optus told me and the apparent absence of a screen protector according to supercheap1's theory. I don't have a current need to try a non-Optus carrier, my main motivations were to try the unlocking process on my own phone before either assaulting a friend's phone or giving him instructions as well as verifying my own unlock code was correct and to get the unlock out of the way. I don't want to upgrade to Android 11 on my own phone yet as I want to try installing firmware from another region in an attempt to make the phone dual SIM.
Hopefully, any other IMEI on the phone is not also locked…
I don't think you get an unlock code if it is not locked i.e. there is nothing for Optus to work with as the phone hasn't registered itself on their systems as locked yet. When it's updated and gets locked, they can then generate the code as now shows on their systems. That's my undertsanding from chit chats I have had with tech at Optus.
@Borg: Their internal system shows the phone as locked and they were able to provide me with a code. Whether I can manage to get that code to work or not at some stage remains to be seen.
I recall reading somewhere on OzB that the 2 digit number that appear after the "/" following the IMEI on an Oppo are the last 2 digits of a secondary IMEI. So for example if after dialing '*#66#" the phone displays the IMEI as 866969050123456 / 78. The secondary IMEI of the phone is 866969050123478. Can someone with more experience with Oppo/realme phones please confirm of deny? Of course, that's not saying the phone can be converted to dual SIM but a secondary IMEI is a prerequisite when using both SIMs on the same network.
I recall reading somewhere on OzB that the 2 digit number that appear after the "/" following the IMEI on an Oppo are the last 2 digits of a secondary IMEI.
Those 2 digits are most likely the IMEI SV, the IMEI software version. That matches the IMEI SV under About phone / Status and also matches a number within the identifier for the Build number in About phone / Version.
Any recommendations on clear Silicon type case and screen protectors for these. Not a lot out there for these. What are others using if any?
i wanted a slim clear case but no local stock for those on ebay.
i ordered a c12 case for $8 shipped from the realme website: https://shop.realme.net.au/collections/cases-protection/prod….
looks like it's almost identical to the c21 except for the rear speaker grills.
i could do without a case since those little ridgelines on the back give surprisingly good grip, but i would like to protect the camera lenses until i got glass protectors for those. yeah, ocd much!
i could've used the protector i ordered for the motorola e7 as that would fit just fine. c21's screen is flat right to the edge though so i took a punt and bought a glass protector for the realme 7 5g since it covered the whole screen and didn't have the cutout for the camera notch. i don't know why they couldn't just cover the camera lens…glass wouldn't distort the selfie cam lol
Thanks for that suggestion, case looks perfect. Has it arrived yet i.e. does it fit? The fine print says….. NOT compatible with any other models
Glass screen protector: Likewise I was thinking of grabbing one. If yours fits well and thin, a link to the one you bought would be appreciated.
Update: I called the RealMe 1800 number (no wait time which was nice) and the sales agent said that cases were not compatible with other models. Risk of different thickness, lenght etc. etc.! Annoying that they don't sell cases for the C21. Let me know how you go with yours.
i did try to compare the dimensions as best as i could and the c12's case was the one i settled on. it's weird 'cos my moto e7's case also fit it well, but obviously differences in the camera cutouts and some buttons/ports don't quite line up.
nothing's arrived yet, though according to tracking, the c12 case should be the first to arrive. i'll post up pics and links to the screen protectors if i'm happy with them.
yeah, it is an annoying part of buying phones that aren't samsung or apple since the number of quality accessories drops off dramatically. good to hear their customer service was responsive. they say on the website that the c21 is "new", but hasn't it been out for several months here, and even longer overseas? i'd prefer to buy cases from the actual phone maker and $8 is very reasonable.
@Borg: case arrived today! fits very snug.
here are some pics…
back view: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95568/img_3284.j…
the covered speaker bit: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95569/img_3286.j… does noticeably muffle audio but i don't use to watch videos or listen to music so ymmv
bottom ports: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95574/img_3296.j… i doubt you'd have problems fitting the charger in there. headphone jack could be problematic if you've got a beefy plug. microphone is a bit obscured.
overall i like it and would definitely buy another.
camera cutout/fingerprint reader: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95570/img_3288.j… doesn't interfere with photos but hurts my ocd a little.
buttons: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95571/img_3290.j… perfect fit, imo.
2 little holes for slipping through a lanyard: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95571/img_3290.j… nice touch.
printed case model number: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/20978/95573/img_3294.j… does this cheapen the look or not? also shows a bit of the raised screen edge that tapers off towards the top/bottom.
@tdw: Good photos! What did you use to photograph them? Realme should give you a kickback for publishing the photos or entice you to take them down.
Weirdly, even though you paid for it and are satisfied with it and I have no interest in getting one, at least at $8, I'm the one that's disappointed that its not a more precise fit. Is that typical for this sort of thing? I've no idea whether that's because its for a different model or because of inadequate quality control.
I can't say I like the printed number but you probably won't notice it if its on the non-button side and the cure for it may be worse than the problem. Maybe the right solvent might work but I've no idea what's safe for TPU cases.
@Stingo: just my og iphone se and rather bad lighting lol.
case was for a c12 after all so i was expecting some irregularities. checked out some cases on ebay and they all seemed to be the type with the bulgy corners - which i wouldn't normally have a problem with but this one's my payment phone so i don't want added bulk. i also wanted local stock rather than waiting for it to arrive from China or Italy. i went to a few phone repair/accessories shops in shopping centres and they didn't have anything for this weird phone.
i'm personally not bothered with the number on the side…as you can see, i've still got the sticker with the serial number on the back. just putting it out there for anyone else thinking of deliberately buying the wrong case ;)
just my og iphone se
Just checking in case it was your moto e7
just putting it out there for anyone else thinking of deliberately buying the wrong case ;)
Thank you for this public service. Muffling the audio is the biggest problem I see with the case but I suppose speaker holes can be cut out with variable degrees of success.
BTW, I'm thinking I may be more obsessive than you.
Just checking in case it was your moto e7
if it was, picture quality would've been better :p
i think a dremel at low speed would be the best tool to make those speaker cut-outs but i'm not going to try so do so at your own risk.
BTW, I'm thinking I may be more obsessive than you.
nothing wrong with that at all :)
if it was, picture quality would've been better :p
Hmm, I might have emoticon autism too. Does the ":p" imply sarcasm here?
@tdw: Haha, thanks very much for the effort with taking those Pics. Yeah it's somewhat "not" the right case especially if one like things to look just right :-)
I have just ordered one as it will do the job for what I need. I might even take out the soldering iron to increase the size of some holes (or a blade or both!). Excellent, thanks again for pics.
Did you end up ordering anything for Screen protection?
@Borg: no worries! i've never been so damn excited for a phone case ever since i got some spigen cases for my iphone se a 4 years ago lol.
haha case-hacking..i thought about it for a split second before my procrastinating voice drowned out that thought
yeah, got some glass screenies meant for a realme 7 5g (should fit?? yet again, buying the wrong product because i think i know better) but they don't have tracking so don't know if they've arrived yet.
@Borg: Grrrr. Ordered on Mon and received an email today saying order cancelled due to no stock. What idiots and left it 5 working days to inform me yet showed as stock on Mon. Am not a happy chappy as they just wasted a working week as now need to look elsewhere for something.
@tdw: I combined most of your pics into a single shot for a quick visual overview.I think this covers most of what you noted. Thanks again for those.
RealmeC21 using a C12 Case
but hasn't it been out for several months here, and even longer overseas?
According to GSM Arena the phone was released in March 2021. web.archive.org first picked up the realme c21 page on Optus's site in May 2021. The first local reviews are in May as well.
BTW, how do you find this compared to the e7? I almost pulled the trigger on that.
@Stingo: CS Agent noted when I spoke to them that they stuffed up and only started making cases for later models and a lesson learned. There was question whether they would look at making one but I doubt they will now being an older phone.
BTW, how do you find this compared to the e7? I almost pulled the trigger on that.
as scuba12steve mentioned it can be laggy and unresponsive as hell starting/switching between apps or even just getting past the lock screen. but once it gets there it's mostly fine. i'm pretty much just using it to play Real Racing 3 and predictably there's some performance issues there. online multiplayer is almost unplayable unless you're way out in front. i'm tempted to go back to my ipod touch just for that.
and last night it lost about 70% battery in about half a day for some reason. so i rebooted and it took 4+ hours to get back to 100%.
tl;dr if the c21 deal came first, i'd never have touched the moto e7 lol
@tdw: Thanks for the review.
I don't know if is the parts shortage/inflation but it seems that we're getting less for our money than a year ago. The Realme C3 has an RRP of $199 too. I would have liked to get that for the same price as the C21 (some lucky people did.) Vodafone seems to have gone all silly with their pricing for the moto e7. For some reason, the everyday pricing of the power and non-power variants of the moto e7 have been sitting on the same price on the Vodafone web site. Unless you really hated grey I can't see you would pay the same price for the power variant.
@Stingo: i also think as well that many companies are using covid, inflation, fuel, parts shortages, natural disasters and wars to justify hiking up their prices, whether or not it's actually part of the equation.
i keep walking past the phone section at my local woolies. e7 power still $69 and e7 at $99. if one were to chuck $149 at a cheap android, big w has the c21 for $149
@tdw: I think the prices for the e7 are reasonable as everyday prices if you are with Vodafone. The C21 should be similarly priced I would say but it depends on how you value the differences. It annoys me that a reviewer can say $199 is superb value for an Optus locked C21.
@tdw: Yes, the Optus one does include a starter kit though, FWIW. I don't recall anyone here mentioning they actually paid Optus for an unlock. Oddly, the one direct from realme is also a single SIM model which adds to my doubts that this variant can't be converted to a dual SIM. I wish there was some way I could know for sure without trying to hack the firmware with dodgy software.
@Stingo: According to the freebie DevCheck Hardware and System Info App, it reports as
Dual Sim: No
Not sure if that means that it is not possible if hacked? Here is a pic of what it shows on mine: DevCheck Network Tab
I am surprised this phone which has a decent amount of sensors is the lacking one for Temperature.
@Borg: Thanks for taking the trouble to look but the app is probably only reporting whatever the Android APIs tell it rather than being able to examine the hardware directly. An app with root access might be able to delve deeper and determine what hardware is actually there but even that might rely on some low level firmware to initialise the hardware.
I am surprised this phone which has a decent amount of sensors is the lacking one for Temperature.
It probably has thermal throttling!
The Woolworths app is still showing that Queanbeyan (NSW) has stock, but there weren't any when I went there last week. No $5 Optus X Sight's in the cupboard either (specs look awful, only wanted one for the $30 SIM card, if it came with one).
I'll add that Berri SA and Renmark SA also show as in stock.
Might be hiding somewhere in their cupboards.
When I called up the store I got mine from, after seeing they had stock in app, they said they had none. Was about to hang up before they told me they found one after looking a little harder.
Definitely none in the cupboard at Queanbeyan when I looked. There wasn't much of anything in there, really. I moved a few of another model aside in case there were some mis-filed C21's behind them (and got told off for doing so), but nada.
At least I managed to get one in Perth when they were $49. I was going to give it to someone, so I was hoping to pickup a second. I see in another deal that Coles has them for $129, but I think I'll pass at that price.
I haven't worked out how to use the app to search and display across multiple locations, unless you change "You Store" manually for each Woolies store location?
Edit: Still showing as in stock in Broome and Port Hedland!
Well it seems like a whole lot of you lucky people scored yourself a very nice price. I'm considering buying it for 169, who thinks it is still good value at that price?
I would love to get the X3 SuperZoom for 299, but what's the odds of that deal coming up again? I'm worried my current phone may not last much longer.
I'd also be open to Oppo or other suggestions if there are good deals on.
Go for the Motorola G50 5G @ $199 if you can find stock. Well worth the extra $.
Thanks Stingo. Found it for 269 at Harvey Norman. Can't find it for 199 though. Others are 349-399.
I definitely don't need 5G, is that the main reason you would recommend it, or other there other standout specs?
Bugger. I didn't realise those deals had expired. The 5G is just a bonus which might mean you'll be able to keep your phone around for longer. The moto G50 5G is better specced phone in most respects, See for yourself. The processor of the realme C21 is lacklustre. The realme C3 released the year before had the same RRP and a better processor. If you don't mind a phone that is a year older you can pick up limited stocks of an Optus locked Oppo A72 for $199 from Kmart and sometimes Coles. The Vivo X50 Lite I see at JB HiFi looks good too but stocks are extremely limited. At $129 at JB HiFi the Nokia 3.4 and the Vivo Y11s are my picks.
@curlyhart: You might see if you can come across anything in Click Frenzy. You might get better help in the forums if you outline your requirements. An old model Pixel say a 2 or 3 possibly refurbished is worth considering too especially if you have the ability to reflash it with a recent custom ROM though people have mixed reviews about mobileciti. I was considering going with that but then I was lucky to strike a wallet friendly deal that I'm can live with for the price until I need something better. If you can wait just check out the specs for every deal that comes up in your price range.
Now that I have my C21 I thought I could finally escape from my obsessive need to look at OzB mobile deals when I'm online but I can't help myself. I've not even begun to use my C21 yet. I'm currently mainly using a feature phone with marginal reception and a dodgy mike just to save using my old Huawei Y550 which has a dodgy USB connector and unsafe to use because of its lack of updates. I must have another go with the custom ROM for that - which itself has stopped getting updates.
Happy hunting!
@Stingo: Thanks for taking the time to write mate.
I'm not keen on reflashing or anything that sounds technical! I was looking at Pixel 4 or 5's, but some on here said they're not great, and that no more updates is a problem. That gets talked about a lot on here, but is it really a problem?
My current Xiaomi Redmi 4X is
Android 7.1.2 (12 seems current)
Android security 2018-10-01
MIUI 11.0.2 (13 seems to be current)
I have no problems with it, so not really understanding why it gets talked about so much.
I don't need a top end phone, no gaming, no HD videos (I've got a TV for that). Most of what I use it for is general web browsing and a fair few photos, including for work. I do get excited by quality photos, optical zoom, good image stabilisation for taking the family photos and videos. Seems like I can get something pretty good for 300-400 bucks (current phone cost about 160!).
My plan is to keep reading and add phones to a shortlist (and take notes for other phones that I don't want, like the curved screen on the TCL deal). Then when deals pop up I can pull the trigger. Wouldn't mind getting a C21 for now, then palm it off to the old lady when something better comes along.
That gets talked about a lot on here, but is it really a problem?
If your phone gets compromised is that a problem? Assuming it is, I don't know that the lack of security updates is necessarily a problem as you're still getting various other updates. You'd have to ask someone more knowledgable than me whether the lack of security updates for your phone since October 2018 is a problem (for how you use the phone). Google does keep upping the minimum version requirements for their app as well as new apps so Android 7 may only have a couple of years left before it becomes a problem.
Anyway, good luck with your hunt.
Cheers.