Android Phone $600 to $800 with Wireless Charging and SD Card Slot. Why Is This So Hard to Find?

FabMan on 23/09/2022 - 16:39

Is it me or are options limited in this regard? I am using a Samsung S8 with a dying battery and it is feeling more and more sluggish to use.

The S20 FE looks like the perfect phone to me, but if I get a used one I risk purchasing one with screen burn in and a shitty battery. The A73 looks great, except for the lack of wireless charging. So no Pixel 6, no ASUS ROG, no Motorola Edge 30, no Oppo 5X Lite, and many other new smartphones don't have both options. I don't want to pay $300 extra for an additional 128GB of storage, so that is why I want the SD Card slot.

I don't play games on my phone, but I don't want a sluggish one, I have that already. I take photos out and about with my family, so a noticable upgrade to the camera over the S8 would be welcome.

Mobile Mobile Phone

Comments

  • CodeXD on 23/09/2022 - 16:42
    +4

    +1 for S20 FE, I have the phone and it is great

    Partner upgraded from S8 to S21 256gb. It was part of the Samsung trade up program so ended up being approx $500 (and I didn't even trade in the old phone haha)

    You can use this to check for phone specs. I did a quick look… looks like huawei phones all have both haha

    The issue here is you waited too long to get this phone. I got mine on release for practically free (JB HiFi deal, cancelled straight away and they didn't charge any cancellation fee). Not sure if anywhere will have new stock now but worth having a look around.

    Both 4g version and 5g version have been sub $600 earlier in the year

  • Hybroid on 23/09/2022 - 17:01
    +1

    You can always just replace the battery in your S8. Doesn't look too challenging:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S8+Battery+Repla…

    • RichardL on 26/09/2022 - 12:29

      The hardest part would be getting the back off.

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 23/09/2022 - 17:19
      +6

      Android phone $600 to $800 with wireless charging and SD card slot.

      O.P.'s requirements.

    • CodeXD on 23/09/2022 - 17:19
      +12

      OP literally has 2 criteria and you listed a phone with none of it lol

    • FabMan on 23/09/2022 - 17:35
      +1

      Wireless charging is handy for me in the car and at work. No dangling cables in the car as I use a wireless charging holder, at work the desk looks neat and I can quickly grab the phone as I go. I'm surprise more people don't want a neat environment. Adding a 3rd party wireless charging to a phone costs less than $25, it looks ugly and I wouldn't want it, but I bet phone companies can get slower ones for less than $5. I reckon it would be more a seperation of features, not a cost thing for phone companies.

      SD cards are great for not paying ridiculous price for more internal storage as 512GB costs under $100.

  • freefall101 on 23/09/2022 - 17:53
    +1

    S21 FE has been $800 for the 256GB version a couple of times (currently available for less than that with Westpac rewards). So has the X3 pro, X5 lite, plus there's always Xiaomi for a cheap phone with good specs/storage. But I guess the advantage of SD is going well beyond that in terms of storage

    You can still get the 2022 version of the S20 FE 5G from the Samsung website - https://www.samsung.com/au/smartphones/galaxy-s20/buy/ - it's $900 if you have one of the available rewards programs (gov employee or Westpac credit card) you can get it under $800. Only available in blue and you have to search the store for S20 (it won't show up on the main page)

    But it's definitely shitty how little variation shows up in phones these days. Only two other companies that seem to make a decent spec phone with wireless charging + SD slot are Sony who don't sell it in Australia and is overpriced and Huawei who are best left unmentioned.

  • Mechz on 23/09/2022 - 17:59
    +1

    Nokia XR20?

    • FabMan on 23/09/2022 - 18:06
      +1

      If only its CPU was faster. It is about equal to the S8 I have and I'm already feeling slow downs on it.

      • Mechz on 23/09/2022 - 18:43
        +2

        Yeah you're right there, it's a bit of a let down. Should be $200 cheaper given the CPU they hobbled it with.

  • sane on 23/09/2022 - 18:03
    +1

    Personally I'd say there's no justification for a price over $500, but yes, wireless charging and microSD are perquisites - as are a headphone socket, OLED display, decent cameras and no sodding notch.

    I'm not interested in the latest Android OS (its going backwards), a CPU that burns with the heat of a 1000 suns, a phone that folds up, or more RAM than a PC - I just want a manufacturer that delivers the basics and doesn't muck about.

    It's not that complicated.

  • Axelstrife on 23/09/2022 - 18:26
    +2

    I think the S20 FE is your one and only option, if you want both wireless charging and an micro sd slot.

    How much storage do you need?

    Edit: https://www.mobilezap.com.au/olixar-samsung-galaxy-a73-usb-c… This may be of interest to you it adds wireless charging to the A73.

    • Mechz on 23/09/2022 - 18:50

      That's handy but annoying if you want to use the port for Android Auto.

      • Axelstrife on 23/09/2022 - 18:52

        Isnt that wireless?

    • FabMan on 23/09/2022 - 20:22
      +1

      "How much storage do you need?"

      Good question. Do I actually need an SD card, I'm thinking about it.

      • silenthillrocks on 24/09/2022 - 10:09
        +2

        If you don't need SD, s21 fe is another option. It will be supported for longer than s20 Fe.

  • djkelly69 on 23/09/2022 - 20:03
    +1

    I got the Find X3 Pro for $800 from the deal on here a couple of weeks ago, which seems to fit all of the bill aside from the SD (but it is 256gb).

    • tjea on 27/09/2022 - 06:15

      Nice pickup, I was almost a about to pull the trigger on the x3 pro but it expired, if anyone knows of a place selling for around that price new let me know.

  • confidantduk on 24/09/2022 - 19:42

    Note10+ is still pretty good imo, has what you need, 65W super fast charging also makes me happy

  • CodeXD on 08/11/2022 - 16:47
    +1

    Samsung Galaxy S20 FE Navy $421 +Del @ The Good Guys

    Have you bought a phone yet?

  • FabMan on 08/11/2022 - 16:53
    +1

    SOLVED: I got a Pixel 7 Pro 256GB through the Optus / Harvey Norman $69 deal. I was already paying $49 for a contract with no phone, $20 more a month got me a decent new phone.

    I cannot edit the topic. I was asked how much space I actually need, made me think, so I paid for the 256GB upgrade and just decided to leave out the SD card requirement.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join