Need a new cheap phone?

[Dos_Box]

Xiaomi are selling their Redmi Note 8 Pro for £109 for 24 hours only - https://www.mi.com/uk/buy/product/redmi-note-8-pro?gid=4200700048

It's been reviewed quite well too (this is the 128GB version, the one on offer is the 64GB version) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-128GB-VERSION%EF%BC%89-White/dp/B07YDLZTXD

[mavhc]

Already out of stock it seems

[jmak]

Shame it's out of stock, but worth looking it for similar. I've bought Xiaomi phones for family members and they've been at least as good as the more well known brands for significantly less money.

[Dos_Box]

Shame it's out of stock, but worth looking it for similar. I've bought Xiaomi phones for family members and they've been at least as good as the more well known brands for significantly less money.

 

They literally sold the last as I posted I think! I (and my son) have Xiaomi phones and have put LinegeOS on there to strip out the bloat and possible spyware. Works a treat!

[FN-GM]

Do they have Google Play or did that issue die out?

[bald_pig]

Do they have Google Play or did that issue die out?

 

As far as I'm aware, Xiaomi has always had the Play store available?

[FN-GM]

As far as I'm aware, Xiaomi has always had the Play store available?

 

I thought chinese companies like Huawei could no longer use the Play Store due to some legal issue imposed by the US government.

 

To be honest I am not up to date and wasn't fully informed at the time.

[bald_pig]

I thought chinese companies like Huawei could no longer use the Play Store due to some legal issue imposed by the US government.

 

To be honest I am not up to date and wasn't fully informed at the time.

 

Only Huawei have had sanctions put in by the US at the moment, over the 5g thing!

[jmak]

Only Huawei have had sanctions put in by the US at the moment, over the 5g thing!

Yep. Proof absolute that it was just political posturing, not a real security concern.

[admars]

there's been a few Xiaomi deals on hotukdeals today/yesterday, some from Amazon if you worried about buying from Ali Express and companies like that.

 

I've had my Xiaomi MI A1 a few years now, v happy with it, excellent bang for your buck when I got it. I remember showing it to 2 iPhone owning colleagues. One said it was too big The other was gobsmacked that a phone this good was so cheap compared to his iphone and said he'd consider one when he was due a new handset!

[network41]

Giff Gaff are having a sale , apparently some good deals

[MkII]

Is the Poco 3 still at the introductory price?

[Dos_Box]

You can still get this one for £179 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Qualcomm%C2%AE-SnapdragonTM-DotDisplay-5160mAh-Version/dp/B08HN4W9VF/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=poco+x3&qid=1607961178&quartzVehicle=16-179&replacementKeywords=poco&sr=8-5 but they were down to £169 last week. Edited December 14, 2020 by Dos_Box

[techy32]

I have recently bought Poco F2 Pro and I am really impressed with the speed and the quality of this phone. I got it for £260 which is an absolute steal.

[Localtechie]

I have recently bought Poco F2 Pro and I am really impressed with the speed and the quality of this phone. I got it for £260 which is an absolute steal.

Same phone I use.

 

Unbelievable for the price can't fault it.

[LeMarchand]

Having problems with my current phone, which isn't charging unless I place the cable at the exact angle. I'm otherwise happy with it (though it won't be going any higher than Android 10) and would normally keep for at another year or two. Seems to be a recognised fault, so I can get it done under warranty, but need a phone that will hold it's charge before Xmas/while it's being repaired.

 

So do I just get a cheapy £100-ish jobby which can then be a "family spare" or, given than my phone is almost 2 years old and was released a few months before I bought it, should I spend the extra £100 which takes me to my self-imposed phone price limit and get something more modern and keep the older one as a spare once fixed?

[Dos_Box]

I have recently bought Poco F2 Pro and I am really impressed with the speed and the quality of this phone. I got it for £260 which is an absolute steal.

 

I have the F1, still going strong 2 years on and running LineageOS on it (I didn't like the default Xiaomi Android OS it came with).

[jmak]

Having problems with my current phone, which isn't charging unless I place the cable at the exact angle. I'm otherwise happy with it (though it won't be going any higher than Android 10) and would normally keep for at another year or two. Seems to be a recognised fault, so I can get it done under warranty, but need a phone that will hold it's charge before Xmas/while it's being repaired.

 

So do I just get a cheapy £100-ish jobby which can then be a "family spare" or, given than my phone is almost 2 years old and was released a few months before I bought it, should I spend the extra £100 which takes me to my self-imposed phone price limit and get something more modern and keep the older one as a spare once fixed?

The cheapest option overall would be to buy something half decent and then sell it on eBay. If it was me, I know if intended to do that, but then not get round to selling it, so the better option in that case would be to get the cheapest phone you can buy.

[jmak]

I have the F1, still going strong 2 years on and running LineageOS on it (I didn't like the default Xiaomi Android OS it came with).

For those less inclined to get involved in unlocking bootloaders and installing alternative OS's, launchers are your friend. I have a family member with a Pixel after 13 years of iPhones with something that's close enough for them not to notice and another with a Xiaomi using Lawnchair to make it look like a Pixel.

 

Doesn't avoid the issue of the phone calling home and sharing your intimate details with the Chinese government (allegedly), but does mean that you don't need to consider the UI when you're choosing your phone.

[LeMarchand]

You can still get this one for £179 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Qualcomm%C2%AE-SnapdragonTM-DotDisplay-5160mAh-Version/dp/B08HN4W9VF/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=poco+x3&qid=1607961178&quartzVehicle=16-179&replacementKeywords=poco&sr=8-5 but they were down to £169 last week.

 

£169 direct: https://event.mi.com/uk/sales2020/christmas Not sure what carriage is though.

[Dos_Box]

Nokia has a budget phone on the way and looks like it could be a goodun - https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/nokias-new-phone-might-steal-the-title-of-best-cheap-phone-from-xiaomi

[LeMarchand]

Ooh! Unfortunately I need a phone by the 23rd. The one that needs repairing is a Nokia (7 Plus); I assume they've sorted their dodgy USB port problem by now!

[mavhc]

Not even out yet and still on Android 10? Weird. Which cheap phones get security updates for the longest?

[LeMarchand]

Nokia are pretty good; usually get the next version soon after release and 2 versions from release - so that should go up to 12. Mine had a security update a couple of weeks back.