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Cheap large smartphone recommendations, please?
Hi guys!
I need a new phone because my 2016 ZTE Z981 Max Pro's battery is gone. That phone only cost me $100, so it doesn't owe me anything. 
When travelling internationally I used the Z981 as a portable ssh terminal with the ConnectBot App and a bluetooth keyboard. This worked great!
I'd just get a new battery, but my phone is old enough (Android 6.0.1) that Chrome won't update any more (although Firefox Nightly still works).
People have kindly pointed me toward the Redmi 12 Turbo and the Poco F5. But these are more than I want to spend.
May I please ask what cheap large smartphone you would suggest?
Thanks!
Tom
Comments
Fire HD 8 can be had for $60 or so.
I use it as SSH terminal all the time, no need for external keyboard.
Not a phone but it can pair with any other small phones via tethering.
Just asking, if an Android tablet with 4G capabilities would work for you?
If not you can try Asus ZenFone max products line in the second hand market
Yeah, a tablet might be great. Like you said, I could pair it with almost any cheap phone.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Sometimes I actually need a phone to call people and to receive calls. I'm not sure whether a 4G Android tablet could fulfill all the calling and being called functions of a phone, but I think maybe not.
Thanks for the suggestion! Much appreciated!
Phone: Would recommend Redmi or Poco, because it's focused on cheap pricing, and brands that worth to look Inifix or Techno.
Tablet: Realme Pad, Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE, or Nokia T20.
It can be used as a phone, the difference is you need to connect Bluetooth headphone while you are calling, otherwise every call will be speaker out. In my opinion the tablet is that better choice, because as we get old, our eyesight become bad, on a tablet you can zoom in the terminal text, far more reasonable than a phone
Cheapest smartphone with big screen that isn't piece of shit: Poco C65 / Redmi 13C (same phone) https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8096&idPhone2=12684&idPhone3=12689
But I would heavily recommend to spend more and get Realme 11 Pro or Redmi Note 13, cause cheaper smartphones have too much drawbacks (for example virtual proximity sensing instead of real sensor, dim screens, slow chargers in a box...)
Don't know where you live, but Poco tends to be the best value for money for phones (Poco M5 or M6 Pro). If that is not an option, maybe due to network bands, then consider Redmi/Realme, then Motorola, then everything else.
Don't know much about tablets, but Xiaomi/Redmi, Realme, Motorola, Lenovo and OnePlus all seem to have decent options in WiFi+LTE.
i have a redmi note 12 here, works great.
has a 67 W fast charging, charges in about half an hour i guess, lasts quite long.
Here's yet another. Just the plain Note 12? Not Turbo or Pro?
Plain Redmi Note 12 should suffice for your needs.
Okami
@Not_Oles budget?
Probably around $100-$150
Okami
Plus
don't know if it is launched in your region, but the recently announced moto g34 seems like a good device. 6nm 5G, comes with Android 14 + 1 year of android update + 3 years of security updates. https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g34-12759.php
there is also the redmi 13 series from previous comments but the software experience wont be pure android.
It's all shit. Cheap is not affordable but proper cheap these days, i.e., all new budget products after the pandemic.
50 MP, 64 MP, even some 108 MP cameras are worse than the 12.2MP cameras of 2019; you'd get a Sony IMX363 in a $100 phone back then.
The batteries die within 1.5 years, then you see a couple of years later, the replacement battery cost increased by 3 times. Because they don't want you buy a replacement battery, but a new phone.
No more than a couple years of OS updates.
Don't buy these "the cheapest". Buy cheap, buy twice.
Look for deals on a phone launched maybe a year earlier, and it's available for like 50% discount. In my region, the Moto G32 is available for around $120 with a 50% discount, you can check if there's such a deal in your region for this or other phones.
Samsung is not available in your region? Maybe an A34 or A54 if that is in your budget, and it will get several Android updates.
Those hardware keyboard phones were the shit. There's some cheapo ones on uncle Ali if your fingers aren't of the ogre.
Netbooks (the true ones) can be found next to nothing (i threw one away, fuck), pairing it with bluetooth etc. atleast that way you can chose your OS and keep it up to date
If you can wait for shipping, directly buying from china (like jd.com) would be cost effective
Motorola is cheap
My poco f2 pro was stolen in Turkey
4G Android tablet + Google Voice will fulfill all the calling and being called functions of a phone
These reminds me of fxtec fx1(not sure about the model name)
https://www.fxtec.com/smartphones/pro1x
Maybe find on eBay is also an option.
My Zenfone's motherboard died after I picked it up with wet hands. Asus replaced the motherboard as it was within warranty but it had issues staying connected to the cellular network ever since.
I'd say most manufacturers with at least 4 years of security updates are alright. I'm using a midrange Oneplus device, it's usable once debloated. Otherwise a Pixel is probably the best choice until Pinephone et al. comes out with a decent phone that can run Android apps.
Pavin.
Ebay -> sort by price would answer the question.
Nokia G21 can be found for pretty cheap.
I recommended got moto g32 or samsung a32/a54 is cost-effective long lasting phone you can get.
If you okay get secondhand area, take a look LG V series.
LG V50/60 is indeed nice.
Go for moto g34 5g its like 150 bucks and got everything, even esim. i didnt find a phone with the same features for this price point.
My old phone only cost $100. Matching that would be great!