Well, I’m finally breaking down, & getting a smartphone.
It will be an unlocked model, off of Amazon, & I will go to AT&T for service/.
Could Dopers with experience vote on my phone choices, & maybe comment as to why?
BTW–cost is an issue.
E&L Proofings W7 IP68 Wateproof Rugged
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY2WOQP?psc=1
Honor 5X unlocked smartphone, 16GB Daybreak Silver (US Warranty)
Samsung Ativ Odyssey SCH-R860U Gray (US Cellular)
If price is an issue, listing the prices will help people vote in an informed way.
Stay away from the Samsung phone if you want to use it with AT&T. It is a CDMA phone and will not work. You need an unlocked GSM phone. The other two phones are fine. I would go with as much RAM and internal storage as you can afford. I know you said cost is an issue, but the Honor phone has 2Gb of RAM and the E&L only has 1GB. More RAM means you can have more apps open at one time without slowing down or crashing. Although, frankly, there are less expensive phones that are just as good.
Also, the Samsung phone seems to be a Windows phone. Windows is all but dead as an OS for smartphones. The other two are Android phones and definitely are better choices. Stay away from the Samsung.
Amazon has other unlocked phones in this price range that might also work, but before we go there are there reasons that you selected these three phones in particular?
You can get an older model Motorola X for around $110
I’d normally suggest getting a more current model. But the OP said budget is important.
The Motorola phones are very good for the price.
The Moto G is $140
Be careful to get a standard phone. Some times a cheaper phone has ads loaded. Imho accepting ads isn’t worth the discount.
Here’s a review of the Honor 5X - mostly focusing on build quality - Huawei honor 5x - Bend Test, Scratch Test, Burn Test - YouTube
The Samsung phone looks pretty old stock. I didn’t even know Samsung had dipped a toe in the Windows Mobile market, but much as it pains me to say, I agree with cochrane - steer clear.
If you’re looking for cheap, there are actually some pretty good smartphones you can order direct from China now, via BangGood or GearBest.
Brands such as Elephone, Xiaomi and DooGee are all brands that have some promising models in the range (but also some real duds - so search for unbiased video reviews before you commit)
Last year I got a Moto G4 from Amazon, no ads, unlocked for about those prices. All day battery life, no crapware, charges from dead to full in under an hour. Still happy with it, no problems to report.
May I suggest you check out Glyde.com? Here are Galaxy S6s for under $200, if you’re OK with used phones. I buy all my gadgets there, and my only complaint is the speed of shipping.
Since this is your first smartphone, why not get an S4, which is about 4 years old now, and save $60 over Amazon?
(I’m in no way affiliated w/ Glyde.)
MODS–please close the Thread–decision is made.
And you’re just going to leave us HANGING!!!???
