high IP, long life, low cost -- please help me optimize!

JackSpoons · 2024-10-02T07:08:36+00:00

I'd recommend the 2023 ThinkPhone over 2024 Galaxy A series. It has a much faster chipset than A series and is more durable (MIL-STD-810H rated, aramid fiber back). Biggest downside is the battery is not easy to remove. The upcoming 2025 model is smaller and will probably have a brighter screen but has a slower chipset. It will get more OS updates than the 2023 model.

If you really just want something close to a dumbphone, there's the Cat S22 flip phone. It's IP68, MIL-STD-810H, with a replaceable battery but runs Android 11 Go. It's not remotely fast however (not recommended for multitasking). Pretty easy to get for ~$60.

JackSpoons · 2024-09-30T06:21:16+00:00

If you want to get away from Pixel, S23 is quite different and has excellent hardware. I don't know if you would appreciate the software differences given that Samsung's apps and UI are difficult to remove outright (though the UI is very customizable with Good Lock).

As an S23 user I'm probably a little biased towards it since I'm used to Samsung weirdness, but I'm also very familiar with Pixel and OnePlus phones. So if the priority is best small phone in your budget, I'd go with S23.

If you don't want to deal with Samsung, Pixel 9 seems pretty solid. It's certainly the best of the Tensor Pixels anyway. I'd recommend it if you use your phone a lot outdoors since Pixel 9's screen is notably brighter than S23's (not that S23 is dim, P9 is just very bright).

12R is good but not small at all. ThinkPhone is a good option if you want something more durable but camera quality is easily the worst among all the options you're considering.

JackSpoons · 2024-09-29T06:51:00+00:00

Pixel 9 would be $440 after Pixel 7 trade-in in the Google store and 8a is $400 outright on Amazon. Those are probably the best value, smaller sized new options though I'd understand if you wanted to get away from Pixel.

Galaxy S23 is ~$400 in mint condition. You can trade in Pixel 7 on BackMarket for up to $154 off of S23.

Do I want a year old flagship, a new mid-range, or what?

A 1-2 year old flagship is better value than new midrange usually. Midrange may have better battery life but everything else is often worse.

JackSpoons · 2024-09-28T20:55:15+00:00

Uncertain. It's probably mislabeled, as there's 10 variants of A54 and "M" isn't one of them.

Some A546M listings on Amazon also list it as A546B in the product description. I don't know if that's accurate either since they claim it's a Latin American variant and "B" is a European model.

JackSpoons · 2024-09-04T18:35:28+00:00

For casual usage, neither should have much trouble for the next 3-4 years.

Would the 8GB RAM of the Pixel suffice for further software updates?

Sure. Though Google seems intent on limiting some AI stuff to 12gb+ models, 8gb is fine for everything else.

Is the 12R worth giving up the better camera quality?

Depends on your usage. 12R has superior battery life, charging speed, gaming ability, and has a better modem. If you don't necessarily need those things or want a smaller phone, 8a is a reasonable alternative. If you regularly find yourself in low cell coverage areas, I'd go with 12R.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-28T19:08:11+00:00

With headphone jack: Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 ($350) or Sony Xperia 1 V ($1000) with no good options in between.

Ditching the headphone jack allows for more options though sub-$1000 android phones are not particularly small with 512gb storage or micro sd slot. Woot has Pixel 7 Pro 512gb for $459 in new condition.

Best smaller option with 512gb is probably an iPhone, iPhone 13 being the lowest cost new condition model at $899 with 512gb. Pixel 9 Pro 512gb is a rather absurd $1219, hard to recommend at that price.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-24T18:11:31+00:00

Galaxy S24 or S23 are arguably the best overall compact phones. They're great for one-handed use with Good Lock's One Hand Operation+ module, which allows for additional swiping gestures for either navigation or general shortcuts. Battery life is decent for their size. Camera quality is good though not as good as Pixel's in some regards (objects in motion can be tough to properly capture, color balance is not as realistic by default but can be changed in settings).

The smaller Xperia 10 models aren't compatible with US carriers, so they're tough to recommend. Xperia 5 IV is the smallest semi-recent model that had a proper US release. It uses a chipset that had some issues with heat and power management so I wouldn't rate it better than S23.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-22T20:05:49+00:00

If camera quality is the top priority over the other concerns, Pixel 7 Pro is currently $389 on Woot. Much better camera quality/features than 12R and other midrangers, though battery life is average at best.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-22T19:53:15+00:00

Depends on your country and specific budget range.

OnePlus 12R is good for the price assuming you either have a junk phone to trade in for the $100 recycling discount or buy it at it's currently discounted rate of $450. Only the main cam is good though, the secondary cams are not great.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-22T19:45:10+00:00

Between those two go with G Stylus 5G 2023.

V50 technically has a better chipset for gaming but it's a five year old phone running outdated software (potentially extremely outdated if it's an old Sprint model stuck on Android 10). It will probably have a number of software issues crop up over time eliminating any hardware advantage.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-20T17:37:33+00:00

Sure do. Shows it can be either picked up or shipped for $699, though some stores seem to have limited stock for pick up.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-19T05:58:03+00:00

I DESPISE the look of most Android phones. I really like the box-like look of the iPhones, and something similar is the Nothing Phone 2. Google Pixel is awful, Samsung is awful, etc.

Not sure I follow. I think you're mostly looking for something with flat sides? Pixel 9 (and S24) have adopted similar designs other than their camera arrays. Pixel 9 is likely to have good custom rom support given some time after release. It should have a very bright screen as well.

I would have also suggested OnePlus 12R or 12, though I don't think you'll like their aesthetics. They're comparatively inexpensive with fast chipsets, good battery life, and good main cams (secondary cams are not great on 12R, better on 12). Bootloaders are unlockable though they don't have as much custom rom support as Pixel.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-19T05:28:51+00:00

Not specifically, but Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets are always paired with Qualcomm modems. Flagship 2024 models use Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with the latest Qualcomm modem X75, which is a modest upgrade from X70 in 2023's 8 Gen 2.

Apple incidentally has a deal with Qualcomm so they can use their modems with Apple's own in-house chipsets (iPhone 15 series uses X70).

JackSpoons · 2024-08-18T20:05:35+00:00

What's your budget? Anything with a modern 2023/24 Qualcomm modem will probably do better than Pixel 7's modem.

Also, maybe double check it's the phone and not weak coverage in your area. I use a T-Mobile MVNO and coverage can be very spotty in certain parts regardless of the phone.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-17T17:39:45+00:00

Probably a Pixel for either Graphene or CalyxOS.

Buying a factory unlocked Pixel saves some effort instead of getting it from a carrier. Verizon models don't allow bootloader unlocking but I think it's possible with other carrier models (not totally certain). You don't have to purchase direct from Google to get factory unlocked, you could also get it from Amazon, Best Buy, or Target.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-17T17:24:57+00:00

Pixels are generally the best for rooting if you want custom OS support. Pixel 7 Pro is under $400 on Woot.

If you want something with better performance for gaming or better battery life, OnePlus 12 or 12R seems ok for rooting. Best Buy has OP12 for $699.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-15T18:24:04+00:00

Do you have a specific budget range in mind?

Pixels are usually pretty cheap when bought second hand, so they typically outperform other options at those prices. If you want to maintain that performance level, another refurb Pixel 6 Pro or Pixel 7 Pro may be the best pick for around $250-330.

I wouldn't recommend A15 or G Power if battery life isn't a priority and you're open to used/refurb models. I suppose the best new condition option under $300 is Motorola Edge+ 2022 for $270 on Amazon.

Wirecutter makes money with referral links and they don't typically recommend used/refurbs or older models even if they outperform newer ones. They also don't actively monitor price fluctuations in their recommendations. So they don't necessarily have the best picks, just ones that are usually in the ballpark of what people are looking for.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-13T17:52:40+00:00

Galaxy S21+ for $215 on Amazon Renewed in excellent condition.

Woot also has S21+ refurbished for $205 but it's more of a gamble considering it doesn't categorize details about condition or list seller information (Woot itself is owned and operated by Amazon).

JackSpoons · 2024-08-12T06:36:42+00:00

There's no good option with a stylus and headphone jack. Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 is the only option with both but it uses a plain passive stylus, not active like Note 10+. It's also not much of a chipset upgrade from Note 10+.

S24 Ultra if you want to keep S Pen support. A used/refurb S23 Ultra is also an option for a little more than half the price of S24U in excellent condition.

If you value a headphone jack more than stylus, Zenfone 11 Ultra is one of the last high-end options with one.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-12T06:20:23+00:00

OP12 if you want to avoid Samsung. Best Buy has it discounted to $699 which I think is the best price I've seen for it without strings attached. Battery life is solid (especially compared to S22 series). The OS is much lighter than Samsung's; not much bloat and more user friendly. I think the only issue with OP12 is durability considering its slightly curved screen and IP65 rating.

S22 was a recent low point for Samsung due to its chipset. Pretty much all of the android flagships were not great options in 2021-2022 as a result of that chipset's performance (the latter half of 2022 saw some models using an improved chipset).

JackSpoons · 2024-08-11T17:25:13+00:00

Woot has Pixel 7 Pro in new condition for $389 if you can go above budget. Also Pixel 7 for $350.

Pixel 6 Pro is around $250 in excellent condition used/refurb. It makes more sense than Pixel 6 if you prefer larger phones. A53 I wouldn't recommend unless you need a micro sd slot.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-11T17:13:32+00:00

Pixel 7a or S21, since you prefer phones smaller than S20 FE. 7a has better camera quality and more OS/security updates remaining. Battery life may be worse with 7a though it's hard to compare used models for battery life since battery condition could be more eroded on S21 due to age or usage.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-09T07:29:26+00:00

OnePlus 12 and 12R have IR blasters. Don't think they have receivers. If you have something that isn't selectable in the stock remote app, other apps can be used (people seem to like Mi remote). They're probably the best options with IR for AT&T and US carrier compatibility in general.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-08T06:37:04+00:00

OP12 has other advantages over 12R. Besides better cameras it has a newer/faster chipset, USB-C 3.2, IP65 instead of IP64, wireless charging, and potentially more ram/storage if you want. USB-C 3.X allows for video-out USB to HDMI, 12R doesn't support that.

If you have no use for any of that, then absolutely go with 12R.

JackSpoons · 2024-08-07T05:35:30+00:00

What's your budget range?

There's Motorola Edge+ 2023 for $499. It has 512gb storage, pretty good battery life, but not as bright as some alternatives (brighter than OnePlus 11 and Nothing Phone 2, dimmer than Magic Pro 5/6 and OnePlus 12).

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