Chinese Android Phones

Fabio · 01-09-2014 12:28pm

spix wrote: »

The screen isn't terrible by any stretch but it's just lower quality than most other phones at the $200 mark. You can tell by how it appears lighter grey when turned off. It'll have worse contrast and won't be as good in sunlight. It's also not OGS so there's an air gap between the screen and glass. This will lead to worse viewing angles, touch response and the screen feels a bit plasticky when tapped. These are all minor niggles though :pac:

The redmi 1s has this kind of screen too but it's cheaper so forgivable. Lenovo puts better quality screens on their other phones in this price range so this must be where they cut costs to get 4G in at a reasonable price.

I ended up buying the Xiaomi Redmi 1s. It was being sold for €105 on etotalk.com but with shiping and the etotalk custom ROM it came to €135 all in. I think that's a deal for a phone with specs as good as this one. Thanks to all, especially Spix, for their help.

eamonnq · 01-09-2014 12:36pm

Fabio wrote: »

I ended up buying the Xiaomi Redmi 1s. It was being sold for €105 on etotalk.com but with shiping and the etotalk custom ROM it came to €135 all in. I think that's a deal for a phone with specs as good as this one. Thanks to all, especially Spix, for their help.

Is there 2 versions of this phone, one with a Snapdragon and one with MTK6589T chip (aka Red Rice) ?

Fabio · 01-09-2014 12:44pm

This is the one I got, says it has the Snapdragon chip: http://www.etotalk.com/xiaomi-redmi-1s-wcdma_p5758.html

eamonnq · 01-09-2014 12:51pm

Fabio wrote: »

This is the one I got, says it has the Snapdragon chip: http://www.etotalk.com/xiaomi-redmi-1s-wcdma_p5758.html

http://www.xiaomishop.com/54-xiaomi-hongmi-15ghz-1gb-ram-4gb-rom-47-inch-ips-8mp-camera-dual-sim-smartphone.html

Must have been mixing them up.

Did you use DHL shipping from Etotalk ? As you will have to factor in customs charges on top of the price you paid.

unaaine · 01-09-2014 12:58pm

See this on etotalk etotalk.com/zopo-zp980-c2a-2gb-ram_p5040.html today. Would consider instead of the Xiaomi Mi3 if anyone has any opinions? It's better priced but does it compare spec-wise with the Mi3. Not the best at comparing the specs.

daytob · 01-09-2014 1:18pm

I have the 980. its quite good. Will probably be getting rid of it because I got the one plus. Camera is good. gps not a bother most places * only lost signal near athy for some reason. Sound is good too.

unaaine · 01-09-2014 1:33pm

The 980 looks like a good phone alright. I think the processor and battery is better on the Mi3. Need to decide if it's worth an extra €50.. Wondering what the drawbacks of the Mi3 are.

Fabio · 01-09-2014 1:46pm

There seem to be very few drawbacks to the Mi3 and there's a massive support thread on here for them too.

unaaine · 01-09-2014 1:48pm

Thanks I might have a look at the Xiaomi forum. It doesn't have an SD slot or a removable battery. Not sure how important this is to me.

corwill · 01-09-2014 1:48pm

unaaine wrote: »

The 980 looks like a good phone alright. I think the processor and battery is better on the Mi3. Need to decide if it's worth an extra €50.. Wondering what the drawbacks of the Mi3 are.

The only real drawbacks of the Mi3 versus the 980+ I can see are the lack of an SD card and the price. On just about every other point of comparison bar the camera, I think the Mi3 shades it. You won't go wrong either way.

Fabio · 01-09-2014 1:48pm

eamonnq wrote: »

http://www.xiaomishop.com/54-xiaomi-hongmi-15ghz-1gb-ram-4gb-rom-47-inch-ips-8mp-camera-dual-sim-smartphone.html

Must have been mixing them up.

Did you use DHL shipping from Etotalk ? As you will have to factor in customs charges on top of the price you paid.

Yeah I selected DHL but got etotalk to gift wrap it and all of that to try and avoid the duty. I think they also declare it as a lower value too so even if it were caught it wouldn't be too bad. I hope.

I'll post a review once I have it. Looking forward to a phone that isn't dog slow and has buttons that work. The Acer's power/standby/unlock button is dodgy these days, you'd have to press it loads of times for it to work and then it thinks you want to lock it again. Very frustrating at times.

eamonnq · 01-09-2014 1:53pm

Fabio wrote: »

Yeah I selected DHL but got etotalk to gift wrap it and all of that to try and avoid the duty. I think they also declare it as a lower value too so even if it were caught it wouldn't be too bad. I hope.

That stuff doesn't work anymore, they will most likely ask you for a copy of the paypal receipt or payment method, and work it off that, but you might get lucky.

Fabio · 01-09-2014 2:00pm

eamonnq wrote: »

That stuff doesn't work anymore, they will most likely ask you for a copy of the paypal receipt or payment method, and work it off that, but you might get lucky.

Ah feck. Who takes the tax money then, DHL or do I have to phone Customs or what's the story?

eamonnq · 01-09-2014 2:04pm

Fabio wrote: »

Ah feck. Who takes the tax money then, DHL or do I have to phone Customs or what's the story?

DHL will probably contact you before delivery, but it can slow things down an awful lot sometimes.

Am ordering one of the Xiaomi M1S today, but am going to use Xiaomishop and their eu shipping.

Fabio · 01-09-2014 2:07pm

eamonnq wrote: »

DHL will probably contact you before delivery, but it can slow things down an awful lot sometimes.

Am ordering one of the Xiaomi M1S today, but am going to use Xiaomishop and their eu shipping.

That's what I should have done but the etotalk price was a good bit cheaper. If I don't get caught for the tax then I'll still come out better off but with tax it'll be the same as the Xiaomishop EU option. We'll wait and see...

eamonnq · 01-09-2014 2:09pm

Fabio wrote: »

That's what I should have done but the etotalk price was a good bit cheaper. If I don't get caught for the tax then I'll still come out better off but with tax it'll be the same as the Xiaomishop EU option. We'll wait and see...

Race you!! :P

seannash · 01-09-2014 2:18pm

unaaine wrote: »

The 980 looks like a good phone alright. I think the processor and battery is better on the Mi3. Need to decide if it's worth an extra €50.. Wondering what the drawbacks of the Mi3 are.

I'm not sure but I dont think the zopo has an update to kitkat available. The snapdragon processor avauilable on the Mi3 is generally considered superior to the Mediatek.

Fabio · 01-09-2014 3:06pm

seannash wrote: »

I'm not sure but I dont think the zopo has an update to kitkat available. The snapdragon processor avauilable on the Mi3 is generally considered superior to the Mediatek.

Seannash, did I see earlier in this thread that you had bought from Etotalk and got away without paying taxes? If so was it all gift-wrapped and the lot?

seannash · 01-09-2014 3:11pm

Fabio wrote: »

Seannash, did I see earlier in this thread that you had bought from Etotalk and got away without paying taxes? If so was it all gift-wrapped and the lot?

No not me

Fabio · 01-09-2014 3:12pm

Woops, sorry!

RossieMan · 01-09-2014 4:05pm

did you get it sent with Dhl? if you did, you're paying taxes.

Fabio · 01-09-2014 4:06pm

I did...time to get tax money ready. Feckers.

corwill · 01-09-2014 4:15pm

Fabio wrote: »

I did...time to get tax money ready. Feckers.

Render onto Caesar!

Fabio · 01-09-2014 4:17pm

Haha! I paid €136 all told, that includes €20 on delivery. How much tax would I be paying up do ye reckon? Is full total calculated at 21% or does ot exclude shipping but includes some stupid handling fee?

eamonnq · 01-09-2014 4:22pm

Fabio wrote: »

Haha! I paid €136 all told, that includes €20 on delivery. How much tax would I be paying up do ye reckon? Is full total calculated at 21% or does ot exclude shipping but includes some stupid handling fee?

23% of 136 + 'some stupid handling fee' (handling fee might only be 50 euro though!!!)

or 15!!:p

spix · 01-09-2014 4:23pm

Fabio wrote: »

Haha! I paid €136 all told, that includes €20 on delivery. How much tax would I be paying up do ye reckon? Is full total calculated at 21% or does ot exclude shipping but includes some stupid handling fee?

It would be 23% + handling fee (I think its 15 euro)

They likely won't charge you on the full amount as they could just go by whatevers declared. And it's not guaranteed you'll have to pay anything. Saw this review of a mi3 on www.ibuygou.com who use DHL

'

took only 3 days from China to Ireland， no customs had to be paid， will shop definitely again!'

Fabio · 01-09-2014 4:29pm

Let's hope I'm lucky so...I could really do without paying a handling fee and all of that. Damn it I should've went with Xiaomi shop! Hey, adds a layer of excitement to thr whole thing doesn't it?!

unaaine · 01-09-2014 4:52pm

Fabio wrote: »

Let's hope I'm lucky so...I could really do without paying a handling fee and all of that. Damn it I should've went with Xiaomi shop! Hey, adds a layer of excitement to thr whole thing doesn't it?!

So will i take a chance and order my Mi3 from Xiaomishop for €263 or from etotalk for €240 incls a few small extras like protective case + card reader.... Could end up costing me more though in the end through etotalk if customs and handling fee applied.

uck51js9zml2yt · 01-09-2014 4:55pm

unaaine wrote: »

So will i take a chance and order my Mi3 from Xiaomishop for €263 or from etotalk for €240 incls a few small extras like protective case + card reader.... Could end up costing me more though in the end through etotalk if customs and handling fee applied.

Got a case and charger from xoami shop free.

spix · 01-09-2014 4:55pm

unaaine wrote: »

So will i take a chance and order my Mi3 from Xiaomishop for €263 or from etotalk for €240 incls a few small extras like protective case + card reader.... Could end up costing me more though in the end through etotalk if customs and handling fee applied.

Cheaper here with guaranteed no duty

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Newest-Original-Xiaomi-M3-Mi3-WCDMA-3G-Qualcomm-800-Quad-Core-2-3GHz-Mobile-Phone-2GB/1153179_1780359776.html

Choose fedex shipping option, they send every Monday so you'll have to wait a bit but no chance of customs as they ship to the UK first.

$320 vs $355 at xiaomishop

Chinese Android Phones

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