Chinese Android Phones 2 - Read First Post!

SomethingElse

RossieMan wrote: »

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Original-Xiaomi-Mi4-M4-16GB-4G-LTE-Phone-5-0-IPS-1920-1080P-Screen-Qualcomm-Quad/1967664571.html?spm=2114.01010108.3.122.4PhBh8&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10056_10065_10055_10068_10054_10069_10059_10073_10017_10070_10060_10061_10052_10062_10053_10050_10051,searchweb201603_3&btsid=774e207f-5a4d-461e-97f6-94adfff659fe

Strecth your budget a little bit, and a Xiaomi Mi4 is i9n your price range.

Cracking phone for the price.

Thanks man, that seems like a really good phone for the price. It's a pity it's not dual sim, but it's got everything else so I might just go for it anyways!

RossieMan

Sorry I had forgotten the dual SIM when looking. Just be aware, any photos.e bought from China is liable to extra customs.

gerard2210

SomethingElse wrote:

Any suggestions for a phone around the €100 mark? Ideally dual sim, and a decent camera would be good. Don't use it for games or anything, just calls, texts, viber etc, and watching youtube/browsing the net.

Have a look at the cubot rainbow , it 62 sterling on Amazon, won't be caught for custom charges.

RossieMan

It's got awful specs apart from android 6. I'd say it's expensive for what it is. Would be fine for a child. But would struggle with pretty much anything heavy.

wozza

From what I've just readand understand it that, there is no customs duty on items under 150 euro incl of P&P & insurance, they are classed as "a consignment of neglible value" but they will VAT unless vat value is under 6 euro.

I guess my Bluboo Maya max will tell me when it arrives as it was only 136 euro with free P&P from Hong Kong

SomethingElse

RossieMan wrote: »

It's got awful specs apart from android 6. I'd say it's expensive for what it is. Would be fine for a child. But would struggle with pretty much anything heavy.

Would this be a better option?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubot-NOTE-Unlocked-Smartphone-cost-effective-White/dp/B01ARPRYIS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_107_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=KY0H74A6C4EQ1ZMBFBQT&th=1

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smartphone-Android-5-5inch-MTK6580A-Quad-Core/dp/B01IUXCQ2S/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1476132837&sr=1-1&keywords=Bluboo+maya

MrDiyFan

SomethingElse wrote: »

RossieMan wrote: »

It's got awful specs apart from android 6. I'd say it's expensive for what it is. Would be fine for a child. But would struggle with pretty much anything heavy.

Would this be a better option?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubot-NOTE-Unlocked-Smartphone-cost-effective-White/dp/B01ARPRYIS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_107_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=KY0H74A6C4EQ1ZMBFBQT&th=1

You can have a look at the doogee fones on amazon too, they're in the same price bracket
You'll get a better fone off aliexpress topone(no customs) but they'd be starting about 120 with customs free delivery

Digital Solitude

wozza wrote: »

From what I've just readand understand it that, there is no customs duty on items under 150 euro incl of P&P & insurance, they are classed as "a consignment of neglible value" but they will VAT unless vat value is under 6 euro.

I guess my Bluboo Maya max will tell me when it arrives as it was only 136 euro with free P&P from Hong Kong

We tend to use them interchangeably, I've only ever paid VAT on phones, always referred to it as Customs Duty as Customs enforce it.

I think the VAT threshold is €22.

All this info may be wrong but I think I have it right

wozza

Digital Solitude wrote: »

We tend to use them interchangeably, I've only ever paid VAT on phones, always referred to it as Customs Duty as Customs enforce it.

I think the VAT threshold is €22.

All this info may be wrong but I think I have it right

Customs article link http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1882.html

first 22 euro is vat free, ie vat under will be below 6euro, customs duty and Vat are 2 different entities in their own right

paying 23% looks a better option than the extra cost that the eu warehouse system seems to charge IMO,

Digital Solitude

wozza wrote: »

Customs article link http://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/leaflets/pn1882.html

first 22 euro is vat free, ie vat under will be below 6euro, customs duty and Vat are 2 different entities in their own right

paying 23% looks a better option than the extra cost that the eu warehouse system seems to charge IMO,

Normally works out like 20-30 quid cheaper, can be up on €60 or more cheaper if you miss customs.

Don't understand the whole hassle going for EU Warehouses

allthedoyles

Smartphones are duty free as far as I know and vat is due for value in excess of 22e

wozza

SomethingElse wrote: »

Would this be a better option?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubot-NOTE-Unlocked-Smartphone-cost-effective-White/dp/B01ARPRYIS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_107_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=KY0H74A6C4EQ1ZMBFBQT&th=1

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smartphone-Android-5-5inch-MTK6580A-Quad-Core/dp/B01IUXCQ2S/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1476132837&sr=1-1&keywords=Bluboo+maya

cubot is Android 5.1 O/S seems ok dontknow em tbf, Bluboo Maya is Android 6.0 good camera's, battery/life but doesnt support 4G if that matters to you

PJOH

Just received my Cubot max , bought from Ali express $125 inc shipment. Slight delay from company shipping it from China. They sent an email saying they are upgrading my delivery to DPD free of charge , 8--15 day expected delivery because of delay. Arrived in 9 working days and no vat to be played, happy days. 6 inch screen , 3gb ram 32gb storage, 13mb camera back and 8mb front. Free rubber surround case and screen protector fitted. Its my 3rd Chinese phone to have bought for our house and I will never buy a phone in Ireland again.

Iseedeadpixels

PJOH wrote: »

Just received my Cubot max , bought from Ali express $125 inc shipment. Slight delay from company shipping it from China. They sent an email saying they are upgrading my delivery to DPD free of charge , 8--15 day expected delivery because of delay. Arrived in 9 working days and no vat to be played, happy days. 6 inch screen , 3gb ram 32gb storage, 13mb camera back and 8mb front. Free rubber surround case and screen protector fitted. Its my 3rd Chinese phone to have bought for our house and I will never buy a phone in Ireland again.

What size did you go from? I'm thinking my next will be larger than 5.5, though unless my Umi Super explodes that wont be for a long time!

PJOH

Iseedeadpixels wrote:

What size did you go from? I'm thinking my next will be larger than 5.5, though unless my Umi Super explodes that wont be for a long time!

I have a Cubot X15,which I love. I got this for my wife which has gone from a Vodafone 4.5 inch, she loves the new one but finds it a lot bigger. The cubot x15 I have is 5.5inch. I don't think after seeing the 6inch I would like to go bigger than the 5.5 in. I would love a umi super , do you find it good ?

Iseedeadpixels

PJOH wrote: »

I have a Cubot X15,which I love. I got this for my wife which has gone from a Vodafone 4.5 inch, she loves the new one but finds it a lot bigger. The cubot x15 I have is 5.5inch. I don't think after seeing the 6inch I would like to go bigger than the 5.5 in. I would love a umi super , do you find it good ?

Love it, such a smooth fast phone, have had 2 updates already and they patch any tiny bugs in it, battery is great, I came from a 6000mah battery to Umi's 4000mah one and there isnt much difference except the Umi charges a 1% per minute.

Wombatman

Iseedeadpixels wrote: »

Love it, such a smooth fast phone, have had 2 updates already and they patch any tiny bugs in it, battery is great, I came from a 6000mah battery to Umi's 4000mah one and there isnt much difference except the Umi charges a 1% per minute.

Is there some problem with the UMI Super GPS?

Iseedeadpixels

Wombatman wrote: »

Is there some problem with the UMI Super GPS?

I haven't checked tbh I rarely use GPS.

Wombatman

Iseedeadpixels wrote: »

U haven't checked tbh I rarely use GPS.

Could be difficult to catch the Pokemons :rolleyes:

http://community.umidigi.com/thread-3433-1-1.html

54and56

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Have they shipped it to you yet?

I pre-purchased from Geekbuying on Sep 15th and it still hasn't shipped.

Not happy.

FYI Geekbuying just sent an email confirmation that the UMi Plus I ordered on Sept 15th has been shipped today. Disappointed with the delay but looking forward to the phone, hope it lives up to it's specs.

Iseedeadpixels

Wombatman wrote: »

Could be difficult to catch the Pokemons :rolleyes:

http://community.umidigi.com/thread-3433-1-1.html

Luckily for me I stick to console gaming :pac:

wozza

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

FYI Geekbuying just sent an email confirmation that the UMi Plus I ordered on Sept 15th has been shipped today. Disappointed with the delay but looking forward to the phone, hope it lives up to it's specs.

I'd be happy with that shipping only 4 days after release date (Oct 7th) of the phone, and Android Authority liked it well enough

Danger781

Mine has also been shipped from Aliexpress

$179.99 which if I remember correctly was cheaper than Geekbuying..

54and56

Danger781 wrote: »

Mine has also been shipped from Aliexpress

$179.99 which if I remember correctly was cheaper than Geekbuying..

:mad:

Good hands on review here

Super phone, great battery life but weak GPS and he couldn't get 4G working in Canada.

youngblood

This Mi 5s looks savage

http://www.honorbuy.com/962-xiaomi-mi-5s-64gb-smartphone-silver.html


Very tempted

allthedoyles

A poor enough battery

RossieMan

It'll easily do a day on that, if not a day and a half and that's only because miui is heavy.

Don't understand the need for 6000mah batteries for regular users. I don't need my phone to charge other phones.

antodeco

wozza wrote: »

cubot is Android 5.1 O/S seems ok dontknow em tbf, Bluboo Maya is Android 6.0 good camera's, battery/life but doesnt support 4G if that matters to you

My Maya Max supports 4G. It actually has enhanced LTE!

And the other part you mentioned, I did t pay any customs on mine when it arrived last week!

wozza

antodeco wrote: »

My Maya Max supports 4G. It actually has enhanced LTE!

And the other part you mentioned, I did t pay any customs on mine when it arrived last week!

Antodeco

Maya & Maya max are 2 different phones with different specs/OS

cant wait for my Maya Max to arrive, seems to be ages ago when I ordered it,

Are you happy with it, how's it stack up ? cant wait to get rid of my 4s after all these years with it

antodeco

Did not know that! Thought the max was just bigger!

So far so good. size takes a little bit of getting used to! Battery is excellent. I've been solidly on it since 7am and it's at 45% at the minute. That's with a lot of on screen time, playing games.

Signal is not the best. I've noticed my 3G is definitely lower than on other phones.

Other than that, can't notice much difference coming from the Elephone P9000 (4GB Ram) to this.