Chinese Android Phones 3 - Read First Post!

Suckit

Gaeilgeoir wrote: »

Could someone just reassure me that this price and site is legit? I'm a luddite and have no clue but from what research I've done this seems to be a solid bet for best budget smartphone

https://www.banggood.com/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-4-Global-Edition-5_5-inch-3GB-RAM-32GB-ROM-Snapdragon-625-Octa-core-4G-Smartphone-p-1129991.html

Yes, they are legit. The price is normal for one of the market sites from China.
That is sold and shipped from outside the EU, so if it gets stopped you will get asked for another roughly €40 at the door (€30.68 VAT and €10 handling)

They offer(ed) Tariff insurance, but for some reason no longer offer it to Ireland on many or most products.
Saying that, I bought a big bulky item from them for €200 two months ago and it didn't get stopped.

But I would expect to pay €40 anyway.

You would get it delivered for around €20 more than asking from many European warehouses and much faster shipping.
It's €155 + shipping from Amazon Italy.
It is going up in many places now as I think they have stopped making them in favour of the redmi note 5.

Gaeilgeoir

Suckit wrote: »

Yes, they are legit. The price is normal for one of the market sites from China.
That is sold and shipped from outside the EU, so if it gets stopped you will get asked for another roughly €40 at the door (€30.68 VAT and €10 handling)

They offer(ed) Tariff insurance, but for some reason no longer offer it to Ireland on many or most products.
Saying that, I bought a big bulky item from them for €200 two months ago and it didn't get stopped.

But I would expect to pay €40 anyway.

You would get it delivered for around €20 more than asking from many European warehouses and much faster shipping.
It's €155 + shipping from Amazon Italy.
It is going up in many places now as I think they have stopped making them in favour of the redmi note 5.

Cheers, I'll check out the European sites It's between this and the Motorola Moto G5 for me at the mo

Suckit

Gaeilgeoir wrote: »

Cheers, I'll check out the European sites It's between this and the Motorola Moto G5 for me at the mo

I get the feeling that right now is between sales. The Moto G5 3GB version was on Amazon Spain for €99 a couple of times over the past two months. I think the Redmi Note 4 is being phased out, so some sellers will put their remaining stock price up slowly.

By the way, the Redmi Note 5 is the same price using code 8BGRN5GES13​ here - https://www.banggood.com/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-5-Global-Version-5_99-inch-3GB-RAM-32GB-ROM-Snapdragon-636-Octa-core-4G-Smartphone-p-1268373.html

And the one you linked to drops down to €117 using code 8BGRN432

But if buying from them and not using their EU Warehouse, remember it might get stopped for VAT and Handling.
Handling is €10 - €15 and VAT - https://www.calculatevat.net/

Gaeilgeoir

Suckit wrote: »

I get the feeling that right now is between sales. The Moto G5 3GB version was on Amazon Spain for €99 a couple of times over the past two months. I think the Redmi Note 4 is being phased out, so some sellers will put their remaining stock price up slowly.

By the way, the Redmi Note 5 is the same price using code 8BGRN5GES13​ here - https://www.banggood.com/Xiaomi-Redmi-Note-5-Global-Version-5_99-inch-3GB-RAM-32GB-ROM-Snapdragon-636-Octa-core-4G-Smartphone-p-1268373.html

And the one you linked to drops down to €117 using code 8BGRN432

But if buying from them and not using their EU Warehouse, remember it might get stopped for VAT and Handling.
Handling is €10 - €15 and VAT - https://www.calculatevat.net/

Thank you! I read reviews that said the Note 4 is superior to the Note 5, hence I'm looking at the older one. I currently have a Motorola Moto G so the G5 would be easier for me to adjust to, particularly in terms of weight and screen size

Suckit

Gaeilgeoir wrote: »

Thank you! I read reviews that said the Note 4 is superior to the Note 5, hence I'm looking at the older one. I currently have a Motorola Moto G so the G5 would be easier for me to adjust to, particularly in terms of weight and screen size

Moto G6 Play on Amazon Italy for €145.38 at the minute - https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07BXFRK2Q

Gaeilgeoir

Suckit wrote: »

Moto G6 Play on Amazon Italy for €145.38 at the minute - https://www.amazon.it/dp/B07BXFRK2Q

Cheers! Spotted that alright but there were a couple of things about the G6 Play that put me off. Found the Redmi Note 4 32GB on Ebay for a good price from a legit seller so think I'll probably go for that. Just trying to get off the fence :P Everytime I Google I come across another alternative (like the Honor 9 Lite) and then waste more time researching that!

Gaeilgeoir

Any thoughts on the Redmi 6? I just went to look at the phones in a proper shop and realised how big the Note 4 is, while the Redmi 6 seems pleasantly compact (big appeal for me!).

fixXxer

To those who have made returns, how did ye ship? An Post won't take it and DHL want a minimum of €70

howdoyouknow

fixxxer wrote:

To those who have made returns, how did ye ship? An Post won't take it and DHL want a minimum of €70

Royal mail if you are near the border

GBX

Where are you sending it to ?

fixXxer

howdoyouknow wrote: »

Royal mail if you are near the border

Shipping from Dublin sadly.

fixXxer

GBX wrote: »

Where are you sending it to ?

It's going to the Honorbuy repair centre in Solvenia.

howdoyouknow

fixxxer wrote:

It's going to the Honorbuy repair centre in Solvenia.

An post don't take them due to lithium batteries.

I used city post a few years back to send a phone to Russia. They were the cheapest option at the time. They might be worth a try.

The Cush

howdoyouknow wrote: »

I used city post a few years back to send a phone to Russia. They were the cheapest option at the time. They might be worth a try.

http://www.thejournal.ie/citypost-liquidation-2-4163287-Aug2018/

Suckit

fixxxer wrote: »

It's going to the Honorbuy repair centre in Solvenia.

Did you pay with Paypal?

https://www.paypal.com/ie/webapps/mpp/refunded-returns

I returned an Item last week, cost me €18.44 tracked.
Paypal refunded it in full.

Unlikely they will refund the whole lot whatever you get charged in the end, but it will soften the blow.

Why are you returning? If you don't mind me asking.
Is it under Warranty?
You could also remove the battery and ship without it.

fixXxer

Suckit wrote: »

Did you pay with Paypal?

https://www.paypal.com/ie/webapps/mpp/refunded-returns

I returned an Item last week, cost me €18.44 tracked.
Paypal refunded it in full.

Unlikely they will refund the whole lot whatever you get charged in the end, but it will soften the blow.

Why are you returning? If you don't mind me asking.
Is it under Warranty?
You could also remove the battery and ship without it.

Returning it as its less than a month old and the button failed despite no drops or bangs. I can't get the battery out without voiding the warranty. Sadly, I didn't use paypal, hence looking for a reasonably priced return service. Not a mistake I will make again!

Suckit

fixxxer wrote: »

Returning it as its less than a month old and the button failed despite no drops or bangs. I can't get the battery out without voiding the warranty. Sadly, I didn't use paypal, hence looking for a reasonably priced return service. Not a mistake I will make again!

If you are up for the challenge, and if you bought it from an EU warehouse, you are entitled to all costs refunded.
Paypal makes it easier to state your case, but you can still do it without them. Only a few Chinese companies will adhere to it unfortunately. They may try and wriggle out of it, I'm not sure what Honorbuy are like in this type of situation. But show them this.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/faq/index_en.htm

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm

Digital Solitude

howdoyouknow wrote: »

An post don't take them due to lithium batteries.

I used city post a few years back to send a phone to Russia. They were the cheapest option at the time. They might be worth a try.

Do they enforce this? Ive gotten loads of things imported though them with batteries, and returned a good 10-15 as well with no hassle

NATLOR

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Do they enforce this? Ive gotten loads of things imported though them with batteries, and returned a good 10-15 as well with no hassle

They do ask if it contains a battery and will refuse if it does or that's if you tell them it does

wiz569

I sold a phone to a chap in France earlier in the summer and I had to write broken phone on it even though it was perfect, woman in post office said it was the only way you can send batteries overseas.

Thargor

Just tell them its a graphics card or something, not that hard to get around.

BKWDR

corkie wrote: »

This is the Ulefone Power 5. It's a 13,000 mAh smartphone
capable of close to a week of battery life.
It's the highest capacity smartphone I've ever featured on Unbox Therapy.

Looks sweet.
No audio jack or NFC though.. I know Bluetooth headphones are the norm but NFC is fairly standard now, no?

AlmightyCushion

BKWDR wrote: »

Looks sweet.
No audio jack or NFC though.. I know Bluetooth headphones are the norm but NFC is fairly standard now, no?

Unfortunately not but it should be. None of the Xiaomi phones seem to have NFC either. It's a real pity as they have some cracking phones.

corkie

BKWDR wrote: »

Looks sweet.
No audio jack or NFC though.. I know Bluetooth headphones are the norm but NFC is fairly standard now, no?

Not on China/Indian phones as there is alternative popular payment methods there.

Suckit

corkie wrote: »

Not on China/Indian phones as there is alternative popular payment methods there.

I think it's mainly the QR code and a lot of Alipay. They do use alternative methods to pay, but NFC covers a broad spectrum of things. So it doesn't really make sense (to me anyway) that they focus on it as a payment system (and that almost always seems to be the reply).
It's also not expensive to implement (allegedly).

https://www.androidpit.com/what-is-nfc
https://tech-vise.com/10-uses-for-nfc-tags-straight-out-of-the-future/
https://trendblog.net/creative-and-useful-ways-to-use-nfc-tags-with-your-smartphone/

BKWDR

Actually I clicked on the video and although the battery is sweet it's not the nicest of phones but beggers belief how they haven't developed smaller batteries that operate for days.

I have a oneplus 3T at the moment but will defo be buying a xiaomi phone or whatever is hot at the time after it. So much good value
I guess the things like nfc and headphone jack are the price you pay

Shooter_galway

Can anyone recommend a phone that has good call and wifi reception and decent battery. Living in countryside and had a nexus 5x which died a death. Changed to lg x power and have very little reception and have to be sitting on router to get good wifi. Budget in around the 200 - 250 mark. Thanks in advance

Guy:Incognito

BKWDR wrote: »

Looks sweet.
No audio jack or NFC though.. I know Bluetooth headphones are the norm but NFC is fairly standard now, no?

I'd be much more worried about ulephones ability to make a phone that actually worked. I've had 2 before and they were disasters.

smileyj1987

Has anyone used the xiaomi a2 lite , i have an s7 edge with a cracked screen and thinking of this as a replacement for it.

Suckit

smileyj1987 wrote: »

Has anyone used the xiaomi a2 lite , i have an s7 edge with a cracked screen and thinking of this as a replacement for it.

I've not used one, but that and the pocophone F1 seem to be on offer in many places at the minute. Just a heads up if buying.

It was €159 on German amazon before I left my house earlier. I just checked it now and it has gone back up again, but may be worth watching. (2.3 inch )
https://www.amazon.de/Xiaomi-Lite-32gb-Dual-Sim-Gold/dp/B07FYN3DV1/

I think €180 is the normal Amazon price.