Recommend phone for €200ish + SIM only plan?

toby2111 · 31-01-2019 08:06PM #1

My Samsung S7 is well over 2 years old now and starting to act up. Wifi not working properly and battery went from 100% this morning to 12% by 2pm...after doing the latest software update yesterday. I'm on an old legacy plan with Eir and they say they cant upgrade me on that plan and that I "have" to move to a new plan(can they do that?)

So I'm thinking I might go the SIM only route with a decent Chinese/imported Android phone. Would like specs similar(or better) to the S7,decent battery,decent camera,easy to update,quick to browse online....is there such a phone for around the €200 mark?
Secondly,whats the best SIM only plan currently?I've always had bill pay and upgraded that way but tempted to go SIM only if its better value. Would need 300 mins and texts minimum and 20GB probably.According to switcher.ie, lycamobile are best value but they get bad reviews here.....

EDIT-just had a quick google-is xiaomi mi A2 Lite worth a punt?

biebiebie · 01-02-2019 10:38PM

Yeah that's a good phone for the money.
Note it doesn't have NFC if that matters to you

Edit. If you do need NFC then look towards Huawei

vectorvictor · 01-02-2019 10:42PM

For Plan Vodafone X Weekend PAYG:

20GB Data for weekday use
100 minutes for weekday use
Unlimited anytime texts
Unlimited weekend calls 3pm Fri to midnight Sunday
Unlimited weekend data 3pm Fri to midnight Sunday (fair use 20GB per weekend)

€20/28 days

100 extra minutes is €5 in the event your usage is primarily weekday

This was previously a student plan however is now available to all

If you need 20GB then you need 4G and Lyca don't have that

TheUnderfaker · 01-02-2019 10:46PM

Honor 9 lite or Honor 10 lite depending on how much you wanna spend. Can't go wrong. Great phones.

I moved to Eir today. €15 for the first 6 months, and I'll be moving again when that deal expires

biebiebie · 01-02-2019 10:48PM

If you want cheap mobile data and 3G suffices (slowish data) then go Lycamobile.
If you want a quality network with good coverage and speeds then Vodafone .
Eir would probably be next best, followed by Three .

biebiebie · 01-02-2019 10:52PM

TheUnderfaker wrote: »

Honor 9 lite or Honor 10 lite depending on how much you wanna spend. Can't go wrong. Great phones.

I moved to Eir today. €15 for the first 6 months, and I'll be moving again when that deal expires

Yeah Honor are great value and we'll worth considering. Budget brand from Huawei

R11 · 02-02-2019 08:59AM

biebiebie wrote: »

Yeah Honor are great value and we'll worth considering. Budget brand from Huawei

Recommend any particular handset?

02-02-2019 08:10PM

9 lite good for the money.
or new (more expensive) 10 lite

both have nfc

wizardman · 02-02-2019 08:34PM

I'm looking for a phone too. 10 lite looks nice. Amazon.fr €220

Thanks glasso

R11 · 03-02-2019 08:31PM

Honor 10 lite looks good but I'm a bit wary of getting a phone rmthst size. It's 6.1 inches, my S7 is 5.1 and it's about as big as I would like. Anyone have a 10 lite? Is the screen too big?

wizardman · 03-02-2019 08:50PM

R11 wrote: »

Honor 10 lite looks good but I'm a bit wary of getting a phone rmthst size. It's 6.1 inches, my S7 is 5.1 and it's about as big as I would like. Anyone have a 10 lite? Is the screen too big?

I have the mi a2 lite, nice little phone. Have a look on honorbuy.com Xiamoi might have something to suit your needs.

R11 · 03-02-2019 09:16PM

Yeh, that mí a2 lite is jumping out at me. Gets good reviews. Reviews for the honor are a bit average.
Is NFC big bonus to have on a phone? I don't know much about it, something about using the phone to pay for things..... Which I don't currently use.

wizardman · 03-02-2019 09:24PM

R11 wrote: »

Yeh, that mí a2 lite is jumping out at me. Gets good reviews. Reviews for the honor are a bit average.
Is NFC big bonus to have on a phone? I don't know much about it, something about using the phone to pay for things..... Which I don't currently use.

Near field communication, used for contactless bank payments, access control, transfering info between two phones. Wouldn't be a big thing for me.

R11 · 03-02-2019 09:28PM

Yes, same with me. That mi 2 lite is $180 on honor buy. Says they have stock in Europe, does that mean I'll not get customs duties?
Any other sites that I can look at?

wizardman · 03-02-2019 09:37PM

R11 wrote: »

Yes, same with me. That mi 2 lite is $180 on honor buy. Says they have stock in Europe, does that mean I'll not get customs duties?
Any other sites that I can look at?

Eglobalcentral

biebiebie · 03-02-2019 10:12PM

R11 wrote: »

Yeh, that mí a2 lite is jumping out at me. Gets good reviews. Reviews for the honor are a bit average.
Is NFC big bonus to have on a phone? I don't know much about it, something about using the phone to pay for things..... Which I don't currently use.

NFC is also used for topping up your Leapcard.
That'll be important if you use one.

R11 · 03-02-2019 10:20PM

biebiebie wrote: »

NFC is also used for topping up your Leapcard.
That'll be important if you use one.

Don't have leapcard and never will.

04-02-2019 12:02AM

then a2 lite is a good option especially if you like long battery life and no bloat apps

honorbuy for fast delivery (few days)

eglobal if you can wait (2 weeks)

no customs on either method

edora91 · 04-02-2019 08:28AM

Maybe Moto G6 Play? It has NFC and huge battery for about Â£130 on Amazon. The Moto Android used to be very clean as well.

R11 · 04-02-2019 09:08AM

Moto looks good value but mi a2 lite has an extra gb of RAM so might be quicker. But this will be my first non Samsung, Chinese phone. So I'll listen to all the advice I get here! Whatever is best bang for my buck

Lu Tze · 04-02-2019 09:17AM

R11 wrote: »

Moto looks good value but mi a2 lite has an extra gb of RAM so might be quicker. But this will be my first non Samsung, Chinese phone. So I'll listen to all the advice I get here! Whatever is best bang for my buck

I have a mi A2 lite, it's pretty good. There is a thread in the android forum somewhere on it. One of the last updates enabled the FM radio as well, which was a big plus for me

manu2009 · 04-02-2019 09:26AM

I'd definitely get the Redmi Note 7 in this price range, https://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_7-review-1883.php

In comparison to the MI A2 lite it has a faster processor, bigger screen, better camera, similar long battery life and has USB C with fast charging, the Chinese version is available now on honorbuy but the global version should be available soon.

R11 · 04-02-2019 09:35AM

manu2009 wrote: »

I'd definitely get the Redmi Note 7 in this price range, https://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_7-review-1883.php

In comparison to the MI A2 lite it has a faster processor, bigger screen, better camera, similar long battery life and has USB C with fast charging, the Chinese version is available now on honorbuy but the global version should be available soon.

Looks great.... Not sure I'd like a bigger screen though, might be too big for the hand and pocket..

Timmaay · 04-02-2019 07:24PM

I'm looking for something similar, ie usb type c, ~4000mah battery, max 6.0inch screen, but does need to be somewhat water resist, I'd stretch up to the likes of 300 for it. Any recommendations?

04-02-2019 07:41PM

Timmaay wrote: »

I'm looking for something similar, ie usb type c, ~4000mah battery, max 6.0inch screen, but does need to be somewhat water resist, I'd stretch up to the likes of 300 for it. Any recommendations?

the only one that has waterproofing in that range is the Samsung A8. but it has a 3000mah battery

262 on eglobal

https://www.eglobalcentral.eu/samsung-galaxy-a8-2018-a530-4gb-32gb-single-sim-black.html

afaik there is no 4000mah phone with waterproofing until the p20 pro range of things.

Timmaay · 04-02-2019 08:05PM

glasso wrote: »

the only one that has waterproofing in that range is the Samsung A8

262 on eglobal

https://www.eglobalcentral.eu/samsung-galaxy-a8-2018-a530-4gb-32gb-single-sim-black.html

Well I don't need a full ip67 etc, a 65 would probably do, however the xiaomis seem to have no ip rating whatsoever.

04-02-2019 08:33PM

akaik most manufacturers don't bother getting a rating unless it's one of the higher ones - 67 etc.

not aware of any phones with lower ratings tbh.

biebiebie · 05-02-2019 12:52AM

https://m.gsmarena.com/redmi_note_7_is_actually_waterproof_kind_of-news-35045.php

05-02-2019 07:40PM

yes you can check youtube videos for water tests on phones where they don't have ratings

05-02-2019 07:53PM

I would go motog6
https://m.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/8142946/Trail/searchtext>Moto+g6.htm

I have used them since g4 and never had a problem with them, great phone .

wizardman · 08-02-2019 12:38AM

Got the mi a8 lite from honorbuy very quick delivery. Wife not mad about the size, too big apparently. Selling if anyone interested. Going to get her the a2 lite instead.

Recommend phone for €200ish + SIM only plan?

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