"Best" No Contract Android Phone

[Titanis]

I'm looking to upgrade from an dumb-phone to a smartphone, but would like to avoid a contract and save a bit of money. I'm carrier agnostic. I'm wondering which phone offered by the no contract carriers (virgin, boost, ect) is currently considered the best. I tried figuring it out on my own, but there are just too many phones out there. Some of the highest rated/reviewed are over 12 months old, and the "newer" faster phones seem to get panned. I'd also be willing to wait if there is a new phone right around the corner. Is buying an unlocked phone then choosing a carrier a better option?

Thanks for any help!

 

[gogazago]

I would buy LG marquee from boost (but kinda expensive ;()

 

[B2L]

I would reccommend buying an unlocked GSM phone. Which means you can still get the latest and greatest specs, with no contract required. But if you want a good phone, typically you will pay between $600-$700.


Both Straight Talk ($45) and Simple Mobile ($40) offer monthly unlimited plans, and typically will cost less than providers like Boost. I'm currently using a Galaxy Note on Straight Talk and loving it.

 

[danaj]

I would get the huawei mercury from Cricket

 

[Cryssie]

It would probably help if you try to explain what you want in a smartphone . Do you want games, good photo's, media capabilities or are you more a business person? Also: what do you want to spend? That would help us giving you good advice.
Personally: I own a Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray and I would recommend it. I was looking for a phone on a budget that did not compromise too much on specs and this one fit that demand. It is not very expensive, slim and pretty and does everything I need to my full satisfaction. (Calling, Pictures, Browsing, Calender, Listening to music and some gaming) It also got a very good review on GSMarena.
If you think it is too smal, the Ray is basicly a shrunken Xperia Arc.

 

[Titanis]

I guess I'm just tired of being several years out of date when I comes to my phone. I don't really want games, but if I hear about a good one I'd like to be able to play it without it being a laggy mess. Photo capabilities are nice, but don't need to be top of the line. Media would be limited to mp3s , and the phone should be able to handle podcasts (figured all this stuff is old hat for andriod). Flash would be nice, but I don't *need* it. I'd like a larger screen I guess.

I'd be willing spend up to $350 right now, any more than that and I'd need to wait another month. I'd really like to avoid buying something that will feel old and out of date in six months. The top of the line phones like the Galaxy Nexus are absurdly expensive (even used). But I don't really need a top of the line phone. Just a solid smartphone that can deal with day to day stuff. Basically replace my old phone and a dying Zune (which I bought in 2007). The longer it stays functional the better.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

I really like the LG Marquee, even as a post paid phone.

 

[chanchan05]

Ok, you got me confused. You want the 'BEST' no contract phone but aren' willing to spend for a top of the line model?

Anyway, at your price range, I'd go for a Samsung Galaxy W.

 

[Gmash]

I guess I'm just tired of being several years out of date when I comes to my phone. I don't really want games, but if I hear about a good one I'd like to be able to play it without it being a laggy mess. Photo capabilities are nice, but don't need to be top of the line. Media would be limited to mp3s , and the phone should be able to handle podcasts (figured all this stuff is old hat for andriod). Flash would be nice, but I don't *need* it. I'd like a larger screen I guess.

I'd be willing spend up to $350 right now, any more than that and I'd need to wait another month. I'd really like to avoid buying something that will feel old and out of date in six months. The top of the line phones like the Galaxy Nexus are absurdly expensive (even used). But I don't really need a top of the line phone. Just a solid smartphone that can deal with day to day stuff. Basically replace my old phone and a dying Zune (which I bought in 2007). The longer it stays functional the better.

If you have Cricket in your area, I've been happy with my Huawei Mercury. It has a 1.4 GHz single core Snapdragon processor, 8mp camera with flash, Adobe flash, 4 inch screen, front facing camera, very fast and smooth and it only costs $250. It's even cheaper right now on the Cricket website for new customers. This is seriously a good phone, it is much smoother and faster than the LG Marquee based on the videos I've seen of that phone. Don't let the Huawei name scare you.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2398212,00.asp

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2399715,00.asp?obref=obinsite

 

[Titanis]

Ok, you got me confused. You want the 'BEST' no contract phone but aren' willing to spend for a top of the line model?

Anyway, at your price range, I'd go for a Samsung Galaxy W.

I guess I didn't realize at the time of the post that the best no-contract phone would just be the unlocked version of on of the newer android phone.

 

[bads3ctor]

I am grandfathered into the $25/mo unlimited data plan. It's now $35 with 300 minutes and unlimited everything else. The problem is, all the VM phones are crap-phones but 1...the Triumph.... and it is pretty crappy too but it is Armv7. I have the VM Intercept and a Boost Mobile Transform Ultra. The Ultra is the fastest phone I have ever had and I intend to do the "forbidden" thing to it that we are not supposed to talk about.

 

[Gmash]

Also, the LG Esteem is a good phone if you have Metro PCS in your area and it has good support on the forum.

 

[cutterjohn]

I am grandfathered into the $25/mo unlimited data plan. It's now $35 with 300 minutes and unlimited everything else. The problem is, all the VM phones are crap-phones but 1...the Triumph.... and it is pretty crappy too but it is Armv7. I have the VM Intercept and a Boost Mobile Transform Ultra. The Ultra is the fastest phone I have ever had and I intend to do the "forbidden" thing to it that we are not supposed to talk about.

It's not too bad, and certainly LOADS better that the egregiously underspecced Intercept and Optimus that they have with their criminally ineptly low amounts(i.e. useless) of internal RAM & storage. (I'm grandfathered in on their $25 plan as well, don't talk much and their data coverage here is utter sh!t more like 56k dialup than 3G.)

So taking ALL of that into account I'm strongly considering jumping to T-Mobile now that they aren't in danger of being swallowed by one of the evil empires(also plan to dump landline if I do this) and courtesy of one of them have money and extra spectrum to upgrade their network. I'll just buy a top-of-the-line multi-core smartphone w/their $50 plan. The only thing holding me off on this was when I look it always seems like T-Mobile had the crappiest coverage, so I'm a bit concerned that coverage might not be so hot in places that I go, e.g. home, etc. and have no real way to test in advance...

 

[klettanator]

I just cancelled my iPhone contract with AT&T. I purchased a Galaxy S3 for T-Mobile from a T-mobile store with no contract and no plan.

I used the new no contract, no limit service from the company Solavei. It uses T-Mobile's cell towers and it's $49 a month for unlimited everything.

 

[klettanator]

I just cancelled my iPhone contract with AT&T. I purchased a Galaxy S3 for T-Mobile from a T-mobile store with no contract and no plan.

I used the new no contract, no limit service from the company Solavei. It uses T-Mobile's cell towers and it's $49 a month for unlimited everything.

I even made a video about it!! Lol.. here it is if you wanna watch.

No Contract Android Phone - YouTube

 

[badmts]

here is what I do and so far it works great. get on craigslist and get a GSM(sim card) phone ,used of course (i got a neat little Bravo for $50) put in your sim card and buy 1000 min from tmobile for $100 then use free wifi to make calls and surf net.I use my phone everyday and use free wi fi for text,calls and internet!

 

[bob60626]

I like the Galaxy Exhibit I ended up giving to my brother. I think TMobile still has them for 180 with a $50 card online. This may also be the Galaxy W.

Samsung Galaxy Exhibit 4G - No Annual Contract | Prepaid Phone Details | T-Mobile

 

[gregs887]

Galaxy Nexus. $350 from the Play Store. It is GSM so there are many plans you can use. As soon as my Sprint contract is up I am buying a GSM phone and going to T-Mobile or Straight Talk.

 

[adw7677]

I just cancelled my iPhone contract with AT&T. I purchased a Galaxy S3 for T-Mobile from a T-mobile store with no contract and no plan.

I used the new no contract, no limit service from the company Solavei. It uses T-Mobile's cell towers and it's $49 a month for unlimited everything.

How do you know they use T-Mobile's towers? I didn't see that on their site. I am intrigued...

 

[adaaaam]

To answer the OP's half-year-old question right now it would be Virgin Mobile's HTC Evo V

 

[Digital Controller]

I still would suggest the Galaxy Nexus from google, comes unlocked, put anything you want on it, only 350$.

Hope this helps

 

[adaaaam]

The Evo V beats the unlocked route because it's the best of both worlds: a dual-core phone ($229) not typical of no-contract carriers but offers unlimited 4G data & limited minutes for $35/month not typical of pay-as-you-go services

 

[gregs887]

The Evo V beats the unlocked route because it's the best of both worlds: a dual-core phone ($229) not typical of no-contract carriers but offers unlimited 4G data & limited minutes for $35/month not typical of pay-as-you-go services

The Evo V is a re branded Evo3d. The 4G is WiMax (straight up garbage even if you are near one of the five or so towers in the US) which is being phased out and you are stuck using Sense (a personal choice but I hate it). Because it is a Virgin phone you are going to have fewer options service wise. There are several GSM options that give you unlimited data, text, and limited minutes. Personally I would go with the Nexus.


EDIT: I just realized we are arguing in a 6 month old thread. I hope the OP has found a new phone by now