Best bang for the buck?

[Anomandaris]

Hi all,

With Black Friday on the horizon, I'm looking for some direction from more experienced android folks. I'm from Toronto, Canada, and am looking for the most phone I can get for in and around $300. I'm currently with chatr, and the service is ok so far. Looking for advice on what unlocked phone to buy. I'm currently using a really old Huawei phone, and had an SII before that.

Hopfully I can get some good advice here.

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[lvt]

A Pixel maybe.

 

[The_Chief]

One of my favorite websites this time of year is Black Friday. They compile all the Black Friday ads from all the stores and websites into one place. Great for developing a plan of attack! Good luck!

 

[olbriar]

I don't have any good advice, sorry. I avoid shopping on black Friday at all costs... but that's me. I do want to extend a welcome to AF. I hope you enjoy your time here.

 

[Anomandaris]

I don't have any good advice, sorry. I avoid shopping on black Friday at all costs... but that's me. I do want to extend a welcome to AF. I hope you enjoy your time here.

I usually do too. But I'm getting pretty fed up with this old piece of crap, and hoping to find a decent replacement that will do what I need it to.

The volume of choice for a new phone is pretty big, so I'm hoping to narrow it down a bit with some advice from here.

 

[olbriar]

It's tough to recommend a phone for another. Everyone has special criteria for their phone. I always start with the screen/phone size. I carry in my pocket and there is a size limit that I find comfortable and easy to retrieve. Battery life and storage enter into my decision as well. Least of my concerns is camera quality. Price is always a consideration but is not the first consideration. Not that I'm affluent, I don't buy often so I justify the expense no matter how bad it is. I have used HTC phones for many years so they are my first look. So, there you go. I'm sure my phone shopping is not anywhere near your phone desires. I do wish you the best of luck in shopping. I'd try to narrow my field and then check out the particular forums for the phones that are still under consideration. You will find a wealth of information in each phone forum here.

 

[Anomandaris]

I'm not a power user. I'll honestly maybe play a few games, but Firefox/Chrome, Skype, FB/messenger and an e-reader app are my main priorities, so I can surf and read. I don't need the newest most powerful doodad on the market, but something that will do those things reliably hopefully for at least a couple of years. so reliability and battery life over processing power. If my SII hadn't died, I'd probably still be using it and happy with it. Current best deal I've seen is an S5 for a little under $300. I'm not a fanboy of any particular brand, as long as it works well, and isn't going to loose OS support anytime soon.

Edit: It looks like I may have posted this in the wrong area. If a mod thinks it might get better response, maybe this should be moved to the Android lounge?

 

[The_Chief]

Good idea. Moved to the Android Lounge

 

[Anomandaris]

Thanks!

 

[Anomandaris]

So another thought for this thread. Maybe make recommendations for people on a budget who have broken/lost a more expensive phone and can't afford the latest and greatest.

Best options in the $200-300 range for a replacement for those stuck on contracts etc.

 

[The_Chief]

Well, you can browse Swappa. Pristine, gently used devices. I highly recommend the site.

 

[Anomandaris]

Well, you can browse Swappa. Pristine, gently used devices. I highly recommend the site.

I'm new to the site. How reliable are they? Do they ship to Canada? This isn't a site I've heard mentioned before.

 

[rjniles]

Moto G with 64g of memory.

 

[kate]

I'm new to the site. How reliable are they? Do they ship to Canada? This isn't a site I've heard mentioned before.

Swappa has a good reputation for buying and selling used phones.

From their FAQ, it looks like shipping to Canada is up to each seller:
https://swappa.com/faq/answer/ship_cost_international
https://swappa.com/faq/answer/buy_international