Phone Recommendations Under 600 USD?

[Excalibur20]

I'm looking at the oneplus 7 pro but its been out of stock for quite a while now so I'm thinking they've discontinued the phone. Are there any other good phones for under 600 dollars that would be worth buying. Used is an option as long as it doesn't have a lot of wear, both aesthetically and on the battery since I guess new phones don't have replaceable batteries. Anyways thanks for any help.

[Streetguru]

3 minutes ago, Excalibur20 said:

I'm looking at the oneplus 7 pro but its been out of stock for quite a while now so I'm thinking they've discontinued the phone. Are there any other good phones for under

Well what do you need in a phone...

If you just want like a snapdragon 855 you can find S10s or Note 10s on ebay, just pick a seller that offers multiple condition choices.

 

Dunno what the cheapest 855 phone would be, it's mostly good for gamecube emulation.

[TheBean]

have you considered the s10? its a really good phone and might (a little ambiguous) get support up to android 12.

I have had mine for a year and it's held up really well. 

 

The software is a little bloated, but you can easily get rid of the fluff using some simple adb commands into a shell terminal. (does not require root)

[DarthEoin]

you could get an iphone se if you want or wait to suptember time and get the iphone 11

[Nena Trinity]

iPhone SE2020? Oneplus? (I would say Huawei, Oppo or Xiaomi but USA...)

[The Sloth]

3 minutes ago, Nena Trinity said:

Phone SE2020

avoid it, tiny low res screen and tiny battery, not a good experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

23 minutes ago, Excalibur20 said:

Used is an option as long as it doesn't have a lot of wear, both aesthetically and on the battery since I guess new phones don't have replaceable batteries. Anyways thanks for any help.

Galaxy s10 is 500$ on sale. 4a is 350 bit it's a mid range, so it you don't game or use emulators it might be a good choice. 

[Excalibur20]

Just now, The Sloth said:

avoid it, tiny low res screen and tiny battery, not a good experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

Galaxy s10 is 500$ on sale. 4a is 350 bit it's a mid range, so it you don't game or use emulators it might be a good choice. 

the s10 seems the quite popular. I dunno about the 4a since i kinda need the phone to last a while. Thanks

[Excalibur20]

26 minutes ago, Streetguru said:

Well what do you need in a phone...

If you just want like a snapdragon 855 you can find S10s or Note 10s on ebay, just pick a seller that offers multiple condition choices.

 

Dunno what the cheapest 855 phone would be, it's mostly good for gamecube emulation.

First off the screen needs to be good. I would consider 500 ppi to be a good screen as thats around the pixel density of my current phone. I expect any modern phone would have better cameras than the G5 so thats not as important. Also I would want the phone to last me a while so a good battery is important as I've gone through 3 batteries over 3 years with my current phone. Im fine with the performance of an 855 or any modern 800 series.

[Streetguru]

8 minutes ago, Excalibur20 said:

First off the screen needs to be good. I would consider 500 ppi to be a good screen as thats around the pixel density of my current phone. I expect any modern phone would have better cameras than the G5 so thats not as important. Also I would want the phone to last me a while so a good battery is important as I've gone through 3 batteries over 3 years with my current phone. Im fine with the performance of an 855 or any modern 800 series.

Basically every phone has that kind of screen now, and good cameras, any and big phone will have a good battery.

 

but if you want to max out your budget, or just get 0% interest with pay pal credit...

 

you can find S20s for around that price already, has an 865, and there's also some 5G options if that matters at all, not sure what the price on the + or getting 5G on it

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-Galaxy-S20-5G-SM-G981U1-T-ombile-AT-T-Sprint-Verizon-128GB-Unlocked-B/193567636545?epid=22039544877&hash=item2d1187bc41:g:FD0AAOSwWxdewV95:sc:USPSFirstClass!92020!US!-1

If you aren't too worried about performance just grab a way cheaper 845 phone even, battery replacement in a year or 2 isn't too expensive I don't think...

 

Which is S9 / Note 9, one plus 6T

[EL02]

S10 if you're getting the snapdragon variant.

Otherwise Poco F2 Pro. Depends on your carrier.

[Excalibur20]

11 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Your G5's screen is 441ppi

 

To reach 500ppi, the screen being 1440p is a hard requirement.

 

Even the smallest phones with 1080p screen are nowhere close to 500

My LG G5 has a 1440p screen with 555 ppi. That's why I want a similar screen. My phone was only 200 bucks new so I would expect every 600 dollar phone to have a screen that is similar quality.

[Lord Vile]

23 minutes ago, Excalibur20 said:

My LG G5 has a 1440p screen with 555 ppi. That's why I want a similar screen. My phone was only 200 bucks new so I would expect every 600 dollar phone to have a screen that is similar quality.

Resolution =/= quality 

[Twinsenito]

I've been using LG V40 for the last year and I just absolutely love it. If you manage to find it in stock somewhere, I highly recommend you taking a look at this phone. It has it all: gorgeous 2k OLED display, modern enough CPU / GPU, three main and two front cameras which are all great, 128 gigs of storage, wireless charging, NFC, a headphone jack with some great QuadDAC for extra audio quality, water / dust protection, and much more. Take a closer look to it. I wouldn't recommend looking to V50 though since it's mostly the same but more expensive and less attractive, but it's just subjective. But V60 is more of a downgrade compared to V40 and V50 because they've tried to reduce the price by removing some features. So if V40 is available where you are, check it, watch some reviews. It's just great. And it's not that expensive now.

[Excalibur20]

7 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Ah, I mistook the 'G5' you mentioned earlier as the Motorola model

 

Then 1440p it is...

But first I need to know if you need compatibility with the antiquated CDMA network

Ok so currently I use TracFone which rides on multiple networks, but my sim uses the one from Verizon as I've found that one to work the best. I know Verizon is on cdma so cdma compatibility would be a really nice feature but not having it wouldn't be a deal breaker if the rest of the phone is  good. So I guess to answer your question; no its not too important.

[lonewolf5460]

The s20 and s20 plus can be found around the 600 mark on eBay new. Hell I saw an ultra for 850.

[KenTees]

You could always buy used, if you really crave for the OnePlus 7 Pro's design philosophy. Should you be skeptical about whether the device's been tampered with or not, there's a tool that OnePlus uses in their factory that can completely reset the device to it core, that you can find on the internet. If you're worried about the battery state, there is an app that is called OnePlus Diagnostics that is able to estimate the battery's health a bit more accurate than your average app, it's not fully accurate, but it's a very close estimate. I'm not sure if you can ask OnePlus to repair the device if you're not the original owner, but looking at their repair prices, it's around $30 USD (including labor) to replace the battery.

 

If you must go for a brand new device, I would highly recommend the Pixel 4A, obviously the processor it uses won't really be great in a few years, but it'll still run any app that aren't games and emulators. Google's software release cycle is one of the best on the Android side of things, and you'll be the first to try out the newest Android version, if that's your thing.

 

Another popular pick as mentioned above is the Galaxy S10, and since Samsung pledged to update phones from the S10 line and onwards, for 3 years, it has become a much more appealing device. Though Samsung Experience is definitely something you will have to get used to if you are more familiar with cleaner Android variants.

 

One phone I haven't seen mentioned here is the OnePlus 7T, it has a 90 Hz display, a camera that seems to be well supported by developers who port the Google Camera app, probably one of the fastest charging solutions out of the previously mentioned choices and it has a Snapdragon 855 Plus, all for $399 USD right now. Of course, there are the downsides of every device, and the 7T is no different, it has a teardrop notch, the structural integrity of the device could be compromised if you put too much pressure on it, the phone's display has been plagued by a green tint issue, and I think it might be a T-Mobile exclusive which is problematic if you aren't a T-Mobile customer.

[Excalibur20]

13 hours ago, KenTees said:

You could always buy used, if you really crave for the OnePlus 7 Pro's design philosophy. Should you be skeptical about whether the device's been tampered with or not, there's a tool that OnePlus uses in their factory that can completely reset the device to it core, that you can find on the internet. If you're worried about the battery state, there is an app that is called OnePlus Diagnostics that is able to estimate the battery's health a bit more accurate than your average app, it's not fully accurate, but it's a very close estimate. I'm not sure if you can ask OnePlus to repair the device if you're not the original owner, but looking at their repair prices, it's around $30 USD (including labor) to replace the battery.

 

If you must go for a brand new device, I would highly recommend the Pixel 4A, obviously the processor it uses won't really be great in a few years, but it'll still run any app that aren't games and emulators. Google's software release cycle is one of the best on the Android side of things, and you'll be the first to try out the newest Android version, if that's your thing.

 

Another popular pick as mentioned above is the Galaxy S10, and since Samsung pledged to update phones from the S10 line and onwards, for 3 years, it has become a much more appealing device. Though Samsung Experience is definitely something you will have to get used to if you are more familiar with cleaner Android variants.

 

One phone I haven't seen mentioned here is the OnePlus 7T, it has a 90 Hz display, a camera that seems to be well supported by developers who port the Google Camera app, probably one of the fastest charging solutions out of the previously mentioned choices and it has a Snapdragon 855 Plus, all for $399 USD right now. Of course, there are the downsides of every device, and the 7T is no different, it has a teardrop notch, the structural integrity of the device could be compromised if you put too much pressure on it, the phone's display has been plagued by a green tint issue, and I think it might be a T-Mobile exclusive which is problematic if you aren't a T-Mobile customer.

I was going to take the advice that you gave in the first paragraph and buy a used 7 Pro specifically this one: 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mint-OnePlus-7T-Pro-5G-McLaren-Limited-Edition-256GB-GSM-Unlocked-More/324245581616?epid=18035142748&hash=item4b7e8aef30:g:s~kAAOSwDIJeRsjz:sc:USPSPriority!48085!US!-1

But I was not sure if the phone was legit given I have gotten scammed on ebay before. They are selling the 7t Pro McLaren Edition which retails for 900 USD and they are selling it for 540 USD which makes me skeptical. The phone is used and probably has some minor scratches or dents but that is the least of my worries. Should I pull the trigger on this or go for an s10 or one of the LG phones that were recommended?  

[KenTees]

2 hours ago, Excalibur20 said:

I was going to take the advice that you gave in the first paragraph and buy a used 7 Pro specifically this one: 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mint-OnePlus-7T-Pro-5G-McLaren-Limited-Edition-256GB-GSM-Unlocked-More/324245581616?epid=18035142748&hash=item4b7e8aef30:g:s~kAAOSwDIJeRsjz:sc:USPSPriority!48085!US!-1

But I was not sure if the phone was legit given I have gotten scammed on ebay before. They are selling the 7t Pro McLaren Edition which retails for 900 USD and they are selling it for 540 USD which makes me skeptical. The phone is used and probably has some minor scratches or dents but that is the least of my worries. Should I pull the trigger on this or go for an s10 or one of the LG phones that were recommended?  

The eBay seller seems to be quite reputable, but you can never be too sure. If you go for it, make sure to use some form of payment that will back you up, like a credit card or something like PayPal, though PayPal is sometimes controversial. eBay for the most part usually sides with the buyer as well. If you're absolutely skeptical that the phone arrived in any shape or form damaged that the seller did not disclose, you could also record yourself unboxing it and use it as proof, mind you this is going a bit extreme, but it's better to be safe than sorry, especially for such an expensive purchase.

[Excalibur20]

16 minutes ago, KenTees said:

The eBay seller seems to be quite reputable, but you can never be too sure. If you go for it, make sure to use some form of payment that will back you up, like a credit card or something like PayPal, though PayPal is sometimes controversial. eBay for the most part usually sides with the buyer as well. If you're absolutely skeptical that the phone arrived in any shape or form damaged that the seller did not disclose, you could also record yourself unboxing it and use it as proof, mind you this is going a bit extreme, but it's better to be safe than sorry, especially for such an expensive purchase.

Yea thats a good idea. Are there things that could pop up later on after the 30 days have passed? I dunno if this is being paranoid but i don't want to end up with a phone with a hidden problem that appears after its too late. But thanks for the advice anyways.

[KenTees]

23 minutes ago, Excalibur20 said:

Yea thats a good idea. Are there things that could pop up later on after the 30 days have passed? I dunno if this is being paranoid but i don't want to end up with a phone with a hidden problem that appears after its too late. But thanks for the advice anyways.

Not that I know of.

 

If it works fine out of the box, it should continue to work fine. Other than cosmetic things that you may find within those 30 days (blemishes, possible dead pixels, screen uniformity, loose pop-up camera), just take good care of the phone, and it will serve you well.

 

Make sure to use the OnePlus Unbrick Tool / Factory Tool to make sure the software hasn't been tampered with, or if the bootloader is locked. Use the OnePlus Diagnostic app to check the battery's health, if it's anywhere under 70%, that lithium-ion battery is at the end of its life. The OnePlus 7 Pro is just over a year old now, so anything around 90% is ideal.

[Excalibur20]

12 minutes ago, KenTees said:

Not that I know of.

 

If it works fine out of the box, it should continue to work fine. Other than cosmetic things that you may find within those 30 days (blemishes, possible dead pixels, screen uniformity, loose pop-up camera), just take good care of the phone, and it will serve you well.

 

Make sure to use the OnePlus Unbrick Tool / Factory Tool to make sure the software hasn't been tampered with, or if the bootloader is locked. Use the OnePlus Diagnostic app to check the battery's health, if it's anywhere under 70%, that lithium-ion battery is at the end of its life. The OnePlus 7 Pro is just over a year old now, so anything around 90% is ideal.

Alright thanks so much. Last question, where would you find those apps and tools, are they listed on the app store or are they an apk download?

[KenTees]

29 minutes ago, Excalibur20 said:

Alright thanks so much. Last question, where would you find those apps and tools, are they listed on the app store or are they an apk download?

OnePlus Unbrick Tool / Factory Tool: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-7-pro/how-to/guide-mega-unbrick-guide-hard-bricked-t3934659

OnePlus Diagnostics App: https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/oneplus-ltd/oneplus-diagnostic/

 

Some information about these tools:

 

Despite the factory tool being referred to as an "Unbrick Tool", it's the same piece of software you see in this video:

 

(Timestamped @ 8:18)

 

Phones, when assembled do not have any software installed (besides Qualcomm's Emergency DownLoad Mode, which this tool utilizes to flash things), so the manufacturer must flash Android themselves, somewhere along the lines, this tool got leaked and people have been using it to truly "factory reset" their phones to a more extensive degree as opposed to factory resetting through the "Settings" app. The reason it is called an Unbrick Tool is because it is way more commonly used as a tool that can recover the device from any issues that occurred while tinkering with the phone (e.g. rooting, installing custom ROMs, installing custom kernels, etc.) as long as the device turns on, this tool can recover it. Please note, this tool will flash a very old version of OxygenOS, you can update manually after the device has booted.

 

The OnePlus Diagnostic App behaves a bit more differently compared to apps like AccuBattery because OnePlus, as the manufacturer, knows what directories to look in to check for battery states and what not, this app not only checks battery health, but can also check temperatures, help you check for dead pixels, and run you through tasks that insure you have a fully functional device.