Looking for a new phone with fingerprint reader on back or side

[Sin Stalker]

I am looking to upgrade from a Pixel 3. I tried a Pixel 6 and absolutely hate the fingerprint reader under the display. I honestly don't understand why the industry is moving this way.

 

I am trying to keep my budget below $700.

 

I am also looking for a phone set to get updates for at least another year, if not two. Currently I am leaning towards a Z Fold 3, although I am worried about the durability of the main folding screen. But I'm willing to deal with it for the fingerprint reader placement.

I am still hoping to find alternatives. I was also leaning towards a Pixel 5 but that has less than a year left on updates. 

 

I am in the U.S. and finding it very difficult to find options. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking for a long while now.

[leclod]

Can you explain why you hate it ?

I'm tending to the opposite, I hate other positions.

[filpo]

21 minutes ago, Sin Stalker said:

I am looking to upgrade from a Pixel 3. I tried a Pixel 6 and absolutely hate the fingerprint reader under the display. I honestly don't understand why the industry is moving this way.

 

I am trying to keep my budget below $700.

 

I am also looking for a phone set to get updates for at least another year, if not two. Currently I am leaning towards a Z Fold 3, although I am worried about the durability of the main folding screen. But I'm willing to deal with it for the fingerprint reader placement.

I am still hoping to find alternatives. I was also leaning towards a Pixel 5 but that has less than a year left on updates. 

 

I am in the U.S. and finding it very difficult to find options. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking for a long while now.

the asus zenfone 9 is a very good compact phone with flagship specs and a fingerprint reader on the side which can be had for exactly 700 bucks new Asus Zenfone 9 5G 256GB 8GB RAM Factory Unlocked (GSM Only | No CDMA - not Compatible with Verizon/Sprint) - Black (amazon.com)

And it just beats the pixel 7 pro in overall tests and is on average 20% better on benchmarks like gaming or antutu

Compare Google Pixel 7 Pro vs Asus Zenfone 9: which is better? | NR (nanoreview.net)

[jaslion]

52 minutes ago, Sin Stalker said:

I tried a Pixel 6

To be fair the pixel 6's under display one SUCKS hard. I have a first gen one on my mi 9t and it works perfectly :p.

 

53 minutes ago, Sin Stalker said:

although I am worried about the durability of the main folding screen

There will be a crease day one that gets worse over time.

 

The screen scratches VERY easilt because its plastic.

 

If you want a not massive phone a zenphone 9 is very nice.

[Sin Stalker]

4 hours ago, leclod said:

Can you explain why you hate it ?

I'm tending to the opposite, I hate other positions.

It takes longer to unlock by adding additional steps to the process of getting into the phone. With a fingerprint sensor on the back or side, I can have the phone unlocked as I'm removing it from my pocket or picking it up from a desk. It also is done one-handed.

 

With under display, it requires an adjustment of grip to unlock, since I have to move my hand down from a secure grip. Usually I need two hands to unlock it as I change my hands position. 

 

There is also the issue of getting blinded whenever I unlock the screen in the evening/at night, since a bright light is required to allow the sensor to read the fingerprint.

 

I dislike it so much that I'd rather be stuck with a several year old phone should the industry go exclusively under display fingerprint sensors.

I think the tech is great and it's use has its place (such as in embedded consoles or some phones) but I don't like it or want it on my phone. 

 

3 hours ago, jaslion said:

To be fair the pixel 6's under display one SUCKS hard. I have a first gen one on my mi 9t and it works perfectly :p.

My wife got a Pixel 7 with that $200 Mint mobile deal and we both hate that sensor as well. My wife dislikes the inconsistency and the bright light blinding her when unlocking. She's going to put up with it until we can unlock the phone and sell it. Then she'll get something like a Z flip.

 

 

 

[Sin Stalker]

4 hours ago, filpo said:

the asus zenfone 9 is a very good compact phone with flagship specs and a fingerprint reader on the side which can be had for exactly 700 bucks new Asus Zenfone 9 5G 256GB 8GB RAM Factory Unlocked (GSM Only | No CDMA - not Compatible with Verizon/Sprint) - Black (amazon.com)

And it just beats the pixel 7 pro in overall tests and is on average 20% better on benchmarks like gaming or antutu

Compare Google Pixel 7 Pro vs Asus Zenfone 9: which is better? | NR (nanoreview.net)

 

I just checked it out and it's missing wireless charging, which I consider a must. I've had too many phones where it'll refuse to charge via cable or only when the cable is held at an angle. Wireless, even slow wireless, is a backup that has let me continue using a smartphone with a shit port (like my current Pixel 3). 

 

 

[jaslion]

4 hours ago, Sin Stalker said:

There is also the issue of getting blinded whenever I unlock the screen in the evening/at night, since a bright light is required to allow the sensor to read the fingerprint.

Yeah I genuinly dont know why they went with a worse version of the under display ones because by now all those issues are good :p.

 

Its very weird.

 

Whats the budget and any other wants/needs?

 

Id avoid folding phones hard for now with longevity in mind as we are still at the early early stages of these and I've seen some z fold 3's that are in ROUGH states from just a lot of use.

 

Massive creases that are causing touch screen innacuracies and dust does eventually get in the hinge and the nosies that it causes those to phones to make is scary :p.

 

4 of my friends got em with the amazing 400€ deal for the unlocked one and 2 are having the issue. They are just using the phone like normal and taking good care of it but well I guess too much use gets em still.

 

They are cool but honestly I dont see em lasting 3 years just from normal use at this point.

[Sin Stalker]

6 hours ago, jaslion said:

Yeah I genuinly dont know why they went with a worse version of the under display ones because by now all those issues are good :p.

 

Its very weird.

 

Whats the budget and any other wants/needs?

 

Id avoid folding phones hard for now with longevity in mind as we are still at the early early stages of these and I've seen some z fold 3's that are in ROUGH states from just a lot of use.

 

Massive creases that are causing touch screen innacuracies and dust does eventually get in the hinge and the nosies that it causes those to phones to make is scary :p.

 

4 of my friends got em with the amazing 400€ deal for the unlocked one and 2 are having the issue. They are just using the phone like normal and taking good care of it but well I guess too much use gets em still.

 

They are cool but honestly I dont see em lasting 3 years just from normal use at this point.

I think $700 is my limit. Phone can be previous gen. I usually only have a phone for two years but I have always gotten a flagship from a year or two, not the newest. But that was also due to my budget in the past being ~$300. 

 

As for other features, I am looking for at least 6gb of RAM (but prefer 8+) and wireless charging. I have other preferences but they aren't deal breakers. For instance, one that is almost a deal breaker is a flat screen. I dislike the curved edges.

 

For reference, I've always had Nexus and pixel phones. I did have a Note 9 and thought I'd like the curved edge but ended up hating it. When I put a case on it, I found that it was less protected and sure enough, that was the first phone since the my first phone (droid x) which gained a crack in the screen.

 

Based on a short use of the Z flip 3 I had a year ago, I think if I had a folding phone, I'd mainly be using the outer screen. So the fold would only have the larger screen used at night/home or the rare occasion I am on a plain. So the outer screen would be my daily driver of a sort. 

 

But the newness of folding phones is my main hesitation for going with that (cause on paper it checks all my boxes) but like you said, it is new. That's why I am trying to find an alternative. I'd go pixel 5 if it had another year of updates.

 

I did see some low end Samsung phones with the stuff I want but their power and RAM seem too low. 

[Sin Stalker]

Looking into more myself, it looks like the Sony Xperia type phones may be an option but not sure. Their naming scheme is a bit confusing. Anyone know anything about these as an option?

[Jito463]

In my other thread talking about some annoyances I've had since upgrading, I mentioned the phone I recently switched to, which is the Doogee S98 Pro.  It basically has everything that you listed (side fingerprint scanner, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, wireless charging and factory unlocked for less than $450), the only exception being that it's on Android 12 and I don't know if it will be upgraded beyond that.  Be warned that it is a BRICK of a phone.  If you're looking for something small, this would definitely not be it.  I'm fine with it, but it's not for everyone.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304711767423

Edited April 12, 2023 by Jito463