Advice Request Reliable and affordable mid-range smartphone?

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shmu26

shmu26

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What are your recommendations?

Currently I have a Redmi Note 5A with 2 GB RAM and quad-core 1.40 GHz.
I am not so happy with it.
I drive with Waze and it often loses the connection, and it generally performs poorly.
My needs are modest, I don't do a lot of multitasking. Typically, I will have WhatsApp and Waze running.
 
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Try Realme Narzo 10a, SoC on that thing is a beast for it's price range (CPU performance comparable to SD712), amazing 2 days battery backup, 720p decent display, camera performance is above average at it's price range.
Cons: No UFS 2.1, bloatware preinstalled (just use ADB to uninstall it), 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM (fine if you don't install too many apps.)
My father is using it for almost 3 months now.
 
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rockstarrocks said:
Try Realme Narzo 10a, SoC on that thing is a beast for it's price range (CPU performance comparable to SD712), amazing 2 days battery backup, 720p decent display, camera performance is above average at it's price range.
Cons: No UFS 2.1, bloatware preinstalled (just use ADB to uninstall it), 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM (fine if you don't install too many apps.)
My father is using it for almost 3 months now.
Click to expand...
It will be better if you opt something with Qualcomm processor. all other processor have issues with custom rom development and might lack support of 'xda' if you want to update via custom rom after the official support ends.
 
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JoyousBudweiser said:
It will be better if you opt something with Qualcomm processor. all other processor have issues with custom rom development and might lack support of 'xda' if you want to update via custom rom after the official support ends.
Click to expand...
No one cares about Custom ROM when looking for stable platform for everyday use. Even without the updates you will be fine if you don't go installing apps outside of PlayStore.

shmu26 said:
RealMe is not sold in my country.
Pixel 3a (XL) is pricey.
I was thinking more like Samsung Galaxy A30s 64GB
or maybe Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 128GB 4GB RAM
are these any good?
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Redmi Note series has always been very reliable (in terms of performance) & budget friendly too. Read some online reviews for it though.
Here's one Redmi Note 9 Review
 
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Spawn said:
What's your budget / currency?

They're slightly more expensive but I've found Snapdragon chips to be better than MediaTek.
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I am hoping to buy something in the $150 range but will up the ante if necessary. You are the second person who mentioned Qualcomm so it sounds like that's what I should look for. There are several Xiaomi with Snapdragon. But I am not happy with my current Xiaomi, so I thought to try maybe Samsung.
 
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shmu26 said:
I am hoping to buy something in the $150 range but will up the ante if necessary. You are the second person who mentioned Qualcomm so it sounds like that's what I should look for. There are several Xiaomi with Snapdragon. But I am not happy with my current Xiaomi, so I thought to try maybe Samsung.
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My experience with Qualcomm is limited to the 8-series SoC, based on 2 Sony Xperia devices and 1 Sony Xperia device on a MediaTek chip.

I have no experience with Qualcomms' 4/6/7-series chips, but I would imagine they are still better than anything from MediaTek SoC.

Samsung may be a suitable choice.
 
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Spawn said:
My experience with Qualcomm is limited to the 8-series SoC, based on 2 Sony Xperia devices and 1 Sony Xperia device on a MediaTek chip.

I have no experience with Qualcomms' 4/6/7-series chips, but I would imagine they are still better than anything from MediaTek SoC.

Samsung may be a suitable choice.
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Anything better than SD 6** series will be good enough, leave 4** series they are just too slow. New Mediatek SoC especially the G-series (G70/90) are really good.
 
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This website is useful for comparing up to 7 of anything, including SoC.
versus.com

Versus | Compare everything

Versus is a global data-driven comparison platform, covering over 90 categories. Compare smartphones, cameras, headphones, graphics cards, and much more. With detailed tech specs, data visualizations, and price comparisons, Versus is the best product finder for a wide range of consumer...
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The new Oneplus Nord ! .. check out if there's an official seller/importer in your country.
Believe me you don't wanna miss out on the things it offers for the price.
 
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shmu26 said:
How does Exynos compare to Snapdragon? Are both solid, reliable chips?
I am not looking for beast power, just a reliable product.
Click to expand...
Performance wise Snapdragon> Exynos. All these chips are very reliable, you will not get problems from chipset side. Samsung phones are very good when it comes to reliability. The problem with them is, a lot of bloatware ..
 
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On 150-250 price range i would go for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 128GB 4GB RAM you mentioned , just because its such a flagship phone on that price....5020 mAh is such a beast for that price

I was hoping to see something new from nokia since i havent been looking for a phone for a while, but nothing worth the buying is not currently there
 
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