Budget 20-25K Need a good phone | Bye-bye Apple

asingh

asingh

Staff member
Super Mod
Need some help to narrow down a phone.

Background:
I have never owned an Android phone so am lost. And I do not see value in Apple phones anymore*. With the above budget, if possible under 20K, I can stretch till 25K if it is really worth it.

What I would want for sure:
1. 5G ready
2. NFC
3. Wireless charging--even if it is slow
4. Good battery life
5. At least 2x more years of Android updates [not sure what the update cycle is, since my iPhone SE is still receiving updates]
6. Small form factor < 6.5"

Good to have:
1. Travel adapter [not a deal breaker]
2. Pre-installed screen guard
3. Decent camera [but not a prerequisite, since most of my clicks are on a Sony ILCE]
4. Strong body, I do not want to use a phone case/cover. Hate them.
5. Amazon delivery. Cannot visit brick-n-mortar.
6. Pure Android (read: minimal bloatware, or can be uninstalled without rooting]
7. Am even fine with 64GB storage

+++Minor points:
1. Should be decently crisp and quick to respond
2. On screen thumb unlock
3. Facial unlock (does Android have this)? Sorry!
4. Not sure about processor and RAM.

Thanks for the help.

-Anil

*need to buy two units at the same time
 
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Noticed some people mentioned 'Nothing phone'.
Nothing can ruin your money more than buying a 'Nothing phone'. Be aware. Do not fall into hype/trend that people create. Always look for your usage and money you have. Buy wisely, be practical.
 
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As Desibond mentioned, you would be better off spending north of 30k when it comes to droids. I would also suggest watching videos on YT about One UI or whichever brand you may choose to see if it suits your taste. You could also make a checklist about features you might demand from a phone a choose accordingly.

I would suggest to stay away from Xiaomi or Redmi phones as they might harm your UX. Sure, you can debloat them but their UI is a bit bloated in general and their updates are mostly beta releases.

If the usage is basic then you can either look into Moto30 series as suggested by Vishal or a Pixel 6a if budget is a constraint. Also supplement it with videos on YT to clear doubts or if something is a deal breaker. Any phone will have something missing. If not opting for stock, then the only option is Samsung's One UI.

P.S- I am a votary of stock so my reply may seem biased towards stock/near stock Android phones.
 
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asingh said:
How would M53 fare, sans wireless charging & NFC?
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maybe this could be very specific requirements , but one of the best features on new phones is fast charging at 67 / 68 watts i would pick fast charging a must have feature .Wake up put your on phone charge get your daily chores done have tea pick up your 100% charged phone and off you go
 
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burntwingzZz said:
maybe this could be very specific requirements , but one of the best features on new phones is fast charging at 67 / 68 watts i would pick fast charging a must have feature .Wake up put your on phone charge get your daily chores done have tea pick up your 100% charged phone and off you go
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But is not wireless charging slower vs. brick+cable.? Wireless being more over an over night thing.?
 
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asingh said:
But is not wireless charging slower vs. brick+cable.? Wireless being more over an over night thing.?
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yes wireless charging is kind of over the night thing and i would say for lazy bums or elderly .You will have to buy a dedicated charging plate . For the same money of charging plate you could get a powerbank which also supports 18 w or 20 w of fast charging with 10k or 20k mah portable power
 
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desiibond said:
The bigger problem with Exynos chips is modem. They are inferior to Qualcomm and Mediatek when it comes to network reception. And that modem also takes more power while running hotter, causing higher battery usage.
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A Youtuber made that same argument about the S20FE. Because the modem wasn't integrated with the SD.
asingh said:
But is not wireless charging slower vs. brick+cable.? Wireless being more over an over night thing.?
Click to expand...
Wireless charging meaning the phone doing it aka reverse wireless charging is useful if you use TWS as you can place the case over the phone to get a top-up.

As for fast charging, I've disabled it on the S20FE (yes, there is a toggle for that) and it charges at 9W max from the stock 15W charger or powerbank. I think it is better for battery longevity. The criteria here is the battery temp must not rise by more than 5 degrees over ambient. 9W takes it 2-3 degrees up in 30 degree weather. Fast charging can push it closer to 37 degrees C.

If it is hotter than 30 then slower is better.

Fast charging is for people in colder climates.
 
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How to buy an app which has subscription billing. UPI is not working. Can it be done using Google Pay Credit voucher. Will the buy work if account is topped up 100 for a 99 app which is subscription based per year.
 
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asingh said:
How to buy an app which has subscription billing. UPI is not working. Can it be done using Google Pay Credit voucher. Will the buy work if account is topped up 100 for a 99 app which is subscription based per year.
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You have to have a credit card or select debit card to subscribe. All credit cards and debit cards from HDFC, kotak, Citi, ICICI etc major banks work.

Yes, you can start your subscription with Google pay balance / voucher but I think there must be a card saved as a fallback.
 
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lockhrt999 said:
You have to have a credit card or select debit card to subscribe. All credit cards and debit cards from HDFC, kotak, Citi, ICICI etc major banks work.

Yes, you can start your subscription with Google pay balance / voucher but I think there must be a card saved as a fallback.
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Mmm.thanks. I did not want to bind a bank card. I thought topping it up via Google Balance will work. Has anyone tried it..?
 
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asingh said:
That is what I am asking. By adding credits using GPC, can I start a new subscription based app in premium.
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Not allowed in India according to Google

What you can buy with your Google Play balance - Google Play Help

To see what you can buy with your Google Play balance, select your country below. Australia Apps, Books, Movies, Newsstand, subscriptions Google Play Gift Card
support.google.com

On Amazon pay where we can buy Google Play Store recharge voucher, it says we can. Try with a ₹100 voucher and see if it works.

IMG_20221022_090954.jpg
 
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