25-30k Phone with decent cameras, an aesthetic look and a big battery.

Arigaytor

Arigaytor

Explorer
Looking for something between 20-30k (can't go above 30k, would prefer if it came under 28k with card offers and all)
New. Online.
Don't want a Motorola phone with the vegan leather back because it feels gross. Trying to avoid big/ugly camera islands as well.
Want a decent camera and battery bigger than 5000 mAh (preferably silicon carbide)


Looking for around 3 years of OS updates at the very least.

Would prefer a chip wtih a decent antutu score (just in case we wanna play Genshin)

Expecting AMOLED (LTPO if possible) in this range

3.5 mm jack would be a bonus

Currently looking at the galaxy A35 or A36 but they don't seem to have the best cameras or battery in the segment.
 
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OMEGA44-XT said:
If you play games - Poco F6 is the better choice.

For general usage - CMF Phone 2 pro is better for most people because of the more optimised UI & will likely have a better battery life as well (Xiaomi's UI's battery optimisation is worse than major competitors).

Camera - Doubt either will be best for the price

If you want best battery life, vivo T4X or Realme P3 might be better choices with UI better than Xiaomi. I'll prefer Color OS of oppo, OP & Realme over vivo's UI.
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I actually do prefer performance, but I’d also like a decent camera, at least something reliable for casual use. CMF Phone 2 Pro sounds interesting if the battery and UI are that much better, but I was leaning toward the POCO F6 purely for the power. Xiaomi’s battery optimisation has always been hit or miss though, so I get the hesitation.

Also, what’s the deal with the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s back design and those modular attachments? I’ve seen mixed opinions - some call them gimmicky, others say they’re surprisingly useful. Are they actually worth it?
 
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Koooshiiikk said:
I actually do prefer performance, but I’d also like a decent camera, at least something reliable for casual use. CMF Phone 2 Pro sounds interesting if the battery and UI are that much better, but I was leaning toward the POCO F6 purely for the power. Xiaomi’s battery optimisation has always been hit or miss though, so I get the hesitation.

Also, what’s the deal with the CMF Phone 2 Pro’s back design and those modular attachments? I’ve seen mixed opinions - some call them gimmicky, others say they’re surprisingly useful. Are they actually worth it?
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You need the universal cover to use the accessories, none of which I think will be sold in this market for some reason
nRiTeCh said:
Vivos ui is too vibrant and looks very cluttered kachra. Oppo is velvety smooth and well organized.
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I forgot to mention the oppo k13 in this price range too, looks to be a really good phone, might have gotten it if I was looking for a phone rn
 
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Arigaytor said:
You need the universal cover to use the accessories, none of which I think will be sold in this market for some reason

I forgot to mention the oppo k13 in this price range too, looks to be a really good phone, might have gotten it if I was looking for a phone rn
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Oh, well then doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose if the accessories aren’t even going to be sold here? The whole modular concept sounded cool on paper, but I guess it loses value without proper support in our market.

The Oppo K13 sounds like a pretty underrated option too. I’ve heard good things about ColorOS lately - seems a lot more refined and smoother now compared to the overly vibrant, cluttered vibe of Funtouch OS. Might actually be worth looking into if someone wants a balanced experience.

Anyway, I think I’ll just wait it out for now - see what the market has coming up, maybe some fresh launches or price cuts - and then pull the trigger when something really clicks.
 
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blr_p said:
how's the camera?

Don't think you've answered this as yet
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Actually she did find the phone to her satisfaction mostly, not much to write home about tbf. The telephoto is nicer than most phones in the segment but apparently taking video using it is a bit iffy. The software skin is really polished, as nothing tends to be, though I personally like hyperos a bit more for some reason. As for processing, nothing heavy has been done on it so far so nothing to say in that regard. The screen is sort of squareish though, pretty wide if I say so myself.

However, for some reason, since yesterday, the phone just stopped charging. No idea why it happened as it hasn't been dropped/splashed or anything. It just stopped taking charge and slowly ran out of battery and died. Maybe the usb c port is faulty, no idea what happened to be honest. It's obviously still under warranty so we'll get it looked at.
 
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Arigaytor said:
However, for some reason, since yesterday, the phone just stopped charging. No idea why it happened as it hasn't been dropped/splashed or anything. It just stopped taking charge and slowly ran out of battery and died. Maybe the usb c port is faulty, no idea what happened to be honest. It's obviously still under warranty so we'll get it looked at.
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I've never had this ever happen to me.

It doesn't look good for their QA. Of course they will replace it. One too many complaints like this could sink them.
 
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blr_p said:
I've never had this ever happen to me.

It doesn't look good for their QA. Of course they will replace it. One too many complaints like this could sink them.
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Took it to the center yesterday, they took it back in came out a few minutes later claiming they cleaned the charging port and it charged over there, but once back home it didn't charge again. Apparently, the adapter and wall plug have also been ruled out as problems as it didn't even seem to charge using a powerbank. No idea what it could be, taking it to the center again today.
 
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Arigaytor said:
Took it to the center yesterday, they took it back in came out a few minutes later claiming they cleaned the charging port and it charged over there, but once back home it didn't charge again.
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I did think of that but then realised you didn't have it long enough for the charging port to get clogged.
Arigaytor said:
Apparently, the adapter and wall plug have also been ruled out as problems as it didn't even seem to charge using a powerbank. No idea what it could be, taking it to the center again today.
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Did you try changing the charging cable? Seems to be the only variable you haven't swapped out.
 
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jacksparrow007 said:
What about the mediatek dimensity ones? Thinking about getting the poco x7 pro. Should i wait for F7 over this?
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Xiaomi's UI is not as good as the competition & its battery optimisation isn't great as well (even with aggressive background app killings). I'd recommend Realme P3 Ultra over X7 Pro.

I'd myself rate UIs as Samsung ~ Nothing > Stock android> Oppo/OP/Realme > vivo/iQoo > Xiaomi from major brands.
 
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OMEGA44-XT said:
Xiaomi's UI is not as good as the competition & its battery optimisation isn't great as well (even with aggressive background app killings). I'd recommend Realme P3 Ultra over X7 Pro.

I'd myself rate UIs as Samsung ~ Nothing > Stock android> Oppo/OP/Realme > vivo/iQoo > Xiaomi from major brands.
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Post with specific models... As per the current scenario
 
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