What is a Cheap Phone with Great Audio Quality? - General Questions and Answers

Hey all,
I've browsed GSMArena reviews and checked for phones with the best audio quality since I am getting into higher audio quality gear.
I want the phone to be less than $400, preferably as little as possible.
Currently looking at the LG G3, Note 3 and 4.
If anyone can give me some suggestions, that would be very helpful, thanks!

Kammex said:
Hey all,
I've browsed GSMArena reviews and checked for phones with the best audio quality since I am getting into higher audio quality gear.
I want the phone to be less than $400, preferably as little as possible.
Currently looking at the LG G3, Note 3 and 4.
If anyone can give me some suggestions, that would be very helpful, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Smartisan T2 has a high standard audio hardware in it but unfortunately only sells in China at the moment. But maybe you can get one from other ways. The original price is lower than $400 but since you can't buy it directly from the company I can't guarantee your final price.
Just keep the name in mind in case you come across it.

wetman_IE said:
Smartisan T2 has a high standard audio hardware in it but unfortunately only sells in China at the moment. But maybe you can get one from other ways. The original price is lower than $400 but since you can't buy it directly from the company I can't guarantee your final price.
Just keep the name in mind in case you come across it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks like it has a heavy skin. I'm not a fan of small-brand Chinese phones since I'm worried about the optimization, they always have high numbers and sound good on paper but don't perform nearly as well compared to a popular phone with the same specs, but this one seems like one of the better ones so I'll keep an eye on it.
Thanks for the suggestion!

Kammex said:
It looks like it has a heavy skin. I'm not a fan of small-brand Chinese phones since I'm worried about the optimization, they always have high numbers and sound good on paper but don't perform nearly as well compared to a popular phone with the same specs, but this one seems like one of the better ones so I'll keep an eye on it.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah unfortunately you're right that's what most Chinese smartphones are like. Just, if you happen to see one, try it yourself and then judge. (Make sure you turn on the Hi-Fi mode) I'm using this phone but I'm not a music fan, so I don't know whether the quality is considered good enough for you.

Related

[Q] Best Android Phone for my Needs?

So for the past few weeks I have been lurking the forum and such, and only just got around to registering.. and this is my first post.. so bear with me
It's my birthday in about 3 weeks, and I'm somewhat tempted to spend the money I get on an Android phone, to replace my dying iPod Touch 2G and also my crummy £10 phone.
So, what I could say I need in a Android phone is -
Value for money.
Decent music playback (Minimal hissing etc. I understand that the default music player at the moment is crap, but with Gingerbread should come a much improved one).
Nice touchscreen.
And if at all possible, an official or unofficial upgrade to 2.3 or well, updates in the future. I would hate to buy a phone which suddenly was dead in the water after 2 months!I understand it can depend on the phone and such as well. I do understand that unofficial updates depend on the model and such etc.
Unlockable.
I originally looked around and saw the ZTE Blade, I was really surprised at the value for money and huge amount of unofficial development in terms of updates.. and it looked perfect! But I heard it's music playback leaves much to be desired sadly.
If anyone could reccomend an Android phone which you think would fit my needs, I would really appriciate it to be honest haha
I would say my budget is £150 or so.
Thanks in advance, and a (somewhat) belated happy new year ,
KILLTHATWHA.
Other details -
From what I have looked at.. the HTC Wildfires resolution was really low, which put me off that model..
The camera can be terrible for all I care, I have a decent Pentax one which I use..
Gaming ability isn't really a huge thing for me either, but a decent CPU would be a bonus, since it would means the can potentially get more updates.
I would say get an HD2. They have an 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and a hefty 576MB of RAM. Even though it's not actually an Android phone, you can easily turn it into one.
little13193 said:
I would say get an HD2. They have an 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and a hefty 576MB of RAM. Even though it's not actually an Android phone, you can easily turn it into one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As awesome as that phone is.. it costs a hefty £300-£350! That over double my budget :/
You can grab an used HD2 for a decent price, not much more than a ZTE blade (unless you are in the UK and can buy directly from Orange).
But if you are looking for a new phone the ZTE really looks great for its price.
Faenad said:
You can grab an used HD2 for a decent price, not much more than a ZTE blade (unless you are in the UK and can buy directly from Orange).
But if you are looking for a new phone the ZTE really looks great for its price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the UK haha, so I would be buying it directly from Orange probably So would you say the \ZTE is my best option?
Your really low price seriously limits your options (for buying new, anyway).
I was looking at budget Android devices (sub £200) recently for the ladyfriend, and the only real options I could find were hTC Wildfire, LG Optimus GT540 & SE Experia Mini.
Having played with a friends WF I can tell you that the screen is - as feared - shockingly bad, but quite responsive (it's pushing less pixels after all).
About Android's music player, someone has rebuilt it with a slightly improved UI and a couple of new features (appropriately dubbed 'music mod'), it's quite nice, can't comment on sound quality unfortunately.
As for the blade, if you can get one it doesn't seem like a bad way to go. You do get a nice screen (as opposed to WF), but only 256mb of RAM which is a *serious* issue (WF has 384mb). They have the same CPU but the blade has a marginally higher frequency.
for your budget id reccomend rhe oeange san francisco. scout around and you can pick it up for about £100, and unlock it for free at modaco. then have. look at movin to giffgaff for the cheap internet
killthatwha said:
I am in the UK haha, so I would be buying it directly from Orange probably So would you say the \ZTE is my best option?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, for the price it's an awesome deal. And the community support and interest seems decent.
ZTE Blade does seem like the best option but as Android upgrades begin to utilise more system resources older phones will be left behind. Just consider that you are buying a *first generation* device, those specs were impressive on the Droid a year ago, but not so today.

Xiaomi Phone UPDATED: Hands On

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/16/xiaomi-m1-with-miui-os-a-310-phone-with-1-5ghz-dual-core-soc-a/
Could be a great phone for Android flashers and enthusiasts, depending on the build quality. Best Part:
"but if you insist on trying other Android flavors on Xiaomi's hardware, then you'll be pleased to know that this phone lets you flash whatever firmware you like."
Update:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/16/xiaomi-phone-hands-on/
Looks very interesting and the price tag sounds good.
Waiting eagerly.
Does anyone know how to order it?
Ive been trying google to search how to order the phone (xiaomi m1 or miphone etc) cant find it. If you know how please post in this forum or pm me.
Cool, normal for beginners
This has potential. Looks really cool!
Very nice hardware, and a 1930mAh battery, thats impressive.
Looks too much like an Iphone though, which is sad, I wish more Android makers would try to create their own identity.
very cool phone I like it
More Chinese junk that should fall apart in a month.
Like how he's pressing all the buttons/icons and like nothing is working. lol
i'm a chinese guy and just heard the amazing phone . it's the most powerful android phone (not one of )till now . and the price is so unbelievable. as far as i konw,the phone will only be sold from it's official websit.
Apple are gonna take one look at that thing and sue Xiaomi into the poor house.
FloatingFatMan said:
Apple are gonna take one look at that thing and sue Xiaomi into the poor house.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol the definatly will mate haha
To those who said it's a copy of the iPhone, let me tell you this, I watched the announcement video, I actually agree with their design philosophy. They said something like this: "No design will ever please everyone, so their decision is to have no design. So the goal becomes very simple, as long as the look is not irritating, it is a good design."
To me, the design looks more like a Nexus S's front + an HTC phone's back. It looks simple, but still pretty none the less.
Those who wonder how to purchase this phone, this is currently planned to be sold online from their official website only. I'm sure some will find ways to import it to other countries though.
What I like the most of this phone is the effort they put into making it the perfect phone. Large battery, antenna design, heat dissipation, screen readability under direct sun light, weekly ROM updates, totally unlocked, quality (survives being run over by a car http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk2MjE4NTUy.html), etc. I actually think this phone is more exciting than the next Nexus phone, this is what the Nexus S should have been.
FloatingFatMan said:
Apple are gonna take one look at that thing and sue Xiaomi into the poor house.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1+1+1
Though this phone has better hardware, it still a copycat. Not saw too much innovation.
i am look forward to see it
If it will available in India than what will be approximate price of this DRAGON???
LG OPTIMUS P500, mik's OS 2.3.4
Although there are similarities between the iPhone and this device, I still don't think it'2 "copied".
I really like the look and I am really, really looking forward to this phone, it's specs are phenomenal and for that price you will not find a better smartphone for sure!
This may be the one to replayce my beloved Desire! ;-)
Cool phone.
Battery looks impressive
KingKuba13 said:
More Chinese junk that should fall apart in a month.
Like how he's pressing all the buttons/icons and like nothing is working. lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shame on u
joe_white said:
i'm a chinese guy and just heard the amazing phone . it's the most powerful android phone (not one of )till now . and the price is so unbelievable. as far as i konw,the phone will only be sold from it's official websit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure about it being the most powerful android phone
Any news on how many they are willing to produce and sell?

what a quality phone this is, I was pleasantly surprised.

Ordered this for my partner and have had it a few days now. Just wanted to say how pleased I am with the purchase, considering the price (£260 with 2 years warranty).
I was half expecting it to be kinda slow and clunky, but after installing all our apps, I am happy to say it is more than nippy for its price bracket. The camera is also better than expected, but I had low expectation. the screen is decent, nice and clear with nothing obviously low budget about it.
its not silky smooth, but I would imagine this would be the step up phone for folk coming from the moto G or moto E and compared to early gen versions of those, this is a real bump up.
am on about 2h20m screen on with 60% left, thats with some gps, 40 mins of phone calls and installing and checking more apps.
also, was worried about having no LED notification, but the move to display works well, in fact my partner prefers it as shes not someone who uses her phone constantly.
quick charging is very handy, NFC is a nice touch as I have shown her the uses. gets in the car, touches the tag, it turns on "speak out text messages" from the sony conect app (which works on non sony phones, just format the NFC to xperia tags in the many free apps), turns on bluetooth to connect to the BT car phone and turns up all the volumes to max. taps when home, turns off BT, turns off text read out and sets volumes back down a tad.
so, considering the price, this is a solid 9/10 phone.
good screen, good battery, acceptable speed, nice SD card, NFC, not back photo and video and all for a pretty decent price unlocked!
DrEzkimo said:
Ordered this for my partner and have had it a few days now. Just wanted to say how pleased I am with the purchase, considering the price (£260 with 2 years warranty).
I was half expecting it to be kinda slow and clunky, but after installing all our apps, I am happy to say it is more than nippy for its price bracket. The camera is also better than expected, but I had low expectation. the screen is decent, nice and clear with nothing obviously low budget about it.
its not silky smooth, but I would imagine this would be the step up phone for folk coming from the moto G or moto E and compared to early gen versions of those, this is a real bump up.
am on about 2h20m screen on with 60% left, thats with some gps, 40 mins of phone calls and installing and checking more apps.
also, was worried about having no LED notification, but the move to display works well, in fact my partner prefers it as shes not someone who uses her phone constantly.
quick charging is very handy, NFC is a nice touch as I have shown her the uses. gets in the car, touches the tag, it turns on "speak out text messages" from the sony conect app (which works on non sony phones, just format the NFC to xperia tags in the many free apps), turns on bluetooth to connect to the BT car phone and turns up all the volumes to max. taps when home, turns off BT, turns off text read out and sets volumes back down a tad.
so, considering the price, this is a solid 9/10 phone.
good screen, good battery, acceptable speed, nice SD card, NFC, not back photo and video and all for a pretty decent price unlocked!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:good: same feeling as you. The price of the phone makes it unbeatable
First off let me start by saying i have a MXP and i love it so i'm not dissing it.
However The Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 has a better looking screen, much better audio and it has the same performance and they £80 cheaper making it an absolute bargain.
I bought the MXP because of the bigger battery and in the vein hope of better support but i do often wonder if an extra hour of SOT a day was worth the extra £80.
Much prefer both phones over my original Nexus 5.
MrBelter said:
First off let me start by saying i have a MXP and i love it so i'm not dissing it.
However The Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 has a better looking screen, much better audio and it has the same performance and they £80 cheaper making it an absolute bargain.
I bought the MXP because of the bigger battery and in the vein hope of better support but i do often wonder if an extra hour of SOT a day was worth the extra £80.
Much prefer both phones over my original Nexus 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that phone went completely under my radar! does seem very good for the price.
It's the exact same spec as far as i can gather.
The screen has shattered (18 inch to 2 foot fall in the house off a chair arm) on the wife's idol 3 though and it was only 6 weeks old but i am seeing people on here saying there screens have gone on easily on the MXP as well
Once MM is on both phones i would struggle to pick between them ill be honest
Well, mine's already shipped, so it's comforting to see some positive feedback for it.
The Alcatel seems reasonably comparable though it has a far less powerful main camera. Makes up for it in secondary camera though I guess and has a couple of bells and whistles that the play doesn't like Bluetooth 4.1, but no quick charging facility.
Still comfortable with my purchase thankfully.
Chaotic-Entropy said:
Well, mine's already shipped, so it's comforting to see some positive feedback for it.
The Alcatel seems reasonably comparable though it has a far less powerful main camera. Makes up for it in secondary camera though I guess and has a couple of bells and whistles that the play doesn't like Bluetooth 4.1, but no quick charging facility.
Still comfortable with my purchase thankfully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just refuse the package they will refund you
Chaotic-Entropy said:
Well, mine's already shipped, so it's comforting to see some positive feedback for it.
The Alcatel seems reasonably comparable though it has a far less powerful main camera. Makes up for it in secondary camera though I guess and has a couple of bells and whistles that the play doesn't like Bluetooth 4.1, but no quick charging facility.
Still comfortable with my purchase thankfully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont be fooled by the pixel count, the camera on the Idol 3 is very capable.
fingerprinted said:
Just refuse the package they will refund you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MrBelter said:
Dont be fooled by the pixel count, the camera on the Idol 3 is very capable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Errr... that's okay, I'm happy with my purchase. It's all good.
I must add that the Moto X Play has a superb build quality. I was hoping it would have a good one because my Moto X 2013 was great, too. My LG G3's build quality was a joke compared to this.
I got mine for £100 second hand and really like it, no major weakness in any department
masm64 said:
I must add that the Moto X Play has a superb build quality. I was hoping it would have a good one because my Moto X 2013 was great, too. My LG G3's build quality was a joke compared to this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was about to post the very same, decided to read the previous posts and see this.
But somehow the Camera on my old LG G3 was brilliant, especially when it came to Macro Shots and moving objects in the background.
yekollu said:
I was about to post the very same, decided to read the previous posts and see this.
But somehow the Camera on my old LG G3 was brilliant, especially when it came to Macro Shots and moving objects in the background.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must agree, the G3's camera was superior compared to the Play's.
I was expecting a lot worse of an experience.. I was really hesitant to buy the phone but now that I have it I like it a lotttt. Still going to get my Nexus 6P though

Honest Opinions Wanted - Is This Phone Still Good In 2017?

Hi all. I have a chance to possibly buy this phone and wanted honest reviews. How do people like this phone and if I happen to find a good one cheap would it be a good buy?
Any gotchas? Does it run Nougat OK?
Dude dude.. Got it since it was launched and i refuse to buy a new one. This is the most beast phone ever!
Is this enough to you? Ahah
It runs nougat smooth as butter
MrObvious said:
Hi all. I have a chance to possibly buy this phone and wanted honest reviews. How do people like this phone and if I happen to find a good one cheap would it be a good buy?
Any gotchas? Does it run Nougat OK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on what price you're getting in.
Everything you throw at this phone runs smooth as f###
hey pal,
you know for these 2-3 years, i didnt bother to see the smartphone market,
i got no reason to change to a new one.. haha
Depends on you and what you want. If you want high-end camera or excellent battery performance then nope it is not. But it has average even good camera-you dont miss any details or photos can be used for social media easily- and this battery can last you for 1 day. Not official but with custom ROMS you can use very smooth and flawless noguat which is the last and newest version of the android. This specs has got me and i am very happy with my OPO and 3gigs of ram really gives you what you want. But if you want official rom support, really high end camera and high end battery life or high and gaming experience or newest SoT well this phone is not for you. Think and know what you want, then you can find your choice.
Thanks guys.
MrObvious said:
Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So What's your final call?
Honestly, in 2017 if you are out in the market, OnePlus One shouldn't even be an option.
Its dated, and not at par with current mid range devices. I would advise you against getting a One even though I love this phone.
It just doesn't make sense to get it 3 years after its launch.
rshbhghelani said:
Honestly, in 2017 if you are out in the market, OnePlus One shouldn't even be an option.
Its dated, and not at par with current mid range devices. I would advise you against getting a One even though I love this phone.
It just doesn't make sense to get it 3 years after its launch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didnt even read it.
He said he can get it at a good price. If he can get it at a good price, this phone is (which is amazing IMO) very usable in 2017.
The only BUT is the camera...but even then the camera is pretty damn good.
Once a Oneplus 4 comes out with IP68, Ill finally drop my Oneplus One.
I'm trying to find an excuse to replace mine but none really justify doing so
There isn't a single rational reason to update this phone (despite what the gear heads claim). With the right custom rom battery lasts for two days (try slim7 or nitrogen os), roms are fluid, apps open quickly and camera is on par with other cams of this size. Low light photography is a pain, and will be for several more years for all sensors of this size. Even 3/4 size consumer cameras out there struggle with this, so it won't be any better for long time.
milomak said:
I'm trying to find an excuse to replace mine but none really justify doing so
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed.
Overall this phone is wonderful. Rough, tough, durable, great battery life, size, quick, good adequate camera (with the right app).
I can't kill this phone (physically or by mucking around with its OS, KitKat to Nougat).
My teen kids loved this phone's looks and performance but hated its size (when I first got it they each took it for a month test run) had they also made this in a 4.7 version, this would have been their phone of choice.
Upon this phone's demise, my next phone will likely be the Oneplus 3T.
milomak said:
I'm trying to find an excuse to replace mine but none really justify doing so
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My only reason would be IP68 and I do miss OIS sometimes for certain camera shots.
But besides that...this phone is still relevant in 2017, 3 years after its release.
MrObvious said:
Hi all. I have a chance to possibly buy this phone and wanted honest reviews. How do people like this phone and if I happen to find a good one cheap would it be a good buy?
Any gotchas? Does it run Nougat OK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's obvious, MrObvious.
https://www.xda-developers.com/its-settled-the-oneplus-one-has-stood-the-test-of-time/
I have opo from 3 years. If you can buy one i think battery is already dated so the usage will be over limited . for 150 dollars go to xiaomi
It is still a great phone. But battery is aging and is really hard to find "genuine" replacement (after 2 years I am getting around 4h SOT before 6h-9h). Same goes for Back Cover mine is showing that 2 years of using without case and it is impossible to buy replacement. So I am going to wait for OP4 and if OP4 won't by for me I will buy used OP3 for cheap.

Why is everybody comparing the U11 vs S8?

I mean, I get it. They're both new phones, but other than RAM and processor, the two diverge quite quickly. The basic difference is Samsung put effort in display quality and quantity while HTC focused on sound quality. It's like comparing a tangerine and a tangelo. Same base, but two totally different things. And soon people will be drawing comparisons vs the Oneplus 5. Once again the op5 seems to have focused on camera. So grapefruit vs tangelo Just get one you like for display, audio, or camera and you're set, imo.
people are always comparing flagships to flagships. It's not just about comparing them as they have the same SoC and RAM. If everyone is just comparing like for like, then all comparison of Android vs iPhone would be silly
I think it's fair to compare them - many people are still used to the carrier 2 year cycle. For them (and myself, but for other reasons), now is the time to choose the phone they will be using for a significant amount of time. These are substantial investments, and people want to be sure they're getting "the best". Going for the "one you like for display, audio, or camera" is wise, but to some extent these can be adapted to if the competition seems likely to be more future proofed. For instance, Bluetooth 5 support on the S8 could potentially be a big deal down the road... but Unlocked phones tend to age better with ROMs.
I'm on the fence mainly because of how many Verizon features are missing right now and, with a current BestBuy sale the S8 can be had for basically the same (or less) cost...
The comparisons are more helpful than you might think. I think the biggest reason for most is to justify where to spend your money. Some might think that both phones are fast, so it doesn't matter what you get.
Completely wrong. It helps to give insight and different perspectives on the software, hardware, and just each person's personal preference. That's what it does for me, at least.
Now, would I say one is better than the other....no. That information is irrelevant.
I actually like the comparison. I like seeing everyone's caring opinion.
I'm still on the fence as to which to get. The S8 is a nice looking phone but the bad sound quality and poor developer support is turning me away. While the screen on the U11 does not compare.
The dilemma is that no phone does it all perfectly. I have both the S8 and U11. I love the S8's screen, but the U11 has better audio. The cameras are close, but the U11 has more detail under certain conditions. So I'm still searching for the perfect phone. If I want great pictures, I use my Galaxy S6. For audio, it's my Axon 7 or LG V10. But if I just want a good all around phone, I grab my U11 or S8. So sure, by all means compare phones. At the end of the day, you'll have to decide which features are most important to you.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Whatever I end up keeping, I'm hoping it will be replaced by the Google pixel 2
The S8 audio quality wasn't bad, but I really hate single bottom firing speakers. It just feels weird having one ear hear much louder than the other.
Tachi91 said:
I actually like the comparison. I like seeing everyone's caring opinion.
I'm still on the fence as to which to get. The S8 is a nice looking phone but the bad sound quality and poor developer support is turning me away. While the screen on the U11 does not compare.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is just an opinion. Do you have the U11? Have you seen the screen in person? It actually does compare.
Probably because they are the 2 top devices right now.
Cant put the G6 in the same category due to it running an obsolete SoC and the OP5 as much as it may have going for it lacks in many other areas so cant really put it beside the S8 or U11 either.
If the U11 had of went with smaller bezels (only to keep the overall size smaller) and a 6" screen I'd possibly sell my s8+ for one and thats saying alot as im a huge sammy fan.
The fact that HTC stayed with a flat screen is great, the sound is of course far better, cameras are close and both look amazing.
I just cant do the smallish 5.5" screen i dont think especially with the 6.2" on the S8+ even with the weird aspect ratio
Still its the best device HTC has built to date IMO and they are def on the right track for better sales I would think.
Sent from my S8+, S7 edge or S6
force70 said:
Still its the best device HTC has built to data IMO and they are def on the right track for better sales I would think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would think so, too (especially since they sold put almost everywhere), but that depends on how bad their financial situation is. I think this will help them live to develop another flagship.
LibertyMonger said:
This is just an opinion. Do you have the U11? Have you seen the screen in person? It actually does compare.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Today I received my U11 6+128GB ver and I owned Galaxy S6 and LG G3, they are all 2K panel. I agreed both my older phones got better screen over U11 though the screen isn't bad for normal use and hardly noticeable for most people but when I read some low quality pdf doc I clearly see the different is there.
All and all, I get the phone with 6+128 at this low price with a good cam. I understand the screen quality might be a bit lower if HTC still want to make profit.
I don't see an issue with comparison between the two. After all the s series is the most popular Android phone out there and is usually always the top competitor.
The phones are also the same generation in the specs department so not comparing them would make no sense.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Categories

Resources