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Want to sell OPO, what to get instead?

HI all, am thinking selling my OPO but have no idea what other phone to get while waiting for OnePlus Two
It has to be cheap (~100 $/€) and support custom roms, thats all i am asking! (am flashaholic, so can not live without it )
Any tips what should I go for? THX!!!

Moto G is always a good choice. Tons of support for ROMs and kernels and such. Also, the boot loader is easily unlocked. It's more than your price tag, but you'll be much happier with it's flexibility and more powerful processor.

Nexus 6

otacon239 said:
Moto G is always a good choice. Tons of support for ROMs and kernels and such. Also, the boot loader is easily unlocked. It's more than your price tag, but you'll be much happier with it's flexibility and more powerful processor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
plus they have consistent speedy updates of new android versions, decent batterylife etc, etc.
just a small screen

Should I assume that despite your moniker that you do not currently own a Nexus 5? If that's the case, get your hands on a used Nexus 4. Tons of ROMs, kernels, mods, etc. A Galaxy S3 (with Snapdragon and 2gb RAM, not the Exynos one) wouldn't be a bad option either.

Go for Motorola and Nexus devices. They have plenty of custom rom support.
and fast when it comes to OS updates too.

this seems nice, dunno about updates though http://www.phonearena.com/news/Affo...edge-specs-and-fingerprint-ID-for-200_id68130

bachera said:
this seems nice, dunno about updates though http://www.phonearena.com/news/Affo...edge-specs-and-fingerprint-ID-for-200_id68130
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very cheap, been checking these out too. Would love to try one out, some nice features.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/Elep...GHz-Smartphone-13-0MP-Dual-Camera-344057.html

gsmyth said:
Very cheap, been checking these out too. Would love to try one out, some nice features.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/Elep...GHz-Smartphone-13-0MP-Dual-Camera-344057.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
take a note of their presale, they had another one on 11th of May
http://www.gizchina.com/2015/04/24/...tedposts_origin=84489&relatedposts_position=0
not sure of they will ever have dev support though, due to the mediatek stuff. That kinda is a dealbreaker for me.
their upcoming models next month are also interesting, more expensive though.
browse the gizchina site, they got tons of info on Chinese phones

bachera said:
take a note of their presale
http://www.gizchina.com/2015/04/24/...tedposts_origin=84489&relatedposts_position=0
not sure of they will have dev support though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea its never going to be anywhere near the OPO. I did see a video of it running CM12 though, again though who knows if you'll be able to get hold of it.

Thank you all guys, am wondering getting some "china" phone, but seems like there is a problem with MediaTek CPU/chipset - the support of custom roms is quite small if none for some CPU/chipset/phones.
Can anyone explain me to this. If to get a phone with Mediatek chip, which one to get for widest custom rom support? Or is it like that the only thing matter is the model of CPU and custom rom working on specific CPU will work fine on other phone with same CPU?

Try the Oppo Find 7A or 7. Same device in a sense, only it has native Color OS (and no touchscreen issues). Sadly, NO LTE on some carriers. I think the Find 7 is $500 while the 7A is $400. In the US, hard to get, but not impossible, trust me. The 7 is QHD (2K resolution) while the 7A is 1080p. For that case, I went with the 7A as it packs more of a punch.
Or the Xiaomi Mi3W or Mi4, the native MIUI phones. Again, lack of LTE on US carriers but trust me, they are very fast, unique and a breath of fresh air since stock ("vanilla" android) TouchWiz, Optimus UI and Sense have gotten boring. Pricing varies, but average from $300 to $400, just watch out where you order it from.
Lastly, the Moto X 2014 packs quite a punch and a beautiful display, and you have a good warranty back up. Be sure to skip the Verizon model (XT1096) as it cannot have its bootloader unlocked and root is VERY limited. They can now be ordered for as little as $400 for the 16GB or $450 for the 32GB, and customized options do not affect pricing unless you opt in for accessories.
I cannot recommend the Nexus 5 as it had very aggressive thermal throttling, so you never experience the 2.3GHz at its fullest, it has also been pulled out of Google's lineup. The HTC One M8 is a MARVELOUS device, and very lag free, however, it has heat issues, sometimes they begin over a short amount of time and that heat will QUICKLY deteriorate the battery. The LG G3 has a nice display, however, it is a lag machine. You really can not use it for 3D games. The G2 is also old and problematic. The G Flex 1 is still worth considering, but it is HUGE, the POLED display is very prone to burned in imaged if not properly taken care of, the curved display is weird to some and it has a 720p resolution. It is however pretty darn great. The G Flex 2 sports a Snapdragon 810, but that is not a good thing. It has been noted that the 810 heats up ALOT, which is why the Xiaomi Mi5 might use the 808 and the G4 is confirmed to have gone with the 808. The Galaxy S5 and Note 3 have very slow UI animations and overall do not have great performance. The bloatware on them is also through the roof. The newer Note 4, Note Edge, S6 and S6 Edge are just too pricey. The Nexus 6 is a HUGE Moto X 2014, but it has a bit of a price tag, and if your hands are not as big as mine, you can forget it. It has superb performance. The Droid Turbo is beginning to meet its end at high prices when it comes to used ones, but again, no bootloader unlock and root is limited.
I would REALLY recommend sticking to it for a while longer as the OnePlus Two is around the corner, the Moto X 2015 is already being rumored, the Xiaomi Mi5 MIGHT enter the US market (if your in the USA) and so on. It might also be a bad idea to hold on to it as the release of the OnePlus Two will mean fans of the OnePlus One will want to sell theirs to get the newer one, and the used value of it will drop significantly or become a challenge to get rid of.

Help choose a new Chinese Phone..

I'm currently using a Nexus 5, on stock android 5.1. I'm starting to have a few problems with it, the GPS is slow at best, battery life just gets me through the day, and i'm running low on space at 16Gb.
In my job I have been given a Windows phone for work, What i'd like to do is buy a Dual-Sim device so I can go back to carrying 1 device. I've been looking around and been quite impressed with the chinese offerings. The top phone on my list are the -
Ulefone Touch Be 2
Elephone P8000 (unable to post links)
So far, The features i'm looking for are dual sim (obviously) good camera, expandable storage & good GPS.
There are so many phones to choose from these days im just not sure what to choose.
Thanks In advance.

What model Huawei?

You can try one plus two 64gb.
Its the best. 25,000 rs. Better than nexus
Sent from my WT19i using XDA Free mobile app

I would really like that but its out of my budget.

Try one plus one. Nw u can buy for 15000-18000 rs range.
Sent from my WT19i using XDA Free mobile app

it has to be optimized!
Spardha said:
I'm currently using a Nexus 5, on stock android 5.1. I'm starting to have a few problems with it, the GPS is slow at best, battery life just gets me through the day, and i'm running low on space at 16Gb.
In my job I have been given a Windows phone for work, What i'd like to do is buy a Dual-Sim device so I can go back to carrying 1 device. I've been looking around and been quite impressed with the chinese offerings. The top phone on my list are the -
Ulefone Touch Be 2
Elephone P8000 (unable to post links)
So far, The features i'm looking for are dual sim (obviously) good camera, expandable storage & good GPS.
There are so many phones to choose from these days im just not sure what to choose.
Thanks In advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before you buy a Ulefone, Elephone, Umi ... or any of these cheap Chinese brands. Please be aware that they do not optimize their Android OS!
This means, you may get worse performance as you had on your Nexus 5. I would say before you buy one of these brands, stick to your old Nexus 5.
If you want a good quality phone with optimized Android Rom on it, that offers good performance with a pretty good camera.
Get one of the following barnds only!
Oppo
Huawei
Xiaomi
Meizu
What is your budged btw? If a good camera is important to you, really stay away of not optimized Anrdoid!
All other small Chinese brands, put truly crappy not optimized Android on their devices!

TheUltrametricSpace said:
Before you buy a Ulefone, Elephone, Umi ... or any of these cheap Chinese brands. Please be aware that they do not optimize their Android OS!
This means, you may get worse performance as you had on your Nexus 5. I would say before you buy one of these brands, stick to your old Nexus 5.
If you want a good quality phone with optimized Android Rom on it, that offers good performance with a pretty good camera.
Get one of the following barnds only!
Oppo
Huawei
Xiaomi
Meizu
What is your budged btw? If a good camera is important to you, really stay away of not optimized Anrdoid!
All other small Chinese brands, put truly crappy not optimized Android on their devices!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info, I'm looking at about $200 - $250 Max.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Spardha said:
Thanks for the info, I'm looking at about $200 - $250 Max.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good price range, to start from.
You could check out the best prices if you want to at: kimovil . com
within this price range you could get, all of the following are dual sim:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 (only oppomart has it in stock right now) ~150$
Xaomi Mi4i ~220$
Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML ~200$
Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML ~260$
Meizu M2 Note 16GB ~150$
Huawei P8 Lite ~250$
I didn't list the following brand, but it's still a decent device:
Jiayu S3 (3GB version) ~180$
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini ~250$
The listed phones are just examples. All of them have their own downs and ups.
Meizu and Xiaomi are heavy skinned Android phones, they might remind you to iOS. I love my Xiaomi Mi4i, but it´s not for everyone.
I do assume that after using the true stock Android of your Nexus 5, you might want to stick to a phone that gets at least to close to stock Android.
So if you want the normal Android, you would have to go for the Asus Zenfone or the Huawei P8 Lite.
The Asus is more powerful but might not get an update, because it features an Intel SoC. The Huawei on the other hand has a weak SoC compared to the ASUS Zenfone 2.
It comes down to what you prefer, what would you use the phone for?
Do you want stock Android, do you want a phone that is at least as good as your Nexus 5 is, or are you willing to compromise just to have dual sim phone?
Within the price range of 200$ to 250$ there is a lot of good stuff to choose from.

That's some great info, thanks for taking the time to help me out. I was hoping someone in the know would be able to shed some light on this for me. I've been looking for a few weeks.
The idea is to replace my current personnel Nexus 5 and works Windows Lumia 635 (Rubbish), so thats what the Dual Sim is needed for. Then I like to use it to take photos on when I'm out with family and travelling for work, Im reasonably satisfied with the Nexus's camera so I'm not looking for a DSLR replacement but something competent. Then when I travel I use it for GPS to get around in Europe and the US. Next is to play music in the car so expandable storage for music and apps. 4G connectivity. Then for work emails etc. i think thats it really.

regarding good GPS signal you would have to stay to Qualcomm or Intel SoC's, those devices paired with a good brand are a save call.
For what you do the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 16GB chinese Version with dual sim and micro SD Card should be good enough. It's a big 5.5 inch phone.
It has the MIUI7 on it, it will be a completely different Android experience. There are no reviews about the GPS quality and the phone uses a fast MTK SoC, it is hard to say how good it is, usually Xiaomi places really good antennas in their phone, but as of now there is no review of it.
The battery is average ~3000mhA thing, paired with the Octa Core it will last for a day and maybe a bit more, should be better than the Nexus 5.
Advantage: it's cheap, it's Xiaomi so great quality with great support.
Downside: it has MIUI7 on it a very heavy Android modification.
You could get it for about 150$ from many different pages or straight from oppomart a bit more expensive.
The Asus Zenfone both version the 2GB/4GB is really good specification wise. The 4GB Ram version is just overkill, in my opinion.
The build quality is good, the performance is great. The only downside would be the battery life and the camera, neither is horrible bad.
GPS should be fine.
You could get the 2GB Version from pandawill for 210$ and the 4GB is at gerabest for 240$
Worth mentioning, not all dual sim phones support the full speed on both slots, as of now only the Xiaomi Mi4i has 4G net on both sim card slots!
The Redmi Note 2 and the Asus Zenfone 2 are 5.5" devices
If you want a pretty nice powerful device without a micro SD card extension, at 5" you could consider to get the Xiaomi Mi4i, the only downside of it is that a optical camera stabilization is missing. I don't see this as a problem, as I do make loads of pictures and it rarely bothers me, but it is worth to be mentioned.

I'm pretty sure i looked at the Redmi Note 2 previously, but didn't think it support expandable storage so dismissed it.
I understand most only support 4G on 1 sim this is fine. Also the size of 5.5 although is a little bigger than the Nexus I'm fine with it but would be the limit.
I also looked at the Zenphone but the camera put me off.

Spardha said:
I'm pretty sure i looked at the Redmi Note 2 previously, but didn't think it support expandable storage so dismissed it.
I understand most only support 4G on 1 sim this is fine. Also the size of 5.5 although is a little bigger than the Nexus I'm fine with it but would be the limit.
I also looked at the Zenphone but the camera put me off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Chinese 16GB Version has a microSD extension slot you just have to find one. I read on gearbest that they sell this version with 16GB and microSD slot, but it's hard to say if they provide the right information.
If you don't need the extra performance, the Zenfone might be the wrong phone.
You could also consider the Jiayu S3 3GB Version (or Jiayu S3 Advanced), some people like the phone! It is available for about 180$
It's a really good all-rounder with amazing GPS and a pretty good camera
Search on youtube for a review of the Jiayu S3 by ITXtutor, it should cover all you want to know about the phone.

If i could push the budget to $300 what could you recommend? Im from the UK too.
Meizu MX5? Just found out no SD and the 32gb is closer to $400..

Spardha said:
If i could push the budget to $300 what could you recommend? Im from the UK too.
Meizu MX5? Just found out no SD and the 32gb is closer to $400..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha yeah I would have recommended the MX5, I had the MX4 Pro for a bit and that was an awesome phone! But yeah the 32GB Version retails for about 390$
The Lenovo Vibe Shot Z90, has only a SD 615, an awesome camera dual Sim and a SD Card Slot. the 32GB is around 300$.
At leats in my Xiaomi Mi4i I have no trouble with this SoC, in daily use it doesn't get hot or anything, I am not a gamer so it's a great SoC for my needs.
The Huawei P8 Lite ships with the same SoC for 240$, it's worth a thought too. I would probably go for this one. The only downside I know about is the screen brightness, it could be better and I am not sure if it has Android 5 by now.

TheUltrametricSpace said:
Haha yeah I would have recommended the MX5, I had the MX4 Pro for a bit and that was an awesome phone! But yeah the 32GB Version retails for about 390$
The Lenovo Vibe Shot Z90, has only a SD 615, an awesome camera dual Sim and a SD Card Slot. the 32GB is around 300$.
At leats in my Xiaomi Mi4i I have no trouble with this SoC, in daily use it doesn't get hot or anything, I am not a gamer so it's a great SoC for my needs.
The Huawei P8 Lite ships with the same SoC for 240$, it's worth a thought too. I would probably go for this one. The only downside I know about is the screen brightness, it could be better and I am not sure if it has Android 5 by now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you recommend where to purchase the Lenovo Vibe from? its not on oppomart.

Ive been looking at the one+two and i think that is the phone i really want.. the OS is more what I'm used to the hardware is up there, the only downside i can see would be the price for the 64gb model. Im going to see if I can purchase via my work and if need be pay some towards it.

Spardha said:
Ive been looking at the one+two and i think that is the phone i really want.. the OS is more what I'm used to the hardware is up there, the only downside i can see would be the price for the 64gb model. Im going to see if I can purchase via my work and if need be pay some towards it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes that is the best thing to do!
There are two version of the Vibe Shot the Z90-3 and Z90-7, the -7 is more expensive, but supports the right bands to be used outside of japan/china!
aliexpress would have the Z90-7 for 330$, but it's always a bit risky to buy from aliexpress

TheUltrametricSpace said:
regarding good GPS signal you would have to stay to Qualcomm or Intel SoC's, those devices paired with a good brand are a save call.
For what you do the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 16GB chinese Version with dual sim and micro SD Card should be good enough. It's a big 5.5 inch phone.
It has the MIUI7 on it, it will be a completely different Android experience. There are no reviews about the GPS quality and the phone uses a fast MTK SoC, it is hard to say how good it is, usually Xiaomi places really good antennas in their phone, but as of now there is no review of it.
The battery is average ~3000mhA thing, paired with the Octa Core it will last for a day and maybe a bit more, should be better than the Nexus 5.
Advantage: it's cheap, it's Xiaomi so great quality with great support.
Downside: it has MIUI7 on it a very heavy Android modification.
You could get it for about 150$ from many different pages or straight from oppomart a bit more expensive.
The Asus Zenfone both version the 2GB/4GB is really good specification wise. The 4GB Ram version is just overkill, in my opinion.
The build quality is good, the performance is great. The only downside would be the battery life and the camera, neither is horrible bad.
GPS should be fine.
You could get the 2GB Version from pandawill for 210$ and the 4GB is at gerabest for 240$
Worth mentioning, not all dual sim phones support the full speed on both slots, as of now only the Xiaomi Mi4i has 4G net on both sim card slots!
The Redmi Note 2 and the Asus Zenfone 2 are 5.5" devices
If you want a pretty nice powerful device without a micro SD card extension, at 5" you could consider to get the Xiaomi Mi4i, the only downside of it is that a optical camera stabilization is missing. I don't see this as a problem, as I do make loads of pictures and it rarely bothers me, but it is worth to be mentioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I access google play/google services on this phone if I purchase and use it in China?
I know my GF's phone cannot install google play store app (Huawei Ascend Y511).

NapoleonWilson said:
Can I access google play/google services on this phone if I purchase and use it in China?
I know my GF's phone cannot install google play store app (Huawei Ascend Y511).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes there are a lot of threads about this topic in the official Xiaomi MIUI Forum. Link: en.miui.com
Have a look there and you will find all you need to know
If they release the device globally or in India, it will get a ROM with google installed per default. Xiaomi makes no difference between their devices.
Rom download page: http://en.miui.com/download
Like I have the Indian/global version of the Xiaomi Mi4i and can install the official Chinese ROM or the global ROM, as I like.

Would you recommend any 5inch phones in the $150 dollar region?
5.5 is just a little too big for me.

Is the Mi 4c still good value?

This. I like Xiaomi's phones but live in a country where there are not too many options for a budget and not convinced with the Redmi 4A (my only option here besides Mi 4C and Mi 4). I tried buying a Moto G4 plus, stretching my budget a bit, but got the luck of the ghost touch issue which is annoying since it appears randomly and not only while charging. I wouldn't be convinced of the hardware even if I send it to warranty anymore.
So I found this Mi 4C (2 GB RAM) is strong phone for what I can see, I'm kind of a tinkerer and afraid of fingerprint readers, as soon as I'm convinced with the hardware I'm prepared to install custom ROMs.
Thanks for your advice and experience in advance.

I would aim for Redmi 4 prime with snap 625 instead if you can find one with decent price.

Letv LeEco Le 2 X520 is selling for 117.59 USD at TomTop. I would get that one.

To get a 2015 spec flagship for $100 that comes with Nougat sounds like a deal to me.

I don't know about 2GB version's performance, but I have the 3GB version because I have experienced of how 2GB performs. I also happen to have Mi4 (2GB). They are powered by snapdragon 8xx series. I think both are good value and performance devices, even in 2017.
I'm don't play games at all on smartphone. I'm just using it for productivity needs, business and other internet stuffs, and it works quite well and fast for multitasking like switching apps, back and forward, and so on.
The downsides for me are no official global firmware (but no worry, I can't stand MIUI though) and both has 5 inch display which is compact but it's a pain when it comes to spreadsheet..

I recommend Mi4c (4g). The cpu of 808 still works like a charm in the present day.
The prices are down as low as it go.

Deciding Between Mi A2 and Redmi Note 6 Pro

Hello folks,
time for phone upgrade for me. Trying to decide Mi A2 and Redmi Note 6 Pro that came out recently. I am leaning towards Mi A2 primarily due to Android One.
Many don't like MIUI interface. I have personally never used Xiaomi phones so far so have no idea if its good or bad. Android one because other than google's bloatware there should not be anything else. Plus, regular updates and hopefully no anti-rollback lock so the phone won't brick. (I am not too sure if this anti-rollback is by google or Xiaomi, haven't searched yet)
What is recommendation? Mi A2 or Redmi Note 6 Pro?
Thanks in advance.

be very very careful with the redmi note 6 pro. pick the global (official) version unless you want to be stuck on the china miui:
http://en.miui.com/thread-3831680-1-1.html
redmi note 6 pro
pros:
-bigger battery
-it will probably have better custom rom support (eventually - check the redmi note 5 pro info)
-should be cheaper compared to the a2 (if it costs you as much as the mi a2 you're being ripped off)
-dual selfie cameras if you're into that
cons:
-micro usb - we're in 2018 xiaomi... seriously?
-sightly lower clock on the cpu
-miui (you should be able to get a custom rom eventually)
-currently sells at the highest price you will find it (it will get cheaper)
-notch
-competition:
*redmi note 5 pro has almost the same hardware, already has good custom roms and sells for less.
*poco f1 is selling for a bit more but you do get better hardware. and custom roms ramping up already.
mi a2:
pros:
-better stock rom.
-better back camera
-slimer and lighter
-usb c
-sturdier build (case uses actual screws)
cons:
-if you intend to custom rom it, don't bother with android one. miui gets you better hardware for the money and in some cases custom roms (see lineage) can be a better choice. see appendix.
-price
-no headphone jack
-smaller battery
-competition:
*miui phones which cost less to get you the same/similar specs (and are the same xiaomi build quality)
*nokias with android one cost a bit more to get the same specs but nokia has even better build quality (sorry xiaomi but you dont build bricks like they do) and they're already updating to pie for their android ones. so maybe better support in the future too? who knows.
miui versus android one versus custom roms:
miui:
-has 2 versions: china (without google play because reasons) and just china + en languages, plenty of china targeted apps, even their own app store. and global (china miui - some bloatware + google play)
-ONLY these 2 miui versions will ever be OTA compatible.
-never ever get a phone with china miui (unless you're actually in china) - sometimes vendors will "customize" the china rom, add google play and a "bunch of other" stuff and sell that to you as official. DO NOT BUY THAT! (unless you intend to completely remove miui anyway)
-an official global miui is a must for daily use outside china... (do not consider a china only phone, you will regret it)
-there are semi-custom miui releases like xiaomi.eu and miuipro.com (in case your phone happens to not have an official miui global not all do - only the ones released outside china officially get a global rom!). they are not that bad, some say even better compared to miui global official - but you do need to unlock your bootloader (and some willingness to tinker with your phone os). and you lose things like: OTA and official support (as bad as it may be)
problems with miui are:
-miui support and updates are kinda slow.
-security patches are released but not very fast.
-it's based on personal preference, some like it compared to android standard, some find it snappier, some find it's slower.
-for the redmi series you get at most ONE official android update. (i.e. from nougat to oreo or oreo to pie). you get miui updates (and security patches), but never more then 1 android.
-bugs and serious problems sometime go unanswered while they add more and more features. (not always, not all bugs, but sometimes... en.miui.com for examples - read the forums on some of the phones released for a while)
if you're willing to learn and to have an unlocked bootloader phone (some people do not), miui can be completely wiped and you can get an proper custom rom (hell you can even build one yourself). these will be based on the aosp or caf source code, will look like android standard (sometime even better if you don't really want all the google apps - or google apps at all). if you want a rooted phone this is your best bet. most have even ota updates (on their own custom channels).
problem is .... as much as i like custom roms, they are built and maintained by volunteer devs working on their own free time. so it's always unknown and you have 0 guarantees that a phone that's supported now will continue to be supported next year. there's also no guarantee that any phone will be supported. (they're not looking to add to their workload)
and so in comes android one... it's got the stock android experience without requiring you to unlock, root, custom rom etc. it does mean google adds all their gapps but the stock experience is much better compared to stock miui. you get updates in time, you get a clean nice stock android. good luck, i hope this helps you make your decision.

laviniu_c said:
be very very careful with the redmi note 6 pro. pick the global (official) version unless you want to be stuck on the china miui:
http://en.miui.com/thread-3831680-1-1.html
redmi note 6 pro
pros:
-bigger battery
-it will probably have better custom rom support (eventually - check the redmi note 5 pro info)
-should be cheaper compared to the a2 (if it costs you as much as the mi a2 you're being ripped off)
-dual selfie cameras if you're into that
cons:
-micro usb - we're in 2018 xiaomi... seriously?
-sightly lower clock on the cpu
-miui (you should be able to get a custom rom eventually)
-currently sells at the highest price you will find it (it will get cheaper)
-notch
-competition:
*redmi note 5 pro has almost the same hardware, already has good custom roms and sells for less.
*poco f1 is selling for a bit more but you do get better hardware. and custom roms ramping up already.
mi a2:
pros:
-better stock rom.
-better back camera
-slimer and lighter
-usb c
-sturdier build (case uses actual screws)
cons:
-if you intend to custom rom it, don't bother with android one. miui gets you better hardware for the money and in some cases custom roms (see lineage) can be a better choice. see appendix.
-price
-no headphone jack
-smaller battery
-competition:
*miui phones which cost less to get you the same/similar specs (and are the same xiaomi build quality)
*nokias with android one cost a bit more to get the same specs but nokia has even better build quality (sorry xiaomi but you dont build bricks like they do) and they're already updating to pie for their android ones. so maybe better support in the future too? who knows.
miui versus android one versus custom roms:
miui:
-has 2 versions: china (without google play because reasons) and just china + en languages, plenty of china targeted apps, even their own app store. and global (china miui - some bloatware + google play)
-ONLY these 2 miui versions will ever be OTA compatible.
-never ever get a phone with china miui (unless you're actually in china) - sometimes vendors will "customize" the china rom, add google play and a "bunch of other" stuff and sell that to you as official. DO NOT BUY THAT! (unless you intend to completely remove miui anyway)
-an official global miui is a must for daily use outside china... (do not consider a china only phone, you will regret it)
-there are semi-custom miui releases like xiaomi.eu and miuipro.com (in case your phone happens to not have an official miui global not all do - only the ones released outside china officially get a global rom!). they are not that bad, some say even better compared to miui global official - but you do need to unlock your bootloader (and some willingness to tinker with your phone os). and you lose things like: OTA and official support (as bad as it may be)
problems with miui are:
-miui support and updates are kinda slow.
-security patches are released but not very fast.
-it's based on personal preference, some like it compared to android standard, some find it snappier, some find it's slower.
-for the redmi series you get at most ONE official android update. (i.e. from nougat to oreo or oreo to pie). you get miui updates (and security patches), but never more then 1 android.
-bugs and serious problems sometime go unanswered while they add more and more features. (not always, not all bugs, but sometimes... en.miui.com for examples - read the forums on some of the phones released for a while)
if you're willing to learn and to have an unlocked bootloader phone (some people do not), miui can be completely wiped and you can get an proper custom rom (hell you can even build one yourself). these will be based on the aosp or caf source code, will look like android standard (sometime even better if you don't really want all the google apps - or google apps at all). if you want a rooted phone this is your best bet. most have even ota updates (on their own custom channels).
problem is .... as much as i like custom roms, they are built and maintained by volunteer devs working on their own free time. so it's always unknown and you have 0 guarantees that a phone that's supported now will continue to be supported next year. there's also no guarantee that any phone will be supported. (they're not looking to add to their workload)
and so in comes android one... it's got the stock android experience without requiring you to unlock, root, custom rom etc. it does mean google adds all their gapps but the stock experience is much better compared to stock miui. you get updates in time, you get a clean nice stock android. good luck, i hope this helps you make your decision.
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Thank u I am actually looking at both these phones myself thank u for the breakdown I believe the 6 pro also has the 636 snapedragon chip supposed to be alot faster

rob420p said:
Thank u I am actually looking at both these phones myself thank u for the breakdown I believe the 6 pro also has the 636 snapedragon chip supposed to be alot faster
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well the 636 is a downclocked 660. same identical cpu, lower clock speeds for it and the gpu. (it's the same comparison like 626 vs 625)

laviniu_c said:
well the 636 is a downclocked 660. same identical cpu, lower clock speeds for it and the gpu. (it's the same comparison like 626 vs 625)
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Thank you so I'll get what ever I get a better deal on

rob420p said:
Thank you so I'll get what ever I get a better deal on
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I was in your shoes. I finally got Note 6 pro for 13K INR.
I felt MI A2 lacked battery and costed 3K extra.

sureshjonna said:
I was in your shoes. I finally got Note 6 pro for 13K INR.
I felt MI A2 lacked battery and costed 3K extra.
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I'm getting the Redmi 6 it doesn't say pro idk if it's the same thing lol
---------- Post added at 07:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:47 PM ----------
sureshjonna said:
I was in your shoes. I finally got Note 6 pro for 13K INR.
I felt MI A2 lacked battery and costed 3K extra.
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IDK that donomination found it for 155$$

rob420p said:
I'm getting the Redmi 6 it doesn't say pro idk if it's the same thing lol
---------- Post added at 07:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:47 PM ----------
IDK that donomination found it for 155$$
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redmi 6 pro = mi a2 lite
redmi note 6 pro is not the same phone

The performance is very close compared with Mi A2 if you don't play games. You also get a more beautiful display and very good battery life. According to notebookcheck.net the display is like high-end smartphones

If you are buying for your mother, wife, girl friend, sister, father or in general any non technical or non gaming folks, then go for Note 6 Pro any day.
Note 6 Pro with older SD636 is good for mainly those who prefer picture, social, entertainment over gaming or customisation. MiUi is bad in our eye who are tech savvy but main advantage is longer and really agressive update cycle.
It keeps the device relatively clean & up to date for non technical people. MiUi in general is really battery friendly too.
Having both within family so giving you feedback based on typical family feedback and first hand use.

I don't know if you still interested confused between these two phones, earlier I was also in the same situation but that time I was considering to buy note 5pro as note 6pro was not launched, but when it launched on "single's day"(celebrated in China) at 12,999 with 5% extra discount with selected banks, that offer was great, while MIA2 was around 15-16k so I bought note 6 pro, right now note 6 pro is around 13,999 and MiA2 is also price at 14-15k so why not buy better process i.e sd660 which is better clocked, better camera, vulkan supported. Only downside of MIA2 I can think about is battery capacity, no headphones jack and hybrid sim try,

Bhanu_Chauhan said:
I don't know if you still interested confused between these two phones, earlier I was also in the same situation but that time I was considering to buy note 5pro as note 6pro was not launched, but when it launched on "single's day"(celebrated in China) at 12,999 with 5% extra discount with selected banks, that offer was great, while MIA2 was around 15-16k so I bought note 6 pro, right now note 6 pro is around 13,999 and MiA2 is also price at 14-15k so why not buy better process i.e sd660 which is better clocked, better camera, vulkan supported. Only downside of MIA2 I can think about is battery capacity, no headphones jack and hybrid sim try,
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the mi a2 4/64 has also the emmc bug which makes the phone terribly slow and the pie update is unusable
all that plus a battery that will last you 4hs is a big no for me
the differences are not that big, the note 6 pro is clearly a better product in comparison, plus it's cheaper

SecurePhone 2021

Hi All,
2021 is here and I'm concerned about my privacy (finally).
I'm looking for a phone with good specs, capable of being run on Verizon in the US, and won't break the bank. ($500 is my ceiling)
I've looked into this year's budget offerings but been slightly disappointed with them enough to avoid them. What seems to be the best bet is a 1 or 2 year old flagship device.
I used to root and rom until vzw started locking the bootloaders on their Samsung lineup. I unfortunately went to iPhone a few years later, but now that I'm turning out to be more privacy minded over convenience, I've returned to the idea of purchasing an android to flash a custom privacy minded rom.
As I've been out of the game for so long and my preliminary research has been unfruitful, I waned to ask if you could point me in the direction of a few phones and roms that would run on verizon.
Thanks in advance!
jonnyboiii

You could get a used Note 10+ but it probably be around $650 from a reliable source like B&H Photo. Note 9's are less.
I go for something running on Pie as Q and up are screwed to hell in my opinion. With Pie you can use the freeware app Karma Firewall to lock it down as all it's features like logging are fully functional.
Between Samsung and Android the last year has not had many good offerings.
If I had to replace my 10+ now I be very tempted to go with another 10+... that's how bad the newer models/OS's are. I don't recommend any of the new Samsung phones as my overall impression of them is they're unacceptable.

blackhawk said:
You could get a used Note 10+ but it probably be around $650 from a reliable source like B&H Photo. Note 9's are less.
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Been looking into that phone in particular; perhaps I should go into the subforum Q&A, but...
It looks like there are no ROMs really available for the Note10. I could only find one ROM and some recoveries in the subforum. Didn't there used to be subforums for carrier specific models?
Apart from the Pinephone, is there a privacy-minded ROM that you know of? Just needs to be able to run on some decent phones.

jonnyboiii said:
Been looking into that phone in particular; perhaps I should go into the subforum Q&A, but...
It looks like there are no ROMs really available for the Note10. I could only find one ROM and some recoveries in the subforum. Didn't there used to be subforums for carrier specific models?
Apart from the Pinephone, is there a privacy-minded ROM that you know of? Just needs to be able to run on some decent phones.
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Click to collapse
It can be a little hard to find:
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is a 6.8" phone with a 1440x3040p resolution display. The Exynos 9825/Snapdragon 855 chipset is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256/512GB of storage. The main camera is 12+12+16MP and the selfie camera is 10MP. The battery has a 4300mAh capacity.
forum.xda-developers.com
I'm on a AT&T stock 10+ 512 gb/Pie. Don't get the 5G variant but the 512 gb variant running on Pie is sweet. I recommend you stay on Pie.
Q and 11* are fqcked up and you will take a performance/functionality hit.
A very fast/stable, rock solid phone. 6o hz screen refresh rate but a drop dead gorgeous display.
No 3.5 mm jack so you'll want a pair of Buds+ or Buds Pro for it.
I simple use Package Disabler Pro, Karma Firewall and settings to lock it down. No force reloads due to malware yet.
I don't root and with this phone running on Pie it's not needed. Be nice but most likely be a time gravity well for me.
* the newest phones have faster ram and cpu but Android 10 and 11 handicap the faster hardware by using more cpu cycles. If you're tired of the Apple trip I'd stick with Pie