Best budget android phone under £200

MillicentBystander

sillygoose wrote: »

Is it even 'apart from that' though?

Take the budget G300..
"Speed, better camera, "quality", storage, better screen."
1GHz, 5MP camera with flash, Gorilla glass, 4Gb +sd card memory, 4" 480 x 800 screen 233 ppi pixel density

You have to go a way into the HTC range to get all that even, certainly costing a lot more.

That would be the One V. £250 PAYG at CPW. How can an £185 extra be justified over the G300?? Hence my earlier post. Instead buy the G300 and Samsung Tab 2 7" and still £65 left from what you would have spent on the HTC! Crazy.

Guys_Dad

sillygoose wrote: »

Is it even 'apart from that' though?

Take the budget G300..
"Speed, better camera, "quality", storage, better screen."
1GHz, 5MP camera with flash, Gorilla glass, 4Gb +sd card memory, 4" 480 x 800 screen 233 ppi pixel density

You have to go a way into the HTC range to get all that even, certainly costing a lot more.

I wouldn't disagree with that handset recommendation. However, my point was that the basic differences between the top of the range Samsung, Sony et al and the budget handsets were the points I made.

No matter how good the G300 is, it is undeniable that the vastly more expensive handsets do give you something for the inflated prices - but not, in my view, sufficient to warrant the additional PAYG prices.

As for Windows handsets - Windows 7 is, unfortunately, a dead end and Windows 8 has yet to make its mark, although I hope it does.

Bingolingo

I disagree that Windows phone 7.* is a dead end. There will be updates to come and, probably, more than equivalent android. Buy something like a Galaxy Ace or the G300 - will you see an OS update? Probably not. The weight of Microsoft behind windows phone will see it continue to be well supported and this applies to WP7 as it's now a key product for developing markets.

For speed, reliability and, generally, a better product - windows phone beats budget android.

Just to point something out - the g300 is fantastic value for money but please look deeper than thinking 1ghz is a fast processor. The chip inside is old hat and the newer processors running at a lower speed will give better performance. The performance difference between the HTC One V's s2 snapdragon and the g300's chip running at the same speed will be considerable.

emc

Herongull wrote: »

I got a nice white T mobile Vivacity. After unlocking, rooting and changing the rom, it has morphed into a beautiful ZTE crescent.

Herongull, which set of unlocking, rooting and rom did you use? I've been looking, but would appreciate knowing that a particular set of instructions has been shown to work. Thanks.

Guys_Dad

Bingolingo wrote: »

I disagree that Windows phone 7.* is a dead end. There will be updates to come and, probably, more than equivalent android.

I am sure you are right and Cnet is wrong, as well as Microsoft's Greg Sullivan, senior product manager for Windows Phone.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/windows-phone-7-was-doomed-by-design-microsoft-admits-50008466/

and
"While Microsoft was keen to announce that 7.x apps will run on Windows Phone 8, ZDNet has just confirmed, via a statement from Redmond, that apps built for the new platform won't be backwards compatible:

"New applications compiled specifically for Windows Phone 8 will not be made available for Windows Phone 7.x devices."

Bingolingo

I suppose it depends what you mean by dead end as to who's right on this matter. No chance of a WP8 upgrade is one example for sure.

However, WP7 updates are still coming, Microsoft and Nokia are still going to develop apps and updates for current and future WP7 devices. Have a look at http://thedroidguy.com/2012/11/life-past-windows-phone-7-8/ for an android blogger's opinion.

So, does a bar to a jelly bean (and therefore later versions) update for the majority of current android devices mean the majority of android is a dead end too?

I don't think software updates, or a lack of, makes a dead end. It's more about whether something is good to use or not - WP7 is very decent software and for budget smartphones is an excellent alternative to android.

Emy1501

Problem with windows phones are lack of Apps, flash etc. most people looking at budget phones aren't bothered about how slick their OS system. It's about what apps they can downloads etc.

Guys_Dad

Indeed. That's the point.

If Windows phones are really going to take off, then it will be on the Windows 8 platform. Manufacturers of handsets will not wast time brining out new handsets for Windows 7 and App writers are not going to develop new apps for a "dead" operating system.

AFAIK, Android apps are pretty backward compatible because they haven't gone through the upgrade mentioned in the windows 8 article I quoted.

There are so many apps available for Androids that are free in comparison with Windows 7 and so many more handsets to chose from that Android has to be the logical choice.

sillygoose

If something works why the need for updates? We are used to Microsoft products needing near daily updates to fix it, cover the holes and so on. Other than that there is only so much you can do to make a graphical touch interface any more usable or (useful!) feature richer.

Eventually it becomes counter productive as they shove more and more in, you see it a lot with apps updates that get ruined when you can't touch anything without yet another feature popping up or something you didn't want happening, as it is I already spend time with apps and OS's going through options switching bloat features off.

el-UK

Thank you all for your replies! You helped me a lot! Many options to consider now!