MOBILES: To BUY or to ENSLAVE?

NiNeu

Incredible but TRUE; I am  still using a an £8 Samsung   I bought 8 years ago: No camera but a XIX Century call-text device. UNFORTUNATELY I am now FORCED to catch up with the XXI Century because the battery is dying and too many things require idioticphones. Although not a Maoist being into deep waters I am now aiming for the GREAT LEAP FORWARD : want a 4G mobile Android 9 or 10 with at least 64 ROM,  enabled NFC and if possible with FM radio.and good SAT-NAV  Do NOT care a turd about GAMES ,  movies/tv  ; I want a PHONE not a telly and I HATE console games . Dilemma: BUY FREE UNLOCKED MOBILE or ENSLAVE into a CONTRACT? As you can infere I am a LIGHT user. Any suggestions for that buy not breaking the piggiebank?

ballyblack

you forgot an important criteria...........your BUDGET?

NiNeu

I am so OUT from the mobile wave that thought it would be easy to imagine that not the latest hit; anything LOWER than £200 with Dual Sim, 64 ROM, NFC, Bluetooth 5, GPS/Glonass, Android 9 (or even 10), preferrably with FM tuning. I've read that Redmi 8 Pro is good, it has these ANTUTU thing high.

forgotmyname

FM radio? Does anyone really use that other than to test the headphones when unboxing the phone?
Same with NFC, over the last 6 years its probably been used less than a dozen times.
ANTUTU scores have little value in the real world as with most benchmarks. Will anyone really care
if an app launches 0.001 of a second faster?  Add a few apps and that will alter anyway.

ballyblack

Same with NFC, over the last 6 years its probably been used less than a dozen times.

strongly disagree.............i use Google Pay.........contact less no touch of dirty money

jimbo6977

Moto g7 is great value and seemingly often overlooked. Whether it's right for you is up to you. 

D_M_E

Have you tried looking on, for example, Ebay for a replacement battery for your Samsung?

liggerz87

Ditto the g7 

[Deleted User]

Problem with the G7 is that key specs will not be there. As good as value as it is corners will have been cut to get to the price point. I would go for a used/refurb high end model. 

NiNeu

I think the FM radio would be one of the features I would use with regards of "enterteinment" as I am ANTIgaming and if I would be waiting for whatever or having an "socially isolated walk" or sunbathing al dolce far niente I'd missed the RADIO the most. Why the NFC? Because for the price Xiaomi REDMI Note 8 PRO I would get a £300+ extorsionate priced mobile facility.There are other phones without NFC but they AS WELL lack other things. But it seems that the MAIN ISSUE: BUYING OR CONTRACTING has vanished. RECAPITULATING: Is it worth buying/SAVING a £150-£200 mobile with all its "perks" or have a contract for the same mobile or even a better one?.
Batteries for the £8 Samsumg BASIC mobile- How much it would be £5, £6, £10? 

JJ_Egan

How much are you going to spend on the actual network is the key .

Calls  texts data etc . For instance i tend to run top of the range phones on PAYG . Average PAYG spend £5- £10 per year.

Lately gone down the refurb route.

Battery's  google has prices .

Cheap sub £20 phone still available .