Cheapest E-sim compatible phone in decent condition?

me1000uk

Hi all

Just hoping someone can advise on what would be the cheapest e-sim compatible handset I can buy that'll be usable for the next 3-4 years as a spare Android phone, especially if I travel etc. My main phone is an Iphone, but my spare phone currently is a super old Android (I have some google subscriptions etc that make life easier on Android so just want to update that as it's from 2017 and struggling). I also would like it to have an e-sim.

AI seems to suggest pixels, like a Pixel 6 or 7. Is that the best bet? Hoping to stay in the £120 range or thereabouts for something that is in 'very good' condition from some kind of second hand shop. Is this the best bet to look out for or is there a phone I've missed or something I should be aware of.

Appreciate any advice. Thank you very much in advance!

flaneurs_lobster

To get updates for another 3-4 years you would need to look at the Pixel 8/8a which are due to be updated until 2030, or are you bothered by not getting security (and other) updates?

Refurbs of these would blow your budget, £300/£250 for 'like new' at (eg) Giffgaff.

Woodstok2000

https://uk.webuy.com/product-detail?id=SMOTXT25298256BOUNLB&categoryName=PHONES-ANDROID&superCatName=&title=MOTO-G56-5G-(8GB+256GB)-PANTONE-BLACK-OYSTER-UNLOCKED-B&queryID=6C458355AC03155882729F2BE9B9D840&position=1

Detail_Merchant

The Moto G35 has SIM + eSim.
Amazon are currently selling it (new) for £129 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KVWPJ37/
It's a 2024 model, and only gets updates for 3 years from launch, so won't get any more updates after about one more year, so that might rule it out for you.

virgo17

Just a mention about the cheaper Motorola phones if using when travelling. Personally, I have found the GPS performance to be less sensitive than makes such as Xiaomi or Pixel.

This may not matter to you unless you were going to use it for navigation with the likes of Google Maps or City Mapper on your travels, particularly in built up areas.

PHK

Please don't be tempted by the cheaper Motorola's. They won't have software support for 3 to 4 years (essential if you are going to travel), don't have all the bands you'll need and the batteries are unlikely to last that long. It's a false economy as you'll be replacing it.

Better to spend a bit more and get a Pixel/Samsung which will have support. You should be able to get a Pixel 8, Samsung S24 for about £300. Or a Samsung A55 or A56 for about £200 (will have slower updates but that is probably okay)

me1000uk

thank you for the responses. I guess my main concern is the battery having like a swelling issue or something which is why I was hoping the second hand retailers like music magpie et al would have something. May be able to push the budget up to 150-160 but it feels wasteful for a rarely used spare.

So it seems the pixels are the best bet and Motorola with some caveats?

The previous 'spare' phone is like well beyond any security updates (The last Huawei pretty much that was google approved lol) so I guess I'm not super risk sensitive to that. The main thing will be having an active whatsapp when needed and being able to update some of my subscriptions to certain apps that need android access rather than iphone.

Thanks again, it's super helpful and will look into the models mentioned.

redux

If you could contemplate a slightly older phone, with possible future dilemma about security updates lifetime, there are SIM card size adapters to use eSIM in phones not directly equipped.

There are some online reviews of several of them. I've just bought 9esim v0 Max, with an extra $3 discount code welcome. Not yet tried out in use

flaneurs_lobster

It's not really an "adaptor" is it?

Is that not just "simply" a call-forward service using a 9esim physical SIM card's mobile connection onwards to your eSIM details stored somewhere on their servers? Or is it doing something else with eSIM details stored locally on their app?

Reckon their app is going to have to do some heavy lifting to configure which of your remote eSIMs is now live for connection to your phone.

In my naivety, I thought eSIMs, once activated, were 'locked' to a particular device, thus their boast of being more secure against SIM-swap fraud.

That's quite a lot of extra connectivity to get right, starting with what countries/networks does the 9esim physical SIM work with?

redux

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82120641#Comment_82120641

Short version: I don't think it is like that

Remote provisioning refers to installing eSIM details on to a chip, whether that chip is part of the actual phone or contained within a SIM shaped adapter. So the remote connection should be only about initial setting up; it is not about adding complications of extra forwarding via remote data connections other networks and extra servers.

https://www.eiotclub.com/blogs/community/what-is-an-esim-adapter

https://m2m.kpn.com/en/connectivity/esim-rsp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_SIM_provisioning

And some operators will allow eSIM to be transferred to more than one phone, though not simultaneous use

flaneurs_lobster

That does sound far less complicated, I'd not realised that the eSIM provisioning could be applied to a distinct chip rather than a mobile device.