Android users: Advice needed.

"mkbruin, Atlas VP" (mkbruin)
12/07/2016 at 10:03 • Filed to: None

I’m needing a new phone, has to be android and has to be cheap. Ive narrowed my choices to the Honor 5x and the ZTE Axon (not the 7 or mini, the original). Both are priced at $170, and seem to represent the most bang for the buck. Which would you choose and why?

DISCUSSION (19)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:14

Those sound like some no-name chinese phones. You are best off going used market for something a couple years old. I am extremely happy with the Sony Xperia Z3 compact that I picked up earlier this year. It was a 2014 phone and I managed to get it for around $200. It was clearly unused but open box and unpackaged (unless it was immaculately cared for, I dont think it was used really). Anyways, there are a ton of “last year’s phones” out there for steep discounts rather than budget 2016 phones that end up being garbage quality.

Mercedes Streeter > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:16

Depends on what network, but I’d choose the ZTE. Honor has been a big up and comer in recent years, and while the Honor 5X is a very very close match up to the ZTE, I’d have to go ZTE because it still gives more bang for the buck...plus it isn’t saddled with Honor’s custom Android skin, which some have found to be more annoying than Sammy’s TouchWiz.

If you’re on a CDMA network (Sprint/Verizon), don’t get either phone, you’ll have a very bad time.

Also beware, like early 2000s Kias and Hyundais, Chinese smartphones often come with some very strange quirks and quality issues.

facw > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:16

Honestly, if I were in the market for a cheap android phone, I’d be looking for a used HTC One M7 (beware the purple camera) or M8 in good condition. In a lot of ways I prefer my old M7 to my current Galaxy S7. Much nicer build quality, better battery life, and performance that subjectively feels smoother, even though objectively it should be slower. Only problem is the potential to get left behind on updates, though my M7 was still getting security updates when I got the newer device.

duurtlang > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/07/2016 at 10:21

Honor is a Huawei daughter. I’m not familiar with ZTE.

As the current owner of a “cheap Chinese phone” (a Xiaomi) I couldn’t be happier. I’ve got a great performing, well built phone with an exceptionally excellent battery (4000 mAh) and I spent €150 for a phone that can compete with €300+ phones. I got it over half a year ago, and I’m still quite happy with it. No deterioration in performance or in the body/screen.

My point being: research your phone well before you buy it, but don’t be afraid of Chinese brands. If you pick the right one you’ll get a way better phone (when taking price into account) than anything big players like Samsung and Apple have to offer.

Stapleface > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:23

I haven’t had any dealings with the ZTE, but my current phone is the Honor 5x, which I’ve had for probably 10 months or so.

At first I absolutely hated the 5x. It just seemed slow and unresponsive. And then it started draining the battery. Not like I use it too much, but from fully charged to zero in three hours on standby. Something wasn’t right so I threw it in the drawer and just used an old phone I had laying around for a while. About a month later when I finally had some time to devote to it, I rooted the 5x and put Cyanogenmod 13 on it. Ever since then, the phone has been rock solid. Battery life is on par with any other phones I’ve used, and the phone can handle having multiple apps open at once, which some budget phones seem to struggle with.

If I had to do it again, I would purchase another 5x, provided that I root it and get rid of the lousy software Huawei puts on there from the factory.

Tekamul > facw
12/07/2016 at 10:24

The M7 purple camera problem is a big problem, though. It effects 100% of the phones, and is just a matter of time/temperature.

I had (have) one, and it was otherwise a good phone. But that issue, and a lack of support from HTC, has put me off of them forever.

Echo51 > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:29

Moto G! I have the moto g g3 and it’s pretty nice for the price, and the usual “waterproof” the other more expensive brands show off with

RazoE > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:31

Spend an extra $100 and get a Motorola Moto X Pure (xt1575)

http://gizmodo.com/moto-x-pure-edition-review-this-phone-does-android-bet-1728270123

Mercedes Streeter > duurtlang
12/07/2016 at 10:33

Agreed. I actually sold my Galaxy S7 to get a Nexus 6P (made by Huawei) and outside of just a few quality things here and there with the phone’s frame (reminds me of my old iPhone 5), it’s just so awesome. Had the Honor 8 been compatible with Verizon, I’d have one of those right now as well.

facw > Tekamul
12/07/2016 at 10:34

It did figure into my decision to get the S7 over the HTC 10 though it certainly wasn’t the only factor.

TylerJ > Stapleface
12/07/2016 at 10:36

I was thinking about getting one of these for my dad. Does CM completely get rid of MIUI/whatever Honor/Huawei calls their UI?

scoob > TylerJ
12/07/2016 at 10:48

Yes, CM is basically stock Android but with a few added bits.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:50

Motorola Moto-G. I have one my self, it’s a good cheap phone.

Stapleface > TylerJ
12/07/2016 at 10:51

To my knowledge, yes. I have none of the crap that Huawei put on the phone any longer. It’s just a nice clean andriod without any bloatware. The only thing that doesn’t work (and maybe it was something I did wrong) was that the fingerprint sensor no longer works after putting CM on it. Not a dealbreaker and I got over it fairly quickly.

HammerheadFistpunch > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:53

A used s5

someassemblyrequired > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 10:59

T-Mobile has a couple of semi-decent Samsung/LG low-end phones on for $150 or less, no contract.

BeaterGT > HammerheadFistpunch
12/07/2016 at 11:32

Nexus 5*

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 12:00

Nothing from Huawei unless you can root it. Their Android skin is atrociously horrible.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > mkbruin, Atlas VP
12/07/2016 at 12:38

www.motomaker.com

The 32GB Moto G4 is $189 and “pure” Google. Or stick with the 16GB for $179 and get an SD card for more storage.