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viki2000Flag for Germany

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Smartphone under 100€ - 04.06.2014

Hi,
I would like to buy a smartphone under 100€ or around 100€.
I have read many reviews on Internet, seen a lot of types and I am confused.
I cannot find a way to differentiate clear between them.
One one hand there is the brand and quality, on the other cheap smartphones which are better each day with a lot of functions.

My options used to filter so far were focused to have:
- WiFi, Interent Browser.
- GPS
- Good camera from 8MP up, minimum 5MP. Dual camera, second camera less or equal with 5MP.
- Operation System: don't really care, but I would say one for which are many free apps on the net, probably Android, but is not a must
- 3G or/and 4G capable
- Bluetooh
- Slot for SD card up to 32G minim.
- Long standby time from 350 hours up
- When other things cross to my mind I will add later.

I noticed that are now dual or even quad processor. I do not know how would that help, I do not plan to play games.

For example I found:
LG P710 Optimus L7 II
LG OPTIMUS SPEED P990
Nokia Lumia 800
BLACKBERRY TORCH 9860 or 9800
HTC ONE
You may suggest more

or direct from Asia:
Huawei Ascend (Y300 ot other type)
Cubot one-s or S208
UTime
MYSAGA
ZTE
and almost an infinite other names:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2014-04/04/content_17404286_9.htm
http://www.techinasia.com/2013-list-new-asian-homegrown-smartphone-brands/

What do you use? What do you recommend based on your personal experience?

What kind of criteria/filter shall I use to decide over the proper smartphone?
It feels like lost in a forest of information, like needle in the hay.
Avatar of Dan Craciun
Dan Craciun
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You mean 100€ with or without a contract?
With a contract and depending on its value, you might get an iPhone 5c or 5s or a HTC One for that amount or less.

Without a contract, you're much more limited. And I think a 8Mpx camera + a frontal camera will get you over the budget.
I bought last year a Samsung Galaxy S6310 for my daughter and it works ok for the price (~90euros). No front camera, though.

HTH,
Dan
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ASKER

Without contract.
May be refurbished.
All the models that I mentioned above I found them on ebay.de under or around 100€.
Don't know about the rest, but I would be careful about the HTC One at 100€. A 600€ phone for 100€ falls in the category "too good to be true".

I never bought used phones (they tend to break, so I'd rather have the warranty), so I don't know how good an option it is.
Depends of what kind of model are we speaking about. There are new HTC ONE between 200-300€ only.
And now I come back to my initial question: how do I differentiate between so many models, even the same model different versions?
What super great advantages gives me the difference between 200-300 euro model and the new 500-600 model?
I use http://www.gsmarena.com/ for that. Search for a phone, click on "Compare" on the top menu, then search for the second/third etc.
This way you'll have the characteristics side by side and easier to see the differences.

PS: I was refering to the M7/M8 versions of the HTC One. The rest have something after the One (X, S, Mini etc).
Avatar of Kimputer
Kimputer

You do not differentiate between the models, the seller has to be COMPLETE with his description. And YOU have to do the research if it's exactly what it is or not. For instance, you said a NEW HTC ONE was between 200-300€. Probably, if you checked further, and compared the specs in the description, you would notice it's probably the HTC ONE MINI. (as a new HTC ONE is still over 500€).
To find a good deal, you have to compare the specs from a good database (gsmarena.com), compare the price against a respectable local shop or webshop (in your case, maybe mediamarkt.de), and check the seller's status on ebay.de (see how many percent positive feedback and how long he's been a seller).
It will take a lot of time indeed, because you have to find, match and differentiate all the versions (almost every brand will cause confusion because of the naming scheme, sadly).
After you spend a while, you will find for HTC ONE there,
HTC One 16 GB
HTC One 32 GB
HTC One M8 multiple version
HTC One Mini
HTC One Mini 2
HTC One Max
HTC One X
etc etc etc
Then you have to make sure what the ebay seller means if he's incomplete with his specs. If it's not certain still, you might need to ask for the exact manufacturer's code, like 99HRL002-00 (in this case HTC One X White).

And what I'm telling you is only for the bigger brands. For the cheaper chinese models, there might be no options to check so thoroughly. Also it's still my opinion that most chinese brands are of lesser quality (same phone with seemingly same specs of a bigger brand will still feel more sluggish or has a less sensitive screen, or worse camera quality).

Then there's the warranty of course, are you willing to risk this ? Cheaper might still mean it breaks down faster (because you're buying an old phone), and if it breaks, you still have to buy another one.
gsmarena is good when you already know what to choose, but my problem is before.
CUBOT one seems similar with HTC one
Another "good" Chinese brand is XIAOMI.

In fact all of the brands are made in China, the difference comes from engineering, quality in production, materials...
I've held many chinese phones in my hands, every time I'm quite disappointed (if not after a few seconds, it will be after a few minutes). Even quad cores, even the big names like Huawei (even if the hardware might be okay, the Huawei Android overly software is disappointing). And these are brand new phones, up to the 200€ range.
What good known brand do you recommend?
Keep to the big ones. I suggest in this order:
Samsung
HTC
LG
Then prioritize if you want new/old, warranty, and search after you've made up your mind about this. Then find a good deal (if ebay, again, don't go for "too good to be true", you might be disappointed later (seller untrustworty, never receive package, fake model, etc etc))
You did not mention Sony, Motorola, Nokia, Blackberry...
Why?
Motorola could be in the list.
Sony not, purely because their blunt denial of the Experia Z fiasco.
Nokia (Windows Phone) and Blackberry (Blackberry OS) would be limiting you software wise along with other compatibility issues (also both companies are pretty much dying soon).
Supposing we solved one thing, what brands to consider, then next filter that will be helpful:
- what super great advantages gives me the difference between 200-300 euro model and the 500-600 model?
Mostly the difference is:
Much better screen (noticeable sharpness, brightness, vivid colors)
Much better speed (CPU quad or octa)
Usually new version chips (better bluetooth, wifi, LTE)
Sometimes premium software, either from the manufacturer, or included because the manufacturer paid for it
(Samsung's high end phones always have a fully working Office package). Other examples could be:
2 years Dropbox 50GB subscription
Health software
Easier sharing integration (DLNA implementation)
TV out function (add on cable), or screen mirroring techniques (might require special TV, or dongle add on)
Better multitasking (split windows of certain compatible apps)
Usually higher quality manufacturing of the phone is noticable, higher quality plastics or alu, tougher Gorilla glass
Usually higher capacity battery.
Usually noticable camera quality (sharper, better autofocus)
Sometimes better scanners (finger print, NFC)
The comparison elements specified above make sense for me, but to really be able to use them as a filter in reality, then if I combine with a list of models as you specified for HTC for example I would need comparison charts with the same model different versions, then the same brand different models and finally different brands top smartphones manufactured during the last 2-3 years. Of course a price attached to them would be very helpful, but not a must.
Should be something easy to see and to help to decide.
For example something like this:
http://www.groovypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/smartphone-comparison-chart.png

Do you know such charts as I mentioned above with brands, models ,versions...?
Is it any website as gsmarena which lets you create such comparison tables with more than 2 smartphones?
No, you have to compare two each time:
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3
Go to the bottom of the page, find "Replace with", fill in one model. Search/Select. Now the second model you can fill in the top of the page, find "Compare with", fill in model, Search/Select.
The links with the side by side comparison don't say which one is really the best, it just states the facts. You have to decide which one matches your wishes best, and after that, check with user reviews to make certain all the wishes are complete.
That is clear.
My problem was related with so much info to compare, which drives me nuts. I do not want to read so much anymore.
I have read it on too many websites and specs and somehow is too much and ends in confusion.
Imagine that someone comes from another planet or lived in the woods and wants to buy a smartphone. It is a nightmare.

The fact is that last Sunday I lost my Backberry somewhere in the town and I discussed with different people, I searched the places and I decided to bar the SIM and buy a new phone. The mobile company offered me the chance to have a new SIM with the same mobile number and to have back all the credit, because was a prepaid card.
Yesterday evening my wife found where is my mobile. Friday I will have it back. So maybe I do not need to buy a new one.
Still, good to know all these details. It just feels as a forest of information hard to go through.
One colleague told me that are only 2 brands to consider: IPhone and Samsung.

By the way, what mobile phone do you have?
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Kimputer

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Thanks for your suggestions.
Did not make me feel better, but you pointed well.
The points are for all your answers, but I am too busy and lazy to distribute them accordingly.