How Much Would You Spend on a New Mobile Phone?

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Ricardodaforce

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Samsung launched to the public today a couple of new models. The cheaper version of the Z Fold 3 costs £1599 (exclusive of trade in discoun). Not cheap eh!
 
This has crossed my mind recently as my IPhone is gradually giving up the ghost.

I'd like a phone with a decent camera and internet access, but no other bells and whistles needed.

I'm not sure what my top dollar would be but certainly no more than £200. £1599? Forget that!
 
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Lots of people spend that. Most I've spent is just over £1k on the s21 Ultra. My FIL bought 4 iPhone 12 max's a while back at about £1500 each.
 
I heard mention of this company......the phones as I understand it are upgradeable and more environmentally sustainable.

shop.fairphone.com

Fairphone Shop | Fairphone

Long-lasting smartphones and accessories that benefit the planet
shop.fairphone.com shop.fairphone.com

Also on the face of it, economic!
 
Most of my phones have been with a contract.
For years CPW always gave me a good deal then last year most of the providers dropped them.
Very gave me a discount code and around black friday, they had the Samsung S20 5G (Samsung were also selling them at the same price) with £179 knocked off.
With the discount code and price reduction I paid £491.99 which was a very good deal.
EE then gave me a good deal on switching to sim only.
I'm not going to blow a grand on a mobile outright but no idea what I will be doing next time.
Each new generation seems to see a hike in contract deals but the most I have paid is £35pm
 
I just get Apple refurbished phones. Still ridiculous prices but always come looking brand new with a years warranty. I got my iPhone 11+ that way and wont be changing it in the next few years.
 
Maybe a couple of hundred quid absolute tops. TBH, I wish I still had my 3310!
 
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never contract always buy...and I always use Motorolo.. very cheap and does everything I need... Wife goes for the more expensive Samsung but usually a model or two down.. still a lot more expensive than mine bought new :(
 
I couldn’t imagine spending £1500 on a phone but everyone is different :) and always have to get two phones one each for my wife and I
I’m still using my refurbished iPhone SE old model
 
I don't see this decision as any different to 'how much would you spend on a car / house / pair of shoes (insert applicable item) It obviously depends on what that item is worth to you, not only for the job / task / it does, but as part of you overall need, which is different for everyone.

If you had asked this question on a forum of under 30's I bet you would have got some completely different responses. But they'd probably also say they'd only spend £50 on a camera, if indeed that, as they already have a great one in their pocket....
 
For the last fifteen years, £100.00 every three or four years. I try and keep monthly costs below a tenner too - currently with BT at £6.00pm.

When I was working I would have a contract and get a new one every year, but that's a dreadful waste and is just driven by stupid people (I include myself here) who have to get the latest gadget to keep up with (or ahead of) the Jones'.
 
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I bought two iPhone 11 Pro Max's when they came out, I think they were about £1300 each. In my wife's case it was an utter waste of money as she does nothing except phone, text and camera, but I got her a smaller storage version I think; mine was all the bells and whistles but I do use it an awful lot for many things. Both are on GiffGaff, mine is £10/month for 3Gb data, hers is £6/month. We will be keeping these phones for at least 5 years, our last ones were iPhone 6S's, so I figure it's good value for money at circa £250/year plus around £100/year for airtime.
 
Much as I love my technology I would not spend hugely on a smartphone.

I have a Moto G5, cost as I recall approx £150 and my OH has a Moto E which I bought for her..... cannot recall the price.

Both on Three, though what with their recent'ish increase in PAYG rates not as economical as when we first had the Three SIM. My G5 is dual SIM and also have GiffGaff PAYG for use as needed.

In future I may look at the above linked FairPhone because the ethos of what they do has distinct appeal.
 
No more than £40/month based on a 2 year contract. It is why I ended up with an S21 and not the S21 ultra, wasn't willing to pay the extra.
But I also expect a phone to last around four years so that gives me an additional 2 years after the contracts is up on around £12/month sim only before I consider a new phone.
 
Sky said:
For the last fifteen years, £100.00 every three or four years. currently with BT at £6.00pm
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That is exactly me, on all counts inc. BT.
 
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I think I sit around £25 a month. I'm well overdue an upgrade really but want to switch from ee as the coverage in some areas is crap esp near the coast!

My problem is finding a smartphone that isn't huge!
 
When I bought my Motorola G4 about 4/5 years ago it was about £140. If/when I replace it I wouldn't like to pay much more, but I think I might have to.

I am a bit of a tight wad but this phone does all I want.

Dave
 
Just bought a like new Nokia 5.3 from Amazon Warehouse. In fact it was new with seals intact, paid the princely sum of £90.15.
What with O2 Classic PAYG at a tenner every month or two and then it's not bad at all. Think calls are 3p a min, texts 4p and data if needed. 2p a mb.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Just bought a like new Nokia 5.3 from Amazon Warehouse. In fact it was new with seals intact, paid the princely sum of £90.15.
What with O2 Classic PAYG at a tenner every month or two and then it's not bad at all. Think calls are 3p a min, texts 4p and data if needed. 2p a mb.
Click to expand...

3p per minute
2p per text
1p per mb.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
3p per minute
2p per text
1p per mb.
Click to expand...
Interesting, that is what the Three PAYG tarrif was but after some years they have changed it to close to all(?) others.

I looked for the O2 Classic and it seems to be an old & no longer available tarrif. I wonder how long that will last for those who are fortunate enough to still have such low cost ?
 
I have a Nokia 300 UG, I have it on a Virgin 0 plan. No monthly top up required, 0p per min, 0p per text, obviously no data as it is just a phone.
I also have a Huawei P Smart which I paid £149 for on a £3.21 per month 02 plan for 500 mins, 500 texts and 500 mb.
 
Box Brownie said:
Interesting, that is what the Three PAYG tarrif was but after some years they have changed it to close to all(?) others.

I looked for the O2 Classic and it seems to be an old & no longer available tarrif. I wonder how long that will last for those who are fortunate enough to still have such low cost ?
Click to expand...

It was still possible to get o2 Classic sims on eBay (they were 20p iirc), at least fairly recently when it was discussed elsewhere.
 
Dave * said:
It was still possible to get o2 Classic sims on eBay (they were 20p iirc), at least fairly recently when it was discussed elsewhere.
Click to expand...

They stopped being sold in O2 shops in September 2019. If anyone was going to buy one from eBay I’d ask for a photo of the SIM expiry date.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
They stopped being sold in O2 shops in September 2019. If anyone was going to buy one from eBay I’d ask for a photo of the SIM expiry date.
Click to expand...

I didn’t order one, but people who have had no problem activating them. I had a quick look, there are still multiple sellers listing them on eBay..
 
Much better to go for preowned phones… I paid over a grand for my new iPhone 11 Pro Max but I’d definitely go for used next time. My wife’s just bought a used 11 Pro for £390 from Amazon, in immaculate condition, 92% battery life and Amazon give you a year’s no quibble warranty with it.
 
Nod said:
Maybe a couple of hundred quid absolute tops. TBH, I wish I still had my 3310!
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My current phone also cost < £200, and my favourite phone is still my old Blackberry Bold 9700. It works perfectly, and has my SA SIM card in it in case anyone wants to reach me on that number. Of course, it only takes seconds to slip the battery out too ...

I may have a Nokia 3310 in a storage box in Joburg. I'll keep it for you if I come across it ... :)
 
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Mrs Nod's Mum has my old 3310 and at 92, she may well be leaving it back to me at some point... I can wait!
 
Between £100 and £200. Present Xiaomi Note 5 is >3 years old, still does >2 days on a charge and cost £175. Performance is adequate.
 
Sony XZ Premium just after launch, so just over four years. Still works flawlessly despite a few mild drops and the battery seems to have held up as well. It's still pretty powerful, does everything I need and it has an excellent 4k screen so I'll keep it until it breaks or becomes completely obsolete.

I recently got a Samsung S6 Lite tablet to move away from taking handwritten notes and go digital thanks to the stylus and it's worked out great. Hopefully that will last just as long and cost under £300 after cashback so good value I reckon.
 
Dale. said:
This has crossed my mind recently as my IPhone is gradually giving up the ghost.

I'd like a phone with a decent camera and internet access, but no other bells and whistles needed.

I'm not sure what my top dollar would be but certainly no more than £200. £1599? Forget that!
Click to expand...
A refurb Samsung S5 would do that well under £100
 
ancient_mariner said:
Between £100 and £200. Present Xiaomi Note 5 is >3 years old, still does >2 days on a charge and cost £175. Performance is adequate.
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Most of these Chinese phones are good value and have few problems.

I have a Sharp aquos (?) which is very chinesey, but apart from poor camera I don't use anyway, it has a lot of good features and was under £100.
 
around £200 then replace it every 4 years but i am about ready to change and may go up to £500 for a larger screen .

Rob.
 
I spent many years of £40+ per month contracts and premium phones.

My latest phone is the first to buck that trend - Samsung M31 from Amazon for £160 and My sim is £10 a month from Tesco.

I'm happy with this setup and will continue down this happy path in the future.
 
€200-ish, there's cracking phones coming out of China for this amount that easily rival the bigger names in the €400-500 region. I only ever manage to keep a phone for about 1-2yrs max so why would I spend any more?
 
Well having looked at a few reviews i did find a phone and although i said up to £500 ( post above ) i spent £259.99 on this one .

Rob.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro​

 
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