Best sim free Android smart phone up to £150?

[Willber]

I'm looking for a new smartphone and want a sim only Android one. I have an Honor 8s which has slowed down and gone a bit clunky. I usually buy and keep for 3 years or so.

I dont use loads of apps just the usual for banking, whatsapp and YouTube. A good camera is a must as the one on the 8s is pretty poor.

I have had a quick look and there seems to be very Similar models available for a similar price, even from the same manufacturer.

Is there a standard 'go to' model? Ive been looking at the Honor x7b but Motorola equivalents are available.

Thanks!

[the-norseman]

Pixel phone, minimum Pixel 6a but 7,7a,8,8a would be better.

Pixel 6 (I have) is getting its last big OS update in October, Android 15 but wont get Android 16 next year.

[Hoofy]

If you're only willing to spend that if necessary but would rather go as cheap as possible, the Moto G31 is a good buy (£100).
https://amzn.to/4cQ8r9C

If you want to get the best for the budget, then have a look at the Moto G53 (£150). (I got this used.)

I have both. The G31 was a panic buy after being seriously let down by the crashy E20 (Android Go). The G53 is better in every way but after a year, I am still happily using the lighter, thinner but still reliable G31. It does everything I need for business (creating videos, social media posting, editing stuff, making notes). The G53 may be better quality, and in fact a £2m Apple Imusthavephone might be vastly superior but I don't think it'd make any difference to my work.

A few people I know have various new Apples and I struggle to see the benefit unless you MUST have the very best and money is no object. It feels a bit like a diminishing returns thing but then people might question why you need a premium sports car over a Dacia Sandero, so to each their own and all that.

Edit: I mentioned Android Go. I suspect this lightweight OS is the reason for the E20 being so unreliable. The G31 and G53 have the full version of Android and seem fine over the year that I've used both (mainly using the G31).

Edited by Hoofy on Friday 6th September 10:25

[Jamescrs]

I'd recommend looking at the Samsung A series phones, a little stretch of budget would get you an A15 5G or you will likely find some very good deals on used/ refurbished options.

I bought my daughter an A23 from CEX new in box for well under £200 with a 24 month guarantee and she is a heavy user and seems very happy with it, this was 12 months ago so likely similar deals are available on newer models now.

[boyse7en]

I've been buying in the £100-£150 price range for my phones for years and always seem to end up with a Xiaomi of some type. Currently on the Poco M4, which has a decent camera and does everything i need (I don't do mobile gaming, so no idea if it is fast enough for that). It also seems remarkably resilient, as it has been dropped numerous times without issue.
When it comes time to replace it, i'll definitely be looking at another Xiaomi.

[richhead]

I can second the moto g31, i have one, i dont need fancy stuff, doesnt interest me, does all i need, had it a year or two now, hasnt ever let me down, and battery lasts all day. I dont need anything more, and at that price im not worried about breaking it,
My gf has a apple whatever, cost nearly a grand, and doesnt seem to do anything that mine cant.

[Scrump]

Over the years Mrs Scrump and I had various Moto G and Samsung A series phones. Both good and cheap but we both feel the MotoG series are the better of the two.

[sgrimshaw]

Given my positive experience with Doogee tablets, I'd be happy to give one of their phones a bash.

Plenty of choices at all price points, available on Amazon

[Hoofy]

richhead said:

I can second the moto g31, i have one, i dont need fancy stuff, doesnt interest me, does all i need, had it a year or two now, hasnt ever let me down, and battery lasts all day. I dont need anything more, and at that price im not worried about breaking it,
My gf has a apple whatever, cost nearly a grand, and doesnt seem to do anything that mine cant.

Yeah, I've dropped it a few times. The funny thing is, it's quite rugged (as all Androids have been) but you also get a free case with the phone.

[Rusty Old-Banger]

Surprised to hear that about an Honor. My Honor 8X was bought in, what, 2017? Still going strong, battery still lasts all day (still on 66 percent and I've been using it a decent amount today, including site photos and teams calls), no screen cracks, damage, screen burn etc. Having had Samsung Galaxy and iPhone before, I am honestly amazed at how good this £200 piece of Chinese crap has been.

[Whataguy]

I've had several Moto G phones over the years, I've found them to be great value and fast running - beating the two Samsung A phones I've also had.

You can usually pick them up for a good discount on Amazon, sometimes with a free case or other accessories thrown in.

[richhead]

Hoofy said:

Yeah, I've dropped it a few times. The funny thing is, it's quite rugged (as all Androids have been) but you also get a free case with the phone.

yes mine had a screen protector and a rubber case when i bought it, they are hardy little things

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

Rusty Old-Banger said:

Surprised to hear that about an Honor. My Honor 8X was bought in, what, 2017? Still going strong, battery still lasts all day (still on 66 percent and I've been using it a decent amount today, including site photos and teams calls), no screen cracks, damage, screen burn etc. Having had Samsung Galaxy and iPhone before, I am honestly amazed at how good this £200 piece of Chinese crap has been.

Agreed, I had exactly the same phone for four and a half years and it was brilliant. I replaced it last year with an Honor 70 for no other reason than I fancied a change.

Another brilliant phone anx it makes my partners iPhone 15 plus look expensive, chunky and old in comparison. I also don't understand how the honor is significantly thinner yet actually has a bigger battery.

Build quality on both feels exactly the same to me, with the Honor looking more modern due to how slim it looks.

Plus the batteries never seem to degrade, you can easily get two to three days from a charge even at four years old. IPhones on the other hand seem to have knackered batteries after 18 months.

I wouldnt buy anything else.

[Willber]

Thanks all, really helpful replies.

The Honor has been good but has slowed down recently and I can't get certain apps on it anymore either.

Motorola G54 looks good and just under £150 on amazon. It has 8gb RAM which is the highest I've seen on similar phones, unless I'm looking at the wrong things!