Chinese Android Phones 2 - Read First Post!

54and56

Do-more wrote: »

Looking for some recommendations please.

My 10 year olds hand me down Nexus 4 is on its last legs and I was considering a Moto G3 as a replacement but it looks like a sideways step at best performance wise so I thought a Chinese phone may be a better buy.

Looking for a 5" screen, (screen res doesn't matter so much).

Vanilla Android or at least the ability to flash a similar ROM is a must.

Decent GPS for Pokémon go purposes and decent battery life would also be important.

Budget of around €200 max.

I just bought the phone linked in this post above http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=101147113&postcount=4684 for €150 or so for my daughter. Super specs and a 5" screen which was an important factor for me too as a 5.5" screen would be too big for her. Hasn't arrived yet but it does look a serious phone for the money.

eamonnq

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I just bought the phone linked in this post above http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=101147113&postcount=4684 for €15 or so for my daughter. Super specs and a 5" screen which was an important factor for me too as a 5.5" screen would be too big for her. Hasn't arrived yet but it does look a serious phone for the money.

Bargain!!!

54and56

eamonnq wrote: »

Bargain!!!

Fixed

Do-more

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

I just bought the phone linked in this post above http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=101147113&postcount=4684 for €150 or so for my daughter. Super specs and a 5" screen which was an important factor for me too as a 5.5" screen would be too big for her. Hasn't arrived yet but it does look a serious phone for the money.

Looks like a lot of phone for the money.

My only concern would be how much they have customised Android with the"Gigaset UI". Look forward to hearing what you think when you get yours.

Must try to find some reviews online.

Thanks.

54and56

Do-more wrote: »

My only concern would be how much they have customised Android with the"Gigaset UI". Look forward to hearing what you think when you get yours.

That's one of the things I too was a bit concerned about but apparently there's little bloatware and the OS is fairly close to stock, see the video here http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/review/android-smartphones/gigaset-me-me-pro-me-pure-review-3624873/

Another review of the device here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHgsyDADjHM

RRP was €350 less than a yer ago. Bargain at €150/€160 I reckon particularly as it's shipped from within the EU so no duty on arrival.

KERSPLAT!

Is there a link to but the Gigaset?

Pro preferably

54and56

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Is there a link to but the Gigaset?

Pro preferably

There ya go, http://www.efoxtienda.com/gigaset-me-pro-3gb-ram-32gb-rom-qualcomm-snapdragon-810-18ghz-octa-core-55-pulgadas-25d-in-cell-g-1251834?utm_source=webgains&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=71545&siteid=160367 and should be able to get another €10 off using the discount code CPAWEB492

rejkin

Does the Umi plus support 4g?

This one looks good but no clue if 4g will work on it
http://www.coolicool.com/stock-in-europe-umi-super-4gb-ram-32gb-rom-touch-id-4000mah-helio-p10-mtk6755-20ghz-octa-core-55-i-g-43670

54and56

rejkin wrote: »

Does the Umi plus support 4g?

This one looks good but no clue if 4g will work on it
http://www.coolicool.com/stock-in-europe-umi-super-4gb-ram-32gb-rom-touch-id-4000mah-helio-p10-mtk6755-20ghz-octa-core-55-i-g-43670

That's the UMi super, a different phone to the UMi plus.

AFAIK the plus is fully compatible with Irish 4g spectrums but I'm open to correction on that.

I'm getting it for use by my daughter on the Lycamobile network which IIRC is 3G only so I'm not to bothered by 4g.

Iseedeadpixels

Yeh the Umi Super does support 4G one of the better phones I've had for 4G.

primacalibre

eamonnq wrote: »

How is the GPS ?

The GPS is working well I think.... I haven't used it for any travelling yet but for the two or so weeks I was bothered with Pokémon Go it seemed pretty accurate with that at least.

D'Peoples Voice

rejkin wrote: »

Does the Umi plus support 4g?

This one looks good but no clue if 4g will work on it
http://www.coolicool.com/stock-in-europe-umi-super-4gb-ram-32gb-rom-touch-id-4000mah-helio-p10-mtk6755-20ghz-octa-core-55-i-g-43670

yes, it supports Band 20 (800MHz) which is the main 4G frequency across 42-odd countries of Europe

LTE FDD: 2100(B1)/1800(B3)/2600(B7)/800(B20)

http://www.umidigi.com/page-umi_plus_specification.html

Felix Jones is God

http://www.efoxtienda.com/envio-desde-espana-gigaset-me-pro-3gb-ram-32gb-rom-qualcomm-snapdragon-810-18ghz-octa-core-55-pulg-g-1252014

It's late I know, but I'm tired and I'm wondering...is this too good to be true?

Edit...yes it is...now saying out of stock

pickarooney

Do-more wrote: »

Looking for some recommendations please.

My 10 year olds hand me down Nexus 4 is on its last legs and I was considering a Moto G3 as a replacement but it looks like a sideways step at best performance wise so I thought a Chinese phone may be a better buy.

Looking for a 5" screen, (screen res doesn't matter so much).

Vanilla Android or at least the ability to flash a similar ROM is a must.

Decent GPS for Pokémon go purposes and decent battery life would also be important.

Budget of around €200 max.

Very few Chinese phones are supported by Pokemon Go since the latest update. Unless someone who has a particular model can guarantee that it passes the SafetyNet test, be very careful or you risk seriously disappointing the child.

Gulliver

pickarooney wrote: »

Very few Chinese phones are supported by Pokemon Go since the latest update. Unless someone who has a particular model can guarantee that it passes the SafetyNet test, be very careful or you risk seriously disappointing the child.

Xiaomi Mi5 failed according to the Safety Net helper app from the Play store.

Iseedeadpixels

Does play store tell you it's not compatible?

Gulliver

Iseedeadpixels wrote: »

Does play store tell you it's not compatible?

No, you have to download the "Safety Net Helper" app from the Play store. Run that and it will give you a result.

RossieMan

There is plenty of ways around that to be honest. A simple Google will have you playing in 10 minutes.

Nollog

You need to use the new root method. Magisk and what not.

I have Magisk, xposed, Magisk manager and pphs supers. MAGISK manager let's you flick on and off root as you need to.

Iseedeadpixels

Gulliver wrote: »

No, you have to download the "Safety Net Helper" app from the Play store. Run that and it will give you a result.

Yeh but what happens when you try download it?

StereoSound

My gf's Xiaomi Redmi note 4 arrived the other day, it's a great phone, I pick up 4G on it now and again, not as consistent as my OnePlus 3 but with a missing band 20 it's not that bad. It has a strong H+ signal when I don't get 4G. No big deal really as data usage is light when not at home. YouTube and everything else on the go works fine on H+. The mediatek X20 decacore is a beast in it. It runs everything I threw at it like a hot knife through butter. I wouldn't choose it over my OnePlus 3 but it's a f*ckn good phone for the price. I highly recommend it.

Felix Jones is God

StereoSound wrote: »

My gf's Xiaomi Redmi note 4 arrived the other day, it's a great phone, I pick up 4G on it now and again, not as consistent as my OnePlus 3 but with a missing band 20 it's not that bad. It has a strong H+ signal when I don't get 4G. No big deal really as data usage is light when not at home. YouTube and everything else on the go works fine on H+. The mediatek X20 decacore is a beast in it. It runs everything I threw at it like a hot knife through butter. I wouldn't choose it over my OnePlus 3 but it's a f*ckn good phone for the price. I highly recommend it.

Can I ask where it came from and how much?

StereoSound

Felix Jones is God wrote: »

Can I ask where it came from and how much?

Aliexpress @ 177 euro

Felix Jones is God

StereoSound wrote: »

Aliexpress @ 177 euro

Thanks v much

eoinfitzokk

Did you run the gauntlet of customs or did they post from Europe?

Kilboor

Xiaomi Mi4 64GB for 150 dollars.

http://www.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_368084.html?wid=4&utm_source=mail_api&utm_medium=mail&utm_campaign=special.0929&eo=qar6omd7n415wbvd&email=b2t8YmlzaG5hY2hAZ21haWwuY29tfDg4NTY=

Akrasia

no matter how fast a phone is at opening apps or playing games, not having the LTE band 20 in Ireland should be a dealbreaker. There are plenty of phones that are just as good but also compatible with the networks that you'll need to rely on now and into the future.

I can't understand why people here buy xiaomi phones when they don't support our best networks. Its not much use having a really fast computer on a dial up internet connection, so why have a fast phone limited to 3g networks when there are plenty of alternatives that have both.

Digital Solitude

Because it doesn't matter to some people? This is coming from a guy who used pretty fast gaming PCs for years in rural Leitrim. Your connection speeds aren't always dealbreakers

StereoSound

eoinfitzokk wrote: »

Did you run the gauntlet of customs or did they post from Europe?

No custom charges, it went through Europe before coming to me so they couldn't sting me with any VAT, just as the seller promised.

Mr_Muffin

After many weeks of research i went for the 5' Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro Prime 3G RAM.

Great piece of kit for only 140 euro + another 20 for DHL delivery which took only 6 days. It also came with a free case and screen protectors. This was a present for someone but I got my hands on it for a few days and was very impressed, especially for the low price.