Which unlocked phone to buy in the US for use in Israel?
July 24, 2016 12:15 PM

I'd like to buy a phone for around $250 or less that I can use now as well as with a new SIM card from an Israeli carrier when I move there this fall. Would the Moto G4 Plus allow me to do that? Is that a decent option? An older iPhone? Other? I'm open to anything Android or iOS, as long as I can post to Instagram and play Pokemon Go. :)
posted by youcancallmeal to Technology (4 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
Warning: Download Pokémon Go in US, it cannot be downloaded in most other locations. (on Android you could side-load an apk or maybe mask your location or a variety of work arounds, but everything will be simpler if you just download while in US)

You want a phone that supports GSM networks.

Does the phone need to be new or can it be refurbished?
posted by Cozybee at 1:15 PM on July 24, 2016


The Nexus 5x is regularly on sale for about $240 US. I would get that. Simple to use, pure Android with timely updates and small enough for one hand. Consider getting the 791 which is an international version. 790 is US version. Both would work in US and Israel.
posted by AugustWest at 3:26 PM on July 24, 2016


New is preferred. Why the older Nexus over the newer Moto? The camera on the Moto seems better and expandable memory is a draw.
posted by youcancallmeal at 3:36 PM on July 24, 2016


New is preferred. Why the older Nexus over the newer Moto? The camera on the Moto seems better and expandable memory is a draw.

The Nexus 5x camera is pretty good; at this point the way to improve photos is with telescoping lenses and planning your lighting. Android N support is already available in beta, always a question mark from providers. NFC support for android pay and other bits. USB C is pretty much an improvement over micro, and supports fast charging from any compatible port, not just your charger.

It's also a bit cheaper if you grab it from Project Fi. Also, it's Project Fi compatible, but this is currently less important to you post-move.
posted by pwnguin at 10:50 PM on July 24, 2016


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