Time for a new Android phone - suggestions?

May 9, 2023 5:32 PM

The features I really want are: ~~~Not Apple device ~~~lots of storage ~~~headphone jack (or could someone explain to me this thing about wired headphones being plugged into the phone in the charging port?)

I've been happy with my Samsung, but it's actually a super cheap version and I'm willing to step up. What makes the difference between a $700 phone and a $900 phone?

Thanks all

P.S. I checked old questions but most of them are as old as my current phone.

posted by janey47 to Technology (19 answers total)

Best answer: Not much help on the phone front, but you can buy an adapter to use wired headphones with the USB-C jack on most Android phones. Some phones even come with an adapter.
posted by Guess What at 5:39 PM on May 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

wired headphones being plugged into the phone in the charging port

The charging port on the vast majority of non-Apple phones is USB-C. Amazon has a whole page of USB-C headphones. Alternatively there are USB-C to 3.5mm adapters so you can use your old headphones. Lastly they make combo adapters that let you plug in a traditional headphone cable AND plug in a charging cable.

Speaking of someone who held out for a long time on wireless earbuds, if you are at all active while using your phone+headphones (walking, household chores, etc.) just bite the bullet. There is so much more freedom that you will stop yourself and say "why did I wait so long".
posted by mmascolino at 5:40 PM on May 9, 2023 [7 favorites]

A couple months ago, I bought a Samsung Galaxy A52. This is part of the product line that is basically 1 tier below Samsung's top-of-the-line Galaxy S phones. The A52 came out about 2 years ago... and it's the last phone in that tier to be made with a headphone jack. I bought it specifically for that reason.

It's the largest phone I've ever owned, and it took a bit of getting used to. But at this point, I'm quite pleased with it. It's got a nice, big, bright, sharp screen, and amazing battery life. It's also got tons of onboard storage, plus a micro SD card slot (another feature not present on later Samsung phones in this tier, or in the S tier).

You might have a bit of a challenge actually finding one. T-Mobile, my carrier, wasn't selling it any more. I found that Best Buy had a few left, and was able to get one there.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 6:06 PM on May 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: What makes the difference between a $700 phone and a $900 phone?

I mean, it's going to depend on which $700 phone and which $900 phone you're talking about, but if you're talking about phones with the same size display, broadly speaking the differences will show up in camera hardware, display quality, and maybe in some software features that might be enabled or improved by a more powerful CPU. To break those down a bit more:

* Nicer camera hardware might mean more physical cameras, larger sensors, and/or larger lenses, which could improve pictures in tougher conditions (like low light).
* Display quality could be higher resolution at the same physical size, or a faster refresh rate for smoother scrolling, or better color accuracy, or some form of always-on display instead of having it go completely dark when it's not active (and with some types of OLED you might get the smooth scrolling, excellent color, and always-on display features all at once).
* Software features powered by an improved CPU: Here I have to admit I'm mostly thinking of what's known as computational photography, where the phone basically analyzes the thing you're trying to take a picture of and juices the photo a bit based on what it can tell. Also I think in the newest, most powerful phones the virtual assistant features like Bixby or 'OK Google' commands can be processed locally instead of sending your voice recordings to the cloud, but I don't know that every phone is capable of it. And I know on iPhones (which you say you don't want) there are now features that you can search photos on your phone with text or subject matter. I think that feature has existed for years in Google Photos in the cloud, but I don't know if it works locally on the most powerful Android phones like it does on iPhones. I'd suspect if that local feature didn't already exist somebody's probably making sure it does now.

The other thing I'd think about when comparing Android phones is how many years of supported updates you can expect, and how long those updates will take to show up. If the $700 phone is just last year's $900 phone, one thing you're losing is a year of software updates, because they'll be timed from the initial release of the model, not when you bought it. And some manufacturers are notorious for long delays making newer Android releases available on their phones (although I think the worst offender completely pulled out of the phone market, so maybe it's not so bad now). Will your phone still get security updates after it stops getting major Android releases? All other things being equal I'd lean towards the phone with a longer supported lifespan and/or the one from the manufacturer with the better track record for timely updates, because they may not be the same.
posted by fedward at 6:24 PM on May 9, 2023

Pixel 6A...you're welcome
posted by tarvuz at 6:46 PM on May 9, 2023 [4 favorites]

If you can wait a little bit, the google pixel 7a should be announced soon, and sounds like an upgrade on the 6a.

Theres an inexpensive usb c to 3.5mm adapter from Google.
posted by TheAdamist at 7:26 PM on May 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

The other thing you can get with slightly more expensive phones is wireless charging, which I find to be extremely worth it. It is so much nicer to just plop my phone down on a charging pad by my computer or by my bed and not have to hunt down a loose charging cable. Of course you need to also buy the pads.

if you are at all active while using your phone+headphones (walking, household chores, etc.) just bite the bullet.

or if you ever wear a mask and headphones at the same time. That's what drove me to buying a cheap pair of wireless earbuds: no more tangles.
posted by BungaDunga at 8:02 PM on May 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

Pixel or Nokia. The rest all come with bloatware and lack of OS/security updates.
posted by gible at 8:09 PM on May 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I've been happy with Motorola G phones and as far as I know new models still have headphone jacks, _but_ I would recommend Bluetooth headphones if you have to have headphones (I don't like earbuds so I have no recommendations on those). Not having a cord to tangle with is great; if you exercise to music on your phone it really helps, you can leave the phone in a pocket or on a treadmill ledge. Don't forget it is illegal in most states to drive with the phones on - pair your phone to the Bluetooth in the car!
posted by TimHare at 8:18 PM on May 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

There is so much more freedom that you will stop yourself and say "why did I wait so long".

Flipside is I have to carry both because one of the airline companies I fly with bans wireless headphones/earbuds.
posted by Mitheral at 8:28 PM on May 9, 2023

Best answer: If all you need is lots of storage and a headphone jack, I'd grab a Pixel 6A while you still can. The 7A will not have a headphone jack, and it will also carry a $50 price bump from the 6A. As others have mentioned, there are adapters, but if you're not looking for the best of the best and the resulting price tag, the 6A is a great option.

If you're open to using headphones with a USB-C adapter, the base Pixel 7 is also a great deal, and it's pretty easy to find sales on them these days.

What makes the difference between a $700 phone and a $900 phone?

Mostly stuff you probably don't need, like an ultra-wide-angle camera. Most of the differentiators these days are in camera features, unlike the earlier mobile phone days where phones were packed with new features with every release. Phones are mature now, so manufacturers are focusing on things like packing cameras, both still and video, with bells and whistles that, unless you're an active YouTube/Instagram/TikTok creator, you will probably never use.

That said, storage bumps cost a few bucks too, but your requirements sound basic enough that you shouldn't need to come anywhere near $900 to get a new phone.
posted by pdb at 9:18 PM on May 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

nthing pixel6a, the camera is beyond amazing. my friends with iphones are jealous!
posted by boomdelala at 9:42 PM on May 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have a Pixel 6a and like it a lot, but it does not have a headphone jack. I bought a cheapo 3.5 mm to USB-C adapter online. It's fine, not great, but I think that reflects the quality of the adapter, not the phone. 128gb storage and way under your 700-900 budget (I think mine was like $200 during a Black Friday sale).

The 5a does have a headphone jack but it was discontinued after the 6a came out and only has like a year of support left. The 6a gets security updates through mid 2027!
posted by basalganglia at 11:21 PM on May 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

most of them are as old as my current phone.

If your phone is more than a few years old, any solid new phone will delight you. A top of the line phone will almost certainly be overkill.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 4:39 AM on May 10, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you all so much! I honestly wasn't even considering any brand other than Samsung but the support for the Pixel phones here has sold me. Thanks so much for the help!!
posted by janey47 at 6:47 AM on May 10, 2023 [1 favorite]

If you haven't ordered already, Samsungs newish galaxy xcover 6 have a audio jack and a replaceable battery!
posted by skaggig at 11:27 AM on May 10, 2023 [1 favorite]

I hate Pixels and Google hardware in particular. If you're a big traveller, avoid them. Their warranties do not extend outside the country of purchase.

I would recommend a Samsung Galaxy S23 or S23 Ultra (which has a stylus).
posted by dobbs at 12:41 PM on May 10, 2023

The Pixel 7A is out today and costs $499. The Verge has a review:

While the Pixel 6A was the best midrange Android phone if you care most about the camera, the Pixel 7A is the best midrange Android phone — period. The screen isn’t quite as nice as the Galaxy A54’s, but it’s improved enough to satisfy most people. The camera doesn’t always nail it, but it’s impressively capable for this class. And even though it’s pricier than last year’s model, it comes with some serious upgrades not often seen in this class, like wireless charging.

The Galaxy A54 has the bigger, smoother-scrolling display, and it does come with the promise of four OS upgrades in its lifetime, which is one more than the 7A. But the 7A’s flagship-grade processor puts it ahead in terms of performance now and likely well into the future.

Ars Technica has a review, which also points out that the 6A is still for sale, with a price drop to $349, and may be the best deal:

Google must also not be concerned about undercutting the Pixel 7a with the Pixel 6a's price drop, as that $350 price tag makes the Pixel 6a the best deal on this table. Do you need a 90 Hz screen in a budget phone? Google's SoC hasn't really changed year over year. The Pixel 6a camera is still fine. Wireless charging isn't that big of a deal, especially since it requires spending more money on accessories.

The only downside is Google's surprisingly short and uncompetitive support window: the Pixel 6a is scheduled to stop getting major Android updates after July 2025. Normally, Google offers three years of major OS updates (for comparison, Samsung offers four), and the Pixel 6a is already a year old. That could be a good reason to opt for the Pixel 7a—it's 42 percent more expensive for 50 percent more update time. Still, Google offers five years of security updates, so you may be tempted to hang on to your Pixel 6a for a few more years.

Spending more for a nicer phone than the 7A would get you an even smoother screen and better wireless charging (if that sounds important to you), and buying a Samsung instead of a Pixel would get you another year of Android version updates, but the 7A seems to be a pretty good all-around mid-range phone, and the 6A is a bargain except for the ticking clock on its supported lifespan.
posted by fedward at 12:43 PM on May 10, 2023 [3 favorites]

I've had multiple Pixel phones, currently on a 6, and their support is so terrible that when this dies I'm ready to switch to an iPhone.
posted by Runes at 7:47 PM on May 10, 2023