Looking beyond Apple and Samsung? Five great phones at great prices
While the iPhone is great, it is definitely overrated. In recent iterations, Apple has increasingly copied features from other phones. Take the dual-camera setup or notification system for instance. Android phones have been clearly ahead in the game. Although there is no denying that as a hardware and software package, iPhone does excel, the level of innovation is going down with each new iteration. There are many people out there who think iPhone is over-rated, over-priced and too restrictive when it comes to the eco-system.
In recent times, Samsung has also taken a beating, especially due to the scandal of the Note 7 battery. Samsung’s Galaxy S7 was and still is a great phone. It sold well and got positive reviews. Even Note 7 was praised for its design, camera performance and software features. But Samsung had to discontinue Note 7 due to reports of explosions while charging. The whole episode has put a lot of pressure on the company, both financially and as a brand.
If you look beyond Apple and Samsung, there are many phones that offer a good user experience and have excellent value for money. Let us look at 5 such phones that have gradually perfected the art of delivering a punchy package at a surprisingly low cost.
Moto Z Play
When Motorola was taken over by Lenovo, many doubted the continuation of the innovations that came to be associated with it. The Moto Z line put those doubts to rest. The phones had two standout features: modular design and the claim to be the thinnest phone (Moto Z) in the market. While Moto Z Play is not the thinnest phone, it has bumped the 3,510mAH battery unlike its sibling, which had to sacrifice battery capacity to claim to be the thinnest phone. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack unlike other Moto phones.
The phone has some neat ideas to connect accessories that are different from LG G5 (another modular phone). It has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED full HD screen and is powered by Snapdragon 625 processor coupled with a 3GB RAM.
The phone is rich with connectivity options such as NFC, IR blasters, and USB Type C. Even with the camera, the phone shines with a 16 MP, f/2.0, phase detection, and laser autofocus setup. Storage starts at 32GB and the phone has a MicroSD card to extend storage. All in all, a top-notch phone with snappy performance and some forward-looking innovations. You might have to look around to buy this phone in New Zealand. It should be available between NZ$500 and NZ$600.
Oneplus 3T
Barely months after the successful launch of the ‘flagship killer’ Oneplus 3, the company launched Oneplus 3T. While the new phone retains all the goodness of original model, it takes things a notch higher. Don’t get this wrong. Oneplus 3 is still one of the best phones out there. But Oneplus 3T has a newer Snapdragon 821 processor, which is coupled with 6GB of RAM.
The front camera is now 16 MP like the rear camera. The phone has a beefier battery and has the same 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD panel. The phone runs on Oxygen operating system based on Android Marshmallow that incorporates some neat features and shortcuts. It is a fantastic phone and you need to use it to understand why people swear by it.
Huawei Honor 8
Huawei Honor 8 was launched in July this year and was appreciated for what it packs inside at its low price. The phone was widely touted for its photography prowess. It has a 5.2-inch full HD display and is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 950 processor with 4GB of RAM.
The phone features a 12MP dual camera system that can capture more light resulting in sharp vivid colours and better low-light performance. It also has a Professional mode that aims to offer DSLR experience with full manual controls. The phone has a 3,000mAh battery with fast-charging technology. Like other phones, this phone is also not easily available in New Zealand but if you search around, you should be able to get it for about NZ$650.
Xiaomi Mi5s
Just like Oneplus, Xiaomi also refreshed its flagship phone Mi5 barely months after launching it. Mi5 was a great phone, but the new Mi5s has improved internal hardware and features. Screen size is 5.15 inch and the panel is full HD IPS one. The difference is that the new screen is pressure sensitive like iPhone and possibly the software has some features to benefit from such a screen.
In terms of the processor, Mi5s has Snapdragon 821 compared to the 820 that Mi5 came with. The new phone comes in two options: 3GB RAM + 64GB storage and 4GB RAM + 128GB storage. Mi5s sport a 12 MP primary camera that can record 4K videos. It also has a slightly larger 3,200mAh battery along with quick charge technology and USB type C. It is a phone capable of great performance and will not break your bank. The phone should be available in New Zealand for about NZ$500 to NZ$600
LeEco Le Max 2
LeEco (formerly known as LeTV) is an ambitious Chinese company that has made inroads in the mobile phone industry with its budgeted yet solid performance-based offerings. The company is widening its footprint with a recent launch in the US after launching in China and India. Le Max 2 ticks most of the boxes when it comes to flagship offerings. It has a great 5.7-inch Quad HD panel with Gorilla Glass protection. Like most of the phones these days, Le Max 2 also has a metal body, USB Type C connection, and fingerprint scanner. Le Max 2 does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack but comes with an adapter.
The phone packs a Snapdragon 820 along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Interestingly, the phone does not feature NFC, which seems to be quite common in entry-level phones. Le Max 2’s operating system is based on Android Marshmallow and comes with some neat features. The camera on the phone is also very capable with a 21-MP sensor, Optical image stabilisation, and 4K video recording. The phone is powered by a 3,100mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 2.0. It is available in New Zealand and will cost anywhere between NZ$700 and NZ$800.
While the iPhone is great, it is definitely overrated. In recent iterations, Apple has increasingly copied features from other phones. Take the dual-camera setup or notification system for instance. Android phones have been clearly ahead in the game. Although there is no denying that as a hardware...
While the iPhone is great, it is definitely overrated. In recent iterations, Apple has increasingly copied features from other phones. Take the dual-camera setup or notification system for instance. Android phones have been clearly ahead in the game. Although there is no denying that as a hardware and software package, iPhone does excel, the level of innovation is going down with each new iteration. There are many people out there who think iPhone is over-rated, over-priced and too restrictive when it comes to the eco-system.
In recent times, Samsung has also taken a beating, especially due to the scandal of the Note 7 battery. Samsung’s Galaxy S7 was and still is a great phone. It sold well and got positive reviews. Even Note 7 was praised for its design, camera performance and software features. But Samsung had to discontinue Note 7 due to reports of explosions while charging. The whole episode has put a lot of pressure on the company, both financially and as a brand.
If you look beyond Apple and Samsung, there are many phones that offer a good user experience and have excellent value for money. Let us look at 5 such phones that have gradually perfected the art of delivering a punchy package at a surprisingly low cost.
Moto Z Play
When Motorola was taken over by Lenovo, many doubted the continuation of the innovations that came to be associated with it. The Moto Z line put those doubts to rest. The phones had two standout features: modular design and the claim to be the thinnest phone (Moto Z) in the market. While Moto Z Play is not the thinnest phone, it has bumped the 3,510mAH battery unlike its sibling, which had to sacrifice battery capacity to claim to be the thinnest phone. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack unlike other Moto phones.
The phone has some neat ideas to connect accessories that are different from LG G5 (another modular phone). It has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED full HD screen and is powered by Snapdragon 625 processor coupled with a 3GB RAM.
The phone is rich with connectivity options such as NFC, IR blasters, and USB Type C. Even with the camera, the phone shines with a 16 MP, f/2.0, phase detection, and laser autofocus setup. Storage starts at 32GB and the phone has a MicroSD card to extend storage. All in all, a top-notch phone with snappy performance and some forward-looking innovations. You might have to look around to buy this phone in New Zealand. It should be available between NZ$500 and NZ$600.
Oneplus 3T
Barely months after the successful launch of the ‘flagship killer’ Oneplus 3, the company launched Oneplus 3T. While the new phone retains all the goodness of original model, it takes things a notch higher. Don’t get this wrong. Oneplus 3 is still one of the best phones out there. But Oneplus 3T has a newer Snapdragon 821 processor, which is coupled with 6GB of RAM.
The front camera is now 16 MP like the rear camera. The phone has a beefier battery and has the same 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD panel. The phone runs on Oxygen operating system based on Android Marshmallow that incorporates some neat features and shortcuts. It is a fantastic phone and you need to use it to understand why people swear by it.
Huawei Honor 8
Huawei Honor 8 was launched in July this year and was appreciated for what it packs inside at its low price. The phone was widely touted for its photography prowess. It has a 5.2-inch full HD display and is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 950 processor with 4GB of RAM.
The phone features a 12MP dual camera system that can capture more light resulting in sharp vivid colours and better low-light performance. It also has a Professional mode that aims to offer DSLR experience with full manual controls. The phone has a 3,000mAh battery with fast-charging technology. Like other phones, this phone is also not easily available in New Zealand but if you search around, you should be able to get it for about NZ$650.
Xiaomi Mi5s
Just like Oneplus, Xiaomi also refreshed its flagship phone Mi5 barely months after launching it. Mi5 was a great phone, but the new Mi5s has improved internal hardware and features. Screen size is 5.15 inch and the panel is full HD IPS one. The difference is that the new screen is pressure sensitive like iPhone and possibly the software has some features to benefit from such a screen.
In terms of the processor, Mi5s has Snapdragon 821 compared to the 820 that Mi5 came with. The new phone comes in two options: 3GB RAM + 64GB storage and 4GB RAM + 128GB storage. Mi5s sport a 12 MP primary camera that can record 4K videos. It also has a slightly larger 3,200mAh battery along with quick charge technology and USB type C. It is a phone capable of great performance and will not break your bank. The phone should be available in New Zealand for about NZ$500 to NZ$600
LeEco Le Max 2
LeEco (formerly known as LeTV) is an ambitious Chinese company that has made inroads in the mobile phone industry with its budgeted yet solid performance-based offerings. The company is widening its footprint with a recent launch in the US after launching in China and India. Le Max 2 ticks most of the boxes when it comes to flagship offerings. It has a great 5.7-inch Quad HD panel with Gorilla Glass protection. Like most of the phones these days, Le Max 2 also has a metal body, USB Type C connection, and fingerprint scanner. Le Max 2 does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack but comes with an adapter.
The phone packs a Snapdragon 820 along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Interestingly, the phone does not feature NFC, which seems to be quite common in entry-level phones. Le Max 2’s operating system is based on Android Marshmallow and comes with some neat features. The camera on the phone is also very capable with a 21-MP sensor, Optical image stabilisation, and 4K video recording. The phone is powered by a 3,100mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 2.0. It is available in New Zealand and will cost anywhere between NZ$700 and NZ$800.
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