What is a good, cheap Android phone?
2026-06-04 17:25 UTC
Replies (9)
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@jayemar@sh.itjust.works 2026-06-04 17:32
I’d look at a used previous flaggship. An Amazon renewed Galaxy S23 would check those boxes.
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@TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2026-06-04 17:46
I was just looking into this. I’ll parrot the other commenter and say the Samsung Galaxy line of a few years ago are solid gets and you can reliably get one for around that price point. I’ll add on Nothing phone’s previous models, too. Get em both from a reseller, not the brand store. Pixel devices have privacy focused 3rd party OS’s that are supposedly easy to use, but I haven’t looked into it. Fully Linux phones are not quite there yet for the general marker or the price point you want. If you’re outside the US or in the US and on Tmobile, you can look into Xiaomi or other Chinese devices, just double check that the radio bands actually work with your carrier. Service is better around cities, from what I saw when looking into an Oppo folding device then deciding to keep my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Double check the models as some have SD card slots, some do not, if that matters to you.
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@formlessoedon@lemmy.ml 2026-06-04 18:10
Secondhand Pixel -> GrapheneOS if you need locked bootloader (e.g. have family/work-sensitive stuff on phone) or just look on the LineageOS device wiki and find a phone model you like. Best reason to use Android is treating your phone like a computer, reliable background syncing (or restriction), good permission management, going without bloatware saves storage, battery, bandwidth, your personal time and frustration. Termux is basically an operating system, and the stock OS will not let you fully utilize it. If you just want to game get a good Chinese phone if it’s legal in your country & compatible with radios etc.
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@MinekPo1@lemmygrad.ml 2026-06-04 18:43
I’ve bought a new moto g84 5G at the beginning of this year for ~234 $ (with today’s exchange rate) , it is supported by lineageOS . specs : Motorola Moto G84 via gmsarena.com
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@Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu 2026-06-04 19:25
Nothing phones are solid cheap and with freely unlockable bootloader without any shenanigan. I own one l, a 3a, and I am not affiliated with Nothing.
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@emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 2026-06-05 13:05
Different countries use different technologies and bands, so you’ll need to check what works in your country. If you want a cheap phone with long support and just want to text, call, and be able to hot spot, your options are either getting a used (or old) flagship (better specs and build quality, fewer years of support) or getting a new entry-level phone (lower specs and build quality, but longer support). For used flagships, I would suggest older models of Sony or OnePlus. Fairphone or Pixel would have longer support in theory, but the specs and build quality are worse so this rarely matters. For new entry-level phones, I would suggest Xiaomi’s Redmi or Poco lines. The UI is bad, but specs are good and they are less locked down than most other companies. If you want a better UI, try Motorola / Nokia / HMD but be prepared for worse specs. Avoid Samsung like the plague.
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@Wahots@pawb.social 2026-06-05 14:53
I got a Motorola Stylus 5g 2024 for $250. There’s probably newer now, but it’s a decent device with a headphone jack, large battery, SD card slot, and a stylus. It feels similarly decent to my Z fold 4, which was surprising. I thought it would be laggy.
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@McOkapi@lemmy.ml 2026-06-05 15:16
As I know, Pixel 8 gets 7 years of updates, and they are mid, but for what you need, it wouldn’t be a bad choice.
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@hexagonwin@lemmy.today 2026-06-06 10:44
get a cheap second hand phone in your area that’s officially supported on lineageos. bonus points if you can cheaply obtain replacement batteries for that model.