Latest advice on cell phones

[kib]

Could someone please point me to a sticky or other "cell phone" page listing the latest advice / least expensive good options?  Most of what I'm seeing appears to have been from 2014.  Thank you.

[Daley]

The foundation of the guide (even if the actual recommendations are a bit dated) can be summed up by my final advice post in the discussion thread, which will teach you how to shop for quality options on your own:

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/communications-tech-discussion-thread-2/msg2012005/#msg2012005

More detailed questions can be answered by others in the same thread as well. Hope this helps you out.

[nick_mmm]

At some level; if you are on a GSM carrier (Tmobile, ATT and others who use their networks in US); check out Nokia; https://www.nokia.com/en_int/phones/android. Reviews are suggesting quality handsets, three years of Android updates and a real commitment to monthly android updates at a minimum.

If you are using a CDMA carrier, Motorola is probably the best value still; with the E-series at the low end, G-series as mid level. The Moto G6 is hard to beat for price; but Moto (owned by Lenovo) does not have a good record for security/ android updates.  I think they have said one major Android release update; and 90 days for security updates to be applied on the G series, and even worse on the E series. Abysmal compared to Apple, Nokia and others; but will work on Sprint/Verizon/Tmobile/ATT.

I am still using a samsung g5 from 2014; but a CDMA carrier which works best in the rural area I live; thus my next phone will probably be the Moto G6 as much as I would prefer a Nokia 6.1.

[dodojojo]

I'm still using a 6 year old Samsung S3.  Gotta give it up to Samsung, the phone has been good value (I paid $200) and has given me zero problems.  It's just very slow now, understandably.

I should be using my brand new Nokia 6.1 but it's just arrived in Texas at a Nokia Repair center.  The phone shuts itself off, apparently after draining the battery and then will not power on.  Charging it, rebooting it, petting it, etc.--nothing works except waiting for a few days and then charge it and it powers up like nothing was ever wrong.  Obviously, for now, I'm not recommending the phone.

I bought it because of the Android One program and as a non-power user, I thought a budget phone would be more than enough technology for me.  But now I regret not sticking with Samsung. Hopefully Nokia will either fix or replace the phone and I can finally retire the S3. The battery is on its last legs.

When the Nokia 6.1 did work, it was adequate.  The camera, speaker and microphone are mediocre. If you want great photos and loud speakerphone volume, do not buy the Nokia 6.1.  The battery when it wasn't draining itself, lasted over a couple of days for me. Again, I'm not a power user.  The phone feels really solid.