Author Topic: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 decent buy?  (Read 3181 times)

lefty

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 decent buy?
« on: December 23, 2016, 07:37:14 AM »
I saw this Samsung Galaxy Note 3 unlocked on ebay (says brand new in box) for like $180 or so.
It has one of those bigger screens like my current Moto G4.
I mainly use it as my one and only Info device to check mail, read forums, access my vanguard a/c, bank, display flight e-tix/flight schedule, take a few pics and videos here and there.

Is there anything that is a better bang for the buck?  Suggestions most welcome. Thanks!

Daley

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Re: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 decent buy?
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2016, 10:25:57 AM »
Any mobile device that you're foolish enough to access financial information from and use for commerce needs to stay current and patched from a security and system standpoint. The Note 3 last got an Android update with 5.0.1 Lollipop. Your current phone runs 6.0.1 Marshmallow which means there'll be more updates, and by virtue of build age is likely to have fewer unpatched security vulnerabilities and be supported for longer given it's the shipped version of Android on a Lenovo/Moto flagship device.

Any of the specs that would actually probably be noticeable to you are pretty much a wash between the devices, and where there might be minor physical advantages or on paper with the Note 3, you have software, age, and planned obsolescence working against you with the older device. You don't have any real system intensive demands there.

This isn't to say that you couldn't bring either phone up more "current" with CyanogenMod or AOSP, but again, you already have a relatively new working phone (it's barely even been on the market for seven months, for cryin' out loud) with a longer factory supported upgrade cycle, and you know what's happened to it. You don't know the history of the other device, and what if any physical damage events may have occurred, even as "new in box". There's also the provenance of the phone issue itself. New in box, carrier unlocked, a little below market value for non-mainland China sales on fleabay? Unless they're a reputable seller that deals in phones as their primary stock there...? I'd want to do an IMEI blacklist check before shelling out. If it's shipping from China, again, provenance and seller should probably matter to you.

Bottom line, the greatest bang for buck is what you already paid for and own by using it up and wearing it out. Honor the ridiculous amount of human suffering, sacrifice and labor that's already gone into your existing miraculous communications device by caring for it, maintaining it, and getting it to last as long as possible instead of tossing it aside and just mindlessly consuming for more-better-different.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2016, 10:29:17 AM by I.P. Daley »

lefty

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Re: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 decent buy?
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2016, 11:58:37 AM »
Brilliant!!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!