Best $200 Android 4.x for StraightTalk?

[RossMAN]

This Hofo thread was helpful but it's filled with dozens of useless posts.

I'm willing to increase my budget to $349 to buy the Nexus 4 but I have heard varying reports it's awesome and it sucks.

Would prefer GSM for T-Mobile or AT&T.

I don't mind used, Craigslist, eBay, Cowboom but need some solid suggestions.

 

[lothar]

This Hofo thread was helpful but it's filled with dozens of useless posts.

I'm willing to increase my budget to $349 to buy the Nexus 4 but I have heard varying reports it's awesome and it sucks.

Would prefer GSM for T-Mobile or AT&T.

I don't mind used, Craigslist, eBay, Cowboom but need some solid suggestions.

16GB Nexus 4.
There is no alternative.

 

[lothar]

I should also add that any Android phone being sold for $200 brand new will likely be stuck on whatever OS that the phone shipped with.
That is a fact.

Forget about getting Jelly Bean, KLP, or any other future Android updates.

 

[Wingznut]

16GB Nexus 4.
There is no alternative.

I completely agree. And if it turns out that you don't like it, there's no doubt you could sell it for no loss.
The only downside is that it's like a 6 week backorder.

 

[dagamer34]

16GB Nexus 4. /end thread

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Absolutely. Nexus 4.

There's really no reason to ever get a non Nexus or AOSP phone. I see how terrible any skinned UI is. Even the blazing SGS3 comes to a screeching halt. My SGS2 with CM10 completely blasts through my gf's SGS3 despite me having a broken hwcomposer and what not.

 

[RossMAN]

Is the Nexus 4 backlog really 6 weeks?

Dayum.

 

[bamx2]

I am have similar situation as RossMAN.

I agree that the Nexus 4 is the best choice for a new phone .

My budget is limited and as my current phone needs to be replaced sooner and cannot wait the 6 weeks for the Nexus 4.

What are some good choices for used GSM Android 4.x 4G ATT network phones that cost under $200 ?

(I would like to avoid flashing custom ROMs to get 4.x if possible)

 

[Chocu1a]

You can probably find a used Galaxy S2 for that price. Maybe a Motorola Atrix2

 

[Plester]

Get a used Galaxy Nexus. Still a very fast and capable phone that can run the latest version of android. Also if you like to play with 3rd party roms, it has a massive amount of development happening. Mine works great on StraightTalk. Personally I will only buy Nexus phones as its all about the software...

 

[sjwaste]

Get the Nexus 4. It doesn't suck. Not at all. I'd love to see someone point out a better product at $349, unlocked. Shit, I'm seeing unlocked i777's (AT&T's SGS2) go for about $300 on Ebay. I am about to sell mine.

The only part that sucks is waiting, you're not getting one for a long time from Google.

 

[ponyo]

Get a used Galaxy Nexus. Still a very fast and capable phone that can run the latest version of android. Also if you like to play with 3rd party roms, it has a massive amount of development happening. Mine works great on StraightTalk. Personally I will only buy Nexus phones as its all about the software...

I was going to recommend the Galaxy Nexus til I saw used prices on EBay. $275-300 is about what I saw for i9250 and at that price I would recommend paying the extra for Nexus 4.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Maybe you can't reveal this in public, but what happens to all your rejects Wiz? RMA or do they go to non-OC system builders? Just curious.

I wonder if as Intel's CuMine voltage curve increases with faster P!!!s, the bin sorting becomes less rigorous, particularly since they're desperately trying to fill P!!! demand. If 850+ cores stable at 1.7v now qualify as within spec, then that takes a big chunk out of the cores that could have been C2s at 800+ at 1.65-1.7v. I'm still not clear on whether the Copperons are made in seperate batches from P!!! cores or not.

NONONO! don't get a used sg2 its too old.

Edit:wtf? Was supposed to be a reply to the sg2 post.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

If you can get a 8gb nexus 4 for 300, I cant see the galaxy nexus being sold for that much. I have one, and though i would like to upgrade to a nexus 4, i dont feel that compelled to, since my phone is still very fast, and will be running the newest software as long as its around.

As long as your OK with used, then i think thats the way to go. Also If you are interested, I have a ATT branded SGS2 that i was planning on giving to my mom, but if you are interested, I would sell that give her my gnex and get myself a nexus 4.

The SGS2 is a very nice phone, but to me, for whatever reason the galaxy nexus just seemed much smoother, even though the gs2 is a more powerful phone.

EDIT: The gs2 is in mint condition - I had a problem with my first one, so they replaced it with this one - which im assuming is either new or refurb. Hasnt been used since getting it besides just testing a few roms.

 

[dguy6789]

The N4 is solid and probably the best off contract phone when it comes to what you get vs what you pay but I think it's quite the stretch to say it's the best Android phone period.(The battery life is terrible, storage is terrible, no LTE support, average camera, the processor doesn't get to actually perform the way it should due to so much throttling) It would be pretty easy to argue that the Galaxy S3, Note 2, Droid Razr Maxx HD, and Droid DNA are superior Android devices if cost is not a factor. There's just too many compromises that have to be made to get the benefit of being on the latest version of Android a month~ before phones with better specs do.

 

[Red Storm]

The N4 is solid and probably the best off contract phone when it comes to what you get vs what you pay but I think it's quite the stretch to say it's the best Android phone period.(The battery life is terrible, storage is terrible, no LTE support, average camera, the processor doesn't get to actually perform the way it should due to so much throttling) It would be pretty easy to argue that the Galaxy S3, Note 2, Droid Razr Maxx HD, and Droid DNA are superior Android devices if cost is not a factor. There's just too many compromises that have to be made to get the benefit of being on the latest version of Android a month~ before phones with better specs do.

I'd buy the Nexus over any of those phones even if they were all the same price.

 

[sjwaste]

The N4 is solid and probably the best off contract phone when it comes to what you get vs what you pay but I think it's quite the stretch to say it's the best Android phone period.(The battery life is terrible, storage is terrible, no LTE support, average camera, the processor doesn't get to actually perform the way it should due to so much throttling) It would be pretty easy to argue that the Galaxy S3, Note 2, Droid Razr Maxx HD, and Droid DNA are superior Android devices if cost is not a factor. There's just too many compromises that have to be made to get the benefit of being on the latest version of Android a month~ before phones with better specs do.

But cost IS a factor - it's in the thread title. So is the requirement that it be usable on Straight Talk. The latter makes LTE irrelevant and rules out the Razr Maxx and DNA as Verizon-only. I'd absolutely take the Nexus 4 over the GS3 and Note 2 just for the software support. The storage is lacking, but even with a 32GB SD in my SGS2, the only time I really went over the built in 16 gigs is when I had too many old nandroid backups. I'm personally not shooting a ton of pics or 1080p video that I need to leave on the phone, since I immediately upload everything to dropbox.

 

[Capt Caveman]

fwiw - I'm in the process of porting my phone number over to ST to use with the Nexus 4. So far, my experience with ST customer service has been terrible, as was my ordering/shipping experience with Google for the Nexus 4.

 

[Red Storm]

fwiw - I'm in the process of porting my phone number over to ST to use with the Nexus 4. So far, my experience with ST customer service has been terrible, as was my ordering/shipping experience with Google for the Nexus 4.

Just curious, but why port to ST? I was thinking of doing the same, then I realized I can just forward whatever number ST gives me to Google Voice, and just use my GV number. No hassle, and no worry of losing my number.

 

[ponyo]

But cost IS a factor - it's in the thread title. So is the requirement that it be usable on Straight Talk. The latter makes LTE irrelevant and rules out the Razr Maxx and DNA as Verizon-only. I'd absolutely take the Nexus 4 over the GS3 and Note 2 just for the software support. The storage is lacking, but even with a 32GB SD in my SGS2, the only time I really went over the built in 16 gigs is when I had too many old nandroid backups. I'm personally not shooting a ton of pics or 1080p video that I need to leave on the phone, since I immediately upload everything to dropbox.

I would take Note 2 over Nexus 4 if at the same price. Software support is important but Note 2 is unique phone without equal.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Just curious, but why port to ST? I was thinking of doing the same, then I realized I can just forward whatever number ST gives me to Google Voice, and just use my GV number. No hassle, and no worry of losing my number.

I posted in one of the other N4 threads about my unique situation. Basically, I'm porting over my current GV # to ST and then porting my current cell phone # to ST. I use both numbers for different purposes and want to easily be able to use both of them.

ST is telling me that the GV # is considered a landline # and thus takes more time to port. I can make calls/texts from my N4 but can't receive or use data til tomorrow morning supposedly.

 

[openwheel]

It took 30 seconds to port cellphone number from verizon to straightalk for me.
I've been throttled twice in 3 months, and it took less than 2 minutes to un-throttle.
So far ST has been perfect for me. I don't want to deal with CS overseas so I keep the conversation to a minimum and it was smooth. I keep my GV# in GV. While I wait for a Nexus 4, I have an used Infuse running 4.2

If you are porting landlines/GV than expect some delays.

 

[lothar]

fwiw - I'm in the process of porting my phone number over to ST to use with the Nexus 4. So far, my experience with ST customer service has been terrible, as was my ordering/shipping experience with Google for the Nexus 4.

I posted in one of the other N4 threads about my unique situation. Basically, I'm porting over my current GV # to ST and then porting my current cell phone # to ST. I use both numbers for different purposes and want to easily be able to use both of them.

ST is telling me that the GV # is considered a landline # and thus takes more time to port. I can make calls/texts from my N4 but can't receive or use data til tomorrow morning supposedly.

Now you see why many of us forget about porting our numbers to Straight Talk and just let them issue you whatever random number of their choosing that they want to and forget about their number.

IMO, the best option for you was to transfer both numbers to Google Voice and designate one as primary with the other as secondary.
I hope everything goes well for you.

 

[s44]

If you could get the S2 or GNex for $200, that would be your best option.

Waiting six weeks for a $400 (tax+shipping) Nexus 4 is still probably the best choice otherwise, but I'd look for secondhand S3 deals until then.

 

[Red Storm]

If you could get the S2 or GNex for $200, that would be your best option.

Waiting six weeks for a $400 (tax+shipping) Nexus 4 is still probably the best choice otherwise, but I'd look for secondhand S3 deals until then.

If you're in the US just get one from T-Mobile. It totaled to $409 for me, that includes the ETF for the new contract I had to sign up for (and promptly cancel).