Good smartphone with 6.7 or 6.8 screen under $350, $400 max?

[Perseus Legend]

Hi there,

I've been using my Note 8 for a few years now, but I feel I need a bigger screen.
I don't want to spend too much money, I don't use the phone to take pictures, I have my professional camera for that, nor for gaming as I use my Switch.

So, I'm looking for a good phone, with bigger screen.
I'm considering the Moto G for $299
shorturl.at/eflGK

or the Galaxy A71 for $149
shorturl.at/eIPRZ

though I'm confused because there's also this Galaxy A71 for $469
shorturl.at/bizIK

If the difference between the two Galaxy is only the unlocked feature, than I should be ok with the $149 as I'm on T-Mobile.

Anyway, are those two phones good? Is there a clear winner between the two? Is there a better option?

Thanks for any help!

Edit: It seems I can't add more replies to the thread, so I'll edit my question.
@smvim
Actually, I replaced my first Note 8 after 2 years.
The battery died, but I had a warranty that would allow me to get a renewed phone (same model), and so I did.
I'm not particularly tied to Samsung, I actually don't find their phones too attractive, maybe the latest S22 ultra (I prefer straight corners vs rounded).

Also, I don't plan to do much with the phone, other than checking/replying emails, taking notes, and playing chess now and then. For the rest I rely on my professional camera, and for other games on my Nintendo.

Now, I'd like to add a couple of other options to the basket:
OnePlus 9 Pro
https://www.amazon.com/OnePlus-Unlo...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU7107485

Pixel 6 Pro
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HYR2NC...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU7107485

I can stretch the budget, so are any of those any better?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Another difference is the condition of the phone. They're both Open Box, but the T-Mobile locked one is "Good", while the unlocked one is "Very Good." That usually means cosmetic blemishes, which are normally not a big deal, but you might find a few more scratches (even on the display) for the one with the lesser condition.

Also, the unlocked one is Fulfilled by Amazon, while it looks like the other one is just handled by the 3rd party seller (OlympicWireless). Not sure if that's any more reliable, but it is a difference.

If you're ok with a 6.5" display (still bigger than the Note8's 6.3" display), then you may want to consider a much newer A53 5G.

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[Perseus Legend]

Thanks @B. Diddy
That helps
As for the Moto G I realized I posted the wrong link, here's the correct one, which costs $399:
shorturl.at/nqVW2
Is the Moto G any good compared to the Samsung A71?

 

[B. Diddy]

I made you the owner of the original guest post to make it easier for you to find.

Motorola makes decent phones, but their main failing is lack of timely software updates. Samsung is much better from that standpoint (although since the A71 is a 2 year old phone, it's down to biannual updates now: https://security.samsungmobile.com/workScope.smsb). Still, that's likely to be better than Motorola.

Also, since you're probably somewhat involved in Samsung's ecosystem, it may be easier to upgrade to another Samsung phone.

 

[smvim]

I agree with B. Diddy Your Note 8 goes back to 2017 so apparently you do like to hang on to your phones for quite a while. If future-proofing your next phone purchase is a primary consideration. a Moto phone isn't going to be good choice. You'll be getting a good quality, well-built phone but Motorola's update and upgrade polity is clearly not a plus point.
Also, stop fixating on finding a cheap price. Look at buying your next phone as an investment, not an expense. The Note series was part of Samsung's flagship models so don't be remorseful spending a little more to get an equivalent, long-lasting phone. And when you buy a pre-owned phone, don't forget that you're buying a phone that's already dated and it's available because someone dumped it off for an unknown reason.

 

[Perseus Legend]

Now I can add the reply.
@smvim
Actually, I replaced my first Note 8 after 2 years.
The battery died, but I had a warranty that would allow me to get a renewed phone (same model), and so I did.
I'm not particularly tied to Samsung, I actually don't find their phones too attractive, maybe the latest S22 ultra (I prefer straight corners vs rounded).

Also, I don't plan to do much with the phone, other than checking/replying emails, taking notes, and playing chess now and then. For the rest I rely on my professional camera, and for other games on my Nintendo.

Now, I'd like to add a couple of other options to the basket:
OnePlus 9 Pro $571.60
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HYR2NC...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU7108228

Pixel 6 Pro $640.00
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HYR2NC...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU7108228

I can stretch the budget, so are any of those any better?

 

[mustang7757]

Now I can add the reply.
@smvim
Actually, I replaced my first Note 8 after 2 years.
The battery died, but I had a warranty that would allow me to get a renewed phone (same model), and so I did.
I'm not particularly tied to Samsung, I actually don't find their phones too attractive, maybe the latest S22 ultra (I prefer straight corners vs rounded).

Also, I don't plan to do much with the phone, other than checking/replying emails, taking notes, and playing chess now and then. For the rest I rely on my professional camera, and for other games on my Nintendo.

Now, I'd like to add a couple of other options to the basket:
OnePlus 9 Pro
https://www.amazon.com/OnePlus-Unloc...cUvbUpU7107485?tag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU7108235

Pixel 6 Pro
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HYR2NC8...cUvbUpU7107485?tag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU7108235

I can stretch the budget, so are any of those any better?

Your links not working

 

[Laura Knotek]

Your links not working

Yeah, I get Waffles and Mollie, the dogs of Amazon.

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah, I get Waffles and Mollie, the dogs of Amazon.

Same lol

 

[Perseus Legend]

The links were working when I posted them, not sure what happened.
I edited the post to update the links, but maybe the URL is changing due to the Amazon Prime deals.

 

[mustang7757]

The links were working when I posted them, not sure what happened.
I edited the post to update the links, but maybe the URL is changing due to the Amazon Prime deals.

Thanks , working now

 

[smvim]

You initially referred to using your phone to take notes, were you using your Note's Stylus a lot? That's a handy feature that a lot of phones don't include, although there are a lot of third-party styluses available, and a lot of cases that include slots to keep a stylus. But those S-Pen styluses are uniquely convenient.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Inhaber the Pixel 6 Pro and it is a lovely phone. The screen is nice and big and it is fast enough.oto is a nice phone but again no upgrade or updates regularly. The OnePlus is also a good choice.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Perseus Legend]

Thanks again for the suggestions.

I did use the stylus, but not as mush as I thought I would.

I'm sure those Amazon links are gone by now as the promotion is over.

That said, today I realized something, and this proves how little I know about phones, though my lack of knowledge doesn't bother me as I'm not exactly an enthusiast.

So, I was comparing the specs between my old Note 8, the iPhone 14 max (which is what my wife is getting), the Samsung S22 Ultra, and the Pixel 7 Pro (yes, I'm OK on stretching the budget even further if it's worth it). Surprise, surprise, the screen difference it's almost negligible. What I mean by this is that I always thought a 6.7" screen would mean an actual 6.7" phone (actually, a little more considering the bezels, and the rest). It turns out, it has nothing to do with the actual phone's dimensions, which still kind of puzzles me. I sort of think of it as a smart selling point to trick less savvy customers like myself into thinking they're buying a bigger phone, which is far from the truth.

So, the Pixel 7 Pro is 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9 mm (6.41 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) vs my current Note 8 which is 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.34 in).
That's a laughable 0.9 mm difference. The other phones I was considering aren't that bigger either.

I just hoped for a bigger phone to help reduce the strain of my eyes.

---

With all that said, I did some more research and I didn't actually find a real bigger phone (the ones I've found all seem to be mediocre phones).

Long story short, I'll swing by a T-Mobile store to check how the Pixel 7 Pro feels. The first reviews I'm reading are positive, except for an issue with the brightness of the screen that apparently drains the battery, so something to double-check there.

The updates on the Google phones are good, 5 years span of android cycles, which would fit my pace for a new phone purchase.
The UI seems really smooth, with some interesting features related to the AI combined with the new Tensor chipset.

 

[smvim]

https://www.androidpolice.com/new-budget-phone-vs-old-flagship/
Bigger, brighter screens require more power so just be sure to get a phone that has a relatively sizable battery -- at least 5000mAh or more. The gsmarena site has a handy 'Phone Finder' page that might help you find an appropriate phone to buy. Go here and fill in any of options that are relevant to your needs. i.e. since a camera isn't a priority don't make any changes to those items but focus on the ones that are:
https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php...lected&nBatCapacityMin=5000&sAvailabilities=1
And of course, always take into consideration whatever phone you buy is compatible with your chosen carrier.