How much do you pay for your phones?

[mrsmumbles]

I wouldn't have bought my Pixel 5 if I had known about the Nokia XR20. Coming from a Nokia Icon 929, that Zeiss camera would have sealed the deal for me. I've was really impressed with our 5-6 year old Nokia's Icon's and how well they held up.

I usually spend around 500 on a phone. I bought my Pixel 5, brand new in the box, for $500 shipped from someone on Mercari. Which is what I thought the phone was worth in the first place. I wouldn't have paid Googles MSRP for it. My wife's Pixel 5a5G came straight from Google. IMHO that phone is a deal at the retail price.

Oops, I mis-spoke 3 OS updates instead of 3 years worth of updates. The security updates are 4 years worth. What sealed the deal for me is that Nokia still incorporates an optional micro SD slot. I still love that option. The Pixels still look good to me but they tend to be more expensive than I want to pay, except for the 4a 5G. The size of the xr20 would have put me off a few years ago but I don't mind it now. I barely use the camera, so I'm no judge of that.

This phone is better than my Nokia 6.1 which i loved until Cricket killed it for being 3G, if it actually was.

 

[Jharperr16]

I always use the phones I had prior as trade ins if I can't sell it first, Samsung and Best Buy always have the best pricing as far as trade ins, and I always buy unlocked so that way if I can get a carrier deal for a byod that's decent I can also use that as an option to buy a device outright as well. it's all about knowing when to shop too, Samsung offers primo deals at launch, so does Best Buy. but they also offer amazing deals for events as well.

 

[towngirl]

Hello all. I was wondering recently how much do you guys pay for your devices, and how do you purchase them?

I always finance my devices. I used to finance through my carrier, but now I generally use Samsung directly as it is much more hassle free with better trade-in prices. Regardless of the price, I don't have the kind of money that phones cost these days.

I have been buying them outright. Last time I purchased Open Box because I really wanted this phone and can't justify this price lol ... without open box or with it.

Not paying per month, to a carrier. Ever.

Probably the last time I will pay this price.

Just imagine if we all had to buy phone, outright, how much we would help keep the cost down.

 

[Joshua Luther1]

I spent the most on my 256gb S21 Ultra at $1249 through Verizon for 30 months. I plan on keeping this for a while until I can at least break even on selling it and upgrading to a newer model. Before that, I bought the 128gb iPhone 12 pro for I believe $1099. I was able to sell it 3 months later for the amount I owed on it. I paid it off using tax return money and then sold it on Swappa.

I would definitely say the S21 Ultra is worth it though. I'm glad I spent the extra on the storage. The 256 allows me to be able to comfortably use this device for a long time without having to worry about storage. I do periodically wipe the cache and offload pictures and videos to Google photos. This amount of storage, I feel, is perfect for my needs. I can download several movies and many different podcast episodes and music from Spotify without having to worry about it.

 

[Joshua Luther1]

I once paid $1059(most ever)for a phone 2 weeks ahead of its U.S release. Paid a premium to get it early. A Nokia E90. Bear in mind this was 2007 and I was quite addicted to having the latest and greatest first. Nokia was releasing phones multiple times per year and at that time they were the top phone manufacturer. (before apple blew them apart)
These days Phones don't have the weird innovations they used to, slab after slab with the occasional folding device now, but other than that they all have a similar appearance and all have good cameras. My latest phone was the bargain Pixel 4a, paid $350 for it and it is serving me well. I spend my money on other things now. Phones have lost their excitement. I would never pay the cost of a fold 3 or even a flip.
https://www.engadget.com/2007-02-12...WicWMkJvBX3UASPAmTvbplJqwoDfouE0BggFOvmrKn0Q2

I'm getting that way too. I don't feel all that excited for new phones and new tech anymore these days. I have an older Ticwatch pro that is slow. It would be nice to have the Galaxy watch 4 and Tab S7 to go along with my S21 Ultra, but I don't feel myself needing to have them where I'm talking my wife into letting me buy them. Phones are so similar nowadays and you'll be able to do the same things on any phone you buy, whether it's an iPhone or and Android phone. Before the iPhone 13 pro came out with the 120hz screen, Android phones were edging out Apple with that feature.

 

[the_boon]

I'm getting that way too. I don't feel all that excited for new phones and new tech anymore these days. I have an older Ticwatch pro that is slow. It would be nice to have the Galaxy watch 4 and Tab S7 to go along with my S21 Ultra, but I don't feel myself needing to have them where I'm talking my wife into letting me buy them. Phones are so similar nowadays and you'll be able to do the same things on any phone you buy, whether it's an iPhone or and Android phone. Before the iPhone 13 pro came out with the 120hz screen, Android phones were edging out Apple with that feature.

It's an unfortunate truth of today's mobile phone market.
Unless you got a foldable or some ultra niche Kickstarter phone, then you have just another slate.

 

[vegas33139]

Every year I paid top wack for the latest iPhone. Then someone showed me their Pixel. Now, I never pay more than £400 for a brand new Pixel that is as good as, and even better in some areas than my iPhones ever were. I'm currently rocking the Pixel 5a and have absolutely no intention of ever paying stupid money for a phone ever again. This phone is insane!

 

[Morty2264]

^^^This^^^

Yet that is where a lot of my $$$$ goes.

As someone who weaves in and out of wanting flagship phones, I can definitely sympathize!

 

[blueyestm]

Since I've been only buying Blackberry phones until just recently, it is whatever they choose the price to be and I pay it. Still have a plethora of variations in boxes in my closet. Probably should sell them.

 

[Morty2264]

For me, I just firmly believe in what MKBHD says, "Good phones are getting cheap, and cheap phones are getting good." Fortunately, I'm very performance-inclined and not at all camera-inclined so I'm able to cut corners there. Ended up buying a POCO X3 Pro for about $300, and it suits my requirements perfectly. I'd quite like to stick with budget powerhouses at around this range if possible.

That's an awesome phone you've gotten! And what a great bargain, too!

 

[vegas33139]

Since I discovered the Pixel 5a can do anything my old iPhone 13 can do - I would never pay top dollar for a phone again. £500 is my limit these days. As far as prices of phones goes, sadly, as long as people are willing to pay crazy money, manufacturers will charge crazy prices.

 

[Morty2264]

Since I discovered the Pixel 5a can do anything my old iPhone 13 can do - I would never pay top dollar for a phone again. £500 is my limit these days. As far as prices of phones goes, sadly, as long as people are willing to pay crazy money, manufacturers will charge crazy prices.

I totally agree with you -- upper mid-range phones or phones with some flagship-level specs can get the job done, without breaking the bank!

 

[pseudoware]

I'm also in the $1000 or less camp, although $900 for my P6P is the most I've paid for a phone in quite awhile. I usually pay up front for an unlocked device. Google, Best Buy or AMZ for most of my last several phones. I did buy a $300 phone at T-Mobile last summer as an emergency replacement while on vacation, my first carrier-branded phone since my Lumia 1020.

 

[eshropshire]

I don't really have a price limit, but I would not pay full price. I also don't really get excited about new phones unless they have something that makes them unique. I am a tech guy, but honestly I don't really see a lot different from the latest Samsung high end slab and the latest Pixel or OnePlus etc... They all achieve the same goals just a little differently. I do laugh when I hear someone complain that their latest flagship phone is laggy.

I finally bought a Fold 3. Best Buy had a great deal on a unlocked 512 GB version. Trading in my over 2.5 year old phone the phone cost $874. Nice just to buy a phone. In the past I would buy a Verizon phone and take advantage of the interest fee phone (only if it was a good deal). Now, we only have one family phone we are paying for on Verizon. I like the Fold, interesting device. I am a big sPen fan and love that I can use it with my new phone. Pretty much have not touched my Note Tablet since I bought the Fold.

 

[bembol]

I'm either getting old or upgraded multiple times that I can't even remember what phones I owned. LOL

I generally upgrade through my carriers but lately especially with Samsung giving $200 trade-in credit for POS phones I've been purchasing them outright like my...

Flip3. Note 20 Ultra year. The deal was so amazing I pretty much got my money back when I sold both of them.



My latest, Google Pixel 6 Pro (my girl also got one) we upgraded and basically got it for $923 taxes-in each with two $200 gift cards from Wal-Mart. Google wants $1,332 after taxes.

My 256GB Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max, my carrier saved me $553 for upgrading.


Having said all that, I agree MIDRANGE phone like my Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (also an upgrade with $300 Wal-Mart gift card) was amazing. If I wasn't an addict and tight budget I have no problems.

 

[the_boon]

I also don't really get excited about new phones unless they have something that makes them unique. I am a tech guy, but honestly I don't really see a lot different from the latest Samsung high end slab and the latest Pixel or OnePlus etc... They all achieve the same goals just a little differently.

Exactly. There just isn't much at all to get excited about in today's mobile market.

 

[eshropshire]

Exactly. There just isn't much at all to get excited about in today's mobile market.

Pretty much agree. I bought a Fold 3 a few weeks ago. Best Buy had a great deal and figured I would give it a try. So far really enjoying the change. Love the sPen with a bigger display.

 

[Morty2264]

Pretty much agree. I bought a Fold 3 a few weeks ago. Best Buy had a great deal and figured I would give it a try. So far really enjoying the change. Love the sPen with a bigger display.

I feel like I'd try a Fold device too but I'm unsure of the price. Maybe in a few years' time? Glad you are loving it!

 

[the_boon]

I feel like I'd try a Fold device too but I'm unsure of the price. Maybe in a few years' time? Glad you are loving it!

Samsung Fold 3's are already in the low $1000's on Swappa just half a year since launch

 

[cckgz4]

Very much back in the day, I used to go through carriers and the two year upgrade. Went the prepaid route and bought used on sites like eBay or the marketplace. Went back to carrier for their leasing options. Did a one off prepaid financing through a company that had a HIGH interest rate

But with sites like Affirm, Klarna, all these pay in 4 merchants, that's the only way I'm gonna go going forward. I bought my z flip 3 from Samsung site and got my credit for my iPhone which brought it down to like 400. Got approved for affirm, they don't charge you for two weeks, and the full payment is split in 4 payments every two weeks and I have the option to pay it early. No credit checks, no interests. I'm ONLY doing this. The carrier leasing is a rip off