What phone should I get and from Where?

[LettoLetto]

Hi, I'm looking for a phone to replace my 1st Smartphone, a LG G3 that I got new for $0 on a 2 year term through my carrier (Virgin Mobile) back in late May 2016 but has been problematic & unusable at times for the past few months (intermittent screen flickering & fading/glitching/failing to display, random restarts & intermittent problems connecting to WiFi/WiFi not turning on), it's just a matter of choosing a phone to upgrade to. I'm looking at Spending up to $150 Canadian (CAD) preferably, Maximum of $200 Canadian (CAD), for the upper part of the budget I've been considering a Refurbished Samsung S6 Active off eBay or amazon (as low as US $84.99 (Approximately C $113.30)+US $11.95 (approx. C $15.93) shipping+US $15.69 (amount confirmed at checkout) for import charges off eBay up to $192.09 CAD (roughly $143.64 US) off amazon) or if I were to get something used from my local classifieds, maybe a 2nd hand (not refurbished) S7, maybe even a S7 Edge if i'm lucky for around $190 (roughly $142.08 USD). Whatever phone I get would be mainly be used for watching videos (Youtube, Twitch, Amazon Prime, Websites in Google Chrome), browsing the web (Google Chrome, on WiFi), Listening to music (Youtube,maybe Spotify sometimes, using wired headphones, so a headphone jack would be required), playing games (PUBG Mobile is/may be the most demanding game), taking pictures & videos & making calls when needed.

I emailed some local business that repair & sell phones today to get a ballpark quote to repair the LG G3 or if it's not worth fixing, a replacement android phone recommendation for my budget ($150, $200 max) with the best CPU, GPU & most RAM for mobile gaming for the price, I got a reply from 2 places so far with many more I'm waiting to hear back from:
[link to a company's site removed]
"If your WiFi is grayed out or never connects it could be related to the WiFi chip. If that is the case we would not be able to fix your phone. Also the screen would be $149 + HST at least to fix. Most phones that run high end games will run around $500-700 for the phone. I don't know of any gaming phones that run $200."

[link to another company's site removed]
"I’d have to have a look at what’s causing the issue, because Lg G3 is such an old phone might better off replacing it.
For gaming I’m not to sure but budget wise I can list off phones that are around that price range with good CPU & are fairly up to date on specs.
Lg G4 - $230
Samsung S5 - $250
Samsung S6 - $275
Samsung S7 - $310
iPhones are also a good option for gaming. As they do run faster than most android phones.
I know your budget is 200$ max however you won’t find a good device with latest software that won’t crash a lot for under 200$
Our devices are all 9/10 - 10/10 condition and all come with accessories."

 

[LettoLetto]

Bump. leaning towards the S7 again, as there's some used S7 & S7 Edge options local for $175-190 in good/excellent cosmetic condition or with some scratches/a crack or I could get a unlocked open box in 9/10 condition with warranty off eBay for $200 (+$26 for taxes) with free shipping, however is listed as not working on the network of the carrier I'm planning on switching to (Freedom Mobile), I sent the seller a message to ask why & they replied back with "It is a different frequency " So I'm not sure if it's just that S7 or all S7 & maybe the S7 Edge that won't work on the Freedom Mobile network because of that? I was also recommended the Moto Z because Moto Mods & better battery life

As for getting a quote & recommendation from a local business to repair or replace my LG G3, I got a reply from another place:
"We will have to physical diagnose the phone before we give you a quote on the device. With the issues that you described, it seems that the phone has a Motherboard Issue. In this case, I would suggest you to replace the phone than to fix it up as it will cost you more than the value of your device.
For Android device, we have lots of selection in the range of $185 - $ 250. We have a LG G5 which is at $229 + tax which is a really good deal. It is good in terms of CPU/GPU for mobile gaming and also it has dual rear camera for better quality pictures. If you would like to check our collections, please come by to our store and a technician in store will help you."

Edit: Just Twitter DMed Freedom Mobile support to find out what frequency(s) I should look for in a phone to make sure it works on the Freedom Network? The reply I got back was "Hey there, you would want the device to be compatible with Bands 4,7,13,66.", I'm not sure how mobile networks work, but from what I can tell looking up the S7 online it supports Band 4(1700/2100), 7(2600) & 13(700) for 4G LTE bands so 3/4 bands mentioned, do it need to be compatible with all 4 bands for it to work or as long as it's compatible with at least 1 of the bands it'll be OK?

 

[LettoLetto]

Bump, Looking at options I think I would need something from 2017 or newer to get Band 66, Here's some phones I found in budget:
Alcatel Idol 5s, Cheapest I found on eBay is Brand New & Sealed for C $180.68
LG Stylo 4, Cheapest I found on eBay is a Open Box for C $220.01, Best Buy Marketplace got it Brand New for $194.85 ($220.18 after Tax, $0.17 more than the one on eBay)
Motorola Moto G5 Plus, Open Box for C $201.49, that's the 2GB RAM model, I ended up finding a 4GB RAM model for about $3 extra after
Motorola Moto G6, Open Box for C $223.03
Open Box Pixel 2 XL w/ screen burn for C $287.41 or make a offer, I might be able to make a offer on it to get it for $225 if I'm lucky, I'm not sure how bad it would be to use a screen burned device though
New HTC U11 Life for C $200.49
New HTC Desire 12 for C $224.57

Here's options from the carrier I plan on going with if I get a phone on a 2 year term & pay extra on the plan for it, if I get it from the carrier then it should work on their network.
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Motorola E5 Play
LG Q Stylo +
Samsung Galaxy A8
LG X Power 3

 

[mustang7757]

Bump, Looking at options I think I would need something from 2017 or newer to get Band 66, Here's some phones I found in budget:
Alcatel Idol 5s, Cheapest I found on eBay is Brand New & Sealed for C $180.68
LG Stylo 4, Cheapest I found on eBay is a Open Box for C $220.01, Best Buy Marketplace got it Brand New for $194.85 ($220.18 after Tax, $0.17 more than the one on eBay)
Motorola Moto G5 Plus, Open Box for C $201.49, that's the 2GB RAM model, I ended up finding a 4GB RAM model for about $3 extra after
Motorola Moto G6, Open Box for C $223.03
Open Box Pixel 2 XL w/ screen burn for C $287.41 or make a offer, I might be able to make a offer on it to get it for $225 if I'm lucky, I'm not sure how bad it would be to use a screen burned device though
New HTC U11 Life for C $200.49
New HTC Desire 12 for C $224.57

Here's options from the carrier I plan on going with if I get a phone on a 2 year term & pay extra on the plan for it, if I get it from the carrier then it should work on their network.
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Motorola E5 Play
LG Q Stylo +
Samsung Galaxy A8
LG X Power 3

What's your Budget between 150- 250 ?

 

[LettoLetto]

Correct, I would prefer up to $150 Canadian but can go up to $250 Canadian maximum.

 

[Javier P]

Bump, Looking at options I think I would need something from 2017 or newer to get Band 66, Here's some phones I found in budget:
Alcatel Idol 5s, Cheapest I found on eBay is Brand New & Sealed for C $180.68
LG Stylo 4, Cheapest I found on eBay is a Open Box for C $220.01, Best Buy Marketplace got it Brand New for $194.85 ($220.18 after Tax, $0.17 more than the one on eBay)
Motorola Moto G5 Plus, Open Box for C $201.49, that's the 2GB RAM model, I ended up finding a 4GB RAM model for about $3 extra after
Motorola Moto G6, Open Box for C $223.03
Open Box Pixel 2 XL w/ screen burn for C $287.41 or make a offer, I might be able to make a offer on it to get it for $225 if I'm lucky, I'm not sure how bad it would be to use a screen burned device though
New HTC U11 Life for C $200.49
New HTC Desire 12 for C $224.57

Here's options from the carrier I plan on going with if I get a phone on a 2 year term & pay extra on the plan for it, if I get it from the carrier then it should work on their network.
Motorola Moto G6 Play
Motorola E5 Play
LG Q Stylo +
Samsung Galaxy A8
LG X Power 3

From that list I would go for the Moto G6. I think it will check most of your boxes, including Pie update.

 

[mustang7757]

I agree

From that list I would go for the Moto G6. I think it will check most of your boxes, including Pie update.

 

[LettoLetto]

From that list I would go for the Moto G6. I think it will check most of your boxes, including Pie update.

How about the Moto G5 Plus? It don't have & likely won't get Pie but it got Oreo, looking at specs the CPU would likely be slightly better (Snapdragon 625, 8 cores @ 2GHz vs Snapdragon 450, 8 cores @ 1.8GHz), same GPU (Adreno 506) & depending on the specific model 1GB more RAM, G6 with 32GB storage (XT1925-2 or XT1925-6) got 3GB RAM, while the G5 Plus would have 1GB more RAM (Depending on model, XT1681 would have 2GB RAM while the XT1687 would have 4GB). I don't know much about mobile hardware though, I'm more of a PC guy & besides the Hardware, I'm not sure about the other changes.

 

[Javier P]

How about the Moto G5 Plus? It don't have & likely won't get Pie but it got Oreo, looking at specs the CPU would likely be slightly better (Snapdragon 625, 8 cores @ 2GHz vs Snapdragon 450, 8 cores @ 1.8GHz), same GPU (Adreno 506) & depending on the specific model 1GB more RAM, G6 with 32GB storage (XT1925-2 or XT1925-6) got 3GB RAM, while the G5 Plus would have 1GB more RAM (Depending on model, XT1681 would have 2GB RAM while the XT1687 would have 4GB). I don't know much about mobile hardware though, I'm more of a PC guy & besides the Hardware, I'm not sure about the other changes.

My wife is still using her Moto G5 plus and it's a great phone. I don't see it getting the Pie update in the next future but it's not that bad regarding security patches, February right now. You said that you like watching videos and playing games so a bigger screen (G6) could be good and the camera is a bit better as well. I'm not sure if the G6+ is available in Canada, check that just in case.

By the way, I gave my dear old G5S+ to my son and bought the G7+. A bit more expensive and maybe out of your budget but excellent value for money.

 

[LettoLetto]

Thoughts about LG phones? My sister got a history with bad reliability with LG phones & with the issues I'm having with my G3 after having it for like 2.75 years I could possibly be included in that, but anyway, thoughts about the LG G6? Just thought of it & found one in 9/10 condition with some scratches on the back for $250, offers only considered in person on my local classifieds, I checked eBay for New or Open Box models with LTE Band 66 & found a Unlocked H872 (T-Mobile) model BNIB that would come to C$210.55

 

[belodion]

My own G3, bought July 2014, remains as good as when new. So does my Nexus 5, older still, and made by LG.

 

[LettoLetto]

Hmm, if I give LG a 2nd chance, besides the G6, there's also the V30, I found a used V30 on my local classifieds for $250 in 9.5/10 condition & comes with a case along with being locked to the carrier I plan on going with.

 

[LettoLetto]

Update: Search for a phone is going on hold for a couple of weeks, my sister-in-laws dad is in the hospital up in Ottawa & I ended up lending her $250 to go towards the plane ticket to be with him so I won't have the money to buy a phone until she is able to replay the loan, in the meantime there's a Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime around that my mom had that no one is currently using and was basically kept as a backup so I could use it until I get the money for another phone.

 

[LettoLetto]

So I just came back from a local grocery store with a mobile booth in it, I asked there last week if they do activations for Freedom & how much, they said yes it would be $10+tax for the sim card, no activation fee so $11.30 total, went there tonight & found out/was told the Grand Prime was locked to Virgin so I would have to call Virgin to get it unlocked & even if I get it unlocked that because it's a old phone it might not even work on Freedom, I told my sister in law when I came home & she said age shouldn't matter as long as the phone works it should work, he just said that to try to get me to upgrade because they don't make money unless they sell phones,which he offered me 1 of 2 phones on a plan with Freedom, either a Motorola Moto E5 Play or a Samsung Galaxy A8 for $50/month ($10 more than what I'm paying now, $20 more than the plan I was planning on getting) for the phone with a plan with unlimited minutes, texts & 5GB of data, I told him I'd think about it (though I may just wait until I get paid the $250 I'm owed & get something else?), if I were to accept one of them then perhaps the Samsung Galaxy A8?

 

[mustang7757]

So I just came back from a local grocery store with a mobile booth in it, I asked there last week if they do activations for Freedom & how much, they said yes it would be $10+tax for the sim card, no activation fee so $11.30 total, went there tonight & found out/was told the Grand Prime was locked to Virgin so I would have to call Virgin to get it unlocked & even if I get it unlocked that because it's a old phone it might not even work on Freedom, I told my sister in law when I came home & she said age shouldn't matter as long as the phone works it should work, he just said that to try to get me to upgrade because they don't make money unless they sell phones,which he offered me 1 of 2 phones on a plan with Freedom, either a Motorola Moto E5 Play or a Samsung Galaxy A8 for $50/month ($10 more than what I'm paying now, $20 more than the plan I was planning on getting) for the phone with a plan with unlimited minutes, texts & 5GB of data, I told him I'd think about it (though I may just wait until I get paid the $250 I'm owed & get something else?), if I were to accept one of them then perhaps the Samsung Galaxy A8?

It's your choice, if you like the phone and the price then go for it

 

[chanchan05]

Thoughts about LG phones? My sister got a history with bad reliability with LG phones & with the issues I'm having with my G3 after having it for like 2.75 years I could possibly be included in that, but anyway, thoughts about the LG G6? Just thought of it & found one in 9/10 condition with some scratches on the back for $250, offers only considered in person on my local classifieds, I checked eBay for New or Open Box models with LTE Band 66 & found a Unlocked H872 (T-Mobile) model BNIB that would come to C$210.55

Meh. LG phones are pretty much dead. They've already pulled out of selling phones in several countries and their update cycle is horrible. I mean the G7 started receiving Pie like June 2019, nearly 1 year after it was launched when the other named manufacturers were already prepping for Oreo.

As for phones from your list, I would disagree with the others and say the Galaxy A8 is better than the Motorola options. I'm not even considering LG.
The A8 will still get security updates for maybe until early next year, then after that it would be unsure. It won't be getting Android 10 probably, but it's already on Android 9.
It's better across the board in terms of the spec sheet. It's Exynos 7885 is 150% more powerful than the Snapdragon 430 used in the Motorola phones, making it viable for a longer period of time. It's also got a 32GB/4GB RAM, compared to the Motorola phones only having 16GB/2GB RAM.