Ruay's Smartphone Recommendations for Thailand and Philippines - 2016

[6853395]

I follow the following Android Blogs closely:

• Android and Me
• Android Central
• Android Community
• Android Police

Based upon my research and experience with Global GSM phones in Thailand and Philippines, these are my recommendations for great smartphones at reasonable prices. 

 

All of these phones are low-cost, unlocked, and Global GSM.

 

Also, they do not come with krapware and are basic stand-alone phones that work well Globally.

 

While I've provided Amazon links below, these are easy to order and have shipped in the USA.  I believe these phones are also easy to obtain in India, Europe, and the United Kingdom as well.  Not sure about prices and how to obtain in these places.  If you're based in the USA, it is recommended that you buy these phones online, and bring them with you while traveling.

 

When buying phones in Thailand, be careful of cheap phones because they may have a lot of pre-installed krapware on them, which use up resources, and are unable to remove or uninstall, short of rooting.

 

Here are my three recommended phones based upon price and what they offer:

 

 

Moto G (2015) - 3rd Generation

 

I started using the Moto G (2013) 1st Generation as I was using the Moto X at home.  This is a great Android phone for the price:

 

 

Amazon Link - http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Moto-3rd-Generation-Unlocked/dp/B00ZQVSKSM/

 

Price - $174

 

• Advanced water resistance
• 13 MP camera which includes a color-balancing dual LED Flash
• 5" HD display; Brilliant display quality and the strength of Corning® Gorilla® Glass
• Quad core processing power in a great value product
• 5MP rear camera with a VGA front facing camera
• Great 24hr battery performance with a 2470mAh battery
• Expandable memory; Slot for an optional mircoSD card with up to 32 GB capacity.
• 4G LTE Speed; Browse, stream music, watch video, and play games at blazing speed.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A little more basic, and less powerful, but if you really want to go on the super-cheap, 

 

Moto E (2015) - 2nd Generation 

 

 

Amazon Link - http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Moto-2nd-Generation-Unlocked/dp/B00TFAVFKU/

 

Price: $94

 

• 4.5" qHD display - Sharpest Display in its class, Water-repellant coating and Corning Gorilla Glass for enhance durability
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and advanced graphics
• All-Day battery performance with a 2390mAh battery
• Android Lollipop 5.0 operating system with one guaranteed software update, personalize with colored bands
• 5MP rear camera with a VGA front facing camera

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

If you want to spend a little more money for a higher quality phone, which is not too big:

 

I love this phone and I'm currently using in San Francisco.  I bought it through the Google - https://www.google.com/nexus/5x/- and I understand it's unlocked and will work with my Philippines and Thai SIM cards.  If you want to spend a little more, this is an excellent phone to use both at home and abroad.

 

Nexus 5X

 

 

Price:  $349

 

• Unlocked, multi-mode and will work on all US carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, as well as MVNO's (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) and most international carriers
• US version with warranty
• Pure Android Experience: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Fingerprint sensor for enhanced and simplified security - turn on your screen and unlock instantly with just your fingertip
• Dimensions: 147.0 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm
• Display: 5.2", Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Battery: 2700 mAh Battery USB Type-C for fast charging

• Camera: Rear: 12.3 MP2; 1.55 m; f/2.0, Front: 5 MP
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 1.8 GHz hexa-core 64-bit Adreno 418 GPU, US version with warranty

[izzyg]

Thanks for the post. What is Global GSM?

[Soi7]

Xiaomi have out sold Apple and Samsung last year in china selling over 60 million phones I have just ordered this one My lg g3 still fine but this is a lot of phone for 7500 baht have done my homework and many pros few cons

 

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjL5sWtirjKAhWBj44KHUNJC9QQFggbMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phonearena.com%2Fphones%2Fcompare%2FXiaomi-Redmi-Note-3%2CLG-G3%2Fphones%2F9803%2C8347&usg=AFQjCNGG83sT6SZ6jzb57d9yRWXzzTM2Eg&sig2=22rjEZlaYRGoZCtZN6fsng

[nixonsbest]

I bought the moto g 3rdG for my Xmas trip to Jakarta, I needed a retaliative cheap phone that I could afford to loose! And the moto was a Google experience!  Only draw back for me was posting pic via tapatalk for pa.  The ask google and maps is a major plus making your way around Jakarta!  Battery life is 7 hours plus and that is surfing all day on PA, Baddo, DIA and Skout!

For $250 AUD I cant ask for a better phone!...

[6853395]

Thanks for the post. What is Global GSM?

Global - Unlocked; multi-band (800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1.9 Ghz, etc.); works world-wide.

 

GSM - Any GSM SIM card; it's not multi-mode (won't work on a CDMA network)

[6853395]

The Moto X, G, and E series phones have been great, and have contributed to revolutionizing the highly saturated mobile phone market. Prior to 2013, mobile phones averaged $400 to $600 in cost, and hence, US carriers would sell the subsidized phone for $100 to $200, but would require a two-year contract, with stiff penalties for early cancellation. Essentially, you were paying for the phone through your monthly service plan.

 

In Thailand and Philippines, since it's a pre-paid, or pay-as-you-go, system, the phones are not subsidized. Hence, oftentimes sold independent of the carrier with costs of 20,000 to 26,000 THB per handset (or 22,000 to 28,000 PHP) for a new phone.

 

Around 2013 or prior, Google acquired Motorola and designed and developed the 1st Gen 2013 Moto X. Later, came out with the Moto G 2013, first Gen, for well under $200 and was deemed the first high-quality Android phone under $200. Later, the Moto E came out, less powerful than the X and G, but at an even lower cost for the simple user.

 

Google sold off the mobile phone unit of Motorola in 2014 or so to Lenovo. Lenovo has continued to develop the Moto X, G, and E phones.

[forcebwithu]

Xiaomi have out sold Apple and Samsung last year in china selling over 60 million phones I have just ordered this one My lg g3 still fine but this is a lot of phone for 7500 baht have done my homework and many pros few cons

 

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjL5sWtirjKAhWBj44KHUNJC9QQFggbMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phonearena.com%2Fphones%2Fcompare%2FXiaomi-Redmi-Note-3%2CLG-G3%2Fphones%2F9803%2C8347&usg=AFQjCNGG83sT6SZ6jzb57d9yRWXzzTM2Eg&sig2=22rjEZlaYRGoZCtZN6fsng

 

It's about time I upgrade from my S2. I like what I've read about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. Where did you order your phone from?

[Soi7]

It's about time I upgrade from my S2. I like what I've read about the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. Where did you order your phone from?

Gearbest to be shipped to a friend in the states and he is bringing it over for me

 

Sent from my LG g3

[6853395]

to be shipped to a friend in the states and he is bringing it over for me

On another note, or tip:

 

Anytime someone is bringing something to you from the US in their luggage, whether it's clothing, goods, a phone, etc., always remind it from the box, remove all packaging, tags, etc.

 

In the rare chance it goes through customs at the airport, it'll appear to be your own.

[forcebwithu]

Gearbest to be shipped to a friend in the states and he is bringing it over for me

 

Sent from my LG g3

 

If I may ask, why didn't you source locally?

[Soi7]

Cannot get it locally unavailable they have not started distributing it here not sure if they will or not

 

Sent from my LG g3

[6853395]

My best recommendation is that if you have a friend in the US, have them order the Moto G/E, or other comparable phone, on Amazon, or Google for the Nexus 5X, have them un-wrap it, remove all the packaging, labels, etc., and have them bring it to Thailand in their ordinary luggage or carry-on.

 

They can flatten the box, papers, etc. in case there's a problem with it for return/exchange, but these phones rarely have problems in that regard.

[taylor1975]

I have the Moto G 1st generation and it is a good budget smartphone.

 

But it was a 4inch screen and only 8Gb memory.

 

I like the Xiaomi phones but getting them to the UK from china comes with unknown tax issues.

I will probably get the Vodafone smart ultra 6 (vodafone is a uk network but the phone can be unlocked for £3GBP, which is about 5 USD)

Its specs are http://www.gsmarena.com/vodafone_smart_ultra_6-7313.php

 

£115 GBP or 163 USD 

[cockandballs]

Xiaomi have out sold Apple and Samsung last year in china selling over 60 million phones I have just ordered this one My lg g3 still fine but this is a lot of phone for 7500 baht have done my homework and many pros few cons

 

https://www.google.co.th/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjL5sWtirjKAhWBj44KHUNJC9QQFggbMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phonearena.com%2Fphones%2Fcompare%2FXiaomi-Redmi-Note-3%2CLG-G3%2Fphones%2F9803%2C8347&usg=AFQjCNGG83sT6SZ6jzb57d9yRWXzzTM2Eg&sig2=22rjEZlaYRGoZCtZN6fsng

Full of Chinese bloat ware. Your best installing a custom rom

 

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

[6853395]

Moto G 1st Gen is more than two years old. The 3rd Gen comes with a 16 Gb option for those who need more storage.

 

Incidentally, with the growth of cloud computing, more manufacturers are ditching the micro-SD slot for additional memory, and handset storage is not as crucial as it once was.

[6853395]

Full of Chinese bloat ware. Your best installing a custom rom

Bloatware and krapware are two key considerations when choosing a smartphone. Oftentimes it's the reason the price appears to be a good deal.

 

The Nexus 5X and 6P are awesome for this reason. Even Google isn't pre-installing Books, Games, Music, etc. on Android devices moving forward, and on Nexus devices, allows the user to remove them. In addition, disabling devices is permissible as well.

[Captain Courageous]

 

I follow the following Android Blogs closely:

• Android and Me
• Android Central
• Android Community
• Android Police

Based upon my research and experience with Global GSM phones in Thailand and Philippines, these are my recommendations for great smartphones at reasonable prices. 

 

All of these phones are low-cost, unlocked, and Global GSM.

 

Also, they do not come with krapware and are basic stand-alone phones that work well Globally.

 

While I've provided Amazon links below, these are easy to order and have shipped in the USA.  I believe these phones are also easy to obtain in India, Europe, and the United Kingdom as well.  Not sure about prices and how to obtain in these places.  If you're based in the USA, it is recommended that you buy these phones online, and bring them with you while traveling.

 

When buying phones in Thailand, be careful of cheap phones because they may have a lot of pre-installed krapware on them, which use up resources, and are unable to remove or uninstall, short of rooting.

 

Here are my three recommended phones based upon price and what they offer:

 

 

Moto G (2015) - 3rd Generation

 

I started using the Moto G (2013) 1st Generation as I was using the Moto X at home.  This is a great Android phone for the price:

 

 

Amazon Link - http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Moto-3rd-Generation-Unlocked/dp/B00ZQVSKSM/

 

Price - $174

 

• Advanced water resistance
• 13 MP camera which includes a color-balancing dual LED Flash
• 5" HD display; Brilliant display quality and the strength of Corning® Gorilla® Glass
• Quad core processing power in a great value product
• 5MP rear camera with a VGA front facing camera
• Great 24hr battery performance with a 2470mAh battery
• Expandable memory; Slot for an optional mircoSD card with up to 32 GB capacity.
• 4G LTE Speed; Browse, stream music, watch video, and play games at blazing speed.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A little more basic, and less powerful, but if you really want to go on the super-cheap, 

 

Moto E (2015) - 2nd Generation 

 

 

Amazon Link - http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Moto-2nd-Generation-Unlocked/dp/B00TFAVFKU/

 

Price: $94

 

• 4.5" qHD display - Sharpest Display in its class, Water-repellant coating and Corning Gorilla Glass for enhance durability
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with a 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and advanced graphics
• All-Day battery performance with a 2390mAh battery
• Android Lollipop 5.0 operating system with one guaranteed software update, personalize with colored bands
• 5MP rear camera with a VGA front facing camera

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

If you want to spend a little more money for a higher quality phone, which is not too big:

 

I love this phone and I'm currently using in San Francisco.  I bought it through the Google - https://www.google.com/nexus/5x/- and I understand it's unlocked and will work with my Philippines and Thai SIM cards.  If you want to spend a little more, this is an excellent phone to use both at home and abroad.

 

Nexus 5X

 

 

Price:  $349

 

• Unlocked, multi-mode and will work on all US carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, as well as MVNO's (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) and most international carriers
• US version with warranty
• Pure Android Experience: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Fingerprint sensor for enhanced and simplified security - turn on your screen and unlock instantly with just your fingertip
• Dimensions: 147.0 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm
• Display: 5.2", Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• Battery: 2700 mAh Battery USB Type-C for fast charging

• Camera: Rear: 12.3 MP2; 1.55 m; f/2.0, Front: 5 MP
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 1.8 GHz hexa-core 64-bit Adreno 418 GPU, US version with warranty

 

 

Thanks for the advice, I plan to have a seperate phone for my mongering so this has come at the right time for me.

[6853395]

Thanks for the advice, I plan to have a seperate phone for my mongering so this has come at the right time for me.

Are the ladies still using dual-SIM card phones?

 

Two phone numbers in the same handset? One for friends and family, the other for customers?

[Trvlr]

I wouldn't go for any of these phones because they are not dual SIM capable.

Most mid level phones sold in Thailand take two sims which I find very useful.

[boxershrimp]

Moto G 1st Gen is more than two years old. The 3rd Gen comes with a 16 Gb option for those who need more storage.

I lost my last Moto G (2nd gen.) in Pattaya. Quite possibly a LB nicked it on my way home, I wouldn't know. (Yeah, it was that kind of night.)

Excellent value for money, that one. Fast and responsive, felt great in the hand, unbloated Android, took great pictures. Far better than several phones I've had that cost twice as much to buy.

 

Currently still using my terrible terrible replacement that I got at Big C, a cheapass i-Mobile of some kind. The second I see a 3rd gen 16G with a reasonable price tag here, I'm so getting that one.

[taylor1975]

 

I got my vodafone smart ultra 6 (uk). Got it network unlocked for £2.

Showed it to a mate who felt the need to do a direct comparison with the iphone 6 with the 5.5 inch screen. He was quite amazed at the specs and quality.

 

The phone can be purchased for £115 gbp ....but it cost me an extra 60p on my monthly tariff lol.

 

Its got the same resolution as the iphone and same pixel density....

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Harvey707]

Somehow inbetween Muscat and get in swampy I cracked my Doogee smartphone which was a lovely bit of kit for £52 back home.

Had to resort to my spare chinese phone for now which must be double the weight