With the writing on the wall and Android becoming a locked down ecosystem this year, I’m planning to transition to a cheap Android phone.Wondering if anyone knows some good safe options that will have many years of security updates.
I’m looking to spend less than $300 and I just want to text, call, and be able to hot spot with it. I’m planning to take my laptop with me more for work and just use my phone to connect to the internet with my laptop, rather than using as many Android apps. My laptop is Linux so I can have much more control and alot of the cool Android apps have Linux counterparts.
I’ve been thinking about using my phone less and I believe that if I move to using my laptop more, then I will spend less time on the internet which would be great for phone addiction and being more present.
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Secondhand Pixel -> GrapheneOS if you need locked bootloader (e.g. have family/work-sensitive stuff on phone) or just look on the LineageOS device wiki and find a phone model you like. Best reason to use Android is treating your phone like a computer, reliable background syncing (or restriction), good permission management, going without bloatware saves storage, battery, bandwidth, your personal time and frustration. Termux is basically an operating system, and the stock OS will not let you fully utilize it. If you just want to game get a good Chinese phone if it’s legal in your country & compatible with radios etc.
Secondhand Pixel
This brand has a horrible track record of major hardware fails.
Search ‘pixel overheating’ and avoid those models.
Probably 7 and up would be best area to look.
They all do, except like Xiaomi, it depends on which surveys you look at. I saw some higher early-life failures, but again I said secondhand to avoid giving Google money directly. That’s the GrapheneOS option, or Motorola right. I provided several other options.
Just to give one data point, I bought a refurbished pixel 7 pro in 2023 and it is still going strong.
Would also recommend 7, battery is easier to replace than some others
I’d look at a used previous flaggship. An Amazon renewed Galaxy S23 would check those boxes.
Nothing phones are solid cheap and with freely unlockable bootloader without any shenanigan.
I own one l, a 3a, and I am not affiliated with Nothing.
I aim similarly. I have a CMF phone 1 by nothing.
I just want a phone that a) has minimal bloat b) long security updates 3) cheap enough that I can afford to lose it
Android One used to be a good deal while that program was running.
I was just looking into this. I’ll parrot the other commenter and say the Samsung Galaxy line of a few years ago are solid gets and you can reliably get one for around that price point. I’ll add on Nothing phone’s previous models, too. Get em both from a reseller, not the brand store. Pixel devices have privacy focused 3rd party OS’s that are supposedly easy to use, but I haven’t looked into it.
Fully Linux phones are not quite there yet for the general marker or the price point you want.
If you’re outside the US or in the US and on Tmobile, you can look into Xiaomi or other Chinese devices, just double check that the radio bands actually work with your carrier. Service is better around cities, from what I saw when looking into an Oppo folding device then deciding to keep my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. I’m not sure how they work with hotspotting.
Double check the models as some have SD card slots, some do not, if that matters to you.
I’ve bought a new moto g84 5G at the beginning of this year for ~234 $ (with today’s exchange rate) , it is supported by lineageOS . specs : Motorola Moto G84 via gmsarena.com
