Best budget phone

phly

phly

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What is the best daily driver that one can get for around 3k budget? I gifted a family member my previous Xiaomi Mi 9 lite and it got stolen. So now she's in the market for a new device. I jumped shipped to the iOS world so have been out of touch with decent offerings on a budget in Android world. The Xiaomi Redmi 10C seems to be the only decent option I can find.

Any other options I should be looking at out there? Battery life is key and performance too.
 

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This offers 6000mah battery unmatched almost in the less than 3k budget class
 
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Oppo A16s Dual Sim 64GB - Crystal Black

A big screen, massive 5000mAh battery, and a designed-to-shine triple camera setup—streamlined into a one-piece, ultra-slim, 3D curved-edge body, which is only 190g light and 8.4mm thin.ired of always adjusting your phone’s brightness? Meet our smart AI Eye-care, it adapts to your lighting...
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Gtx Gaming said:

Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store

South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.
www.takealot.com www.takealot.com

This offers 6000mah battery unmatched almost in the less than 3k budget class
Click to expand...
Terrible chip though https://htxt.co.za/2022/12/poco-c40-review-what-happened-here/
 
Thanks for all the input gents @backstreetboy - that was also my concern with the Poco - the mediatek chip. Although I see the Oppo has a mediatek chip too. Had to pull the trigger yesterday and so the Redmi 10C was the pick of the day. It was released this year so should get some few years of updates. Looks ohk-ish. Not the best but will be fine for now. Also the person was adamant on MIUI as that is what they have been used to.
 
phly said:
Thanks for all the input gents @backstreetboy - that was also my concern with the Poco - the mediatek chip. Although I see the Oppo has a mediatek chip too. Had to pull the trigger yesterday and so the Redmi 10C was the pick of the day. It was released this year so should get some few years of updates. Looks ohk-ish. Not the best but will be fine for now. Also the person was adamant on MIUI as that is what they have been used to.
Click to expand...
Does it have NFC?
 
Last edited:
Leisure Larry said:
You probably bought Vodacom stock.
Dual SIM slot physically blocked or software blurred.
Click to expand...

The family member went out and got it themselves and not everyone is as tech savvy as folks in here. So they took what they got given. Buying from takealot would have even been better option but a phone was needed urgently.
 
I just get myself the A series these days. Haven't got any conplaints for using it for every day things. This one isn't too badly priced:

Check this out on takealot: Samsung Galaxy A23 64GB LTE Dual Sim - Black

Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store

South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.
www.takealot.com www.takealot.com
 
phly said:
Just checked and no it doesn't. It's not even dual sim apparently which I thought it was.
Click to expand...
Because of Xiaomi's refusal to add NFC to their entry level/mid-range phones, I gave my Note 10 to my brother and got myself an Oppo A16s, slightly slower, but at least I have the latest and greatest in terms of features.

edit: yes BSB. we already discussed Chinese market = not big on NFC
 
I would not compromise on NFC but funny enough most don't just know how key of a feature it is especially in this digital age of card-less seamless payments and tap to pay. The Mi 9 Lite that I once rocked few years back had it. Now the Mi 12 lite is like 10k. Crazy.
 
is there any support for POCO in south Africa.
I have the x3 GT bought it from Takealot Feb. last year.
I have thrown out the box and now having signal issues I don't think i can send it back to Takealot.
I would like to take it to a poco support to be tested.
 
Anyone that can recommend a budget phone that works with esim? Want to give to my little one when we go overseas.
 
Sir Bob said:
is there any support for POCO in south Africa.
I have the x3 GT bought it from Takealot Feb. last year.
I have thrown out the box and now having signal issues I don't think i can send it back to Takealot.
I would like to take it to a poco support to be tested.
Click to expand...

Xiaomi has a store in Canal Walk in Cape Town and I think another one in Gauteng.
 
Leisure Larry said:
You probably bought Vodacom stock.
Dual SIM slot physically blocked or software blurred.
Click to expand...
Apologies for reviving this old thread. Dual sim tray is blocked off to just take one sim and software block on the phone as no dual sim settings available on the 10C, would one be able to circumvent the software block with a custom ROM or is there additional steps to take? Sim tray is a easy fix.
 
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