How do I choose a new phone !?

[Jody]

I'm fancying a new phone as my A52 (samsung) is getting fussy about charging

But with literally 100's to choose from. Where do I start?!

I know I want dual sim. I know I want wireless charging.

I REALLY want great signal, though it feels like manufacturer's don't even tell us what is good / better !

I don't rate my Samsung.
I did like the Honor I had before (until I drowned it).

Is there maybe an online flow chart that can help ?!

[Skub]

Flow chart my arse,the very thought of investing that much time into a phone choice runs my blood cold.

I asked my weans and they gave me a few choices and price ranges,then I bought a Samsung A34 5G.

[KungFooBob]

Google Pixel. Which ever one you can afford, tho the cheapest one is still plenty good enough for most uses. As long as you don't mind one of the Sims being an eSim.

<This post brought to you by Pixel 6a>

[Count Steer]

Doesn't the 'great signal' depend more on the provider than the phone?

[Cousin Jack]

.................then I bought a Samsung A34 5G.

So did I, but am not 100% convinced. I am having problems pairing it to things via Bluetooth. It is also expensive for what it is, an el cheapo would probably do 90% for about 50% of the money.

[Jody]

Doesn't the 'great signal' depend more on the provider than the phone?

Last year, I was in my mates house. His iPhone 13 (I think) had no signal at all. My Samsung a52 had signal !?
Both on the same network !

[MrLongbeard]

Doesn't the 'great signal' depend more on the provider than the phone?

To a large extent yes, but antenna array and 'you're holding it wrong' do play a part

Last year, I was in my mates house. His iPhone 13 (I think) had no signal at all. My Samsung a52 had signal !?
Both on the same network !

And so does how the phone reports signal too.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I chose a new phone based on the size of the pocket in my Dainese leathers, basically it had to go in the pocket easily so I could carry it on the bike, this really narrowed down the choice of phones I had.

So my advice is, pick what's important to you about a phone and use that to narrow down the choices

[Jody]

I chose a new phone based on the size of the pocket in my Dainese leathers, basically it had to go in the pocket easily so I could carry it on the bike, this really narrowed down the choice of phones I had.

So my advice is, pick what's important to you about a phone and use that to narrow down the choices

I did state three important things
Dual Sim
Wireless Charging
Good Signal

That seems to narrow it down to about 300 phones.

I'd be tempted to go to a huge phone shop, but then I'd be concerned that I'd be sold the phone with the best commission, or the ones they need to get rid of !?

[KungFooBob]

Dual SIM isn't very common on mainstream handsets.

What is getting pretty common these days are eSims.

Your handset could have one physical SIM slot and an eSim.

Check if one of your service providers can do eSims, if so then it opens up a lot more choice in handsets.

[Horse]

I REALLY want great signal, though it feels like manufacturer's don't even tell us what is good / better !

Is this the area you are now?

Ask others on the same network as you whether they always get good reception. Then ask what phone?

But the answer might be to change provider.

[Jody]

I REALLY want great signal, though it feels like manufacturer's don't even tell us what is good / better !

Is this the area you are now?

Ask others on the same network as you whether they always get good reception. Then ask what phone?

But the answer might be to change provider.

Just to add complication, I need it to be good here in the Alps, I need it to be good in Cornwall and I need it to be good in central France in the summer !

[Jody]

Dual SIM isn't very common on mainstream handsets.

What is getting pretty common these days are eSims.

Your handset could have one physical SIM slot and an eSim.

Check if one of your service providers can do eSims, if so then it opens up a lot more choice in handsets.

I looked into E-sims a while ago and the impression created was that with an E-Sim, you can use one or the other and you have to switch between the two. Where as having 2 sims allows me to use both at the same time. EG I can make or take a call on either, if I'm on the UK one and someone rings the French one, I'll be properly notified in real time !??

[Count Steer]

I REALLY want great signal, though it feels like manufacturer's don't even tell us what is good / better !

Is this the area you are now?

Ask others on the same network as you whether they always get good reception. Then ask what phone?

But the answer might be to change provider.

When we moved to this house the old (pretty big) provider hardly got any signal to the area so I went into the local phone shop and asked what the locals all used. He said there's only one that is just about usable, so that's what we went with. It's still patchy/varies from day to day years later. Giffgaff is the same but that piggybacks on O2 I think. (It's not like we're out in the back end of nowhere but the local hills seem to play a part).

Doesn't help with the multiple location thing but the networks in France (and Belgium) always seemed to work better on roaming than the parent network here!

[KungFooBob]

You have to pick which one you use for data, but on my phone at least, they both can make and receive calls the same as any proper dual SIM handset.

[MrLongbeard]

Giffgaff is the same but that piggybacks on O2 I think.

It does, and if your phone is new enough they have just introduced wifi calling, which is bloody handy as the mobile signal here is pretty dire.

[Horse]

When we moved to this house the old (pretty big) provider hardly got any signal to the area so I went into the local phone shop and asked what the locals all used. He said there's only one that is just about usable, so that's what we went with. It's still patchy/varies from day to day years later. Giffgaff is the same but that piggybacks on O2 I think. (It's not like we're out in the back end of nowhere but the local hills seem to play a part).
ork better on roaming than the parent network here!

We live in Newbury, home to Vodafone's international HQ.

Worse coverage than trendy ripped jeans.

[Zimbo]

I always was a fan of the OnePlus range of Android phones, good spec for a reasonable price and I like that their Oxygen version of Android is pretty close to pure Android with a handful of useful extra features thrown in (I especially like that you can turn the torch on and off by simply drawing a V on the Lock Screen, open the camera by drawing an O on the Lock Screen, and skip forward / backward or pause music playback by drawing <, > and II (two fingers) on the Lock Screen. III with three fingers screenshots. OnePlus have got a little more pricey so current phone is from their parent company, OPPO, which has all the same features. My current phone (OPPO Reno 12 Pro) has all you want except wireless charging, does have a proper periscope lens telephoto zoom camera though, for less that £500, and it's good. They have a range called Find, which is really well featured, and the OPPO Find X7 / X& Ultra has all that you want for a reasonable cost, worth a look?

[Jody]

I always was a fan of the OnePlus range of Android phones, good spec for a reasonable price and I like that their Oxygen version of Android is pretty close to pure Android with a handful of useful extra features thrown in (I especially like that you can turn the torch on and off by simply drawing a V on the Lock Screen, open the camera by drawing an O on the Lock Screen, and skip forward / backward or pause music playback by drawing <, > and II (two fingers) on the Lock Screen. III with three fingers screenshots. OnePlus have got a little more pricey so current phone is from their parent company, OPPO, which has all the same features. My current phone (OPPO Reno 12 Pro) has all you want except wireless charging, does have a proper periscope lens telephoto zoom camera though, for less that £500, and it's good. They have a range called Find, which is really well featured, and the OPPO Find X7 / X& Ultra has all that you want for a reasonable cost, worth a look?

Thanks

But I REALLY want wireless charging !

[Felix]

Got a nice S23 for £400 last year and its a cracking phone. Plenty storage what is needed as it has NO SD card slot. Wireless charging but not sure if you have a duel sim option. Fast phone, cracking camera, 5G and comes with a nice little pen to dray pretty pictures