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Other need help choosing a phone i.e. looking to upgrade

K

kaitlin4599

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 27, 2013
84
10
United States
so currently using an iphone 6s on AT&T but the speaker is on its way out so i need to use speakerphone to hear people. im looking to upgrade but with a budget of only 300-350$ im torn between the XS,11 or 2020 SE i mainly use my phone for apps for eating out and the occasional game and some photo taking the only thing is i need 128 gigs of storage or better 256 gigs would be ideal i would also prefer a factory/network unlocked phone what phone do you recommend i upgrade to if it matters ill prolly be looking on ebay for a new/open box iphone

edit im on a prepaid plan
 
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Are you on AT&T postpaid or prepaid?

Last I checked, Walmart had a deal on the iPhone SE 2022 for AT&T postpaid subscribers bringing it down to your price range. You need to sign up for device installments but it’s a straight discount (not bill credits) and there’s no early payment penalty.

If you pay it off right away, you can request unlock 60 days after the upgrade.
 
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With your budget and storage requirement I'd switch to a Pixel 7a as all these old iPhones are starting to be sluggish now, are missing features exclusive to new iPhones and won't receive all important updates for much longer. At least the 7a comes with modern hardware, a very good quality camera, 128GB and a new battery since you can get it brand new for $374 (used from amazon slightly less) and it receives updates until 2028. The only iPhone comparable to that would be a SE 2022 and that costs more even used.

I have the SE 2020 and it's overall fine so you could get it, but I also have a Pixel 7a and between the two the difference is very noticeable. Additional ultrawide camera on the Pixel, battery life on the SE is utter trash, I can recharge this thing twice on the same day and still run out before the day ends, the display is worse too, much lower resolution/PPI and in sunlight much darker.

snipr125 said:
Yes, but with $300-350 budget the OP should be able to get the SE 2022 instead which has better battery life, A15 chip etc.
Click to expand...
For that budget you can't get a 128GB model let alone a 256GB model.

rui no onna said:
Last I checked, Walmart had a deal on the iPhone SE 2022 for AT&T postpaid subscribers bringing it down to your price range. You need to sign up for device installments but it’s a straight discount (not bill credits) and there’s no early payment penalty.
Click to expand...
Yes a carrier deal might be the best option on a low budget and the latest iPhone SE would be a great choice with good update support and modern hardware. It might unfortunately still be outside the price range with 128GB but I'd check and see if that could work.

I do understand wanting to use an iPhone as they got solid hardware and great update support. But buying 3-4 year old models that are already a bit sluggish in some situations on iOS 17 in 2023 to use in 2024 and onwards is not something I can recommend. The SE 2020 might not even receive a new iOS beyond iOS 18 and being slow on 17 now won't make the experience better on 18 anyways. Apple is an expensive brand and despite their good hardware it doesn't mean there aren't better alternatives at a low budget that would be better performing.
 
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kaitlin4599 said:
so currently using an iphone 6s on AT&T but the speaker is on its way out so i need to use speakerphone to hear people. im looking to upgrade but with a budget of only 300-350$ im torn between the XS,11 or 2020 SE i mainly use my phone for apps for eating out and the occasional game and some photo taking the only thing is i need 128 gigs of storage or better 256 gigs would be ideal i would also prefer a factory/network unlocked phone what phone do you recommend i upgrade to if it matters ill prolly be looking on ebay for a new/open box iphone

edit im on a prepaid plan
Click to expand...

Are you looking for a secondary phone? Consider buying a SE 2020 in the used/refurbished market. If you can find a brand new SE 2022 at around $350 then you should get that.
 
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okkibs said:
Yes a carrier deal might be the best option on a low budget and the latest iPhone SE would be a great choice with good update support and modern hardware. It might unfortunately still be outside the price range with 128GB but I'd check and see if that could work.
Click to expand...

Iirc, it’s discounted by $200 so that puts the 128GB SE3 within the OP’s price range. Unfortunately, it’s for postpaid only and OP is on prepaid.
 
kaitlin4599 said:
@rui no onna im on prepaid
Click to expand...

Ah. Sadly, the deal’s not available for prepaid.

If you could live with 64GB and can wait 60 days for unlock, you can get the SE 2022 for ~$180 ($150 + $30 1-month service). Unfortunately, no prepaid deals on higher storage.

We have iPhone SE 2020s bought at launch. At this point in time, they’re in need of battery replacement so that’s something to factor in on your budget.
 
okkibs said:
…as all these old iPhones are starting to be sluggish now, are missing features exclusive to new iPhones and won't receive all important updates for much longer.
Click to expand...
I have a launch weekend iPhone 6s Plus running iOS 15 that is an exception to your statement. It runs just fine, is on it's own line and I use it daily along with my primary iPhone (11 Pro Max). It's not sluggish at all.

No, it's not going to get updates anymore, but there are people out there (such as myself) that do not use phones as substitute computers/media devices/gaming rigs.
 
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rui no onna said:
We have iPhone SE 2020s bought at launch. At this point in time, they’re in need of battery replacement so that’s something to factor in on your budget.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that even with a new one from Apple the battery life is not great especially as newer less optimized (for older iPhones) iOS versions decrease battery life a bit as well. Already back in 2020 when this model was brand new battery life was just okay. Going into 2024 there is no way for it to have good battery life.

$70 for a battery replacement is a lot to ask and will ruin any good deal, it's an ok device if you can get it real cheap with a new-ish battery. I actually bought a used one with a smashed back because it was just 100 bucks and way too cheap not to get it. But of course it's got the smallest storage option.

kaitlin4599 said:
iphone 11 is it any good? in terms of it getting ios update support and what not
Click to expand...
It should get iOS 18 in 2024 just like the iPhone SE 2020. Both devices might remain on iOS 18 and not get 19. We won't know for sure until September 2024. The hardware is just fine, though a battery replacement might be needed here too turning a good deal into a bad one.

Again, I don't see why you absolutely must get an iPhone if the lower budget is the priority. For the same cost the mentioned 7a has better hardware, update support guaranteed until mid 2028 and fulfills your minimum requirement of 128GB storage. And with sales you can find it just barely within your budget brand new instead of used. Why would you want the experience of a sluggish iOS on an old iPhone with mediocre battery life?

And used in mint condition on swappa they start at $329. I wouldn't recommend using swappa but a quick craigslist search in my area shows two for sale for $280-$300 for in-person pickup that apparently came with a plan and weren't needed. I believe that as that isn't a flagship device likely to have been stolen or anything like that.

Sorinut said:
You can still get the SE 2022 (Black) at Wal-Mart for $149.
Click to expand...
Does not fulfil OP's minimum requirements and you can't use it for 60 days until it is unlocked. The straighttalk prepaid plan for the first 60 days doesn't make much sense if you don't want to keep it and the associated number. Still - a great deal if you can wait the 60 days and the roughly 50GB of usable space are enough.
 
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Mania89 said:
Are you looking for a secondary phone? Consider buying a SE 2020 in the used/refurbished market. If you can find a brand new SE 2022 at around $350 then you should get that.
Click to expand...
I'd say definitely do not get an SE 2020. I had one and while it's generally great, it has two problems I couldn't tolerate any more- 1,The battery life is crap when the battery is new, and of course only gets worse.
2, No 5G. Where I live the 4G connectivity has gone to sh*t, and 5G is essential if I want to use my phone away from wifi. Apparently there is a 3G switch off looming too.
 
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ric22 said:
I'd say definitely do not get an SE 2020. I had one and while it's generally great, it has two problems I couldn't tolerate any more- 1,The battery life is crap when the battery is new, and of course only gets worse.
2, No 5G. Where I live the 4G connectivity has gone to sh*t, and 5G is essential if I want to use my phone away from wifi. Apparently there is a 3G switch off looming too.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, at least when it comes to battery. I had a work-issued 2020 SE before my 2022 and it was awful. I barely used the phone outside of calls, email, Teams chats, and only during work hours, and I had to recharge half-way though the day.
 
Sorinut said:
I agree with this, at least when it comes to battery. I had a work-issued 2020 SE before my 2022 and it was awful. I barely used the phone outside of calls, email, Teams chats, and only during work hours, and I had to recharge half-way though the day.
Click to expand...
Same experience for me. Between a bad battery and poor signal I had to recharge the thing fully twice a day.
 
sw1tcher said:
Target's selling iPhone 12 for 50% off. But at this point of the sale, trying to find a store with inventory may be difficult.

64GB iPhone 12 = $315
128GB iPhone 12 = $340
Click to expand...
Switcher makes a good suggestion. At this time of year get cash in hand, look for deals from big box stores and move quickly. Far preferable IMO to dealing with eBay.
 
My suggestion is to see how long you can still hold on your iPhone 6s to give you a little bit more budget and a bit more wiggle room, like $400. Apple devices are never known to be affordable, used or otherwise, unless you want extremely old tech.

Unfortunately for software update, you may need to forego that for a couple of years based on your budget since my iPhone XS Max is done for in terms of software update. It runs fine on iOS 17 but that’s it.
 
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Allen_Wentz said:
Do you seriously ask this question?
Click to expand...
Yes, I asked OP this question because I do not know their reasons. Their reason might be different from your suggestion.

Allen_Wentz said:
The obvious answer is ecosystem. There is huge value add to staying in one ecosystem.
Click to expand...
That is a luxury you might not be able to afford when your budget doesn't allow you to buy anything but discontinued 3-4 year old hardware. OP was looking into the iPhone 11, you really think it's worth getting that for 2024 and onwards when it might receive its last major iOS version the same year?

OP is using a 6s from 2015 so I really don't think it's a given they are decked out with Apple hardware and need to stick with Apple.

Allen_Wentz said:
There is huge value add to staying in one ecosystem.
Click to expand...
Nothing speaks value like running out of battery on the SE 2020 twice in one day. Few phones achieve this! (I literally have that iPhone and that happened to me so it's not made up.)
 
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The SE2020 is a terrible phone for endurance. My wife has one. The battery life is an absolute joke, even now that it is heavily degraded.

I just bought a 14 Pro, and noticed there was games in the App store that will only run on 15 Pro and up.

Lol thanks Apple.
 
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