A new Cell Phone Reqd: Budget 20k

Will be buying a phone for my dad...questionnaire filled up below.
To sum up my doubts,"I am totally confused"

1. Budget?
20k (Maybe extended to 25k if reqd)

2. Display type and size?
Capacitative touchsreen 3.5''(min)

3. Form Factor? bar, slider, flip?
Bar

4. Preferred choice of brand?
Any

5. Preferred input method (QWERTY, touchscreen, numpad, touch-n-type).
Touchscreen is ok,if there's a physical keypad,all the better.

6. What camera option you want? Please specify need for flash, autofocus, front facing camera.
5 Megapixel minimum,
Autofocus must
Flash must
,front facing camera if present all the better

7. Preferred operating system? (Android, Symbian, iOS, Windows Phone etc).
1st:Android(2.3 Gingerbread atleast)
2nd: Symbian
No iOS or WP.

8. Preferred connectivity options (3G, Wifi etc)Please specify clearly.
3G must,Wifi optional.

9. Preferred applications (Flash, Swype, GPS, etc)?
Flash,GPS,....

10. Primary use of handset (multimedia, camera, mails, internet, gaming etc)?
Camera,Internet,Office,Gaming

11. Any specific mobile phones in consideration?
Have been looking at the Samsung Galaxy S(lacks camera flash)
Also,SE Xperia Mini Pro(very average camera,small screen,Apps sluggish?)
SE Xperia Ray(has it launched yet?)
SE Xperia Arc(has it launched?)
LG Optimus 2X(too costly?)
Motorola Defy(Is it ok?)

HTC Incredible S(with 2.2 froyo...is this phone any good?)
HTC Desire S

12. Any other info that you want to share
RAM: Must be 512MB Minimum...more the merrier
Purchase coming up in October

Please advise on my options.

Incrwdible S has gingerbread(2.3) out of the box.a very good phone and ACCORDING TO ME the only andriid phones which are available right now and can be compared to it are galaxy SII and sensation.it is available for 23-23.5k

And it also meet all ur requirements

You can get the Nexus S for 19.5k from here:
BRAND NEW SAMSUNG NEXUS S WITH VAT PAID BILL + WARRANTY | eBay

Or you can get the LG Optimus 2X for 23.5k from here (after applying RCOMLB1 to get 1000/- discount):
Buy LG Optimus 2X P990/Android 2.2 Froyo/Dual Core Processor/8MP/Wi-Fi & 3G at Best Price in India - Also find Specifications, Photos, Features & Reviews

Even I am in need of a phone in the similar price range.
I've been long waiting for the Defy+ as it best suited all my needs and was the most value for money.
Apart from that I also liked the SE Xperia Ray and the Nexus S.

O

So................you..need a good mobile....! Right!!!!

What about this spec:

* 3.5" capacitative touch screen,

* Android 2.3.4 latest OS,

* 5MP cam Autofocus,Flash+,with secondary cam for video calls,

* Wi-Fi,

* FM radio,

* 3G+ with all regular features,

* 1yr manufacturer warranty with Bill

* Name: "MOTOROLA FIRE XT"

* Price: Only Rs.11,490 with FREE SHIPPING..............!!

VERY TEMPTING OFFER

Have a look: BRAND NEW MOTOROLA FIRE XT ANDROID 2.3 3.5"SCREEN 5MP CAM VIDEO CALLING PHONE | eBay

If camera is your main usage then nothing beats the Nokia N8. Its (much) younger sibling the C7 trumped both my xperia arc and the iphone 4 in picture quality, especially without the Carl Zeiss optics. The N8 with Carl Zeiss has clicked the best pictures I have ever seen on a device that makes calls. The xperia arc is second best due to the Exmor R sensor.

But if you like apps and games then getting Android would make more sense since you have already ditched iOS.

Android: Internet, Office, Gaming
Symbian: Internet, Office , Camera

I would suggest you go with Android on 2.3 if camera is not much of a need. And please root it.

Among your choices, xperia arc has no front facing camera.

Mukherjee & Varuog, the HTC Desire S, Incredible S & LG Optimus 2x match your requirement. I have not listed the ones that are yet to be released/ available.

Also the N8 is a great phone if you are not adverse to Symbian and if you are not into gaming.

Lowest prices
LG Optimus 2X @23.9K at Saholic
HTC Incredible S @23.1K at Flipkart
HTC Desire S @21.6K at Saholic
Nokia N8 @21.5K

You should also have a look at the new Bbry Torch 9860, probably would cost around 22-25K. The features look cool and it is supposed to be the best Bbry has launched in India so far.

D

In this Budget I am also confused what to buy between Motorola Defy and HTC Chacha.
Both are excellent phone. HTC chacha got qwerty Defy got high quality protection.
As you mentioned you can extend your budget upto 25, make it 27 and Grab Samsung SII
else Buy Moto Defy or Defy+.
I will buy defy when my confusion doesnt get over.

I have ordered defy for 13.5k 3 days before. and probably will have it in hand in 1-2 days.

and @mukherjee u can go for HTC Incredible S ir HTC Sensation or increase ur budget for Galaxy S2. LG optimus 2x is a nice one too

@ mukherjee
go for Nexus S indoubtely.
iF u can find it, just take it.
'coz Nexus S is just like a gem very Rare to find.
or
else u can also go for Incredible S

+1 for Xperia Ray @ 19k (yeah it has launched, although available not locally, rather on pre-order form flipkart) Only -ve point as per ur requirement is that, its screen size is 3.3 inches (u mentioned a min of 3.5inch).

Also look for Xperia Arc S, It has got all the things, just i presume, it will cross ur budget.

V

I have much of the same requirements as mukherjee...after reading up on different phones on gsmarena I finally settled on Motorola Atrix 4G only to discover that it hasn't been launched in India.

Other than the requirements mentioned by mukherjee, I also wanted the phone to come with a front facing camera. So that rules out Defy or even the Defy + , if that get's launched. And my search is confined to Android phones.

I have had bad experience with LG, which was my first phone, so not keen on Optimus2X either.

So totally confused. :-?

I am willing to wait for another 1-2 months, so is there any phone which would get launched in this period or any expectations of price cuts ?

@vivek.. go for HTC

D

lll_aritra_lll said:
@vivek.. go for HTC

My Mind has a bit changed now, I searched a lot online but no phone is perfect. First I thought HTC Chacha then someone suggested me in this forum for Moto Defy. But later i found that if we talk about overall package, HTC chacha is the phone under and upto Price of 20000 which will not disappoint to anyone, specially for those person who wants everything in a phone like:
High-res rear camera and Good Front camera, Capaciative touch, Excellent future proof Android OS, Physical qwerty keypad, Good Screen Resoultion, Unique Design and Documents too.

V

lll_aritra_lll said:
@vivek.. go for HTC

@Aritra : Yes, Desire S is looking the best bet right now...

Any new launches expected from Samsung or chance of drop in prices as new Samsung Note & iPhone 5 are getting released?

You missed the ebay deal today, Galaxy S for 18k

few days ago.. galaxy S was on 15.9k in ebay

@desire Z is 17k in saholic.. GSMarena said its better than desire s

After a lot of positive reviews on Motorola Defy, I had made up my mind to buy the Defy+. It's been more than a month of waiting now, and I need to get a phone in the next week itself.

Since the chances of Defy+, getting available within next 7 to 10 days is almost negligible, I am looking for alternatives now.

Requirements are not very specific as I am looking for an all round performer.
Budget is 20k.
I have been wondering over Galaxy SL, Galaxy S and Nexus S.
Even Xperia Ray looks nice, but the screen is too small.

Please suggest me, which among them is the best, or if there is any other better performer.
(P.S. I am NOT very keen to get an HTC phone).

Go for Galaxy S if you dont care for official updates, and flash in camera else Nexus S.

My opinion Galaxy S will get unofficial updates through Xda so its VFM phone.

Flash is not a must have for me, although its always good to have one.
Same goes with the official update thing.

varuog said:
Flash is not a must have for me, although its always good to have one.
Same goes with the official update thing.

Nexus S and Galaxy S hardware is quite same. So when Nexus S gets ICS officially, it will be available for Galaxy S unofficially.

Galaxy S is good in terms of super amoled screen which is superb, plus mmc option, fm radio, great dev support @xda forum Only thing missing is Camera flash. Ignore that and buy Galaxy S.

Went to the market today and after searching 4-5 shops, found 1 Nexus model. That too at a price of 26k !!!

I am not in a mood to extend my budget so much.

Please suggest me a phone among from Samsung Galaxy 9000 or 9003, or SE Ray !!

If Incredible S fits ur budget then u must go for that...

go for incredible s.. it has all you need

Flipkart.com: HTC Incredible S: Mobile

I am avoiding HTC phones because of battery issues.
Also, Incredible S is priced around 24k which is a little over my budget.

I am looking for something under the 20k mark ...

^^^
Incredible S is not having any battery issues,I m using it from a long time and u can get it for 23k from letsbuy with the help of coupon

varuog said:
Went to the market today and after searching 4-5 shops, found 1 Nexus model. That too at a price of 26k !!!

I am not in a mood to extend my budget so much.

Please suggest me a phone among from Samsung Galaxy 9000 or 9003, or SE Ray !!

Hardware wise Samsung ones are a step ahead of Ray

+Gorrilla glass screen+AMOLED screen (not in i9003)
+Internal memory (4/8GB Vs 300MB)
+Blutooth 3.0
-No Flash

Ray
+8mp Camera(Top-notch) Vs 5mp (All in all, no cam comparison)
+Brilliant looks (One of the best)
+Bravia Engine Display (gives excellent color reproduction @ 300ppi, And one of the best LCD display)
+TimeEscape UI

Now the call is yours. I'll chose Ray here. (3.3" is enough for me)

^Thats a 4" Super Amoled display vs 3.3" LCD...
Bravia Engine display doesnt do anything great. Its really just marketing stuff. Yeah.. the high ppi does help and images and text will be a lot sharper on the Ray than on Galaxy S.
According to me both Timescape UI and TouchWiz are not great. One is over styled and just eye candy. The other a little childish.
Still its a difficult choice here. I personally like Galaxy S better than Ray(looks and asthetic wise), buts upto the buyer to judge that.
OP should go feel the devices in his hands in working condition and then take a decision.

^^Check this-
What Sony Ericsson Mobile BRAVIA Engine really does

If you have been keeping track you would know that the recent batch of high-end Xperia smartphones pack some of the best LCD displays we have seen. Their Reality displays might lack a bit in viewing angles, but their image quality is downright splendid, and as the company would gladly tell anyone, their new Mobile BRAVIA Engine certainly plays a big part in delivering it.
Now marketing talk is always sweet, but very rarely true so we decided to check out if that engine really does anything or it’s a gimick. Here come our observations along with plenty of photos evidence that we gathered along the way.

The good news is the BRAVIA Engine does everything that Sony Ericsson promises it will do. It enhances sharpness, increases contrast and saturation and tries to tackle digital noise.

Another Update: It seems that the local market has run out of stock with the Galaxy also.
Only Galaxy Sl i9003 is available around 17.5k.

Since I won't be purchasing online, I dont have many options left now.

Either buy the Galaxy SL.
Or Wait for the Defy+ ??
Even Xperia Neo V seems nice. But I couldn't find any reviews ...

What are your suggestions friends?
If the difference is not much, then the phone with higher internal memory would suit me better as I think I'll be installing lots of applications on the phone.

Go for desire s. I have a frnd working in HTC.. and according to him its the best phone of HTC within 20-22k

lll_aritra_lll said:
Go for desire s. I have a frnd working in HTC.. and according to him its the best phone of HTC within 20-22k

Why one should consider Desire S over Incredible S when there is not much price difference and Incredible S is far better than Incredible S

In either of the cases the price is over 20k ...
I need a phone under the 20k price ..

@dashing.sujay - Its hardly detectable on a mobile screen. Its mentioned..with specifically Ray in mind. I have put Bravia Engine display on Xperia X8.. and i tell you you, the difference, however small, is there.. but hardly anything to impress you. Whatever it does, on a small screen its hard to decipher if the images have gone the better way or worse... You will just feel a lil diff.. that all.

@varuog - How much are u getting Neo V for? It seems like decent device, if the price is right. You might wanna take note of its internal memory.. Its pretty low.

aroraanant said:
Why one should consider Desire S over Incredible S when there is not much price difference and Incredible S is far better than Incredible S

Check local store You will get desire s within 20k

S

may be consider this one also
Buy Sony Ericsson Xperia NEO V at Best Price in India - Also find Specifications, Photos, Features & Reviews

The recently launched SE phones are not yet available in the local market.
And neither is the Galaxy S 9000 or the Nexus.

HTC Desire S is priced around 23k which goes above my budget of 20k.

So, I am left with Galaxy SL 9003 which is available for 17k.
I think it's a good buy at this price and will most probably purchase it this Thursday.

I hope I am not making a wrong decision !!

Honestly dude,it is a bad choice.
Even N8 will be better than galaxy sl.
Cant you find galaxy S at flipkart?
Is it out of stock?

I don't want to purchase it online because:
1. My N82 is not working and I need a phone at the earliest.
2. I am already supposed to get a refund of rs 6000 from letsbuy.com but have not yet recieved it.

BTW, can you tell me on what grounds is it a bad choice ??

Firstly the display is nothing compared to galaxy S.
Weaker gpu than the original.
Smaller memory of 4gigs.
For just 2k more,you can get one of the best single core phone around.
N8 is better because of the superb camera,built and very decent battery life.

P

varuog said:
The recently launched SE phones are not yet available in the local market.
And neither is the Galaxy S 9000 or the Nexus.

HTC Desire S is priced around 23k which goes above my budget of 20k.

So, I am left with Galaxy SL 9003 which is available for 17k.
I think it's a good buy at this price and will most probably purchase it this Thursday.

I hope I am not making a wrong decision !!

Even i could not find a Galaxy S , Desire S is quoted at 22.5 K even at local shops. Only two android devices in 20k range Galaxy Sl and Optimus Black (this one has some issues ) . Gosh so frustrating i have 20 k to spend and no decent cell to spend on (Not interested in online purchase) . I know about no perfect device theory but still 20 k is good enough money to get a good device .

Online Prices and availability , Retail Prices and availability everything is so inconsistent .

^^ Thank you so much for the detailed reply.
Unfortunately, Galaxy S is not available either at Letsbuy or at Flipkart.

And since I am looking for an Android device and also I recently purchased a point-and-shoot, N8 does not fit my needs.

You can have a look at SE Xperia X10 for only 14k at mobile.sulekha.com
One can't get better deal than this

@varuog - search a bit harder... am sure galaxy s would be available in local stores... if not, still dont go for Galaxy SL... you can go for Xperia Neo V if you find it, its a decent device for 17-18K. Else wait till october end for better phones to release and bring down the prices of desire S and Xperia Arc.. hopefully within ur budget. If you cant wait, get a defy and use the saved money to get something else for your self..

pentiumlover said:
Even i could not find a Galaxy S , Desire S is quoted at 22.5 K even at local shops. Only two android devices in 20k range Galaxy Sl and Optimus Black (this one has some issues ) . Gosh so frustrating i have 20 k to spend and no decent cell to spend on (Not interested in online purchase) . I know about no perfect device theory but still 20 k is good enough money to get a good device .

Online Prices and availability , Retail Prices and availability everything is so inconsistent .

Totally Agree !!

go for Nexus S...

Galaxy s is available in kolkata,search little harder,you will find it locally

Nexus S is not available in the local market.
Even though I found 1 shop selling it, it was priced at 26k there ..

Also the Galaxy S 9000 is out of stock even in the local & online market.

The new phones such as Defy+, SE Ray or Neo V have not yet arrived here.

Coming to the Galaxy SL, I found almost everyone recommending me NOT to buy it.
I still fail to understand the reason esp when we compare it to phones like Defy which has won so many hearts here.

Here is what I felt about the Galaxy SL 9003. Please tell me where I went wrong:

1. Display : I agree that Galaxy S beats it hand down, but still, the display is not that bad, right? Moreover, compared to Defy, Ray or Neo V, it's the largest.

2. Size : Initially, I was worried about it being pocket friendly. But after handling it and looking how slim it is, I don't think that it is going to be a problem.

3. RAM : Galaxy S, Defy, Defy+, Ray and Neo V have 512MB. Galaxy SL has 478MB. Is the difference really so much esp when we can now install the applications on the memory card ?

4. Processor and GPU : Honestly, I don't know much about it. But, here is what I found :
Galaxy S : 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU, Hummingbird chipset
Galaxy SL : 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, PowerVR SGX530 GPU, TI OMAP 3630 chipset
Defy : 800MHz Cortex-A8 processor, TI OMAP3610 chipset

From what I understand, SL has the same processor as that of S though the GPU is inferior. Still, SL scores better than Defy in this category.

5. Camera : Ray has an 8MP camera. All others are 5MP. But I don't even need a camera. Also, the secondary camera is an advantage over Defy, though I don't that that I'll be using it ever.

6. Service: Samsung servicing is certainly far better (at least in this region) as compared to Motorola or SE.

These factors combined makes me inclined to Galaxy SL. No doubt I love the Galaxy S but if it's not available I cant do anything about it.

P.S. : Sorry for such a long post !

Have you considered Moto Atrix?
You won`t get any warranty though,can be arranged for<20k from ebay.com,around 22-23k from ebay.in.
Galaxy sl is not bad,but little overpriced imo.You deserve better with 20k budget.

No, I've not considered Atrix because I am not going to risk my 20k in buying a gadget without warantly.
Secondly, I don't want to purchase from online market such as ebay.
I might give a thought to Letsbuy or Flipcart, but preference is local market only.

From what I understand, SL has the same processor as that of S though the GPU is inferior. Still, SL scores better than Defy in this category.

nop, Defy has 1 ghz, that is underclocked to 800 mhz, and defy's gpu is sgx530.

and i saw galaxy sl(sclcd) in local store and i am using defy, and to me defy has much better display than it

but for camera and service.. samsung wins hands down

V

Have a look at the new Samsung Galaxy S Plus I9001.Amazing Specs!But it lacks flash :shock:

lll_aritra_lll said:
nop, Defy has 1 ghz, that is underclocked to 800 mhz, and defy's gpu is sgx530.

But I'll have to root Defy if I want to use 1ghz.
Since rooting voids warranty, I don't intend to do it any soon .. Not at least for the first year.

well i am in the same boat.. but for me 3 months

btwn if u do not take control of ur device whats the fun using android. It took me quite a time to understand, and i have opted for samsung before only because of its service.. later i changed plan

@varuog - How long can you wait? If you can, please wait till end of October. Check the post by vgowtham97. Probably Galaxy S stocks are being cleared for the S plus edition. By end of october this should reach the local stores. Get this one.

Hmmm. Just being clear, you want a device which will run everything super smoothly out of the box, without being rooted. You want the best battery life that androids can offer. You want to buy something available locally abundantly and something which has service center near your home... If so, you need to extend your budget further, or simple wait. There is nothing which does all that within 20K right now.
I feel tight now there are 2 devices right now, who are powerful enough to run everything great out of the box and easily available - SGS II and Sensation. Take your pick..

Oh... and the chipsets of SGS and SGSL are not even close. Even though they are based on the same A8 cores, Samsung's Hummingbird chipset beats TI 's OMAP 36XX series easily. It was arguably the fastest of the 1GHz cores available, in terms of raw calculation power (and graphics rendering power during its launch).

Soumik said:
Hmmm. Just being clear, you want a device which will run everything super smoothly out of the box, without being rooted. You want the best battery life that androids can offer. You want to buy something available locally abundantly and something which has service center near your home... If so, you need to extend your budget further, or simple wait. There is nothing which does all that within 20K right now.

I just want the best device that 20k can buy !!

I think I should better wait and stick to my previous decision to buy Defy+ !

N

@varuog
What happened to Galaxy S??? Is it not available locally???

@varuog - Yess Absolutely!!! Wait a bit. Thats a best decision right now. Ray, Neo V and SGS Plus will be available very soon in local markets.(Probably in 2 more weeks). Defy+ launch here is not yet confirmed.. so dont know when it'll be locally available.
If you can, get I9001 Galaxy S Plus... Its Samsung, so good support, same 4" Super Amoled screen of I9000 SGS, and a 1.4Ghz Scorpion processor with Adreno 205 GPU. Its a very decent device for 22.5K(pre order price).

^^^ but SGS+ is not having flash,that is a big issues guys though the phone with 1.4ghz is going to be good but I think the ram is lil bit low...

NainO said:
@varuog
What happened to Galaxy S??? Is it not available locally???

Galaxy S 9000 is not available locally.

Soumik said:
@varuog - Yess Absolutely!!! Wait a bit. Thats a best decision right now. Ray, Neo V and SGS Plus will be available very soon in local markets.(Probably in 2 more weeks). Defy+ launch here is not yet confirmed.. so dont know when it'll be locally available.
If you can, get I9001 Galaxy S Plus... Its Samsung, so good support, same 4" Super Amoled screen of I9000 SGS, and a 1.4Ghz Scorpion processor with Adreno 205 GPU. Its a very decent device for 22.5K(pre order price).

aroraanant said:
^^^ but SGS+ is not having flash,that is a big issues guys though the phone with 1.4ghz is going to be good but I think the ram is lil bit low...

Flash is not a necessity for me.
SGS Plus looks nice. But I doubt it's availability anytime soon.
Also, I am trying to keep my budget below 20k. So, is SGS+ really worth it's price ?

i would suggest HTC Desire then.....

varuog said:
Since rooting voids warranty, I don't intend to do it any soon .. Not at least for the first year.

I think unrooting the phone restores the warranty(cause they never find a difference)

I don't understand whats the use of a high end cam without a Flash? :-?

Niilesh said:
I think unrooting the phone restores the warranty(cause they never find a difference)

My concern is if the phone stops working while it it rooted.
That way it's not possible to unroot the phone and it's warranty will also be void !

By the way, I cannot exceed my budget above 20k. So SGS+ is also not an option for me !

^^Where are you from?
I think the TS is from kolkata.
RG Cellular in Kolkata has GalaxyS for 21k,if you bargain hard,can get it for 20k.

@varuog - Devices like defy have their bootloaders locked. The devs use fake root access (2nd init) to enable us to install customs ROMs on the device. So, we are actually not doing anything to root of the phone. According to XDA forums.. its nearly impossible to brick a Defy. So, your fear of damaging the device in rooted state is not a dealbreaker.

I would still suggest you to wait a bit till Samsung's mobile even on 11th-12th oct. They will reveal, along with Nexus Prime, global SGS+, SGR, Wave III, etc. SGR is expected to have a price of around 23K, so SGS+ after launch would surely be less than 20K(the current listing is of the pre order price). I would suggest SGS+ over SGS, Desire S, Incredible S and the likes, cause of the overclocked chipset mixed with super amoled screen. If the price is at 20K, its a good buy. But if you do get SGR at 23K (according to AndroidOS.in), sell something to get the extra 3K and get that... its gonna be super value for money!