As the costs of midrange phones fall as their functional functions continue to improve, it is difficult to know which phone is a smart value.
Some devices may have a reasonable upfront charge, but they will only offer one year of software support, which means you’ll need to buy another one in 12 months if you need the latest operational formula update. Others would possibly gain advantages from longer software support, but they would charge more in the first place and have a low exchange value.
There’s more to know which phone is most productive for your outdoor wallet to specs and uncooked performance, so here’s a quick consultant on which of the low-budget main phones released this year offers a smart price for your money.
The best prices
If you plan to buy from the manufacturer, you may be able to get cash from your old phone. Recovery costs vary by manufacturer, however, a smart rule to follow is this: the newer the phone, the more you will have in return.
Assuming you don’t do anything stupid like swap a iPhone 11 for a OnePlus North (if so, avoid what you’re doing now) and instead deliver your old Samsung Galaxy S8 128GB, which no longer receives Android and comes to the end of its security updates: this is what you can get from Apple Motorola and OnePlus.
Note: These costs are based on phones in the best operating conditions, unlocked and with minimal damage.
OnePlus: 130 (about $170)
Apple: $100
Motorola: no exchange
For a device compared to Apple, the iPhone 8, released the same year as Samsung’s Galaxy S8, OnePlus is at the forefront.
OnePlus: £140 (about $180)
Apple: $170
Motorola: no exchange
Winner: OnePlus.
Value used
It’s too early to know how North, iPhone SE or Motorola G 5G Plus will depreciate, but we know how the phones of the same corporations have behaved over the years.
The music Magpie used and the online electronics store offer a useful consultant on phones with the maximum price over the years, discovered in the company’s own sales data. In his 2020 depreciation report, he found that Apple’s iPhones topped the list of the least depreciated phones in 12 months. Apple phones lost 44% of their price in one year and 62% during the two-year phone contract period.
Google and Samsung came in second place, wasting 62% of their price for 12 months, while OnePlus is left behind by the others by 77%.
But this is bad news for OnePlus, as the report explains. “OnePlus phones lost an average of 97% of their price in the first 12 months, while their 12-month amortization rate dropped to 77%, reaching 89% in the 24th month.”
Despite the recent improvement in usedArray, the Chinese company’s phones are depreciating 33% more than iPhones on average. As you can see in the following two charts, Apple’s iPhone 8 retained its maximum in its first year, while the OnePlus five peaked in its first 12 months.
Motorola’s long absence from the high-end smartphone market means there is no knowledge about the depreciation of their phones.
Winner: Apple iPhone SE.
Initial cost
This will be easy, with Motorola’s incredibly reasonable Moto G Plus winning. But the conversions and territories where those phones are located make it more complex.
OnePlus North: £379 (about $495)
Apple iPhone SE: $399
Moto G 5G Plus: 299 (about $390)
But, as I said, conversions are representative of the genuine value in this territory. OnePlus can launch the North in the United States for $379. Motorola tells me it is “committing to launch this fall a 5G device for less than $500 in North America.”
If it matters, it also involves more prices and technical headaches, which adds the challenge of tape support.
Winner: If you’re in the UK, the Moto G 5G Plus, if you’re in the US: the iPhone SE.
Updates
Possibly, a phone would be reasonable in the initial purchase, but will it still be compatible with the operational formula and security updates in two years? Or will you have to buy some other device because the manufacturer will disappear after handing over your money? When it comes to price for money, longevity is critical. This is how each device is divided in terms of after-sales support.
Apple iPhone SE: Apple has not officially shown the number of updates your phones get over their lifetime, however, the iPhone 6S 2015 is compatible with iOS 14, which will be released later this year.
OnePlus North: Two years of updates and 3 years of security updates.
Motorola G 5G Plus: an Android update with two years of security updates. This policy of promising a single update is not unusual among Motorola phones.
Winner: Apple iPhone SE
The winner
In terms of upgrades and second-hand pricing, making the most of its cash and longevity, Apple’s iPhone SE is the most sensible compared to the other two devices. But it’s worth noting that OnePlus and Moto G devices help 5G connectivity, unlike iPhone SE. There is, therefore, a forward-looking sustainability problem, which can its long-term second-hand price.
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I am a freelance journalist based in London, specializing in all facets of technology, adding reviews, surveys, observation and news. I’m the editor-in-chief of the
I am a London-based freelance journalist who specializes in all facets of technology, adding reviews, surveys, observations and news. I’m the editor of the YouTube channel for investigative journalism, Point. I also write for The Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, TechRadar, New Scientist and others.