r/PickAnAndroidForMe • u/TheSoupThief • Aug 22 '26

EU Solid budget phone required (UK)

My Mum (older lady, but very capable) dropped her phone at the beach last week. It was a Redmi Note 14 I bought her a couple of years back. She has the note 8 I bought her previously so is managing, but that's a bit clunky now. I live in the EU - if I was buying a phone for her where I live I'd wait a few months and get her a pixel 11a (Vodafone have done a crazy deal with each pixel A the last few years, selling them for €200 off contract). I have no idea what's good in the UK market currently - if I hang on and wait to get her the pixel 11a she'll probably beat me to it and get something really crappy and overpriced from a phone shop where she lives.

Looking for something around £200 with a half decent camera and which can be expected to get updates for a few years - she's usually very gentle with her phones so we might hope she'll be using it a while. She's very frugal - if she thought it had cost a lot she probably wouldn't be comfortable taking it out of the house 🤣

Thanks for any suggestions

Edit - as I say, I'm looking for a phone available in the UK, not the EU (EU flair was added automatically)

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2

u/PM_me_tiny_Tatras Aug 22 '26

Used Pixel 8a (CEX), Galaxy A36 (CEX).

If you can stretch the budget a bit Argos are selling the Pixel 9 new online for £240.

Maybe get a Spigen or other drop resistant case and fit a wrist strap.

2

u/TheSoupThief Aug 22 '26

Cheers! That pixel 9 sounds tempting...

1

u/g0ldcd Aug 23 '26

Main think to look for is how long they'll provide software updates for. Pixel 9 will get another 5 years worth. Hardware wise, it's actually pretty hard to buy a bad phone - and as newer models are no longer leaping ahead each year, you won't even notice an older phone.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 22 '26

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1

u/TheSoupThief Aug 23 '26

Where are you seeing it at that price? I just googled and it's coming up at >£500. I've never liked Samsung phones, but it's probably the kind of solid brand I should be looking at

1

u/Disastrous_Height142 Oppo glazer tbh Aug 22 '26

Pixel 7 Pro

This is £215 for a B grade 128/12gb Pixel 7 Pro.

It's the first pixel that gets 7y updates (so 4y from now) and has had a lot of the issues that plague new pixels ironed out. Also has excellent cameras, 512ppi screen, USB 3.2, and is IP68 in case of more aquatic acrobatics. It has a 48mp 5x zoom lens, 50mp main, and 12mp 126° ultrawide, plus a 10.8mp front camera. WiFi 6e (6ghz) helps with futureproofing. Hope this helps.

1

u/RandomPFYoutuber Aug 23 '26

Phone 3a Lite (New) or if you need it super low used CMF Phone 2 Pro.

1

u/Tapelessbus2122 Aug 23 '26

get her an a series pixel

1

u/Full-Ad-6200 Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26

CMF Phone 2 Pro as someone has already suggested, CMF and Nothing products and UIs are designed by some top talent based in the UK and I love their phone UI.

https://youtu.be/hIzjHBwjGCk?si=4Q2tOV9zsWd3VIDt

If you don't mind a used phone, a Pixel is a top contender for sure. Great cameras, excellent UI, lots of RAM to keep things chugging along etc.

1

u/Rik1978 Aug 23 '26

Poco M8. 8gb RAM 256gb storage. £199 on Amazon UK. Uses very similar software to Redmi so your Mom should get used to it very quickly.

1

u/Tatsoot_1966 Aug 24 '26

Samsung A series phones are good for older people, bigger screens and reasonable performance.