Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Ok, need some quick feedback. On Monday I treated myself and ordered a Galaxy S2 (in Black ). However after stalling for a couple of days the mobile company have said they don't have any in stock and it'll be at least a week before they get more. They've asked if I want to swap to another handset instead (or take a white S2, which I declined!). So, what is the best alternative? I did have a cheeky ask for a Blue or Black S3 which will almost certainly get rejected. Spec wise the Xperia S looks great but visually the phone itself looks very bland. Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 HTC One S seems to be the best alternative in my mind, agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 1, 2012 Administrator Share Posted August 1, 2012 Buy the phone you like on the net unlocked and unbranded. Get a giffgaff sim. If you don't like the phone, return it under the Distance Selling Regulations and buy another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 DON'T get a Sony phone, whatever you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Buy the phone you like on the net unlocked and unbranded. Get a giffgaff sim. If you don't like the phone, return it under the Distance Selling Regulations and buy another one. I understand this logic but I don't currently have a spare £250-£300 to spend on a handset. The S2 was on an unlimited text, un limited web plus 300 mins tariff for £20/month. The giffgaff equivalent tariff would be £10 per month so I'm getting the handset for the other £10 a month, so £240 for the handset but spread interest free over the contract. Suits me better. Any love for the One S? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Buy the phone you like on the net unlocked and unbranded. Get a giffgaff sim. If you don't like the phone, return it under the Distance Selling Regulations and buy another one. I understand this logic but I don't currently have a spare £250-£300 to spend on a handset. The S2 was on an unlimited text, un limited web plus 300 mins tariff for £20/month. The giffgaff equivalent tariff would be £10 per month so I'm getting the handset for the other £10 a month, so £240 for the handset but spread interest free over the contract. Suits me better. Any love for the One S? Looked at it over the weekend next to a One X. It looked nice - but I'd have the One X everyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Going against the One X for me is the monster size and poor battery life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 1, 2012 Administrator Share Posted August 1, 2012 I understand this logic but I don't currently have a spare £250-£300 to spend on a handset. The S2 was on an unlimited text, un limited web plus 300 mins tariff for £20/month. The giffgaff equivalent tariff would be £10 per month so I'm getting the handset for the other £10 a month, so £240 for the handset but spread interest free over the contract. Suits me better. Your maths is only correct if you end up keeping the phone exactly 24 months and you have to just hope the network doesn't increase your tariff. If you keep it longer, giff gaff is cheaper, if you keep it less time, you can sell the handset while it's still worth more. The handset is also not network locked or "branded" so worth more. I'm sure you can stick it on a 0% credit card, but it's up to you. Personally I don't like being tied in to a two year variable rate contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 The One S is a superb phone. My mate has one. I'd go with that ahead of the S2 any day. But the new LG 4X is up there with the S3 if you want a big screen with good battery life. I think the LG looks nicer than the S3, its problem was it's 2 months after the S3 and doesn't do anything new. Hardly a negative. So HTC One S or LG 4X depending on which screen size you'd want. Those would be my 2 suggestions if you can't get the S3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Your maths is only correct if you end up keeping the phone exactly 24 months and you have to just hope the network doesn't increase your tariff. GiffGaff also could go up in price too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 1, 2012 Administrator Share Posted August 1, 2012 But if giffgaff put up the prices, you aren't locked into a contract and can just go elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Your maths is only correct if you end up keeping the phone exactly 24 months and you have to just hope the network doesn't increase your tariff. GiffGaff also could go up in price too. Exactly, a change in price on the longer term contract could be good news as would signal a change to the t&c's and would mean I could cancel the contract and keep the handset (did this once on an Orange contract). I am not particularly pleased with a 24 month contract but at £20 its not extortionate considering it has unlimited web, texts and more than enough minutes for me (300). Generally these handsets are unlocked too, I could sell the handset after ~12 months if I wanted and have a big wedge towards a new one. If I want the One S then it'll cost me an extra £2 per month. I read a back-to-back review with the SGS2 and it (One S) came out better on everything apart from the fact it has a sealed batter, non expandable memory (16GB built in) and a micro sim.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 The S2 is no match for the One S. It's a simple choice between the two, three the one S is far better and only a few months old. I agree with limpid locking yourself into a 2 year contract is not as good as simply buying the phone outright and selling it on in future. I do this and update my phone annually. I only lose about 30 to 40% of purchase price a year on. The freedom alone makes this worthwhile. You just need the initial outlay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Short contract method. 24 months x £10 = £240 over 2 years. Initial £350 for a HTC One S, sell for £200 after 12 months. Buy a new handset for year 2, £200 from sale + £100 = £300. Sell second handset after year 2 for £180 and total outlay comes to (£240 + £350 + £100 - £200 - £180) = £310 Long Contract method 24 months x £20 = £480 over 2 years Initial £0 for HTC One S, sell for £200 after 12 months Buy a new handset for year 2, £200 from sale + £100 = £300. Sell second handset after year 2 for £180 and total outlay comes to (£480 + £0 + £100 - £200 - £180) = £200 and no heavy outlay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted August 1, 2012 Similar calculations to the ones I made when getting my new one Tamuff. The Giff gaff method is great, but it didn't work out any cheaper for me in terms of spreading the cost over the 2 years that my contract would be anyway. And if I don't like my current handset I can sell it after a year and have a good chunk of money towards a new one, which is pretty much the same thing you'd do if you'd bought one outright in the first place. Even if my handset is network locked, I can sell it on Mazuma and get a decent amount (I just sold my 2 year old iPhone4 on there for £220) The difference is you're tied into the contract for 2 years. but if you're happy with the minutes, texts, data and the signal you're getting, that's not really a massive negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Cheers Stevo, plumped for the HTC One S, nicer looking and seems to out perfrom the SGS2 in every area, only negatives seem to micro sim and lack of expandable memory beyond the 16GB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Short contract method. 24 months x £10 = £240 over 2 years. Initial £350 for a HTC One S, sell for £200 after 12 months. Buy a new handset for year 2, £200 from sale + £100 = £300. Sell second handset after year 2 for £180 and total outlay comes to (£240 + £350 + £100 - £200 - £180) = £310 Long Contract method 24 months x £20 = £480 over 2 years Initial £0 for HTC One S, sell for £200 after 12 months Buy a new handset for year 2, £200 from sale + £100 = £300. Sell second handset after year 2 for £180 and total outlay comes to (£480 + £0 + £100 - £200 - £180) = £200 and no heavy outlay Region free unlocked handsets are worth more than sim locked ones. So calculations are already wrong. Also you ignore the huge advantage of not being locked into a contract for 2 years. No idea what could happen in that time, job abroad etc.. So if you factor those into your calculations you'd be paying less for than your 100 for the freedom of no 2 year contract Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 If you get a contract make sure you get the phone from the Carphone Warehouse because it's more likely to be a retail off the shelf version than a network-locked branded phone. You can also tell your operator you'll pick it up from the CPW if you're doing the deal direct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 1, 2012 Administrator Share Posted August 1, 2012 If you read the T&Cs of a 24 month contract, they are allowed to increase the prices. The days when an increase meant you can cancel the contract are long gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Short contract method. 24 months x £10 = £240 over 2 years. Initial £350 for a HTC One S, sell for £200 after 12 months. Buy a new handset for year 2, £200 from sale + £100 = £300. Sell second handset after year 2 for £180 and total outlay comes to (£240 + £350 + £100 - £200 - £180) = £310 Long Contract method 24 months x £20 = £480 over 2 years Initial £0 for HTC One S, sell for £200 after 12 months Buy a new handset for year 2, £200 from sale + £100 = £300. Sell second handset after year 2 for £180 and total outlay comes to (£480 + £0 + £100 - £200 - £180) = £200 and no heavy outlay Region free unlocked handsets are worth more than sim locked ones. So calculations are already wrong. Also you ignore the huge advantage of not being locked into a contract for 2 years. No idea what could happen in that time, job abroad etc.. So if you factor those into your calculations you'd be paying less for than your 100 for the freedom of no 2 year contract Sales guy told me my handset would be unlocked and unbranded. The other stuff? Time will tell, I could also win the lottery, get run over by a bus or join the circus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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