I want a good cheap 3G unlocked smart phone for-T-Mobile

[Artista]

Like the title says I figure I would throw the question to the collective and see what comes out.

Looking for a cheap unlocked (or one I can unlock) 3g smart phone for t-mobile. Oh and I do NOT want to buy it from T-mobile and lock myself in for another two years. (seems like all the cheap unlocked smart phones on newegg are att 3g.)

Recomendations?

Where to buy?

 

[Red Storm]

Define "cheap."

 

[kaerflog]

Your best bet is a vibrant or g2x

 

[s44]

$120-150 = used Galaxy Blaze
$200 = used Galaxy Nexus/Hercules

The Vibrant sucks now, so I wouldn't go that cheap. Other phones aren't even on ICS!

Make sure there's no IMEI foolery though. This is less of a concern with the Nexus.

 

[jpeyton]

New

Nexus 4 $299

Used

SGS 1 $100
SGS 2 $200
SGS 3 $350

 

[bonkers325]

get a new nexus 4 or a used galaxy nexus.

i've been looking for a reason to upgrade to a nexus 4.. want to buy a used galaxy nexus?

 

[Artista]

get a new nexus 4 or a used galaxy nexus.

i've been looking for a reason to upgrade to a nexus 4.. want to buy a used galaxy nexus?

Funny.

Cheap to me is under $200 dollars. You know if you subscribe to newegg deals see all those 3g ATT phones for below $200 mark. (maybe I should go to ATT?)

I would choke if I had to pay $400-$600 for a phone. (never happen)

 

[cronos]

Funny.

Cheap to me is under $200 dollars.

I would choke if I had to pay $400-$600 for a phone. (never happen)

Well you said you were in contract before, so you definitely paid for way more than $600 throughout your contract. Don't say it never happened

eBay is a good place to find what you're looking for (some have been mentioned above in this thread), but you obviously have to be careful and super patient.

 

[s44]

Funny.

Cheap to me is under $200 dollars. You know if you subscribe to newegg deals see all those 3g ATT phones for below $200 mark.

They're all crap. Single-core, low-resolution phones that will never be updated to current versions of Android/WP, much less future ones.

The Nexus 4 is a quad-core HD phone that will keep you on the OS bleeding edge for years. Galaxy Nexus is dual-core HD that will be on the latest OS for at least a year.

Going cheaper than the G-Nex to save $50 makes absolutely no sense.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I was in the same boat and ended up with a Nokia 710 for about 150 shipped new in box. It worked flawlessly and actually was quite a decent phone

 

[bearxor]

Like the title says I figure I would throw the question to the collective and see what comes out.

Looking for a cheap unlocked (or one I can unlock) 3g smart phone for t-mobile. Oh and I do NOT want to buy it from T-mobile and lock myself in for another two years. (seems like all the cheap unlocked smart phones on newegg are att 3g.)

Recomendations?

Where to buy?

First question for is, are you going to stay with TMobile? Are you switching service providers?

Honestly, if you say no, then I don't see any reason why you shouldn't head to the TMobile store and reup a 2 year contract for a SGS3 for $50 this Friday. I'd pick a Nexus 4, but it won't be on sale and will run you $200.

I know you don't want to recommit for two years, but if you're not moving carriers, then you're, IMO, wasting the "discount" that the carrier give you on a device. If you can look at least 6 months down the road and say "I'm going to continue to be a T-Mobile customer", then that's what I would do.

If I were in your exact position though, I'd order a Straight Talk TMobile SIM, port my number to Google Voice and look for a used Galaxy Nexus. If you don't use very many voice minutes, I'd order the $30 TMobile prepaid plan that has 100minutes, unlimited text and 5GB of data.

 

[Artista]

Lots of good suggestions. I can stay with T-Mobile or move. The best deal with the most money saved is what rules.

In regards to what I paid: No I didnt pay a lot for this phone. It is a unlocked Black Berry that I bought at CompUSA for ~$75 three years ok.

I want 3G speeds instead of EDGE and a better screen for mobile Internet. Yeah the ATT sub $200 phones may be crap but they are light years ahead of what I have.

Decisions.

 

[bearxor]

If you're staying with your TMobile plan, then reup Friday and get the sgs3 for $50.

I think that's what you should decide first. If you're staying, then there's no reason to pass up the subsidy offered by your carrier. The TMobile ETF is only $200, so even if you change your mind and want to switch carriers a year from now, you're still only out a total of $250 which is only $50 more than your max anyways.

 

[Chiropteran]

If you want a non-contract phone, then don't rip yourself off paying contract prices for your service. You can get unlimited data & 100 minutes for $30/month from t-mobile, make sure you are accounting for that savings, you might find that even a $400 phone is affordable after looking at the total cost over the next 12 months. On the other hand, if you do insist on paying regular contract prices because you have some sort of aversion to prepaid plans, then you might as well get a subsidized phone.

You are just throwing money away if you pay contract prices without getting a cheap phone out of the deal.

edit:

Also,

I do NOT want to buy it from T-mobile and lock myself in for another two years.

That doesn't follow. T-Mobile sells phones at full price off contract, and their prices are competitive and comparable with other sources. It's not necessarily true that you are locking yourself in for any length of time when you buy a phone from T-mobile, you just need to read the details and understand what you are buying.

 

[Eug]

Right now the absolute best deal for a contract-free phone is the 8 GB Nexus 4 at $299.

It seems to me all the sub $200 contract-free phones pretty much are crap, but then again, if you're broke and want to save $100-150, then you'll have to deal with that. Or as mentioned, you can buy a used phone.

 

[s44]

If you're staying with your TMobile plan, then reup Friday and get the sgs3 for $50.

I think that's what you should decide first. If you're staying, then there's no reason to pass up the subsidy offered by your carrier.

But T-Mo *does* offer a non-subsidy discount, both prepaid and postpaid.

 

[TuxDave]

If you're staying with your TMobile plan, then reup Friday and get the sgs3 for $50.

I think that's what you should decide first. If you're staying, then there's no reason to pass up the subsidy offered by your carrier. The TMobile ETF is only $200, so even if you change your mind and want to switch carriers a year from now, you're still only out a total of $250 which is only $50 more than your max anyways.

I guess it depends if he's on the T-mobile unsubsidized plan because if he has to switch to a subsidized plan for that $50 SGS3 then he's paying more out of pocket over 2 years.

 

[Red Storm]

I guess it depends if he's on the T-mobile unsubsidized plan because if he has to switch to a subsidized plan for that $50 SGS3 then he's paying more out of pocket over 2 years.

If his monthly cost isn't going to change and he knows he's going to stay with T-Mobile, it definitely saves him money.

 

[TuxDave]

If his monthly cost isn't going to change and he knows he's going to stay with T-Mobile, it definitely saves him money.

I don't suppose you have a pointer to this deal because I don't think you get what I'm saying. I'm GUESSING that the $50 is a contract plan therefore his T-mobile monthly rate WILL go up if he's currently out of contract and on a unsubsidized plan.

 

[Red Storm]

I don't suppose you have a pointer to this deal because I don't think you get what I'm saying. I'm GUESSING that the $50 is a contract plan therefore his T-mobile monthly rate WILL go up if he's currently out of contract and on a unsubsidized plan.

Nope I have no idea what deal he has, that's why I said if his monthly cost stays the same. If it is going to change then yeah he needs to do some calculating.

 

[TuxDave]

Nope I have no idea what deal he has, that's why I said if his monthly cost stays the same. If it is going to change then yeah he needs to do some calculating.

So you're basically repeating what I'm saying. Ok. (And for calculation purposes, people put the saving at $20/month so you have to offset $480)

 

[lupi]

You can grab a galaxy 2 for $200.

 

[dagamer34]

I don't suppose you have a pointer to this deal because I don't think you get what I'm saying. I'm GUESSING that the $50 is a contract plan therefore his T-mobile monthly rate WILL go up if he's currently out of contract and on a unsubsidized plan.

I've never heard of rates going up because you are out of contract, that would be double greed. Contract monthly pricing already has the subsidy cost built in, so if you continue paying that, they get that money for free. In fact, they would do well enough to leave you alone so that they keep getting that extra $20/month from you.

Let's do some math:
Average phone subsidy: $350.
Average length of time into a contract before a carrier will let you resign at new contract pricing: 18 months.
$350/18 = $19.44/month
Approximate discount T-Mobile gives you for bringing your own phone: $20/month

Not a coincidence.

 

[vshah]

i've got a used gnex for sale over in fs/ft

 

[TuxDave]

I've never heard of rates going up because you are out of contract, that would be double greed. Contract monthly pricing already has the subsidy cost built in, so if you continue paying that, they get that money for free. In fact, they would do well enough to leave you alone so that they keep getting that extra $20/month from you.

Let's do some math:
Average phone subsidy: $350.
Average length of time into a contract before a carrier will let you resign at new contract pricing: 18 months.
$350/18 = $19.44/month
Approximate discount T-Mobile gives you for bringing your own phone: $20/month

Not a coincidence.

Maybe I'm just a horrible writer or something because there's a serious lack of comprehension going on.

IF he's on an unsubsidized plan, AND he goes and buys the $50 SGS3 which puts him back on a subsidized plan, THEN over two years he will be more out of pocket vs a N4 since the subsidized plan cost more than the unsubsidized plan.