At least for the next few years, I am pretty firm on needing a jack on my device.
I am currently using an LG v60, and while nice, it’s starting to show its age.
Any suggestions on where to go next?
I was looking at the ROG phone, and while it does seem very nice, I feel like it is a bit much as I don’t game on my device at all.
Are there any good phones I should be looking at?
Thanks!
Depends on your budget and location.
Unlimited budget: Sony Xperia 1 V ($1400). Has almost anything you’d want. SD8G2, MicroSD slot, etc.
High budget: Asus Zenfone 9 ($700). Great compact phone with a headphone jack. Alternatively wait for the Zenfone 10 to come out as it’s coming out this week.
Or even the Xperia 5 V ($1000), a slightly downgraded version of the 1 V.
Lower budget: Sony Xperia 10 V ($450). Expensive for the specs but you get outstanding battery life, 25-50% more than any other phone on this list. And it’s the only budget phone with a telephoto lens.
USA pick: Moto G Stylus 5G (2022). Can be picked up for $250 on Amazon and has excellent all-around specs for the price.
Europe/Asia picks: Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ ($350) if you want good cameras for the price. However the chipset might struggle with MIUI from time to time.
Xiaomi Poco X5 pro ($300). Good all-arounder at this price.
Xiaomi Poco F5 ($400). Best chipset out of all of these budget phones, at nearly flagship levels.
The Zenphone 10 is launching in 3 days, it is also rumored to have a headphone jack like the previous Zenphone 9!
All I want in this whole world is a Zenphone 10 on Verizon. If literally any other carrier worked at my house (rural dead zone) I’d jump ship in a heartbeat.
Can you explain more?
I have an iPhone which has a lightning connector - if I want to hook it up to the computer, I can either connect Bluetooth, or I can plug in a 3.5mm aux connector to the lightning port… which would also allow me to connect my old Sennheiser headphones.
However, for listening to podcasts at bedtime, I generally just use the computer which usually goes to sleep at bedtime - but I could adjust that.
Asus Zenfone
The Zenphone 9 is a great phone. If you don’t mind going for a slightly older phone, then I would recommend the Galaxy A52s.
I was considering this one, but I have heard wildly different stories from people using them.
Some say it’s an incredible phone, some say it’s a laggy nightmare with bad battery life.
Unsure who to believe.
Wait out - When the Asus Zenfone drop this Thursday. Top tier specs with a great camera.
Best, as far as specs? Gonna be the Asus Zenfone 10 (officially announcing 6/29 but most of the specs have been leaked) and the Sony Xperia 1 V (already available outside the US).
Both will have Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and plenty of memory and storage. The lower models of Xperia (5 and 10) will also have headphone jacks but somewhat lesser specs.
https://www.androidpolice.com/leak-asus-zenfone-10-every-angle/
FWIW the Xperia I V is very very similar to the I IV, it’s predecessor. Sony’s software support kinda sucks (only 2 years of Android updates, IIRC) but you can likely get a decent deal on last year’s phone at this point.
If you’re interested in custom ROMs or want something less Google-centric like GrapheneOS, you could also consider the Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, or 5a, depending on your size preferences. They’re losing official support now or soon but they’re still very good phones, very cheap refurbished, and GrapheneOS should be supporting them for a few more years just fine.
I considered posting about the previous gen Zenfone and Xperia, but the 8G1 gets hot and throttles frequently from what I’ve read.
Good point about the pixels. I put Graphene on my 5 and it runs nicely.
The 1 IV is known to have overheating issues with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. I’d recommend an Xperia 5 V instead.
It may be on the older side, but I’ve been using my Pixel 4A for three years or so, no complaints. I also use the headphone whenever possible. Also using GrapheneOS.
You may want to check out the Pixel 5A (also has a headphone jack if I’m not mistaken) for a bit of a newer phone, but the one I got used seems to have a band issue in which it would forcefully shut down after some time with my SIM card.
my pixel 4a is still kicking it
I do need to back it up and factory reboot tho, I think that might help some of the typing issues that have come up recently.
The pixel 5a has some reliability issues it’s predassessors did not. It is an extremely fragile device.
I think the fragility is either overstated or there were some lemons in the batch. I’ve had mine since day one, don’t treat it with kid gloves and have never had an issue.
I had one break, then another, then another. Granted I’m rougher with my phone than most, but that sort of pattern hasn’t popped up with other phones.
What breaks? The screen?
Yes. And I don’t just mean the glass. I had a screen fail without any impact/physical damage.
Nokia’s X series 🔥
Still rocking my S10 that I believe is the best phone made.
Wireless charging, wireless power sharing, good waterproof rating, headphone port etc.
Holding onto this thing as long as possible. Might price out a battery replacement… 💪
As a phone repair tech, Samsung phones are some of the easiest to repair. Especially for batteries or (if you can get Samsung OEM parts) screens.
I highly recommend you take a look at installing the new battery yourself if you’re able to be precise with a screwdriver. All it takes is the aforementioned screwdriver, a hair dryer/heat gun, and an old credit card.
The only parts you’ll have to buy are the battery and the water resistant seal for the back glass.
Samsung have some of the best handsets in the market hands down, but pixel isn’t too bad either
I’d agree to that. I’ve been a pixel user for a few years now, the only reason I chose them over Samsung is that I don’t like Samsung’s software preload.
Am I the only one who dislikes the wireless charging gimmick? Id rather phones dont bother with it to keep the size and cost of the phone down a bit.
I love it because I have a great dock for it. I just set my phone down on it and it charges.
Sony Xperia phones?
Not sure if you can still get a Samsung A52s. That’d be a nice pick if you still can get it. It’s what I use and it’s one of the few with the trifecta of features I was looking for: 3.5mm jack, memory card slot, and OIS in the main camera.
I’m hoping the EU’s new battery law will mean all countries will get Sony Xperias with removable batteries, though I realize it’s probably too much to expect.
What do you need from the minijack port? Easy access or great audio?
A few things:
- I fall asleep listening to podcasts, so I need the ability to play and charge
- I hate keeping track of multiple things to charge, I like how simple wired buds are
LG v50 is my favourite. I selling one on e bay, EU only. It’s totally like new.
OnePlus7Pro
