As the saying goes, “old is gold”. The OnePlus 11 is down to £400 for a 16/256GB unit right now. True, it’s a 2023 model, meaning it will turn 2-years old soon, but these days flagships age slower than ever before.
For starters, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is better than most mid-range chipsets out there. And OnePlus has this on track to receive 4 major OS updates (it’s one down already and Android 15 is coming soon) and 5 years of security patches. That still gives the phone three years of useful life left.
Looking at other options in this price range, we find the OnePlus Nord 4. Its Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is one of those mid-range chips that give the 8 Gen 2 a run for its money. However, the 50MP main camera (1/1.95” sensor) and 8MP ultra wide look basic compared to the 50MP main (1/1.56”), 32MP 48mm telephoto and 48MP ultra wide on the 11. The Nord has slightly better water resistance (IP65 vs. IP64) and a bigger battery (5,500mAh vs. 5,000mAh), both phones support 100W wired-only charging. The Nord will receive an extra OS update since it’s a newer model.
The OnePlus 12 is certainly better than the 11 with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 inside, plus a longer 70mm lens for the telephoto camera – which now has a 64MP sensor to boot. Also, the new phone has a bigger battery (5,400mAh) and supports 50W wireless charging in addition to 100W wired. OnePlus didn’t really fix the water resistance with this one and only certified the phone at IP65. The OnePlus 12 is currently £750 for a 12/256GB unit, but it was £650 last week, so maybe now it’s not the best time to get one.
The OnePlus 12R is currently £550 but was also £100 cheaper last week, which would put it close to the OnePlus 11. The 12R uses the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, however, its camera is missing a tele lens and the ultra wide only has 8MP resolution. The battery is bigger at 5,500mAh but charging is the same (100W wired only). The water resistance is the same at IP64.
Another model with the “old but gold” label is the Honor Magic V2. It originally launched in 2023, but it took until early 2024 to reach Europe – and it cost £1,700 when it did. Well, now it costs £800, which is a lot cheaper than your typical horizontal foldable flagship. It’s old, yes, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
However, the 50MP main camera is joined by a 20MP telephoto module (62mm lens) and a 50MP ultra wide, which is better than your typical horizontal foldable, even the ones from 2024. Also, the 10.1mm thickness when closed and 231g weight are lower than even the Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition (10.6mm and 236g). This is with a larger 5,000mAh battery with fast 66W charging to boot (the Galaxy has a 4,400mAh battery with 25W charging).
Changing tack, the CMF Phone 1 is one of the best value-for-money models in the entry-level segment. It has a good quality 6.67” FHD+ 120Hz OLED display and a relatively fast Dimensity 7300 chipset. The 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging, 50MP camera (no UW or tele) and a promise of 2 OS updates (the first will be Android 15) also look good at this price. The removable back is more of a gimmick, but you can have some fun with it.
The Honor Pad 9 has a large 12.1” IPS LCD (10-bit, 120Hz) while costing around £200. It’s not the fastest with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, but it’s great for streaming with its 8 speakers. Also, for a bit more you can get it bundled with a keyboard cover for some school or office work.
The Samsung Galaxy Fit3 is a cheap, basic smart band for those who want some exercise and health tracking, but don’t want to pay Galaxy Watch money. It has a 1.6” OLED display, 100 workout modes (but you need to bring your phone for GPS tracking), Emergency SOS and fall detection, making it fairly versatile.
Finally, a way to keep track of valuables like keys and backpacks – a smart tag. If you have an Android, a Galaxy phone especially, the Galaxy SmartTag 2 is the one to look at. iPhone users should look at the Apple AirTag instead.
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